Spark of Progression.

Mountain bikers love to gather and watch their peers on the big screen. Rider Stephen Matthews rolled out the red carpet for the Calgary contingent last week. This is what went down.

Being able to witness the spark of progression in a rider’s eyes is inspiring. To be able to sit back and watch the faces of the amazed as they view mountain biking’s most recent landmark maneuvers is as entertaining as the production itself. For me, hosting movie premiere’s is great for just that. This year, I put on Secondbase Films’ “From the Inside Out”, and am able to boast an attendance of over 240 people, all of which left with a grin from ear to ear. The organization of a Calgary premiere landed me a premiere date of November 10th at The Plaza Theatre.

The film is an effort made by the much admired Coastal Crew, from the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. I’m lucky enough to call these boys friends, as they are some of the most inspiring people i’ve met in mountain biking. Dylan Dunkerton, Curtis Robinson, and Kyle Norbraten are not only unbelievable cyclists, photographers, videographers, and builders. But they are some of the most genuinely hardworking and positive people i’ve met. Working with action film industry leaders, Anthill Films on this one, “From the Inside Out” was destined for success!

It’s hard to pick out only a few shining moments of the film, because to me every section was a stroke of genius. I love seeing the Coastal Crew ride, because they are very pure with how they exemplify how much fun you can have riding a bike. Kenny Smith came out with a non-stop, edge of your seat kind of section (wasn’t expecting anything less!). I’ve seen most of the lines in person, and I can assure you they are insane. Thomas’ “Ride to the Hills” throwback hit it home for me as well, as it was the flick that got it all started for me.

             Calgary Cycle, Pure Cycle, and BigMountain Bike Adventures filled the guests’ hands with swag, and thanks to their support and vision for community involvement, we had some great draw prizes along with the usual blitzkrieg of DVD’s.

Photos: Shayne Saskoley