tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60448646114826451512024-03-18T22:08:21.821-07:00DR SIOUXSIE'S TRAVELSA Vancouver Island DS rider's logUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger107125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-54362279325727626032014-08-04T10:29:00.001-07:002014-08-04T10:29:19.145-07:00New Blog - No More Posts On Dr Siouxsie's Travels<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBe3yn1SvWOUGS4QvV_58SyIQkgSJ4hs4CnVxmEFbBfLMq5sTgK5S3Zzuy_Hr469-uZ-Z3VQXiAWhnTG99rNkNGlbB6xomLwAbCmVuQYOfCd1Wl_Xr8HCvf7XGRzXw3VxtN96LuH-5nSU/s1600/Bridge+Closed.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBe3yn1SvWOUGS4QvV_58SyIQkgSJ4hs4CnVxmEFbBfLMq5sTgK5S3Zzuy_Hr469-uZ-Z3VQXiAWhnTG99rNkNGlbB6xomLwAbCmVuQYOfCd1Wl_Xr8HCvf7XGRzXw3VxtN96LuH-5nSU/s1600/Bridge+Closed.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dr. Siouxsie's Travels will not be updated any more. For new posts from Paul and Andy, you need to go to Andy's blog "<a href="http://candiedfrogsmonologues.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">The Real Motorcycle Diaries</a>" where we will collaborate and post all new rides, adventures and stories together rather than duplicate as we have done in the past. The Real Motorcycle Diaries is easier on the eye and contains many of the same links. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dr Siouxsie's posts, maps and images will all be kept as is for reference. Thanks for your patronage and come join us over at <a href="http://candiedfrogsmonologues.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank">The Real Motorcycle Diaries</a> for more updates on local mid island riding access, gate locations, work arounds, trail conditions and photos.</span><br />
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PaulUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-67659983531064783192014-07-15T23:12:00.004-07:002014-07-15T23:12:36.126-07:00Up the Hellevator to DeCosmos and the Gold Mine<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_a23GqUwz4FPxBteWenGjP0lixLcjGzV2aXSnhPNZwN-pEoxH47IGkmOs_v3FK3HA4b40WgzZOIiQ3wVxltRwkmBPul8O2Dme6xgNprBO5aChSMCXIEVthZ3K2wbG2UGnvUdT9fCi_Q/s1600/photo+1+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9_a23GqUwz4FPxBteWenGjP0lixLcjGzV2aXSnhPNZwN-pEoxH47IGkmOs_v3FK3HA4b40WgzZOIiQ3wVxltRwkmBPul8O2Dme6xgNprBO5aChSMCXIEVthZ3K2wbG2UGnvUdT9fCi_Q/s1600/photo+1+%25282%2529.JPG" height="152" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Andy on his blog, <a href="http://candiedfrogsmonologues.blogspot.ca/2014/07/hellivator-trail-to-dead-horse-creek.html?showComment=1405479441872#c7286106111904897450" target="_blank">The REAL Motorcycle Diaries </a>, has just blogged our latest jaunt. And it was a <strike>good</strike> great one. I am not going to repeat the excellent job he has done - his maps and graphics are amazing - but am going to add some pictures and Vids to illustrate his description. I have borrowed his map below to reference the pictures from the Coleman Conquest camera I am using. It is set to take pictures every 30s, unfortunately, I need to remember to clean the damn lens before I head out. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Above: Starting at Phantom, heading past Boomerang, Cottle and joining the hydrolines. The Hellevator starts from there...</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #333333; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;">Above - 9.</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;"> </span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;">This is the junction. </span></span></i><i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;">Take the Left off of the power lines trail to meet with connector trail leading to Nanaimo Lakes area: </span></span></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Above and Below: This is the type of terrain you can expect along much of the connector to the Hellevator...</i></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEId5tjJvOXlzBiSLPWV-TKP7RndGiFFUA-j-ObLAx2HgwhPx3zs_2U9WjtNnK1oFjcFQkKxLbvOfbTQC-N43zT_6QZAZvcZTGTSxg90x8UdiuDoUqnCylCCY6hw7y5p7HRLsvFTUVhk/s1600/CARM0499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFEId5tjJvOXlzBiSLPWV-TKP7RndGiFFUA-j-ObLAx2HgwhPx3zs_2U9WjtNnK1oFjcFQkKxLbvOfbTQC-N43zT_6QZAZvcZTGTSxg90x8UdiuDoUqnCylCCY6hw7y5p7HRLsvFTUVhk/s1600/CARM0499.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i><span style="text-align: start;">Above: </span><span style="background-color: yellow; color: #333333; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;">10.</span><span style="background-color: #fefdfa; color: #333333; line-height: 18.200000762939453px; text-align: start;"> This is the entrance to "The Hellevator" - a technical trail joining power lines area to the Nanaimo Lakes roads. At this point you have a choice, right or left...they both join back up within a few metres, but the choice is yours. We chose the right... This is an essential local trail to know if you want to get out to the Nanaimo Lakes area easily. Hellevator because it is a challenge and it climbs - big time.</span></i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Above: The right fork...? Well it's the one we went with. And it worked for us.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The left fork...A trials bike seems to have "enjoyed" this one. </span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And a video of the Hellevator...</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Above: Between #10 and #11 en route up DeCosmos...Great roads and rides.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>#11: The gate in the background was open...and the views below were spectacular. iPhones don't do it justice.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>#13 The gaping Maw of the Deadhorse Creek Gold Mine...Cool even on a 30+C day. Wet, bug ridden but intriguing...</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>This working looks new...in the distance looks like a new excavation since we were here last...</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>Above: Getting down to the mine is courtesy of two nylon ropes.</i></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><i>The only spoiler...2nd Lake gate shut on a Sunday. Again. Has it been open this year? No problem. We have several routes back. </i></span></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-13948938237731789182014-07-15T20:52:00.004-07:002014-07-15T20:52:57.285-07:00Husaberg FE390 - Sweet Cheeks -Extending the Fuel Range<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxG5NPBDnq6yZgc_gqcVRQdahU9SdglyotLRh4QH8qr0eTTHO9QGrGyJRvIOjnLL9hUtvLrEe3Hp-cyIXHXziwCSWD9VuKkKs90QPRdL19NexetkQdtqF4yLWbeMyU4N5r8TKQgDcHD0g/s1600/CARM0510.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxG5NPBDnq6yZgc_gqcVRQdahU9SdglyotLRh4QH8qr0eTTHO9QGrGyJRvIOjnLL9hUtvLrEe3Hp-cyIXHXziwCSWD9VuKkKs90QPRdL19NexetkQdtqF4yLWbeMyU4N5r8TKQgDcHD0g/s1600/CARM0510.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since selling the big thumper and getting the svelte Berg, the one thing I have missed is the security of a huge IMS tank and a range of 300+km. After several dirt rides with the Berg, I have calculated that she gets at least 20 km per litre of gas on the dirt. Sunday's ride to the gold mine and De Cosmos was a 124 km ride, and the reserve light did NOT come on. The Berg's reserve is set at the factory to 2.8L, but it can be adjusted to 1.8L. The overall tank capacity is 8.5L. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">All of which means I have burned less than 5.7L getting 124 km, so I'm getting <i>at least</i> 21.75 km per litre on a long dirt ride. That would give a range of a little more than 180 km per tank. This seems very optimistic given what I have read, but, nevertheless, is what my numbers tell me right now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But that's still not enough, so if you look at the picture above you will note a pair of 1.5L fuel bottles bought on line and a "<a href="http://cycle-analyst.com/sweetcheeks" target="_blank">Sweet Cheeks</a>" seat cover with cylindrical sleeves to slip the bottles and their foam covers in. They seem to work well and were completely stable, didn't leak and, with a bit more finagling, the Sweet Cheeks cover should fit perfectly. The added 3L of fuel should give me an extra 60+km bringing the theoretical range to 240 km. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Now that's respectable! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">BTW: Cycle Analyst is the producer of Sweet Cheeks. It was custom made, for little more than $35. It's good quality and well worth the money. As you can see below, there's plenty of room to sit and ride.</span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-11764786042330800352014-06-17T21:54:00.003-07:002014-06-17T21:54:42.624-07:00Lantzville Foothills and Biosolids<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I had a great ride through a place, although local, I haven't spent any time in, preferring the logging roads proper. What a mistake. The Lantzville foothills are packed with great trails - Andy has been telling me for eons, but I have never really got round to trying them. Since the Logging Co. have shut all access to the back roads recently, new pastures have to be tried. Here is the map of today's route...(Ignore the dates on the images, the camera powered down and reverted to the default date...these were taken in June, 2014)<br />
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The typical access to Canada's back-country has been blocked by TW recently: both the tank traps and alternative routes from Dumount Road have been seriously messed with...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above:A good use of timber? This is the usual access to Domount from the Kidney - Boomerang connector. Not now...no way through. Below...tank traps, logs and rocks...but some kind souls have decorated them...access is possible a km further on in the Boomerang direction here...</i></td></tr>
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There are some challenging sections, but most of the trails in the foothills are easy, rewarding and allow for good speed. Pics below...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Above: Don't try to leave through Vipond Road...It's Gated...and shut (June 2014 - ignore the date above...) Below: a selection of shots from the trails...A good mix of woodsy, twisty, open, grades and vistas... Well worth a ride.</i></td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-85754230444068027032014-06-04T22:40:00.001-07:002014-06-05T10:49:20.995-07:00FE 390 Suspension Tweeks...Some New Local Trails<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The Husaberg's suspension has been a revelation compared to what I was used to. But if had one complaint, it was that unless I was travelling at light speed warp nine, it was too hard. The 390 liked to do everything quickly. Hit a rough patch, and the cure is to peg the throttle and make the suspension work - it smooths stuff out. But come the end of the ride, legs burning, arms noodled, brain addled, it's nice to slow down. And there was the rub. It got harder to ride the bike. From a magic a carpet ride it would turn into a mechanical bull. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/49zLDnaD9tc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br />
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So I looked at at the comprehensive user manual that came with the bike (it looked like it had never been opened). On the Husaberg FE 390 there are 3 adjustments that can be made to the front suspension: the compression damping, rebound damping and spring preload. There are three settings for each of these: Comfort, Standard and Sport. So on setting these (which is remarkably easy) the compression damping and the spring preload were set to the "Standard" setting. But what the previous owner did with the rebound damping was ridiculous - it was set way too hard. I wanted the rebound damping to be set to 22 clicks (comfort); with Standard being 20 clicks and Sport being 18 clicks. The previous owner (we'll call him numb-nuts for short because that is what he must have by now) had dialed in the rebound damping to a masochistic 10 clicks. Extreme. <br />
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Anyway, on resetting the forks to comfort for all three settings, the bike is transformed! The rear, while still on the firm side, is tamed by my added riding gear weight, is great, but the front is fabulous. You can steer and lean this bike on all sorts of gravel, rock and loose surface and it is so stable as to be unreal. It's taken a few days for me to trust the grip levels, but best of all, the forks are soaking up everything and remaining amazingly composed. Its a revelation for me.<br />
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On another note, I explored a whole bunch of local routes today and found some amazing trails, technical and just perfect to test the bike out. I really feel I am wearing this bike now, rather than holding on. I am tackling stuff I would have never tried with the big Siouxsie. Am I a better rider? No. But the bike gives you confidence to pull it off...<br />
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I found some great single track trails in upper Lantzville (top of the map) that I had ridden past on the way to Sundew for a few years. Scenic, technical and exciting, they really tested the suspension out today. Great stuff.<br />
