We hope everybody had a nice weekend – the weather was a great in the Valley, with bright sunny skies – great to get out for some exercise – snowshoeing for our daughter and son in law, but for us it was just another weekend of kicking back, due mainly because of my recent dental issues, which are taking a bit of a toll.
Answer to the last quiz – should have been easy for most as John Kitchener emailed from the UK said because Charlie Coutard had his name on his shirt!!!! – obviously we had quite a few jumping in on that one!!
Quiz today – Guess who
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It took more than a broken clutch finger to stop Trystan Hart at the King of the Motos at the weekend, as the lad from Invermere took the top step. ( There is a good reason he has that #1 on his bike)
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Yesterday I was sorting through some old files ( we have a ton) and came across these from Joss rides many years ago – below is a shot of our campsite at Frog Falls, showing Jimmy Corkle and Harold Pospisil, with myself on the far right. – Some great memories.
And later!!
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Below are a few shots from Joss rides – not all the same year – the top one shows myself following Banjo Bobby up the narrow rocky switch back section ( big drop on the left) Note the special Outlaw backpack we made especially for these long treks, to hold three gas bottles.
Below is Stan on a different year we went up.
the day before a time to relax by the creek – Jimmy, Banjo Bobby and Paul Throssell
This shot shows the large group we had one year , at the start of the “Switch-back-weed section”
I think this could be Bango Bobby followed by Marcus Buhrig.
Below is myself approaching the Lookout
You can see how thick the weeds are – often hiding rocks and slippery logs
Most of these riders, only made the trek one time, except myself 8 times – Mark 10 times and Taff 3 times ( I think) – In this group Mark Thompson, Terry Bainbridge, Steve Richardson, Myself, John Dearie, Taff- in front Jimmy Corkle, Paul Throssell, Banjo Bobby, and Marcus Buhrig.- Behind us is a sheer cliff dropping down to the Hiway and Three Valley gap. – we are at 8,000ft.
Below is me with Mark Thompson – It was Mark who called on us one day in I think 2003 looking to buy a Trials bike. – I asked him what he planned to use it for, and he explained that he was a cross country guy, but had discovered this neat trail near Three valley gap, which was made using pack horses in 1920, to build a Fire lookout on Joss Mountain. – He told me that they had found the big enduro bikes too much of a handful on the almost “Trials section” 30 plus km route up the mountain, and figured a Trials bike would work best.
I told Mark I would sell him a bike, but he had to take me along on the next ride!! – And that was how it started. – The early years were the most difficult, requiring skirting avalanches and taking out deadfall ( Mark carried a small chainsaw) – Some rides we ran into snow, ( The 2008 was a blizzard up top -I have a video)
In 2007 the Forestry put a new roof on the Fire lookout, plus windows, and a visitor book – this was from the 2007 ride.- I got my name in it for a final time in 2012, when Stan and myself did the climb on my 75th birthday. ( Think I’m the oldest guy to do this ride)
Yes some years we ran into big snow – even in August.
Below is a Chris Hrabb pic taken of the lookout in the winter.
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Note ! In later years the Mountain bike people found out about this trail, and went in with work parties to smooth out a lot of the lower “switch-back” rocks – then talked the Forestry into banning motorized vehicles on the mountain!!!!!! –
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