Huffingtonpost.com features our African safari trip

We're elated that The Huffington Post, a well-respected and progressive American news website covered our Rhythm of Africa mountain bike safari yesterday. "Big Mountain Bike Adventures guides you on this incredible mountain bike journey through some of Africa’s top wild game parks. Combining easy-to-moderate biking with exceptional game viewing and beautiful wilderness camps offers a very unique take on the traditional African safari. This trip will combine park access in both South Africa and Botswana." Thanks Huffington Post. Indeed, this trip is a must do for all mountain bikers. What to know more...get in touch with us and we can give you the scoop.

this afternoon in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco

Oh how i wish i was in Morocco right now. It's sunny and warm and the trails are oh-so-super-fun. And then there's the clash of unique cultures, the epic accommodation, great food and very cool atmosphere. We'll have next year's Dirt Merchant XC trip details posted very soon. We do know that the next trip is April 10-19, 2011.

I travelled up this road, and I travelled down that,

What have I to show for it? Nothing flat.

All I brought were slippers which I took off and left by the door.

A silly calf ate them, soles and all.

Moroccan saying                                                                                             

Moroccan traffic jam: encountering a Berber on his way home with supplies.

Nancy mid-climb. Check out that singletrack on the left...sweet!

honey, can i go riding?

 I think that we've all had glimpses of this conversation...except perhaps "how about you take your bike and go f*ck that." ahh, life and love...now get out and ride!!
 

Earlier today near Lima, Peru...

Word just came in from our Peruvian partner and guide extraordinaire Wayo on day one of our Unforgettable Andes trip: "Hola Chris, Nat. First day of riding and the group's minds are blown away already. Was a good day, cought traffic to get out of Lima because the elections but we went on time. Finished our ride on the "playground" making some jumps. Group is doing very well! Tomorrow Olleros..."
Reading this I cannot help but reminice of my last time riding with Wayo in the Andes, a trip that i won't forget. I remember the first day on the bike on this trip - you've arrived in Lima the night before, a little tired, a little scattered in a big South American metropolis. The next day you drive out of the city in crazy traffic for the first ride, not really sure of what you're getting into. Then you get rolling on creamy singletrack in a surreal arid landscape followed by cold beers and laughs with new friends. Little do you know that this is just a slice of what's to come...the riding on this trip ramps up...and by day two you realize that you've never ridden such great trails, ever! Then each one trumps the other until your in a drunken daze of best rides ever...

Unloading the van for the first ride.

"Sun's setting quick, we'd better keep riding..."

Fuel for a big day ahead. The cuisine in Peru was surprisingly tasty.

Good wine & great singletrack

We mountain bikers are known to enjoy our post ride ales. In certain circles quality beer at the end of the ride is just as important as the singletrack ridden and it seems that everyone I meet is a burgeoning beer sommelier. I like beer too, but can a mountain biker drink wine and still be cool? Our Swiss all-mountain Cloudraker and downhill Alpenrock DH trips take place in the canton of Valais, which happens to be one of Switzerland's main wine producers. It's a spectacular region with sweeping vineyards that go from the shores of Lake Geneva up the mountainsides, and from the Rhone Valley up the steep slopes of the Alps. I can't think of another place in the world where you can descend 6000 feet of blissfull singletrack or ride 50 kms of unreal all-mountain trails that end in vineyards.
Last summer on a private trip, after a day of downhilling at the Crans Montana bike park we rolled down the long last descent of the day and stopped off at wine producers' "cave" for a tour of their production and a wine tasting, and then continued the last bit of riding down to Sierre and our hotel in the setting sun. What a great way to wrap up a day of riding. Ah, the good life...
Want to drink wine and ride your mountain bike in the Swiss Alps too? Get in touch with us and we'll make it happen.

Hmmmm, wine.

Descending down to the Rhone Valley post wine tasting. Eyes on the trail. Focus...

Photos: Taylor Holland. Thanks to the Holland family for a great trip!

Bikes, lights & desert heat...Vegas...

