Memorable moments: Waverton to Cremorne via the scenic route from hell

There I was, gliding from Waverton toward Cremorne on a Lime e-bike like a silent, motorized god of the asphalt. I had a date with a cinema screen and the smug satisfaction of someone who wouldn't have to find parking. But then, I hit the invisible border of Mosman.

Suddenly, my high-tech steed didn’t just slow down; it went on strike. I glanced at my phone, expecting a low-battery warning, only to be greeted by a digital shrug: "E-bikes are prohibited in Mosman. Also, you cannot park here." The logic was staggering. I couldn’t ride it, but I couldn’t leave it. It had become a 25 kg paperweight that I was now legally obligated to escort. I spent the next kilometer performing a very sweaty, very loud "walk of shame" across the suburb, providing the local residents with a comprehensive masterclass in creative swearing. Why the GPS waited until I was deep in the "Forbidden Zone" to shut down is a mystery known only to God and cruel software engineers. By the time the motor finally hummed back to life, I’d missed the trailers, the opening scene, and any shred of my dignity.

Mountain biking in the rain around Manly dam with Andre

Exhausting and wet and so much fun!! 

Doug and I go for a cycle in Centennial Park

Exploring Whistler

We spent our last couple of days in Whistler, a 6 hour drive from Vernon. We drove up with Trish and Mike and Keira travelled up by bus from Vancouver to join us. Whistler is North America's premier skiing destination in the winter and will host the winter olympics in 2010. It also happens to be the courting ground of Mike and Trish during their first few years together (when it was a whole lot less developed.) It has now become an extremely yuppie spot with multi million dollar condos overlooking the ski slopes. A very scenic place with snow capped mountains, beautiful forests and lakes and lots of outdoor summer activities like biking, white river rafting and zipping.



On Saturday, it rained quite a bit but that wasn't going to scare us from exploring. We put our rain gear to the test and visited some of the local forests and stopped by the Lost Lake. I love the shot above of me in Silhouette, taken by Ally, at the lost lake. In the second shot, the girls are standing on a rather wobbly and high suspension bridge.

In summer, biking is the primary sport around Whistler. Mountain bikers hurl themselves down the ski slopes at crazy speeds, with extra ramps along the way to spice up the experience. The famous Whistler 24 hour bike race was being held while we were there. Bikers speed around a large course over and over for 24 hours non stop - from 11 am to 11 am right through the cold night - the ultimate endurance bike event. I've never seen such muddy, bedraggled creatures as those that sped past us in the muddy conditions, and the night hadn't even started yet. Some people are serious masochists!!