Return of the Tedi! Chilcotins - Warner Lake 2020 Edition

2010 was a big year for me for a few reasons. The Olympics happened and I met my future wife. I went on a few epic ride road trips with Craig and Ina Hunt that year too. One to Moab, another and attempt at 7 Summits in Rossland (my idea) and finally I managed to tag along on a with them on a trip to the South Chilcotins that included a float plane drop to and endurance ride back from Warner Lake. 

Things have changed a lot for me. Of my original ride group, those who helped me get into the sport and injured a few times, I think I am the last one to be riding still on a regular basis. Nic helped me replace my old group with new one made up of the Cookes, Bob, Subo and few others. 

I always said I wanted to do Warner Lake again, from the first day after I did it in 2010. Bob and the Cookes were there 10 years ago. I thought this time I would see if I could share the experience with Nic, Sue and Lubo. I think it must have been a year ago we invited the Hunts over to try and talk them into organizing for us. 10 years is along time and more than a few pounds ago. I wasn't ready to lead this one without help from the experts. 

 The planning and setting up of the trip began in February and Ina set the date for August 27th with lodging near lake Tyoughton. A few weeks later there was a certain Dental Conference in Vancouver. 11 days after that, BC was in lock down mode. For 6 months we weren't sure if this trip would happen, but it did. 

 Nic and I used Ashcroft as our starting point.

Topping off the tank in Lillooet and then heading up the dirt road towards Gold Bridge. We stopped hear and there for some views and photos.

First to arrive at the cabin, followed closely by our friends Sue and Lubo. Craig and Ina were next and finally Tammy and Ivan arrived to take the last room. Tammy and Ivan are from the roadie discipline and managed to be ahead of me for most of the rides or off doing there own thing. There were 8 of us in all but those 2 don't show up in his post all that often. Given how much time they spent posting their own photos and spreading providence across the internet, I think they'll be well represented - just not here.

Our shared kitchen

The view from the deck

Nice neighbors

Living Room

Morning came early. No one had a good sleep but we all packed up and rode down to the dock for pick up .

An ad for those who want to organize their own trip one day

The morning was cool. The water calm.

And our plane waited for Dale, the pilot.

Lubo has an eye for photos.

Craig, Ina, Tammy and Ivan were the first wave. Subo and us waited to be the second shuttle up. 

Adventure life during the pandemic required a few adustments. 

All good though. A 42km ride back looks like about 12 minutes by plane.

Warner lake on approach.

Rolling in, our friends waited.

Dale heads off to his next thing, leaving us to our own devices

Nothing left to do but put our front wheels back on, figure out the right amount of gear to start the day, and get under way.

Leaving Warner for the next lake

Smiles came and went as we rode that day

One thing that had escaped my memory from 10 years ago were how many rock slides we had to pass over. Some we could ride, others required us to get off. I remembered about 3 of these from the last time but I think now the count is up to 8. Unfortunately I wasn't able to warn about that.

The ride went on. It seemed to take us forever to burn off the kms. 

Sploosh!

Waiting for direction from the trail boss

We stopped for our first lunch around the 10k mark. The first third of the ride being the most challenging.

Second lunch came only 4k later.

One thing I remember from my first visit here was how tired you get. There is a fair bit of hike a biking along with stopping for photo ops. After pushing up Mid Grasslands Trail to Gun Meadow, the ride becomes a bit of a blur. Not much stopping for photos as we were all hungry for flow We went from 14k in, to 18k left very quickly it seemed. Our first bridge across gun creek. Here i pulled out my phone and dialed in trail forks to be sure i could manage my energy.

From here the last 18k flew by. Mostly nice flowy sections with a few annoying hike a bikes. I tried my best to watch trail forks for upcoming climbs but did find the slow to update my location without good cel service.

We hit the end of Gun Creek Rd. where Craig and I had planted may car. Tammy and Ivan had enlisted Craig for an extra 10k, the 5 remaining riders packed up, grabbed a cold beverage from my car, and headed back to start work on dinner.

5 happy escapees

The nice thing about my friends is we all understand there is more to life than just riding bikes. Nic and I took a canoe out onto the lake the next day.

Craig again got tapped to lead another ride for Tammy and Ivan. After a game of Carcassonne with Subo (I know right, who knew?), the 5 escapees from yesterday couldn't be bothered to make lunch instead opting for snacks and bevies at Tyax Lodge next door. I had an awesome moscow mule and  cauliflower bites - YUMM!

Tammy and Ivan brought Craig back with a busted up shoulder that afternoon. His ride vacation was over. 

That evening, Ina made us all a VERY hearty dinner and I made us a camp fire to wind down the evening. 

The next day, Nic, Lubo, Sue and I went for a ride on Cinnebar. Ina was kind enough to shuttle. Cinnebar was a perfect wrap for the weekend. About the only ride under 2 hours nearby our lodging.

Tammy and Ivan went off to be awesome at Taylor pass. This left the 5 escapees and an injured Craig to wash rinse and repeat our lunch at Tyax Lodge. The 4 of us treated the Hunts and thanked them or organizing such a great ride.

At this point, Sue and Lubo decided to call it a vacation and flew off to Lytton for their place in Boston Bar. 

This left 4 of us to head down to the lake. Ina in a kayak, Nic and I paddled our canoe and Craig rested and took pictures from the shore.

Morning came early and Nic had to work the next day. By 7 am we hit the dirt road made our way back via Duffy Lake road to Pemberton and 99 to Whistler and Squamish. Home in N Van at 12:30  we skipped the dishes played Sherlock to wrap up our vacation.

 Short and sweet. Nice to have that ride done. Who knows what the next challenge will be, or when?