John Henry Bikes - Community - Group Rides

Wednesday Road Rides

2009-08-12T13:52:00.000-07:00

Wednesday road rides are ended for the season. However, we will still be out rocking the asphalt at 9:00am on Sunday mornings. See you there!

Evening Skatepark Rides

2009-03-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

Evening skate park rides are now done for the season. However if you're still interested chances are some of the JH crew are out ripping on their days off. Feel free to come in and organize something!

Live to ride.

Member Insight in 13 Question: Larry Ruble & Tom Fagan

2008-02-06T11:41:00.000-08:00

Tom and someone else

Hall of Fame Larry


Larry Ruble & Tom Fagan

1.0	RISERS OR DROPS?
Larry:	drops-I'm lazy.
Tom:	Tear drops when I crash

2.0	FIRST BIKE?
Larry:	A 24" W Schwinn coaster brake. I was 8 years old.
Tom:	Some kid's bike about 10 blocks away

3.0	FIRST TRAIL OR ROAD YOU REMEMBER RIDING & WHERE, WHAT?
Larry:	Every road within 2 miles of my home.
Tom:	it was a hydro line on a farmers field

4.0	EVER SUCCESSFULLY PATCHED A TUBE?
Larry:	A few thousands. I've probably patched over 300 tubulars.
Tom:	I've worked in the bike biz since 1979 as a mechanic, more than one

5.0	CLEAN YOUR OWN CHAIN?
Larry:	As infrequently as I an get away with.
Tom:	read answer 4

6.0	SHAVE, WAX OR AU NATUREL?
Larry:	Shave. When I raced, if you didn't shave you were called a queer.
Tom:	i just shave the parts under my clothes

7.0	SAUSAGE & EGG BREAKFAST SANDWICH OR AVACADO SMOOTHIE WITH EXTRA FOAM?
Larry:	Sausage & egg-as long as it is dripping with fat.
Tom:	bananas with donuts please

8.0	SOLO OR GROUP?
Larry:	I'm what you call Bi-I cycle both ways.
Tom:	solo, as in the group I just left behind

9.0	SHUTTLE OR CLIMB?
Larry:	Always climb. I prefer climbing to descending.
Tom:	climb in and out of the truck

10.0	TUNES IN YOUR IPOD?
Larry:	60's Rock mostly.
Tom:	I can't hear my bones break with loud music on

11.0	WHAT LOGO WOULD BE ON YOUR JERSEY?
Larry:	Who ever is willing to pay the most for the placement.
Tom:	sponsorship comes first

12.0	WHAT ANIMAL & WHY?
Larry:	Hippopotamus-I relate.
Tom:	the one with the keg around its neck

13.0 Proudest Historical Moment In Cycling?

Larry: Being elected to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame.

Tom: finishing the 1995 grundig world cup at mount st anne quebec 9th place

The Jungle

2007-12-17T19:11:00.001-08:00

Our Team H2V fellow rider and John Henry racer, Matthew Young, had this to say about the hardest mountain bike race in the world. We can't believe he went to Costa Rica just after racing across Canada but once again he proved he is the man!

La Ruta Race Report 2007.

Problem with race reports is most of them drag on too long having to detail every minutia at nausea. This will be succinct.

La Ruta de los Conquistadores is billed as the toughest mountain biking stage race in the world. It takes riders from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica over through the jungle & rain forests to the Atlantic Coast in 4 days. In November of 2006, we received an email from a friend who completed the event and said it was one of the more challenging things he had done. Perfect - challenge accepted. 4 of us committed, one of us registered. Luck would have it, I would find out two acquaintances also registered for the event and two weeks prior to leaving, we would have a pretty sweet plan set up which afforded us a support team of a mechanic and his girlfriend. This undoubtedly enhanced the experience for all of us.

After traveling for 12 hours we landed in San Jose Sunday night to acclimatize for a couple of days before an early morning Wednesday start. That morning came with a 3:30am local time wake up call - breakfast - prep and then start line pandemonium.

Day 1.

95kms / 59 miles
14000 vertical ascent
12:30 cut off

Particulars.

30 min warm up
1.5 hr hike a bike (gravel)
2 hr on & off bike (mud)
3 hr cross country - swamp / mud / gravel
3 hr ascent to finish the day - pavement / gravel
light rain - scolding heat - cold to temperate weather
finished in 10:49

Notes.

