HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's to a great year ahead filled with health and happiness, out of control laughter and long rides with friends and family.



*Big thanks to Christophe from Zurich for sending us this sweet card. Christophe joined us on a Cloudraker trip last summer.

Winter ripping on the North Shore!

Clients and friends Karaleen and Bryan sent us these sweet snowy photos of riding on Vancouver's North Shore recently. They've joined us in both Costa Rica and Switzerland in the past two years. Oh, and if you click on the link to Switzerland you'll see them railing it home to our base in the Swiss Valais! Thanks for the photos guys and we look forward to more rides together!!

It looks like Santa was good to them this year.

Christmas wish list according to VeloNews.com

Velo News' Jason Sumner know's what he wants for Christmas...to join Big Mountain in Switzerland this summer and watch Lance Armstrong and the Tour de France from his mountain bike on our July 17-25 Cloudraker trip. Read about it.

Happy Holidays!

From your friends at Big Mountain...here's to ripping into more than just wrapping paper this holiday season! Enjoy the holidays!

Dear Wade

Want to win a trip to Costa Rica with Wade Simmons? Click here for the deets.

Peru photos

Click here to view some great images from pro photographer Robin O'Neill from her recent trip to Peru with Big Mountain.

We've got some great trips in Peru in 2009, what are you waiting for? Click here.

2009 Spring Training Camp with Dre - dates and details launched!

We've just launched dates for a new Spring Training Camp with Andreas Hestler, one of North America’s most celebrated cross-country mountain bikers.
During the 8-day adventure participants will join former Olympian, 3-time winner of the Trans Rockies, celebrated coach and charismatic athlete Andreas Hestler on this private training camp and learn riding and training techniques to improve mountain bike skills.
Quote from Hestler: I believe that the difference between amateur cyclists and professionals is dedication and focus, says Hestler. During this training camp, we will have one unified goal, to gather miles and learn skills over a concentrated period of time. These skills can be applied to racing or everyday riding. Off the bike, Hestler will share his secrets about goal setting, nutrition, seasonal periodization, stage racing and more. For those training for a multi-day event or just looking to improve their skills and fitness, this is a great opportunity.
The location for the camp is one of North America’s mountain bike Mecas near Las Vegas, Nevada. Just beyond the strip lies an arid region with varied trails, spectacular scenery and world class riding. Riders will visit Bootleg Canyon, Blue Diamond, Hurricane, Thunder Mountain and even hike Zion National Park for a morning. Some of the trails in this area are like Moab on steroids,” says Hestler enthusiastically, slick rock that winds and undulates with plenty of cornering and singletrack to practice skills and fitness. We’re going to have fun.

Trip dates: March 28 to April 4, 2009
Cost: $2475 Canadian
For more info, email us at: info@ridebig.com or contact us.





Big thanks to pro photographer Colin Meagher for these photos.

Testimonial: Southern Africa Mountain Bike Safari

This is a quote from clients who just returned from our Rhythm of Africa trip. Thanks for the kind words!

"We had an amazing time. It was the total package: culture, scenery, animals and epic riding. Greg and the guides were amazing and everything went off with out a hitch. It was simply a unreal trip – like being inside a National Geographic episode.
Truly an epic adventure! Thanks so much for letting us experience it."
Scott and Patti, Alberta Canada





Check out some more of Scott and Patti's photos here.

Notes from the road...

Hey friends. I thought i'd share some photos and little anecdotes from travels in SE Asia. We're running a road bike trip with our sister company Cycleventures in Northern Thailand for the next 12 days. It's good to be here. Watch this space for more soon.


A strange looking Buddha statue that was about 20 feet tall. Very serious.


A random dude who was just begging for a photo. This is at a temple on a mountain near the city of Chiang Mai.

Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends and clients!

I know we've all heard way too much from Sarah Palin but we just could not resist. Have a great thanksgiving!

In the latest issue of Bike Magazine

Guide Joe Schwartz railing a tasty trail to Tasch in the Zermatt area on our Cloudraker Swiss mountain biking trip.

Moment in time

On this particular Swiss Cloudraker trip in 2007 the weather was challenging: cold, rainy and even snowy at times. OK, it sucked. As it happens though, our group came together like old friends, supported each other with good times and laughs and we made it through big days unscathed, albeit dirty. A good thing about the Swiss trails and rain is that the water drains well and is generally gravely which means good traction and little mud. Plus, it'll rain (or snow) but not for too long, well at least not for someone coming from Vancouver on the Wet Coast or Canada. I'm getting sidetracked here. So there we were. The day started off in fresh snow, the trail was called Goldielocks - a big loop, 50 km, 6-7 hours with challenging technical XC sections, a buffed section, a paved traverse/climb, hike a bike and a mother descent - 10,000 feet of downhill all in all. A super all-mountain day. Towards the end of the day we always stop at a viewpoint where the land eroded away to nothing. I was leading on this section and as i approached i heard scurrying in the forest, then rocks falling somewhere in the distance. I looked out into the mist and there was a chamois perched on a precarious rocky outcropping looking back at me. I pulled out my camera and go this shot just before the mist came in and the creature disappeared in the white.

Richie Schley

This photo is of pro rider Richie last year in Costa Rica on our Pura Vida DH trip. Photo Harookz.

He just launched slick promo that's worth a look, filmed by Darcy from the Collective. Check it out here.

respect

Wade Simmons on the cover of Bike Magazine

Big Mountain guide Wade Simmons lands another cover, this time on the latest issue of Bike Magazine. In 2009 you can join Wade in both Costa Rica on our Pura Vida DH trip from Feb 13-21 and Feb 21-March 1 and in Switzerland on our Alpenrock DH trips in August. Ride with Wade for 9 days in Switzerland? Costa Rica?

Schwartzy: the Euro interview

Click here - Read the French version at the top, English at the bottom. Join Joe and his DH bike in Switzerland next summer.

Fall

Fall is a great time to ride. In the fall nature is getting ready to sleep and things are less rushed it seems. Call some friends and see what they're doing on Saturday, not too early because it's still cold, not too late because the sun sets early. Start pedaling and realize that you might be wearing too many layers but you keep riding anyway. Wet leaves cover rocks and make for tricky sections, you're on your game though after many months of straight riding. You let off the brakes and skip through the forest.

Morocco next month! Let's go!

We've still got a few spaces available on our Moroccan Dirt Merchant trip, November 2-11. What are you waiting for, contact us and start packing!

Rampage video...the future of mtb comps!

Trek Session 88 DH...dream bike!

Pinkbike.com covers the highly anticipated Session 88 DH bike from Trek, the out-of-the-box race bike weighing in at 38 lbs. Read the specs, listen to Andrew Shandro tell you more and drool over this dream machine here.





The new Session 88 DH would be KILLER on one of our downhill trips...how about the Swiss Alpenrock? Or perhaps a little tropical downhill mountain biking in Costa Rica, a la Pura Vida? Or something more exotic like the Inca DH trip?