Squamish Gold

"Wow" is the one word to aptly describe today's escapades.

I woke up this morning at 6:20 am, rose to fill the thundermug and then tried in vain to get some more shut-eye. I got up at 6:30 and started getting sorted for the ride on Squamish's hallowed single track. Stu called me around 8:00 and informed me that he too had gotten so wound up about today's ride that he had to get up at 6:30 am, and we were set to leave his place at 8:50am.

I rode my bike over to meet up and as I got there, Churchy rolled up in style and we piled the bikes onto Stu's truck. It seems that the exercise bug bit almost everyone we knew since as we were leaving, Tammy, Amy and Kate were going for a run and then we passed Stu's sis Justine and Alex on their way up to Squamish for a girls rip trip on the trails. Sick!

After enjoying one panoramic view after another on the drive up, we pulled into Brennan Rec Centre ready to unload (in more ways than one hey Stu...har har har). We met up with T-bone Malone and Ricky Bobby as well as Megan, the Australian winged assassin. This girl can seriously rip and it was nice to break up the usual testosterone-drenched atmospshere with a douse of femininity. (In case you're wondering, T-bone provided that douse of femininity...har har har, oh man that was a terrific joke).

Stu and Churchy trading scathing insults about who would cramp first

Churchy showing off his award-winning racing garb

So anyways, the wheels began rolling and we were off following the Test of Metal course up to Alice Lake, across the coveted 4 Lakes Trail, around Deadman's Loop, up the Rock n' Roll bypass, and then screaming through the banked turns of Rob's and Cliff's corners with Churchy breathing fire down my neck!

Here we decided to pull a U-ey and head across to some upper trails...little did we know that Stuey had no idea where he was going (with me in full support of all wrong turns with conviction that yes, this was definitely the correct way - har har har) but still eventually got us to where we needed to go. And what would any mtb ride be without a special guest apperance by the Northshore's golden child, Matty "The Professor" Hunsberger. Matty is fondly known by all his close friends as the professor due to his uncanny ability to school everyone on really hard, fast DH trails. Actually I don't think anyone calls him that, but I think I may start now.

So after a group collaboration with Matt, it was decided that we would pedal up the road for another 25 min and try out a new trail that had recently been opened by a bunch of locals who were adamant that its location be kept secret from folks like us; as Stu aptly put it, the “city-ots”. This trail ended up being one of the most insane rides I’ve ever tried and was definitely the highlight of the ride for me...thanks Matty!

After that we began to wind back down the classic Pseudo Tsuga and after some deliberation about the enticing possibility of extending our ride for another 2 to 3 hrs, gradually made it back to Brennan Park psyched out of our faces about having had such a great ride on such a gorgeous day. We wrapped ‘er up with some burgers, beers and yam fries at the Squamish brew pub and chased that with some world-class gelato to celebrate striking gold in Squamish. I can’t believe we’re only a month into spring and already having this much fun...

Final note; ride of the day goes to Ty "the Up and Comer" Hunsberger hands down. Tyler's improving so much from ride to ride that I think we all might have something to worry about by the time the Test of Metal rolls around. Good job Berger!