1st event I've ever contemplated quitting - very seriously.
border line heat exhaustion - lay down for ½ hr at a checkpoint before resuming
noted this race ideal for small, skinny, fast fuckers

Day 2.

75.2kms / 46 miles
12000 vertical ascent
11 hour cut off

Particulars

30 min warm up

30 min hike a bike

5hr ascend - gravel & paved roads

30 min cross country riding

1 hour downhill - gravel / pavement

more precipitation than day 1, more heat climbing the hills

better checkpoint management - food and waters - no backpack

finished 7:21

Notes.

At one point we were cycling up a 22% grade incline for 1/2k.
There were probably 7 inclines that were too steep to ride, even pavement in small gears.
noted this race is ideal for small, skinny, fast fuckers

Day 3.

66.7kms / 41.4 miles
8000 vertical ascent
11 hour cut off

Particulars

4hour strait climb to start the day in middle & small rings - pavement
it was like riding Seymour mountain for 35kms at once, mixed with a little old buck and a little mud.
2hr decent to flat terrain
30 min hike through waste deep mud to finish. No.. the kind of mud where you take a step, slip and fall on your face. Did I mention waste deep.
Finished 6:35

Notes.

Race organizers don't need to end days with 30 minutes of hiking through waste deep mud to prove a point.
1 more day of this bullshit and I was going to be riding relatively flat and getting the hell out of this jungle.
Noted this race is idea for small, skinny, fast fuckers. However, real mountain biking isn't just climbing… it's about getting down as well and the little skinny guys sucked at something (finally)
Oh yes, by hour 2 of this day we had ascended the equivalent of MOUNT EVEREST in terms of overall feet. All in small gear / small gear.

Day 4

120kms / 75 miles
4000 vertical ascent.
11 hour cut off.

Particulars.

Of course a 1 hour climb to start the day - gravel
Cross country for 4 hours - pavement / gravel / mud
Downhill for 40 min hour
Monsoon rain for 1hr, high heat for an hour, cold decent as we started very high
Cross country for 2 hours - on 10k worth of railroad tracks!
**ever ridden a bike across the inside of railroad tracks? Actually, ever had a tiny drip of water land squarely on your forehead? Same thing.
Moved final aid station 4kms away bcs road had washed out. Bonked accordingly and barely made it to that station.
Finished 7:40

Notes.

Riding across railroad tracks was one of the most annoyingly mind numbing experiences of my lifetime.
There were times where I would be riding alone wondering if someone ambushed me, how long would it take to find out I was missing and further, would anyone find me at all?
Finishing this race made me feel good.
Noted this race is idea for small, skinny, fast fuckers.

Overall.

This was one of the most challenging events I have done by far, hands down, no exceptions. It's akin to doing an Ironman for 4 days in a row with the hike a bike, heat, fueling and sheer magnitude of the event. Normally we would come back and put these types of events on the list for everyone to do, but I would hesitate to advise people to run and sign up for this unless they wanted to truly test their skills and mental capability. 575 people started this race and they say 42% did not finish it. Comparatively, last years day #1, saw 50% drop out of the race. For someone was a smaller framed, light, strong rider - this would be an IDEAL experience and venue for them to perform and do well in (provided they trained properly), however for the average recreational rider, it might be a pretty significant challenge. I rode for 32 hours over 4 days, and placed 77th in my category. Of that 32 hours, I can accurately report 3 total hours were downhill, 7 were cross country, 3 were hiking my bike and 19 were riding uphill in the middle or small ring.

The overall race preparation must be spot on, meaning fuel, race plan, support teams and organization must be tight. I rode a specialized epic and ran tubeless tires and the bike ran great (thanks Willie @ John Henry's). There were people on hard tails who looked like 92 year old hunchbacks by the time they finished the ride. Do not attempt this event on a hard-tail or single speed unless you feel the need to add an element of pain to an already painful event.

Thanks to everyone who supported myself through this event from family (away again), to Fraser (support), James & Dean (fellow riders & room mates) and Willie at John Henry's for the awesome Specialized Epic Carbon hook up! Next Stop is the 100km Sahara Del Mar in March where we will run across Africa's desert for 4 days!

Get busy living… or get busy dying!

