Ultimate Road Trip Blog

Crankworx with Vinay Menon

2010-08-11T13:20:00.000-07:00

Kokanee Crankworx - Day 3 Canadian Open Enduro from Crankworx on Vimeo.

Vinay hits Ride, Don't Slide with the legendary Brett Tippie.

Ultimate Summer of Free Ride winner Vinay checks in from Mount Washington

2010-08-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

This past weekend, the Bike Parks BC Ultimate Summer of Free Ride winner Vinay Kumar Menon rode his first bike park ever. Mount Washington Alpine Resort played host to Vinay, and the Indian freeride took full advantage of the opportunity. Check out Vinay's email below, and visit our Facebook page for more updates as Vinay travels around the province.

From Vinay:

Hey! Thought I'll forward a few pix of my Mt. Washington visit, includes a BC Cup DH race day shot!

Rode the 'Big Brother' to get an idea of the trails, then hopped on to the Monster Mile! Challenging!Enjoyed it!

Day Three, I rode the Back In Black/Wizard! got sum pix there...hit all the advanced obstacles! Loved it! Actually hiked up a few times to session on certain drops! Later launched off the Big Drop 2, visible near the chair lift area(Cudnt get a pic o dat1)!

HAD A GR8 TIME!

Thanx

-Vinay Kumar Menon

It's Judging Time!

2010-06-14T14:25:00.001-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, the time has come for our celebrity judging panel to hold court over the Ultimate Summer of Free Ride entries and pick the winner. Who will they pick? Will they be impressed by the amount of votes the top entries managed to round up? Or will they focus on the pure passion and enthusiasm of others? No one knows except the judges themselves so stay tuned. The winner will be revealed soon....

FIVE DAYS LEFT TO ENTER BIKE PARKS BC ULTIMATE SUMMER OF FREERIDE CONTEST

2010-06-09T21:19:00.001-07:00

Over 100 Riders Vying For Votes To Win – Enter By June 14

06.09.2010 – WHISTLER, BC – On June 14 Bike Parks BC's panel of celebrity judges will begin sifting through hundreds of photographs and blogs submitted by riders explaining why they deserve the most epic season of stoke ever awarded.

The good news for mountain bikers looking to win the ultimate summer of freeride is the contest is open at www.bikeparksbc.com until midnight on June 14. The grand prize is a season pass at each of B.C.'s best bike parks: Whistler Mountain Bike Park, Silver Star Bike Park, Sun Peaks Resort, Fernie Alpine Resort and Mount Washington Bike Park. Plus, the winner will also get two lift tickets, two nights accommodation, two days of bike rentals, and a half day of expert guiding to share with a friend at each resort during the 2010 summer season; not to mention $1,000 to create the most epic summer road trip ever.

Bike Parks BC's panel of celebrity judges shared some insights on what they would be looking for in a winning submission:

Cam McRae, Editor of NSMB.e.MAGAZINE
“So you want to come to British Columbia, the land of adventure - and the best bike parks in the world? Then you better learn how to spell. In all seriousness, I think originality, photography and story telling prowess are going to take the day. And spelling.”

Darcy Turenne, Pro Freeride Mountain Bike Athlete & Television Host
“I'm judging 100 per cent on grammar. Just kidding...but it helps. Positive people are a must and if you really want to grab my vote, not much makes me happier than a story or a good joke.”

Harookz, Professional Photographer
“I want to award the person who truly lives for, breathes for and dreams about riding every minute of their lives. Have you ever ditched a special date for never ending singletrack? Called in sick to rail the bike park on hero dirt? Who is the most dedicated rider out there??”

Mitchell Scott, Publisher of Kootenay Mountain Culture
“We've got to see the passion. Feel the passion!”

Jordie Lunn, Professional Mountain Biker
"Don't worry, I won't be judging any grammar or spelling... That's not what riding is all about. Show me your passion, show me why you really deserve to win this contest!"

Riders can enter the Bike Parks BC “Ultimate Summer of Free Ride” contest until midnight, June 14. The public will be able to vote for their favourites to determine the finalists announced June 15. A panel of celebrity judges will then determine the winner and on June 19 someone's ultimate summer of free ride with Bike Parks BC will begin.

For more information and official contest rules and regulations about Bike Parks BC “Ultimate Summer of Free Ride” contest check out www.bikeparksbc.com. Don't forget to “like” www.facebook.com/bikeparksbc and follow @bikeparksbc on Twitter for all the latest news.

About Bike Parks BC
Formed in 2005, Bike Parks B.C. is a partnership of British Columbia's top all season resorts, Tourism British Columbia and the Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association. Bike Parks B.C.'s resort partners offer the very best facilities and services for mountain biking found anywhere in North America.

Bike Parks BC partnership is managed and coordinated by the Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association (MBTA). The goal of the partnership is to create greater awareness about the many mountain biking resort destinations found in British Columbia. Each resorts offers a full range of accommodation and service options, professionally lead programs, high speed lifts, outstanding trails and fabulous mountain scenery.

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Media Note: Photography is available, please email michelle@origindesign.ca.