Last week was the Interbike show in Vegas where the North American bike scene meets up annually. The main purpose of the event is to showcase next year's cool bike stuff; retailers place orders, shake some hands, bro down - you name it, it was there. I'm sorry to say that i didn't take one single photo from the event which upon retrospect was lame. I connected with lots of friends who work in the bike industry and met some great people. Actually, there's one photo in here from the show - of Wade Simmons, Brett Tippie and Richey Schley getting inducted into the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. You'll recognize them from the fros...remember the Fro Riders?? Then you step out into the hot desert air and get swept up in the lights and action of the other world that is the sad world of the Vegas strip...


Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

old school

There's something cool about old black and white photographs from the 50's of stylee people and their bikes.

Bogart

G.Kelly

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Trim the fat

This video rules. The only word spoken is "whoooo" and there's no music needed. Rumour has it that this trail is in Revelstoke. It's in BC for sure. Who cares really? That's the beauty of it. It's straight up riding goodtimes with some innovative shots by Freeride Entertainment and solid riding by Matt Hunter.

Matt Hunter Descends 5000 feet of singletrack from NSMB.com on Vimeo.

today

woke up this morning to a steady drizzle and intermittent showers off the Pacific. ride was planned for 9am, no worries though, it's Saturday. pour a fresh cup of strong coffee from my french press, go for a walk with the baby and see what the day will bring. 11 am text comes in, "it's clearing, let's go." drive across the bridge and the showers return, start the climb in the rain. bummer, but im on my bike so im happy. the forest is beautiful, full of mist and soul. the rain stops and the roots are greasy like bacon grease. pop out of the forest into bright sunshine. great ride, great friends...riding rules!

 Climbing.

Joe and Jonny, top of the climb.

Joe.

Jordan Manley

I just went for a great ride on the North Shore's Dark Side trails with the very talented man behind the lens, Jordan Manley. Do you like photography as much as i do? Jordan has talent, and man can he ride a bike too - he's like a sword-wielding ninja attacking the forest with me chasing him down the mountain! Check out this slideshow of his that appeared in the 2009 Pro Photographer Showdown:


And while we're at it, sit back and enjoy this little ski travel doc created by Jordan.

The one?

Could you answer the question "what was your best ride of all time?" Is it possible to accurately respond? Was it the group that you were with? The fresh bike between your legs? The epic location? Or the conditions perhaps? Tough call eh? It must be a combination of all these things and more, the perfect storm of mountain biking good times. It's like skiing, where numerous times over a season you nail a morning, or a perfect powder line in the trees and catch yourself saying to someone..."that was the best day ever!"
A ride that sticks out for me in recent years and has to be one of the best...if not the one...is a ride i did in Peru with Wayo Stein and a group of animals from BC in April 2009. This one was mostly downhill, 56 kms long, with sections of the juiciest singletrack you could imagine. It was a burly approach, a way to long, way to crazy road in the Andes, but of so very worth it. I will go back and ride this trail again. OMG! Trust me on this one. Anyway, here's a photo of some of the crew that day nearing the shores of the Pacific and the end of the ride. Soon after this photo was taken i took a pretty big header too....I was punched!

YT & AK: that's a wrap!

A big thanks to the group who joined us on our first official Midnight Sun trip recently in the Yukon Territory and Alaska. From all reports and looking at the photos...it was a total success despite some fiesty fall weather. And more thanks to guides Ray Warner and Devo, the owner of Icycle Sports in Whitehorse, for leading the group up and down the mountains and across the landscape...cheers!!
Stay tuned for next year's dates and details...

 Top of the world!

Fall colours...

Silver Fern: a New Zealand road trip

11 nights & 12 days. What can be packed into this limited time? In the country of New Zealand as it turns out, a whole lot. This new trip promises to ride a good chunk of NZ, undoubtedly one of the planet's most beautiful places. From the rugged, high snowy peaks of the Southern Alps, to the Canterbury Plains and seaside singletrack near Christchurch, to beautiful Nelson, then over to the capital Wellington and it's rolling green hills, to Lake Taupo's geothermal landscape of volcanos, to Rotorua's vibrant Maori culture and lush old-growth singletrack and finally into Auckland for final night festivities and the flight home. A road trip from one end to the other, are you in? It's XC with a little all-mountain sprinkled in and in the heart of the southern summertime. Silver Fern, come join us next March!

photo: Derek Frankowski

This week on the front lines, Midnight Sun...Yukon Territory & Alaska

Internet has been sporadic at best on our Midnight Sun trip, but guide Ray Warner has squeaked out a few update images from the high north...