Riding Review

2007-12-17T18:59:00.000-08:00

Sunday October 28th was an interesting day to say the least. It was filled with some good riding and some epic video footage as Fergie would say. It lead to a new experience on my DH bike following Tristan Olk down the sketchy, wet, boggy shore, riding cypress a mountain I have never been to before. Tristan Olk, a prime rider at his athletic peak blows all competition away as he had some good racing last season making 2 dollars on a race from the free beer at the end.

We didn’t hit the trail-head until mid afternoon because we were chasing old Tristan around trying to get some riding done with him. Riding around in the Huck Wagon with Ryan Anderson is a blast as we joke and play pranks on the ESC Free-ride team. Always good times as Ryan, former employee of JH, is constantly joking around and makes the morning of meaningless waiting and driving worthwhile.

Finally organizing shuttles we got to the trail head and the rain mellowed out making the day salvageable. The camera started rolling and the riding finally began. Suited up we dropped in and all worries go away. All that exists is the trail your bike, and the buddy you are following. Tristan lead the way giving pointers and jokes as he never passes up an opportunity to crack a joke about someone. The trail was wet and slimy but we managed as we rode a sketchy upper part dropping you into family guy. Tristan once again telling stories about Jeff Bryson and the want to be JH crew. Family Guy was an epic trail and flowed really nicely even in the slimy soil. Dare devil Tristan rode most of the day without functioning brakes, which I wouldn’t recommend, still ripped and it was a sweet trail to get out there and ride.

The perfect way to end the trip was the ride back in Tristan’s truck with the Dakine tail gate cover inside on the two front bucket seats. Rolling into JH I felt invincible even though I had a few mishaps on the trail. To cap the day off Curtis Leblanc a fellow “grom” at the shop made me a nice mocha which made the lemon loaf go down smoothly. An excellent way to end an excellent ride.

Check out the rest of the video's online here.

Fall Riding With Duncan Mortimer

2007-12-17T18:57:00.001-08:00

October 31st was an excellent day for riding - a prime example of why we can ride almost all year round in our West Coast paradise. By 2pm the sun was bursting through the clouds, and we were reaping the rewards. Tristan, Grant and myself were up on Cypress, getting some late season shuttles in. First up was Mystery DH - appropriate for Halloween? I have never ridden Mystery before, but it was a solid proving ground for my new Team DH, a few drops, a few gaps a lot of chunder and even more flowy singletrack. The only thing that kept me off the pace was a lack of fitness, but that's what the "off" season is for right? Everything was hooking up well on the bike, and there were several moments where i was wondering how i could be so confident given the unknown nature of the trail. Well confidence in your equipment is good, but over-confidence usually bites back. One shoulder check into a big old stump and my exuberance was toned down, just a little - Dainese armour coming to the rescue - thanks Italian dudes. By the time we were done with Mystery i was cooked - i guess that's why the local fast guys use it for training runs. You need to know your line and hold the speed high to carry momentum at crucial spots. More time on the trail will be coming soon in my future i can see..

The second lap we reserved for some good old classic shore goodness with a run comprising Reaper to Paul Hogans to Family Guy. Reaper passed off without incident, but Paul Hogan bit back. Both Tristan and Grant had "off the bike" moments dealing with the gnar of the old school classic.I managed to stay upright stumbling through the undergrowth to avoid Tristan sprawled across the trail, and no one was seriously hurt, though Tristan came close to wedging himself thoroughly into the trench that the trail has become. Family Guy is always a pleasure, with beautiful rock faces and fantastic construction it is a modern classic. It is the trail that claimed me the last time i rode Cypress - back in June. One broken Meta Carpal later and it feels like a trail just waiting to claim me on this ride. I skip the sketchy rock drop that got me last time, and roll out unscathed. Next time Family Guy, next time!

After Family Guy i was suffering from a bad case of the "claw" - some brake bleeding is needed on my new brakes as a result of switching the lines to my preferred "moto" style. Front brake on the right. I let Grant and Tristan do another run, and they blitzed through a Wild Cherry to Roaches run and were back at the cars in a blink of an eye.

3 runs on Cypress, no real injuries, another solid day on the Shore.

