The things

I have been blog-absent lately. Here is a selection of stuff that probably happened in the meantime.

  

Duncan and Emma came to visit, and Tav enjoys running towards any camera that get pointed anywhere near him.

We introduced our visitors to what passes for fun around here. Duncan got to enjoy one of the best weeks of fatbiking conditions we've had all season - and we made good use of it.

 

We went skiing, not only at Silver Star, but also at Revelstoke.  I haven't done much skiing in an actual ski resort in years, and Duncan hadn't done any skiing at all in even longer. It turns out to be fun - and to allow the striking of poses such as this.

And this.

And later....

We went to Mazama for Family Day and Tav held the whole world in his hand.

I got to go skiing on "Driveway Bute" with Chris, Kala, Paul and Angie. It was great to be back in the mountains for a day - and the conditions rewarded us.

And finally - I'll just leave this here...

P.S. I managed another slightly sub-winning performance at the Frosty Fox Fatbike Festival this weekend, which featured the truly excellent "dual catastrophe" format in one of the races. Here's Ricardo and Jacob in the final showing how it's done.

Some racing action up at at the hill today! Good times. 📹 @guypaulsen

A post shared by Sun Country Cycle | Est. 1984 (@suncountrycycle) on Feb 25, 2017 at 6:20pm PST

Fresh

After a bit more Wales, a misty journey back to the south coast (with a stop to revisit St Catherine's hill - sight of some of my early adventures), and a curry, it was time for two things. Tav's first birthday, and our flight home. Here are some pictures of those things: 

Now we're back in Vernon, where the air temperature is decidedly fresh. this has meant skiing, riding fat bikes, and just last night Lina spotted that you could do this on Kal Lake...

So there it was...

Here are some photos of what we've been up to since Christmas.

So here it is: Christmas 2016

Merry Christmas everybody! Here are some pictures of our trip so far...

Frozen bangers

We bought a Christmas tree, and found an unexpected thing in the Christmas tree farm:

Mr Sad Face

Distressed Austin

Tav is not sure what to make of snow

Then tonight, the first annual (probably) "Get Pumped For Christmas" pumptrack event happened in our back garden, featuring a track-record setting nine riders, despite it being -15 degrees and dark. 

Ricardo trusting the berm

John learning that trust is not always repaid

Kira launching the slippery jump

Sun Country Cycle employee train

When not in Fiji

These things can happen:

Grandma comes to visit, and becomes a nice place to sleep.

Mum is inside the computer, which is confusing.

We can learn to use the air compressor...

It may not be Fiji, but Vernon also has (fake) palm trees. 

We can catch up on literature.

We can find something you don't get in Fiji.

And finally, you can welcome mum home by spreading breakfast on her face.

The Second Annual Not-Mud Ride (with mud)

It happened. The second-ever, probably to be repeated, Not-Mud Ride. One day there will be a Mud Ride again, but for now we have to make do with this. There was mud though, which is confusing.

Thanks to y'all who made it what it was. For the record the general format was as follows (photos do not represent actual course of events):

Stage 1: Faff with bikes

Step 2: Ride bikes

Part 3: Celebrate

Element 4: Eat

Section 4b: Relax

Part 5: Faff with bikes again

Activity 6: Ride bikes again