Okanagan's best Road Biking and Wine

The Wine Inspired Travel company -"Into the Vineyard", will be offering a new luxury road bike trip in the southern Okanagan this year in collaboration with local cycling outfitter, Arbutus Routes. These extended weekend getaways spend four days riding and wine tasting in Naramata, Okanagan Falls, Black Sage and the Golden Mile. These trips will go beyond the cellar door of the region's rising star wineries, providing insight into what makes these premier wines so distinct. During their visit to Painted Rock Winery, owner John Skinner will take the small group on an exclusive tour through the vineyards and then on to a special tasting of award winning wines paired with a gourmet picnic lunch.

For dates, pricing and further details, or to view their other exciting travel options to the many wine regions of the world, visit: www.intothevineyard.com or www.arbutusroutes.com

Travel Planning

The early winter is a very exciting time here in Whistler. The mountain is now open and with a solid base, we all now watch the forecasts religiously to see when the next storm is about to arrive. As I look outside right now, I can see that next storm is arriving right now and will be bringing smiles throughout the town.

This time of year is also a prime time to start planning our next summer trips as we get together with the family over the holidays. Maybe it's time for Family trip to Whistler to see the best in Biking and Hiking or maybe you're thinking of going a little deeper in the mountains for a more remote Adventure Travel trip in BC. Lots of great options out there as we are truly blessed with incredible natural surrounding.

At Arbutus Routes, the winter is our time to plan our newest adventures and work with you to custom design a personalized adventure in BC.

Have a great Holiday Season and we look forward to hearing from you in the New Year. Enjoy the snow!

All the best from the team at Arbutus Routes-

Australia Garmin 24hr Mtb Race, My Story.

My preparation for this races started a few months ago whilst I was in Canada with some single speed training on the pump track bike on whistlers wonderful single track. I knew that the riding/racing back in Australia would be taking me to the rev limiter and back so the more time I put into picking up my fitness the better for me. I had been talking to the guys from Rocky Mountain Australia and they were keen to put in a team of 4 and go for it but with a bit of talking they decided to go for a team of 6 mixed combined with riders from the I Ride Bikes. Now it’s time to get on with the show and fill you in on the race that stopped Redesdale.

The car got packed to the rafters with everything and more that we could possibly need for the race. Graham and I left Friday night so that we could get a sleep in at the event so we didn’t have to rush around on Saturday morning. We met some of the team at the Redesdale pub after making good time with no traffic and super clean windows for optimum vision.

The night was interesting and the morning bought more laughs than you could poke a stick at. Graham had a fun experience in his swag with part of the canvas letting in some water giving him some soaking wet feet for the night. I managed to wake up in the middle of the night thinking that I had peed myself due to the gap in the shelter, the other issue was the fact that I packed a Kids sleeping bag and had to find some blankets to cover the rest of my body.

8:00am People started to roll into the event with the rain coming in from every angle. It was always going to be a wet weekend with the forecast showing us signs of a huge rain ban blanketing the state with no brake in sight. This would later prove to be quite a mental and physical challenge for alot of people at the race and for out team as well. Breakfast time was now apon us and the team got of to a healthy start with some bacon and eggs to add to the gels and bars that we will be eating over the period of the 24hrs.

Time to meet the I Ride Rocky Mountain Team:

Will – Lady Killer and all round funny man that will pull on a skin suit to impress the ladies with his white pins at any time. He had the fun time of going out on the last lap to bring us home and with that he took over the fastest lap for the team .

Ross: AKA Boss, he is I Ride and bought a lot of wisdom and emotional speaking to the team and the only tent that didn't leak!

Aleisha: The little caboose that could, doubted herself a little when she was surrounded by her fellow team mates but a beer to calm the nerves and some emotional speaking from Big Rich got her firring on all cylinders. Showed her self that she can ride a bike and ride it well she did, punching out respectable laps!

Me: Had similar laps over the course of the event, pulled out 2nd fastest night lap! Got into a skin suit of my own for the final team lap. I had the upper hand in that I spent alot of time building the course and new of every corner out there. 