Duncan Mortimer

Member Insight In 10 Questions - Emily Cross & Erin Irwin

2007-12-17T18:43:00.000-08:00


Emily Cross & Erin Irwin

1.0	RISERS OR DROPS?
Erin:	Drops of course!
Emily:	little jumps....

2.0	FIRST BIKE?
Erin:	A blue Supercycle...from then on I was under the impression I was supposed to be a boy!
Emily:	a red trick with blocks on the pedals because I was too small and then a Specialized Rockhopper when I started to work at the store…it's purple

3.0	FIRST TRAIL OR ROAD YOU REMEMBER RIDING & WHERE, WHAT?
Erin:	The schoolyard at Hillcrest School in Hespeler, Ontario. I must have graduated from the endless hours of hitting the tennis ball against the wall. Thanks Dad! (I preferred the bike)
Emily:	Fisherman's and I swore that I would never do anything more than that, just long flat trails but I have totally amazed myself and am loving every minute of it! Whistler here I come!!

4.0	EVER SUCCESSFULLY PATCHED A TUBE?
Erin:	Yeah, no and I hate to admit it. But I have witnessed this...once!
Emily:	lol no I have a store full of bike boys to do that for me...or Jen because she comes prepared

5.0	CLEAN YOUR OWN CHAIN?
Erin:	Yes, I am familiar with how this is done this but most often someone else will do it. Guess who?!
Emily:	yes. Tristan and I spent a night in his garage cleaning the chain and entire drive train...he did help but I definitely got some grease on my hands

6.0	SHAVE, WAX OR AU NATUREL?
Erin:	A combination...
Emily:	shave...I don't even like it when my own legs are prickly

7.0	SAUSAGE & EGG BREAKFAST SANDWICH OR AVACADO SMOOTHIE WITH EXTRA FOAM?
Erin:	A smoothie, anything flavour but avocado!
Emily:	The breakfast sandwich minus the sausage...I prefer bacon

8.0	SOLO OR GROUP?
Erin:	Group, but will ride solo...there's nothing like climbing a mountain and doing it solo
Emily:	group...I love the social aspect of riding, everyone is always encouraging each other shuttle or climb?

9.0	SHUTTLE OR CLIMB?
Erin:	If you can't climb up, what are you doing coming down?!
Emily:	I love to climb on my cross-country bike while being clipped in, but would not pass up a lift up Whistler or Seymour when doing a DH ride

10.0	TUNES IN YOUR IPOD?
Erin:	Hmmm, THE RAP coz that’s what is left over? LOL
Emily:	I love country...cause everyone could use a cowboy! And, I am a fan of Citizen Cope right now.

11.0	WHAT LOGO WOULD BE ON YOUR JERSEY?
Erin:	A big pink heart and a fluffy bunny ;-)
Emily:	"Em's Bitches".......that's the name of my team with Katy, Jen and Leah

12.0	WHAT ANIMAL & WHY?
Erin:	Eagle, wise old souls that can spot you coming...
Emily:	I like cats...I am starting a collection. I already have 2 (Macey and Marley) and that's just the start of my dream of becoming a crazy cat lady

Hold On Tight

2007-10-08T21:08:00.001-07:00

Hold on tight, here we go! Saturday, September 22, 2007 the John Henry Road Crew A.K.A Pedals & Pints, congregated on the Skytrain and joined in excitement for a ride out to Baird Street Station to meet the entire Team H2V and ride them home - accompanying for the last pull home into Vancouver. But, before we could do this...

Signs were to be posted. Many signs and every five kilometers at that; trail tape and all! This, was a once in a lifetime event and the JH road crew was there to support! A fellow crew member, Ken Southam and I drove out 100km from the homecoming venue at English Bay and began our day's work raising awareness, sharing the story with passerby's and thanking each rider on Team H2V with the dedication of their names (Kyle Balagno, Taylor Balagno, Matt Young, Keith Nicoll, Richard Alm, Bryan Kelly and our very own Willie Cromack) fastened in plain sight for all the world to see! Tirelessly we worked, risking our lives as the speeding dump trucks whizzed by, ensuring the streamers would fly "just right" as the wind picked up from the forming peleton that would support the guys, the last 100 km. Did I mention that it was also pouring rain?! But, really how much does that stray from the norm this season? Apologies, I digress...

Saturday, September 22, 2007 arrives... ahead of schedule! We had only been watching the team's every move for seven days from the moment they departed Halifax, through the Maritimes, over Quebec and streaming through the much anticipated northern Ontario, skimming through the prairies, onto the Rockies and down into Hope. The website says nine. I must admit, I was a bit out of sorts as my "fix", my reason for waking, was about to come to crashing halt and I had better be ready to catch the train when it makes the quick stop to pick up the club!