Media Contact: Michelle Leroux, 604.902.1622
E: michelle@origindesign.ca

Bike Parks BC: Martin Littlejohn 604.254.4266
E: media@bikeparksbc.com

BIKE PARK "LOOKING BUFF" FOR OPENING AT FERNIE ALPINE RESORT

2010-06-09T10:51:00.000-07:00

Fernie, British Columbia - Fernie Alpine Resort is getting ready for summer opening on June 26th and the trails in the Bike Park are shaping up nicely, thanks to the hard work from our fantastic trail crew and Bike Park Supervisor, Marc Ledoux. Marc says, "Even with a moist few weeks here in the Bike Park, the trails here are looking buff! The trail crew are hard at it, fixing ruts, clearing sight lines, and removing fallen trees to make our trails even smoother. Until the snow melts (just a bit more on the Timber side), we are focusing our attention to the bread and butter trails off the Elk chair. We are also improving our base area bike lanes so bikers and trucks don't kiss, and planning to resurface our Dual Slalom track this week - it should be smoother than a fish soaked chain lube!"

Starting Saturday June 26th, Fernie Alpine Resort will have Thursday - Sunday operations for lift-accessed biking, hiking, and site-seeing. New extended hours on Thursday and Friday night (open until 7pm) open up the opportunity for out of town riders, or locals working the 9-5'er, to get a few runs before the sun sets. For visiting guests, this means they can check into their accommodations and head out onto the trails to scope out their next day's adventure or participate in one of the new weekly activities such as the Thursday night Race Series or Friday night Drop-in Skills Clinic. For those looking to learn the sport, both private instruction and scheduled camps for both children and women are available.

Opening weekend will also feature a special Community Appreciation Day on Sunday June 27th. Local residents from Fernie, Sparwood, Elkford, Elko & Jaffray are invited to come enjoy a full day of fun with complimentary lift access for biking, hiking, and sightseeing as well as 25% off bike rentals and a special charity BBQ for the Fernie Mountain Bike Club. Please note that Fernie Alpine Resort is open to the public on this day and proof of residency will be required to take advantage of the community offer.

For more details on summer operations at Fernie Alpine Resort, visit: www.skifernie.com/summer or call Guest Services at 250-423-4665

Summer Hours of Operation

Thursday - Sunday & Holidays
Open Date: Saturday June 26, 2010
Close Date: Sunday Aug 29, 2010
Bonus Weekend: Labour Day Weekend - Sept 4-6, 2010

Elk Quad Chairlift:
Thursday & Friday - NEW! extended evening hours! 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays* - 10:00 am - 4:30 pm

Timber Express Chairlift:
Saturday, Sunday & Holidays* - 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

*Holidays include:
Canada Day (July 1), Civic Holiday (August 2), and Labour Day Weekend (September 4- 6)
Please note: Schedule is subject to change

Special Events

July 10 - Lost Boys Lungbuster MTB Hill Climb
- The ultimate challenge for hard-core climbers - 2100 vertical feet!

Aug 21 - 22 - Full Throttle Mountain Bike Festival
Weekend highlights include: Super D Downhill Race, Dirt Crit Race, Dual Slalom Competition, and Junior Downhill Race. NEW! "Wham Bam Dirt Jump Jam" on Saturday evening, presented by the Fernie Mountain Bike Club.

What the judges are looking for...

2010-06-08T14:23:00.000-07:00

On Sunday, entries will be closed for the Ultimate Summer of Free Ride contest. It will then be up to our esteemed panel of judges to pick a winner. What are the judges looking for? You might be surprised. Here's a few quotes from the crew:

Harookz, photographer extraordinaire/second nicest person in the world: "I want to award the person who truly lives for, breathes for and dreams about riding every minute of their lives. Have you ever ditched a special date for never ending singletrack? Called in sick to rail the bikepark on hero dirt? Who's the most dedicated rider out there??"

Darcy Turenne, professional rider/nicest person in the world: "I'm judging 100% on grammar. Just kidding...but it helps. Positive people are a must and if you really want to grab my vote, not much makes me happier than a story or a good joke. Good luck!"

Cam McRae, the man behind NSMB.com: "Funny? Not funny? So you want to come to B.C., the land of adventure - and the best bike parks in the world? Then you better learn how to spell. In all seriousness, I think originality, photography and story telling prowess are going to take the day. And spelling."

Mitchell Scott, writer, editor, hockey fanatic: "We've got to see the passion. Feel the passion!"

Jordie Lunn, enigma/professional rider: ...

Silverstar Bike Parks Tips

2010-06-01T12:13:00.000-07:00

Bike Shops – Sky Ride Cycle and Double Diamond Repair Shop

Best breakfast place – Bugaboos Bakery and Cafe

Best apres beer-and-nachos spot – The Saloon

Best camping option - Cedar Falls Campground at the base of the mountain

Best bike-friendly hotel option - Lord Aberdeen Hotel

Best pre-ride coffee spot – Bean To Cup (in Vernon and at Silver Star)

Best place to drink fresh locally-brewed beer – Okanagan Spring Brewery

Best spot to catch live music – Funtastic Slow Pitch Tournament

Best spot to go for a swim and lay on the beach - Juniper Beach in Kal Park and Kal Beach

Best places to get your burger fix – The Bulldog Cafe

Best place to get a bite to eat and celebrate the day – The Saloons patio

Well-known riders that call Silverstar home: Benton Hennig, Steve Romaniuk, Benton Leong, Garrett Robertson

Mount Washington Bike Parks Tips

2010-05-21T10:56:00.000-07:00

Bike Shops - Tread Shed is the only shop on-mountain and has everything you need to rent, buy, or fix your way to the bike park

Best breakfast place - if by breakfast you mean the first ride of the day, then you should check out MMT.

