Two Girls, Two Guys, a Bag of Cookies, and One Rotting Banana
Two girls, two guys, a bag of cookies, and one rotting banana equal’s one unique and adventurous road trip. The excitement and anticipation began days before the trip, but the official departure was at 3 pm Thursday afternoon. Darcy Turenne (Norco) pulled up in her Toyota Echo which was going to be our very compact, but trusty ride for many hours of our trip. Our destination was Golden BC for the Red Bull Psychosis race, but first we had to hit Chilliwack to pickup Stephanie Nychka and then Kelowna to get photographer/writer Graham Genge.After an hour of fighting rush hour traffic we arrived in Chilliwack to pick up Stephanie... ok so we were already an hour and a half behind schedule. But it was a road trip, and the best road trips usually have no real schedule. We squeezed Steph’s gear into the car and it quickly became apparent it was going to be a tight fit, and we still had one more crew member to pick up in 3 hours. Oh well, we just kept thinking “Adventure”. A quick stop to the Chilliwack Tim Hortons and we were set to hit the open road with our excitement and a very large bag of cookies.
The three hours to Kelowna were filled with laughs and many “Off – the – Record” topics which made me come to the conclusion that females, mountain bikers or not, have some really wacked conversations. Thank God our next and final addition to our road trippin’ crew was another guy.
This time before loading more gear and bikes we had to strip the car down completely and rebuild. The packing strategy was so precise; no cubic inch went unfilled. Even without the human cargo, the car looked like it had just been fitted with a custom lowering package. We all squeezed in and off we went on our way to Golden, BC.
After many cds, endless consumed cookies, and one brown banana that no one would eat, we arrived at Darcy’s friend Mark’s. It was about one in the morning, so we had to battle the fierce mosquitoes and set up our make-shift camp in the backyard. Even though I forgot the plugs for my air mattress back in Vancouver, and had to sleep on the hard ground, I slept like a baby.
![photo]()
The next morning brought us blue skies and warm weather. Our plan for the day was to head up to Kicking Horse Resort to check out their lift access trails and shoot some photos. The first run of the day took us to the top of the peak which had a big mountain feel to it. Up above the tree line we had an amazing 360 degree view of the surrounding Rocky Mountains. It was easy to just sit and stare. The first descent started off with a small drop into an open trail. It was effortless to get your speed up as the trail dropped us to the tree line. As we entered the skinner trails in the trees we found a few rock slab roll downs and some manmade obstacles; which by Shore standards were pretty weak. Onward we pressed, through a few nice bermed sections and a set of tables. Before we knew it, we were at the bottom again. The run seemed fairly short, but in actuality we had dropped over 4000 vertical feet... not bad! Seeing as Kicking Horse isn’t popular yet for its mountain biking, we had the mountain virtually to ourselves. The rest of the day was spent sessioning a few of the better sections of the mountain while shooting some photos. As the clouds rolled in and the wind started to blow we called it a day and headed to the local pub in town for eats and drinks.
![photo]()
As we sat in the pub and reminisced of our day the weather began to turn for the worst. The rain came down in buckets and it didn’t seem like it would be ending anytime soon.
Darcy was the only one in our crew who was registered to race in Psychosis, one of the craziest downhill races in possibly the world. Darcy and I were thinking we’d hike the trail later that evening so I could scout out possible shooting locations while she had a good look at the course. Luckily we had Stephanie there to convince us that hiking the trail is impossible and even more impossible in the rain. This race has always been one of Steph’s favourite and up until this year she held the fastest course record for the female division. Due to an injury she incurred while attempting back flips (she stomped her first ever attempt, but the second wasn’t so sweet) she had to opt out of the race. I could tell this was hard for her since she is such a dedicated and determined rider. We chose to drive to the top of Mt 7 where the race would take place and scope out the start and a few of the accessible sections of the trail. As we hit the top we were literally in the clouds.