While a few brave souls ventured further out, the JH Road Crew stopped at the intersection of Old Schoolhouse Road and Louhgheed Hwy. We looked at our HR monitors only to find that it was still a little early and we ventured into a cafe for a warm bn break, a coffee, and a quick picture of the crew (thank you again to the kind stranger) to remind us of this momentous occasion!!!!! Little did we know then, that it would be the blue, quivering lips, the bathroom hand dryers and the Wendy's fries that would mark the morning? Oh and how could I forget the sideways glances from a certain Arizonian club member?

"Let us head down to the corner, along the highway to wait for them", I sang. "...to do a bit of free advertising for the bike shop?" Never in a million years did I anticipate for a long, cold two hours. I have since heard Stan; a little Vaseline is all you need...

It was a moment of bonding for our club and to put it lightly: feeling the "love" from the resident club father figure John Henry, plus the overwhelming "props" for my decision to expose the club to the elements – had only confirmed for me, it was the right decision! Ha ha. Seeing such smiles on the faces of members! Gratitude really and truly after filling their bellies with chili and bakes potatoes, absolutely priceless!!! I can only equate this with Christmas morning! Though, as quickly as this feeling was picked up from the steel counter of the fast food restaurant, it vanished. Once again, the cold set in. One, two, thirteen, fourteen... it will be this one, no, seventeen, eighteen turns of the light and still no sign of our heroes.

On we go... the time passes, the legs seized up and drivers of cars passing by from hours before wonder what kind of cyclists we are if we never actually make it from the curb to the road? And, I dance around in my John Henry Bikes gear ;-) Thatta boy Joe, you made it!

What's that?! I think it's hundreds of riders; the flashing lights of police vehicles and the honking of the Team H2V support RV's. Suddenly all the waiting was worth this one very moment. Now, if we can only get our pedals moving in attempts to attach on to the peleton and avoid the unavoidable shelling. One rider down, one flat tire and 25 km to go... my only desire was to see John Henry cross the finish line to wrap his arms around the son he had not seen for the last two weeks. My heart rate spiking, and not enough time to catch any advantages of riding with a water bottle John Henry, Glenyth and I ride on to the beach to hear the Team H2V families, friends and supporters welcoming Taylor and the boys to the stage with boisterous applause. Fortunately enough, I was even able to witness the Squamish Ocean Canoe Family singing the boys back into the territory and welcoming them home; a gift from Jay and me.

The date now is October 3, 2007. The waking early, cold wind and dark skies were all worth it on that September 22, 2007. Welcome home boys and thank you for persevering through the weather, the darkness, rain and lightening. We miss the technical difficulties of the webcam and the emotional blog updates (I couldn't have been the only one tearing up at the office), but the word is now out, awareness raised and donations continue still. Thank you for bringing us, Canadians together and thank you for the ride.

Warmest regards,

Erin Irwin
President, Clubs John Henry Bikes

Member Insight In 10 Questions

2007-10-08T20:54:00.000-07:00

JH Insight


Jay Irwin, Director & Ride Leader JH Road Ride Crew	Joe LeBlanc, JH Tech Guru and valued member of JH Road Ride Crew & resident track geek

1.0 Risers or drops?
Jay:? Drops.

Joe:? Drops. Risers are for commuters.

2.0 First bike?
Jay:? 20 inch unisex bike with adjustable cross bar, I was only 5 years old. Black and yellow. Learned all I know from that bike including how to crash. I lived on Irwin Street and had to come back down the hill. No training wheels ever. That part I am proud of. Still have the scars.

Joe:? Blue bmx with white handlebars, tires, seat, and pedals. Oh and spoke beads. Holy crap spoke beads are awesome when you're 10.

3.0 First flat you and how long it took to change?
Jay:? 10, on my bmx bike after jumping some stupid thing. I was always the kid who would do the jump that no one else would try. Took two days coz I had to figure out which tube to buy.

Joe: Tore the tube around the valve stem out on the Barnett highway in the middle of the night; took way longer to change than it should have.

4.0 Ever successfully patched a tube?
Jay:? Not in over 30 years, that's why I always carry five bucks and a phone with me!

Joe:? Yeah, almost always ends up being someone else's tube though.

5.0 clean your own chain?
Jay:? Yyyyes and my wife's!

Joe:? Not often enough.

6.0 shave, wax or au naturel?
Jay:? Shave

Joe:? No razor touches these legs! Nice 'N hairy.

