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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

1 Million Vertical feet of climbing




http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=35411



I heard of people doing 1 million feet of climbing in one year.So I figured why not try this out.For me I would do it in a variety of outdoor activities.For me I get bored of doing just one activity.My pursuit would consist of mainly backcountry skiing in the winter and mountain biking in the summer.But I added road riding,free riding,hiking,trail running and rock climbing.A few people that I heard of doing it incluced Mike Weir mountain biking, Ruedi Beglinger ski touring and I'm sure many Tour de France riders.It took me just under 11 months.Starting on December 15/09 and finishing on November 14/09.It's not just about the uphill.You have to enjoy the uphill but it's all about the downhill.

Monday, November 23, 2009

New Route-5.9 Deep Cove

Nove 23/09

5.9 TR slab face climb.Finally drilled the anchors for a TR with a crappy Canadian Tire drill then a Dewalt drill.After many hours of scrubbing moss and removing branches.With the wrong drill,obvously it needs to be Hilti.Should be good to go in the spring season.Foergeting about the project it was nice to finally get it done with the deep drilled holes.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

North Vancouver to Tijuana Mexico by bike

I heard that someone had ridden from Vancouver to Mexico in ten days.I saw a four day sunny weather window,I figured the further south I would go the weather would get better, using the fast and light approach.One North Face Spire 32 pack.I wasn't interested in panier's or bob trailers.I wanted to enjoy the ride more and be able to giver on the downhills and climb fast on climbs.While riding riding the ferry over to Victoria I read about Lena Rowat who rode from Florida to San Diego on a cheap bike, and many other epics like ski touring from Vancouver to Alaska, along with the late Deep Cove original Guy Edwars.So that gave me confidence that I could ride a $5000 bike down the coast.It couldn't be as hard as trying to climb a big mountain. I figured where you have to freeze and carry all your own food.Riding through Washington was cold and I tagged the coast for just a few moments.Logging trucks were raging by, but they were pros and made sure to give lots of room when passing.They just scared the crap out of me when they drove by on the narrow shoulders.Entering Oregon the bike friendly area was a night mare crossing the bridge into Astoria.Where I decided to wait for cars to pass and as they did I would sprint ahead till next car came by.A few people were doing the ride from all over Belgium,Seattle,Ireland.Some people had ridiculous loads,especially the guy from Ireland he attempted to hang his food in the tree from the rats, but they still got to it.I saw him that day passed out on the grass, he had long way to go.The best section was the Southern part of Oregon epic beaches not too many people.Clean and pristine.Entering California after many slogging days it was cold.I just noticed a trailer with a Mcconkey sticker on it.I figured it must be ski movie tour.After climbing another road off the highway I ran into Jackie who was part of the McConkey Poole Poore benifit ride from Seattle to San Diego.For injured and passed away skiers.It was fun to ride with the group for awhile and get rid of my green pig that was on my back.It turns out a few of the members we're base jumping along the way off some of the high bridges.It would have been pretty cool to see these guys jump live off one of the bridges.They were even jumping in there road cycling gear.I was trying to stay on my 100 mile riding day average so I left the group and took off for Sausalito.After a couple days of mountain biking in the Mt.Tam area, where the mountain bike was invented.Too bad they don't let you ride the single track there, and you can even get a speeding ticket if you ride too fast.I hooked up with the Mcconkey crew once again in San Francisco and it would be an epic road ride in the head wind but it worked well doing a wicked echelon with Dave Steiner and Pep Fujas, we cruised into Santa Cruz.One of my favorite spots in California.A few years ago my brother and I did a training camp here training on mountain bikes eating Whoppers and Raman noodles.My brother even saved my K-car one day when after pumping the gas I left to pay and it started rolling back and my Mike came in and saved it.The next day was a late start with the big crew who we're getting ready for the big climb up past Big Sur.Few people rolled out and I followed I but ended up on the highway.Cars we're freaking out so I headed back inland, and just started hammering because I didn't have the green pig on my back, on one of the most scenic sections of the California coast lines.Next day with a wicked tail wind, which took us to a beach with hundreds of elephant seals.From here I cruised on my own for a couple of days and made it to Venice beach in the dark, too my surprise two hostels would not let me stay there with a bike.I was close to Los Angeles so I wasn't sure how safe it was going to be, but it worked out and I found and hostel and some needed the rest.Which included the famous Venice beach,climbing the rope at the outdoor gym,swimming in the ocean,sleeping at the beach,scoping the hot California girls in bikinis, and eating whatever I felt like.The next stage would be riding through and passed the famous beaches of southern California.A stop at Long Beach where I noticed a sign for West Coast Choppers.I was probably one of the few people to passed through there in there Euro trash cycling gear.Travel was great from here passed Huntington beach tail wind and flat terrain, until I arrived in Fort Bragg in the dark.Where the soldier asked me where I started and I said Canada and he said "No Thanks".I don't blame him after the section that was coming up.I missed the turnoff, and was forced to climb a twenty foot fence in my cycling shoes, and haul my bike up and over,I was just to tired and sketched out so I had no choice.Some time you just gotta giver eh.The final day was great relief, passes through beautiful beaches in San Diego but one more traffic filled section to the Mexican border,I crossed and didn't even realize I was in Mexico no one checked my passport.So local sent me to the highway where I was forced to walk and sprint the hell out of there to downtown, where I ate a bag of pastries, and had one deserved Corona from the local gangster serving beer.It was 6pm and time to leave and get back to the US,but it was a good feeling to be finally done chasing the finish line of the Mexican border.It's not about the finish but about the journey.Ya Doggie!


