Nomad Inclinations

Welcome to Kamloops Kountry!

2 weeks of our trip has already past, 9 days of which have been spent on our bikes (>30'000m decent?!?). Last night we rolled into Vernon ate our broccoli mushroom pasta at 11pm before dropping dead into bed. Its time for a well deserved rest!

Rock 'n roll on a Sun Peaks slab.

Arriving in Kamloops a couple of days ago, our plans to ride the bike ranch washed away by a late afternoon thunderstorm (rather reliving after cooking all day at 35C). We took this as a sign heading straight for Sun Peaks first thing the next morning.

The road to Rio: if you can't find a shuttle, a taxi pickup works too.

After missing Zoe and Jonas (who we met at Marble Canyon) in Kamloops, we found them in the parking lot the next morning. So we got to riding Sun Peaks together. A bit ridden out, but some super steep and technical trails. Half way down Insanity One we commented that it wasn't too bad for a double diamond, but we hadn't seen what waited around the next corner. Steam Shovel made us smile again.

That night we shared incredible honey mustard chicken wing dinner (the 20 pack went far) and some funny stories with the Moose Mountain locals that we met later in the campsite.

          

Even if you can't find the entrance to the trail (go ask at Bike Cafe for a map) the views are worth it.

Not riding Kamloops was just not an option, so we tried again the next day. We couldn't organize a shuttle to Rio, so we drove ourselves up and took a taxi later to fetch the car. Once wasn't enough, but better than none. Rio is an incredible trail, most of which runs down a gully, sort of like a natural half pipe. Flow Flow Flow!

 

No surprises that it was incredibly hot in Kamloops!

A quick swim to wash off the days dirt and then it was time to move again: next stop Silver Star. We were planning a hit an run, but the trails seemed to be in really good condition so we ended up getting stuck there for 2 days.

 Calgary might have the Stampede, but Silver Star is definitely the true cowboy town.

Silver Star is full of fun, rockslabs, rollies and step ups.

Double Dog, World Cup, Rock Star where worth every drop of sweat. So by day 2 we new our way round and were sending it all day long, till our hands simply could not hold on any more. It was time to step of the pedals. We packed up our home on wheels and rolled down to Vernon.

Shot on Snakepit, which was not our favorite trail, but somehow captures the ambiance of the place.

After checking out a few campsites last night, we found our spot for the weekend. The temperature has finally dropped below 30C for the first time in 10 days, fits well with our plans (not necessarily sorted by priority): laundry (before our bike socks attack us in bed one night!), shower, bbq, wine tasting (the Okanagan Valley is where Canada's best wines are made), fried breakfast and swim in the lake in front of our kitchen.

 

Ready for take off: lots of lovely wooden features littered all over the mountain, wide eyes adrenalized.

 

Tanned and tattooed by BC Bike parks.

So a busy week behind us, the next looks more relaxed. We are heading for Calgary, maybe stopping in the Rockies for hot springs.

Our kitchen table for the next 2 days.