7.0 sausage & egg breakfast SANDWICH or avacado smoothie & extra foam?
Jay:? I am getting the shakes from both of those options. I?ll take what?s behind door number 3

E: But that's not a choice

Joe:? Avocado!

E: Now, does that really count?? Everyone knows your answer!

8.0 solo or group?
Jay:? 95% of the time with a group, nothing like chatting with good friends.

Joe:? Both.

9.0 shuttle or climb?
Jay:? What is a shuttle?!? Can you carry a suitcase of courage in a truck?!

Joe:? Shuttle? What are you, a mountain biker?

10.0 tunes in your ipod?
Jay:? Kanye West, Linkin Park, whatever Pete Tong recommends

Joe:? The fastest, catchiest, most repetitive techno I can find.

11.0 What logo would be on your jersey?
Jay:? An Irish Tornado. Ever seen one?

Joe:? Transformers Autobots.

12.0 What animal & Why?
Jay:? An eagle. So I could summon my special eagle powers... (reference to Nacho Libre)

Joe:? Mongoose because it can take down a cobra.

Pedals & Pints: Wednesday Night

2007-09-25T16:52:00.001-07:00

The Wednesday night Stanley Park ride for September 26 is canceled. Instead we're meeting at the store at 5:45 for a ride on the North Shore.

This also means the Wednesday night rides are finished for the season. Stay tuned for info on spin classes which will be taking their place.

Aliens - Last Ride!

2007-09-24T11:17:00.000-07:00

Just a reminder that this is the last ride of the season!!

We will be meeting at ....Seymour

CBC (10km) for the advanced group unless it rains tonight then everyone will meet at the Mushroom parking lot (5km)

All groups meet at 9:30 and pick-up at 1pm after a pizza lunch!

Thanks
Emily

Aliens - Great Time In Whistler

2007-09-17T09:33:00.001-07:00

Hello Aliens!!

I just wanted to thank you all for an amazing day in Whistler!!

Your enthusiasm was contagious! I hope that you all enjoyed yourselves, learned some new skills, road some new trails and got some wicked air!!

Thank you to my amazing leaders and drivers we could not do these day trips without you!!

I think that we may need to have a few more Whistler days next season.

Next Sunday September 23
Last ride of the season

Seymour mountain 9:30am
- Intermediate Mushroom lot (5km)
- Advanced CBC (10km) ** only if weather permits I will update on Saturday

Pick-up at John Henry Bikes 1pm after pizza lunch!

Thanks
Emily

Aliens Sunday September 16

2007-09-11T11:54:00.000-07:00

Hi Aliens

This Sunday September 16th we are going to WHISTLER!!

I have....

Driver Penny Engleman (going up Saturday)
- Jonathan Engleman
- David Engleman
- Kyle B.

Driver Gary Woodley
- Owen Woodley
- Braden Holt
- Matias S
- Tristan H

Driver Emily Cross
- Jonathan Sacco
- Ryan L
- Curtis C
- Daniel H
- Riley H
- Jordan V

Driver Mike (Ty's Cousin)
- Tyler R
** can you take more bikes??

Driver Wade
- Joel
- Ziggy H

Driver Marina
- Brandon W
- Jordan J
** going up Saturday??

Drivers Gina and Shelly
- Josh
- Matt C

Drivers Doreen and Blake
- Curtis R

Drivers/chaperons
Troy
Warren
Cindy and Duncan
Gary L
Tyler M

If your name is not on the list and you do want to come to Whistler or I forgot you please let me know ASAP. Also I need to know which of the drivers would like to ride the bike park and therefore need a day pass?

We are all meeting at 7:30am at John Henry Bikes. Pleas come prepared with all your gear, water and bikes in working condition. If you are buying your lunch up in Whistler please bring spending $$. We will all be back at John Henry Bikes as close to 5pm as we can be. T

Can all riders please bring your drivers gas $$....$5 per rider would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Emily

Please let me know if you have any questions!!
604-986-5534 shop

Aliens September 9

2007-09-06T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hello Aliens

We are onto our 3rd week at Seymour. Meet at the Mushroom Parking lot (5km) at 9:30am.

Pick-up is at 12 noon at John Henry Bikes.

If it does rain heavily this weekend than the Advanced group will be meeting at the Mushroom parking lot because riding CBC in the rain is not permitted.