Best apres beer-and-nachos spot - forget the nachos, but if you're talking beer, the only beer out here is Lucky Lager and it's served icy cold in Fat Teddy's Bar and Grill

Best camping option - the Hawk Parking Lot....yes, it's a parking lot but it's free and bonus, there's a bathroom! it's also a two second walk to the Hawk Chair

Best bike-friendly hotel option - on-mountain, your best bet is Slopeside Accomodations...it's slopeside.

Best pre-ride coffee spot - The mountain's General Store offers the best fresh brewed mocha-frappa-chai-latte drink you've ever had.

Best place to drink fresh locally-brewed beer - Fat Teddy's Grill slings out good ol' Pipers Pale Ale and Spy Hopper from Vancouver Island Brewery

Best spot to catch live music - The Big Day Up is happening on July 17 and features Australian band The Cat Empire. Otherwise, truck down to Cumberland and hit a local pub

Best spot to go for a swim and lay on the beach - drive 2.5 hours west young man and hit the pristine sands of Tofino's Long Beach and Cox Bay.

Best places to get your burger fix - without a doubt, drive to Cumberland and hit the Waverley Hotel. Wednesday night is legendary burger night. don't think about it, just do it.

Best place to get a bite to eat and celebrate the day - stop eating and go out and ride!

Well-known riders that call Mount Washington home - you may not have heard of this guy yet, but his name is Darren Berrecloth- he's real good.

Crank It Up 2010 - Video

2010-05-20T12:38:00.001-07:00

Want to know how good the trails are at Whistler Bike Park? Here's a brand new video from our opening week. Enjoy and see you soon!

Whistler Bike Park Insider Tips

2010-05-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

Whistler Bike Parks Tips

In a new department here at the Bike Parks BC blog, we will be bringing you inside tips on each Bike Park. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comment section. Our first entry is from Whistler and Whistler Mountain Bike Park. They open May 15th so if you haven't already done so, plan your trip now! - MB

Bike Shops - Garbanzo Bike & Bean, Summit, Evolution

Best breakfast place - Southside Diner, Alpine Cafe, Element, Garbanzo Bike & Bean

Best apres beer-and-nachos spot - Garibaldi Lift Company (GLC),

Best camping option - Riverside Campground

Best bike-friendly hotel option - Aava Whistler Hotel

Best pre-ride coffee spot - The Lift Coffee Company

Best place to drink fresh locally-brewed beer - The Brewhouse

Best spot to catch live music - Garibaldi Lift Company

Best spot to go for a swim and lay on the beach - Lost Lake

Best places to get your burger fix - Splitz Grill, Dusty's Grill

Best place to get a bite to eat and celebrate the day - Sushi Village,

Sun Peaks Bike Park Insider Tips

2010-05-08T10:06:00.000-07:00

Best Bike Shop – At Sun Peaks, Time to Ride for small jobs; in Kamloops, just pick one they’re seriously all great – Full Boar Bike Store, Bicycle Café, Spoke n’ Motion, Taboo Cycle

Best Breakfast Place – Café 540, filling breakfast sandwiches and bagels along with mountain bike videos playing 24/7

Best Apres Beer and Appetizers – Masa’s Bar + Grill Patio

Best Camping option – Heffley Lake, located 15 minutes from Sun Peaks

Best Bike-friendly hotel option – Delta Sun Peaks, the hotel has its own pool, outdoor hot tub, and bike valet

Best Coffee – Bolacco Café or head to the Bluebird Market and pick up a bag of Oso Negro Coffee and brew your own bru!

Best local swimming hole – Heffley Lake or the public swimming pool

Best burger in town – Masa’s Bar + Grill

Best Restaurant – Powder Hounds Restaurant – try the gourmet schnitzel and the beer is reasonably priced

Best Pizza – Going to Mountain High Pizza is a must while at Sun Peaks

Must Ride DH Trail - Honey Drop

Must Ride Adventure / Epic Trail - Sugar into Sweet One

Must Do Events - Gummy Bear DH, Sunday, August 8, and the Endurance DH, Saturday, September 11

Fernie Bike Trip 2009

2009-08-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

Danielle Drieschner from Lake Country, BC was the lucky winner of our Fernie Mountain Biking Dream Getaway, here is her story...

August 6, 2009

Crashing shoulder first into a sturdy tree on Silverstar’s Double Dog the previous Sunday had me worried that I would be hiking at Fernie Alpine Resort, rather than biking. But, x-rays, ice and several ibuprofen’s later, Damien and I headed out Thursday from Kelowna to Fernie! The drive through the Kootenays was awesome - no deer on the roads and we made it through the intense roadblocks in place for Salmo’s Shambhala festival. If you ever find yourself in Rock Creek, the Petro Canada makes tasty big sandwiches.

