If this proves to be of interest to people, I'll post this trip in multiple parts, as it was just over a month long, and many photos were taken.
Part 1.
The trip was organised around riding with the goal of having the kids fall in love with the sport more than they already are - both uphill and downhill. The goal: exploring single track, xc, all mountain, and bike park riding across the northwest.
Our journeys started in the Lake Wenatchee, WA area, then headed east and north and then back west with as much riding and hiking at each destination as we could happily muster and retain a life of joy.
- Lake Wenatchee St. Park, WA
- Leavenworth, WA
- Farragut St. Park, ID
- Schweitzer, ID
- Kimberley, BC
- Invermere/Radium, BC
- Kootenay National Park
- Bow Valley Prov. Park and Canmore, AB
- Banff National Park/Banff/Lake Louise, AB
- Golden, BC
- Silver Star, BC
- Monck Prov Park, BC
Good times were had and much riding done with kids still smiling at the end - the girl is now 9 and the boy now 7.
From the beginning, some of the best shots.
Campground warmups at Lake Wenatchee:
Evenings were like this:
Fresh morning tracks:
Leavenworth Kitsch - if you're gonna' do it, go all out:
Freund Canyon - 5.3 miles climbing, 2 on road, rest on singletrack:
Near the top:
Down with a view!
Mrs. WH leading the way for the groms:
Exit for day 1:
Day 2, let's try the back side of Freund Canyon:
A little more flirty on this side:
Time to head to Peshashtin, WA to try the famed rib rides of Xanadu. I pulled a solo with the camera on self-timer and did a 'tester' lap to see if the kids could do it. Sorry for the crap self-timed images.
The climb:
The top - ready for a couple thousand vert:
Mmmmmm…. berms, slabs, and ridges… nothing better:
Yup, check, kids can rip 'er - time to go get the clan and give 'er another go!
fun times to play:
Little man, big hill:
Down to the hoodoo:
She likes her air:
On the road through Coulee country:
Night rides at Farragut State Park appear to illicit joy:
Nice to be able to ride back to this:
Time for a solo ride in Farragut on the Highline Trail:
Time to kick it up a notch and try the newish park at Schweitzer - only 4 runs cut, but at least they're cut pretty well.
And the views of the lake and Sandpoint don't suck either:
Neither do the views the other way:
Riding in the Land of the Lorax:
Did she just pass me????
What is it with her???
I guess I'll try one too:
A cool off at Round Lake State Park caps the perfect first day at Schweitzer:
It was so much fun and so uncrowded, it was a unanimous vote to go for another day at Shweitzer before crossing back into Canada and the Kootenay's:
But the rest will have to wait……