I nearly passed out when I stood atop of the trail head. It was a straight, very steep, shail covered shoot to the tree line. I couldn’t imagine anyone getting through this first section without a serious bail, and Stephanie proceeded to tell me that it was the easiest section of the trail. I now admit Darcy and I were insane to think we could hike this monster. The next section we checked out was lower down the trail called Wet Dream. By the time we arrived it was more like Wet, Greasy, No Safe Way Down Dream. The rain was falling hard by this point and unless it stopped at that moment, it was going to be a slick course for the next day. Our last stop was near the bottom and it was the road gap. This was very impressive and the builders did a great job. It was about a 20 – 25 foot gap over the road and the landing was a grand straight stretch with a right hand berm near the bottom. All that was left now was to do a dance to the sun gods and hope that everything would dry out. That night was spent listening to the heavy rain beat on our tents... things weren’t looking good.
As we awoke Saturday morning the rain was in full force and we all laid in the tents waiting for an opening in the weather. After a few hours of waiting the clouds broke and some sun revealed itself, but as we climbed out of our hibernation, it was evident that the sun wasn’t going to stick around for very long. There were dark, black clouds coming over Kicking Horse and they brought more relentless rain. The morning was spent humming and hawing over what we should do. Darcy was undecided if she would race and the weather wasn’t swaying her decision into the yes column.
We found ourselves at the main artery of the Psychosis. The awards were being handed out to the racers of the half course participants as we walked around talking with friends and other members of the industry. Darcy signed in as I obtained my media pass and the weather was still a mixed bag. Hard rain, then the sun would show itself for a bit, and then back to rain. We were finding ourselves getting a little bummed and that’s not how a road trip is supposed to be. So we pulled together and had a crew meeting to discuss our options. That’s when it was decided; we were packing our gear and going to make a run to the dessert. Kamloops here we come!
As we pulled out of Golden and hit the highway for our new destination there was a feeling of sombre in the air. We had all been pretty stoked to be a part of the Psychosis experience and I think because it didn’t quite happen we were all a bit disappointed. This soon passed though as we closed in on Kamloops and the sun was scorching; it was apparent we had made the right choice. Our main goal for this trip was to ride and shoot a ton of pictures; and from the looks of it Kamloops was going to grant it to us.
![photo]()
It was early evening when we arrived and our first priority was to check out the new Kamloops Mountain Bike Ranch. We were not disappointed. After sessioning the Ranch for a few hours and snapping some shots we were ready to call it a day. The thought of setting up our wet tents and sleeping on the hard ground didn’t appeal to us, so the hunt was on for the cheapest accommodations Kamloops had to offer. A short tour of motel row brought us to the Davie Crockett Motel, the price was right and the shower was clean, perfect! This room was exactly what our adventure needed; bright orange carpet, brick walls, and some crazy decor... good times. The night was spent eating more cookies and watching the Tour de France on our surprisingly modern TV.
![photo]()
![photo]()
Sunday gifted us with exactly what we were wishing for, blue bird skies and that hot dessert heat. We vacated our 1970s era room and headed back to the Ranch where we spent the day sessioning all the goodies it had to offer, while shooting a pile of photos. If you’ve never had the pleasure to ride here it’s a must if you’re in the area. Starting from the top of the hill there is a BMX track to get yourself warmed up (which isn’t hard to do in +90 degree weather). When you’re ready to rip you drop into an A-Line style trail that whips you through tables, berms and hips. Pedaling is rarely needed. When you’re finally spat out of this rollercoaster of a trail you find yourself standing atop of the park area. This consists of a number of large tables, berms, hips, and some very cool wallrides; definitely a rider’s and photographer’s oasis in the desert.
![photo]()
Dehydration was setting in and the fine dust was taking its toll on the camera gear, so we made the call that we accomplished what we set out to do. It was time to make the journey back home, so it was agreed we’d spend our last night all together in Kelowna. Graham was gracious enough to offer up his place to cook a hot meal and relax for the evening. The night couldn’t have been a better ending to the trip before the crew had to be broken up. After a refreshing dip in Lake Okanagan we drank a few homemade margaritas and ate some monster burritos before passing out in front of the TV.
