So, the Warden's beautiful, and oh so talented wife turned 40 on the weekend. This meant two things. First, no skiing. Second, we partied like Caligula all week long. Seven full days of heavy drug use, drunken brawls and general dissolute behavior were the order of the day. A couple of the wardens also found time for some riding. Little Cheecho, Wolfgang and a new apprentice, who is, for the time being, without a name, sampled the trails in Dufferin, before riding over to Knutsford. Traction was superb as Wolf' led the way down. Spirits were high until Little Cheecho disapeared. Fearing that Cheecho was being gang raped by a gaggle of Black Bears, Wolfgang retraced his tracks, only to find Little Cheecho, with a freshly fixed tire, rolling down the tail. As Wolf turned around, his sexy Santa Cruz picked up a stick in the rear derailleur, resulting in some debilitating damage. Broken derailleur, bent hanger, eight broken spokes, and a ruined chain, all told, around six hundred bucks!!!
The rest of the ride was all about coasting down the hill on a wobbly wheel with a scowl of utter disgust on the Warden's face. Ah well, it's only money, and as Wolfgang always says, broken parts are just an opportunity for up-grades!

Winter seems to be winding down a little early around the Powder Warden domain. Warm weather in the mountains is wreaking havoc with Wolfgang's mandate to ski well into June. The un-seasonably tropical temps also appear to be having a deleterious effect on the ski desires of certain 'Wardens. So, as some stayed home to launder their panties, Dr. Goldfinger and Wolfgang braved rain, snow and high winds to perform a recon mission deep into the wilds of *%**# creek, just south of town. This was one in a series of such forays into several adjoining drainage's in this area, in a bold move to take the terrain into Warden hands.Despite the poor weather and lack of visibility, Goldfinger and Switchback are quietly optimistic about their mission, but refused further comment, citing issues of Powder Warden security for their silence. So, not much to report on this trip, but, they say it will pay handsome dividends in the near future.

On another note, the Wardens spent Saturday deeply involved in Rex's Monster Boler trailer project. Rex, Little Cheecho and Wolf nearly completed the fab-work on the Boler's frame that features over a foot of suspension lift!! We will continue to follow the build over the next couple of months until it's debut on a mountain biking camping trip early this summer.

Well, back to the back country this week. The Powder Wardens have been a bit removed from their skiing for a spell due to Wolfgangs' Island adventure and work commitments. The Wardens have been back out to the Valley-X for the third time this season, carefully poking around exploring this new area. Every one has been a bit spooked after the burial and death of a well known local back-country skier. Now as Wolfgang toils at the keyboard, word comes in of a large slide on Boulder Mountain that hit and buried up to 200 sledders. Like the Canadian Avalanche Centre says, it is spooky out there!
Regardless, we loaded up early Saturday, and headed south, back to the Valley-X. After a battle with a recalcitrant gas pump and a dead sled battery we roosted up into the fresh snow that blanketed the gravel in the parking area. A stunning day was dawning with sapphire tempered skies and a billion tiny diamonds hanging suspended in the cool morning air. As we climbed away from the noisy machines, it was evident that it was a day destined for a long tour.
This thought, however, was interrupted by the siren call of a beautiful, beckoning downhill slope, covered with cold smoke, that sat warming in the sun. If we didn't ski it, the afternoon sun would render it cooked, like overdone mashed potatoes. Not wanting to be responsible for such a travesty, we quickly came to the consensus that we would ski it. So we did. And it was fine.

Continuing along our way, we wound a circuitous path along the ridgline. Stupendous views, and unskied slopes called out to us, but we were men on a mission. The summit of *&**^% peak had eluded us twice before, so our resolve was iron-clad, and could not be shaken. So we skinned up to the top for some stunning views, the Monashees to the east, the Coast-range to the west and all the way to Mt. Baker in the South. A rare day to behold. After a bite to eat, we tore off our climbing skins, and had a fantastic run back down the ridge. Indeed, a line down a scenic ridge may be second only to a rock-walled couloir in terms of aesthetics. At the bottom we decided to descend further, off the south face of the ridge down into Valley-X itself. Spring corn was on the menu for this part of the run that tallied 1500 feet or so.
After a climb back up to the ridge we had a long tour back to some fine, cold powder on north-facing slopes that we, as Powder Wardens, felt obliged to inspect. The run started in the sun, dropped a bigger than expected cliff(optional!), and then cascaded down towards the valley floor on a perfect fall-line. Sweet turns to conclude the gravity fueled portion of the days' program, then a long slog back to the top and out through the thick timber to our awaiting chariots. Back out to the trucks for a total of 8 hours, 20kms and 4000 vertical feet for the day.

Wolfgang is back from his sabbatical, looking like a man who has spent two weeks in the spa with 4 beautiful, well endowed, nubile young girls looking after his every need. Sadly, this is not the case. He did, however, spend a couple of weeks on the Island resting up, doing some ridin' and playing with 4 stinky, ill-behaved beasts. Here is a quick report based on notes from Wolfs' journal.Arrived on Sunday, set up the Kona cyclocrosser, and headed out from Mill bay along an old paved logging road out to Bamberton, along Mill Bay road and up the highway to Cobble Hill, then returning home along sweet back roads for a quick 30km. Hot tub and dinner followed in logical order. On Monday, headed west to Shawnigan Lake on smooth, curvy pavement. Went clockwise around the lake to the northwest end and found an abandoned rail grade heading for Sooke Lake. Excellent riding on nice gravel to the end south end of Shawnigan, back to paved roads an re-traced the route home for 46km of rolling terrain.A radical change in the weather brought pissing rain to the area, but Wolfgang, being hard as tungsten steel, headed out on gravel roads along the Koksilah River. Things quickly turned to crap, much like a November cyclocross race in northern Belgium. Turning around when fingers and toes went numb, Wolfgang ground out36 km. An hour in the hot tub with a cold Pepsi, brought the blood back into the extremities. On Thursday better weather accompanied Wolfgang back out to the old E and N rail grade. Starting from the impressive, if a little rotten, Kinsal trestle, Wolf went south on steadily deteriorating roads until they became un ridable. Then, retracing his tracks for a few km's, he returned to the pavement for a cat. 4 climb up to the TransCanada, then turned around and headed home through Shawnigan Lake. Total mileage for the day; 45km

After taking Friday off, Wolfgang returned to the bike on Saturday for a 65 km ride that took him out through Cobble Hill across Highway 1 and down to Cowichan Bay, through the Indian Reserve, where he fought off a giant, rabid Rottweiler, and out to Maple Bay. Next, over to Duncan, and out the Cowichan Valley where it started to drizzle. Back out to Duncan, and 15 km along the scary highway. Turned off at Cobble hill store, and the chips, pop, and a bar got Wolf home. Sunday was a recovery ride with Fetch the Dog for 10 km along old logging roads.Feeling strong, and having a broken front shifter, on Monday, meant a climbing day for Wolfgang. Selecting steep logging roads, Wolf ground out 25 km's on the rough gravel including a cat. 2 with 1500 feet of climbing in 8km. The only flat tire of the week came on the descent, but a quick repair got him home. The rest of the time was spent dealing with the foul smelling, ill behaved malcontents known as Bo, Buddy, Missy(aka-The Indian) and Fetch. Back skiing on the week-end, and a report will follow shortly.


P.S. thanks to Elmer and Nina for their hospitality and generosity.