 The group approaching the Samuel Glacier.

 Setting sun in Kluane National Park...red sky at night, mountain bikers delight...

What's in the bag?

Yukon and Alaska trip...next week

This year's highly anticipated Midnight Sun trip starts this Sunday in Whitehorse, Yukon Territory. Missed this year's trip? Here are some pics to get you dreaming about joining us next year in the pristine and beautiful high north with great fall colours....

Lifecycles teaser...whoa!

in the driver's seat at crankworx slopestyle

Fresh Swiss vid from Joe

Join Joe this summer mountain biking in the Alps!

Smith Optics

Did you know that Ketchum, Idaho based Smith Optics has a complete line of shades and goggles dedicated to mountain biking? Yes, that's right. Not road biking or moto goggles or urban eyewear but stylee eye protection designed for those who ride mountain bikes. And we're pumped here at Big Mountain because our guides are rolling with Smith. Next time you're in your favorite bike shop grab a pair and slide them on, you'll see why - feather light, super visuals and with the style that you'd expect from Smith.

Above, the Pivlock V90 that comes with three sets of lenses which you can change in a matter of seconds. A great choice for riding bikes.

A few spots left...Yukon & Alaska Sept 5-11!

A quick flight from Vancouver to Whitehorse, Yukon Territory, and one of the planet's premiere adventure capitals. After a hot summer of riding at home, why not join us on this fantastic cross-country adventure in Canada's north? Highlights of our Midnight Sun trip? Sweet Whitehorse singletrack, a mind-blowing Kluane National Park ride, ferry from Haines to Skagway Alaska and great riding in the sleepy hamlet of Carcross...and beautiful views the whole time. Your guide is Yukon legend Ray Warner who will uncover the myths and show you the best trails in the area. Get in touch with us today!

Still not convinced? Watch this slideshow....and this video...

out of the shadows

if you're a skier you can't help but sit up and shift a little when you watch this ripping teaser. i know it's summer, where riding as much as possible and most of the northern hemisphere is in a heat wave but it's nice to get a taste of pointing it down a big snowy mountain. nice work from a group of relatively unknown skiers from BC, impressive skiing and cinematography. can't wait to see the whole flick.

MacAskill and his sticky meat in Chamonix

Always a pleasure to watch MacAskill ride his bike...he sees a landscape with a different set of eyes. I'm not sure that he needs the Alps as a backdrop to spruce up the shoot.

Joe update

Wondering what Joe's up to these days? This just in...

Hello,
I hope everyone's summer is off to a great start! I have been super pinned since I finished school off for the year. My Bike mag feature trip to Burns Lake was really fun, look for the story 
in a future Bike. I've been working with a couple photographers this season so far, and produced some sweet shots with Jordan Manley on the Shore, and Colin Meagher near Mt St Helens. I just wrapped up my sold-out Joe Schwartz Bike Camp in Calgary, where I rode with a bunch of stoked kids for the week. I am up in Whistler for the next three weeks, coaching Summer Gravity 
Camps. I also have a couple planned photo shoots while I am up there. After Whistler I head straight to Switzerland to run two downhill trips for Big Mountain Bike Adventures. I have a few spaces on my first trip (Aug 5-13) if anyone knows someone who has a little extra time and money on 
their hands! I have been posting a bunch of Regular Joe travel stories, photos and 
videos on my Regular Joe blog, so check that out! I have been shooting a lot with my GoPro cam this season, it has been fun to cut some videos. Expect to see a lot more as the summer shifts into an 
even higher gear! Have fun out there!  Joe

Alpenrock DH next month: a few spots left!

Next month we're off to the Swiss Alps to DH the singletrack with BC legends Wade Simmons and Joe Schwartz and we've got a few spots left. Want to join us? When will you ever get the chance to ride with these legends for 9 days in the Alps?