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Below, some of the other trails that I tried today...and the mystery Husqvarna rider again...I keep seeing this guy either at the tank traps or leaving as I enter. That's three times in a row now...<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-70340277455510476552014-05-30T17:39:00.001-07:002014-05-30T19:21:15.916-07:00New Crashsite Unearthed on Vancouver Island<span id="goog_1812427057"></span><span id="goog_1812427058"></span><img src="webkit-fake-url://5C65CC58-FDA4-430D-ACD3-0224ACF7424E/imagejpeg" /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-J2gAp63W3uWr3kUNQ0oTp2i2sShAHvtJkbOI9OXDsOdxiMTfWyfKJ7eNpKLrno9VmcOeoRBZGDTtgYjvko21ypNegtY11I-0V5q-GaosV-0EsRsMPVLYRBMM9kg1-glENOLxHb7y8g/s1600/Avro+Ansen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg-J2gAp63W3uWr3kUNQ0oTp2i2sShAHvtJkbOI9OXDsOdxiMTfWyfKJ7eNpKLrno9VmcOeoRBZGDTtgYjvko21ypNegtY11I-0V5q-GaosV-0EsRsMPVLYRBMM9kg1-glENOLxHb7y8g/s1600/Avro+Ansen.jpg" height="206" width="320" /></a>While the exact location remains a mystery, yet another WW2 mystery is solved. 72 years ago, an Avro Anson with a crew of 3 RAF and 1 RCAF took off from Pat Bay on a training mission in 1942. They were never seen again. Here's the story, and, perhaps, one day, another potential ride...<br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The 70-year-old mystery of four airmen lost during a World War II training flight has finally been solved after a chance discovery by loggers on Vancouver Island.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The three British and one Canadian airmen took off on a training exercise from Patricia Bay on Oct. 30, 1942, and never returned. A search at the time failed to locate their downed Avro Anson L7056.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Last October, a logging crew from Teal-Jones Cedar Products spotted the wreck and notified authorities. A recovery effort was launched by the Department of National Defence and the B.C. Coroners Service.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“They came across some debris in the forest, and they figured it was a plane crash,” said Michael Pegg of Teal-Jones.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“There were wheels, the engine of the plane, mangled plane parts. There was a boot, shoes and a jacket.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The coroner’s office said the plane crashed on a remote mountainside near Port Renfrew on the Island’s southwest coast, just 50 kilometres west of where the twin-engine propeller plane took off.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The recovery was stalled by poor weather over the winter, but during a week in early May, crews were able to confirm the crash site contained the remains of the lost airmen.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“The primary focus of the operation was to recover any human remains and artefacts, as well as identify and remove potential physical and/or environmental hazards,” said DND spokeswoman Johanna Quinney in a release Friday.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Royal Canadian Air Force Sgt. William Baird of Calgary; Royal Air Force Pilot Officers Charles George Fox and Anthony William Lawrence; and Sgt. Robert Ernest Luckock had been listed as missing and presumed dead.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Now that their remains have been found, the DND and Canadian Air Force are working with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, officials in the U.K. and relatives of the airmen to organize a formal interment ceremony.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“This recovery, and subsequent burial, will provide closure to the families and give these fallen service members the dignity and respect they deserve,” said National Defence Minister Rob Nicholson in a statement.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“No matter how much time passes, doing the right thing for our people and for their families is an Air Force priority,” said RCAF Commander Lieut.-Gen. Yvan Blondin.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Pegg said it’s been a fascinating story for him and his forestry crew to be part of.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“It touches your heart when you realize there are these families that have been out there not knowing what has happened to their siblings for all these years,” he said.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“Hopefully this will be able to provide some closure to them.”</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">More than 100 air crew died while flying out of Patricia Bay during the Second World War.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The crash site remains closed while the military wraps up environmental testing.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-6065552574789904162014-05-12T20:33:00.000-07:002014-05-12T20:33:10.649-07:00First Ride With Andy Since Decosmos!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGaPo7Qu0Ykf8wuxTDVu8Q-EoL-8ezFXY2mSAuP6OPGu-yf9wRKd-piQCcBqDgPJYrRlspkIdjyVEDKdKJBExm8jW-GALIuG1ANsB7pouAQ7tEyu_XY3lFzcfk6WeMWi8p6pRho-3Ehc/s1600/CARM0059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGaPo7Qu0Ykf8wuxTDVu8Q-EoL-8ezFXY2mSAuP6OPGu-yf9wRKd-piQCcBqDgPJYrRlspkIdjyVEDKdKJBExm8jW-GALIuG1ANsB7pouAQ7tEyu_XY3lFzcfk6WeMWi8p6pRho-3Ehc/s1600/CARM0059.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Well, it was only a quickie, but I finally got Andy out for a ride this weekend. Better be careful, I know how that sounds...we're talking bikes here folks! The ride was a great break-in ride for me, and was nothing outstanding except for a fish and a bear. There have been a couple of guys interested in riding with us, Steve and Kyle, so next ride - whenever that is - we'll contact them and hope to get them along. Actually, it was one of them, Kyle, that has got me thinking about trying a particular route that, for me, looks like it could be challenging, but with 3 or 4 of us, maybe we can heft the bikes up - it's a short cut to the Deadhorse Creek Gold Mine from the hydro lines...I forget the name Kyle gave the trail, but I have traversed all but the tricky looking section at the end with Andy several times. <br />
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The Coleman Conquest camera is working well, and the pic quality and vids are very clear. However, I have it set to take snaps every two minutes (the choices are burst = 30fps, one pic every 30 secs, or one pic every 2mins), and this uses the battery up very quickly as the screen is set to power down after 2 mins of inactivity...which cannot be adjusted. So it doesn't power down and eats the battery up in 54 frames or two hours. The video lasts longer - 2.5 hours as it powers down the screen in two mins after starting. <br />
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The other thing is the remote control is handy, except when I tried to push it on Saturday morning on seeing my first bear of the season...no luck. I ran a test afterwards, and wouldn't you know it - Murphey's Law - it worked...I've got the short vid below...As you can hear, the camera makes an annoying beep sound when the remote is pressed...so next time I'll know...no beep, no vid...<br />
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After missing the bear...<br />
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That's all folks...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-82725542862493852292014-05-08T14:08:00.001-07:002014-05-08T17:42:46.908-07:00Dirt bikes and quads used on Crown land will require licence plates and drivers will need helmets<div class="headline" style="background-color: white; padding: 0px 0px 5px;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">One of the many reasons I have always wanted a dual sport bike, rather than a strictly dirt machine (although the Husaberg functions as both) is that I like to ride to and from the trails rather than the hassle of loading the bike in and out of the truck. This is really convenient if you only have a couple of hours or someone else wants to use the truck... </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">But now, with the recent reading of Bill 13 in BC, there is another reason. It is now going to become mandatory for all ORVs - quads and dirt bikes - to be registered and carry a license plate and possibly some liability insurance. This part is a no-brainer to me. I've seen too many yahoo's in the back country charging down single track without a thought for the environment, other users or, in some cases, themselves. Stopping for a beer break, to unleash some shotgun pellets on some unsuspecting animal, or worse, back-country user, then charging off at triple digit speeds is what gives us all a bad name in my opinion, and probably one of the few legitimate reasons the logging companies limit our access to the back country. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">As for mandating the use of a helmet (and seatbelts in quads), well all I can say is "Darwin Awards" to those out there who don't use a lid.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">There are some potential pitfalls though. Got a dirt bike that you bought years ago and can't find the bill of sale? Cobbled together an old banger from a bunch of dead bikes and got VIN confusion? Got a dedicated KTM motocross or trials bike - that could be classed as an </span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #222222; text-align: left;"> </span><span style="background-color: #fafafa; color: #222222; text-align: left;">excluded vehicle</span>? Whoops. Where will the revenue go from this vast untapped source? Hmm. General Revenue or enforcement and upkeep of trails? <span style="background-color: #fafafa; text-align: left;">Steve Thomson, Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations luncheon expenses?</span> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> Your guess is as good as mine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Anyway, here's a couple of links to some articles out there on the new law, enforcement, fines, conservation officers' rights over you, fees, and, perhaps most troublesome for some, having the "original bill of sale" for your vehicle to prove tax was paid on it when it was originally purchased, even if you purchased it years ago. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><u>Links:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.for.gov.bc.ca/mof/orv/" target="_blank">Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.vancouversun.com/beefs+rules+road+vehicle+operators/9546169/story.html" target="_blank">Vancouver Sun</a></span></span></h1>
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<span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.dualsportbc.com/forums/showthread.php?12997-Proposed-Off-Road-Vehicle-Act-for-BC" target="_blank">Dual Sport BC Thread...What ORV Users Think...</a></span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-21353423812722921962014-04-13T20:13:00.001-07:002014-05-08T17:53:40.529-07:00UPDATED Checking the Fuel Range of the Husaberg FE390<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsNzdyb8B4qM3pY2w78_GO0KRvosT4ol8bIheF1AyycQpwK7fVHsRM_WbbgWfOSdSJ_fztSigUQlZZ5w7W-wLp09b6wEFoc7rU4KfDiEPn6L7cIpa-bFkEq_GkZDGma74pyF-hzF4C7c/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsNzdyb8B4qM3pY2w78_GO0KRvosT4ol8bIheF1AyycQpwK7fVHsRM_WbbgWfOSdSJ_fztSigUQlZZ5w7W-wLp09b6wEFoc7rU4KfDiEPn6L7cIpa-bFkEq_GkZDGma74pyF-hzF4C7c/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="180" width="640" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Andy was sick. What to do? Well I figured today would be a good day, given the excellent weather, to check the fuel range of Ingrid. And what better way to do it, than to do my traditional April ride up to Hydro Lake. Round trip is about 100km if I include the blacktop to and from my house via the lake and take a different route back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Filling up earlier, I had 80km on the clock and the tank took 5L to top up to its huge capacity of, wait for it, 8.5L which includes the reserve of 2.5L or 1.5L if you modify it (an easy thing to do). Conservatively, or pessimistically, that means that I was getting 15km per litre. Hmm. That means, in theory, I should be able to make at least 120km on a tank. And that reserve should pop on, at about 90km. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">While at the lake, I could perhaps, if I was so moved, drop a line in the lake to see if anything was happening: it was a week ago last year that I hauled a bunch o trout from this very lake. Surely today would yield something similar...and if I run out of fuel, raw trout will keep me alive until I've push, pulled and cussed my way back to what we subjectively call "civilization" (although from the finger hoisted my way enroute for having the audacity to merge in front of a cager, you have to wonder if the gap between civilization and red-neck is nothing more than a veneer on the island. Anyway, I digress. Cool, though, my horn works! - And so does my finger...)</span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSBu5cQCTAU4EpR2SYy2a6Mh3dJF81Sp6MENif_ICtupRfGPZnuMzqJ0Xjx7z91_PvzTzh78C_pkwMRLclHgqt8ehI-Elh0JGttMmJJszhLqSjDopY7p23hneWWaoLrcHlmplAsqkVWA/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZSBu5cQCTAU4EpR2SYy2a6Mh3dJF81Sp6MENif_ICtupRfGPZnuMzqJ0Xjx7z91_PvzTzh78C_pkwMRLclHgqt8ehI-Elh0JGttMmJJszhLqSjDopY7p23hneWWaoLrcHlmplAsqkVWA/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><i>I stopped at the usual bridge and remembered that up ahead, last year, the logging co had shut the gate...Good news. It was open today. Given my theoretical limited range, going back and around using route142 might have proven a journey too far...</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having done my research on the Internet, I had discovered that most 450 and 570 owners seem to get between 65km to 120km before reserve. Not much help there then, except that 390 should be better? As mentioned, t</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">he total tank capacity of all 3 models is 8.5L. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Reserve on the FE series of bikes is 2.5L, although you can change this to 1.5L fairly easily. Most owners do, as they lament the "ridiculously large" reserve on these bikes. What a joke! KTM/Husa owners, you need to know that 2.5L/1.5L is nowt if you've wound your merry way to the back and beyond and the little yellow light comes on. You'd be better to siphon out the gas, start a fire and decide which part of the bike you're going to eat first. Perhaps the tires, drizzled in a oil reduction? No, then I give you the rubber hand grips, melted in cowling and seat saute? Coming from a bike with a 300km plus range, it was a new experience today to be at all concerned about fuel range on a "routine" jaunt like this. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdxXt0J1ERDI4ndYU8MRewvEzDTJOzph-b-REovyOOCkfpnzIn6ZbZWnCpa4WASznyII7W1tDZcGB6rulhnAig-c6ECnCgelD1pc-lGxaKQE8nG2LUv6pgkTpUwqYsJawVUicbSpcpNw/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpdxXt0J1ERDI4ndYU8MRewvEzDTJOzph-b-REovyOOCkfpnzIn6ZbZWnCpa4WASznyII7W1tDZcGB6rulhnAig-c6ECnCgelD1pc-lGxaKQE8nG2LUv6pgkTpUwqYsJawVUicbSpcpNw/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="264" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><i>The new parking and trail-head for "Hydro" Lake is 500m further on than the old place. Not entirely satisfactory, as the bike is out in the open rather than hidden from the logging road as was possible with the old access parking area. But, quads and dirt bikes have bought this upon themselves...Too many of them refused to park at the adequate parking space, and instead decided to drive their arses right to the lake. What a mess. No wonder steps were taken...You can see the signs...</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Getting to the lake from the gas stop was 30km. On arriving I found that Timberlands has completely changed the access. They have comprehensively blocked the southwestern access to the lake with a series of boulders and logs laid perpendicular to the trail. No one is getting through (no, quadders, that isn't a challenge, it's a fact...). If you want to try it, make sure you bring a second quad with a winch.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9w0q524eI5n5_TGkCIJlqLLJX33BSHlLw608F_rY-kB5WQ70uM77cj639Hk7-_kdYxauZtyP4qLkLylI6C82hWhiIq8vFaHfWjG3l6hOPZ6y8VrxMcrU8HWvOiYp_tGQ7-2C7qYuEQs/s1600/photo+4a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk9w0q524eI5n5_TGkCIJlqLLJX33BSHlLw608F_rY-kB5WQ70uM77cj639Hk7-_kdYxauZtyP4qLkLylI6C82hWhiIq8vFaHfWjG3l6hOPZ6y8VrxMcrU8HWvOiYp_tGQ7-2C7qYuEQs/s1600/photo+4a.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: justify;"><i>Some things never change. Absolute silence and beautifully scenic. Unfortunately, there were no bites either...</i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After several hours of munching and fishing, and adequately skunked as I was, I decided to get back to the plan. The range. So it was off back to the tank traps via 142 and 15summint....And then I had the plan to try another lake, but it was skunkworthy too.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdD2B034aDg8J0C8jG1gGhVT48wYLWZUvSgBCkW2EOx9otTXt5-GSDnD1-7ffPGIzDpxEQizUpOEviRYVNgIGwDXWwm8HFmdE1H28ToTk3kYbNJgXUwO8jnREhK2L8ace8eZUZ3nemUsg/s1600/photo+5a.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdD2B034aDg8J0C8jG1gGhVT48wYLWZUvSgBCkW2EOx9otTXt5-GSDnD1-7ffPGIzDpxEQizUpOEviRYVNgIGwDXWwm8HFmdE1H28ToTk3kYbNJgXUwO8jnREhK2L8ace8eZUZ3nemUsg/s1600/photo+5a.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway the long and short is I got back home with 102km on the clock and no orange reserve light. Which means one of two things. The orange reserve light isn't working or, hopefully, it is, and I have more than 2.5L left. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll update this post when I've ridden until the reserve light pops on, filled 'er up, and calculated what my range is on mainly dirt. On the positive side, the bike is sooo torquey, that loping along in 5th or 6th is easy...I have deliberately kept the revs down today...most of the time. It is very tempting though, to open Ingrid up and ride the wave... wow! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">UPDATE. I finally had enough time to ride the Husa until the reserve light came on. Mostly dirt, it came on at 140km. When I filled up though, it took 6.6L, not 6L which gave me a reserve of 1.9L not the vaunted 2.5 L reserve...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />So, conservatively, I'm looking at 20km per L. With 8.5L in the tank plus two 1.5 L fuel containers, I'm looking at a 11L and change. This gives me a range of 200km+. That's more comforting than the 80-100km that had been rumoured...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-75319345917098302452014-04-11T23:59:00.001-07:002014-04-11T23:59:24.975-07:00Back In The Saddle Again...A Shakedown Run<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg028hPjrF8eKvDtg5siQWVMn7eLGEZ-1TQcKE7fcrnufkohUArKMNHxilLROcU4A8QD35QClmufT6LyLkTttFrejDIMzBWjhaLyGT1AOGyHOOm7rJho2OqEXlMGLL3TwVEyaON3i3Vi9I/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg028hPjrF8eKvDtg5siQWVMn7eLGEZ-1TQcKE7fcrnufkohUArKMNHxilLROcU4A8QD35QClmufT6LyLkTttFrejDIMzBWjhaLyGT1AOGyHOOm7rJho2OqEXlMGLL3TwVEyaON3i3Vi9I/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well it's been a long time, but I got out today for the first time since the Decosmos caper on Siouxsie. I've spent the winter taking the Husaberg (yes that's what it is) apart and making my acquaintance with her inner workings. Being, that she is a 2011 FE390 from Sweden (Austria too as Husabergs are/were owned by KTM - Husky now), I have named her Ingrid, although the blog name won't change. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The bike itself is completely new to me. And it is VERY different to the DR: lively is the word I'd use. On the road, I miss the DR's space, softer seat and plusher suspension. Being as I haven't ridden dirt for nearly a year, my first few minutes today were nervous and I wasn't at all sure I liked what I initially felt as the skittish and lively nature of the Berg on the blacktop as she is shod with non-DOT tires right now. But within 15 minutes that was completely forgotten once I hit the dirt. The suspension is out of this world, and at 250lbs you can throw it around and corner like I never could imagine - it sticks like glue and feels like a wafer. The 70 degree engine is torquey smooth and forgiving, and only when you wind it up do you notice the race heritage - and no doubt the reduced economy, so I'll be keeping those revs down as I try to find the range on the puny 2.2 gallon tank. And that's the thing about the FE390/450/570 series - smooth, forgiving, powerful, but under fueled... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Anyway, by the time I had got to the lake, met a couple of dirt riders on a quad and CRF450, shared some stories and a bevvy or two (thanks, Jase and Austin), and the ride back was dynamite. Loved it! I'm really glad to be back in the saddle again - I'm gonna love this bike, and, more importantly, where it takes me and my riding skills. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here are some shots from today:</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TUf7f25R-jxEZeS-UqPg7QNmo-4y-YnjTEEdBNQGWhjeG_lkuIwepWEcQoi-WxaLVz9x2OSFnS8YSvmLKhAUDGthQOLATJShAkZDI00-Of91pk1GaaHTXvcTtm12BZJ2NIu1qS3nM1g/s1600/photo+a1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9TUf7f25R-jxEZeS-UqPg7QNmo-4y-YnjTEEdBNQGWhjeG_lkuIwepWEcQoi-WxaLVz9x2OSFnS8YSvmLKhAUDGthQOLATJShAkZDI00-Of91pk1GaaHTXvcTtm12BZJ2NIu1qS3nM1g/s1600/photo+a1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reminiscing about a puddle: Ahh the tank traps, just as I remember them, but easier...Wonder why!</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlUpqOP6rVr7S3xHbJ9dg2m-11Bt1NVvutAlS4IJDGrpAxhnn_Ge9fISzjVUmUmuKRBMExmaknhGn7vmHQt6b-vbD-6R3QOI4zQ3yieVqFHFSQMJPdy0hD7Y4yzCZ7HDtrXHqiLtB2zU/s1600/photo+a4.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXlUpqOP6rVr7S3xHbJ9dg2m-11Bt1NVvutAlS4IJDGrpAxhnn_Ge9fISzjVUmUmuKRBMExmaknhGn7vmHQt6b-vbD-6R3QOI4zQ3yieVqFHFSQMJPdy0hD7Y4yzCZ7HDtrXHqiLtB2zU/s1600/photo+a4.JPG" height="200" width="640" /></a></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4vzDqbVI5JRRNLoAmrUtH0b9KJ9Ft9q1ozb0iTFyrZ-cBoinXjalK3sVTBbA2AXFbDoLU5tJmPySYGJ10NHLBl34dIhWAmxQ7cEfEc1CTjjtmGjfXcHjdXMvoWXX8-dPhPQYCvjYrTI/s1600/photoa+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4vzDqbVI5JRRNLoAmrUtH0b9KJ9Ft9q1ozb0iTFyrZ-cBoinXjalK3sVTBbA2AXFbDoLU5tJmPySYGJ10NHLBl34dIhWAmxQ7cEfEc1CTjjtmGjfXcHjdXMvoWXX8-dPhPQYCvjYrTI/s1600/photoa+3.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The new dock that someone has worked hard to construct - thanks guys - whoever you are. It's a great location, and whoever built this, had the foresight to add a seat and umbrella. Awesome! Kudos to them too, for stringing up a plastic back for empties. We all live on this blue marble; might as well try to keep it as nice as possible.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGR7QHWNfXmc8bx5POcOLs_KtJhITNvSOXsCkWd2aubi26L3f4XEwSqr7DYevOtX3KVSR46msejVfq0xHiSVtLdzS7NeSeTkmCMXOfwCu0r78TNKwYDTR1iqqfWEXTcAoPRrvJtzWPV-o/s1600/photoa+5.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGR7QHWNfXmc8bx5POcOLs_KtJhITNvSOXsCkWd2aubi26L3f4XEwSqr7DYevOtX3KVSR46msejVfq0xHiSVtLdzS7NeSeTkmCMXOfwCu0r78TNKwYDTR1iqqfWEXTcAoPRrvJtzWPV-o/s1600/photoa+5.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No luck with the fish today, but, frankly, it was all about the bike. </td></tr>
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-83460591380218387762014-04-04T20:29:00.000-07:002014-04-04T20:35:51.373-07:00Buying A Helmet Cam For a Dirt Bike<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKx8CqaraCGI_EU01D8haZfk4WC0ZISmA1hg4vg-jjArbcGBR6CktjSvylQvCf2IwOIoEbSUuG7KpDGk4yUF1Qn6GEdDqbN6i6NBn1RfWKo5wMq5YevbFut_gbTwC56s2ecCqUWoaB7E8/s1600/helmet+cam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKx8CqaraCGI_EU01D8haZfk4WC0ZISmA1hg4vg-jjArbcGBR6CktjSvylQvCf2IwOIoEbSUuG7KpDGk4yUF1Qn6GEdDqbN6i6NBn1RfWKo5wMq5YevbFut_gbTwC56s2ecCqUWoaB7E8/s1600/helmet+cam.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I gave my trusty Swann helmet-cam away last year, just after selling Siouxsie. The Swann was a good journeyman helmet-cam that never let me down. The quality was good enough for uploading to YouTube and stills were clear, if a little too wide angle. However, with some new bikes, and lots of adventures planned, I'm in the market for another. So I began researching the plethora of models out there... </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Jesus.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My first stop was to the excellent Web Bike World which I already have a link to on the blog. The author(s) go out of their way to review all sorts of motorcycle products in a non biased and informative way. They are thorough but not overwhelming. As well as a written review, there are usually several videos and pictures to accompany them. Web Bike Word reviews many popular and some not so well known models of <a href="http://www.webbikeworld.com/motorcycle-video-camera-reviews/reviews.htm" target="_blank">motorcycle worthy camcorders</a>: Midland, Blackvue, Garmin, Sena, Liquid Image, Go-Pro, Sony, JVC, Delkin, Drift and Replay to mention a few. Among these, there are some stellar models, and Go-Pro doesn't have it all their own way either. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But then I found a better site, which the folks at Web Bike World put me on to in their own discussions: Techmoan.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.techmoan.com/" target="_blank">Techmoan</a> is a site hosted by a concrete sequential Mancunian motorcyclist with an eye for detail, a sense of humour, and a diligent devotion to evaluating products without regard for sponsors (he has none) or personal gain. I cannot believe the time this man puts into his informative, entertaining and, above all, thorough reviews. For nothing. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After my previous experience with a helmet cam, I had a definite list of requirements for a good helmet cam: many of which were adequately met by my first camera.</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Included Waterproof housing</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Easy to affix to helmet</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remote Control - no fiddling with a case on the side of my helmet, or worse, as is the case with some of helmet cams, having to remove it from the waterproof case to record and stop...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An LCD screen so that aiming of the camera would not be hit and miss (no iPhone or Android apps for this please - juggling electronics is not what dirt riding is about).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1080P and at least 30 frames per second and 720P at 60fps for slow motion</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">120-170 degree Field of View</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Still-shot capable with the ability to take delayed stills every minute or so (I found this really useful on my first camera - it's amazing what shots you get when you just let the camera do its thing).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Good battery duration</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Live view that can record and charge at the same time</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh, and it had to be less than the cheapest Go Pro ($279 for the GoPro 3 at Future Shop).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many cameras out there nearly fit the bill, but only one does. There are some honourable mentions though: the ridiculously cheap (</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$68.99
@ Ebay.com / </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$98.76
