Victoria to Whitehorse to Sandspit

Yes, I have been way too busy lately. At any other time, I would be more than happy to travel to these amazing places and enjoy the scenery while doing some work while I'm at it. Unfortunately, all this work has coincided with the two weeks leading up to BC Bike Race. This means less riding than I would have liked but on the flip side, also more recovery which means that I should be super fresh on the start line of Day 1.

Now for the bike. As my Jet9 self-destructed in the Test of Metal, I have been without a bike... that is until yesterday. As the Jet9 is going to probably take weeks or months to warranty and figure out the linkage issue, I was left with a hard-tail Norco Nitro 29er that Oak Bay Bikes had loaned me to get by on. However, after taking it for a ride, it just did not work for me. So, I talked to Oak Bay again and they came back with some awesome news. They had a Niner Rip9 in the store and would lend it to me until the Jet9 issue was sorted out. Once this happens, I can swap everything back and then they'll turn the Rip into a demo bike. This was such good news and the best solution that could have possibly happened to me under the circumstance.

I arrived back from Whitehorse on Friday, had the bike built by Saturday morning, and was off for a long epic ride. Five hours later, I came back ecstatic about how fun the bike was just how well it rode. The Rip is very similar to the Jet except there is a bit more travel which was super nice on the rough stuff. I rode a section of trail - that I have ridden many time before - much faster on this bike than I ever have before! So, after all the stress and worry about what was going to happen with my ride for BC Bike Race, I now have a sweet machine ready to hit the line. You'll have to check this thing out. It glows in the dark as well!

Here is a selection of the past seven days!

The City of Whitehorse, Yukon

The City is located right beside the Yukon River which, along with glacial activity, have carved out the landscape and left steep bluffs and nice flat terraces on top.

Some nicely erroded bluffs

The Yukon River looking North toward Whitehorse

Trying to get in some exercise. Crossing the Yukon on a nice 16km run.

The historic SS Klondike paddlewheel boat

No stop to Whitehorse is complete without visiting the Klondike Grill. Excellent food with amazing pie for dessert!

A typical Yukon scene. Mountains, short black and white spruce, some lodgepole pine, and of course, lots and lots of RVs and motorcycles touring the Alaska Highway.

The 'Signpost Forest' in Watson Lake. Apparently, what started as a joke posting a sign saying '1500 -> to Victoria' or whatever, has continued into craziness. They must be in the hundreds of thousands.

Some of the signs are licence plates, some of them are made by people who don't know about it and just take a piece of wood with a marker as do up a sign, while others travel with custom made signs, made in their hometown, and travel with them for thousands of miles just to hang them on their way through.

I just came for the tractor ride though!

Working hard at Good Hope Lake, BC. One of the residents told me, 'If I'm feeling bad about something, I just look up.' Looking around at the surroundings, it was easy to understand his sentiment.

I think this speaks for itself

Flying out of Whitehorse, I spot the local ski hill with Alaska calling me in the background

Alaska calling between the cumulus and sirrus

If heaven is on earth, I think I found it.

On the way to the worksite in the Charlottes, I think I found it again!

A tough day flying in via helicopter

There are hummingbirds everywhere! Ok, maybe it's the suger water! I love these birds.

On a side note, it has been raining constantly here which isn't much of a surprise coming to the Haida Qwaii. What suprised me here though is how pure the rain water is. I am using a water tape which measures water level in water wells and works by using a current between the tip and side of the probe which, when connected either directly or through water, makes the unit beep. Well, in order for the current to conduct, the water must have some ions available to achieve this. First I thought the unit wasn't working. After some cleaning of the probe and changing the battery, I finally figured out that the stream I was using to test if the meter was working was so pure that there was just not enough ions to conduct the current! Try finding that in Vancouver or Smogonto!

As for BC Bike Race, man am I stoked about this event! Seven days of some of the best singletrack around. I simply cannot wait!

TNO