August 5-13: a few spots open, guided by Joe Schwartz and Stephen Matthews
August 13-21: full
August 21-29: a few spots open, guided by Wade Simmons and Stephen Matthews

Check out a photo essay on NSMB.com with unreal photos by Blake Jorgenson. 

A look back: Kranked I

It's amazing to see how far mountain biking has come in such a short time...I wonder where it'll be ten years from now?

Chromag

There's a little company out of Whistler BC that's shaking up the status quo with some really cool technology. They're called Chromag. You might have seen them around. We rock Chromags' bars, stems and saddles and we could not be happier. Add their bars to your ride and you'll be happy you did, it'll change the way you ride.

Top ten reasons to book your next trip with us!

1. Our leaders are former Olympians, professional mountain bikers and consummate, passionate professionals, oh, and they're the kind of people that you'll want to sit beside at dinner.
2. We know mountain biking like the back of our hand and we'll recommend the right trip for you.
3. What's the weather like at Machu Picchu? What tires are best for the Dolomites? We know each destination intimately.
4. We'll pick you up at the airport and drop you off at the end of your trip and in between you can ride as much, or as little as you want.
5. Rest assured, safely is our top priority.
6. Need some riding tips? Our guides are happy to help.
7. Our pre-trip assistance is comprehensive. We'll help you book flights, find the best insurance, book extra hotel nights and make sure that you are well prepared for the adventure ahead.
8. Expect small groups and great results on all our departures. Looking for a custom trip? Let us know.
9. We love to ride but also appreciate the local culture, great food and sights. Expect to come home enriched.
10. We've done the research; we work with the locals and will take you to the best riding that's most often not on any map.

Spring showers brings thoughts of...

So here in Vancouver and Whistler we're having a bit of a wet spring...OK, it's been more than just a bit wet, it's been downright nasty; on and off like a tap...the steam of weather is a straight line from from the Philippines to Vancouver which means at least it's been warm...

 

A few days ago a few of us drove up the highway from Vancouver while a few more drove down from Whistler to meet in Squamish. On the phone that morning we seriously considered pulling the plug on the ride as rain was threatening, as usual. We went anyway and man, what a good call. Squamish, which has always been one of my favorite places to ride anywhere has been investing big dough in new trail development and let me tell you....the new additions are unreal. Crazy-fun berms a la A-Line interspersed with really fun pumping singletrack in a beauty mossy green forest. We rode Ted's new Half Nelson, Psudosuga, Deliverance, Your Mom...it rained a little but we didn't even notice.

The moral of the story is get out and ride. Rain. Shine. Whatever. You'll be happy you did!

Live in Vancouver? Slideshow & short films next Thurs!

Come out and get inspired to ride. Photos from around the globe and short video clips. Read about it on NSMB. Hope to see you soon!

Cloudraker in the Swiss Alps

I just got an email from a Swiss friend, Raphael Faiss, who's guided some of our Cloudraker trips in years past. His email was simple, "incredible ride," was all it said with the photo below and the photo above attached. Indeed Raph, that was an incredible ride. I remember that particular trip...it was mid-August and the weather was particularly fiesty. Usually we get a few tough moments weather-wise...a rainy morning or full day of drizzle or maybe even some fresh snow in the highest rides. On this trip it was nasty for what seemed like seven out of ten days. I remember leaving the Cabane de Mont Fort one morning (after spending the night) and it was pissing rain, cold, and almost snowing. Ouch. We started the day with a traverse and then a very very long downhill to the Rhone Valley far below. By the time we started the descent my fingers were frozen, fortunately by the time we arrived at the van it was hot and sun was out. The photos above and below are a few days later, just before dropping into the famous Brazilian descent. What trumps my memories of the tough weather was the group. Despite the challenges we pulled together and gelled like old friends, helping each other up and down the big mountains, laughing at the tough moments and buying extra rounds of beers at the end of each day. If any of you from that group are reading this...thanks for the great rides. And to all of you who've joined us on our Cloudraker trip over the years...thanks for joining us! We pioneered some of the rides in the Valais region believe it or not. Cloudraker has always been my favorite trip, it's not always easy, but it sure is worth it...And thanks Raphael for taking time to be such a great companion in your backyard. Maybe one day i will be able to keep up to you on the climbs!

