Okanagan Women on Wheels
We are a group of women mountain bikers who are dedicated to exploring and making the most of our great Okanagan environment.
Annual event
Every year on the second weekend in June grab your wheels and saddle bags and head on a 3-4 day cycling adventure. Leave behind the men, the kids and the pets and head for the hills.
Planning
Trip itinery and logistics require planning. The kernel of an idea forms during the previous year’s trip and the group meets from January to May to thresh out the details. A subcommittee of volunteers go and test the waters/ beds/ course details. Here's a sampling of previous trips:
June 2004: Nakusp to Castlegar via New Denver & the Slocan valley
This is a beautiful 3 day ride. We drove from Penticton to Castlegar where we arranged for a group drive to Nakusp with Bob Dupee of Wildways Adventure Sports.
Day 1
We arrived in Nakusp mid afternoon in time to arrange a quick jaunt to the Hot Springs in the local community bus. Next morning after group breakfast and exercises by our own physiotherapist, Sue, we set out for ride up the old rail bed. The trail is in excellent condition for riding, and the incline is quite gradual once one gets onto the rail grade. We left in overcast skys but by the time we reached the summit it was raining hard. The summit trail is a beautiful ride through meadow areas with sumac and salmon berry bushes lining the trail. For lunch we managed to find shelter in the barn of the local woodworking studio. With local input we decided to coast down the road to New Denver as the lower part of the railbed was under water due to local flooding. Joan at Villa Dome Quixote provided a wonderful welcome to the soaked muddy cyclists with her hose! This is a unique hostel style facility with comfortable rooms, a communal kitchen and meeting rooms. The local laundromat was invaded by shifts of drowned rats requiring a fast drying out of clothes. After a warm up in the hot tub our hosts drove us back to Rosedale for a delicious Mexican dinner at the Wild Rose Café.
Day 2
This day starts on roadway following the shore of the Slocan lake, with our biggest climb being a 6.5 km grunt up to the view point. The sun was shining and views beautiful.
Lunch: Hot tips from our local contacts brought us onto an old disused road a few kilometers beyond the summit and above Slocan village. We picnicked overlooking the lake and then had a magical 11 km ride down the old moss covered roadbed under overhanging trees to an old tunnel in the cliffs just before the Slocan timber mill. The heavens opened then in typical Kootenay valley fashion, just in time for us to retreat to the local café for hot chocolate, coffee and goodies.
Afternoon Day 2:
Back onto railbed following the Slocan riverbed and slough. This portion of the railbed needs some work as it was still heavy duty railbed gravel so is a bit hard on tires and pumping legs. We made it to the trestle at Lemon Creek mostly intact and all enjoyed a well deserved rest back in sunshine. Cathy rested more soundly than others! By 4 pm we were on our way again to the Lemon Creek Lodge which is a delightful comfy B & B with sauna. Dinner was delicious and after a glass or three of wine we all tucked down for a great sleep.
Day 3: Up early for breakfast, self help for coffee as the staff were still Sleeping!
We decided to avoid more rail bed stones, and donning our Lemon Creek Ponchos to keep out the raindrops we hit the back country roads. These follow the Slocan river past idyllic little farms and cross back and forth over the river. For a while we had to follow hwy 6 to hit the deli next to Wildways Kayak at Crescent Valley. Denman Island Espresso chocolate is a must for the zing on the great descent along the back road into Castlegar to load the cars.
Those in the know stopped for Borscht in Grand Forks before hightailing it home.
June 2005 O'Keefe Ranch to Salmon Arm
This was a 3 day, 2 night trip. We drove to O'Keefe Ranch and parked vehicles in the parking lot (pre arranged). The ride is along back country roads through gentle rolling farm land. There were a few diversions for roadworks and then a critical bike failure led to a 1 hr layover in Armstrong for bike repairs. Luckily there is a handy bike store with helpful mechanic. The group managed to survive the wait by hanging out at the Armstrong Village Cheese Co sampling cheese, milkshakes and other tasty treats. We arrived in Salmon Arm around 4pm and checked into the hotel on the shores of the lake. Birdwatchers heaven as the rooms overlook the wetlands with the osprey nest at eye level 30 m from the rooms. Dinner required a hike/bike up to the Greek restaurant above town. Next day was a leisurely day of self directed relaxation, massage, hiking or biking. We met for dinner again. The last day was group breakfast in teh hotel then a ride back along the east side of the valley ending again at our cars.
