Greetings from Lima

It's Day 2 of the trip, 12 midnight and all's well. Our group arrived safe and sound last night - one from Boulder and 11 from Vancouver. All the bikes arrived and all our bags. From Vancouver we flew to Toronto, 4.5 hours, then onto Lima which was 8.5 hours - all in all a smooth day. We were met by Wayo, our host and Big Mountain guide. Wayo is a very kind person and a great guide - we are so lucky to be shown around Peru with him.
This morning we woke up here in our Lima hotel, built our bikes in the hot sun and headed out for lunch in the city. There was a peaceful protest on the streets and thousands of people walked past the restaurant chanting something. The portions were massive and we all ate way way too much. By mid-afternoon we were driving out of the city to a very very arid and mountainous area and then to an oasis-like valley for the start of our ride. What a great opener to riding in Peru! The trail started in a dry river bed that snaked along the valley floor with a smooth surface and natural hits everwhere. Then we rode up onto the side of the valley for several epic kilometers of super sweet singletrack with stunning views as the sun set. After a few cervezas we got back in the van and drove back to Lima for a superb dinner - an all you can eat buffet with everything from steak to pasta to sushi to pizza and more. It was unreal. OK, time for bed now, we're getting up at 5 AM and driving to 3500 meters of so for a 56 km downhill that ends on the Atlantic. Yea, that's right - the biggest downhill that i've ever ridden by a long stretch. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow...


Last light in a beautiful valley.


Brent Martin from Vancouver, owner of Ryders Eyewear...all smiles.

Packing the bike up and heading to Peru...

New tires? Check. New shoes? Check. Bike tuned up? Check. First aid kit? Check. Check. Check. You know that feeling; the days come and go and your imminent departure for a big trip approaches. For me the months, weeks and days leading up to a trip get me super fired up and somewhat nervous with excitement. I love looking at maps, reading and re-reading the trip itinerary and being a part of group emails that circulate with subject headings like: What altitude drugs are u bringing? or Stands vs tubeless. or What bike should i bring? And the list goes on. So here i sit with 48 hrs or so before boarding a plane to Lima and our Unforgettable Andes trip, sipping coffee in Vancouver going through my mental list. I think im ready. I'm a little concerned about the altitude of some of the rides. The highest that i've been was in 2004 when our group decided to summit Mount Toubkal (4167 meters) at the end of our Moroccan Dirt Merchant trip. I didn't react well to the altitude, but then we didn't really acclimatize at all. In the end, I can suffer with the best of them. One thing for sure, my Trek Remedy 9 is tight and itching for the XL Andes descents...I treated myself to a new Chromag seat, stem and bar set, a Joplin seat post from Crank Brothers and fancy new white shoes too. Oh and Sombrio set me up with some fine fine clothing that i'll be breaking out...
So, come back to our blog in the next 2 weeks as i'll take you on a trip to Peru with Big Mountain...

unreal urban trials riding with Danny MacAskill in Edinburgh

mtb animation

Mountainbike Rotoscope from Building the Scene on Vimeo.

Whistler slideshow

Big Mountain hosted a great slideshow night this past Friday in Whistler as part of the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival. Talk about getting psyched to ride! Nearly a packed house viewed images from pro photographers Sterling Lorence, Harookz and Blake Jorgenson.
Big thanks to those who helped us out: Whistler Bike Park, Bike Co in Pemberton, Fanatykco and Evolution in Whistler, Tantalus Bike Shop in Squamish, Chromag, NSMB.com and Whistlermountainbike.com





Chiling: Blake Jorgenson and his beautiful girlfriend Holly Fraser who runs the Blake Jorgenson Gallery in Whistler.

Vegas XC Spring Training Camp...

We just wrapped up our first annual Vegas Spring Training Camp with Andreas Hestler...what a blast! Dre kept us riding and learning all that we could about riding skills, training techniques, nutrition, periodization, rest....and more! Did i mention that we rode more sweet trails that we could have imagined? You have to join us next year...unreal riding and you'll come back fit and very happy! Check out this slideshow on Flickr. Or, some more photos by participant Kathy, here.

Latest Decline Mag issue

Journalist Dave Smith and photographer Blake Jorgensen came to Switzerland last summer and joined us on Alpenrock DH trip. We're super stoked to have the pleasure of hosting these two heavy hitters. If you get a chance check out their story, "Riding Big in Switzerland", in the latest issue of Decline Magazine.

Downhill mountain biking in Costa Rica

Nick Quinn just returned from another DH trip with us in Costa Rica and create a sweet slideshow on Pinkbike.com.

Our 2010 dates are posted...check it out here.

Join Wade Simmons in Switzerland this summer...