We want to thank Bike Parks BC and Tourism Fernie so much for this experience! Upon arriving in Fernie after midnight mountain time (hard to get used to that), we quickly found the Best Western Fernie Mountain Lodge. It was late, but the staff member at the front desk was friendly and helpful, and most importantly, we soon discovered that we were in the deluxe French-themed Jacuzzi Suite! Damien is French and was right at home. This was so much more than we were expecting - jacuzzi tub in the living room, the most comfy king-sized bed ever, and did I mention a jacuzzi in the living room? On the big bed we found 2 cases of Cliff bars, 2 pairs of Ryder sunglasses, 2 2-day passes for riding, ride and dine gift certificate for the Lost Boys Café, and - almost as exciting as the jacuzzi - nachos and a jug of kokanee at Kelsey’s in the village!

August 7, 2009

I had never really been to Fernie, so waking up in this mountain town was pretty spectacular. The long drive and king-sized bed resulted in a few hits to the snooze button, so breakfast was quick and dirty in the Mountain Café. We then bombed it up to the resort, which is a short 5 minutes from downtown Fernie. The mountain staff were great at getting us set for the day, including a quick trip to the patrol hut for a wrist tape job - another casualty of Silverstar (this one for Damien) - and some tips on must-ride trails. The Elk Chair was the place to be on Friday - lines seemed to be non-existent with the diversity of trails available and the liftees were fabulous!

We first hit up Top Gun, which seemed to be most recommended for its berms, doubles and big tables in the trees (my photo skills did not give this one justice and I resorted to taking a video of Damien on our 3.2 mega pixel canon powershot). This run has some good flow and you can easily hit the big tables and then switch over to Aggravated Assault and Hollow Tree for more roots, wooden skinnies, bridges, A-frames and drops. Allflight Pattern brought more wooden goodness. These trails seemed to have something for everyone - a lot of the big stunts had a smaller counterpart nearby that was great for my progression into the world of skinnies, and they were big enough that I could still feel like a superstar.

The Elk Chair also provides access to several other runs for all levels. Power Carve and Trac II led us down the hill to a discovery of Monorail, which was short, but sweet with a lot of pop and berms - what you would expect when riding the Monorail (singing like Homer Simpson). Tips from some 15-year old rippers on the chair led us to discover Playground and Phat Larry’s. These trails offer steeper pitches, tight berms and an assortment of structures integrated into the natural terrain. The setting of these trails and the resort in general is utterly amazing! We rode until last chair, fully satisfied with a hard day’s riding and ready to hit up Kelsey’s in the village for our NACHOS! While it was not super busy being a Friday afternoon, the village had a great vibe to it, lots of hikers and riders, and we were pumped to find a sunny spot on the patio. Guillaume from St. Anne, QC brought us a very tasty platter of fully loaded cheesy nacho goodness - with a pitcher of Kokanee to wash it down. We were also educated on the rules and regulations of a ski shot, and understand that a bike version is in the works.

August 8, 2009

Woke up early, loaded up the bikes and found an Organic Café for a delicious omelette and latte. Then it was off to explore the Timber Chair, which opens up a whole other trail network with sweeping views of Fernie, the mountains, steep single-track darting in and out of the forest, and a hint of how amazing it must be in the winter. We opted for a little Megasaurus, mixed with Rumplestumpskin, TNT and Bin Logdin throughout the day, heading back to the Elk Chair now and then for the trails we couldn’t get enough of the day before. The Timber Chair of the hill is definitely more technical, or at least the rocks and roots at the top require more concentration. The flow and structures keep coming as you head down. The Lost Boys Café at the top of the Timber Chair had the barbecue running, and we again had a fabulous lunch in an even more fabulous location.

There is so much variety at this mountain, and we felt that we needed more time to explore - wish Fernie was closer! We actually had to check out the real estate when we got back to town, as this is definitely a scene we could get used to. Dinner was such a toss up between sushi and the Curry Bowl, but we went Curry Bowl and were not disappointed! A lot of talk about food, but biking all day makes a lady ravenous. The riding, food and friendly folks of Fernie, as well as the jacuzzi and king size bed, made this such a positive experience - we hope to come back soon.

Thanks again!!!

Dani and Damien

URT 2009 - Day 6&7: Whistler to the finish

2009-08-10T15:53:00.001-07:00

Day 6-7: August 6th & 7th

After a good night sleep we left for the slopes again. The entire group dropped into Crank It Up. Half way through Dave’s previous day crash had not fully healed. Did I mention he crashed on his chest on a rock? Anyway way he did. He chose to sit the rest of the day out and headed up the mountain to try out the Peak 2 Peak (which is a recommended must if your in town).

The rest of us continued on. Today all of the lessons and experience were going to be exercised. Maybe it was just me, but I noticed the pace had picked up. Less breaks and more speed. The combo saw us shredding more runs than usual, but also tackling the big guns early. It was a really good start to the day. The upper mountain was in great shape and for once so were our hands.

Everyone was riding really strong, the progression was obvious but perhaps the fatigue set in. As we all knew it was our last day in Whistler we milked it for what we could. While tailing Shaums, Swiss Luc took one of Shaums’ lines over a small little side hit. Once you land you MUST hit a hard left. Well… how was Lucas supposed to know that?