North Vancouver to Tijuana Stats:

1745.15 miles/2823 km
63460 feet of climbing
2 flat tires
3 tires
18 days riding to finish the route
1 rest day
10 100 mile plus days
Longest day 151.42 miles
2 days Sausalito mountain biking
2 days Santa Barbara road riding
2 days Venice Beach slothing,road riding
2 days San Diego slothing, road riding.

http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=33564

http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=128729&referrerid=37663

http://steedcycles.blogspot.com/2009/12/north-vancouver-to-tijuana-traslin.html

http://www.ryderseyewear.com/athlete/ski/view.ashx

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San Diego Day 26,27,28.

Day 26 Cruising around San Diego then over to the airport.OVer to the beaches.

Day 27 Cruising the beaches and nude beach.Eating ice cream,sleeping and slurpees.

Day 28 Cruising the beaches eating and sleeping,swimming,sacking much needed.

Day 29 Rode to the airport.Short flight to San Francisco.Then flight to Seattle.Bus ride back to Vancouver.Sebus to North Van.Bus to VSy and the gnarly bitter night shift and one shift sucker.Then enjoy the rain and not the sun.That's life enjoy it while you can we all have to work eventually.

Stats:18 days to ride from North Vancouver to Tijuaina.
29 days for total trip.
1754 miles/2823 km
63460 feet of climbing
Longest day 151.42 miles/243 km
10 100 mile days
8 5000 foot climbing days

Carslbad to Tijuana Day 17/25 End of the road

Carslbad to Tijuana Day 17/25
OCtober 29/09
65 miles
Asc 900 feet

Journey complete Rode a chilly morning.Through Encinitas and nice beaches into San Diego hostel.Dropped the green pig.Baked goods and Corona Ya Dogie! Didn't check my passport, I didn't even know I was in Mexico.Chilled in Tijuaina.Gangsters serving beer at the bar. 6:00 pm time to get the fuck out of here.Took photo at the border.
Not a good idea.Took train back to the town and had few beers at the hostel.Puked at night from too much beer and pizza."If you start something you might as well finish it otherwise what is the point."

Venice Beach to Carlsbad Day 16/24

Venice Beach to Carlsbad Day 16/24
October 28/09
1400 feet
120 miles

Cruising through all the classic beaches:Redondo,Hermosa,Huntington.Crappy town of San Pedro into Long Beach.Went to west coast choppers.Awesome tail wind flat more California beaches.Got to the Fort Bragg in the dark,Taco Bell run to the washroom.Got lost and had climb over a fence to get out of the base.Limped into Oceanside.Climb another fence to camp by the beach.Got out of there in time.