It's confirmed: Wade will join Joe Schwartz as one of the two guides on the August 22-30 Swiss Alpenrock trip

Here's a little clip of Mr. Simmons from New World Disorder a few years back. Who wouldn't want to ride with Wade for 9 days in the Alps??

Wade simmons

Dear Pedro: a letter to the Dear Wade contest winner

Satindar Dhillon went to Costa Rica and he's pissed. Well, kind of. Read his take on the situation on NSMB.com.



Wade "Chimonez" Simmons and Dear Wade contest winner Pedro Brjal from Portugal in Costa a few weeks ago.

What downhilling in Costa Rica with Big Mountain can make you do...

We wrapped up our annual back to back 10-day Pura Vida DH trips in Costa Rica recently. Thanks to Paulo and Nene in CR and our man Wade Simmons, the trips were a resounding success. As it turned out, Lon couldn't hold back while checking out the country's highest volcano, Volcan Irazu. Was it the altitude? Was it a bad batch of tequila from the night before? Or was it that the riding was unreal?



We've got our 2010 dates posted and spots are already filling up. Grab the big rig and come down for some good times in the tropics. 2010 Costa Rica Pura Vida DH dates here.

whistler powder day

It's been snowing up here in BC. Finally. Here's an ode to powder thanks to PK from Rossignol.


freak'n snowboarders in my way from paddy kaye on Vimeo.

Swiss Cloudraker + the Tour de France: what you won't have to do...

We are super excited that our July 17th Swiss Cloudraker all-mountain trip will be happening during this year's Tour de France. Lance is back for another pull and there's some hot new young guns on the start list so it'll be especially fiesty. Can you imagine watching the race go by and then railing a 6000-foot descent? And then checking out the circus after hours that follows the tour? It's about to happen...

Don't worry, you won't have to launch the peleton like Dave Watson did a few years ago.

Photo by Scott Markewitz.

more downhill fun from the Alps...

Downhill Mountain Biking in the Swiss Alps: part one from big mountain on Vimeo.

Regular Joe

Read about Joe's exploits on his Kona bike...here!



You can ride with the man himself this summer! He's guiding our new Supernatural DH trip in BC's Kootenay region and both Alpenrock DH trips in Switzerland. Choices...

vancouver

During the month of January in Vancouver an average of 131 mm or 5.18 inches of rain falls. Over a year, Vancouver gets an average of 1154 mm of rain. Not that bad really compared to the rainiest place in the world, Mawsynram, India with a staggering 11,872 mm of rain. What's the point you ask? Thanks to all this rain the forest in Vancouver gets real green and pretty and makes for beautiful mountain bike photographs like this one taken by our good friend and journalist Dave Smith, the founder of allmaple.com. Keep your eyes peeled in an upcoming Decline issue for Dave's story on DH'ing in Switzerland on our Alpenrock trip. Rock on.

Photographer Blake Jorgenson

Last summer we shot with pro photographer Blake Jorgenson in the Swiss Alps on a feature for Decline magazine that's coming out soon. Here's what Blake does in the wintertime...with our friends from Rossignol.


Team trips to Revy from rossignol on Vimeo.

Wade Simmons-Prepares for Mt. Kenya!

Big Mountain guide Wade Simmons soon will be doing battle against some of the world's best riders climbing up and shredding Mount Kenya. He has lived the life of easy street for far too long! Eating high on the horse at the Topanga Cafe and chillin on the couch after easy rides to the store on his Flatline for bon bons just won't cut it! It is time for him to get back to the basics! Here is his story to the top!

What does Wade get to do the day after he gets home from Africa? Go to Costa Rica to guide our epic Pura Vida DH trips!

Wade reached into his helmet and pulled out a winner...

On a grey and cool mid-January day in Vancouver, Wade poured over a fat pile entries of the first Dear Wade contest and chose his top 10. As he promised, he reached into his helmet and pulled out the winner…Pedro Brajal from Portugal. “A big thanks to all who entered,” said Wade with his signature big smile and unshaven mug, “I hope that Pedro is pumped to ride big bikes in Costa Rica because I am!” Pedro walks away with 9 days of riding with Wade on Big Mountain Bike Adventures’ Pura Vida DH trip, a Dakine Apex pack, a Bell full-face helmet, Oakley shades, the use of a 2009 Rocky Mountain Flatline DH rig and a full set-up from Sombrio clothing. Congratulations Pedro! The 9 runner-up entries get a Sombrio jersey and Big Mountain t-shirt.

Thanks to all who entered and we’ll see you next year! More information on our Pura Vida DH trip, click here.



costa rica contest winner from wadesimmons on Vimeo.

Eye candy from the land of candy, vegas