Trans Portugal

Friends just got home from the TRANSPORTUGAL multi stage race that crosses Portugal from the North to South over 9 stages totalling approximately 1150 km. Hmmmmmm, that's 127 kms per day by the way, a whole lot of mountain biking! The race starts in the city of Bragança and finishes in Sagres in the Algarve with only 60 participants max at the start line. Do you want to do the 2011 version? It sounds tough, but beautiful! Check out these great photos by Carlos Dias. Makes me want to go riding in Portugal!

Live in Calgary? You could win a spot on our Alpenrock DH trip...

If you live in Calgary and are looking for a new bike...buy a Trek from Calgary Cycle and you'll be entered to win a spot on our famous Alpenrock DH trip with Joe Schwartz. The odds are pretty good that you'll be riding sweet singletrack in the land of cows, cheese and big, big mountains...see you in Geneva!

Ride with Joe in the Alps

Some sweet views from Big Mountain guide and teacher extraordinaire Joe Schwartz, summer 2009. Former pro mountain biker with mad skills, professional heli ski and mountain bike guide,  cultural aficionado, French speaker, master mountain bike instructor and the kind of great guy that you want to hang out with...could Joe be the ultimate guide? Want to ride with Joe this summer? I think we might have a few spots left on our Alpenrock DH trip.

Ten things about mountain biking in Whistler

Thanks to our friends at Chromag for this...

not a bad day. more Brendan...

Brendan Semenuk and his Rock Shox in Durango

Smooth like butter. It's such a pleasure to watch Brendan rail the Colorado dirt with impressive precision yet natural slackness.

What do you ride? Take a quick poll...

Peru update and photos: yesterday

Ray Warner's email that arrived from Lima last night:

It´s official.  We´re in Peru.  It feels kind of surreal really...  Bob from BC summed it up yesterday when he said, "I'm just waiting to wake up, because this cant really be happening."  He said that as we continued our ascent to over 10,000 feet in a luxury bus on what appeared to be a burro trail.... One cannot truly appreciate the beauty of the Andes without seeing it first hand.  The warm people....The great weather...The AMAZING food....The history and the culture.....All these have combined to make this an experience out of this world.  Or the world I know, anyway.  Then there´s the riding.  WOW..  Each day has been an over the top sampling of tasty singletrack while viewing the rugged Andes.  Chutes, drops, flow, slickrock.  It´s like all the places I´ve ridden in one destination.  How can you beat that?

The group - that's Ray third from the left with the extra big smile and guide extraordinaire Wayo Stein at the front.

The shuttle bus loaded up mid-ascent. The destination? 10,000 feet to a ride that ends on the shores of the Pacific. That's a big big descent!

BTW, we can create a custom DH or all-mountain trip in Peru if you want. Gather some friends and get in touch with us and we'll let you know the details. For Canucks, Air Canada flies direct from Toronto to Lima which is really convenient...

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Win a summer of shred with BC Bike Parks

Hmmm....summer dreaming...
It's June 19 and you just found out that you won the contest: a season's pass at each of BC's best bike parks - Whistler, Silver Star, Sun Peaks, Fernie and Mount Washington. And, two extra day tix and two nights accommodation, two days of bike rentals to each of the resorts for a friend...and a G note for whatever you want. Beer perhaps?
Suddenly, you get inspired: you call your mom and tell her the good news, you quit the job that you hate anyway, you buy a beater car, toss all your gear in it and throw a rack on it and hit the open road. Summer off. Grow your hair, get some new shades, get some new flip flops. Your roomate can deal with your mail, you set up auto-pay on your bills. Camping, friends, riding across BC. No schedule and no one to tell you what to do.
Enough dreaming. Enter the contest. I am. Go to Bike Parks BC or Facebook. 

