Suffering

The Kootenay Sufferfest went ahead this weekend, despite ongoing precipitation and a snow line well below the heights reached by both the bike and run challenge courses. Here sleet greets a rider at 1500 metres before beginning the first descent at 15 km into a 100 km course: the next climb will be much higher and he'll meet axle-deep snow there.

Hills Nordic Trail loops on Reibin Rd.

Hills Nordic Trail Loops on Reibin Rd.
Distance: ~4-5 km (2-3 mi) depending on route
Route type: Multiple loops
Suitable for: XC Skiing
Elevation change: 26 metres up, 26 metres down

Technical difficulty rating:  
Navigational difficulty rating:  

About half the local kids seem to participate in XC ski lessons in the winter. Classes run for about 8 weeks along the groomed trails in Hills. This year there are three different age-groups. The older group trains on the groomed system of trails off Reibin Road.

These trails are a busy network of flat and rolling loops with a few optional technical sections. While a first-timer may have some difficulty navigating the trails, they are so tightly coiled together that it is hard to get lost: within a couple of minutes you'll end up somewhere familiar and find your way to wherever you're hoping to go.

To access the trails, park near the carport halfway along the road above Elvendel Farm. The farm is privately owned by a XC ski family who help maintain the trails and lend skiers access across and within their property. Please be respectful, and mind the goats if they're about!

There is a hand-drawn map of the trail system on a piece of corrugated plastic at the top of the driveway, and trails are usually beautifully groomed. Most are groomed wide enough to allow for skate-skiers.

From the road you can head down, to the left or to the right. Most people start out skiing towards the left. After a short flat section you head gradually downhill and arrive at a flatter four-way cross-roads of trails. Straight ahead will take you to a sunny promontory above the gravel pit where the views are beautiful. A left turn will take you alongside a fence and then to a tiny almost-circular flat loop in a meadow. It's worth exploring the entire network.

 

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School canoe trip

The Grades 4-6 kids were canoeing and kayaking the lake last week. Nights at the campsites were cold -- note the greyish dusting of fresh snow on the mountain in the distance -- but the days were glorious. Fall is treating the Slocan very nicely indeed so far this year.

Raid the North Transition Area

Bikes are left in the transition area by teams who have taken up the first paddling leg of the race. GPS navigation is not allowed so traditional compass and topo map navigation skills are required.

Raid the North

An array of 39 canoes awaits the arrival of teams participating in Raid the North Extreme, a 6-day, 500 km adventure race.

First Friday Market of the Season

Soccer

Warming up for a soccer match at Centennial park, with lake, mountains and clouds in the background. 

Kids on Parade

Children on a float in the May Day Parade.

RCMP

Leading the May Day parade in their red dress serge, the two officers who staff our local Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment.

Royalty

An anachronism about which many have mixed feelings to say the least, but the May Queen Pagaent is a local institution that continues strong.

Bubble World

Today at Centennial Park during the soccer game, kids of all ages on the sidelines were blowing and chasing bubbles. The day was dreary but you would never know it from the reflection of trees, houses, hills and sky in this bubble.

May Long Weekend

A minute of silence

Scary

Scarily garish, at any rate. 

Garlic display

Red hardneck rocambole varieties, especially Russian Red, were the big sellers at the Garlic Festival.

Soap

As a region the BC interior must have a lot of dirty people. There are sure a lot of soapworks companies! (Actually I think it may be that sales of antibacterial plastic-bottled Lever body-cleaning products are lower.) At any rate, I love the look of stacks of natural multi-hued bars of soap. There were several such booths at the Garlic Festival.

Crowds

This photo shows about 10% of the Annual Hills Garlic Festival. It's really really big for a village of 600 residents.

Garlic Festival

One little town, one day, scores of vendors, live entertainment, food, garlic, six thousand people, lots of garlic and other beautiful produce as well as a zillion handicrafts and food items.

Gazebo

A gazebo was built at Centennial Park in New Denver this year. Hand-crafted, with incredible attention to detail. Throughout the summer it has played host to the Art in the Park program for young children.

Zen world fusion under the trees

A new constellation of local musicians have been jamming a new kind of music and this weekend they put on a performance at the Kohan Garden. It was the place to be. Small people, tall people, old people, young people, shorts & tank top people, long skirt people, local people, former local people, visitors from afar. Almost as much a social event as a musical one, but the music was great too.