Malibu Beach Santa Monica climb Day 15/23

Malibu Beach Santa Monica climb Day 15/23
October 27/09
Asc 5610
Dur 6:03
Dis 79.19 miles/127.44 km

Nice climb through the canyon and up the vally similar to Europe.Piuma Hill and Big Rock climb.Big windstorm in the evening.

Venice Beach area Day 15/22 Cruising

Venice Beach area Day 15/22 Cruising
OCtober 26/09
Cruising and much needed rest type day.Checking out the hot chicks on the beaches and riding the famous board walks.

Santa Barbara to Venice Beach Day 15/21

Santa Barbara to Venice Beach Day 15/21
October 23/09
Asc 1790
Dur 6:01
Dist 101.23/162.91 km

Sunny checked the surfing past Santa Barbara, cray through the pier.Surfing all along the flat roads.Greta tail winding the through Malibu.Denied by two hostels in Venice beach.Luckily found one in the city.City wankers unite.Dirty hostel.

Gilbrator Peak-Reversed climb-Bouldering Day 14/20

Gilbrator Peak-Reversed climb-Bouldering Day 14/20
October 22/09
Asc 5210
Dur 2:58
Dis 38.89 miles/62.58 km

Rode the Gilbraltor climb reverse.Stopped for some bouldering off the road.Some descent sandstone climbing,almost fell off I was so pumped out.Breezy but an epic climb.Harder than the Alpe Dhuez, rough roads.

Santa Barbara Road riding Day 14/19

Santa Barbara Road riding Day 14/19
October 21/09
Asc 6010 feet
Dist 56.36 miles/ 90.68

Watched the surfers in the morning.Then did an epic road up Gilbraltor.One of the hardest climbs I've ever done, in the hot sun of course getting roasted at 90 degrees.Steep switchbacks.Cheap Mexican food.Good views of the ocean

Day 14/18 Avilla Beach to Santa Barbara

Day 14/18 Avilla Beach to Santa Barbara
October 20/09
Asc 4410
Dur 8:03
Dis 117.87 miles/ 189.60 km

Long day in the saddle.Very hot riding inland over barren waste land riding.Beat after riding without the group.Some crap sections.Hot no wind slog into town.Hostel in town.Beautiful town surfing by the beach and foothills.College town partying on the strip.

Big Sur to Avilla Beach-Day 13/17

Big Sur to Avilla Beach-Day 13/17
October 19/09
Asc 6150 feet
Dur 7:17
128.26 miles/206.39 km
Epic coast riding,started with a nice steady climb.Above the clouds and beside the beaches.Pep,Dave great tail wind to Elephant seal beach, you can hang right beside the elephant seals barking.Left group at mile 70 miles withe my Clif products.Into SLO inland crap riding again.Hanging at the starbucks nice college town.Got wacked looking for camp spot.Stayed at crappy Avilla beach beside the hwy.Left early again without paying.

Santa Cruz to Big Sur Day 12/16

Santa Cruz to Big Sur Day 12/16
October 18/09
Asc 3770
Dis 83 miles

Got up crew was slacking I rode down town a got a shirt.My back tire was toast but I took off and just started hammering onto the hwy people were honking so I got off and road Mike and I ten year ago training area.Few wrong turns but light with no pack and good tail wind.So nice coastal view,spectacular.Hammered up the climbs.Waited at the base jump bridge, did the climb and waited and did the climb with Dave and Pep.Cruised echlon into Big Sur.

Sausalito to Santa Cruz-Day 11/15

Sausalito to Santa Cruz-Day 11/15
October 18/09
95 miles
Asc 4560 feet

Rode again with the Mcconkey crew.Cruised through the big city.Very flat day with heavy head winds.One of the hardest days.Good drafting,Dave got a few flats just before Davenport.Checked out the classic surf spots.

