BBBB (January 10, 2009)

Since my last tour de Fraser valley posting I managed to sneak in a few short early winter rides up at the Woodlot before all the snow hit. Then came December. BAM! Four feet of snow, relentlessly falling for a week, mixed with a long stretch of sub-zero temperatures. The initial snowfalls wouldnt have been a problem, in fact it would have been ideal for some awsome snowbiking, however it was the roads which made getting to any mountains near impossible.

Cory finally coming to a rest after a long run through the slush.

Finally the snow stopped, and the rains came. This is where we begin the first bike adventure of the year. JordanK coined this particular ride the quad "b" or B.B.B.B. which stands for breakfast, beer, biking, beer. The day began with JordanK and I driving out to CoryS's place for breakfast and beer. After a lovely morning meal we loaded the Kantola Van up with bikes and headed out to the Railroad trail at near the Ruskin dam in Mission.

Jordan overlooking the snow-covered Hayward Lake.

It was raining out and the snow was still fairly deep and slushy. I have to say, the riding conditions were quite terrible. There was a packed down path in the middle of the trail that was very slick. The problem was staying on this slippery packed down part of the trail because if you started to slide to eaither side you would get stuck in the deep slush. After the first initially trying section we came to a nice viewpoint of the lake where the trail wasnt so snowy. We continued on along the trail cutting in and out of the forest and back out near the lake. After some time we decided it was best to start heading back before we had left ourselves with too long of a trudge and too little daylight. We decided that a wooden bridge along the shore of the lake under the shelter of a huge fir was as best a place as any for the last "b".

Mountain bike rockstars: Bicyclese Mark II, Bigfoot, & Hoss.

With brews uncapped, we had time to reflect on the awsome creations that we have the luxury to call our playground. Unfortunately the cold beers didnt make our cold wet carcasses any warmer so it was back to work grunting through the snow. Of course on our way back to the van it started to snow again. We made quick work getting back to van and firing up the heat. And thus ends the first adventure of 2009 and the first BBBB. I am looking forward to riding the full Hayward lake trail when the snow melts.