8 am was our scheduled departure time to head back to the coast and it seemed to come very quickly. Before we knew it we were down to 3 crew members and I had the pedal to the floor burning down the number 5 for Vancouver. The drive was fairly quiet except for The Bloc Party playing in the CD player acting as our trips soundtrack. I couldn’t help but think how our trip took a huge left berm from our plans and lead us on an unknown adventure. We accomplished everything we set out to do, just in a different location. I truly believe it was a better trip because of this, and really, isn’t that what road trips are about. Being with great people, exploring unknown places, and throwing the schedule out the window and just going where fate takes you. Oh, and about the rotting banana. Don’t tell Darcy but I think it’s still sitting in her glove box.
Jason Manchester Photography
www.jasonmanchesterphotography.ca
![photo]()
Editor's note:story and all photos were submitted by Jason Manchester Photography.
The three hours to Kelowna were filled with laughs and many “Off – the – Record” topics which made me come to the conclusion that females, mountain bikers or not, have some really wacked conversations. Thank God our next and final addition to our road trippin’ crew was another guy.
This time before loading more gear and bikes we had to strip the car down completely and rebuild. The packing strategy was so precise; no cubic inch went unfilled. Even without the human cargo, the car looked like it had just been fitted with a custom lowering package. We all squeezed in and off we went on our way to Golden, BC.
After many cds, endless consumed cookies, and one brown banana that no one would eat, we arrived at Darcy’s friend Mark’s. It was about one in the morning, so we had to battle the fierce mosquitoes and set up our make-shift camp in the backyard. Even though I forgot the plugs for my air mattress back in Vancouver, and had to sleep on the hard ground, I slept like a baby.
The next morning brought us blue skies and warm weather. Our plan for the day was to head up to Kicking Horse Resort to check out their lift access trails and shoot some photos. The first run of the day took us to the top of the peak which had a big mountain feel to it. Up above the tree line we had an amazing 360 degree view of the surrounding Rocky Mountains. It was easy to just sit and stare. The first descent started off with a small drop into an open trail. It was effortless to get your speed up as the trail dropped us to the tree line. As we entered the skinner trails in the trees we found a few rock slab roll downs and some manmade obstacles; which by Shore standards were pretty weak. Onward we pressed, through a few nice bermed sections and a set of tables. Before we knew it, we were at the bottom again. The run seemed fairly short, but in actuality we had dropped over 4000 vertical feet... not bad! Seeing as Kicking Horse isn’t popular yet for its mountain biking, we had the mountain virtually to ourselves. The rest of the day was spent sessioning a few of the better sections of the mountain while shooting some photos. As the clouds rolled in and the wind started to blow we called it a day and headed to the local pub in town for eats and drinks.
As we sat in the pub and reminisced of our day the weather began to turn for the worst. The rain came down in buckets and it didn’t seem like it would be ending anytime soon.
Darcy was the only one in our crew who was registered to race in Psychosis, one of the craziest downhill races in possibly the world. Darcy and I were thinking we’d hike the trail later that evening so I could scout out possible shooting locations while she had a good look at the course. Luckily we had Stephanie there to convince us that hiking the trail is impossible and even more impossible in the rain. This race has always been one of Steph’s favourite and up until this year she held the fastest course record for the female division. Due to an injury she incurred while attempting back flips (she stomped her first ever attempt, but the second wasn’t so sweet) she had to opt out of the race. I could tell this was hard for her since she is such a dedicated and determined rider. We chose to drive to the top of Mt 7 where the race would take place and scope out the start and a few of the accessible sections of the trail. As we hit the top we were literally in the clouds.
I nearly passed out when I stood atop of the trail head. It was a straight, very steep, shail covered shoot to the tree line. I couldn’t imagine anyone getting through this first section without a serious bail, and Stephanie proceeded to tell me that it was the easiest section of the trail. I now admit Darcy and I were insane to think we could hike this monster. The next section we checked out was lower down the trail called Wet Dream. By the time we arrived it was more like Wet, Greasy, No Safe Way Down Dream. The rain was falling hard by this point and unless it stopped at that moment, it was going to be a slick course for the next day. Our last stop was near the bottom and it was the road gap. This was very impressive and the builders did a great job. It was about a 20 – 25 foot gap over the road and the landing was a grand straight stretch with a right hand berm near the bottom. All that was left now was to do a dance to the sun gods and hope that everything would dry out. That night was spent listening to the heavy rain beat on our tents... things weren’t looking good.
