BIKE MAGAZINE: check us out the July issue!

So you think you're tough...

This week-end on my way back from a great ride on Lumpy's Epic in Pemberton i spotted two mountain bikes loaded to the brim. Low and behold, it's the French-Canadian couple Janick and Pierre whom i've read about. Are you ready? They've been cycling around the world since the early 90's on a 110,000+ kilometer adventure! How crazy is that? They were on their way to Alaska at the time, on a world volcano-tour. I was so pumped to meet them. Just as you'd imagine two people to be who travel on their bikes...they were super friendly and brimming with energy. Pierre's bike weighs in at a cool 100 lbs! You can read about them on Canada's Pedal Mag, click here.

Looking for trail with Simmons

It was a random week-day ride on Fromme on Vancouver's North Shore but for some reason we ended up hike-a-biking straight up the mountain with our bikes on our shoulders. Not that i have anything against that, i love a good hammering even a push, hike, grind while chomping at the bars. Wade and his neighbour Dave are trying to link a series of old singletrack and create a new singletrack climb up Fromme. The first 80% was pedallable, albeit with some heavy technical sections and ball busting cardio action, then it was bike on shoulder wandering through the dank forest. In the end we popped out on the road and hit a tasty old-school descent. Can't wait for more action.

Yukon

posted by Nathalie

I've spent the past week exploring Canada's rugged and remote Yukon Territory as a possible new destination for Big Mountain Bike Adventures.

Before this trip, my knowledge of the Yukon was admittedly quite limited. I've eaten a lot of Yukon Gold potatoes (which turns out are not actually grown in the Yukon), I knew that it's located somewhere between / around British Columbia, Alaska and the North Pole, that Jack London's "Call of the Wild" was set in this region, that the Klondike Gold Rush took place here in the nineteenth century, and that its capital is Whitehorse (well... ok... fine...I didn't really KNOW that for sure. But I had it narrowed down to probably either Whitehorse or Yellowknife. And even 10 time returning Jeopardy champions get stumped by Canadian geograpy).
But I had read a trip account by Big Mountain guide Andreas Hestler in Mountain Bike UK wherein he described the riding on Whitehorse's Grey Mountain as one of the "top 10 rides of his life". And I had spoken to Ray Warner, who lives in Whitehorse and joined Big Mountain on the Swiss Cloudraker trip last summer. Ray told me that the variety and amount of riding in the Yukon rivals the Alps. And I'm always up for an adventure and a chance to explore a new region so here I am.

Below is a brief summary of some of the new things about the Yukon that I've discovered so far:

31,608. Population of people in the entire Territory which, parenthetically, is larger than the state of California.

185,000. Population of caribou in the Territory (including the one in the "caribou casserole" that we ate for dinner last night).

26. degrees celcius (79 fahrenheit). Average daytime high this past week.

7. Number of fleece jackets and / or sweaters that remained in unpacked in my suitcase. Would have been helpful to have known the previous fact before packing for the trip

18 hours. 12 mins. 36 seconds - average amount of daily daylight during the month of May. Which is still not enough to explore the approximate 750 kilometres of singletrack accessible from the doorstep of our hotel. The second photo was taken at 11:45pm.

Yukon may have more abundant, diverse and unspoiled riding options than anywhere else in North America. Northern explorers, aboriginal fur traders, and Klondike Gold Rush prospectors created thousands of kilometres of trails and doubletrack. In addition to endless fast flowy singletrack and challenging technical trails, Yukon offers stunning panoramic views, pristine wilderness, unique terrain and landscapes, majestic peaks and glaciers, and some of the warmest most welcoming people imaginable (special thanks to our hosts and guides Elaine Maisonneuve and Ray Warner).

Big Mountain Bike Adventures will be offering a 10 day trip to this mountain bike vacation paradise next July 2009. Check back at www.ridebig.com later this summer for details. My advice for now - plan on packing some eyeshades/sleepmask. And tank tops.

Andrew Shandro's garage

I met up with Shandro yesterday at his pad tucked in the upper reaches of North Vancouver. We climbed from the door for about an hour and a half on technical singletrack, dirt road and some urban stuff too - then descended for about an hour. He was hard to keep up to on his all-mountain stallion, the new Trek Remedy 9. I am still buzzing from the ride. If you're into technical riding - rocks, roots, bridges and the like, the Shore is the place to ride. He's training for the Test of Metal event, a 67 km point to point race in Squamish on June 14. I think that i'll do this event next year, if i can get in that is - it sells out in hours. Check out Shandro's Summer Gravity Camp mountain bike camps. If you're looking to improve your riding, this this place! The quote of the day from Shandro, "Now that was a mountain bike ride" as he somewhat sarcastically referred to the technical climbs and descents of our ride.

