Vancouver to Squamish trail delight

Cananda, Squamish

After a few internal USA flights which we got hit up $100 each leg for excess baggage, we touched down in Vancouver, Canada. We picked up our new house on wheels from the airport, a 24ft sick ass campervan. On exiting the airport I miss judged the height of the boom gates and got stuck under the gate and ripped off a light, a great start!

We headed 1:30hr North of Vancouver to the small town of Squamish. The town is a sesspit for adventure sports people. From mind boggling cliffs for climbers, high vert peaks for base jumpers, snow fed canyons for kayakers and some of the most technical and aggressive mountain bike tracks I have ever ridden, this place rocks! 90% of all vehicles have bike racks and the other 10% are towing snow mobiles and motorcross bikes.

Squamish mountain bike tracks are made up of some serious riding from flowy groomed berms to rocks, roots and mud patches the riding keeps you engaged at all times. I have been trying to ride some of the tracks that the BC race touches on day 6, and can confirm that I suck hard. Well the good thing is that there is heaps of climbing, we have been ridng 30-40km’s per day and you spend 80% of your time switch backing up the side of a 25% gradient to bomb down one of the 100 or so single track downhills (just need to avoid the 20ft drop off’s or huge structure’s that have a 10ft gap to clear). Its no mystery why we haven’t come across many other riders on XC bikes and just surrounded by guys on fat travel all mountain and downhill bikes. 40kms also taking a comparable time frame to my usual 100kms, as has proven fairly easy to get lost and stopping to pull out map and consult the Magellan GPS every other trail crossing and intersection really pushes out the time! Not to worry though as staying light here until nearly 10pm which so far we’ve made it back before dark and not run into any bears or mountain lions!

We had awesome weather the first couple days but now just to add some spice, today it is pissing with rain non-stop and no doubt going to make those roots and rocks a little more challenging and energy sapping. I used to think this race would suit me, now that I am here and riding some of the most techie trails in the world, I will be happy just to finish with no injuries as the trails beg you to go harder and faster than you know is good for you and befor you know it you have hit a wet root fishtailing into a tree. Next stop Whislter to suss out what they have to offer!