VFRW 2010 Kootenay Tour "The Best of BC"

When I ride these days I generally try to camp when it's nice, to save money. When I do pony up for a hotel I have a rule about having a hot tub. It's the whole over-fourty rest the bones thing + it's nice to meet different people in such an informal setting. I've been to Ainsworth a couple times and I like it more than hotels in Nelson, if you've never been it's kinda cool and worth the soak. It's an older building but the rooms are nice. One can also just pay for the swim if you're staying elsewhere. It's isolated down the road, so no trolling through the streets of Nelson doing the pub crawl, but I don't drink so no loss for me. in a car 45min?, my wife says 30min, I say 25 on bikes. Make no mistake though you're planning a killer day one especially for me coming from Squamish to Abby, but really what's a little farther down the road? How many KM to be logged for Day one from Abby if we press on to Ainsworth? If it's more than 850km that might be a long day. If you're not feelin' it, you might consider stopping for the night in the states to balance things out a bit. Day two from Nelson to Vernon doesn't seem to me to be a huge challange even with the little run south down the lake.

 

Okay the decision has been made, due to popular demand and overall coolness Ainsworth Hot Springs has won the bid!!

We didn't get a break on the rate or anything but if you have a BCAA or triple A it will save you some. The rates are $169 or $152 with the discount. If we share rooms the price is right.

(State VFR World so they don't accidentally put you in the wrong place.)

Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort Reservations: 1-800-668-1171 - Ainsworth Hot Springs Resort, British Columbia, Canada - Hot Naturally - With the Horseshoe Cave Natural Hotsprings

Please call Ainsworth ASAP and book your room. We are staying in the Standard View Rooms located on the ground floor with bike parking right out front of the rooms. They have 4 of those rooms left and the same with kitchenettes (an extra $10) all side by side.

There is a restaurant and lounge with plenty of local Nelson beer, as well as the complimentary Hot Spring tickets with our rooms for those that wanna soak before bed. It only adds a bit to the ride but saves us that same on day 2 so it's all good.

Call ASAP please.

In the rare event that someone would like to stay elsewhere please let us know so we can make a morning meet time at the ferry.

 

I am so on board. I mean a great ride, cold beer while soaking in a mineral hot spring. Almost as good as sex.

 

LOL OK Randy its decided your roommin with js or Bryan :xxx:

 

You're a bastard Chomp/ I wanted to room with you. HUBBA.....HUBBA....Bubba

 

:twitch: :tsk:

 

I've booked a room next to the two that jasonsmith has. Right now I'm hoping my buddy Karl will come but he'll probably not in which case I'll be looking for a room mate. Don't forget to pack your swimsuits!

 

swimsuit?? thought this was a hotspring??? damn it have to find it now.

ainsworth is great

JS,

I should be comming to the junction of hwy6 and 3 around 5 or 6pm on day one if we leave at 8am from lethbridge (gotta visit family) on the 17th.
might take longer, dont know, I will be taking my trusty cell phone and will PM you with the number before we start our way to nelson from MB. ( if nobody comes from farther away, I should get the iron butt award)

I need to know what we are going to be using for bike to bike comms....... I have a couple(5) of motorola 5220's and similar that all you'd need is a cell phone headset(corded style). I can get some cobra radios to work with them sometimes too. Let me know.

 

Squamish boy is comin' home.

 

PM me your number ZEN and we'll make sure we hook up someplace. So far Randy and I have a Chatterbox XBi2 set up on our helmets and to our Zumo's. We can hook up one more person on our network but am not sure if a non Chatterbox will do that or not.

Is this where your going to meet us? Salmo BC - Google Maps

 

So does that mean you're coming on this ride with us?
I don't know nor have heard about anyone ventureing down to Chile, Baja on XR400's, but not chile

 

I am still in Mexico but I live and work in Sandpoint Id just 60 miles from the border on HY 95. Dont know my schedule for work yet but 95% I'll be there short ride:crazy:

 

Hi again Jason. I was looking at your enhanced route map and had a question about the route from Tonasket, WA to where it ties in with US 395. Are you really not using highway 20 on that portion? The road on mapsource through that area looks questionable, but then I assume you've been on it before? Just curious...

I'm trying to work out my vacation. If I came on the ride it would be to meet up with you in Sedro-Woolley and make the trek back across Washington (I will have a 6-8 hour ride from Spokane to meet up with you), spend the night in Ainsworth and then probably head back home south. I haven't been on anything longer than that, and it was on a standard bike with a more sedate riding position. Keep in mind, I'm an old man (48). How old are most of your trip mates?

 

If I can make the trip and you still need a roomate, I would be available.

Steve

 

I'll bear it mind Steve and will open post it when I confirm things one way or the other. Generally speaking I think everyone here is "mature" I'm 40. Don't worry you'll be fine, I don't get the impression anyone here is a chronic road crayon, I know I'm not. My secret is my magnetic tank bag that I can lean on to take the pressure off my hands, If you don't have one it's worth every penny.

 

I started my second career when I was your age 7 years ago. You are still a young'n

 

Thanks guys...it's nice to know I'm not too old to participate if I can make it happen.

 

Ainsworth sounds great JS. Maybe we'll luck out and the hot springs will be full of nurses to help us recover from the 900 kms that day!

 

Hey I'm all in for the Nurses working out our pains especially on my backside. Our ride to Leavonworth wasn't that much shorter really, maybe just by a bit. We'll do just fine. It'll be a good test, thinking of doing a one day trip to Miami next year.

 

count me in

I will be able to make it for day 2,will be in Creston and can meet you in Nelson for the run to Vernon and then I will have to return home. Let me know where you are meeting in Nelson.