@<span style="line-height: 115%;">Amazon.ca)</span> <a href="http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2013/7/8/the-mobius-camera-the-do-it-all-mount-anywhere-1080p-micro-c.html" target="_blank">Mobius </a>with new hard case from <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=CRDcMYcFSo0" target="_blank">JooVuu</a> is an excellent little camera but has no viewfinder; the ($89 Ebay) <a href="http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2014/2/3/the-sj4000-action-camera-review.html" target="_blank">SJ400 </a>Chinese GoPro 3 knockoff is fabulous and CHEAP, as it its little brother the <a href="http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2013/6/9/sj1000-at-lasta-good-cheap-action-camera.html" target="_blank">SJ1000 </a> which itself is a <a href="http://www.techmoan.com/blog/2012/8/22/liquid-image-ego-review-2-part-review.html" target="_blank">Liquid Ego</a> (</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">$180 Amazon.ca / </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">$</span><span style="line-height: 115%;">149 Ebay.com)</span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">knockoff...I'm beginning to see how the Japanese killed off the British Bike industry in the late 60s and early 70s...only now it's the Chinese undermining the Japanese, US and Korean imaging industry. Really these are great cameras, and Go Pro is heading for a fall unless they innovate soon...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But my final choice, is the $179 Coleman Conquest - known everywhere else on the planet as the pedestrian <span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f10; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f10; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;">TCL SVC200</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #0f0f10; line-height: 21.600000381469727px;"> . It ticks all the boxes, and with free delivery and no tax (getting it shipped to my in-laws in Washington State - strictly for evaluation use down there, of course...) The vid is great. You'll particularly enjoy the man waiting for the bus "singing" (and I use that term very loosely) his lungs out to a U2 track...Let this be a sage warning to us mere mortals...Never sing with headphones on.</span></span></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/22plKNaYab0" width="560"></iframe>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I'll let you know how it fairs after a few months or so...Now where's that bike...</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-53267897199428121262014-04-02T10:57:00.001-07:002014-04-02T10:57:01.204-07:00Not Me...<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/41634859" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/41634859">Lost Rider Trailer</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/lostrider">Lost Rider</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-12436853070889437112014-01-07T21:38:00.001-08:002014-01-07T21:38:34.256-08:00New Season. New Bike. Ingrid Arrives.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkShesEK9miFdVoRsolGYuZENPJpLXpbAFO_GIId04Jc0VZ5ld-2S9AE-a5rb0njtyGsdZaJ_uWKfS9MJlcdvN8lF3XCz_qA3cP5DCA8PhDPQj2WualpxfkzYta8q_8D3X7SyzW1EwXA/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkShesEK9miFdVoRsolGYuZENPJpLXpbAFO_GIId04Jc0VZ5ld-2S9AE-a5rb0njtyGsdZaJ_uWKfS9MJlcdvN8lF3XCz_qA3cP5DCA8PhDPQj2WualpxfkzYta8q_8D3X7SyzW1EwXA/s1600/photo+2.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Well I'm excited to say that I have finally replaced my trusty Siouxsie DR650 with a new mount. I found her on the mainland after nearly being tempted by an equally ravishing pumpkin in Victoria (EXC450). I have really missed riding off-road since last July and the De Cosmos Caper... Since then, I replaced my Cafe'd W650 with a Vstrom (Siouxsie-Too). A great bike it is, truly, but a true-dirt worthy bike it aint. Perish the thought. Those mag wheels getting a branch stuck in them? 472lbs, an exposed oil filter, and no way to switch of the ABS means that you are, at most, fire-road capable, but forget single track. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As you know, I have been looking for a svelte, sub 400cc bike (low insurance rates are a must), dual-sportable and a trusty mount for 6 months or so. My first choice was the tried and true DR400S. It fits the bill, the wallet and the insurance bracket, but the design is dated and it has a few issues, particularly the earlier models. All models suffer from a close-ratio 5-speed gearbox and a cramped (for me) riding position twinned with, at best, adequate suspension which all mean that for pure off-roading, it will need some modding. Something I don't mind doing, but I got my DR650 so good, that to go through all that again with a marginally lighter version would be counterproductive. Also I wanted a significant leap in off-road capability and weight savings, while retaining a semblance of dual sportiness and reliability. While the smaller DRZ is an improvement in off-road performance over a DR650, after a trying a few, it isn't as significant as I thought. In truth, after trying them, I was left a little cold. The other idea was a street-legal Yamaha WR250R. The suspension is better than a DRZ400, but the engine is buzzy and the power is down. For short jaunts, it would exciting and flickable, but for longer dirt trips, it might be tough going when laden with gear.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">KTM have produced some lovely bikes that have always appealed to me. I have ridden a friend's KTM on several occasions and realized what they mean when they say "once you've sipped the cool-aid, you won't go back". They are a simply a class apart. Light and agile, they're alive in your hands, responsive to your every thought. They make riding a breeze compared with the heavier big thumpers from Japan, although, thanks to their racing heritage, they can be a little flighty and, like any thoroughbred, tempt you to go faster than you should... Certainly the few times I have tried the pumpkins, they have left an impression on me that I couldn't forget - they are truly, as one friend puts it, "a magic carpet ride". But the maintenance (oil, filters, valves) of many of them is far more intensive than a Jap thumper...a double edged sword then. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUN8ermrQjn3T7TKMiDKZ0SiEBBla4UUybScngzGDWlhe_5qtzUVvN0cox-_ysOuY9CefGlNCg3tqdYjpEUxskJWeKR3JHdVm2oaO-PpTYbKR-AvqjvuJc_ril0dPuVVIqalpevLZVzM/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUN8ermrQjn3T7TKMiDKZ0SiEBBla4UUybScngzGDWlhe_5qtzUVvN0cox-_ysOuY9CefGlNCg3tqdYjpEUxskJWeKR3JHdVm2oaO-PpTYbKR-AvqjvuJc_ril0dPuVVIqalpevLZVzM/s1600/photo+1.JPG" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I was caught in the middle then. I want it all: something reliable, fun in the dirt, light, agile and an easily handler. Something big enough to ride without being too cramped, but light enough to play. Something that can carry some camping gear, but not a monster. Something that is tractable in the technical stuff, sporty but not racy, daunting or wearing. I don't mind a regular maintenance schedule for oil and filter cleaning (something all dirt bikes need given the environment they operate in), but I don't want something that requires a ton of mods to make it trick enough to enjoy. And it must be road legal but cheaper to insure than a DR650, which means the KTM450EXC wasn't the perfect bike given the ccs. The new 350 probably would be, but the price...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And whatever this bike was going to be, it had to be 100% dirtworthy and at least 10% road worthy (just enough to be legal and get me the few miles to the trails). After all, my new "Dual Sport" doesn't have to be particularly well mannered on the road; I have a Vstrom for that.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So cue Ingrid. She is a 2010 Eurochick with some pedigree. I am very pleased with her so far, although I have only ridden her for a short jaunt, it was enough, despite her neglected cosmetics, to spend some hard earned cash on. She blew me away with her manners, suspension and engine. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Right now, as is tradition when any new bike gets into my garage, she is in pieces as I explore her inner workings. The Rekluse clutch has to go though! Luckily the original clutch parts came with her, and after checking valves, greasing swingarms and wheel bearings, replacing fluids and filters, I will be fixing the LED indicators and checking out the engine mapping. Lots to do then. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is she? Well it's all in the name. Meet the coy Ingrid.</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-70711161590802250922013-11-26T18:57:00.005-08:002013-11-26T18:57:50.168-08:00Alchohol Stove Update<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqpFc3kbSVcnBa9KUAV9V8W4M630jXuyu0FovZCNrpjnmMPyCFHaW-Gsw7RQAAv7u1T0l1DbG1juWRxukbsoouXx_Qw-nDGmHQWePW-O7UNj76-sXmRcTXt3gmPFz1C3PWkqGpl77E8Q/s1600/e91966cd-14c7-4868-a5ce-dd763abb6369.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqpFc3kbSVcnBa9KUAV9V8W4M630jXuyu0FovZCNrpjnmMPyCFHaW-Gsw7RQAAv7u1T0l1DbG1juWRxukbsoouXx_Qw-nDGmHQWePW-O7UNj76-sXmRcTXt3gmPFz1C3PWkqGpl77E8Q/s400/e91966cd-14c7-4868-a5ce-dd763abb6369.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well there you have it. Easy. Made this one in five minutes. Use a straight edged blade - it's easier to press the indentations into the can top (the jets). The thing really works and boils 3 large cups worth of water in just over 6 minutes. Very effective, and uses hardly any fuel - you're talking two tablespoons. I used some fondu fuel ($2.99 for 500ml at the local hardware outlet). Cheap, cheerful and, above all, light.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-56902866182182291952013-11-20T19:32:00.001-08:002013-11-20T19:32:03.758-08:00Dual Sport Camping Weight Loss Part One: Make A Beer Can Alcohol Stove<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05vkv3vQmeQzEFebXzLFXzlw2HndijuBeO9DmaIsTXs4CbQa9OqX_YN1PXeVuPtjSBEk0I44PH4mARLtVXf-gxzSL5ygiXETa6T4xrJcXqK2JYdsOUFHYSGHMgYIYkyEY5Obqktzb4r4/s1600/Beer+Can+Stove.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj05vkv3vQmeQzEFebXzLFXzlw2HndijuBeO9DmaIsTXs4CbQa9OqX_YN1PXeVuPtjSBEk0I44PH4mARLtVXf-gxzSL5ygiXETa6T4xrJcXqK2JYdsOUFHYSGHMgYIYkyEY5Obqktzb4r4/s320/Beer+Can+Stove.bmp" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">As a dual sporter, you always worry about weight. I spent the first month of my dual sport bike ownership shedding pounds from the bike. I removed "unnecessary fittings" like passenger footpegs, steel grab-handles, the metal gas tank and fairing, the steel handlebars. Others go further. They buy light seats, lighter rims (unsprung weight is the best to trim they say), shed the stock exhaust and replace it with a 8lb lighter header and can...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Having a DR650 allowed me to carry a ton of stuff, but at a penalty. Still, being a DR, it was heavy anyway, so the weight premium of carrying spare clothing, camping supplies, fishing gear, cooking stoves, fuel canisters, utensils etc. wasn't so critical. As long as I didn't stop on single-track incline, or have to get off and manhandle it out of a quagmire, I was fine... </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We all dream about owning that perfect dual-sport bike. You know the one? It's got that KTM suspension, performance, and light frame, but it's got the Japanese bulletproof engine with loooong service intervals and a reputation born of many pan-South American trips. It's got an all-bonded aluminum subframe (not the plastic found on the rear of some of the up market Euro-bikes for weight savings) that you can strap the kit too. Being light it's flickable, malleable and responsive. For looks, weight and performance is a KTM 690, for reliability, economy and ease of maintenance it's a DR650, for road comfort it's a BMW 800...all rolled into one. Or perhaps its the new Canadian bound 280lb <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9VhACv7nvE" target="_blank">CCMGP450</a> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9VhACv7nvE" target="_blank">Adventure</a>?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">At any rate, so now we've got the perfect bike, what do we do? We proceed to sling every camping gadget and gizmo known to man BACK on it, weighing it down, and transforming it's thoroughbred svelt soul into a turgid, top-heavy tractor...Might as well have bought a KLR...or a GS1200...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">I'm guilty of it. Last year I went camping numerous times on the DR I had worked hard at lightening and upgrading. I packed it right up, and was guilty of returning with most of the supplies and gadgets that I packed unused; in fact, we cached a lot of food out in the bush, rather than ride back with it, and I can't remember using my gas stove at all, let alone needed the spare gas canisters...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">So next time, regardless of which svelte mount I procure for my future off road adventures, I'll be doing things differently. I'll be focusing less on the bike and more on what I'm packing. It's cheaper that way, and makes more sense.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">One of the great weight-loss ideas I've come across (thanks, Andy) is the beer-can stove. It's a great device: it's "a win-win" in every sense. Incredibly light, incredibly cheap, incredibly easy to make, incredibly replaceable, and incredibly effective. In fact the only downside I can find, is that you MUST drink the beer first. Bummer. There are many designs out there, but my beer-can stove has to be made from <em>one</em> can, using only one tool - a knife, and the process has to be easy enough that after a challenging or potentially gruelling DS ride I can drink the beer BEFORE make the stove! As I said, WIN WIN. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Watch the video and marvel. </span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/64726512" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/64726512">How To Turn A Beer Can Into The Only Camping Stove You'll Ever Need</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/tomallen">Tom Allen</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Isn't it great! As I said, there are others out there, but most of them are more elaborate, requiring more tools, more cans and cannot be made in 3 minutes...