Lucas missed the corner and went over the side of the trail, which happened to be a 15-foot near vertical bank to a ditch. He tried to ride it out but there was no chance. He was smacked up really good. He finished the run, but went straight for lunch and eventually retired from the Ultimate Road Trip (at least the riding part).

Andy suffered similar fate when on a famous ‘last run’ he went over the bars on an A-Line tabletop. While it wasn’t as bad as Luc’s show, it was bad enough that the party on hill was over. So it was just Nate and I left. We ran into Alex Conlon and did one final lap and called it a day.

The next time I saw the Swiss together I quickly noticed they had matching limps and bruised hips. It was pretty funny. We headed to Sushi Village for the final dinner where we had a few guests tag along. The Anthill crew was on hand as well as Kamloops freerider Matt Hunter. It was a great meal with great company and an even greater bill. Sushi Village never disappoints.

The URT crew limped over to Buffalo Bills night club, where it was time for rounds. You see at the start of the day we all agreed if you crashed you had to buy a round at the bar later. So our Swiss friends pretty much took care of us that evening.

Due to the 3 riders not being primed for a last day in Squamish and those same crashes resulting in too many rounds at Bill’s, our final day was a right-off. We took the morning easy and headed to Vancouver to drop our friends at the airport.

Another year in the books for the Ultimate Road Trip and once again BC's bike parks prove to be the best on earth. You really can’t beat a DH tour in BC. Every resort has its niche and is excelling at it. This year it was obvious that resorts are starting to understand what makes their resort special and are really focusing on keeping their experience a unique one. Try it for yourself, you won't regret it.

Until next year!
Ian

We broke though the clouds to find sunshine up top!

Alex cracks some style off the first set of jumps on Freight Train.

The light and mist was perfect for some photos.

Alex break in a brand new berm on an unnamed trail in Whistler.

Andy cutting through the fog on No Joke.

Shaums does the same but has to cut Andy’s dust too.

The culvert on Whistler makes for some good fun for Luc. It never stops here.

This is what happens when you miss your corner.

The Swiss are good friends, so good that when one gets hurt the other does too. Matching bruised heal limps and all.

URT 2009 - Day 5&6: Sun Peaks - Whistler

2009-08-10T14:05:00.000-07:00

Days 5-6, August 5th & 6th:

We woke up to clouds on our final day at Sun Peaks. It was a great relief because the bone-dry mountain was in need of some moisture. After another feed at 5-40’s the rain began to spit. Raincoats were grabbed and we headed to the lifts.

By the time we got to the chair if was raining with some authority. The air turned crisp and for the first time on the trip we had perfect and tacky conditions. I think everyone one was excited for the traction but even more rewarding was that we could now follow each other with out being completely dusted out.

Literally when it is dry and you’re tailing someone you can’t see the ground, which makes it tricky for some who have never ridden here before. Anyway another great day was had, a few more laps down Sugar and then we took on the steeper descents of Kaboom, Honey Drop and Hi-Octane.

We had to leave today but a forest fire blocked our route to Whistler. So instead we drove the long way around adding an extra 2 hours. This was ok for the crew as it gave them more time to create a party in the van. As for the driver, after a long day on the trails and a long 6 hours on the road it was bedtime. The crew continued the good times on the town when we arrived in Whistler.

When the sun rose the next day we were all excited about riding Whistler. I could see all the new found confidence was about to pay off big for the crew. Whistler has a way of testing a riders strengths and endurance. Shaums gave the crew a refresher on hitting jumps and drops and soon we took the lessons to the actual trails.

All the goods were hit up on the lower mountain and we even made it up for a Garbanzo lap. Time really does fly when your loving life. Before we knew it we were running late for an ATV adventure with Whistler Outdoor Adventures. They have new terrain up Cougar Mountain and it really was a lot of fun and much more challenging than the previous tours on Whistler Mountain.

They have a really classy operation there; Lindsey our guide is awesome and quite familiar with our antics so her tours always make for some extra fun. But, truth be told we were filthy after. If hasn’t rained in Whistler for weeks and our next stop was the amazing Edgewater Lodge restaurant located on Green Lake. The view from there is simply the best in Whistler.

So what were 6 dirt bags doing in a fine dining establishment like that? I don’t know but the food and ambience was stellar. That meal pretty much shut everyone down and all had an early night.

Highway rest stop with Andy.

Shaums coaching Nate on how to get some pop at slower speeds.

Andy takes some time to practice his drop in the ‘drop zone’ at Whistler.

Lets meet the riders… David form Cranbrooks

Andy worked for DT Swiss in Switzerland

Shaums – Shaums is the boss.

Luc – Luc builds homes for the wealthy in Switzerland.

Alex – was a late addition on the trip, he wanted to race in Whistler so we gave him a ride from Sun Peaks. He is going to be one to watch over the years.

Nate – makes clothes called ‘dedicated’ look it up online in the next few weeks. Some really nice designs.

Luc takes the steep exit of Blue Velvet.

Shaums rides a long messy rock on Captain Safety.

David (no comment)

The ATV’n was amazing, a great time of day for some backcountry riding.

Luc, Nate and I, all taking a picture.

Doing it in Style at the Edgewater.

