GF and I are getting geared up for IMC and are looking for recommendations on restaurants, etc.
floating down the canal is the best thing ever!
Eric,
Good luck. I hope you have a great race. I will try to follow you on-line; which will be much easier than trying to following you on the road.
Gar
Don’t go to the batting cage:
http://www.bikesportmichigan.com/editorials/0000049.shtml
There is a nice outdoor restaurant on the lake on the main drag that I ate at in 1999. Very nice assuming it is still there. I can’t remember the name of it but it is easy to spot from the main strip. It is about two buildings down from your hotel.
I’m so sorry I couldn’t get that bike project completed for you. I was very disappointed. The logisitics Gods did not look kindly upon that project. It wound up more convoluted than a soup sandwich. Disappointing.
Thanks Gar. Good luck at Petoskey. I expect you to keep everyone honest while I am gone. 
Hey, thanks. I hope to be faster riding your new bike that Tom sent me. Just kidding. What is this new rocket you are getting. Is it really fair to the rest of us for you to upgrade - this is how the cold war started, you know.
It’s a secret, but be prepared to be wowed. There are not a lot of bikes out there that I really thought would be an upgrade, but this bike is sweet. Hopefully Tom can get it together so I can unleash it in some of the fall races. I didn’t start this war. It seems like everyone else is already on new bikes, I was starting to feel like some kind of retro grouch.
And cherries too. The fruit from the hood up there is unbelievable. Just don’t eat too many cherries prerace. Good luck all G
there’s a couple of good little restaurants along the lake. The Hog’s Breath is the place to be in the mornings. Earl’s about a mile down Main St is also good.
Hogs Breath for coffee and breakfast is a daily ritual. And I always seem to eat 5 out of 7 meals (lunches and dinners) at Salty’s. Whenever I’ve strayed away to get out of the rut, I’m dissappointed. Gunbarrel will handle a large group nicely for dinner, but call ahead. Avoid the place upstairs across from the Peach. They seem to change owners annually and annually we are dissapointed. Too bad, because the location and view are great.
The ice cream place at the Crown Motel is also a favorite the day after the race. My worst was 4 waffle cones in one day. All I wanted was ice cream and steaks.
Good luck, you are going to love it!
If you are into wine, check out winespecator.com. They just posted an article on the Okanagan Valley. The dinning is up in Kelowna, but some of the wineries are just south of Penticton. Might be a fun diversion for the Ironmates.
I concur with others that Hog’s Breath is “race central” for coffee in the mornings. Salty’s is on the east end of Lakeshore and does a good job. Their whole wheat pizzas are good. I’ve found myself at the ice cream place at the Crown as well.
There’s a decent Thai place on the main drag south of the Mohawk station on the east side of the road. Across the street from the Hansel and Gretel Chinese rest. (go figure) I think.
For a bit less casual there’s a hotel in Naramata that has a nice restaurant and there’s the Villa Rosa (or something like that) and Granny Bogners.
For local wineries I would stick to those between Pentiction and Naramata on the west side of the lake.
If you enjoy golf, there’s plenty of golf courses in the area.
I’ve never tried tubing down the canal, but it seems popular. It seems to involve the consumption of adult beverages as a prerequisite as well.
scott
Thanks for all the information. We’re leaving Tuesday. Hope to run into some fellow ST’ers. I’ll be sporting Bikesport gear, so introduce yourselves.
Lot’s of resturants along the West end of the Lakeshore Rd Strip. Earls is a good bet for more slightly upscale fair on Main street(Great house draft beer. The Wheat beer is excellent).
A float down the Channel is a must post race.
Drive up to Apex to get a feel for what the local mountains are like( Can’t see them from town really)
Chute Lake Lodge is a nice day trip. It’s right on the Kettle Valley Railway trail and you may get to see some of the devastation from last year’s fires.
There is a great nude beach - very quiet and very secluded - just off the road to Naramata, if you are into that.
As for Wineries my favs are Tinhorn Creek, Burrowing Owl and Hawthorne Mountain which are down near Oliver.