#followcamfriday coming in hot from stop three of my Route 16 tour of the Great White North. 

Enter Burns Lake. Another riding area that I had previously not heard of before my trip. I'll say this again, what have I been doing with my life.... The riding up here is absolutely amazing.  Every single trail that I have ridden for the last 2 weeks has been new to me. I could get used to this....  I have been so very fortunate to be put in touch with the right people in the communities I have visited, to show me a good time. And man, have they ever. 

Cameron Stewart putting the Cam in follow cam friday... See what I did there. Cam is 16 and pinned as. Keep your eye on this kid. He was kind enough to give me a tour of his home tracks. Burns Lake has a wide variety of tracks, from tech, the flow and everything in between. You can ride xc all day or smash shuttle laps. Options. 

Burns Lake has a family vibe. I was lucky enough to be greeted with a weiner roast, before doing a bit of digging and eventually smashing out some shuttles in the afternoon. It turns out that if the whole community helps to work on the trails together, has a bbq together and rides together, good things happen. Ownership and pride in the trail system is next level, just like the hospitality. Communities could learn a lot from this model. 

And then there is the whole camping situation. Free campsites at the trailhead. Oh yeah, and there is a lake to jump into at the edge of the camp ground. If you are looking for a weekend getaway for the entire family, there is probably no place better. Bring bug spray. 
You can support the trails 
HERE!

The locals were even kind enough to share their whiskey stash with me. Rule one, don't tell anyone the whereabouts of said whiskey stash. So don't even ask. I couldn't find it again anyway. There is a tree in Arizona with a bottle of Tequila hidden beneath it... Similar situation. I'll never tell. 

All the views. 

This may be the biggest wall-ride ever constructed. If it was a deck, you could put 200 people on it and have a bbq. Fortunately, this is for bikes, and the public grill in the parking lot is close by. I didn't notice anyone at the end of this ride without a beer in their hand. My kind of people. 

As I type these words, I find myself in Fernie, right in the middle of racing the TransBC 6 day enduro race. In addition to racing, I am producing nightly recap videos. #followcamfriday is tired as, but promises to keep the content machine fed. After all, she has got to eat. Anyone want to be my intern? I can pay you in worn out DHF's. 

#followcamfriday bringing you along for stop 2 of my tour of The Great White North. Smithers delivering the green room. 

Stop 2 from my Northern BC road trip. Just a short drive from Terrace lies Smithers, a picturesque ski town, a bit farther inland on the route 16 corridor. This township of approximately 6000 people has an amazing network of XC and easily shuttleable trails. I was impressed, to say the least.

The true start to Backdoor is on this platform in the alpine. A twenty minute hike a bike up the tee bar line at the ski area gets you to the top so that you can take a selfie above the trees. Fortunately I had my camera so there was no need for Heiko to grab a quick snap of himself for the gram. Heiko is 17 and as pinned as they come. I was amazed with his raw speed and ability on the bike. Especially when he mentioned that he didn't really have many people to ride with locally, that were his age. Humble as they come too. Keep your eye on this kid. 

I was fortunate to get the local tour from Heiko, his friend Ben and a mix of other locals in the riding community. Brian Shorter is responsible for building this amazing network of trails over the last 20 years. Brian even made me dinner at his place and drove a few shuttle for us. Solid dude! You can support the local trail organization HERE.
I was blown away with the attention to detail and the thought given to construction of this network. Some of the finest pieces of trail I have ridden anywhere.

Giver ski do. It wouldn't be a proper alpine ride without a bit of snow to keep things interesting. The skiing is world-class and uncrowded here apparently. Quite the contrast to the blown-out situation that I currently call "skiing" in Colorado. I really do need to come back and visit in the winter at some point. It should be noted that I spent Canadian Independence Day up here, so that kind of makes me a citizen... right... ha

It also wouldn't be a ride in British Columbia without a fair share of wooden jank. At least there was chicken wire on most of it. All of the wood work was remarkably well built actually. This particular stunt was 100 meters long and had drops, linking the sections of skinny. So very Canadian. Go out and practice your skinnies kiddos, if you visit, you will need this skill in your bag. 

And the tour continues. I wish I had a bit more time to hang out and see more things but the #followcamfriday train has to keep moving. I have a race to get to next week in Panorama. Trans BC begins on July 8th. I have a race to try and win. 

#followcamfriday headed into the Great White North to bring you some fresh trails for your Friday viewing pleasure. 

Ever heard of Terrace? Chances are, if you live in the States, like most of my audience, the towns that make up "Northern" BC are not on your radar. And if I am being honest, they were not on my radar until a few months ago when I was approached about documenting a road-trip through Northern BC. New trails, people, and culture. Sounds like a party. 