Thanks and this will be your last chance to get your names in for Whistler!!!! I did talk to Sylvia (our accountant and store owner) and she would prefer that cash or cheques be given for the Whistler trip so that the $ does not go through the store pos system. Sorry for all the confusion.

Emily

Aliens Whistler Information

2007-09-04T16:34:00.001-07:00

Hello Again!!!

Ok details sorted out (sorry this is our first trip to Whistler with the group)

1) I have organized with Whistler now to just bill me at the store so if you feel more comfortable paying with cash or cheque you are more than welcome to do so but please let me know. If you have already given me your credit card # and would like me not to use it that is no problem at all just let me know. If you would still like me to use your card I will run it through the John Henry Bikes system.

2) If you have a season pass or a day pass this does not cover your lesson and you will still have to pay $27

3) the lesson/day is from 10-2:30

4) we will meet at John Henry Bikes at 7:30am and will be back at the store between 4:30-5pm

Thanks so much and if you have any questions at all please let me know asap. My final #'s will be sent into Whistler Friday September 7th ($$ can be given to me the day of the event)

Thanks
Emily

Aliens September 16

2007-09-04T16:32:00.000-07:00

Hello Aliens

We are heading to Whistler on September 16. The plan is to meet at John Henry Bikes at 8am and to be back on the North Shore by 5pm. WE NEED DRIVERS (who, how many passengers, bikes etc). Drivers are welcome to join the kids on the mountain.

Cost.
$27 for lift ticket and guide OR $50 for lift ticket, guide and bike rental

$10 for lunch voucher (optional)

I need to have the forms submitted for the day no later than September 3rd. So I will need to know who is coming, who can drive and the following information....

Full Name
Credit Card # (as all money is processed by Whistler)
Riding Level (novice/intermediate/Advanced/Expert)
Age
Lunch voucher??

If you are wanting to rent a bike...
Height

If you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to call me at any time. I will have my cell with me all weekend as I will hopefully have the entire weekend off and will not be near a computer. I will be at John Henry's until 9pm tonight so feel free to call me here 604-986-5534

Thank you so much and if you could send all information asap I would really appreciate it

Emily

Pedals & Pints Spin Classes

2007-09-04T13:11:00.000-07:00

As the season turns to winter and rain, rain, rain, the next transition is most definitely the one in which we drag out the trainer and suck wind while Jay has us standing for 10 minutes at a time! Oh, it seems like yesterday! Schedules and information on where to buy (John Henry Bikes), bike maintenance while riding the trainer, as well as session formats will come your way in the next month! Stay tuned and think Pete Tong, HRM, and don't forget your towel!

Aliens August 26

2007-08-23T14:40:00.000-07:00

Hello Aliens

After our 4 weeks at Fromme we will now be meeting for our 4 weeks on Seymour!

Sunday August 26th

Intermediate Group
meet at the Mushroom parking lot (5km up Seymour Mountain on right hand side) at 9:30 am pick-up at John Henry Bikes at 12pm

Advanced Group
meet at the CBC parking lot (10km up Seymour Mountain on left hand side) at 9:30 pick-up at John Henry Bikes at 12:30pm

We are going to cancel Squamish but we will be replacing it with a day up in the Whistler Mountain bike park. The Whistler park rules state that a group has to be lead around the mountain by experienced Whistler leaders with the Whistler first aid qualifications. So what will happen is that you will be broken into groups and have guided rides for the day!! We will be going up there on Sunday September 16th. The cost for the day is approx. $30 per rider and $10 for a lunch vouture if you would like one.

I will need to submit in the next week who will be coming on this ride, so if you could get back to me ASAP that would be wonderful. I think that this will be an amazing day where you can learn a lot of new and important skills!

Thanks and if you have any questions at all please do not hesitate to call or e-mail me at any time

Emily

Aliens Sunday August 19

2007-08-17T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Aliens

We are going to have to postpone the Squamish ride because we have had only a few riders confirm and no drivers...also Gary is not going to be able to go on the ride this weekend and we would need him to show us the way!! Hopefully we can make up the Squamish ride later in the season or head up to Whistler.

So instead we will all be meeting at Fromme at 9:30 at the yellow gate (unless the gate is open then head up to the water towers) and pick-up will be at 12:30 at John Henry Bikes!

Thanks and I hope you are all enjoying your summer vacations!