As we awoke Saturday morning the rain was in full force and we all laid in the tents waiting for an opening in the weather. After a few hours of waiting the clouds broke and some sun revealed itself, but as we climbed out of our hibernation, it was evident that the sun wasn’t going to stick around for very long. There were dark, black clouds coming over Kicking Horse and they brought more relentless rain. The morning was spent humming and hawing over what we should do. Darcy was undecided if she would race and the weather wasn’t swaying her decision into the yes column.
We found ourselves at the main artery of the Psychosis. The awards were being handed out to the racers of the half course participants as we walked around talking with friends and other members of the industry. Darcy signed in as I obtained my media pass and the weather was still a mixed bag. Hard rain, then the sun would show itself for a bit, and then back to rain. We were finding ourselves getting a little bummed and that’s not how a road trip is supposed to be. So we pulled together and had a crew meeting to discuss our options. That’s when it was decided; we were packing our gear and going to make a run to the dessert. Kamloops here we come!
As we pulled out of Golden and hit the highway for our new destination there was a feeling of sombre in the air. We had all been pretty stoked to be a part of the Psychosis experience and I think because it didn’t quite happen we were all a bit disappointed. This soon passed though as we closed in on Kamloops and the sun was scorching; it was apparent we had made the right choice. Our main goal for this trip was to ride and shoot a ton of pictures; and from the looks of it Kamloops was going to grant it to us.
It was early evening when we arrived and our first priority was to check out the new Kamloops Mountain Bike Ranch. We were not disappointed. After sessioning the Ranch for a few hours and snapping some shots we were ready to call it a day. The thought of setting up our wet tents and sleeping on the hard ground didn’t appeal to us, so the hunt was on for the cheapest accommodations Kamloops had to offer. A short tour of motel row brought us to the Davie Crockett Motel, the price was right and the shower was clean, perfect! This room was exactly what our adventure needed; bright orange carpet, brick walls, and some crazy decor... good times. The night was spent eating more cookies and watching the Tour de France on our surprisingly modern TV.
Sunday gifted us with exactly what we were wishing for, blue bird skies and that hot dessert heat. We vacated our 1970s era room and headed back to the Ranch where we spent the day sessioning all the goodies it had to offer, while shooting a pile of photos. If you’ve never had the pleasure to ride here it’s a must if you’re in the area. Starting from the top of the hill there is a BMX track to get yourself warmed up (which isn’t hard to do in +90 degree weather). When you’re ready to rip you drop into an A-Line style trail that whips you through tables, berms and hips. Pedaling is rarely needed. When you’re finally spat out of this rollercoaster of a trail you find yourself standing atop of the park area. This consists of a number of large tables, berms, hips, and some very cool wallrides; definitely a rider’s and photographer’s oasis in the desert.
Dehydration was setting in and the fine dust was taking its toll on the camera gear, so we made the call that we accomplished what we set out to do. It was time to make the journey back home, so it was agreed we’d spend our last night all together in Kelowna. Graham was gracious enough to offer up his place to cook a hot meal and relax for the evening. The night couldn’t have been a better ending to the trip before the crew had to be broken up. After a refreshing dip in Lake Okanagan we drank a few homemade margaritas and ate some monster burritos before passing out in front of the TV.
8 am was our scheduled departure time to head back to the coast and it seemed to come very quickly. Before we knew it we were down to 3 crew members and I had the pedal to the floor burning down the number 5 for Vancouver. The drive was fairly quiet except for The Bloc Party playing in the CD player acting as our trips soundtrack. I couldn’t help but think how our trip took a huge left berm from our plans and lead us on an unknown adventure. We accomplished everything we set out to do, just in a different location. I truly believe it was a better trip because of this, and really, isn’t that what road trips are about. Being with great people, exploring unknown places, and throwing the schedule out the window and just going where fate takes you. Oh, and about the rotting banana. Don’t tell Darcy but I think it’s still sitting in her glove box.
Jason Manchester Photography
www.jasonmanchesterphotography.ca
Editor's note:story and all photos were submitted by Jason Manchester Photography.
Author Info:
Smithers, BC, Canada
Must Read This Week
0 Comments
Login or Sign Up