​Enter Ride North. Ride North is an initiative by 5 communities in Northern BC to showcase the diverse mountain biking experiences found across the region. This emcompases the coridor from Terrace to Valemount, and points in between. You can read more about Ride North HERE

Terrace is world renowned for its steelhead and salmon fishing. In addition to showing me the trails, Tyler was kind enough to fill my freezer with some of his catch from last year. I was also fortunate to end up with some bear sausage. A lucky guy, I am. Tyler is acting president of TORCA. The Terrace Off Road Cycling Association works on the trails and makes sure that mountain biking has a future in the area. You can donate to the trails HERE

Theo is an engineer by day, hole digger by night. He is responsible for moving  dirt and testing the trails. Fortunately it stays light until well past 11pm in these parts, so Theo finds plenty of time to ride, and dig holes. When he isn't doing any of the aforementioned activities, it should be noted that he makes a mean cocktail and knows how to cook a proper piece of fish. Thanks for the hospitality friend!

Terrace is only a short flight from Vancouver. Apparently, during fishing season, the airport is littered with small, personal aircraft, flying in the rich and famous, to slay salmon for a weekend. They really should be bringing bikes with them. And on that note, it's about time that I started carrying a rod in my van. What am I doing with my life? I could be eating fresh fish every day... 
Stay tuned for more adventures from the Great White North over the next month. 

#followcamfriday viewing moose and getting loose with the squad from Rooted MTB

If I am being honest, I really love the Tetons. The skiing is world-class, the biking is amazingly good, the lack of bro-scene is refreshing. There is wildlife in the woods, lurking just off the trail. One of these days, I will get to jump a moose.... #moosegoalz

Mom jokes aside, Jimmy's Mom is really good. Jumps in the woods.... What more could you ask for? Jimmy's mom knows how to party. A "cougar" if you will. Ready to prey on the youth. The guys from the Rooted MTB squad will make a good meal. Did I take this analogy too far?

Cougar-bait Austin was injured and kind enough to drive us for some laps on the pass. The Rooted squad is chasing the ProGRT series when they aren't being hunted by the local wildlife. Harrison Ory, Armen Davis and Wiley Kaupas make up the rest of the pack. Long live DH racing in the USA! #usdh ! 
Subscribe to their YouTube for a behind the scenes look into the lives of American DH racers
HERE

You can't see the take off of this jump in this photo. That is because it is 40ft to the right. Harrison approves of the size. An amazing amount of work and passion has gone into making these trails a work of art. As all trails go, these things don't build themselves. Buy these builders a beer or 7. They do amazing work!
You can support the trails
HERE

Armen learned no-handers the day before apparently. No better time that I can think of to use a new skill. If it works for Mick Hannah, it works for Armen Davis. This technique extends grip life dramatically. These guys are privateers and are pulling all of the tricks out of the bag to save some money. Can you blame them?

I am on my way up to the Great White North for a month. This seemed like a logical stop along the way. If you are anywhere near the Tetons, this is required riding. You can thank me later. Keep it locked right here for more adventures from my the other side of the border over the next few weeks. 

#followcamfriday dodging rocks and shakin' shocks at the Granby Ranch Bike Park with James. 

Guess who's back, back again, James is back, tell a friend. Everyone's favorite stunt-man is back in action for your viewing pleasure. In all seriousness, James is a new dad. When you see him, congratulations are in order. His dad-bod hasn't set in yet, but give it some time.... Legend has it that his baby can already hold a manual for 30 seconds on a strider. Start em young. 

Oh Granby, your rocks and sand boxes hold a special place in my heart. I will never forget how scared I was to race nationals here, back in the day. Overcoming that fear and learning to ride that track made me who I am today. There are now trails for all abilities here, but I am glad to say that the hard trails are as rough and rugged as they have ever been. Thank you for keeping the rocks on the trail on behalf of mountain bikers everywhere. My wheels don't love you, but I think they understand. 

This weekend happens to be the opening weekend of big brother, Winter Park, just up the road. Record snowfall is keeping WP from opening much terrain. Granby is 100% open and running sweet. Choose your weekend park lap strategy wisely. People will be lining up early for WP and standing in line for most of the day. Granby is the "line avoidance" strategy. Choose wisely. Maybe a day at each? A Front Range Festivus, for the rest of us. 

Fatherhood definitely seems to be slowing James down a bit, lol. He is basically trying to jump over me in this photo. The old Nationals track still has the amazing set of jumps after the wooden drop. This section is one of the more well-built and funner jump sections to ride anywhere. Kudos Matt Thompson, love your work. 

