A couple of weeks ago Greer, Aaron and myself decided to go to Hardwood Hills for the afternoon. It had been a few years since my last visit, mainly due to the landfill site moving in next door. I find the smell of garbage isn't all that pleasant when you are huffing and puffing your way up a long climb. The wind must have been blowing in the right direction the day we were there however, because there was not a hint of stink in the air.

After purchasing our day passes ($12.00 this year) and drooling at the very expensive bikes parked at the chalet we decided to hit the "Fun Course" first. Aaron is not a very experienced rider so we all agreed to start off nice and easy. I would say that the best thing about Hardwood is that any level of rider from beginner to advanced can go and enjoy themselves. There are approximately 50 kilometers of trails and they are all very clearly marked.

The "Fun Course" lived up to it's name. We had received a lot of rain just prior to our visit but the trails were dry and in excellent shape. Everyone was warmed up now and it turned out that Aaron was a natural. He certainly wasn't holding us back so we decided to move up to the "Serious Course." We didn't break any speed records as we stopped frequently to tackle a number of rock piles and snap some photos, but we were having a great time.

Once we got back to the chalet, we went to check out the trials area. I stuck to the low altitude obstacles but Greer and Aaron conquered some of the high flying stuff. My self-esteem took a hit when a group of pre-teens came along and rode the entire park like it was nothing but I guess at that age you have no fear.

We could have some spent much more time at Hardwood as there were lots of trails we didn't get to ride but I suppose it gives us something to look forward to for the next time.