Chihuahua

The troops are back from a successful spring adventure in Mexico with guides Ryan Sullivan, Arturo Gutierrez and Andreas Hestler at the helm. At the end of it all the guests went home with some great stories to tell, solid miles under their belts, a few words of Spanish and one hell of a fancy belt buckle. We'll be posting dates for the 2009 Spring Training jaunt with Andreas soon!

How to hit a booter

Chris Duncan at Bikeskills.com shows you some tips on hitting dirt jumps and table tops.

New World Disorder in Maroc

Our friends from Freeride Entertainment joined us in late March in Morocco. You can see a little sneak preview movie clip on Pinkbike.com.

Here's a cool photo of Frenchmen Fabien Barel hangin' on tight down a steep and eroded slope.

Check out their next film coming out in September for the film segment and more action from these guys.

Mattias Fredriksson

Hey my friend Swedish photographer Mattias Fredriksson just launched his new website, check it out.
Mattias takes unreal photos and is one of the hardest working ski and mountain bike photographers out there. The best part is that he is super fun to hang out with and really just likes to live it up!

April 20: Squamish BC

I officially broke the seal of the 2008 season last week-end with a blower ride in Squamish, BC. Squampton, as the locals call it, is a sleeper all-mountain mecca, a pedallable North Shore-esque playground but more of the singletrack kind. It's one of my favorite places to ride anywhere with technical and short power climbs where you have to creep forward on your seat, keep the pedals turning evenly and strongly, look ahead to pick the right line and try not to turn blue in the face. And the descents...an orchestration of finesse, balance, line choice and exaggerated body language while working both brakes and trying not to kill yourself. You know what i mean, good times! It's a true test of an all mountain bike. Speaking of that, I had the pleasure of riding with my riding buddies from Whistler, Pemberton and Squamish - 14 of us in total - whom 10 of were riding Ian Ritz' rowdy brainchild, the Chromag hardtail. Chromag Bikes was born in Whistler and tested on the local trails that demand tough and performance. Needless to say, the boys on the Chromags were pinning it!

Harookz kills it

Pro photographer Harookz joined Big Mountain this past January in Costa Rica...here are some samples of what's to come...

I love donuts

Did you know that Big Mountain guide extraordinare Joe Schwartz is a certified Canadian ACMG ski guide in the winter? Yep, it's true. He's a guiding madman spending his winters neck-deep in powder at snow-cat and heli skiing operations across BC. I had the pleasure of ski touring from Whistler mountain to neighbouring Fissle mountain and skiing the north face with Joe. What did he have to say about the whole thing? "I love donuts" he said, then skied away. Weird. But he's got a point, donuts sure are tasty.

JUST ANNOUNCED: Spring Training Camp with Andreas Hestler in Mexico's Copper Canyon

We're excited! We've teamed up with Andreas Hestler, one of North Americas most celebrated cross-country mountain bikers, on a spring training camp in Mexicos Copper Canyon region.
During the 7-day adventure participants will pedal with the 5-time Canadian National Champion and former Olympian, who will uncover his training and riding secrets.
This is an opportunity for endurance mountain bike competitors to prepare for the season. While the BC Bike Race from June 28 to July 4, 2008, will be the particular focus of this training camp, all epic, multi-day racers can benefit greatly from this training opportunity
"Spring training camps are one of the best ways to concentrate your efforts in that last push to start the season. All cyclists can benefit from experiencing a training camp that prepares you for your upcoming season. Like the pros, getting together to build base, discuss seasonal logistics and share knowledge, training camps should be worked into every ones program," says Hestler.
The riding in this region is perfect for training with an endless network of buffed singletrack in an arid Sedona Arizona-like landscape. While getting fit with Hestler, riders will explore a constantly changing landscape and jaw-dropping views that rival the Grand Canyon while cycling amongst the indigenous Tarahumara people, some of the most primitive in North America.
Further, Hestler will be joined by local guides and riding pioneers who have an intimate knowledge of the area and its people and who can truly unlock the magic of the region.

Trip dates: Saturday, May 3 to Friday, May 9, 2008
Cost: $1975 Canadian

To book, send us an email at info@ridebig.com or call us at 1.866.894.0220

Trail of the Year

Here is a trail that Bike Magazine voted as the trail of the year for 2007. It happens to be one of the trails on our classic BC Misty Mountain Hop all-mountain trip this upcoming September 12-21, 2008.

Enjoy.

Trail of the Year
By Mitchell Scott, Bike Magazine, Dec 2007

FROM LUNG-BUSTING SWITCHBACKS CLIMBS TO EXPOSED RIDEGLINE SINGLETRACK AND ENDLESS DESCENTS, THE 20-MILE-LONG SEVEN SUMMITS TRAILS OFFERS IT ALL. HERE’S A BLOW-BY-BLOW ACCOUNT OF THE SEVEN BEST PARTS OF OUR TRAIL OF THE YEAR.

