Summerland Spring BC

Checked out the Summerland Spring water before heading out on a gravel ride. Directions were easy from FindaSpring.org. After passing the Rodeo Grounds, take an immediate left after crossing the wooden bridge. Two gates to open. Close upon leaving. Super tasty water!

After second gate, the stairs down to the spring

 

 

 

 

Easy access to the spout

Parked at the Rodeo Grounds which was the trailhead to the KVR trail system. With my CX bike I decided to explore the dirt forestry roads starting with Shingle Creek road. Hit patches of snow which were fun to ride thru but eventually tiring. This road would eventually intersect Green Mtn road near Penticton. I was amazed to see many mounds of horse poop thinking it must be a popular spot for riding. A man with two dogs I bumped into said there was a huge herd of wild horses in the area. Too bad I did not get to see the herd. 

Descended Shingle Cr road then rode west on Bathville Rd climbing until I hit wet roads. Good packed dirt roads with lots to explore.

Energizing Mt Shasta Spring Water & Castle Lake Road Ride

For years I drove from the north on I-5 thru California until it dawned on me that there would be a spring at Mt Shasta. Found it easily with findaspring.com directions... taking the first exit into Shasta.

The spring starts right at the base of all the rocks. Just walk in and fill up!

Depending on time of year, I've bumped into all sorts of people to just me by myself. Do come across eclectic people most of the time... as in this shaman playing the flute (self-taught)

This time late April, I drove from Bellingham with enough time to ride from Mt Shasta up to Castle Lake. After 11 hours in the car, it actually felt good to get on the bike and ride up!

Had enough daylight to do only one of the climbs so chose the one on the right up to Castle Lake.

At the top of the climb reaching Castle Lake. Thought I had left snow behind...

Saw these two women meditating on my ride up. I asked them if I could snap a photo. One of them excitedly gave me their camera as well. Pretty awesome place and energy with Mt Shasta in the background!

Moose Lake Spring - The Watering Hole

I heard there was a spring at Moose Lake on the border of BC/AB on the Yellowhead Highway west of Jasper. Googled, and found a trucker describing it as the watering hole. Easy to find at the rest stop across from the lake.

Appropriate that a trucker parked in front of my photo!

RED, at Moose Lake

Fernie Spring Water

The directions for Fernie Spring on FindaSpring.com were a little sketchy.


Found this image on the 'net for Fernie Spring Water
and knew I wanted to find the location!

On my drive from Elko, BC towards Fernie, I kept my eyes peeled on the left hand side of the road. Just after the short tunnel through the mountain, there it was at the Rest Stop with a Parks-type animal-proof trash bin.

Love the similarities between the two photos almost 6 years later

Water is outstanding, crisp and cold! 

My guestimate the location was at least 10 km past Elko, for sure past the tunnel through the mountain.

I clocked the mileage towards the Fernie Ski Resort turnoff, it was 11.8 km. A sign to look for travelling from Fernie would be for "Trit Trot Farms" or Morrissey Road. The spring and Rest Stop is about 3 km after on the right hand side of the road (west).

Best water EVER!!

Castle Mountain Skimo - 2nd view

Visited Edmonton friends Dave & Deb Whitten who now live in Crowsnest Pass. Spent Thursday at Castle Mountain Resort following Dave's tracks. Back in 2000, Dave and I were on a 4-person adventure race team at the Full Moon in June in Nordegg.

I was thrilled that double-black diamond Lone Star was ski-able and not the scary-fest I had one year ago. Winds were high at the top. Dave & I checked out the rocky bootpack North ridge from last year and noted it was wind-blown and had no snowpack on it.

Note the predicted 90 kph winds for Sat morning!

Pre-race night, it was convenient to stay at the hostel on the hill with only 50m to walk to the start. Race day morning, the winds were already strong at the base with fresh wet snow falling. Temp was warm at -2C.

After a couple race course revisions already removing the upper bootpack section, then switching to the black diamond run North Bowl as the Chutes were not open... the ski hill safety had the race start one hour later with allowing a loop course on the upper cat track.

Two loops - total 5450' elevation gain, 12.5 km

Did not sound like a terribly exciting course... though with all the snow and strong winds, the racers were happy to get a course to race on and it was sufficient for the conditions at the time.

30 racers off the start - photo Castle Mtn Resort

After the first groomer climb to the top of the Huckleberry chair, Rec racers went down Sidewinder to the start for a 2nd loop, Open racers continued up the cat track then similar descent to a 2nd loop.

The conditions were now harsh with being pelted with snow at 90 kph. I could barely look forward to see the green flags and at one time was at a standstill. Very reminiscent of last weeks race! Despite the warm temps, the windchill was cooling. I had laden my nose with Vaseline as it was susceptible to frostbite from last weekends race. I tucked behind my balaclava and kept my head to the side at times.

Finally reaching the top, there was little shelter from the wind for transition to descent. I took my goggles out of my pack and could still barely see through the blowing snow.