URT 2009 - Day 3/4: Silver Star – Sun Peaks

2009-08-05T11:23:00.000-07:00

Day 3/4, August 3rd & 4th:

The last 2 days have been filled with a lot of dirt and fast riding. We started yesterday off with a quick breakfast at Bugaboos; they have the best pastries around. The German couple that own the café are great and add that extra authenticity to the meal.

We worked on a few more techniques and hit some of Silver Star’s stunt trails, every one in the group tackled the tasks with ease. Luc again continued his quest to crash the most with some more tumbly antics. His white jersey is not looking so clean these days.

After some double burgers at the Saloon and a quick film and photo session by David and Nathan we packed up for Sun Peaks. It is always sad to leave Silver Star but Sun Peaks is no slouch either, so fatigued smiles remain.

A short 2-hour drive and we were there and checking into the Cahilty Nancy Green Lodge. Before I even knew it, the crew over came fatigue with a few drinks at the local tavern and from what I heard a memorable night ensued. Unfortunately this guy had to stay in and catch up and work.

The next day was slow for obvious reason. After some guiding from Cam our host and new friend Alex (local ripper)- we started to get some flow going. Most notable was Andy from Switzerland, he decided to run every skinny in the park, he capped the day off with the ‘the shiezer’ (name not official), a connecting 5 foot long mess of skinnies. He rode it fast and clean. Every one was stoked!

The plus again this year is that everyone is stoked on riding and the results are 4 guys ripping. And for me what is most obvious is watching guys riding style and flow change from stiff to diving into and flowing linked turns. The MMR school of riding once again proves itself.
I should also mention we have been chowing down at Massey’s and dam they make some good food there. Thanks!

Shaums also wanted me to mention that he is still sweet and awesome. We all agree… it is off to breakfast at 5-40’s now and some more DH park riding. Later we will head to Whistler, the fires have shut down the Duffy Lake road so we’ll be driving the long way to Whistler- and extra 2 hours!

Shaums hits up a rock to dock gap on Sugar. On his first try he landed about 2 inches from missing the right side. Always an entertainer.

Nate has made some serious strides in his riding. It is good to see progression first hand.

Here is Andy on “the shiezer” – first try and clean. You’ll see the rest below.

Local ripper Alex gave it a go as well.

This is Sun Peaks jump park zone. There is something for every one in here.

A small section of ‘route 66’. I believe 66 berms in total. Trying to chase Alex down this was dangerous. Although I did have my most leaned out high speed - foot down and sliding corner I think I ever have.

Luc in back, Andy in the middle and Nate up front, coasting some Sun Peaks singletrack.

Shaums chases Alex down insanity one. These guys we going fast. Really fast.

URT 2009 - Day Two: Silver Star

2009-08-04T11:33:00.000-07:00

Day Two, August 2nd:

Yesterday started with Breakfast at Bulldogs followed by sunshine. After a quick fix of bacon and eggs the crew was ready to hit the now famous slopes of Silver Star Mountain Resort. If you have not heard yet Silver Star is the only BC Bike Park that gives Whistler a run for its money. In my opinion, there is no question SS is simply about having fun.

The locals, the dirt, the metal blaring at the chair lift and the selection of beautifully crafted and maintained trails make it an easy choice for me. Best known for its endless burmed runs, but the slopes also host some classy and classic DH trails. Shaums gave the crew a quick MMR technique and skills session, after that he let the guys adjust to their new-found knowledge. The results were a day of high paced trails shredding.

We stopped for lunch at Isadora’s, a Swiss styled style restaurant in the heart of the village. The chef himself hails from the Switzerland and has a great reputation around town for tasty food and great prices. We all had the soup, sandwich and salad, once again highly recommended. The combo only costs 10 bucks! (See photo, it was as good as it looks.)

The afternoon featured faster riding and bigger crashes. Luc had a good one in front of us all, he was OK. His crisp white jersey became a tan dirty one in the first 10 corners of the day. We rode until close and finished the day off riding a ‘secret’ trail off the side of the mountain. It was old school shot with tech rock and really nice views.

Our friend Cam from the Saloon treated us to this run but also treated us to great dinner at his Saloon pub, where they premiered the 'Tipping Point’ by Clay Porter. But not before we all unleashed on each other with 3 rounds of high stress paint ball. If your in the Star - go play. Not only is it the best way to shoot your friends with guns but unconfirmed rumors tell us that it may not be around for long. 6 of us played for over an hour for just 90 bucks total. Pretty good value, just watch out for local snipers.

Now it is off to Bugaboos for coffee, German pastries and a half-day of Silver Star, before we hit the road to Sun Peaks. Until then enjoy some picks of the day…

Luc roosts up some dry Silver Star dirt.

Shaums shows the crew how to approach a rocky situation.

Luc takes a different approach.

Luc and Nathan dance through some downhill action on Dag’s.

Isadora’s head chef delivers the goods.

Shaums top out on the big burmed wall ride.

Luc closes out the day with some old school singletrack.

Shaums legs after a day in the dirt, or are they?

Sniper vs. sniper… some friendly war.

URT 2009 - Day One: The Ultimate Road Trip Begins

2009-08-04T10:40:00.000-07:00

Day One, August 1st:

An easy start to an easy 8 days began yesterday. Shaums March and myself (trusty side kick/photographer Ian Millar) left our homes in Whistler and Squamish to hit highway 99 south to Vancouver International Airport. (Where Ian noted that the new Sky train from the down town to Airport was in operation or at least being tested).

