SkiBike Tour 2011-12 - Big Powder Day
Posted: Tuesday, 31 January 2012 by Mark Kinnon in Labels: 2011-12 Tour, D.I.Y., France, SkiBike
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Last night it started to snow, it continued all through the night and all day long too. We left the flat as early as possible, excited as little kids, today we would ride fresh powder. Conditions at the top of the Grand Vans chairlift were a bit brutal, the falling snow in your eyes can be so painful, but as soon as I wore glasses or used a visor they steamed up immediately. I have been told to get myself the right tools for the job, a MTB downhill helmet and goggles.
As visibility wasn't that good, I really wanted to get over to the neighbouring resort of Les Carroz which has plentiful tree lined runs. Carl wasn't too impressed to start with as you have to follow a level piste that follows the top of a high ridge, which required a fair bit of walking.
His grumbles turned to squeals of glee one we found the steeper gradients of the Combe run down to Les Carroz. I have rarely had the opportunity to ride in so much deep fresh snowfall, even on the piste it was a good foot deep, off piste you could ride up to the top of the forks deep in it.
The riding was sublime, it was so different from the normal hard pack conditions, you weren't fighting to keep down your speed or keep and edge, if you made a mistake there were no painful landings. We kept going without a break all day till the very last lift; just to drink in every last drop. These are the conditions that freestyle / pegger skibikes were built for... looking forward to tomorrow.
As visibility wasn't that good, I really wanted to get over to the neighbouring resort of Les Carroz which has plentiful tree lined runs. Carl wasn't too impressed to start with as you have to follow a level piste that follows the top of a high ridge, which required a fair bit of walking.
His grumbles turned to squeals of glee one we found the steeper gradients of the Combe run down to Les Carroz. I have rarely had the opportunity to ride in so much deep fresh snowfall, even on the piste it was a good foot deep, off piste you could ride up to the top of the forks deep in it.
The riding was sublime, it was so different from the normal hard pack conditions, you weren't fighting to keep down your speed or keep and edge, if you made a mistake there were no painful landings. We kept going without a break all day till the very last lift; just to drink in every last drop. These are the conditions that freestyle / pegger skibikes were built for... looking forward to tomorrow.
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| Les Carroz - SkiBiker Carl Approves |