Dawn Patrol
Posted by Colin | Posted in Tales, XC Rides | Posted on 30-07-2011
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“Ok. We leave at 5:45am,” confirmed Dre, before I headed home to get a few short hours sleep.
Relaxing on the couch of the Riding Fool Hostel in Cumberland BC with BC Bike Ride and the Mountain Biking BC tour, Andreas Hestler told Seb Kemp and Nicolas Teichrob of the great loop of Bear Buns, 42nd Street and Off Broadway.
“It’s a shame we missed those trails today” he added.
The group had been busy, their trek beginning in the Whistler valley, onto South Vancouver Island, and now into the Comox Valley, splitting the time between Cumberland and Forbidden Plateau trails. One can spend days on each area, but this quick tour was looking for the best of both sides of the lake. Tomorrow they would leave at 7:30am for the ferry to Hornby Island.
“Who’s up for a dawn patrol?”
The sum total of four people stepped up and decided to go for it. The ride should take about an hour and 15 minutes, and we have to be back by 7am… So we’re pulling out at 5:45am!
Considering it was approaching midnight already and some were planning a forray over to the Waverley Hotel, it was time to call it a night and head for bed.
A quick pack job at home making sure all the important stuff was ready to go, it was lights out.
5:25am
I had coffee ready to go and after a short 10 minute drive arrived at the hostel looking for signs of life.
Seb was first, followed by Nic and Dre.

Great morning for a ride
The air was still and the temperature was just about perfect. There was some dew on the ground, the official sunrise was 5:45am and we were on the trail 10 minutes later.
@sebastiankemp: Rode three of the funnest and most imaginative trails today. All before 7am. Today will be a good day twitpic.com/5xp2ks
We rolled back to the Hostel just shy of 7am. Smiles all around. A quick stop at the Kumberland Grind for a fresh coffee and we headed to our respective offices.
It may not my first dawn patrol, but by far one of the most enjoyable!