We were off to pick up Luc and Andreas contest winners from Sass Fe, Switzerland. The European duo arrived just shortly after Canadian contest winners David Bennison and his shred buddy Jonathon from Cranbrook, B.C. After loading up the MMR Ultimate Road Trip van it was apparent that the Canadian crew was high on energy while the Swiss duo were a little jet lagged after 2 days of planes, trains and auto’s to get here.

The drive was typical and the pace was casual. A quick sushi stop and the road was ours. After 5 hours on the road we found our selves pulling into Silver Star Mountain Resort. Much to our pleasure Shaums and I had been upgraded from past years and our suite now had a deck larger than last years room. Did I mention our hot tub has a DVD/TV monitor in it? Now we just have figure out how to turn their tub cool to fight the 37-degree day ahead fill it with appropriate company.

It is off to breakfast at Bulldogs now, where last night they served up some highly recommended Jerk pulled pork dinners. So good. Rumor has it Arrested Development will also be there. I haven’t heard that name in while.

We’ll check back in the tomorrow. In the mean time here are few picks from yesterday.

Nathen enters the Ultimate Road Trip – MMR van.

The MMR road trip machine, fresh with new wheels.

Team Switzerland stretch out a few days of travel.

One of the stranger wild fire clouds I have seen. From a distance it looked like a nuke went off in Kelowna.

5 hours later and the crew arrived at the Snowbird in Silver Star.

The Ultimate Road Trip 2008 – Eastern Leg

2009-04-16T20:58:00.000-07:00

The Ultimate Road Trip has once again set sail. This year’s first leg has the crew touring to Panorama, Kicking Horse and Silver Star located in the interior of British Columbia, Canada. With a mixed bag of light rain and sunshine in the forecast, it looks like our lucky winners will get to experience the Bike Parks of BC in all their finest glory. The Ultimate Road Trips aims to showcase BC’s best lift access trails and the natural beauty of the province.

Day One: Intro’s and Invermere

World Masters Champ Shaums March of Mad March Racing picked up the crew at the Kelowna airport. First to arrive was Jeff who flew in from Calgary and met his good buddy and contest winner Dave. Both currently live and teach in Whitehorse. Next to arrive were the other winners Wendy and her riding partner Brenda, who both live on Vancouver Island. After some quick intros and one lost bag we loaded the official road trip van and headed for Panorama just outside Invermere, BC.

A few hours into the drive, we all felt pretty good about the crew. By the sounds of the conversations, we had a down to earth and competent group of riders. Most importantly the crew was ready to ride. But today was just a travel day so we decided to let some energy out at the Enchanted Forest near 3 Valley Gap along side Highway 1.

The Enchanted Forest is one of those places you drive by but never take the time stop and see what its all about. Today was a perfect opportunity to check it out. We had a great time exploring the childhood nursery rhyme characters and tales. Bonds were already beginning between the crew as we all shared some laughs at each other’s expense.

After a few more hours of driving we arrived in Panorama. It was already dark and everyone was spent from a long day of travel. The winners headed off to bed while Shaums, coach Jonathon and photographer Ian Millar unloaded the van in preparation for the next day.

Day 2: New Skills, New Mountain - Panorama
After a night of lightening and rain, the skies cleared. The crisp mountain air was fresh and cool. From a riders point of view conditions were perfect. After some breakfast, we started off with a lap on ‘Look Out’ (a Blue run) followed by some riding fundamentals. Coach Shaums went through some basic bike control techniques, demonstrating how to get the most of the Hayes Stroker brakes as well as feeling out the Marin Quakes suspension. The entire crew is riding Quakes and the folks are loving them, already offering to buy them after the trip! It wasn’t long before they began to apply the new techniques to the trails.

We caught up with Haley Wilson from the resort and enjoyed a few laps with her. She even pushed her own limits riding runs she had yet to shred. Panorama offers a good range of terrain to all levels of riders. The key here was ‘all levels’. The resort has a strong focus on family. Not only do they have beginner trails but they also have waters slides, hiking and whole bunch of other stuff to keep the entire family entertained.
Once the crew got there legs going it was not long before the Black Diamond runs were being called out. Brenda demanded flow with every lap, it was obvious to everyone from the start that she was here to ride. Her excitement got the best of her as she attempted to board a wooden bridge, unfortunately she missed judged her speed and lost her balance. When she couldn’t unclip, she proceeded with a comical dive into the bush.

After a hard day riding we met up with the Ride Guide television crew, who would also be following us on the journey. We met up for a post game brew at the T-Bar and later ventured on to Chopper’s Landing for dinner. The team cut loose over some delicious foods, drinks and amusing conversation. Chopper’s is a Heli-Ski operation in the winter and has the best grub in the valley as well one of the best places to watch the weather travel across the mountains.

Day 3 - 5: Kicking the Horse
After another delicious view and breakfast at Picnic Deli, (breakfast wraps highly recommended) we packed the Mad March Racing Van and set our sights and minds on Golden, BC. It’s close to a 2hour drive to the breath taking Kicking Horse Mountain Resort. If you not familiar with Kicking Horse you need to know that the Horse is some serious mountain biking. 4000 feet of vertical every run with some of the best true downhill action you can get from lift access riding.