Pleasure and pain. These are two of the most critical elements in a great ride, and not trail combines them better than the Seven Summits. The trail sacks riders with 4,500 feet of climbing and more than 7,000 feet of descending on some of the most rugged and beautiful terrain in North America.
Seven Summits lies just outside the mountain hamlet of Rossland, British Columbia, and the 20 miles of point-to-point singletrack crests – you guessed it – seven mountain summits as it weaves and dips along the scenic ridges of the Rossland Range.
Conceived in 1999 as a way to increase the regions summer tourism, the trail was finally carved into earth by the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society in the summer of 2004 at a cost of $1000,000. Although technically a multi-use trails the Seven Summits was built entirely by mountain bikers, and has the flow to prove it. With astounding views, a railer of a final descent, and numerous bails-out options for those not prepared to tackle the whole ride- which can take anywhere from six to eight hours – the certified IMBA Epic is attracting riders from around the world. It is a mountain bike success story of the highest order.
“The success of the trail has far exceeded our expectations,” says Kim Dean, director of the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society. “Businesses in town are definitely noticing an increase in mountain bike tourists to Rossland. It’s become the world-class amenity we originally envisioned.” But ultimately, it’s the ride – and that addictive combination of pleasure and pain – that keeps mountain bikers coming back for more.

[1] From a kiosk just off Highway 3B at the trails northern terminus, riders immediately dive into a 1.5-mile section of fresh singletrack completed this summer. For the next 5 miles, riders huff and puff through a pine and fit forest, grinding up technical switchbacks. After nearly 2000 feet, the trees thin, yielding stunning 360-degree views of Old Glory, the highest peak in the Rossland Range.

[2] From this prominent ridge top, the trail continues to climb. After 6.5 miles it reaches it’s highest point, 7230 feet. But the climbing is far from over. The next 1.5 miles are some of the most spectacular as the trail sweeps west of Mt. Plewman, overlooking the mighty Columbia River to the east. What follows is a short jaunt across one of the trails’s most expensive sections, a 200-yard-long stretch the crosses the steep east face of Unnecessary Peak and cost $8000 dollars to build. From there, riders can drop the Plewman trail if they wish, a 2,500-foot bomber descent back to the highway.

[3] For the next 5 miles the trail follows a broad ridgeline busting with alpine flowers. A long, fast, technical descent ends with a lengthy, steep, side-hill climb to a saddle between Mt. Kirkup and Grey Mountain before continuing up to the southwest shoulder of Grey. Now comes the first spoonful of pleasure, seven ripping switchbacks descending to Red Mountain Resort.

[4] Pain quickly returns. Twelve miles in, the granny gear comes calling as the trail climbs Red Mountain’s Lone Squaw ski run. Red Mountain’s mangers played a crucial role in developing the Seven Summits by helping the trails society work through its environmental-impact assessment, as well as allowing the trails to travel through the resort itself.

[5] After leaving the resort, the trail spirals up White Wolf Ridge, testing riders with 12 steep switchbacks. It continues through steep alpine ridges, working toward Record Notch, elevation 6,460 feet. From there, two rocky switchbacks lead to the seventh and final summit. At 15 miles in, it’s a good point to take a break, soak in the incredible views and fuel the furnace. There’s still a long way to go.

[6] Finally, a hard-earned, long-awaited descent. Tight switchbacks roar down the west side of Record Ridge, leading to a long traverse through open trees and clearings. Speed increases as the trail rips through vast meadows and drops back into forest. A few short, technical climbs remain, but the trail really begins to flow here. A few more switchbacks dive through grassy meadows guarded by old-growth pines before the trail transitions onto patches of bedrock – these are the smoothest sections of the entire ride. Twenty miles from the start, riders reach the finish line at Old Cascade Highway. But, for those who left some gas in the tank, there’s on final kicker.

[7] The Seven Summits conveniently ends where another Rossland classic, the Dewdney trail, begins. The 100-year-old route offers 3 miles of wide-open descending and has been adopted by Rosslands’s downhill set. It is perfect end to a day of pleasure and pain hammering over seven summits.

7000 feet

Just up the road from Whistler lies this big daunting wall of a mountain called Mount Currie and every few years the weather and conditions come together and we get a helicopter to drop us on the top of it. Well, this was one of those weekends and let me tell you it was over the top. The crew was all-time with PK, Smitty, Will, JD, Gray and myself and the snow was knee-deep to the valley floor 7000 feet from turn 1. Does it get any better?

Watch the line from PK's point of view...

The Dirt Merchant: Morocco

People often ask me what my favorite Big Mountain destination is. This is a tough question to answer as each place has it's features; ridiculous buffed singletrack (Switzerland), unforgettable sights and sounds (Southern Africa) or sweet tropical air (Costa Rica). These are just a few examples. One trip that does stand out in my mind is mountain biking in Morocco. It's one of the most memorable mountain bike trips I've ever been on. Why? Adventure: roll into remote Berber towns that are only accessable by 2-day walk and feel like you are living the pages of National Geographic. Great riding: the Atlas Mountains are true all-mountain with great climbs and equal descents. Morocco is a world like no other and the word on the street is that it's changing quickly and becoming Westernized at a fast pace. We are running a trip out of Marrakech next November, why don't you gather a few friends and join us?