Llew: Skin suit number 3 for the team, the 1^st lapper for the team, held his own every lap and was a solid team player night and day.

Simon/Graham: The diesel that had little miss hap on the track causing him to open up his knee and as a result had a body double out on course to keep the laps ticking. (Graham looking pro in his Arbutus Routes jersey)

 

Right now it’s time for the race start and the fun times to begin!

 

12:00 Llew got off to a cracker of a start moving up the rankings giving us a good position coming into our Team lap.TEAM lap is the entire team going out for a lap and finishing the lap within 1 min of each other.

Team waiting for Llew to come in so we could head out on our Team lap. All nice and clean with big smiles!

Lap one down and boy was she a muddy one this was one of the nicest muddy lap.

One hell of a muddy team after the lap, it set the tone for the next 12 hours of rain and mud.

Me coming into transition sending the next team member out!

The washing bay! The bikes were covered in mud from every lap. Some people even threw bikes into a dam because it was simply that muddy and they needed to be clean. Bit of an idea how muddy we all were after a lap. This was only ross 2nd lap and he was running out of fresh kits!

Ben Randall from Enduro Pulse was having a blast out there on the track, you could only tell it was ben when he showed us his pearl white teeth!

 My new Teva Links shoes keeping me dry and feet firmly planed on the ground! While every one else was struggling to keep the mud of there shoes I was high and dry. Cheers Justin for the personal delivery!

9:00pm: Time for team chat as we were all starting to feel the effects of riding in the mud rain and cold weather. It was at this point where Will turned around and said I will do a double lap. Once Will was out on his lap I went over and looked at the standings and we were in 73 over all. Doing the maths on our laps times I was not convinced thats we were there. I then proceeded to go to timing and have them look over the laps and then with the results corrected we were 25th over all and 4th in out category.

12:00am Half way point time to go have another look at the results at the timing tent after my lap and we were now sitting 3rd in out Category and 6th over all. With teams stopping due to the muddy conditions we either fallowed the crowd or sucked it up and dropped the hammer to the finish. So we sucked it up and went for it, the race was now ON like donkey knog.

Night light showing us the where the party was at.

Getting ready for a wet and cold night of racing

Night was falling over our pit lane and the cleaning must not stop. Rain hail or night fall if the brakes and drive train not cleaned like new you would be starting on the back foot.With the conditions we were riding in clean bike = happy bike! I cam back soaked so I jumped into the dam to fill up the cleaning barrels so i could clean Will and Llew's bike. Nothing worse than waking up and having to clean your bike when you just want to get on and ride!

3:00am Ross cleaning his bike like a Boss with the Airace dirtwasher and using his Joystick from Exposure to make sure it was spick and span. This little gem of a cleaner kept all our bikes right up the pointy end and the kgs off! They were the cleanest running bikes out there bye far. If you couldn't wash you bike with this little guy it was straight to the dam and chuck it in for a bath.

 Night laps at the Garmin Start Finish arch!

The final S into the finish line at night made for a good time.

Blue skys and the sun starting to come out for the 1st time

 6:00am The morning was here and it was now time to kick it into over drive and fight to the finish. We were now sitting 2nd in our category and 4th over all.

 8:00am Now the trail had finally dried out lap times were getting faster and faster. It was at this time that we decided to go out on out final team lap then fight to the finish.

Yep time for some fun. Skin suit or should I say Clown suit for the win! The thing was so hot I was glad that it only had to last one lap.

Will the Stalion inhaling some spag bol so he was running on full power for the final lap show down to hopefully keep us on the podium!

Cool calm and colected and rather relaxed knowing that after my lap it was down to will to bring us home

My final lap in the hurt box for this lap, I knew that every peddle forward i was that bit closer to the finish and some rest!

 The picture says it all. I RIDE ROCKY MOUNTAIN 2nd in Category!

I RIDE ROCKY MOUNTAIN 3rd Over all for the event!