</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Next week, a (used) tea bag that transforms into a down-filled sleeping bag! Ok, perhaps that's a little far fetched...</span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-70133563261248495172013-11-16T20:39:00.000-08:002013-11-16T20:39:02.056-08:00Mt Prevost + Big Sicker Mtn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWDyje5yuipVeQnoAUQpw_lSAq7GdqzgyqtPYY243NXDpfIDuiMlMVSc4o9_LTTLpOl-mn6ZsvbVAiLJ6ief-y4nO6nI9GGic1pZ-HT3KtTHdt-CMtnkqv0sb4TA5isfLDJaA5rjeUJk/s1600/Pano+Me.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtWDyje5yuipVeQnoAUQpw_lSAq7GdqzgyqtPYY243NXDpfIDuiMlMVSc4o9_LTTLpOl-mn6ZsvbVAiLJ6ief-y4nO6nI9GGic1pZ-HT3KtTHdt-CMtnkqv0sb4TA5isfLDJaA5rjeUJk/s640/Pano+Me.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Took a trip today - my first dirt road since July... With the DR 650, Siouxie, moving on to pastures greener (still at Mile Zero for $3999 - I have some spares for free if you buy her...<a href="mailto:brooking10@gmail.com" target="_blank">contact me</a>...), Iris, Isobel and myself had to make do with a Mazda 3 "ride" up to Mount Prevost and then Big Sicker (I hand my head in shame). </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We were in search of the old mining site(s) with the idea of taking in some views. Briefly, the road up is amazingly smooth, rock free, and no bike is needed...unless you want to pass the 2 locked gates to Sicker Mine proper that is... Then a bike would work wonders. And I missed mine today. I imagine the roads will get fairly sloppy when the rains come, but today, it was gorgeous. Certainly Mr. Manta (my VStrom) would make it up with no issues at all. Still, that little dirt bike is in the works...there were soooo many little roads to explore up there. Can't wait...Pics:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Couldn't resist: the Misty McMountain Hop...What can I say? It was just good to be out again...</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYu38r5LSA1cNkk4tZagbIQHVqeTE7KECFbxU6WFyo6HtF4UC1ODRjH0EiXHZPx6HGKVMEePIZpNl-j9piXI39RmRloehvg1dntGafDAnwPknoR08xz28DczxG4MBVGooqvZ7EohpA83s/s1600/aaa1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYu38r5LSA1cNkk4tZagbIQHVqeTE7KECFbxU6WFyo6HtF4UC1ODRjH0EiXHZPx6HGKVMEePIZpNl-j9piXI39RmRloehvg1dntGafDAnwPknoR08xz28DczxG4MBVGooqvZ7EohpA83s/s640/aaa1.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: small;">Typical Scotts: have to conquer everything...</span></em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2dy6xwe_Icd8UHif-YZfJQYOb-_710GUk_Eibkt2pvqnyurX7P7SVanM6UkcJOCSaWKUUOEyfzzFDz0Gfmgj8RwRU89VYpLSy7rEZ96Hb9-ufs-Z0e45sXJUmXdd6dgYVCgxc8Zlj3o/s1600/dirtydoggies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgi2dy6xwe_Icd8UHif-YZfJQYOb-_710GUk_Eibkt2pvqnyurX7P7SVanM6UkcJOCSaWKUUOEyfzzFDz0Gfmgj8RwRU89VYpLSy7rEZ96Hb9-ufs-Z0e45sXJUmXdd6dgYVCgxc8Zlj3o/s640/dirtydoggies.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: small;">Yoga has the "Downward Dog". We call this the "Dirty Doggies".</span></em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpLz_Y22Zs6g3A9lp6XLi2k5l6C1533ttOjabYtxZ0PMwk8K8NN0lWvjoR8D01RXJry0zW_xuYQxIQ4F3JL42BonuFHAMRMcxgGmUqEMF624yXVyUkqTH0ax37c2N3RWcCgmprEpiIcM/s1600/sirius.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOpLz_Y22Zs6g3A9lp6XLi2k5l6C1533ttOjabYtxZ0PMwk8K8NN0lWvjoR8D01RXJry0zW_xuYQxIQ4F3JL42BonuFHAMRMcxgGmUqEMF624yXVyUkqTH0ax37c2N3RWcCgmprEpiIcM/s640/sirius.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Iris on the way up...</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvb5B8Z9GUbqtp0xgvoMO43fO8D2ic_C8YE5BAadf2rWhGVWagYi3i8uWnnoz8pRTAmEOQfdjQ6sAcRbr0MWSlSsHWVJrCCGkzYsT3xVfgX_3KbTzlhr_rWeLBCpWfsFfrOOz51cIx9g/s1600/Pano3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCvb5B8Z9GUbqtp0xgvoMO43fO8D2ic_C8YE5BAadf2rWhGVWagYi3i8uWnnoz8pRTAmEOQfdjQ6sAcRbr0MWSlSsHWVJrCCGkzYsT3xVfgX_3KbTzlhr_rWeLBCpWfsFfrOOz51cIx9g/s640/Pano3.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Looking down at the Cowichan Valley from Burgoyne Bay, Saltspring Isl (left) to Cowichan Lake far right.</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6cp2AC_hMQ3tWeXae-yxDXmFbTKgisiRJpclBkICuL2705rVxWfjqv902JcsfHySRtUlKlGS0IvCfLudL20U-qB24JHu2-A3iASEBGxmQxXa-6Ke_kfpqJIYbtBwS_tD40pbSEWsm3U/s1600/MMtnHop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6cp2AC_hMQ3tWeXae-yxDXmFbTKgisiRJpclBkICuL2705rVxWfjqv902JcsfHySRtUlKlGS0IvCfLudL20U-qB24JHu2-A3iASEBGxmQxXa-6Ke_kfpqJIYbtBwS_tD40pbSEWsm3U/s640/MMtnHop.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Wouldn't you know it, my decent camera was outta batteries...So apologies for the iPhone snaps. That's Crofton Mill, Maple Bay and Saltspring in the far distance.</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UuC2IK5n-5acjBrbRQ1qKRS6f3VymuBiYu6hph7ciCbL8eapbssVTNS8fBFJsbYKxj9dLPfEcHAGuG8sRJ3a8fgzRnevZAIcFK-CGuDoDGas-kFEHT1cNNppPs0XFTyfJCwPL9XjGOA/s1600/shebang.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2UuC2IK5n-5acjBrbRQ1qKRS6f3VymuBiYu6hph7ciCbL8eapbssVTNS8fBFJsbYKxj9dLPfEcHAGuG8sRJ3a8fgzRnevZAIcFK-CGuDoDGas-kFEHT1cNNppPs0XFTyfJCwPL9XjGOA/s640/shebang.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>The Shebang...Cow Bay in the distance...Great Racing there last summer with the Martin242 Nationals...</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><u>The Maps...</u></span> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RZCMMmKhfVQGbjqfHvdPBvynOYld2pYlNkFNGI3iqe0FHamGK_0Q0qmZETvkNsYBWtFoHyZtqPTK76VvlE7SznHjZhQeuqgMwDSSBO3ysQ_IS51Q2uEV6fI0cChke-tn068BJ1j5Iu4/s1600/Prevost-Sicker+OVW.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5RZCMMmKhfVQGbjqfHvdPBvynOYld2pYlNkFNGI3iqe0FHamGK_0Q0qmZETvkNsYBWtFoHyZtqPTK76VvlE7SznHjZhQeuqgMwDSSBO3ysQ_IS51Q2uEV6fI0cChke-tn068BJ1j5Iu4/s640/Prevost-Sicker+OVW.bmp" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>An overview of the Prevost to Big Sicker route today - click to enlarge...Get past closed gate#1 and you'll find the ghost town...</em></span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltrrzAgRONA9qSXPSxVU72xIr8JHRzwWjLjOszuyZ4JdEzY9PAqotnT5Zt3j45UE8cKqP1tCxj5YFU1g1yjXUkc4paXdxE1uUaYMbKLSk3CdS-ModOb9g2K85Psqgbxbr-2-Wg3MCO9g/s1600/Prevost+Lookout+South.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiltrrzAgRONA9qSXPSxVU72xIr8JHRzwWjLjOszuyZ4JdEzY9PAqotnT5Zt3j45UE8cKqP1tCxj5YFU1g1yjXUkc4paXdxE1uUaYMbKLSk3CdS-ModOb9g2K85Psqgbxbr-2-Wg3MCO9g/s640/Prevost+Lookout+South.bmp" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><u>Some more Pano's below...</u></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBeWUL6xicS5jaup7qQf0nx4ZeDq0jzPqShbHqYaCOKn_XR0Yj6etLBKzL9SzhpfWcLmEAlb_WRpkQ7ArBlk29KBy2xXi9y5rNlcuyHL22f1bFTnMo9SCBHnXlDaE4e9OUyFWA-Ho3xM/s1600/izzypano.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNBeWUL6xicS5jaup7qQf0nx4ZeDq0jzPqShbHqYaCOKn_XR0Yj6etLBKzL9SzhpfWcLmEAlb_WRpkQ7ArBlk29KBy2xXi9y5rNlcuyHL22f1bFTnMo9SCBHnXlDaE4e9OUyFWA-Ho3xM/s640/izzypano.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>She's here, she there, she's every 'kin' where...Can't take a damn picture without her poking her beak in...Typical female...(I'm going to pay for that...)</em></span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>This is the picture I wanted..</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Definitely worth the "ride". I will return with Andy on bikes and do the mine proper...</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-68058180526075027252013-09-19T22:31:00.002-07:002013-09-19T22:33:32.050-07:00Siouxsie Departs<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It's been an unusually long time since I've posted, but fear not, it's not because I've lost interest in dual sport in general, off-roading in particular or road riding. On the contrary, while a few things have changed - including Siouxsie's departure to pastures greener (Mile Zero Suzuki), I am very much looking forward to getting back into my off-road adventures. If you read my last post, you are aware of my minor prang a couple of months back. The ever robust DR was undamaged; however, my knee took 8 weeks of physio to recover (as did Andy's KLX which I rode into). I decided, as I couldn't ride to sell both my bikes and get a couple of different ones. The road bike I have procured, and am thoroughly pleased with (a 2013 Vstrom). I am now looking for a 250-400cc 4-stroke light dirt bike which is road legal. Cheap is the watch word. While I don't mind older, I do want reliable, light and durable. I intend to continue where I left off, but to tackle some even small trails. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Siouxsie was an excellent bike - even before the mods. The DR's torque and manners were a lot of fun, but she was cumbersome at walking speed going up boulder strewn creek beds etc. Of course, the DR650 was never designed for that, but the bike did it nevertheless. Finally, the bike was incredibly robust and, with the big tank and upgraded front suspension it was a real trail gobbler, able to soak up all sorts of punishment at ridiculous speeds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So this winter, keep your eye out for something with two wheels that might fit the bill. Drop me a line, and I might just be out there come spring, blogging more and keeping you up to date with what's going on out there...in the back country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Cheers Paul</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-61417290725480834002013-07-06T17:28:00.000-07:002013-07-06T17:28:50.908-07:00De Cosmos, De Crash, and De Lesson<div style="text-align: justify;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7206f6td3B_rPlncFYIz4cUA8CvJpV8iLltstznY4ARVr1NCPuRpEhVCB8XfwffgfCImtZoo9Ij1v2JX9za9LB7XZl8XhdajzyVdwxB9toa1RILZnjG7eIMN7KhuSc24sKE_RGYDbYA/s1600/pano.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" oya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7206f6td3B_rPlncFYIz4cUA8CvJpV8iLltstznY4ARVr1NCPuRpEhVCB8XfwffgfCImtZoo9Ij1v2JX9za9LB7XZl8XhdajzyVdwxB9toa1RILZnjG7eIMN7KhuSc24sKE_RGYDbYA/s640/pano.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">After </span><a href="http://drsuzistravels.blogspot.ca/2013/06/andys-vicarious-ride.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">scouting a route up to Mount Decosmos</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> a few weeks ago, I managed to winkle the hermit out of his lair and entice him to give it a go with me. I actual fact, Andy's bike looked much dirtier than mine as he has only had the time to ride small jaunts lately; whereas, mine, which hadn't been out for two or three weeks, was embarrassingly shiny. But it's summer now, and with a few weeks holidays, it's time to explore. We took the usual route via Boomerang and Cottle to the hydro-lines trail </span><a href="http://drsuzistravels.blogspot.ca/2013/06/andys-vicarious-ride.html" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(which is still locked and gated about halfway between Blackjack and Rhodo)</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">. Then we turned down towards the headwaters of Nanaimo River and came to the creek crossing. We didn't bother clearing the creek out, although that would have been a better option, and just chugged across it. I say chugged, really we splashed, thrashed and bashed our way across. It wasn't too difficult and within a few seconds we were on the other side and staring down the "four lane highway". And that's just what it is - smooth, well groomed and easy riding - amazing. Whilst traversing the road which was desolate except for a few heaps of bear scat, I started wondering how this road could be in such good nick for an isolated road? Pretty soon, and after passing a few interesting looking left turns towards Blackjack ridge, we passed a derelict hauling truck parked in what must have been the quarry for the road surface.</span> </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_kaWfIl8aR6NRKLrGG-U-pcEMVVKxH8nJRgpz5m2-SWJOsXciCqw4NyGqERiyNgDZaghPiBtOBj7n_4Z49I4lnqP8eRW3pFTdAPBVl1NRYqRcJZ2dNn7BmXlavPe0GhjTG4YxliswkU/s640/blogger-image-2042009900.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc_kaWfIl8aR6NRKLrGG-U-pcEMVVKxH8nJRgpz5m2-SWJOsXciCqw4NyGqERiyNgDZaghPiBtOBj7n_4Z49I4lnqP8eRW3pFTdAPBVl1NRYqRcJZ2dNn7BmXlavPe0GhjTG4YxliswkU/s640/blogger-image-2042009900.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<em>(Above and Below) I'm not sure what vintage this KW is, but it's not as derelict as we thought. It looks like it's dropped its differential oil while reversing and just been left. It's obviously had a hard life, but all of its tyres are still inflated except for one. Thankfully no one has vandalized it and it makes a great look see.</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">No more than 100m past the truck is a bridge with a sharp right turn. Take it and climb to the next four lane highway. Turn right (turning left brings you to a locked gate and first lake). Pretty soon you come to some "Cutting Permit" signs. Take the left fork and climb. The switchbacks you will encounter are not bad at all, except for one steep rock strewn one. We picked our way through this fairly quickly though - it's bark is worse than it's bite. Soon you get to some great vistas:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5PP79iqRDJ5vrcAhXzrjpiSp4stHNsnj80-lcHh6auUqinffITAhZHnMEeIH0PZ5EpIso3OVE1E6TRfDQUxMgNKKBenGVZR-it538aIEKgBBpK7I9nHGo4EfJFb5PyCKdS4UV72paVs/s640/blogger-image--1510434934.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii5PP79iqRDJ5vrcAhXzrjpiSp4stHNsnj80-lcHh6auUqinffITAhZHnMEeIH0PZ5EpIso3OVE1E6TRfDQUxMgNKKBenGVZR-it538aIEKgBBpK7I9nHGo4EfJFb5PyCKdS4UV72paVs/s640/blogger-image--1510434934.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Looking north-west OK mountain and the hydrolines running towards rhodo lake. At this point you can see lots of the routes we regularly ride.