Austin TX slideshow

In Austin tomorrow? If so swing over to the Bicycle Sports Shop here see some great images, have a few cold ales and meet Tyler Moore from Big Mountain.




Mr. Moore during our Copper Canyon trip in Mexico while unveiling Trek's new Remedy line. He won the mustache contest.

Some more Peru photos on Flickr

A few favs...

The main church in Cuzco with some threatening clouds brewing above.


I couldn't resist. I've heard that South American men like booty but check that out! That's one happy Mr. Artichoke. Eso es un asno loco!

Back at home

The planet is getting smaller and smaller. 24 hours ago I was interacting with people who've lived the same way for generations, surviving along with the cycles of the earth, and a blue pill later (sleeping pill, don't worry) and a few quick flights...and i'm sitting back in Vancouver deciding if i should wear my tan shoes with the blue slacks or the brown ones as i make plans for the week-end via my iPhone and email. Who's better off one wonders? One thing i know for sure, it sure was nice to have a hot shower, brush my teeth with sink water, not have diarrhea, have a burger on the Q, oh and the games on tonight...


Funny photo of some band members and a dancer chilling before a parade. I feel like the guy with the trumpet right now.



I'm not sure the significance of these fancy balaclava-tuques but talk about spooky eh?

Local Peruvians...

This little boy was SO happy it was contagious. Stoked! We drove up to a town at nearly 3500 meters and as soon as we stepped out of the van the whole town came out to greet us. We then climbed up past 4 g's - what a grind. Wow, talk about a fitness test. At the top though it was more than worth it...


This is yours truly with a 110 year-old woman who is 2 generations from the Incas. It was an honour to meet her and then ride the trails that her and her ancestors have been using for hundreds of years.

Cuzco

Wow. Since the last post a lot has happened. We hopped on a plane out of Lima for a 1-hour flight to the high altitude city of Cuzco, sitting comfortably at 3400 meters. What a place! Parts of it reminded me of Seville with grand squares and earth-coloured churches, narrow cobbled streets and lively bars. Our hotel was right on the main square which was fantastic. Upon arrival in Cuzco we got a little excited and tipped back a host of Pisco Sours, a fiesty Peruvian cocktail that lights a fire under your butt pretty quick...we gots a little tipsy. We headed into the big mountains for several days and visited UNESCO world heritage site Machu Picchu which was a sight to see. A few from our group opted instead for a day of dirt biking and hot springs...decisions, decisions...


Andreas Hestler after a few too many Pisco Sours at 3400 meters...


Our group at the highest point of the trip, 4500 meters. Very, very good times...

equestrian shuttle with a little help from the locs...

Maybe it was the altitude? Whatever it was, this place was magical. Here we are relaxing in the sun, local Inca descendants and mountain bikers, mountain people from different worlds.


The ascent: fiesty horses, hot sun, altitude and jaw-dropping views.

very big days

I could not muster up the energy to post anything yesterday. Up at 5am and back to the hotel at 8pm, shower, dinner, KO'd. What a day. After leaving Lima we drove up and up into the arid Andes for hours on a crazy road to around 12, 700 feet. This is as high as i've been. Fortunately we were heading downhill from there for 56 km. The trail was absolutely ridiculous - with several sections that were best evers in terms of pure riding pleasure, and each section distinctly different and the final pedal strokes to the crashing waves of the Pacific Ocean. I will ride that trail again one day for sure.
Today we were up again at 5am and again we drove up and up on another head shaking road through some of the biggest mountains that I've ever seen to a town at 10,000 feet perched up on a dramatic mountain knoll. It was hot and sunny. From there we boarded small mountain horses while local boys pushed our bikes up (i know, i know...but they were making some money for their efforts) to a pre-Inca ruin and Moab-esque rocky plateau at 13,500 feet. My horse was fiesty and wanted to pin it up the mountain path which i did not like at all. But the rest of the group was in stiches as i went barreling past them. The descent today was much different than yesterday; the landscape was lush and the aspect that we descended was steep and extra large. The trail was also much more technical than yesterday, I was so happy to be on my 6-inch Trek Remedy 9 and Rock Shox Lyric fork - they saved my butt a few times. Today's ride and the whole day was truly epic. EPIC.
Tomorrow...up at 5am again and were off to the airport for the 1 hour flight to Cuzco which i'm really looking forward to. We're heading further into the big mountains...talk to you tomorrow if we have internet.


4000 feet in the can, 8000 feet to go...


curious kids...

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.