Scott Dickson & the art of mountain biking

You probably haven't heard of artist Scott Dickson but you've surely admired his work when you picked up a copy of Freeride Entertainment's New World Disorder movies, or seen one of their ads in Bike Magazine. Well, that's Dickson's art. That's right, the chaotic mess of characters burning shit, breaking shit and causing general mahem with a mountain biker usually airborn in there somewhere - Never Enough, Smackdown, Ride the Lightening etc. See the Kootenay-based Dickson's website for more of his work. There's not enough art in mountain biking. Thanks Scott for inspiring us with your beautiful creations.

Calgary slideshow this Thursday!

Read more about this Thursday's Calgary slideshow and Brighter film premiere on NSMB.com and Kona's Cog blog. Come out, it's going to be fun

Earlier today near Lima, Peru

"Today we went for an extra ride before the start of the trip and the guys were amazed with this little ride hehe. Wait until they see what's to come! We are already having a lot of fun and drinking just a few beers. Looks like we are going to have a super trip!" Words from our guide extraordinaire, Wayo Stein, in an email that just came in a few hours ago.
A group of Canucks from Ottawa just arrived into Peru yesterday. With them is Ray Warner who heads up our Yukon Midnight Sun trip. Stay posted here for more updates on this trip!

Want to ride the Andes with Big Mountain? Trust us, it's UNREAL!! Let's go. 

Copenhagen Chic

According to the Population Reference Bureau "The world has experienced unprecedented urban growth in recent decades. In 2008, for the first time, the world's population was evenly split between urban and rural areas. There were more than 400 cities over 1 million and 19 over 10 million. More developed nations were about 74 percent urban, while 44 percent of residents of less developed countries lived in urban areas. However, urbanization is occurring rapidly in many less developed countries. It is expected that 70 percent of the world population will be urban by 2050, and that most urban growth will occur in less developed countries."
Interesting trend isn't it? Does this mean that more of us will choose the bike to get around than the car? I sure hope so. Even better, if we can adopt habits like our much cooler friends in Copenhagen or Barcelona where the bike is...like a vacuum. Check this mini doc out from Mikael Andersen, founder of the sexy blog Copenhagen Chic. You might not like all his ideals, but he's definitely got some solid thoughts. Enjoy.

no couch for you today

Ray Warner who runs our Yukon Midnight Sun trip woke up this morning to find that his Trek Remedy moved overnight. I think the bike is trying to tell him something...

Calgary slideshow Thurs April 29

Big Mountain, Calgary Cycles and NSMB.COM presents two shows...a slideshow of epic proportions starring Sterling Lorence in Iceland, Jordan Manley on the North Shore, Matt Domanski in Utah, Dan Barham in Alaska and the Yukon, Canmore-based John Gibson in Argentina and a little piece by Chris Winter in Peru.
Next in line is of the moving pictures type...a new film called Brighter by Nelson-based New Wave Cinema. Expect an action-packed blowout of raw talent in this film...riders include Mike Kinrade, Casey Groves, Garett Buehler, Kurt Sorge and more. At the helm of this film is Tamas Forde, a former editor for New World Disorder.

Details of the show!
DATE: Thurs, April 29
TICKETS: $10, at Calgary Cycle or at the door
TIME: 7 PM
WHERE: Mount Royal University, Jenkins Theater rm 115

Peru trip featured in UK mag

We're flattered here at Big Mountain, What Mountain Bike magazine from the UK just printed a 7-page feature on our Peru Incredible Andes all-mountain trip. We are pumped! "If you're after high adrenalin, high mountain riding with a colourful culture for a backdrop, then the Peruvian Andes are hard to beat," says journalist Jason Sumner. We could not have said it any better. This trip is seriously worldclass and a must for any mountain biker. Get some friends together and get in touch with us!

In this photo by Chris Christie, Big Mountain owner Chris Winter and guide Andreas Hestler are dropping down to the Sacred Valley.

a collision of cultures, somewhere in Morocco this week...

have we told you lately that Morocco is unreal? it's true. think Sedona but transported to North Africa - centuries-old singletrack used by nomadic Berber tribes, towns straight out of Nat Geo, cities straight out of an Indian Jones flick...and a whole lot more. It's exotic yet European. And the riding...is very good.
Our current Dirt Merchant trip in Morocco is XC but if you're looking for an all-mountain or even DH trip just let us know, we can set it up for you. Best time to go is September through mid-November...grab some friend, get in touch with us and book your flights!