</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6k_vHsqCyTqiRh8Uga_b8PNuM1Kn5gHVFSFhcSWsBEdY_S21lzr6DtzwgVsMSXDUkhep6yyzJyjmrLDP-MjmvcsQUD5zGd1vTnj63dG3hHplpO0wHRCsoUGrl6oroEXWLJdJ73o7PDs/s640/blogger-image-1450128184.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6k_vHsqCyTqiRh8Uga_b8PNuM1Kn5gHVFSFhcSWsBEdY_S21lzr6DtzwgVsMSXDUkhep6yyzJyjmrLDP-MjmvcsQUD5zGd1vTnj63dG3hHplpO0wHRCsoUGrl6oroEXWLJdJ73o7PDs/s640/blogger-image-1450128184.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>(Above)Looking north east back to Cottle, Boomerang and Blackjack Ridge you can see many of the trails we use.</em></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZynAoVM4GPYjD5pX4wRi9aR2vNn8rQxU_v13hXwsQkhyIwFbamAgMdSU6LZWq_adpI8S-o2we7-SFerakD5r1g7eiXyjE3MoPRkWiGTwhep-UncuDJD6bwmeq0eBu3OVeOg1ph-U6dg/s640/blogger-image-1071254148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieZynAoVM4GPYjD5pX4wRi9aR2vNn8rQxU_v13hXwsQkhyIwFbamAgMdSU6LZWq_adpI8S-o2we7-SFerakD5r1g7eiXyjE3MoPRkWiGTwhep-UncuDJD6bwmeq0eBu3OVeOg1ph-U6dg/s640/blogger-image-1071254148.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Unfortunately after battling half a km of this stuff, it really is the beginning of the end for penetration up the mountain. It's amazing how quickly these saplings grow: even quads will find this tough going...perhaps time for a work party?</em></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Deciding that the smell of burning alder leaves on our engines, saplings playing with clutch and brake leavers, and the constant whack of branches in the kisser were too much, we turned around to explore a few other more open looking trails. And they were peachy, so peachy, that yours-truly (not leading for the first time this ride) was too busy looking at the vistas and ran smack into the back of a stationary Andy... What a clot! It was completely my fault. Man that's embarrassing to admit, but I'd better get it out there as a sage lesson to myself and any other idiot out there that doesn't look where they are going religiously! Luckily we weren't doing maniac speeds and got off with a few bent indicators, levers and a nasty knee in my case. Thank god for armour (wear it, folks - it's the first time I've needed it and boy did it work, all except one knee guard which took the first impact but not the next, and I now find myself writing this with an icepack on a large swollen knee, but, fingers crossed, no break - I hope...). Poor old Andy's KLX took a knock - as did he - and some spare parts should get the bike legal again very soon...It could have been much worse: but for the sensible clothing we were wearing we could still be up there being nibbled by bears and bearing blow fly larvae...Nice thought. Still, we got back down no trouble and skedaddled via first lake home. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">Still, it was a great ride, and am determined to ride it again and walk to the peak next time - making sure we start earlier and I watch where I'm going!</span></div>
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Here are the maps:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiiuXAl5NHh7_trv8NFhXYGT4iw4mRS_0tK_N3KZC0dG1Us91U1Ry6XWzQf-tt0rx23bUs3sl-36ujpiNXM3WNkLUfP50EZA9ZDPRE-TF9rYFhOqVfUf5DTMPSCeSIz-TfbLjDZj0qHc/s1600/OVW.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" oya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEiiuXAl5NHh7_trv8NFhXYGT4iw4mRS_0tK_N3KZC0dG1Us91U1Ry6XWzQf-tt0rx23bUs3sl-36ujpiNXM3WNkLUfP50EZA9ZDPRE-TF9rYFhOqVfUf5DTMPSCeSIz-TfbLjDZj0qHc/s640/OVW.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Above - a northerly overview of the route; Below a southerly perspective.</em></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVwn6uNZNR7otzKe-gJYqYMaixvwyj6LULpdnxXBuAJThdOPaJgExvtEvHKEvgvE2I4EAqDj2r5ivdK7sOc_2Q56xOK1D8179WfTiW8z995dn9lS2ucADhF8oNqJuK07lssN97vEVstE/s1600/OVW+South.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" oya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYVwn6uNZNR7otzKe-gJYqYMaixvwyj6LULpdnxXBuAJThdOPaJgExvtEvHKEvgvE2I4EAqDj2r5ivdK7sOc_2Q56xOK1D8179WfTiW8z995dn9lS2ucADhF8oNqJuK07lssN97vEVstE/s640/OVW+South.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_rmTEY79cdFhPEu3t1TpuMrIR3MBAzsBw0QeFS5qQrBcKHkHGq_cdqB4K4z0gAJrtpswVTjAep9mAJdeFmDCKCl9a6gyjgZawauT0RJCFQNIv5EFqJYq0R8SELBNYQRs-Dfk-7Vt3Ec/s1600/Decosmos+Top.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="352" oya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja_rmTEY79cdFhPEu3t1TpuMrIR3MBAzsBw0QeFS5qQrBcKHkHGq_cdqB4K4z0gAJrtpswVTjAep9mAJdeFmDCKCl9a6gyjgZawauT0RJCFQNIv5EFqJYq0R8SELBNYQRs-Dfk-7Vt3Ec/s640/Decosmos+Top.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above and below: a couple of peak shots showing the extent of our penetration into the alder and...embarrassingly the location of my blunder up Andy's chuff...</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxbc0_ruv19HZA8wxpUT6TIdkMFJAUOEWeIPwb8C6auPtw2blDH1F8tV-YmcRthYsBM-Kx7bqzk9lYuUvXovZFubre5TyhjTz1-jnFzi3MkVr7KVvQRXIiRy9ww9mWrAqcS3YwNIQ-zE/s1600/Peak.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="352" oya="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCxbc0_ruv19HZA8wxpUT6TIdkMFJAUOEWeIPwb8C6auPtw2blDH1F8tV-YmcRthYsBM-Kx7bqzk9lYuUvXovZFubre5TyhjTz1-jnFzi3MkVr7KVvQRXIiRy9ww9mWrAqcS3YwNIQ-zE/s640/Peak.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-78187592786632924342013-06-20T20:59:00.001-07:002013-06-20T20:59:54.431-07:00B25 Update#2: Update Me and I'll Update You...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Since my <a href="http://drsuzistravels.blogspot.ca/2013/01/b25-update-1944-wreck-coldcase-comes.html" target="_blank">last post on the B25</a></span> <a href="http://drsuzistravels.blogspot.ca/2013/01/b25-update-1944-wreck-coldcase-comes.html" target="_blank"></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> wreck back in January a few kind souls have come out of the woodwork to offer some more information on the potential location of the Mitchell's final resting place. Firstly I was sent archive photos of the wreck site on Mt. Whymper back in early February, and, yesterday, I had contact (via the blog) with a second individual who has got very close to the wreck site and offers a slightly different location than the old coordinates suggest. It's all very intriguing. But first the photographs (click to enlarge)...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mHXj-PTKb-HcSSOfHchJxkY9v_HNbo1TJKVCu4xtgDeNEwcV5SsOBKi3Z7wr51Jt9uIldJByrZYwpR_04kBK-cxhlOI8NTwXaSECpK7lSepM-hLxIjOkXQI6vOgNef6jYd50bBXonro/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="495" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1mHXj-PTKb-HcSSOfHchJxkY9v_HNbo1TJKVCu4xtgDeNEwcV5SsOBKi3Z7wr51Jt9uIldJByrZYwpR_04kBK-cxhlOI8NTwXaSECpK7lSepM-hLxIjOkXQI6vOgNef6jYd50bBXonro/s640/photo.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Copies of National Archive photos which were sent to me from Michael Taylor. These are shots of the wreck's location on Mount Whymper. While forest cover over the terrain will have no doubt changed in the 70 odd years since the crash, the deeply contoured walls of this box canyon like valley will no doubt still be visible. The quality is poor, and consequently any attempt to match them with GE is pure guesswork...</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> By scouring Mt. Whymper with Google Earth, it is possible to find several locations which may, or may not be (!), the likely location for the wreck. But one intriguing match is nearer the peak itself...</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbWjuPvZnN0nM0DoJN6BbL4UFK62KsgiFAuZmedBx-4zUKNnFZJzwgkpyUlgZFpPM3e2pDBWihXxWm5BpF7j6JJeVlqFlYfA_6S0ZqfxRsBiYHjesBA1IXjmV5u1-1m1ag_WgPYIQ3yw/s1600/Look+Familiar.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="454" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEbWjuPvZnN0nM0DoJN6BbL4UFK62KsgiFAuZmedBx-4zUKNnFZJzwgkpyUlgZFpPM3e2pDBWihXxWm5BpF7j6JJeVlqFlYfA_6S0ZqfxRsBiYHjesBA1IXjmV5u1-1m1ag_WgPYIQ3yw/s640/Look+Familiar.bmp" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>There are lots of potential look-a-likes around Mt. Whymper and scouting out using Google Earth can be frustrating...But this one does look familiar...no?</em> <em>However, looking north west as it does, it contradicts some evidence below...</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other pictures from Michael, all of which suggest some sort of elevated valley with a shear terminus - and again, those strong almost vertical contours suggesting falls and snow-melt canyons...:</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: small;">Above: If the notations on this phototraph are to be believed regarding Mt Landale and El Capitan peaking above the Whymper ridgeline, then this photo was taken from north of Whymper looking south...which opens up a whole new can of worms...</span></em> </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSUxPNb585kPc-fc9fWK2sOyROCRblPBgAwt5O-JKXpS8kc_olr3HIdnrr6fvDjuLlRL-EGcHWcybOff7GyVNh2A-72at6dfdbCD9pRcNqlelc4UsSNqrilqUNouYt1Axze5DscP7Xw0/s1600/Or+here.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVSUxPNb585kPc-fc9fWK2sOyROCRblPBgAwt5O-JKXpS8kc_olr3HIdnrr6fvDjuLlRL-EGcHWcybOff7GyVNh2A-72at6dfdbCD9pRcNqlelc4UsSNqrilqUNouYt1Axze5DscP7Xw0/s640/Or+here.bmp" width="556" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="font-size: small;">It's hard to see any detail in this north facing elevated valley, but if the notations on the pictures above are to be believed, then this could be the rough location of the wreck site...As I said, frustrating (but intriguing too).</span></em></td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyB5RFzkz3Nfh6yCrnTgQvBKTCmmzk-lJzlkNySN2Bkyg_XKD4v0sxgrK9CvqfLJ24TVOL3ns1dHWsfm7Rhm680-vnd3DLRVdEAZRcHBt0DAu7iwMQB2MQEXD7tqIe9GKQjPDYxrjbdR8/s1600/photo3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyB5RFzkz3Nfh6yCrnTgQvBKTCmmzk-lJzlkNySN2Bkyg_XKD4v0sxgrK9CvqfLJ24TVOL3ns1dHWsfm7Rhm680-vnd3DLRVdEAZRcHBt0DAu7iwMQB2MQEXD7tqIe9GKQjPDYxrjbdR8/s640/photo3.JPG" width="396" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Today, I got the following updates from a reader, Lindsay Elms, which is very helpful and offer a potential insight into a more exact location based on the fated rescue mission by the blimp:</span></div>
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<em>The crash site is at the 840m level NE of where you have the arrow...I went to the Blimp crash site a week ago which is a couple of hundred metres
from the bomber. AT the time we didn't have the exact details of the bomber (and
couldn't see it). I hope to go in soon (we have special permission from the
timber co to go in via Jump Lake.)Both the Blimp and Bomber sites are historical
war graves even though there were no dead at the blimp crash.<br />Lindsay
Elms<br />www.beyondnootka.com</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">If Lindsay is right, then there are a couple of likely sites...Click to enlarge:</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtWKXHHAWm2Xks0qoNLAeIlksWCjwGqi8odd8yRI_g_cVtdYaLgWQh6oAGbvrEBswmi2p6DmnkS-Wl3pUDX4rFWsKl3iisQCFomFR_V-mzqizjKrs6iA7yLMJ2kRhuhyphenhyphenlnDtWxmbu81k/s1600/Mapovw.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="438" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjtWKXHHAWm2Xks0qoNLAeIlksWCjwGqi8odd8yRI_g_cVtdYaLgWQh6oAGbvrEBswmi2p6DmnkS-Wl3pUDX4rFWsKl3iisQCFomFR_V-mzqizjKrs6iA7yLMJ2kRhuhyphenhyphenlnDtWxmbu81k/s640/Mapovw.bmp" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Both of these sites work for two reasons: one: Lindsay's elevation matches the photos, and, two, the southwestern facing elevated valley is steep and would indeed show views of El Capitan and Mt Landale above the Whymper ridgeline...</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, there you have it folks. If you are reading this and you have more info that I can use to update this so the Lindsay's, Michaels and the rest of us can find this crash site, then please share it. Lindsay, Michael keep in touch and (here's where I grovel), I know two guys who'd love the chance to tag along via the Jump Lake watershed area if given half a chance...No pressure ;)</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-72846196061866532812013-06-16T18:24:00.000-07:002013-06-17T07:02:51.548-07:00Andy's Vicarious Ride<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjf5HGdcvHfJorRnaGNujtyUAgtXEehxamBthc8x8IRhxJe52QtQPsBhhSmUzRF_LBbfaJy3D2mQ6RAh98n6MzqmJUMlx-3YzNDW4DrmiG0M98H62r-4fOTalHW94z79TiGdXnQFT4iIg/s1600/IMG_2923.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjf5HGdcvHfJorRnaGNujtyUAgtXEehxamBthc8x8IRhxJe52QtQPsBhhSmUzRF_LBbfaJy3D2mQ6RAh98n6MzqmJUMlx-3YzNDW4DrmiG0M98H62r-4fOTalHW94z79TiGdXnQFT4iIg/s640/IMG_2923.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, as some of you know, </span><a href="http://candiedfrogsmonologues.blogspot.ca/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The Real Motorcycle Diaries</span></a><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> have dried up for the past six months or so. Andy is very busy right now, so I decided to have a ride for him, visit some of his old haunts and then to post them. I know, generous, but what can I say: that's the sort of guy I am...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Initially, I was going to fish for Andy, catch some trout and eat them for him, but, alas I ran into a snag halfway there.</span> </div>