Skiing back down the cat track, it was scary to maneuver around racers ascending. I finally got into a downhill groove once clear of the ascending skiers. Out of the blasting winds, all was soon forgotten as it was much calmer below. The snow on Sidewinder was a little challenging in its deep sogginess.

Damp gloves from the first ascent were cooled on the descent. I thought I could get away with them warming up on the next climb.

Once into the next climb, I stopped to grab some food... then took the time to change my gloves as I would rather be comfortable.

Used the same skins though could have switched as they iced up a little.


Women stuck close together -
Carla McKirdy, Katarina Kuba, Kylee Ohler, Marg Fedyna
 - photo Donna Murray-Clark

Fun to duke it out with young racer Carl Kohnstamm! And cool to see so many new faces trying out their first skimo event.

Thanks to organizers Brent Harris and Dave Dornian for perseverance in keeping this event going.

 



On my way home, night time venture for spring water near Longview

 

Post x-c ski from Pocaterra on Sunday for Di's birthday





Another October in California

After all the mileage and elevation climbs at both Haute Route races in Europe this summer, I still had the desire to climb a little more before x-c ski season.

Long drive from Calgary to Filmore, UT on my birthday, stopping at one of my favourite springs in North Ogden, Utah

Made the 3,000 km drive down and stayed in a few awesome couchsurfing spots on-route. It amazes me to continually find good people to stay with on the couchsurfing.org site that feel like age-old friends!

My endless pursuit to visit all the yummy fruits on their trees - my first freshly picked Avocado - super excited!

My couchsurf friends found a pomegranate tree in a neighbour's yard while they were dog-walking. They told the owner that a Canadian was staying with them that had never seen a pom tree before. We were given permission to pick the rest of the poms.
WOW, these were the best, most ripe poms I have ever tasted!!

Missed out on the persimmons tree - next year!

Palomar Spring Water

Since 1998, I have cycled up the 5000' ascent to the top of Palomar Mountain (South Grade Rd) almost every year whenever I was in SoCal (Southern California).

On the last corner 600m from the top, there was an Artesian spring that we would occasionally go down to fill up our water bottles from the faucets.

Old rock fence possibly from the late 1930's with user faucet access
photo from SmorgZone. Includes his info on a San Diego Gran Fondo training ride.

A few years later, the faucets were closed off so we just grabbed water from the store at the top.

At a raw food talk in 2009, I heard David Wolfe mention that he still got his spring water from Palomar Mountain. A person from the audience said the faucets were closed off. David said to just walk around the fence and go straight to the source of the spring - duh, funny I never thought of that.

teeny trickle from the small pipe. Hmmm... where does that large pipe go???

What is sad is that this use to be a huge spring source. Now, a spring water company pipes it away to sell it. Fortunately, they left a trickle for people like me. Takes awhile to fill up with the slow flow though well worth it.

video of a guy and gal gathering spring water at Palomar

Carlsbad Alkaline Water

When a trip to Palomar was too far, I checked out the more accessible local water source at Carlsbad Alkaline water taps for 50 cents a gallon. 

Apparently, "the water comes from an aquifer that drains naturally from the Cleveland National Forest at 500-1700 feet below the surface".

The water was ok, did not have that great "feel" as when tasting water from a spring coming direct from their spring source. 

I was surprised to find the water out of these taps at a warm temperature as most springs I've been at have been quite cool in temperature. 

I'd preferably make the trip to Palomar whenever I'm on-route there.

hike for Hinton spring water

Post skiing a few sections with Corey's group at Hinton Nordic centre, I ventured off for spring water.

a balmy day skiing with Susan in shorts up ahead!

It used to be an easy stop for spring water just 100 metres off Hwy 40 north. Since the 400m hose from the source has frozen and been disconnected, it's a 5-min hike in to the spring source.

After parking the car, I load up a backpack with glass bottles and carry a couple bags. The first 200 metres is flat on a lumpy road. The next 200 metres climbs up 170 feet. 

trekking in, up 200 metres

I bring along my traction devices for stability descending with loaded glass bottles of water.

spring source sheltered with a cistern

The hike back takes twice as long, slowly! Though well worth it.

Nose Hill Spring

I was tipped off by the Gearhound that there was a spring in an old neighbourhood in Calgary. While I was down for the cyclocross Halloween weekend, I decided to check it out.

It was in a teeny park in NW Calgary just east of Nosehill. I was surprised to see it marked by a sign and also a monument. This spring had been the source of water way back for the Indians, traders and explorers.

Cool shot of my shadow checking out the teeny trickle of a spring sadly now draining direct into a city sewer.

Open Creek Dam Spring

What better than to take a drive off the beaten Highway 2 on some unknown gravel roads to gather spring water.

Left the Red Deer cross race Sunday afternoon and headed west and north ending 31km west of Rimbey on highway 53. Without a map, I lucked out again with intuition to find a gravel shortcut. My first time venture blog with directions.

fast flowing spring water abit cool on my bare feet!

