News 2009

What: MEC Appreciation Night.
When: Tuesday November 10th, 2009. 7:00-9:00
Where: MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP - corner of Government and Johnson St.
How: Bike, walk, run, teleport, drive (only if necessary) :)
Who: Cycling club members (and their friends and family).

It's nice to be appreciated and MEC is showing their appreciation by inviting us into their store to stock up on gear with an additional discount of 10% on all in-store stock & and an opportunity to win draw prizes!

If you're like me, you'll want to get in there and stock up on more LED lighting and reflective clothing 'cause vehicle drivers in Victoria still have a difficult time seeing a cyclist (ok, me) wearing bright yellow clothing and illuminating his cycling area with over 50,000 candela - arghhhhh!!.

See you there :)

Okay, imagine this: it's 1:00pm and 30deg (that's 303.15K for you science geeks) and you're dripping sweat all over your bike, your legs and lungs are screaming and you're only about 1/2 way up Mt. Work.

Good, now imagine this: It's 1:00pm and 303.15K (now everyone's a science geek) and you're on your fourth trip up in under two hours.

Spot the difference? Well, if you're like me and going downhill is more fun than going up then Mt. Washington is the place to be.

They have expanded their bike park to offer 37km of trails and have fired up two of their big chairlifts to offer lotsa biking activities.

Now get your two wheeled steed up to Mt.Washington to convert that chair supplied potential energy into massively fun, kinetically fed, adrenaline.

Please have a look at the SIMBS online petition about the Harbourview Road/Sooke Hills portion of the Sea to Sea Green Blue Belt parklands, and "E-SIGN" it to show your support!

If you prefer, you can also sign it in person at many of the local Victoria, Sooke, Duncan and Nanimo bike retailers, just ask the staff and they will hook you up!

Once again, thanks for your support.
SIMBS

During the week of October 19th the CRD crew will be out at the Sofa King (pronounced: Soh-fuh-king) trail dismantling all of the unofficial, unauthorized, unsafe, unsanitary, uninsurable and undulating features of the trail (I couldn't think of any more words that started with the letter "u", but I like the last one - oh yea ).

Now, for all of you anti-authoritarians out there - don't get in a huff about the CRD crew steppin in, they're also gonna help build the proposed torpedo run trail so let's givem props for supporting our sport eh.

Read more ...
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The South Island Mountain Bike Society will be hosting an event for International Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day.

Kids will get to practice skills in the technical training area and then head out on one of three group rides, based on age/ability.

Please take the time to register here so we can provide enough give-aways to the kiddies :)

Where: Hartland Trails Victoria.
When: Sunday October 4th, 2009
How: Hmm ... don't know just get there :)
Who: Kids.
Why: uhh.. 'cause it's fun?
Time: 1:00-4:00pm
Cost: $Free

Hope to see you there!

Snacks and draw prizes will follow. Contact editor@simbs.com for more information.

On June 20th, we heard reports of two air tankers dousing a forest fire up at Hartland.

Apparently, a fire started near the lookout near the top of Torpedo Run. Saanich fire crews couldn’t access the site, so they called in the Coastal Fire Centre for support. The fire centre dropped an initial attack crew at the site by helicopter and the air tankers dropped retardant on the fire (I can’t even image how much that cost us taxpayers).

Thanks to the quick response, the fire was contained before it spread and we can all continue to enjoy having a mountain bike park to ride in (apparently an acre of land was burned).

Trail crews will go in to check the damage when they can. This is a serious reminder to everyone to leave the lighters and matches in the parking lot and wait until after your ride before lighting up or doing anything that could potentially cause a spark.

That’s all it takes. It is extremely dry in the park and will get worse as the hot dry weather continues. Let’s all be careful to preserve what we have!

For more awesome photo's, check out DaveB's forum post.

Collect cards throughout the park to build your poker hand.

Ride solo or on a team.

Hope to see you there!

Where: Hartland Trails Victoria.
When: Sunday June 28th, 2009
How: Bike, Drive, Walk, Transporter
Who: Player riders of all ages and spectators.
Why: uhh.. 'cause it's fun?
Time: Registration 9:00-10:00am Race 10:00pm
Cost: $5.00

Hope to see you there!

The results are in and I performed exceptionally well.

Wait, this is the Island Spelling Bee right...?
Oops, wrong competition, this is the Super-D and I didn't do so well but I had a fantastic time.

I would like to extend my appreciation to the volunteers who worked tirelessly setting up and cheering everyone on. It really helped me not to throw up when they actually called out my name, I knew then that puking my guts out wasn't going to be so anonymous.

See you next year.

Signed: Anonymous

Ever sit on the couch with your buddies or budettes (trying to be politically correct here) and brag about how you could kick their _ss in a real race?

Ever buy top-of-the-line gear, only to take it out on what could otherwise be described as a mountain bike stroll?

Got a hankerin to spank those rich kids with their expensive two wheeled steeds and prove it's not just about the bike?

Well now's the time to prove you got what it takes pal (or palette - hey that's funny)l Enter the Island Cup Series Super D race on Sunday May 24 at Hartland and own your friends.

One of the many benefits of being a SIMBS member is the entry fee is free, one of the disadvantages of not being a member is it's gonna cost ya 20 clams. But hey, you get a SIMBS membership outta the deal chump. Oh yea, racers hafta have a cycling BC license. If you don't got one, git a one day license for 10 smackers (why am I talkin like a 1930's gangsta, I dunno).

Don't know what a Super D race is? Check out the Wiki definition.

Pre-register at www.procityracing.com.

Hope to see you there!

Where: Hartland Trails Victoria.
When: Sunday May 24th, 2009
How: Bike, Drive, Walk ... Sorry no shuttles to the top.
Who: Racers, spectators and SIMBS member wannabees.
Time: Registration 9:00-11:00am Race 12:00pm

Stop by the SIMBS booth at the front door of Mountain Equipment Co-op on Saturday April 18th between 12:00 and 4:00 to renew or purchase your SIMBS membership for 2009.

MEC will be providing free swag to everyone that signs up. By signing up you will also be entered into a draw to win a two night stay in a two bedroom suite at the Sunrise Ridge Waterfront Resort.

If you are already a member, feel free to stop by the table and enter the draw. We will also be giving away discounts to the Victoria IMAX to everyone that stops by.

Hope to see you there!

Where: Mountain Equipment Co-op.
When: Saturday April 18th, 2009
Time: between 12:00 and 4:00

Hey everyone, The South Island Mountain Bike Society is having a member appreciation night!

In addition to the awesome beverages, we are screening the new feature from New World Disorder - Never Enough, which as we're sure you already know (and even if you don't, you will :P), showcases the unbelievable talents of some of the worlds best bikers.

Oh yea, did we mention door prizes too!

Let's face it, you got nothing better to do on a Thursday night anyway other than watching your mom iron your socks or closet watch "Survivor" (c'mon you watch it, admit it). So, program that digital recorder (or embarrassingly, the VCR he he) , and come out and have a great time. Survivors boring now anyway since they voted off that hottie lawyer Candace anyway (damn that coach). If I had my way I would ... oh sorry, off on a tangent there.

Well anyway, here are the details, and for those who are navigationally challenged I added a link to the Google Earth position so you can zoom in and have no excuses for not being able to find the place (you know who U R).

Where: Victoria Event Centre.
When: Thursday March 26th, 2009
Time: 7:00 PM
Tickets: $FREE
Okay free for members but $20.00 for non-members. But if you buy a ticket, we'll give you a FREE 1yr SIMBS membership (or if you buy a SIMBS membership, we'll give you a free ticket, either way something's gonna be free :)

Hope to see you there!