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<em><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Above and Below</strong>: The gate was on a bridge: I have never noticed this gate before. The two locks are not the usual Logging Co type, and I expect they are BC Hydro installed? Anyway, there is no way through to Rhodo from Boomerang via the hydro line trail now, boys. 142, 155 and left is now the only way. The gate is surprisingly low and you can see that quadders have had no luck getting through, though someone on a small dirtbike would be able to drag one under if they were so inclined. Not me folks.</span></em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Zma2yCOe06zPcQQjWx41mVLrVCbmcphCbkeh-413gbKgxVcJWff546qHUBSzq7KHRkc5Vn8on4R4_VeKg5wWJQT_9GRj6cC1QxdEJ72Fl2ElLDnciyyt26xpP9fgkb7Oi8xyMujzLEs/s1600/Gate.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-Zma2yCOe06zPcQQjWx41mVLrVCbmcphCbkeh-413gbKgxVcJWff546qHUBSzq7KHRkc5Vn8on4R4_VeKg5wWJQT_9GRj6cC1QxdEJ72Fl2ElLDnciyyt26xpP9fgkb7Oi8xyMujzLEs/s640/Gate.bmp" width="601" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> So it was necessary to turn around and scrap that plan. Poor old, Andy, no fish! (Yes there is THE other way, but, well it was getting late...) What do do? Well creativity is my middle name (or is it torture? - I can't remember, which is another thing I love about getting older), so I decided to go to some of Andy's favourite haunts and remind him of some plans we have, some of the views he is missing, and just generally <strike>rub his nose in it</strike> tempt him out again next weekend on a real ride.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Then I remembered one of Andy's goals: summiting Mount Decosmos. He has a picture of a potential creek crossing route. So why not find that and check it out? Backtracking along the Hydro trail I found the clearly defined single track trail heading south. It led to this.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRQlymLmsuB08613hbIZSmFr59lySlelWGg7BqihAZUcvadl7kFTtvkWz2yLmwWoHSMdnxeJDn16moV7grf_mSr5OK1ncLkNb8-sRzoEgvkcOVX5z8MZTcfLNXbN-QJOE26Jbl8O7RF4/s1600/IMG_2907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJRQlymLmsuB08613hbIZSmFr59lySlelWGg7BqihAZUcvadl7kFTtvkWz2yLmwWoHSMdnxeJDn16moV7grf_mSr5OK1ncLkNb8-sRzoEgvkcOVX5z8MZTcfLNXbN-QJOE26Jbl8O7RF4/s640/IMG_2907.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Above and Below</strong>: <em>Hmm. I remember quibbling with him about this from one of his pics, saying I felt we could cross this. Erm No. Too bad because there is a veritable four-lane logging road highway on the other side which takes the rider to, yes, you guessed it, De Cosmos. Ahh, but what's that on the right?</em></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFlHpyY4_6NIvhPv6vuuOPDV8KhyphenhyphenlxKUxUBIYHHmCQaDZD4W8RJuVfjyomMlCbHY0W32WDExcFVNBkHZMQwZbzocoF3qL1hRgEFg9j4-kkQ80NuFJySu5P7AoIffNk2NtiCRoe-4ZXVs/s1600/CreekCampCross.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSFlHpyY4_6NIvhPv6vuuOPDV8KhyphenhyphenlxKUxUBIYHHmCQaDZD4W8RJuVfjyomMlCbHY0W32WDExcFVNBkHZMQwZbzocoF3qL1hRgEFg9j4-kkQ80NuFJySu5P7AoIffNk2NtiCRoe-4ZXVs/s640/CreekCampCross.bmp" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Just off to the right is a newly minted quad trail. It's not too bad as described in my vid below...</span></div>
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<object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/CF4bo_xzvz0/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CF4bo_xzvz0?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CF4bo_xzvz0?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: small;">The road on the other side...</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUXL2IhoaxVmm_dRTgfekql8Z-OCpR-vo3yt5ZEb2ELyOkzH531jVJf-mdTCYXvSohHENkepArsu0oWRtJ3IQceO94uG00nkn5iMOvi2EdRQxeYVruFT6LMz7L0FlxjbfpUbKYStKukE/s1600/IMG_2916.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTUXL2IhoaxVmm_dRTgfekql8Z-OCpR-vo3yt5ZEb2ELyOkzH531jVJf-mdTCYXvSohHENkepArsu0oWRtJ3IQceO94uG00nkn5iMOvi2EdRQxeYVruFT6LMz7L0FlxjbfpUbKYStKukE/s640/IMG_2916.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><em>Above and Below: the four lane highway to Decosmos...</em></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The creek crossing doesn't look too bad, but, being as I was alone, it was late, I didn't cross. Two people for help, and it's a snitch. So it was back to the hydro-line trail and off to one of Andy's favourite (and if truth be known -coveted) spur view point trails. It's quiet little number off the Blackjack trail.</span><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: small;"><strong>Above:</strong> Decosmos tempts the Vicarious Andy...<strong>Below:</strong> the Very Excellent Viewpoint, with some excellent sandy climbing trails for awesome fun too! I'm only sorry I couldn't fling some playfully from by big fat rear tyre at Andy while rocketing up there. </span></em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So there you have it. Andy caught no fish, didn't get to DeCosmos, and didn't get my rear tyre sand fans in his face. Well you can't have it all, folks. Especially if you're stuck at home. Hopefully see you soon, hermit boy :-)</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-47218300195653256992013-05-26T12:28:00.003-07:002013-05-26T15:48:05.844-07:00There And Back Again - Views of Cameron Main from 3800ft<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<em>Today's ride with Andy: supberb trails and stunning views...later</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We set off late into what we knew would be torrential rain. While the coast was bathed in sunshine, the interior mountains were obscured with dark gray behemoths. It rained from the Englishman River bridge on, but that didn't dampen our spirit, even if it did soak us to the skin for four hours or so. My heated vest was a real bonus, but forgetting my waterproof pants was a bonehead move.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As usual we were just exploring, with the outside hope that we might find a away through to the Cameron Main, Labour Day Lake, Mt. Arrowsmith, and perhaps even a route north to Port Alberni. First we snuck up the beginning of the key trail to see what the logging co had been doing up there. They have widened and flattened the road nicely for the first quarter of the trail - thanks, guys! Then we got back to 155 and headed West again and past the Englishman River bridge. We've never explored here: what a bonus. We found some excellent riding terrain - really awesome and this ride is highly recommended for anyone who likes views (check the weather first!), grades and torque...Here's the route overview.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GQMCp_BxQhD6HUFSOEZcW3xtllNbXC5BKK9Ld28ztKpV5DAM1m-4BYET41i23njyJ0hoGhL9k9feC1s9Z_nPy7yLS8PnZeXxZoBv9hVSKhFVDoRPZ2Sj5esld8j7QyCceief2dK5G-k/s1600/Ovw.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3GQMCp_BxQhD6HUFSOEZcW3xtllNbXC5BKK9Ld28ztKpV5DAM1m-4BYET41i23njyJ0hoGhL9k9feC1s9Z_nPy7yLS8PnZeXxZoBv9hVSKhFVDoRPZ2Sj5esld8j7QyCceief2dK5G-k/s640/Ovw.bmp" width="640" /></a></div>
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Above (Click for larger view): <em>We turned onto the 155N for quick look see and to check out the state of the key trail since the winter logging. It's great - a cat has leveled and widened the first 1/3rd of the trail. Unfortunately they've also levelled most of the trees. Clearcut? Where?</em> Below<em>: the key-trail looks completely different...With the Clarkian Liberals in power for the next 4 years, you can expect the capitalist-consumer driven rape and pillage to be the Status Quo...</em></div>
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Below (Click for larger view): <em>Carry on past the Englishman River bridge (that is don't cross it). A few km after this the trail starts to get rewarding...</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnXSxrkZpWYdCFw_7XjbNJe571f_8_cDQrywhm_-EfVHR1YmEFLzhNU0nXslzYA_r97CFXxSzDeadbJYQM28b8jngOG_LNkDJNrytvFm90MrUXvOeD2Rm8V6pL8Jm0uNWN4qPUSCMgGI/s1600/S+Engl+to+Term.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><em><img border="0" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfnXSxrkZpWYdCFw_7XjbNJe571f_8_cDQrywhm_-EfVHR1YmEFLzhNU0nXslzYA_r97CFXxSzDeadbJYQM28b8jngOG_LNkDJNrytvFm90MrUXvOeD2Rm8V6pL8Jm0uNWN4qPUSCMgGI/s640/S+Engl+to+Term.bmp" width="640" /></em></a></div>
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Below (Click for larger view): <em>Looking west towards Mount Moriarti. This is where the trail gets fun and you climb to the alpine plateau. The trees become smaller. The road surface is excellent and hairpins and steep grades, even wet, make for some supberb riding. It was socked in, and I can only imagine what the views must be like when it's clear. Waterfalls tumble from great heights aplenty, but watch for deer - they're everywhere here often darting out. Unlike our residential semi domestic rose-eaters, these are extremely skittish and large... We did not explore many side roads, of which there are tons...</em></div>
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Below (Click for larger view): <em>Once up on the plateau, you will be heading east towards Moriarti - which you can see in the distance. Look to your right - you are looking down a few thousand feet at Cameron Main.</em> <em>Again there are a few side roads to explore here. We have left them for later...and better weather</em></div>
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Below (Click for larger view): <em>We were stopped by snow in several places and the new road finally terminates not far from the old Cameron Main Ridge trail. Given a few more months, we can only hope the two join...perhaps wishful thinking...</em></div>
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Below (Click for larger view): <em>As you can see the roads are in good shape, albeit a bit wet on the day. The mountain peeking through to the south is on the other side of the Cameron Main.</em></div>
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Below (Click for larger view): <em>the road split to a Y, with the upper road going on for much further. Unfortunately, due to the elevation (3800ft) it is still choked with snow.</em> <br />
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Below (Click for larger view): <em>We didn't take any pictures while we were passing through the plateau, which was a pity as it was very picturesque...however once through, this is what we found.</em> </div>
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<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue", Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, another good day riding. A stop at the Black Bear afterwards for a London Pride and some chips helped get us home. It was a hot bath for me to chase off the mild hypothermia from being soaked for a few hours. It didn't rain a drop in Nanaimo, but be warned, the interior highlands are completely different. I haven't ridden in rain like that for years.... Great fun though. We'll be back.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-56764225034078977502013-05-05T21:32:00.001-07:002013-05-05T21:50:25.941-07:00Englishman River to Cameron Lake?<br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">With 25C forecast for all this week, come Saturday mid-day I was itching for a ride. After adjusting his chain, Andy met me at the track and we headed out along 142 and 155 to the Englishman River bridge and into the Cameron Land District with the hope of finding a route into the Mount Arrowsmith Regional Park, or - less likely - right through to Highway 4 just east of Cameron Lake. <a href="http://drsuzistravels.blogspot.ca/2012/07/3-days-dual-sport-camping-trout-b24.html" target="_blank">Having tried from the other end via the number 4 from the north a year previous</a> and being skunked while heading south near Lockwood Creek by an overgrown singletrack trail obliterated with gulches and ditches, we were curious as to whether the fairly recent logging road activity in the headwaters of French Creek would allow us to head north and connect. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><em>Click the image for a larger view: Our attempt from the north a year previous in red. The yellow is a possilbe connector still choked with snow. The red in the south is the limit of our northern penetration into the Cameron Land District.</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There was little or no traffic all the way there, and riding in just a tee-shirt and armour mesh it was perfect. As we crossed the bridge we settled on ascending to an alpine lake (3300ft) to see if it was snow free and fishable, and then to head on towards the previously washed out box canyon turn and cross the headwaters of the Englishman River. </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><em>A reservior-lake. Apparently guarded by cameras at the top of the steep windy road up. I'm told carrying zap straps and decorating the rear of your vehicle with a seasonal sprig of conifer, fern or holly is the necessary tip of the hat to the Gods that inhabit this spiritual lake (and it also ensures anonimity and reduces flash refection off rectangular aluminum plates).</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><em>It's a deep lake, with no action right now, probably due to the snow still lining the steeply shaded northern shore. Mount Arrowsmith is peaking (excuse the pun) out on the top right...</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The rest of the journey was purely exploratory and we rode up the other side of the Englishman River valley after crossing it's headwaters. <a href="http://drsuzistravels.blogspot.ca/2012/07/arrowsmith-lake-to-cameron-lake.html" target="_blank">There are some great views right down the valley</a>, but seeing as I've blogged those before, I'll not repeat them here. </span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Click to enlarge: after the lake, it was up into the Cameron Land District...</em></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Pretty soon we crested the hills and began to explore the newly minted roads up there. The first one, despite being short, windy, steep and ending without a view, was amazing, because the view of Mount Arrowsmith on the way down, previously missed, was epic. Dresden corner was the epithet we gave to the best viewpoint of the mountain. Don't ask why, we'll not tell...</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>Above - Click to Enlarge: Crack a beverage, open some jerky and look west from Dresden Corner...</em></span> </td></tr>
