CHALLENGING BIKE TRAILS IN CANADA

Interested in going to Canada for an exciting biking experience? Well then, gear up because this article is going to help you plan your adrenaline-packed biking holiday!

Canada is an ideal destination when it comes to biking, as it provides many different trails of varying difficulty levels. Listed below are few of the best bike trails in Canada and some information on how to get there. Few of them are a part of the Trans-Canada trail, which is 18,000km long and was completed in the year 2010, making it the longest recreational trail of its kind.

1. Golden Triangle- British Columbia: This route is extremely challenging and is for the highly adventurous bikers. This 310-km long loop covers the Rocky Mountains twice and stretches along Alberta and B.C. The trail provides an extremely beautiful view and covers many historical areas. It also has varied wildlife habitat across several miles. Unfortunately, this route follows highways and roads with traffic for a long stretch, making it fairly dangerous and unsafe.

How to get there?
The easiest way reach this destination is by plane. You can fly to the Calgary Airport and from there, start on the trail at Banff or Lake Louise, which are quite close to the airport.

2. The Gaspé Peninsula- Quebec: This is one of the most famous biking destinations in Canada, known for its challenging trail offerings. The entire trail is 900-km long. You can cover the entire trail or do a shorter version of the 500-km distance. This trail covers the entire Gaspe Peninsula and has some very beautiful locales for an eye feast.

How to get there?
You can reach the Gaspe Airport and hire a rental car from there to the trail taking the HWY 132. You can also get there by the Canada Rail System. It would be easier if you planned your trip in advance and get cheap car rental before you get there.

3. Avalon Peninsula-Newfoundland: This is a very remote trail; however, it is worth experiencing it once. The landscape has, what you can call, an almost rugged quality to it due to the weather fluctuations and rough terrain. Along the coastal parts of the trail, you can enjoy views of icebergs and sea bird colonies; whales are also a common site. However, have some food and water stocked, as the distance between towns is quite long and you might have to camp out at night.

How to get there?
St John’s, the capital city of Newfoundland has an international airport and it also falls on the area covered by the trail making it a good starting point. You can also get cheap car rental online before you go on your trip. There are several websites that can help you get cheap car rental deals; you can pick any one of them beforehand. You can also hire a car at the airport; though, this may not be advisable during busy seasons, as you may not get the best deals.

North America is currently in the middle of their summer but winter never sleeps.  New Zealand is preparing to host the world in their 2012 Winter Games.  These games will be host to a number of World Cups as they kick off the countdown to Sochi, Russia in 2014.  With a high level of competitors traveling to compete this year it shows the level of prestige New Zealand has gained for their winter games event.

Lake Wanaka, New Zealand (August 6, 2012) – Elite skiers and riders representing twenty four nations are lining up to compete in the FIS Snowboard and Freestyle Ski Halfpipe World Cups at Cardrona Alpine Resort from 20-26 August 2012.

Olympic medallists, World Cup champions and Winter Games 2011 medallists all feature in the field of athletes as they compete in the first event of the official Olympic qualification period for Sochi, Russia in 2014. The upcoming event is this year's sole World Cup stop in the Southern Hemisphere.

Top riders planning to compete in the snowboard halfpipe include Nathan Johnstone (AUS) who finished the 2011 season as the highest ranked halfpipe rider on the World Cup circuit and is the current Bronze Olympic medal holder, Ryo Aono (JPN) runner up of the 2011 World Cup circuit and Arthur Longo (FRA) who placed third. Also to compete are Tore Holvik, Norway’s national champion, Dimi De Jong (NED), who is currently third in the World Cup standings, Johann Baisamy (FRA) And Taku Hiraoka (JPN).

The women’s snowboard field is equally strong with nine of the top ten Olympic field on the start list including Olympic Gold, Silver and Bronze medallists: Torah Bright (AUS), Hannah Teter (USA) and Kelly Clark (USA) respectively. Also competing is last season’s Wold Cup halfpipe champion Cai Xuetong (CHN) who will be looking to retain the New Zealand World Cup title. Holly Crawford (AUS), 2011 World Cup series runner up and Stephanie Magiros (AUS) who is currently second on the TTR rankings.

The international riders face strong competition from New Zealand’s home grown snowboarding talent. Mitchell Brown (Mt Maunganui), James Hamilton (Auckland) and Ben Stewart (Christchurch) are all on the start list. Mitch’s sister, Kendall Brown (Mt Maunganui) and Olympian Rebecca Sinclair (Wanaka) will be vying for top spots in the women’s competition.

The freeski athletes will enter a new era as their competition points, for the first time, will count towards gaining an Olympic spot. The International Olympic Committee announced in April that men's and women's halfpipe skiing will be an Olympic sport at the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Last season’s Freestyle Ski Halpipe World Cup champion Benoit Valentin (FRA) has confirmed he will be competing later this month alongside the talented USA freeskier Torin Yater-Wallace and Gus Kenworthy (USA) who placed first in freestyle ski halfpipe of the 2011 Winter Games NZ. With the home advantage Jossi Wells, second at the 2011 Winter Games NZ and AFP Overall World Champion in 2010, together with brother Byron Wells and Lyndon Sheehan will be representing New Zealand.

In the women’s freestyle ski competition top freestyle skier Virginie Faivre (SUI), who placed 4th in 2012 Winter X Games Europe Halfpipe, will have strong competition from Manami Mitsuboshi (JPN) and Kimmy Sharp (USA). New Zealand’s Janina Kuzma (Wanaka), two-time Canadian Freeski Champion and two-time World Heli Challenge Champion, Rose Battersby (Taupo) and Amy Sheehan (Wanaka) will be aiming for positions on the women’s podium.

Winter Games NZ CEO, Arthur Klap is thrilled the World Cups have attracted such an elite field of athletes. “The competition will be fierce which is great for both the athletes and spectators who will be entertained by the creative mix of tricks, back-to-back rotations and big air grabs,” he said. “Being a year out from the Winter Games 2013 and attracting this calibre of athletes gives us a message how highly regarded New Zealand is as a snow sports destination capable of staging world class competitions.”

Off mountain the Winter Games Adventure Film Festival from the 24^-26 August returns to Queenstown. There’s an action packed programme of spectacular adventure films to inspire and entertain.

The FIS Freestyle Ski Halfpipe World Cup will take place on 22 August while the FIS Snowboard Halfpipe World Cup will take place on 25-56 August, both at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

For further information, visit www.wintergamesnz.com

After hours of chopping parsley and mashing garlic I was over the kitchen but hungry for dinner.  As I spooned the last of the parsley pesto from the bowl I realized I had left none for tonight's dinner, why not add the cooked Quinoa left over from breakfast to the last of the pesto in the bowl and make a yummy salad for dinner?  Easy, nutritious and filling the perfect type of food for when you are on the go and would rather be biking than making dinner!

There was no good reason so I did it and this is the recipe that I came up with for a Quinoa Parsley Pesto Salad, fresh from the garden!

Just take your fresh Parsley pesto

Cooked and cooled quinoa
Thinly slice red pepper, celery, & cucumber
then add fresh peas and lemon juice.

Season to taste, I found my pesto gave it all the flavor it needed.

Combine it all together I think this salad could be made with anything!  One idea that jumps to mind includes red onion with soft goat cheese, another was to add chickpeas....hmmmm yum!

I had found a recipe for Gluten Free Coconut Lime Chicken Nuggets on Daily Bites earlier that day and thought that would be the perfect combination.  It was! check out the recipe on Daily Bites Here.

What's your go to recipe for quick and nutritious meals when you are too tired to cook?