Wish the roads were paved as they would be awesome to road ride.

scenic rolling hills before hitting the prairies again

Off the beaten path to Spring Water near Rimbey

I decided to finally take the opportunity to find the spring water near Rimbey. After my cyclocross races in Calgary, I drove through Cochrane up Hwy 22 north. Hwy 22 doglegs through little towns. With the brilliant fall colours I missed a dogleg turn. The road was getting twistier and hillier as the scenery became more spectacular - my clues I was no longer bound for the prairie land.

Without a map, I managed to take two right hand turns and a dogleg to eventually connect with Hwy 22. I definitely want to check that area NW of Sundre by Bearberry another time on my road bike - spectacular!

From Hwy 22, take Hwy 53 east 14 km to the Open Creek Dam Campground turnoff (south), the sign for the spring is faint with an arrow pointing east. The spring is 100m away covered by a cistern and flowing out of a pipe. It was awesome to find it!

I filled up my many glass jugs and every container I had with me gathering over 6 gallons.

Drive from the spring back to Edmonton was 175 km and about 1 1/2 hours.

Spring turnoff is 31 km west of Rimbey at the Open Creek Dam Campground sign.

North Ogden Spring Water - The Stump

Super welcome stop at a unique spring on my way home from Park City, Utah. Easy to find. It was cool to bump into a woman my age who has been filling up with spring water here since her grandmother brought her as a child. In 1931, pioneers had four horses lug the cottonwood tree stump, and created the stump into a drinking fountain for the spring. The land has since been donated on the condition that it not be commercialized and that the spring be tested twice a month. The city of North Odgen got behind it and funded an artist to create a fibreglass version of the original stump for the water to flow out of.

The spring water flows freely from the pipes and the fountains. Real refreshing taste. This stop will be a regular one for me, just off I15. Coming from the north, Exit 349 (UT-134) east 4-km to N Washington Blvd, turn north 150m... Stump fountain in park next to Lee's Marketplace (NW corner).

Spring Water - Ojai, California

Checking over the website FindaSpring.com, I printed out info for any springs on my driving path on-route for spring bike training in southern California.

enjoying the views at the peak of Hwy 33 north of Ojai, CA

A spring west of Helena, Montana was missed as I needed to make it to my couchsurfing home before dark. I stayed in the cute mountain town of 250 residents in Basin, Montana with couchsurfer Joanie, her husband and Tori (2nd French bulldog I've met). Meanwhile, I had a couchsurfer stay at my place while I was travelling... works out real nice!

Next day, with a 16-hour drive ahead of me, I still took a detour to East Ogden mountains to search for spring water. Loaded up my backpack with all my glass bottles... hiked in on a hot day and due to sketchy directions (Kristin Spring or City Spring) and spring run-off, I did not find the spring. Still, a nice break out of the car. Made my destination to my friend Leslie's place in Newbury Park (west of L.A.) that night almost before dark. typical scenery up Hwy 33 with fresh yellow fragrant blooms

Les joined me on an epic out/back ride on old Highway 33 out of Ojai, it was fun to have a friend join me on a spring water venture to find Belly Ache Spring just outside of Ojai. There was a steep hike up to the top of a waterfall to get the spring from its source.

Les saw the waterfall on our ride in at Mile marker 22.35. We parked the van, packed up all our bottles and hiked up a vertical climb next to a waterfall... I'd almost call it 10.5 scrambling in places. There was a sketchy trail mostly in brush on either side of the waterfall, though easier to just walk up thru the water. It was pretty adventurous, and reminded me of the adventure race days.

At the top of the waterfall, the spring was flowing up out of the ground with the main stream out of a pipe for ease of filling bottles. We both loaded up. Somehow we both ended up carrying 5 gallons each (Les is twice as tall as me!) so that's, oh, roughly 40 lbs each! The descent was now a little trickier.

I freaked when I saw a water snake in my path! though Mr.Snake kindly moved to land for me. Les pointed out the poison oak so I wouldn't grab any of those bushes.

All in all... it was well worth the effort to get this water, and supremely brilliant tasting!!

Highlight as well that day was stopping at the largest online raw food warehouse in Ojai, The Raw Food World. I was excited to get to walk around and shop.
Bonus for my little white car getting the supreme wash treatment from Leslie's kids, Lei & neighbour buddy Ben, with Naomi and Alf inspecting!

Longview Spring water

The directions on FindaSpring could be abit more detailed... the drive up the road was more than "up the hill a little bit". It was a good kilometre! Found it as described coming out of pipe into a trough.

Only if I can't get to the Rockies would I stop off at this spring. Easy access on-route to Fernie and Crowsnest Pass via Hwy 22.

Rocky Mountain view from the spring parking spot

My "Thrive" bottle full of fresh spring water

Lynnwood, WA - Surburban Spring Water

Lynnwood Artesian Well: Off to visit friends in Seattle, I stopped off highway I-5 South. I wasn't sure what spring source I'd find as I was in the middle of suburbia.

Exit 183 (164th St SW), west 600 metres, little parking area on the north side, at the bottom of the dip in the hill.

I bumped into a couple women who were cool to have their picture taken with me.
Once I was done filling up my glass bottles, there was a line-up of people. Super busy popular spot!

Awesome when the community cares for the water source with analysis.