Once you get your fill of berms on Silky Johnson, go ride Fraser Canyon for some flat trackers through the aspens. Flat turn practice for days. The absence of a berm is a beautiful thing. Races are won and lost in the turns. Better check yourself. 

#lovesbackwheel situations. The original trail names, given by Matty and the boys, are mostly references to the Chapelle show. I miss the Chapelle show. Anyone who gets the references, is old like me. I am dating myself. I guess that was back when people watched television. I don't even have television anymore. Oh the irony, as I stare at my computer and type these words. My how times have changed. 

Making the case for DH bikes. Granby is one of the last places in the state where a DH bike is probably faster on most of the black trails. Trail bikes have gotten so very capable in recent years. It is an amazing time to ride a mountain bike. Granby however, still is making the case for a DH rig. How very refreshing. Bucking the trend of complete sanitization. Good work Granby. There are trails for all abilities, thanks for leaving the rocks on the hard ones. We love you. No love from my wheels. 
Since I only ride park, where will Follow Cam Friday show up next.... 

I present to you, the lunch ride.  #followcamfriday foregoing eating to ride my bike with the Yeti Squad and the boss man. Just don't call Chris "boss" at lunch. 

"Lunch Ride" Nope, it's not marketing hype to sell bikes. It's an actual THING. An activity. Almost a requirement, a right of passage if you are employed by Yeti Cycles. If you don't love to ride your bike, this job may not be your cup of tea.... As it turns out, when people that actually love to ride bikes, make bikes, good things happen. Completing the circle. 

If you look closely at the desk behind this dog, you will notice that it is empty. That is because between the hours of 11 and 12:30, Yeti is closed for lunch, so that the employees can smash out a quick lap on neighboring Apex. If you do show up at this time of day, you can pat this dog until they reopen for business. There are worse ways to spend your time.... Bring treats. 

Yeti recently made a "Lunch Ride" spec for their SB130. A bit more travel. A bit more confidence. The employees prefered weapon of choice for the local trails that exist on Apex. Just a short pedal from the office lies some of the best riding in the Denver / Golden area. Such good riding in fact, that Yeti has purposely chosen this location for its headquarters due to its easy access to the trail. Eating can wait. 

Chris Conroy is the President of Yeti Cycles. In addition to Chris, our squad consists of employees of all skill sets and positions in the company. All are welcome, all are equal. Chris does not like being called "boss" on the trail. We are all just people enjoying our bike ride together. Nothing more. All of the work-day is left at the office, shit is talked, bikes are ridden. I can't think of another employment situation where the coworkers of all levels get together at lunch to do something that they all have a deep passion for. It's an inspiring way to run a company. Happy employees are good employees. There is a reason that Yeti makes some of the finest bicycles in all of the world. 

This dog will also gladly accept head-scratches until Yeti reopens for business at 12:30. Again, do the right thing and bring treats. 

Yes, Yeti has beer on tap. There is Kombucha too, but we won't go into that. According to Dacre, who gave me the official " tour", beer-thirty is 4:30, unless it is Friday and then it is 4:00. Well since today is Friday, you can feel good about starting a little bit early. Those bikes aren't going to build themselves after all. Let's keep those wrenches lubricated. 

My how far we have come. This rig offers some wonderful perspective into how good we have it these days. I mean, cantilever brakes were sweet and all, but man it's a good time to be a mountain biker. Next time someone complains about their wheel size, consider this bike and its limitations. We have it so good. I have a hard time imagining how things can get much better. They just will. Those elevated chainstays though... 

Not having any fun at all. Next time you are in Golden and have some time to kill, join these guys for a "lunch ride" For $40, you can demo a Yeti and ride the local trails. That 40$ goes directly to the local trails. Wu-Tang is for the children. Kudos Yeti. And if you are lucky, Dacre will give you a factory tour and you can pat some dogs. And, if it's after 4:30, you can have a beer, unless its Friday, in which case you can start early. 

#followcamfriday continuing the opening weekend tour with a stop at the Angel Fire Bike Park to ride with the man, the myth, the legend, Chris Boice. 

I only ride park. On opening weekends.... It's all blown out after that. Powder days are hard to come by anymore, so get out there while the getting is good. It only gets dryer from here. Dustbowl. 

This photo represents the dustiest turn of the weekend. Chris did just blow this thing up and all, but the dust factor was minimal, as compared to last year when I actually rode with a dust mask to prevent black lung. True story. Hide your berms kids, Chris is looking for holes to smash. Interestingly enough, the park was in such good shape that the holes were hard to find. #searchingforholes

Mr. Chris Boice is an absolute legend. Few people alive turn a bike like Chris. Races are won in the turns and Chris has won a lot of races. Now he mostly races RC cars, converts Sprinters into tiny homes,  and climbs rocks, but he is still unbelievably pinned, off of the couch. Pinned like I am hanging on by a thread pinned.... Chris Boice things. 