Mt. Tam mountain biking Day 10/14

Mt. Tam mountain biking Day 10/14
October 17/09
Asc 8330 feet
60 miles
12 hours

Mtb right from the hostel,saw a rider and rode with him for the first climb got hammered, continued to ride four more passess.Dropped to the ocean,up to the famous Mt.Tam lamb double track.Poached some singletrack and crashed,climbed to the top of the mountain.Back down the back side and took a steep rocky descent off Tam.Then back over to Tamaranch for another lap on fast and flowy terrain with so Cali dude without a helmet.Road ride back to the hostel bonked out, really long day.At night road across the massive Golden Gate bridge, and cruised through downtown San Fran.Rode up and down the famous windiest road in the world.

Suasalito Tamaranch Riding Day 10/13

Suasalito Tamaranch Riding Day 10/13
October 16/09
60 miles
asc 3420
5 hours

Rode into Fairfax lots of roadies.Rented a bike there for $40 for 24 hours.5 inches of travel front and rear.Great fun singletrack.

Fort Ross to Sausalito Day 10


Fort Ross to Sausalito Day 10/11
October 15/09
110 miles
Acs 5270 feet
Dur 7hours

Whiteout in the morning.Steep climbs to begin with.Epic descents and views with cloud cover.First day wearing short sleeve jersey and shorts.Roling terrain and punchy climbs.In the open country hot day.Ran into few riders from Boulder and Germany.Nice lady dialed me to the hostel under the Golden gate bridge, through the tunnel.

Westport to Fort Ross Day 9/10

Westport to Fort Ross Day 9/10
Dis-104.55 miles/168.24 km
Dur-6:29
Asc-5590 feet
October 14/09

Short punchy climbs all day.Whiteout got stuck in the dark.At at the bar.Bivied back out of town in the trees.Tough day.

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Redway to Wesport-Day 8

Redway to Wesport-Day 8/9
October 13/09
Asc 4980 feet
Dur 5:14
87.51 miles/140.82km

Storming weather all day.In and out but not to col.Great riding throught the Redwood forest.Wicked pace line up the climb with Dave and Pep Fujas to Drive Thru tree.I left the group from an awesome winding climb from here.One more climb then a sick view of the ocean.Booted out of the KOQ $28 for a bivy I don't thinks so.Crossed the road and bivied in the grass.Not as fun on your own but I had to keep moving.

Rest day-Storm day- Day 8

Rest day-Storm day- Day 8/9
October 12/09
We drove into Eureka and saw Pep Fujas on the cover of Powder, whos on the ride.Inglorious Bastards.Thai food for dinner.Finally did some laundry.Everyone with there Iphones and labtops.Read some mags and a much needed rest.

Eureka to Redway Day 7

Eureka to Redway Day 7
October 11/09
Dis 40 miles
Asc 1200 feet
Dur 4 hours

Tired from the previous days hammering ran into Dave Steiner who flatted a few times.back at the shop.He hooked me up with some jawbone Oakleys.I dropped the pack and rode with these guys for some hwy riding.The big storm was coming in.So we stopped in a cabin and watched Fubar and some Police America.Shorter day they talked me into it.

Brookings to Eureka-Day 6

Brookings to Eureka-Day 7
OCtober 11/09
Asc 4820 feet
Dur 7:04
Dis 115.58 miles/186km

Entered Northern California, camped at a state campground.it's $4 and you get a fricken shower,the girls told the dummy I am about that one.I actually got in late and left early and didn'nt have to pay.Soon told me it was flat.Cold morning to start the ride, but I hit one of the longer climbs overdressed.So the small Mcconkey sticker on the back of the truck as it rode by,assumed it was a film tour.Some nice coast views and back into the forest.Caught Jackie on the climb up the hwy she took me a nice route bike route through the Redwood forest.Rode with the rest of the crew on the hwy, five of us hammering in the tailwind.A couple base jumpers on the crew and some pro free skiers.I kept rolling into Eureka, got denied all you can eat chinese food for $10 so I stayed at a hotel.