Full Results Can be found here: Results

For another year thats us done for 24hr races. We all went threw highs lows and dealt with them in our own way knowing that the team was there to back us up at any time. Big thanks to FGP for putting on the race sponsors for the prizes the fallowing people for there help: Snozz, The Trail crew, Garmin, Trailmix, Exposure Lights, Schwable tires, Sole Kitchen (great food all night and day), SRAM, 1st aid (best I have ever seen at an event) and the rest of the helpers for making the event happen and run smoothly.

Person Thanks:
Rocky Mountain Bikes for the Element 950 keeping me rolling around the course faster then I thought possible. I Ride Bikes for the support and shelters, Sram, Rock Shox, Avid for flawless performance on the course, Chromag making sure that I was steering in the right direction at all times. Teva for the awesome new kicks that are going to get a solid work out this summer. Graham Pal for coming to his 1st race and keeping us fueled, photographer and entertained. Ryk Neethling for the professional phots. Most of all my Team for the fun times and great stories.

Till next time Love the Ride!

Luke

WORCA featured with Shaw TV

The final WORCA Twoonie Race of 2011 is now behind us with the passing of the Halloween event. It was another great season for WORCA (Whistler Off-Road Cycling Association) as the association seems to get stronger every year with more members, events, races, instruction and trail work.

On one of the late season Thursday night races, Shaw TV dropped by to do a feature on the Twoonie races. Always a great night of riding and apres with friends and we look forward to the first races in May of 2012.

Check out the video attached from Shaw TV. Keep an eye out for our head mechanic of Arbutus Routes- Luke Garside.

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheExpressVan#p/u/2/Q-blKNy3M60

Arbutus Routes Ski Graphic

A new creative project for the winter has brought together the collaboration of Darren Camplin, Skevik Skis and Arbutus Routes. Darren is the creative genius behind the Arbutus design and it currently sits with Skevik skis awaiting production.

Skevik skis is based in Vernon, BC run by the Anderson brothers and focuses on just a few key models and custom topsheets.

We couldn't be happier with the design and can't wait to ski these beauties this winter. A few of the Arbutus Routes staff will be skiing the 185 Anton model with this graphic so keep an eye out for them. The Anton is a perfect powder tool for the snow laden mountains of BC with tapered early rise tip and tail and dimensions of 120-142-122-135-108

Check in with Skevik to order your pair. We'll also have these mounted up on the wall in our Whistler Bike Shop come spring time.

Bring on the snow!

Arbutus Routes park bikes for 2012

New for 2012, Arbutus Routes is adding some DH bikes to tackle the Whistler Bike Park. Building on our current rental fleet with Specialized, we will be adding the brand new 2012 Specialized Status II.

The bike is built off the highly successful design of the Demo series with the proven DH FSR linkage and a plush 8 inches of travel. Next time to the Whistler bike park for summer 2012 you should check out the new Status. The bike comes in two models and Arbutus Routes will be carrying the top end model in the Status II.

For a recent on trail review of the Status check out the article on Pink Bike-http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Specialized-status-DH-Bike-2012.html

Full details of the bike and rental pricing will be updated on the site over the winter and set for summer 2012.

Fall Season Biking

The time has come for those beautiful crisp Fall rides as the leaves are changing colours. It really is an ideal time to get out there on the bike as the trails are in fantastic shape and the air is super fresh.

Over Thanksgiving a crew from Arbutus Routes, headed up past Pemberton to check out the biking in the Tenquille Lake area. This spot had a large scale fire sweep through the valley a few years back now and in it's wake has left a very cool contrast of colours in the forest.

Once putting in effort to get to the top of the trail the descent starts where the trail fork up to the lake and the cabin and continues to get better and better as you descend into the valley. With the fall colours upon us the combination of charred Douglas fir trees with bright green and the reds and yellows of the Fall made for an amazing ride down.

The trail is in great shape now so make sure you get out there and enjoy the best of this Fall season.