Emily

1st Annual Pedals & Pints Fish 'N Chips Ride

2007-08-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

1st Annual Fish 'n Chip Ride Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

This past Sunday was the first Pedals & Pints Fish 'N Chip ride which we hope to make an annual club ride. The club met earlier than normal outside the shop to ride to Horseshoe Bay and catch the 8:30am ferry to Nanaimo. After an enjoyable ferry ride we arrived in Nanaimo to beautifully sunny weather despite the previous forecast of rain. There was some confusion trying to find the bike path but after asking many locals and a few other cyclists that passed by we finally found it and began our journey to Qualicum Beach.

The bicycle path was nicely paved and followed alongside the highway. Everyone stayed together as one group which kept the pace nice and easy and allowed taking in the scenery. Unfortunately the bicycle path didn't go as far as we thought, so we ended up having to move onto the highway; this was fine as the highway had plenty of shoulder space.

We made numerous stops along the way to make sure everyone stayed together and to give our youngest aspiring pro cyclist a chance to rest his legs. Unfortunately the weather wasn't on our side and the beautiful sunshine turned to rain as we rode directly underneath a dark grey rain cloud which gave us a shower. Luckily it was fairly warm out so it wasn't as unpleasant as it could have been but it meant stopping to put on warmer clothes and rain gear which everyone was thankful they brought (especially those of us who put our fenders on our bikes that morning). We made it as far as Parksville, which is about ten or fifteen kilometers from Qualicum Beach, when the group decided they had gone far enough and we should find something to eat nearby. Luckily around the corner was the "Rod and Gun" and after checking the menu to make sure they did indeed have fish 'n chips we all piled into their patio and locked up the bikes. Coincidentally the rain had mostly stopped with the sun coming out in bursts through the clouds and only a few drops here and there, but it was still too much of a gamble to eat outside so we ended up taking over a bunch of tables indoors.

After a great meal and some much needed beer we decided it was time to head home, but not before a quick demonstration of how to get aerodynamic on a vintage stationary bike (a very important skill ;). We ended up missing our planned 4:30pm ferry and took the 5:10pm instead, just making it in time as they were loading the cars.

Overall it was an excellent and fun ride, especially because we had such a large group of people. Other than a couple flat tires there were no serious problems and everyone made it back to Horseshoe Bay safely. I'm looking forward to next year's Fish 'N Chip ride!

See the rest of the pictures online here.

Aliens Sunday August 12

2007-08-09T17:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Aliens

We will be meeting at Fromme at 9:30am Sunday August 12.
Pick-up will be at 12:30pm at John Henry Bikes.

Sunday August 19 we will all be riding in Squamish for the day. Meeting at John Henry's at 8am and finishing around 4pm. These day trips are only made possible with the help of parent drivers!! If there are parents, family members or friends that would like to come out on the ride and are able to drive up to Squamish (with bikes) your help would be greatly appreciated. If you could e-mail me back with numbers on who can drive, how many riders and bikes can be taken per car and who will be attending that would be awesome!

Thanks so much and I will talk to you soon

Emily

Aliens Schedule Change

2007-07-18T10:16:00.000-07:00

Hello Aliens

Just a little change of schedule...

Advanced riders wanting to ride CBC please meet at the 10km parking lot up Seymour Mountain (on right side of road) at 9:30am....pick-up will be at 1pm at John Henry Bikes
- Gary and Tyler will be your leaders

Intermediate riders will meet Cindy and Troy at the Mushroom parking lot at 9:30 to ride Neds/pingu pangor....pick-up will be at 12:30 at John Henry Bikes

Thanks
Emily

Aliens Sunday July 22

2007-07-17T10:53:00.000-07:00

Hello Aliens

Sunday July 22 you will be meeting at 9:30am at the Mushroom parking lot (5km up Seymour Mountain). Pick-up will be at John Henry Bikes at 12:30pm.

Just a reminder that there will not be a ride Sunday July 29 because of Crankworx!! and our leaders need a rest.

I will be out of town until July 30. If you have any questions please call Gary at 604-657-4419.

Thanks so much and I hope you all enjoy your ride this Sunday!!

thanks
Emily

Aliens - Sunshine Coast June 3rd

2007-06-21T16:37:00.000-07:00

So the the Aliens were out and about enjoying the beautiful weather on the Sunshine Coast. Below are a few snapshots from their ride, you can see the rest of the pictures online here.