The Dirt Merchant: Moroccan Mountain Biking Trip - Sunday, November 2 to Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Check out this video that we did a few years ago...

A few spots left: Copper Canyon MEX, March 1-9

Dreaming about somewhere hot and dry these days? Dreaming about riding your bike and getting a little head start on the riding season? Come to Copper Canyon Mexico with us from March 1-9. You will not be disappointed!

Not convinced? Read Mike Levy from Pinkbike.com's take on our trip there in November 2007.

Wintertime

Living in Vancouver is pretty cool if you're into riding your bike and skiing. A few weeks ago I went a on killer Shore ride with Andreas and Wade and three days later I was railing 2000-foot lines not far away on my skis. Talk about good times! The ride was ridiculously fun - we started at Wade's in Lynn Valley then traversed on linked trails over to Seymour and rode a tech XC/all-mountain loop. I was so pumped to be out! The skiing was a little more ridiculous as we hopped into a heli in downtown Van and flew up to a remote lodge and helied with our friends at TLH for three days. The skiing was incredible.

Adidas photo shoot in CR

As we speak Big Mountain is working in Costa Rica with Adidas freeride athletes Ben Boyco, Alex Reveles, Pierre Ferry, Niki Leitner and Richie Schley. The photographer on the scene is none other than Harookz from Vancouver.

Here's a little behind the scenes look at a big hipper that they build. Watch the mags for Adidas ads showing Costa Rica and Big Mountain.

Viva la Remedy!

"Geologic eccentricities dot the area with fingers of igneous rock reaching toward the sky, each with a perfect lip and tranny to bust on."

READ MORE of Tyler Moore's reflections on the Trek Remedy bike launch in Copper Canyon Mexico.

A little comic relief with Ali-G

Ali-G interviews David Beckham and Posh Spice...

Pinkbike.com writes about the Trek Remedy in Mexico

Are you getting tired of riding wet trails on cold days? Fear not friends. Get inspired. Read about a warm place with sunshine, great friends and a sick new ride.

Want to do something about it? You can. We're running a winter-getaway trip to Copper Canyon Mexico from March 1-9. Learn about our guided Mexico Mountain Biking Trip here.

Happy wintertime eh.

Mitchell Scott's Swiss Bliss story, July 2004

MITCHELL SCOTT uncovers mountain biking 'perfection' in the Swiss Alps, plunging down ancient trails by day and dining on raclette and fine wine in chalets by night

ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND -- In the Valais region of southwestern Switzerland, where gondolas, trains and chairlifts bridge the gaps between river and ridge with uncommon frequency, I stop my mountain bike because I have to. My forearms are pumped from braking, but this isn't the only reason I must pause: The trail ahead of me contours downward through mountains carpeted by tall evergreen forest, providing yet another stunning view.
The path beneath our tires is ancient,and right now, on a bike, it is delivering otherworldly joy. Slightly more than a metre wide, it has been worn by the traffic of civilizations coming and going.
Ten mountain bikers from British Columbia have gathered here to ride "perfection" -- at least that's what we've been told.
With Whistler native Chris Winter and Valais local François Pançhard as guides, our crew will cover 25,000 vertical metres of single track over eight days, dine on raclette and fine wine in Alpine chalets at night, and stop for cappuccinos and pain au chocolat halfway down 2,600-metre descents just because we can.
We are some of the first foreigners to experience Switzerland like this -- the first to blend the modernity of lifts, the technology of full-suspension bikes and the country's historic trails.
Three years ago, Winter, an entrepreneur and avid cyclist, started researching the possibility of guiding downhill bike tours in the Swiss Alps, where he had spent a portion of his childhood skiing. His research fuelled the formation of his tour company, Big Mountain Bike Adventures, and eventually led him to Pançhard.
The son of a mountain climber, Pançhard's green eyes and conniving grin belie a certain imbalance. He is not following the footsteps of his thirty-something peers, taking high-profile jobs in New York and Paris, making heaps of cash in Geneva playing with oil baron cash, driving BMWs and wearing fancy watches.
Instead, Pançhard runs his own CD-ROM trail-mapping business, spending day after day documenting the labyrinth of single track that drapes Switzerland like a giant gill net.
He lives high in the mountains in a tiny little cabin with his beautiful Hungarian wife, and almost every day during the summer explores his homeland by bike.
"The Swiss mountain biker rides up the gravel road and down the gravel road," explains Pançhard. "They don't ride single track and they think lifts are for wimps."
But Pançhard has gone against the traditionalist ways of the Swiss and swallowed his pride. He rides lifts with his bike all the time. Almost all Swiss lifts -- of which there are hundreds -- allow bikes, some on platforms, some on little hooks, and some on which you have to hold them yourself. From the top of each spreads a weave of hiking trail, cow paths and double track that meander through some of the world's most spectacular mountains. Some traverse, some go up, but once you've won an elevation of 2,400 to 3,000 metres, most go down -- for a long, long way.
Worn smooth since the Dark Ages by a perfectionist people confined to a relatively small, rugged land, much of the 67,000-kilometre-long lacework of walking paths links farms, churches, villages and peaks. And just like everything else Swiss, they are of superb quality. This is a country obsessed with time, so it makes sense that everything is built with a timeless quality -- local villages even hire unemployed residents to rake and manicure their proximate trail networks. As a result, they are naturally contoured with drinking fountains and benches in the farthest reaches of every valley.
On one particularly perfect afternoon we find ourselves high above the glitz of Verbier, with the 4,807-metre Mont Blanc massif -- Western Europe's highest peak -- in view just across the Rhône Valley.
Earlier that day we traversed narrow, derailleur-claiming cow paths through Alpine meadows hued by an August dawn, and descended to a decommissioned road through winding, dipping single track as it ran beside a medieval aqueduct. Wandering across a steep forested slope, we then climbed 1,000 metres on gravel roads to a steep path that tops out somewhere near 2,700 metres. Here we sit, with the starting point of our ride -- a quaint stone-and-log lodge near the top of a ski gondola -- barely visible across the valley. We snack on cheese, sausage and chocolate, marvelling at the vertiginous relief leading to the Rhône.
It seems like days go by until we stop again. Steep single track melds into wider trails through sub-Alpine meadows with ground cover that is brick red, mustard and rust. There is a collective tingle when we notice that the patterned vineyards, orchards and roads along the Rhône's banks are still tiny details in the vista before us. We speed into forest, where the trail widens even more, and banked corners and jumps emerge with regularity. With cramped fingers and rattling biceps, the thrilling speed and blurred forest rush in upon me in a wave of sensation.
After 20 kilometres of uninterrupted descent, we whiz through vineyards to a village where we buy beer, cappuccinos and sandwiches. We load our bikes into the trailer, crowd into our van and drive an hour up the mountain-walled Rhône Valley to another little gondola that takes us, two at a time, up to a mountainside village. We spin through narrow streets past stilted houses from the 1300s to a store, where our backpack is stuffed with wine and cheese and more sausage and bottles of weak European beer.
Then it's off to another gondola that carries us up to a modern little hostel tucked above the lift. On a sun-draped deck we sip Löwenbräus and savour views of glaciers, ragged peaks and lush green valleys. We drink and eat and try to recall the thousands of spectacular intricacies of the day, afraid we'll forget because there are so many. Over the course of eight days we ride an average of 40 kilometres a day on our bikes, routinely climbing 600 metres and descending 3,000.
In Zermatt, a picture-perfect ski village in the Upper Valais, we ride the apogee of Swiss ingenuity: The train up to Gornergrat, a lookout at 3,130 metres where a four-star hotel offers views of Europe's highest peaks. The sun begins to set and the hikers and trains have all gone and we ride a path that is more a living, pulsing vein than a trail. We are cells coursing to a preset destination. We travel in unison and only need to react to the subtle turns, dips and switchbacks of hard-packed earth.
We spend the night in another immaculate chalet, this one high above the shimmering opulence of Zermatt. Through a window the Matterhorn fades into dusk, and someone says he feels like a king. Not kings, but raiders that have finally landed on a legendary shore. In Switzerland, or the Land of Perfect Single Track, the trail goes on and on . . . and then on some more.

xmas vid starring your favorite guides!

This is some funny shit! Sent to us from our favorite San Fran ripper, Miss Chantal. I had no idea Joe danced so well. Thanks Chantal...you rock!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year

Turkey taking over...a few too many glasses of red wine. Life's good.

Thanks to all for riding with us in '07, welcome to the family. Here's to a fantastic year ahead!

When in doubt, ride big. Peace. From your friends Big Mountain.

smells like more monkeys

Part two of Mr. Smith's adventures in the land of junglee descents, cervezas and summer-time heat. Enjoy.

smells like monkey

Dave Smith went on our Costa Rica DH trip, Pura Vida, in February. Read about his experiences here.

the best part

really what it all comes down to are the people that you meet and the connections that you forge when you are riding your bike. while partying with Jonny, Wade and Jaimie last Sat night we decided to meet at Wade's on the Shore the next day for a ride. I was thinking that it'd be a mellow spin and it turns out that about 10 or so other friends and friends of friends show up and we climbed up to the snow line and then rode this new loamy secret trail. By the time we rolled back into civilization it was completely dark out. It was so much fun we were all hollering like kids.

just released: new type of trip!