Lincoln City to Reedsport-Day 5 Reedsport to Brookings Day 6

Lincoln City to Reedsport-Day 5
October 9/09
Asc 3960 feet
Dis 105.95 miles/170.50 km
Dur 6:48

Great weather, beautiful climbs.Ran into first bikers 2 chicks from Seattle, Soon from Belgium.One way loaded down from Ireland.He had to hide his food in the trees from the rats but they still got to it.I passed him he was passed out lying in the sun.He was pissed but a good bottle of cheap wine helped him out every night on his $200 mountain bike.Climbed above seal mania.Seals everywhere down by the beach, some were even surfing.Second flat of the trip and that's all for the rest of the trip as I sat there patching tubes with four flats.Climbed into Coos Bay home of the famouse Nike runner Pre Fontaine.No one made it hurt like this guy.From here nice tail brought me into Bandon and a nice fish n chips lunch and deserved sack time.Prbably the the most scenic and clean part of the trip.Awesome tail wind all the way into Brookings.


Day 6 Reedsport to Brookings
OCtober 10/09
Ac 5850 feet
Dis 137.12 miles/220.66 km
7:59

Second flat of the trip and that's all for the rest of the trip as I sat there patching tubes with four flats.Climbed into Coos Bay home of the famouse Nike runner Pre Fontaine.No one made it hurt like this guy.From here nice tail brought me into Bandon and a nice fish n chips lunch and deserved sack time.Prbably the the most scenic and clean part of the trip.Awesome tail wind all the way into Brookings.


Cannon Beach to Lincoln City-Day 4

Cannon Beach to Lincoln City-Day 4
Ocober 8/09
83.66 miles/134.62 km
Asc 3310 feet
Dur 5:03:18

Tight sections crappy roads.first flat tire more inland riding,looking forward to the crappy pizza I had with Mike after we did the 8 hour's of Independence race.
I stopped in a Mexican place and tried to get warm after a few hours.Third bivy in the trees, paranoid and to dark early.


Aberdeen to Cannon Beach-Day 3



Aberdeen to Cannon Beach-Day 3
Dis-108 miles/174 km
Dur-6:24
Asc-3500 feet

Made it to Oregon in 2 days.Finally get to see the ocean.Rolling terrain and tight shoulders, escpecially coming into Astroia.I was so sketched that I waited for cars to pass me then I would sprint to avoid the cars.The next bridge in the city was so tight I decided to just walk the damn thing.Second bivy in the trees of the trip.

Port Angeles to Aberdeen-Day 2



Port Angeles to Aberdeen-Day 2
Dis- 151.42 miles/243.68 km
Dur-8:47
Asc-2000 feet

Got on the hwy and started riding, lots of logging trucks, but they had lots of respect they took it quit wide, but they scared the shit aout of you.Rolling terrain.Tight sections by the coast.Tagged the coast shortly then back inland,through very limited shoulder.Aim for the right if someone coming in close.
Longest day of the trip and longest rides ever.

North Vancouver to Tijuana Mexico by bike-Day 1

Day 1
OCtober 5/09
North Vancouver to Port Angeles
60 miles
Asc 2510 feet
Rolled right out of the my front door in North Vancouver,dropped the car off and put on the north face spire 38 litre pack.Caught the ferry over to Victoria.Got inspired by Lena Rowat who rode across the US on a $100 bike.Ski toured from Vancouver to Alaska and beyond.Mother hiked the Pacific Crest Trail.I should be fine on a $5000 bike borrowed demo from Giant SL Advanced full Dur ace, light as a feather.Hot German chicks in Victoria,Took the ferry from Victoria to Port Angeles, road on the hwy from the ferry terminal to trees, no bikes in the gas stations, first of many times getting yelled at.Slept in the trees in a open bivy.Wake up drink water, gear up and plod on till lunchtime.


Saudan Couloir NSMB

November 14/09 NSMB Thread

http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=128384&referrerid=37663

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Blackcomb Rememberance Day Ski and Powder

November 11/09-Remeberance Day

Blackcomb Rememberance Day Ski and Powder

http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=128372&referrerid=35485