Tour B.C. - Final Countdown

[cogdave]

After posting some route options and soliciting feedback, I have settled on a great little track for the first TBC.  After a few tweaks, I have decided to run route #1 which runs Chase – Merritt – Princeton – Penticton - Chase. Not evident in that general format is the fact that the route includes 6 Destination Highways and three great little gems I discovered that even the Destination Highways guys missed. I guarantee that it will be a blast. There is something for everyone in this route including, if the group wants to, an early lunch break and a stroll back in history at the Quilchena Hotel on Nicola Lake.
    The entire route is 568 km./340 miles.
    The fun starts just 10 miles up the road from home base with Duck Range Rd. and doesn’t let up until after the last grins on Chase-Falkland Rd. which dumps us back out on TC1 just three miles from Chase base, beer and barbecue.

    Currently, there are 5 official registrations on website. There are a few folks who have indicated a “maybe”. Do I need to get a second barbecue? Probably. Hopefully I can get some more clarification on numbers as we get closer. There is no cost for this ride so all you need to bring is food and drink of choice and a sleeping mat and bedroll.  I have repurposed the back shed into “The Bunkhouse” so likely, unless the numbers exceed a dozen of so, you won’t even need to bring a tent.
    For those considering coming from outside the region (you know who you are), yes, it’s a long way to go for just a one day ride. Make it worthwhile. Bring a bathing suit and sunscreen. We’ll hang out on the lake in the boat. Be beach bums for a couple of days. Just throwin’ it out there <g>.

    For those registered who are GPS equipped, I can send you a more specific route plan so you can enter it before leaving home. Call me if that would be useful.

Looking forward to seeing you all.

Dave.

 

[geekazoid]

http://goo.gl/maps/NieHa

 

[touring03]

A little far to come for a day ride from Edmonton but you guys will have a blast, I've ridden most of those roads at one time or another and you certainly won't get bored.  :great:

 

[cogdave]

From Edmonton - easy day here, easy day back, crazy fun day in between. Sounds like a perfect long weekend to me LOL. Even better than the posted map (thanks Richard) - the route actually goes on the westside of Okanagan Lake instead of through town. Patrick, beg the wife for a weekend pass and join a couple of other Albertans that are coming down. Rick is planning on coming in from Ft. Mac-money. If I haven't convinced you yet, there's always June and maybe again in July (haven't decided on July yet).

Thanks for the "shout out".
Dave.

 

[cogdave]

With one week to go, I have 8 riders registered for Tour B.C.. I expect that with last minute additions, we will probably be a group of about a dozen. My plea to you is that if you are planning on coming, please let me know. A day ride works fine with loose structure but when you throw in an overnight stay, it really helps to have a fairly clear idea on numbers. Little things like barbecue capacity (Richard, I may take you up on your camp kitchen offer yet) and sleeping accommodation. All that being said, I'm just trying to make life easier for the camp boss – which directly makes life easier for me <g>.

Weather for the weekend looks to be just about perfect. Riders are travelling from Northwest Territories, Alberta, Washington and even a couple from right here in B.C. so it promises to be a good mix and a great opportunity to possibly meet some new Coggers. A couple will head off to the Bun Cooler a week later and some will definitely reappear at the Idaho Falls National in August so if you are planning on either of these events, TBC is a good place to make some connections.
 

If you plan to attend, please go to the Calendar of Events page  http://www.cog-online.org/clubportal/Calendar.cfm?clubID=1328 , click on the Tour B.C. link showing on May 25Th and register for the event so Cheryl and I will know that you are coming. If you have any questions, drop me a note at cogdave@telus.net  or you can always call either myself or Cheryl at 250 679 4414.

Hope to see you soon.
Dave.

 

[lone-rider]

Looking forward to it Dave!

 

[charlie gary]

Sign me up!  Oh, wait- I already did that.  Never mind.  See you there!

 

[cogdave]

Charlie,
LOL, too funny.
Hope things are going well with the job interview thing. You can tell me about it when you get here.
See you soon.
D.

 

[cogdave]

With 48 hours to go before I expect folks to start arriving in Chase, we are a group of 9 (10 if you count me). Knowing this crew, it would not surprise me to have a couple of unannounced arrivals so we will likely roll on Sunday morning with an even dozen.

