Two months in Whistler not working?!?! I am so jealous.

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"your horse is too high" - tigerchik

I'm going to try to get up your way one weekend, I'll be sure to PM you well in advance ;-) AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

You might want to check out the Whistler Tri Club
http://www.whistlertriclub.ca/
I've met many nice people from there at races.

Thanks Miranda, I actually had thought of that and did check out their website. The local scene is pretty hard core and I hesitate to do a group ride at this point. By the end of summer, I would be comfortable. Not afraid to get dropped, but also don't want to hold other people's ride back. I'm running Comfortably Numb next weekend and then totally focusing on my riding for awhile. Rode with the husband this morning who usually mountain bikes, it was nice to have some company. I just need more time in the saddle on hills. This is a great chance to work hard and improve.

While I can't offer myself up as a riding partner, I can offer some (lower car traffic) route suggestions. I lived in Lillooet for almost 10 years (approx 2 hours up Hwy 99 from Whistler) and am very familiar with the surrounding area. The distances shown are one-way.

The ride from Whistler to Pemberton on Hwy 99 would be quite challenging (35 km). The road surface is good, there are lots of hills and traffic is considerably lighter than south of Whistler. I'm pretty sure you can load your bike on a bus for a return trip if you want.

If you want a very light traffic, relatively flat but scenic ride (40+ km), try Pemberton to D'Arcy at the south end of Anderson Lake, or Pemberton to Lillooet Lake (20 km).

The ultimate trip (100 km) is from Pemberton to Lillooet. Again, low traffic (except for the odd rental motorhome, but gas prices should keep them away). There are some extremely challenging climbs: from Lillooet Lake up to Duffy Lake; and just west of Lillooet. I highly recommend this route, even as a day trip in a car, it's one of the nicest in the province (drivers get a little bit white-knuckled the first time, but slow down around all corners to the recommended speed and it's fine). I suspect the road surface may be rough, all the province's road repair budget is going to Hwy 99 south of Whistler and I haven't driven it since last March. Here's a picture of the Hwy 99 along Duffy Lake.



If you have kids, a really good place to take them for a long day hike is Joffre Lakes provincial park. It's a series of three glacial lakes that you can hike to from the highway between Lillooet Lake and Duffy Lake. It's a bit of a slog getting up to the second and third lakes, but well worth it. Come prepared for extremes in weather (I think the elevation change is 400m in the 5.5 km to the upper lake). You can camp overnight at the upper lake (but probably not until later in July or August would it be recommended). I hear it is packed on the long weekend in August, so go mid-week if you can.


I hope you have a wonderful couple of months in Whistler and get out and explore some of the surrounding areas away from the crowds. You don't have to go far to get away from them.

Sharon

Thank you so much! You really do know the area well. I have driven Duffy Lake back to Whistler in the car. It is indeed very beautiful. I have started to ride to Pemberton but not made it all the way. Knew I had to ride back so I turned about half way. I have drove over there and rode the valley road and also ran that road. We went over to Chilcotin Mountains last sumemr and drive back through Lilloet to Whistler. I'm doing better on the bike. My husband told me he would take some time off the mountain bike and do some longer rides with me. I'll get there! This is truly the most beautiful place I have ever been in my life. Thanks again.

I can't help you at all - with routes or a partner at the moment, but I am thinking about heading up that way for the Pemberton festival at the end of July and would still need to train. I will definitely send ya a message if I ending up going up there.

I am totally jealous of you! :)

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I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way

I am also doing the Pemberton Festival. I'm older than you by 20 years so not sure if I could keep up with you on a training ride, but I'm always game and not afraid to get dropped. We have the three day tickets. I do intend to ride my bike those days though. I have my first half looming and I can't afford to take three days off. We are not camping over there. I like my bed at night. If you want to ride or need any help transporting your bike over there (I have a big Ford Expedition) PM me before the festival. Have you seen the Flaming Lips in concert before? They are great live!!

You're welcome to PM me if you ever need any other backcountry info. I worked for an environmental consulting company and have been in most of the drainages in the Lillooet, Goldbridge, Bralorne areas. Road riding around there is limited to the main highways but on a mountain bike you can go to some amazing places.

Sorry the Joffre lakes pic didn't work (I'm kinda new to this posting thing), just google it and you'll find lots of info. The official BC parks site is : http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/.../parkpgs/joffre.html

When you said you drove over the Chilcotins, did you drive over the Hurley and through the Bridge River Valley? If so good on ya. I remember the first time I drove from Lillooet to Gold Bridge, I almost turned around out of fear (I'm originally a flatlander too).

I smell a ROAD TRIP!!! I've been disappointed for a while that Hwy99 between Vancouver and Whistler is so sketchy as to be pretty much unrideable. And for me, that's saying something. Whistler to Lilooet (and back?) however, would be an awesome weekend! I'm not seeing much on the map North of Pemberton... Would one need to be completely self-sufficient for the trip or are there places to stop for water/food?

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

I remember when we went to Goldbridge there was NOTHING to eat. My kids were starving and the livestock feed store wasn't even open for business because they were receiving a delivery. We had to drive on. There was a grocery store in Lilloet where we stocked up the car. My husband said if we got a group together to ride this, he would SAG wagon for us. I know I would struggle on that ride right now, but could hopefully pull it off by end of July. If you're serious let's pick a date and make plans. I feel excited just thinking about it! It would be a great training ride for my Timberman Half.