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<em>Andy reaching for his camera. But the little iPhone/garmin gps cameras don't do it justice. Get there, you'll know what I mean.</em></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana;">After that it was trying to find any trail that went north and to Highway 4...No luck, but not because it doesn't exist, but because of snow. There are plenty of trails here left to explore... I'll leave you with some maps, and a few more pics.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><em>Above: Click to enlarge: here we were stopped by snow. The trails were single track and heavily shrubbed on either side, but a quad or a dirt bike will have no trouble. There were several trails off of them thad we didn't take...future considerations. Great views.</em></span></div>
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<em>Above - click to enlarge: the Highway 4 connector looked promising. Large, although rough, it was still largely snow covered, and not suitable for one wheel drive yet...</em></div>
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Odds and Sods...</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-34615154153458330632013-04-06T20:07:00.000-07:002013-04-08T17:53:43.911-07:00Hydro Hill Lake<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChBJ8omH_-SlpzICLzgkPRVLx3hnlqtkYKJvX1INJidf8RIx7Fv3B9kh0AkHGHTHIwDRHIFK4h6eTFT5BMS9ZcFjiK5B2h3BNSXugjS_4KlQoSYizxYHjuUCnpV4x0KVfsZTA2glL424/s1600/IMG_2648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="137" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiChBJ8omH_-SlpzICLzgkPRVLx3hnlqtkYKJvX1INJidf8RIx7Fv3B9kh0AkHGHTHIwDRHIFK4h6eTFT5BMS9ZcFjiK5B2h3BNSXugjS_4KlQoSYizxYHjuUCnpV4x0KVfsZTA2glL424/s640/IMG_2648.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
I had a great ride today, 88km in total. we didn't lay any tracks, so you'll have to speculate. The ride was a bit of everything with new round river rock scattered on some of the FSR's, some great dirt only surfaces followed by mud. Lots of mud. The front TKC 80 is easily overwhelmed by a mud over a few inches deep, the blocks being so closely spaced. The TKC front performs excellently on everything except deep mud. But having no experience of anything else, I'm not sure there is much of an answer, although I do have a D606 waiting for Siouxsie when the TCK is done...probably the fall, which will be the perfect time.<br />
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While I've always caught large fish in this lake, we've never caught more than two in an afternoon. we've also never got up there so early because usually there's some snow. But this year, things are different. The fish were nuts for an ABBA lure. we must have missed 15. They were tenacious, and if they missed a bite (or I missed the bite morelike), they were right back next cast. Unreal fishing in there. The fish were all male cutthroat. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKIAJZjn6uTZ0iNzSV-5IE33Yikoic09cUW7EVuTCKashE3qqks-SfdrXywrBmj4H9TEl_R6FSQR6OrEkB1LZf0oQz479Nti78ZYlTf9uhYy1CyFR_3YCq77Wuu5tPAZlTrkHgiqAang/s1600/IMG_2653.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKIAJZjn6uTZ0iNzSV-5IE33Yikoic09cUW7EVuTCKashE3qqks-SfdrXywrBmj4H9TEl_R6FSQR6OrEkB1LZf0oQz479Nti78ZYlTf9uhYy1CyFR_3YCq77Wuu5tPAZlTrkHgiqAang/s640/IMG_2653.JPG" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Just a little boring poor quality vid of the roads around the lake today...muddy...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/-lSkaSA1FU4?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6044864611482645151.post-86503316654344168112013-03-30T22:03:00.001-07:002013-03-30T22:03:30.291-07:00Okay Not Okay...Reworking RhodoAndy and I had a quick blast today to see if we could summit Okay Mountain on the bikes. While snow was not an issue (unlike last year at this time), boulders on a sharp incline were, and we bailed, although we made it a little further than before. Then it was off to Rhodo for some fishing, but, alas, we were sidetracked by old roads being re-engineered, ready for more logging. It seems the Okay mountain area is being hit on all sides...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQT_ocufuh1RdXG4USDmeVyb4leBdIQ2SrXNQHLOXaZ8sELVRvQUASOmH1M6w-6hhZDZr7BmagcY3hOKVvpWhOnS-P7p6ltPLXrBWj0eCZMAvaK5WX6mzloxkj2Ayx-Ts0hmZZeUINz7c/s1600/IMG_2578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQT_ocufuh1RdXG4USDmeVyb4leBdIQ2SrXNQHLOXaZ8sELVRvQUASOmH1M6w-6hhZDZr7BmagcY3hOKVvpWhOnS-P7p6ltPLXrBWj0eCZMAvaK5WX6mzloxkj2Ayx-Ts0hmZZeUINz7c/s640/IMG_2578.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Having ridden to work this morning, I decided to go for a quick blast to locate a new feature recently exposed by the extensive logging that Timberlands are doing around Okay Lake right now. It's been a while since I've been to Okay Lake (a year or so) and ridden the trails around it, so, naturally, I got a little lost at first. However, given the plethora of new logging access roads since last year, and the extensive "terra-forming" the logging co has done, it's not surprising. Many of the features and the visual cues that I have used to identify the correct trail to circumnavigate the lake using the Okay mountain road are...well, gone. I actually ended up at the lake before I'd realised I'd missed the left turn, as the entire first part of the trail is completely different. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVP60QHx5cNN8e0CTmIohR-Q1w0zu7HNzQIEA5fMDJrhAEwmVZPC4dEoiFTS58-RpgbqMjIhdlPvOnozApy0X4MFM-zaDSxGYiHkS4lQMqDPKFjBY2PFZhmZg7-fW0kWwCrSiYf95Sl78/s640/blogger-image--929019450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVP60QHx5cNN8e0CTmIohR-Q1w0zu7HNzQIEA5fMDJrhAEwmVZPC4dEoiFTS58-RpgbqMjIhdlPvOnozApy0X4MFM-zaDSxGYiHkS4lQMqDPKFjBY2PFZhmZg7-fW0kWwCrSiYf95Sl78/s640/blogger-image--929019450.jpg" /></a></div>
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<em><strong>Above:</strong> I rode in from the Boomerang - 142 junction and continued west towards the lake, completely missing the left (south) turn which takes you around the lake. <strong>Below: </strong>the same shot, but from a northerly perspective.</em></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNm0rSMTT8PWIp8yYwQx-dk2ZZK-aDgT-UBCKETH5pN04gf2vJKcJ4-CXdgc6ESStxzeQvxZBx23Y8_d-cz9F-Or-uEoyBNunD9fSPKCfwYRvCbdPBxLjbHgA7zpwYWhYtPf75pBQGic/s1600/IMG_0196.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsNm0rSMTT8PWIp8yYwQx-dk2ZZK-aDgT-UBCKETH5pN04gf2vJKcJ4-CXdgc6ESStxzeQvxZBx23Y8_d-cz9F-Or-uEoyBNunD9fSPKCfwYRvCbdPBxLjbHgA7zpwYWhYtPf75pBQGic/s640/IMG_0196.PNG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Getting to Okay Lake, this is what I found...Much of the landscape has changed, with a paltry 3 or 4 tree-fringe around the east side of the lake. The ride was great though with plush dirt and some mixed blast crush. I'm sure enjoying that new front end on Siouxsie.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFhYY2zsthDEiMC3uMyFHjkSnKF2rVLjMwlxnRGpkyG87SZ3IZR7AHBhmG57yvxbJh2o0apZRJCQujK_pt4o2oBewS-yQTc5v2mvrGhLVeEMEe859dhgShfP3e8boDVsDdGFbKpROBpE/s1600/IMG_2580.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpFhYY2zsthDEiMC3uMyFHjkSnKF2rVLjMwlxnRGpkyG87SZ3IZR7AHBhmG57yvxbJh2o0apZRJCQujK_pt4o2oBewS-yQTc5v2mvrGhLVeEMEe859dhgShfP3e8boDVsDdGFbKpROBpE/s640/IMG_2580.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Above: There are several (7 or so) yarders and feller-bunchers dotted around this area, and on up the eastern slopes of Okay Mountain too right up to the snow line...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5m-exAgxUvBmPICyt93kS3T5HIT33oS8JdAPzJCQBVsjsfKVgD83GE8TZowOJqke-0FV6W-9qOFvwJgiUv_LuauAf2ohiTIec6dL39XVP-Suh_eNjs0R_TK1f16pnT4P9_qP2MEmr7g/s1600/IMG_2582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj5m-exAgxUvBmPICyt93kS3T5HIT33oS8JdAPzJCQBVsjsfKVgD83GE8TZowOJqke-0FV6W-9qOFvwJgiUv_LuauAf2ohiTIec6dL39XVP-Suh_eNjs0R_TK1f16pnT4P9_qP2MEmr7g/s640/IMG_2582.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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On turning west onto the new spur being constructed and following the contour of Okay Mt south, you come across more yarders. Finally the goal of today's ride...A lone cabin, recently exposed by the logging. You have to hike up a fairly steep incline for a short way to get the cabin. This shot is from half way up the devastation...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp7z4BFEYDSHluskR3jgr4e0VXXBpqpaOOvGlpW3LgHyHrbVApvqSktbMbFDsQKfZWpfeqf7Ye1tX9JIC9t6CVMNSQGIllen-AfsbduMtRPv36tM0oFQLa_S0Q6ENXh14NmxYYg79KZA/s1600/IMG_2590.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnp7z4BFEYDSHluskR3jgr4e0VXXBpqpaOOvGlpW3LgHyHrbVApvqSktbMbFDsQKfZWpfeqf7Ye1tX9JIC9t6CVMNSQGIllen-AfsbduMtRPv36tM0oFQLa_S0Q6ENXh14NmxYYg79KZA/s640/IMG_2590.JPG" width="480" /></a></div>
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Below: Okay Lake shines like a jewel below from the same place the shot above was taken from.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H6U6eTXtiNiqREjsY4-pLlOZcvWLMhdlKNqMwKCy4wcWz7vEtr-L1toBx_b9le1L7EorjCTsAJ2dp5b4WCS6CPiOljEBi1O5DkqGm13YsHw2w1Yuw68PXmOy5D80LdiR5luCBl3G3Co/s1600/IMG_2592.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5H6U6eTXtiNiqREjsY4-pLlOZcvWLMhdlKNqMwKCy4wcWz7vEtr-L1toBx_b9le1L7EorjCTsAJ2dp5b4WCS6CPiOljEBi1O5DkqGm13YsHw2w1Yuw68PXmOy5D80LdiR5luCBl3G3Co/s640/IMG_2592.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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The cabin was obviously once perched on a bluff surrounded on three sides by trees. Unfortunately, none were left standing. I suppose without legislation, the same would be true at Okay Lake below...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBfGXwb8JdmoGTQqtqsvefXF49jgYtzo0eLH4lWhrEGMhkUK4zwsYJY2ac6FykKAQCmwhAktAum2yBaVHuH6cUx7aL-8HU94mQd6Rj26XKZODZVEqSdn2Z8SfRAEPVa5-Xlf5vrpNLAs/s1600/IMG_2596.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtBfGXwb8JdmoGTQqtqsvefXF49jgYtzo0eLH4lWhrEGMhkUK4zwsYJY2ac6FykKAQCmwhAktAum2yBaVHuH6cUx7aL-8HU94mQd6Rj26XKZODZVEqSdn2Z8SfRAEPVa5-Xlf5vrpNLAs/s320/IMG_2596.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDEk0UeIx9LSzFywyy3JEP1D-VPYbfvnqfPhYk8ArYYJzlEhaUP2g8-L0hdaHa-gwAeu6zK2omBV6c_uwpylRc3bxnMwiNyYJs3V5x4rlR4W_OgU-OQLqSUI7RzQTjPTmT9GWlEofPbA/s1600/IMG_2598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="144" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsDEk0UeIx9LSzFywyy3JEP1D-VPYbfvnqfPhYk8ArYYJzlEhaUP2g8-L0hdaHa-gwAeu6zK2omBV6c_uwpylRc3bxnMwiNyYJs3V5x4rlR4W_OgU-OQLqSUI7RzQTjPTmT9GWlEofPbA/s640/IMG_2598.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
The OK Corral cabin is rustic, but well constructed. Whomever the owners are, they have created a great cabin. I'm sure they'll be a little ticked when they seen their hidden gem is now exposed. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9w4b3DiumZkTdhcws2UDcSEXpHlsM7y0qYrGQDXNhjoHQGK32mYZLU5mR8s2FB7gQaytXkvaMF7i5SoqH0aWaDr2_Yt8HXH-7qftrfPI31-wC78zU5aM3paTful6aTHijTOFLxrIWRzs/s1600/IMG_2600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9w4b3DiumZkTdhcws2UDcSEXpHlsM7y0qYrGQDXNhjoHQGK32mYZLU5mR8s2FB7gQaytXkvaMF7i5SoqH0aWaDr2_Yt8HXH-7qftrfPI31-wC78zU5aM3paTful6aTHijTOFLxrIWRzs/s640/IMG_2600.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57qYsNwDCr4EANCjJonuu0NWVDAnoOaxsbPQ-CNWK-_APU2FeHZQTBeOZV9yjvuMCr45CSLWJm5NqMU7qmttKba5NX1BiC47Q4ojUm-9uPLgdad1W2HCHnVeFcYcEVubKM_YeTYEyAqM/s640/IMG_2603.JPG" width="640" /></div>
The view from the veranda is spectacular with Mt. Benson, Blackjack Ridge and Decosmos prominent, not mention the Strait and the mainland. What a place to watch the sun rise with a warm coffee in your hand...Oh yes, there's a woodstove.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjde6OTUd8g_gp5HYNgfDT_3JnrtVRAwQUBWMBUAPPdgv_cJH7eFfR396RwECyHIJ9zgtcE96fC1dd4tteSZf0TFXFgOKfCMXfgBgNMLxaS1OApe75kNCd6q1RPHsQv6E45IUXdfGASY6g/s1600/IMG_2609.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjde6OTUd8g_gp5HYNgfDT_3JnrtVRAwQUBWMBUAPPdgv_cJH7eFfR396RwECyHIJ9zgtcE96fC1dd4tteSZf0TFXFgOKfCMXfgBgNMLxaS1OApe75kNCd6q1RPHsQv6E45IUXdfGASY6g/s640/IMG_2609.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HRdqTyTLv6OsdY0oQMpFMyJTozlAU7ZW_v2GQ82Vw_OJJ77rJF-HYxeymYD9U8wleA0O9L_WiPnkcFB8Mu5TV_QaHZfhO8gFdHeDRjlUH-Rk5usC7O6u05E8QiGboS88PCG9G-9MT9E/s1600/IMG_2611.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-HRdqTyTLv6OsdY0oQMpFMyJTozlAU7ZW_v2GQ82Vw_OJJ77rJF-HYxeymYD9U8wleA0O9L_WiPnkcFB8Mu5TV_QaHZfhO8gFdHeDRjlUH-Rk5usC7O6u05E8QiGboS88PCG9G-9MT9E/s640/IMG_2611.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
Inside, it's well appointed.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmiIG02QJJz2K3XqEtqYpYXwyEvPaa_VXbN0HfQm5H0Uvx-XSKOKU685bkG0tmJ1y8lz1VlqktrEHHxgybco1EBnWreQH9RcSyIwI-OzZ2tCwzda8ELuvZrA3eRCa-sLmTIxEVIbQbJs/s1600/IMG_2612.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="142" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHmiIG02QJJz2K3XqEtqYpYXwyEvPaa_VXbN0HfQm5H0Uvx-XSKOKU685bkG0tmJ1y8lz1VlqktrEHHxgybco1EBnWreQH9RcSyIwI-OzZ2tCwzda8ELuvZrA3eRCa-sLmTIxEVIbQbJs/s640/IMG_2612.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
There's a guest book with frequent requests for interlopers to keep the place clean and to clean up after them. <br />
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The guest book has entries from at least 2008, and it makes for some interesting reading...including a run in with a cougar...<br />
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As it was getting late, I had to head. I left everything just as I found it and hope that anyone who uses this does the same, including packing your own stuff out. Judging by the notes left in the guest book, half the interlopers are respectful and value the generosity of the owners, and half are using it as a place to get blinded and behave badly. </div>
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I found a new way back. There is a new road called "Connector" which runs into "Hookup" which takes you close and north side of the lake hooking up eventually with 142 at the Boomerang Junction again. There are many new roads in that section of Northwest Bay now, and more scouting to be done...</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0Nanaimo Nanaimo49.219526 -123.953234