June 2006 To be continued...
Annual event
Every year on the second weekend in June grab your wheels and saddle bags and head on a 3-4 day cycling adventure. Leave behind the men, the kids and the pets and head for the hills.
Planning
Trip itinery and logistics require planning. The kernel of an idea forms during the previous year’s trip and the group meets from January to May to thresh out the details. A subcommittee of volunteers go and test the waters/ beds/ course details. Here's a sampling of previous trips:
June 2004: Nakusp to Castlegar via New Denver & the Slocan valley
This is a beautiful 3 day ride. We drove from Penticton to Castlegar where we arranged for a group drive to Nakusp with Bob Dupee of Wildways Adventure Sports.
Day 1
We arrived in Nakusp mid afternoon in time to arrange a quick jaunt to the Hot Springs in the local community bus. Next morning after group breakfast and exercises by our own physiotherapist, Sue, we set out for ride up the old rail bed. The trail is in excellent condition for riding, and the incline is quite gradual once one gets onto the rail grade. We left in overcast skys but by the time we reached the summit it was raining hard. The summit trail is a beautiful ride through meadow areas with sumac and salmon berry bushes lining the trail. For lunch we managed to find shelter in the barn of the local woodworking studio. With local input we decided to coast down the road to New Denver as the lower part of the railbed was under water due to local flooding. Joan at Villa Dome Quixote provided a wonderful welcome to the soaked muddy cyclists with her hose! This is a unique hostel style facility with comfortable rooms, a communal kitchen and meeting rooms. The local laundromat was invaded by shifts of drowned rats requiring a fast drying out of clothes. After a warm up in the hot tub our hosts drove us back to Rosedale for a delicious Mexican dinner at the Wild Rose Café.
Day 2
This day starts on roadway following the shore of the Slocan lake, with our biggest climb being a 6.5 km grunt up to the view point. The sun was shining and views beautiful.
Lunch: Hot tips from our local contacts brought us onto an old disused road a few kilometers beyond the summit and above Slocan village. We picnicked overlooking the lake and then had a magical 11 km ride down the old moss covered roadbed under overhanging trees to an old tunnel in the cliffs just before the Slocan timber mill. The heavens opened then in typical Kootenay valley fashion, just in time for us to retreat to the local café for hot chocolate, coffee and goodies.
Afternoon Day 2:
Back onto railbed following the Slocan riverbed and slough. This portion of the railbed needs some work as it was still heavy duty railbed gravel so is a bit hard on tires and pumping legs. We made it to the trestle at Lemon Creek mostly intact and all enjoyed a well deserved rest back in sunshine. Cathy rested more soundly than others! By 4 pm we were on our way again to the Lemon Creek Lodge which is a delightful comfy B & B with sauna. Dinner was delicious and after a glass or three of wine we all tucked down for a great sleep.
Day 3: Up early for breakfast, self help for coffee as the staff were still Sleeping!
We decided to avoid more rail bed stones, and donning our Lemon Creek Ponchos to keep out the raindrops we hit the back country roads. These follow the Slocan river past idyllic little farms and cross back and forth over the river. For a while we had to follow hwy 6 to hit the deli next to Wildways Kayak at Crescent Valley. Denman Island Espresso chocolate is a must for the zing on the great descent along the back road into Castlegar to load the cars.
Those in the know stopped for Borscht in Grand Forks before hightailing it home.
June 2005 O'Keefe Ranch to Salmon Arm
This was a 3 day, 2 night trip. We drove to O'Keefe Ranch and parked vehicles in the parking lot (pre arranged). The ride is along back country roads through gentle rolling farm land. There were a few diversions for roadworks and then a critical bike failure led to a 1 hr layover in Armstrong for bike repairs. Luckily there is a handy bike store with helpful mechanic. The group managed to survive the wait by hanging out at the Armstrong Village Cheese Co sampling cheese, milkshakes and other tasty treats. We arrived in Salmon Arm around 4pm and checked into the hotel on the shores of the lake. Birdwatchers heaven as the rooms overlook the wetlands with the osprey nest at eye level 30 m from the rooms. Dinner required a hike/bike up to the Greek restaurant above town. Next day was a leisurely day of self directed relaxation, massage, hiking or biking. We met for dinner again. The last day was group breakfast in teh hotel then a ride back along the east side of the valley ending again at our cars.
June 2006 To be continued...
posted by Owow at 6:17 PM
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