Big Mountain is launching a new trip in the Alps...winged base jumping! You think you're ballsy? Check this out.

tasty helmet cam clip

check it out.

copper canyon online press...Trek Remedy!

though you might be interested to see some of the play the new Trek Remedy and Big Mountain have been getting. Check it out...UK website Bike Radar and then some news from our friends at NSMB.com in Vancouver and a stellar photo essay from Sterling on bikemag.com.

It's official! The new Trek Remedy is all time and the riding in Mexico with Big Mountain...is too! Come join us in 08!

Pacific to Caribbean in Costa

Hey, how's it going eh? All's well with me, the adventure continues here. I am sitting in one of the nicest hotels that i've ever stayed in near a town called Pacueras somewhere on the way to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. 12 of us are doing a road ride from the Pacific, over a whole bunch of very steep hills and mountains to the other coast. This is our first trip here with our sister company, Cycleventures, but definitely not our last. This trip is going to become an annual classic! Highlights? Where to start...we started the trip in this ridiculous hotel perched on the top of a mountain overlooking the ocean, then we began to pedal... It was hot for the first few days than as we got into the mountains it cooled off nicely. Our biggest day was a climb up 3450 meter Volcan Irazu, the highest active volcano in Costa. Ouch. For me, one of my hardest days on a road bike, but SO worth it. Some head winds, steep sections and altitude. The riding has been unreal on this trip and it's kicking us all into great shape. I will be very ready for powder in Whistler last this week!!! Tomorrow we ride 50 km than hop in a boat up a river for 2 hours to a remote lodge (only accessable by boat or plane) called Tortuego that's tucked up at the Nicaragua border. We are going to relax up there and do some eco boat trips with a guide and check out the wildlife before taking a small plane back to San Jose on Tuesday.

Here's a few shots...Paulo chilling after a climb and then railing a swooping corner on the way down Irazu! Yeehaw!

Pura Vida baby!

Sitting in an office in downtown San Jose right now looking out at the blue sky. The weather in this city is perfect, reminds me of a spring day or just after a summer rain...warm, yet cool and fresh. That's the thing, everyone thinks that it's steaming hot in Costa Rica. It is, but just on the coasts, in the mountains it's perfect for riding. Speaking of that, our Pura Vida trips are filling up so if you are thinking of coming along this winter...let's go! I strongly recommend combining the trip up with a few days on the beach. How about that: ride hard then chill hard on some of the finest beaches on the planet. I'm down here doing some recon for a few film shoots that might go down this winter then i'm hitting the road bike for a first ever coast to coast ride that starts in a few days. I didn't know that they paved roads nearly vert...she's going to be STEEP! Looking forward to some solid exercise before heading home to winter and storm laps at Whistler. Yeeehaw!

Mehico...Remedias ultima all-mountain!

I didn't get a chance to write more from Creel Mexico...sporadic internet service and busy days of riding and drinking around the bonfire and some jumping the bonfire and a pinata session too. More importantly, how was the new 6 and 6 Trek Remedy? Unreal. Be prepared for a tight tight ride both up and down, just the way i like it. When it's time to climb she was nimble and able to conquer tight technical power moves with ease and comfort. Everyone who climbed it was blown away. On the downhill...plush and quick; a rail-a-thon. I was like a little kid each day when it was time to ride...i could not wait to get out on it!

Here are a few pics...a killer view point of the actual Copper Canyon (NSMB.com's Cam McRae in the yellow on the right) and a native Taramuhara family watching the crew saddle the Remedys in front of our cabins.

By the way, the riding in Creel and Copper Canyon is KILLER! Stay tuned for more info. We're going to be posting some new dates soon...Come on!

Viva la Remedy!

We're hanging in north-central Mexico this week near the famous Copper Canyon in the town of Creel. What's going on? It's Trek's new 6 + 6 Remedy that's being unveiled for media. Psyched, the new Remedy looks KILLER. As i write, the mechanics are building up the bikes and the event officially starts tomorrow. I'll write more soon...got to run.

nascar

NASCAR Coach Reveals Winning Strategy: 'Drive Fast'

Peru

October 2007

I've spent the last 10 days mountain biking in Lima and Cusco with my friends Daamo, Lorraine and Ruth (or, as will be described on my Revenue Canada Form T2124-07 Statement of Business Activities - Deductions for Operating Expenses: "participating in a reconnaissance trip to evaluate the terrain and trails in Peru as a possible new destination for Big Mountain Bike Adventures".)
Before I explain why I've concluded that Peru is unquestionably one of the most remarkable places to visit and ride, I'd like to introduce the crew on my trip:

LORRAINE BLANCHER
Canadian National DH Champion: 1998, World Masters DH Champion: 2006
Hometown: Revelstoke, British Columbia
Age: 31. Sign: Scorpio
Occupation: Ministry of Transportation dispatcher, helihiking guide, mountain bike coach
Bike: Rocky Mountain Slayer SXC 70
First mountain bike: rigid black Nishiki Banshee
Favourite post-ride meal: avocado salad
Weirdest thing ever eaten: bear jerkey
Last song downloaded / CD bought: Dashboard by Modest Mouse. Bought a CD at the Cusco Airport earlier this week from a Peruvian pan flute street busker for 9 soles (about $3)
Tattoos: lower back
Pets: no
Last book read: Let My People Surf, Yvon Chouinard (founder of Patagonia)
Favourite ride: Keystone Standard Basin, Revelstoke

DAAMO SKELTON
Canadian National DH Champion 1997, 1999
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia (born in Sydney, Australia)
Age: 36 year old teenager. Sign: Gemini
Occupation: will bike for food
Bike: Marin Mount Vision
Sponsors: Marin, Shimano First mountain bike: 55 pound silver rigid frame singlespeed. Got bike in a trade for a jar a Vegemite and a case of Foster's Lager.
Favourite post-ride meal: tortilla chips with salsa and beer
Favourite flavour of energy bar: Sharkies. Fruit Blast ? (the ones in the blue package)
Last song downloaded / CD bought: Flashdance by Irene Cara. [ed. note: Daamo, an unabashed fan of 80s music, has many other redeeming qualities.]
Favourite beer: Corona
Weirdest thing ever eaten: roasted guinea pig
Tattoos: no
Pets: Kootenay (lab cross) and Dakota (cat)
Favourite ride: Burro Pass, La Sal Mountains, Utah

RUTH RITCHEY
Hometown: Vancouver, British Columbia
Age: 44. Sign: Leo
Occupation: Coast Mountain Transit Buses - Driver Instructor
Bike: Marin Rift Zone. currently for sale if anyone is interested.
First mountain bike: rigid Trek
Favourite post-ride meal: beer
Favourite flavour of energy bar: Cliff Bar Peanut Butter Buzz
Weirdest thing ever eaten: cockroaches coated in chocolate.
Favourite beer: Tecate
Pets: Copper (Rhodesian Ridgeback)

Tattoos: 3 total. Right forearm. Left bicep. Ankle.
Last song downloaded / CD bought: Art Teacher by Rufus Wainwright
Favourite book: A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
Favourite ride: Cunning Stunts, Sunshine Coast, BC

Our group joined a tour which had the following 2 guys signed up: Luis Viallacorta from Lima and Scott Vizniowski from Peterborough, Ontario (but currently residing in Maranello, Italy)

Our guides:

RUSO COVARRUBIAS

Peruvian National XC Champion: 2001, 2004-2005

Hometown: Maras Cusco, Peru

Age: 35

Bike: Gary Fisher Cake

WAYO STEIN
Peruvian National DH Champion: 1999-2001
Pan American Games Bronze: 2001
Peruvian National XC Champion: 1997
Hometown: Lima, Peru
Age: 33
Bike: Santa Cruz Nomad
First mountain bike: light blue GT Zaskar, Rock Shox QR21 2.5" travel fork
Favourite post-ride meal: beer
Favourite flavour of "energy bar": Nestle Sublime Extremo Peanut and Milk Chocolate bar
Favourite beer: Cusquena
Favourite ride: Marcahuasi Stone Forest, Peru
Quote: ride fast or be last

And me:
Holy Trinity Elementary School Undefeated Grade 3 Recess Schoolyard Tetherball Champion
Hometown: Whistler, British Columbia
Age: 39. Sign: Scorpio
Bike: Marin Wolfridge. with a pair of Maxxis High Rollers purchased on the black market in Lima for 65 soles (about $21). Score.
First mountain bike: 1996 Rocky Mountain Hammer Race
Favourite post-ride meal: sushi
Weirdest thing ever eaten: deep fried iguana nuggets. Yes, there was a lot of tequila involved as well
Tattoos: no
Pets: no. Had a guinea pig growing up - a little horrified watching Daamo dine on a roasted "Snuffles" in Cusco.
Last song downloaded / CD bought: Stronger, Kanye West
Favourite book: Breakfast of Champions, Kurt Vonnegut
Favourite trail: Aline. Whistler Mountain Bike Park, BC

And some of the locals we met along the way:

Quick recap of the trip:
- 10 days
- 0 other mountain bikers
- 55,774 total accumulated vertical feet of descending
- 11,385 vertical feet - longest individual descent
- 1 replacement set of brake pads
- 14,271 "why is everything....gasp...going dark???" feet above sea level – elevation of highest trailhead
- 3,500 switchbacks (2,500 on the roads used to shuttle the rides 1,000 on the trails)
- 3,450 switchbacks successfully negotiated (2,500 on the roads used to shuttle the rides 950 on the trails)
- 45 hours riding bikes
- 30 hours riding in shuttle van
- 2 hours "shuttling" by horseback. still haven't fully regained the feeling in my ass
- 4 apparently functioning traffic lights in Lima, a city of 8 million inhabitants
- 1,200 photos taken by Daamo
- 1,196 taken with the lens cap off
- 500 year old singletrack - (one of our rides traversed along a section of the Inca Trail)
- 7 pounds of seafood ceviche
- 8 bowls of cholco. Peruvian salty crunchy goodness. A little bit like partially popped popcorn kernels. But softer so that you don't have to worry about cracking molars
- 0 glasses of chicha – homemade Peruvian beer. Brewing process, according to the Lonely Planet Guide, is begun by chewing and spitting corn into a vat, which is then sealed and stored for several weeks to allow for fermentation. Establishments which sell the beer display a red flag above the door. Gaaaaaack
- 12 glasses of Andean lemonade. Blended ice, peppermint, ginger and fresh lemons
- 1 grilled medium rare elpaca (a smaller, woolier version of a llama) filet. retched.
- 24 imodium tablets
- 0 to 27 degrees celsius. Temperature range on the trip. Often during the same day. Routinely started rides wearing every piece of clothing that I had brought
- 2 Peruvian soles (about $0.45) paid for a pair of souvenir salt and pepper shakers shaped like the Machu Picchu peaks
- 1 trip of a lifetime

Hard to properly describe and express just how incredible this experience has been. Unforgettable rides, massive descents, endless fast flowy singletrack, challenging technical trails, spectacular scenery, unique terrain and topography, majestic Andean peaks, magnificent Inca sites and ruins, delicious food (wel...except for a few funky exceptions), amazing hospitality and the warmest friendliest people imaginable. There are countless people we met on our rides and travels who touched our hearts - from Wayo (one of the most thoughtful, easy going, and charming guys you will ever meet); to Willy Pro (owner of a bike shop in Lima) who kept his shop open 2 extra hours waiting for us to return from a ride in order to fix Ruth's brake line; to the young barefooted shepherd we met at the Megavalanche trailhead (he's the one who's waving in the picture above - the shyest, sweetest smile ever); to Juan (a porter on our horseback shuttle ride) who hiked back up to the top of the trail to retrieve Lorraine's forgotten camera and arranged to have it delivered to us the next day; and to all the people who warmly greeted and welcomed us as we passed through their lands and villages.

I am exceptionally lucky and privileged to have had the chance to visit and ride in Peru - hope you also get the opportunity someday.

sraper bike

New 2008 Remedy...

Six inches (150 mm), 28.5lbs and one hell of a new look. We're looking forward to getting this baby out on the trails in 2008. How long do you have to wait? March in North America. Let the games begin.

storm

This photo is just before the sky puked on us on the island of Pag on Croatia's Dalmatian coast. a bad-ass storm came barelling in like a freight train and i love big tropical storms. BOOM! this island is barren, stark, rugged. all rock and some scub brush. cool place.

eastern europa

Greetings from Ljubjlana, Slovenia. Have you ever been here? It's very nice. A small city of about 300,000 full of students and a sweet little old center of the city that kind of feels like a small town with bridges over a river and lots of outdoor cafes and bars and cool little hole in the wall shops and stuff. And there's a castle up on a hill over looking the town. It's sick. And I'm not done yet. Behind the city are big peaks that look a lot like the Dolomites, grey and rocky. There the Slovenian Alps. I pulled into a small little ski town a few nights ago in the dark and a big bike went hammering past me on a staircase. Looks to me like lift access riding is catching on here too. Then i drove past a bike shop today that was all Kona'd up. I better pop in and check it out. Might have to come back with my mountain bike. For now though, i'm about to embark on a 2 week road trip from here to Dubrovnik in Croatia. I'm pumped.

I like this shot. I had some setting wrong on my camera (the truth is, i rarely use the settings but just go for it manually) and this is what came out. All i know is that the shutter stayed open while i panned. Nice riding too. I'm pretty sure that this is Jeff (hard to tell with the blurr, you know?), a Torontonian who is based in Berlin. He joined us on our Alpenrock DH trip in Swissland this summer. Thanks for the downhills and the laughs Jeff!!

the road less travelled

Hey, just a quick note from Nice. I'm hanging with Carla from the Kootenays and we're on the way from a road bike trip in the Dordogne region of France that she was leading, to Croatia for another roadie trip. On the way to the Dordogne i stopped in Provence, one of my fav places to road ride in Europe and had my ass whooped by photographer Scott Markewitz, from Utah who spends lots of time in France with his french wife. Scott is in amazing shape. I thought i was in good shape after a summer of climbing and descending the Alps, I guess not! I took a few photos in Apt, hope you like them. Tomorrow we drive south all day. I will let you know how it goes.