Yes, we drove over Hurley. People seemed amazed, but most of the snow was gone and we had a good time with that drive. I was so surprised how different the Chilcotins were compared to the Coast mountains. There were times we felt like we were in Utah. This area is so diverse and so breathtakingly beautiful! We did a four day horse pack trip in the Chilcotins, grizzly bears and all. I would have liked to hike the trip, but my kids were 9 and 12 at the time, thus the horses. BC, too much to see, too little time! This is our fourth summer to spend in the Whistler area and we are still finding jewels. Going over to Tyax Resort next week so husband can do heli mountain biking. I'm sure it will be mind blowing. We will be driving Hurley Pass again. If we drive back via Lillooet, I will pay special attention to the road and any possible stops.

Now that Pemberton has boomed, there is quite a bit of shopping there (and finally a decent washroom). Mt. Currie had a decent restaurant and a corner store, but from there to Lillooet there is nothing. There are outhouses at Joffre Lakes and several of the Forest Service rec sites along the Duffy (which is what the locals call Hwy 99 from Lillooet to Mt. Currie). I have drank from most of the streams that flow into Cayoosh Creek (the river the hwy follows) and would not hesitate to do so again, they are quite pristine, so water isn't an issue. You will need to pack all your food.

There are two relatively large grocery stores in Lillooet (large for a town of 2500) and a great greek restaurant (what small BC town doesn't have one) and a couple of decent Inns and B&B's. Just don't miss the turnoff Hwy 99 that takes you up into the town itself. If you go over the big bridge across the Fraser River, you missed it.

I would recommend you drive it first. From Vancouver it's a great circle tour that can be done in a day: up hwy99 to Whistler & Lillooet, then hwy 12 to Lytton and hwy 1 to Hope and home again. The direction of travel depends on the time of the week you are going. It's great going up or down the sea-to-sky against the weekend traffic flow. I use to love listening to the traffic reports after a day of skiing, while we drove home to Lillooet on an almost empty highway.

Again, I'm not sure about the road surface conditions, I certainly wouldn't use your best racing wheels. It would be more suited for a touring bike or even a mountain bike with slicks. But as Diva mentioned, maybe she can check it out too.

I hope I've inspired a road trip, have fun, I miss the mountains.

sharon

I'm totally serious! July is a little hairy for me but I could make either the 1st or 2nd weekend in August. Bearing in mind that the 1st weekend in Aug is a long weekend, I don't know if that's better or worse - probably better for scheduling, and worse for traffic. But seriously, even with a long weekend - how much traffic can there really be once you get North of Pemberton? Or Whistler, even? I think either would be good.

I'm sure we can get Andy & P to come along, and maybe some other local STers as well. It's gotta be a great pre IMC ride...

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

The weekend of Aug 01 would be great. I have to return to Texas Aug 06, then I'm heading up to New Hampshire for Timberman. To do such an epic ride two weeks before Timberman would be an incredible boost for me physically and mentally. Knowing I'm going to do this ride will give me even more motivation to work my butt off in the next six weeks. I have never planned a ride like this, would need help with the logistics, but I have a willing driver who is handy with tools and repairs and a big, gas guzzling Ford Expedition to haul food and gear. I wonder if there is cell phone reception in the middle of that area? I'll check it out. I can also email the Whistler Tri Club and possibly get a few more tips to make it a fool proof experience. My friends and I always laugh about the folders we make for races. I feel a folder coming on for this ride.

There is cell service in Lillooet, for Telus subscribers, Rogers users are S.O.L. - or at least they use to be. I highly suspect there will be no service once you begin the climb at either end.

Keep us (me) informed if you do the ride.

Sharon

Oh man, this would be awesome. I'd be all over it - I'm doing IMC so it would be a great time to get out and do an awesome assisted ride with some great people. Consider me in if we can make it a go! :D

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I know I'm promiscuous, but in a classy way

Awesome! It sounds like we've got a target date and with several later season races on the board hopefully the timing will work out for a lot of people. As far as logistics goes, that is definitively not my specialty (just ask Andy). I'm more of a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of guy, so while I'd be more than happy to support you and contribute to your planning, I'm not the one to actually make things happen beforehand. Google Maps has the trip as 130km, so we're likely in for a good 6hrs if the terrain is anywhere close to what I'd guess we'll find. Bring bailout gears!

The nice thing about a ride that "short" is that we won't have to leave at the crack of dawn, and ought to be there in time for a nice dinner - assuming "nice dinners" are to be found in Lillooet. :)

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<If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough>
Get Fitter!
Proud member of the Smartasscrew, MONSTER CLUB
Get your FIX today?

No worries. I am a very anal planner. I am working on the details already and my coach will probably give me some kind of check list. She has planned many longer rides and directed many races. I also emailed the Whistler tri club for further advice and details. When I get something together, I will post it. I'm riding it with or without company. Company would be great though. I'll post more in a week. Going mountain biking next week and probably won't have internet access.

Dude I think we could be in, but 1st weekend is definitely better - we're doing the apple on the 17th.
AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

Yes Khai, I see that.

I'm sure we can get Andy & P to come along, and maybe some other local STers as well. It's gotta be a great pre IMC ride...[/reply]

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"There's good all around you, you just have to be able to see it".

I just saw this thread, I live in Whistler and am a member of the Whistler TRI Club. We are not all hard core as a previous poster mentioned! (;-)

I have never ridden that road, but have driven it many times, there is one very big hill climb that you would probably need an extra gear for. I have always wanted to ride it, so if you guys, oops i mean gals do arrange this i am sure there would be a few of us not so hard core whistler triahtletes that would love to join you.

Keep us informed

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Scott in Whistler

Would we ride there and drive back? or stay overnight and ride back the next day?

It might be do-able for us, just checking our skeds.

AP

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"How bad could it be?" - SimpleS

In... but I'm at Xterra in WA the long weekend. Other weekends in Aug would work. Keep me posted (PM/Email is better because I don't read all the threads in all the forums!)