Check out these sweet photos from photographer Jaroslav Soukup, of pro rider Richard "Gaspi" Gasperotti from Jirkov, Czech Republic. By the way, Gaspi was clocked going 218 km being towed behind a speed bike recently, the world speed record...ballsy!

 

feel things

If being crazy means living life as if it matters, then I dont mind being completely insane. I want to feel things. Really feel them.

- Marie Antoinette

Pic of the Day: Costa Rica DH

photographer and all-round design shinobe Anthony Smith from the4color went on our recent Pura Vida DH trip in Costa Rica and captured some truly stylee images. this particular one made photo of the day on Bikerumor.com. check out Anthony's slideshow here...sit back and enjoy....

Kevin Landry in Squampton

Just up the road from Vancouver and just down the road from Whistler is a town called Squamish...which some call Squampton because of it's trailer parks, red necks and new Wallmart from some angles it shines a little like Compton CA, kinda. Beyond these features lies one killer network of man-made trails built by masters like Big Red Ted of Red Bull Rampage fame and a host of other builders. The place is insane - big bike shuttles or endless all-mountain loops, Squamish is worldclass. This clip is of Big Mountain guide Kevin Landry who built the trail himself. Want to ride with Landry? Well you can...join us on our new Sea to Sky all-mountain or Backstage Pass DH trips this summer and the man himself will show you around. Or we can set you up with a private tour of our backyard. Don't worry, not all the trails are as burly as this one. Put it on full screen, sit back and enjoy the ride....

dogs who shred

some dogs eat up trail like it's a big bowl of meat - head down, airing stunts and corners, chasing the odd wildlife and chilling when it's time to chill. some dogs know trail etiquette better than some riders. these guys are singletrack fiends, built to run in the forest and were pumped to hit their local trails in Pemberton BC. Gray and Bree weren't home and PK was holding down the fort. let's ride!

cold beer

that got your attention! we just wrapped up our annual migration south to Costa Rica with Wade Simmons and several groups of downhill riders from all over the planet. thanks Wade, and thanks to all for joining us! we'll have our 2011 dates up soon...let's go!

Thanks to Christophe from Germany for this enticing photo. Want to see more of Christophe's visuals? Click here.

A look back, with Ride Guide in Switzerland

This clip was shot back in...2007 i think? The Schwartz bros came over and we sessioned Zermatt for a good week and then hit some of our favorite rides down the Rhone Valley. Ah, good times!!

fixed-grip thoughts

i've wondered over my lifetime how much time i've spent on chairlifts and t-bars. back in the day when they were fixed-grip it'd take a lot longer to get to the top. i remember skiing Tremblant where a ride up could take 25 mins and of course it was minus 30 out. lots of time to reflect on all these rides. am i a different person because of the time i spent reflecting on the chair? who knows. enjoy this ride, it's entertaining...

dreams of skiing

Dreams can take you anywhere. Ski photographer Kari Medig takes us on a trip.


Pillow Line from Kari Medig on Vimeo.

Ticino, Switzerland all-mountain video

Tucked in the southern part of Switzerland, the Ticino region is mountainous and dotted with lakes and palm trees and the locals speak Italian. It's dry and rocky compared to the rest of the country and has more deciduous forests. Enjoy this video....hopefully it'll inspire you to dream of big rides this summer.

follow me

Where pavement, culture and dirt collide.

Bridging the Gap Vol.1 from Joseph Lobato on Vimeo.

Good times.

Do you remember that feeling as a super-keener little grom hanging out with friends on your street for hours and hours on your bikes? This photo brings me back to my street in rural Ontario where i'd spend days, summers, on my BMX working on wheelies and nose stands and a 3-foot pile of dirt was all we needed for a week-end of action. What worries? I've decided to take this to heart this year and i'm dedicating this riding season to...having fun like the old days. I know, i know, sounds simple...but put yourself back into that little mind that you had. OK, good. Bike. Friends. Fun. Nothing more. Want to join me in this challenge?