In a total fluke, lightening had hit the gondola the previous night. When we showed up the lift was shut down for the day. They had to check every fuse before they could open the chair up again. So the Horse’s PR rep Jordan Petrovics came up big and put the Ultimate- in the Ultimate Road Trip. He granted us access to the mountain roads so we could just drive up Shaums’ van and shuttle the runs. Two runs later we were cracking beers and heading for a sunset hot tub.
Brenda and Wendy really got into a groove the next day. After a quick visit to Boo the Grizzly (Boo is a real grizzly who lives on Kicking Horse) the two-island girl’s technical DH styles surfaced again. Jeff and Dave were over heard on more than few occasions saying, “best runs ever”. It was echoed through the entire group from Shaums to the photographer to the guests. Kicking Horse filled a need that you just can’t get anywhere else. After everyone over extended their endurance the hot tubs were calling again, a few brews later a wild night broke out at the pub.

Must mentions for Kicking Horse include the accommodations, feather mattresses in both the Vagabond Lodge and Copper Horse. TSN former broadcaster Ken Chilibeck is the pension owner at the Vagabond. Ken and his wife Lori have decorated this place in a fun and furry way. If you’re heading to the Horse, drop in to the Vagabond. Another must mention is the Pork Ribs at Local Hero Pub. If you’re a carnivore YOU MUST ORDER THEM.

The next day our gracious new riding friend Brady took us for a hot lap on Mount Seven, the riding once again blew the group away. A huge thanks to Steve, Brady, Mike, Jordan, The Eagle Eye restaurant and everyone else who made the Horse and Golden so memorable.

Day 5: Next Stop Silver Star

After the Mount Seven ride and a 6hour road tour, we pulled into the charismatic ski resort- Silver Star. Silver Star is located in Vernon BC and has a very unique style. Resembling a colorful western styled mining town, the town stands out on its own. Everyone checked in and to all our surprise the resort had season passes waiting for everyone. That was a great surprise! It was getting late so we all headed to our rooms prepping for an early start.

Day 6: Life’s Good – Hello Silver Star!

Today was the first day on the bikes at Silver Star. The girls were ready before most of us were even out of bed. We all met at everyone’s new favorite breakfast bakery Bugaboos. Where our Netherlands hosts served us freshly baked pastries of all varieties. The town of Silver Star is located midway down the mountain, so after breakfast we got a warm up lap down to the chairlift.
Wow! what a surprise. Blown away doesn’t even do this ‘warm up’ trail justice. ‘Blast Off’ is a perfectly sculpted berm run where weightlessness occurs between every corner. It was truly an eye opening experience. I’ve ridden most of the BC Park trails now and there is nothing like this one anywhere. As luck would have it, this was just the beginning and more of the same style trails followed.

Shazaam, Pipe Dream, Rockstar are all berm-jump-berm style trails and all will blow your mind. After a few runs, questions in regards to real estate began to surface. The crew was stoked and already wanted to move here! After a morning of going as fast as possible down the trails, the crew craved something a little more technical. Downtown, World Cup and Double Dog quickly became favorites. The variety at Silver Star was warm welcome and filled every desire the group had.
After an over extending day of riding the exhausted crew headed for Paint Ball. 6 days of relationship building climaxed. Two teams were divided and an all war broke loose. Better times with guns have never been had. Shoot up conversations over beers continued for hours after, as everyone showed off their paint ball welts. That was until the video games broke out on the big screen at the Saloon and game faces were back in check.

Day 7: The Good Life … continues

Today was the last day for the crew to ride. To be honest, as good a time as we were having, we were all spent. We took a mellower pace today and stopped to session a few of the stunts. After numerous tries Jeff managed to link the 4 connecting teeter-totters. He was pumped and little bruised from his effort. The day continued with more DH styled trails and a great lunch at Bull Dog. After a few more hot laps and some of the fastest riding we all have experienced, we all in agreement that as riders, we had improved tremendously. All the on slope coaching had paid off huge.
It was evident in everyone’s technique; the confidence in corners and technical riding had our group riding strong. After catching the final chair, again we enjoyed some après Kokanee’s and headed for… Paint Ball! A final round of paint pellets was released on each other and contentment was painted across the faces of all.

The trip was winding down to its last evening, a little tired; the team went out for one last dinner. Tonight’s dinner was a spectacular fine dining experience at Marty’s Silver Star Grill. Marty’s is a fine dining experience you should enjoy if you’re in the town. The team was in awe at the experience and the men were smitten with the service.

I think it is safe to say Silver Star could possibly be the best bike park in the Canada. The people, terrain and level of commitment on behalf of staff and trail crew is amazing. To be fair, good trails are all about the dirt. The mountain has amazing dirt to work with and the trail network benefits from it. It was perfect ending to a perfect trip.
After 7 days of riding the Marin bikes held there own, minimal maintenance and no injuries for the riders occurred. The winners were shwagged out from all the sponsors and everyone left with a new group of friends. It really was The Ultimate Road Trip.

Thanks to everyone!

Written by Shaums March / Ian Millar
Photos by Ian Millar .