I apologize in advance to Wayne to whom I promised warm sunny weather. It's breaking now so I haven't lost hope. It won't be terribly cool or terribly wet. I'm doing my sun dance and, damn it, I'm dancing as fast as I can!! I expect mostly dry and in the mid sixties. Keep fingers and toes crossed.  It's gonna be great.

See y'all soon.

D.

 

[danodemotoman]

Final packing done. Oh yeah, included the passport.
Ready for the cool and somewhat wet wx. Too early yet to put the Gerbings away.
Clutch out in the AM, not sure where the head will lay Fri night.

 

[cogdave]

G'morning Dan,
Where to lay your head on Friday night?
How about Chase? It's not that far down the road.
Come early: stay late. You're always welcome, friend.
D.

 

[cogdave]

6:00 A.M. Friday and as hoped for the weather did break. It's cool but clear this morning. Forcast says it's likely gonna be a cool damp ride in but Sunday, ride day, is forecasting 20/68 and 70% chance of no precip.. Sounds almost perfect. Not exactly mesh weather but definately not Gerbing weather either. And it's showing definate improvement from previous forecast so my hope is that it will only get better.
C.U. soon.
D.

 

[cogdave]

The last of the riders have left and the first Tour B.C. of 2013 is a wrap. Cheryl and I hosted seven riders from B.C. , Alberta and Washington. Charlie Gary, Wayne Wilson, Dan Paulsen and David Linden travelled from Washington while Kirk Araki rode in from Hope, B.C. and John Derick came over the mountain from Canmore, Alberta. Local rider Gene Kinzell joined us in the morning from just down the road in Vernon.

After an evening of barbecue, bonfire and banter, the eight of us set off Sunday morning at around 8:30 and were back in Chase by 6:30 that night, 350 miles richer. I will leave it to the participants to rate the route but in short, I'm pretty sure every one enjoyed it. Except for the last three quarters of an hour, the weather was almost perfect but if we didn't have that last 3/4, we would never have had the tale of the Dancing Cow. I will leave that to Wayne to script. It was behind me (just behind me) and Wayne had a front row center seat so he tells it better than any one else.

My mentor, Rich Reed (of Chalkdust fame), once told me that rally masters don't make rallies. At the end of the day, it's the people who come that make it or break it. (He was trying to get me to just relax and let it be - It was many years ago and my first shot at hosting an event) No truer words were ever spoken so in that light, I sincerely want to thank all those who brought their energy and fun to Tour B.C. and made it the success that I believe it was.

Now on to June 29Th Tour B.C.. In all likelihood I will follow the same route again.  Check out the Calendar of events for more information and sign up.

See ya then.

Dave and Cheryl Owen,
B.C. AAD
COG #2566
Chase, B.C.

 

[danodemotoman]

Head down and charging to home plate today.
Well seemed like I was focused on getting home today before dark even taking NOT the shortest route. Wet from Wenatchee to home.
Arrived home safe at 6 PM, 10 hrs and 530 miles from Chase. One fuel up at Okanagon arriving at home on reserve. Total 1550 miles for the 4 days.
Thanks to Dave and Cheryl for hosting the event and putting us up for the two nights. Enjoyed the fun and laughter with all participants.
A great and curve swooping ride we had Sun!

 

[danodemotoman]

Chez Owen, rally HQ in Chase BC, CA

Located on edge of golf course we warm by the fire after the BBQ

Break time! Connies '86 to ZX14 and C14's

 

[zg]

Nice pics, thanks for sharing!  :great:  :beerchug:

 

[charlie gary]

Dan took much better pictures than I did, so I'll share pictures that show Dan was there, too.

This one shows Dan on the right, Dave Linden on the left standing in front of Dave Owen, who is dressed like a bank robber.



Here's one with Dan kicked back in a chair on the right, with Cheryl Owen Just to his left, then John Derick looking over his right shoulder and Dave Owen sitting across from him and wearing his Passo Stelvio jacket, and to the left of John is Kirk Araki and then Wayne Wilson.



I had a great time, and I used bad traffic as an excuse to take the long way home via White and Cayuse passes.  :motonoises:

Thanks, Dave.  You know how to treat a guest.  And thanks to Gene for having a spare used tire laying around with a fair amount of tread on it.  I could have made it home (I think) on the other tire, but it was pretty well done.  I'll be replacing both tires before the Bun Cooler, so I'll have one more good emergency spare on hand if anybody ever needs help near me.