My Bike for AF
SPEC HERE

I couldn't be more stoked on my new rig. This is the perfect setup for crushing park laps and DH trails, despite being reasonable capable on the uphill... Not that I am trying to ride any uphill this weekend. She is build for smashing into things and giving less fucks. My kind of girl. 

I have been visiting Angel Fire for the better part of 15 years, racing and riding, and it is nice to see the place growing and evolving into a modern bike park. The builders have done an amazing job over the last handful of years, turning this place into what it is today. Good work squad. The trails are unbelievably fun to ride. Now if we could just fix the food scene in town. I will still drive to Taos for a proper taco until conditions improve. 

What park should I visit next? I am running out of opening weekends, but there is still a ton of snow in the high country to keep the alpine parks from opening on time. Any moisture is good moisture, and as a general rule, we need more of it. Always. I am interested to see when, or should I say "if" the alpine opens this season. Time will tell. Until then, I will be smashing low laps with the boys. 

#followcamfriday is never one to miss a party. Whistler Bike Park opening weekend mega-train shenanigans. 

If you follow my ramblings, surely you know that Whistler is one of my favorite places in the world to ride my bike. If this is your first time here, I'll try and break this down for you. Best bike park in the world, 100 of your closest friends, bikes, and trains for days. Oh, and partying every night. This sums up life in Whistler. Vegas of MTB.

A-Line may be the most videoed trail in the world. That definitely isn't going to stop me from riding this beauty over and over and over again. 50 person trains, all damn day son. I mean after all, Dirt Merchant was closed, so what is a squad supposed to do?? Laps. That's what. It really never gets old. 

Whistler is the Vegas of MTB. Basically, if you are here with industry folks, on an event weekend, it is generally rude to not go out and party.  Bad form. And so the cycle goes. Ride, party, find yourself underground, repeat. It would be rude not to. Oh yeah, and eat at Sushi Village 5 times. #whistlerlife done correctly. As long as you can balance the fish levels with the alcohol levels, you are sure to feel chipper the next day when you get out of bed at noon. Don't worry, the chair turns till 8. Repeat. 

Moisture levels were on point. Day 1 was reasonably moist. Moist like I can't tell who you are, or what kind of bike you are riding. Day 2 brought hero traction. I'll save you the loam-brown-pow chatter, but rest assured, things were perfect.  When your friend leaves tracks each time he rips a turn in front of you, things are prime. 

Dumped as. Billy Lewis doing his best Cody Kelly.  Pull up, not out people. Jumps are for boosting. Quit riding so fast everyone. 

The goal here is to get as many people in the air together as possible. You aren't doing it until things get sketchy. This train had one rule. The man in the lead cannot pedal. Sketch pass fest 2019 begin. That's what friends are for. 

Crank It Up isn't actually fun, but if you ride it 3 wide, insiding your friends the entire way down,  it may have been the most memorable run of the weekend. All the sketch. Mark is even riding with a 20KG camera bag to keep things honest. Seemed to be making him ride faster. 

So yeah, I'm out. Stay classy Canada. I'll be back soon, but for now, I am headed to New Mexico for some bike racing. Got to offset all of that poison I put in my body somehow. If you see me sweating on a transfer in Santa Fe, give me a high five. Yay bikes. 

This one made an impression on me. #followcamfriday reminding you to live life to the fullest, appreciate what you have and surround yourself with good people. 

My friend Daniel Soller sustained a spinal cord injury seven months ago while doing what he loves most in life. If you are reading this, chances are that you also live for riding. Just like Dan. To have everything you know change in the blink of an eye is difficult to quantify or comprehend. One thing is certain however, Dan is making the best of an unfathomable situation. 

,As mountain bikers, we all take risk. The sense of adventure is what is attractive about the sport. The rush, the feel, the connection with nature, and friends to share the experience with. This sport is dangerous. In my mind, most things worth doing involve some sort of risk and commitment. Getting out of your comfort zone is mandatory for growth. If I am being honest, I should probably have died long ago. I am very thankful that I have not been seriously injured or killed along the way. Broken bones are easy, and I've had my share. 

The worst injury I have sustained has been a broken ankle. I was non-weight bearing for three months. At the time, the thought of not walking or driving for a few months was hard on me mentally. When I compare that injury to the doctor telling Dan that he will probably never walk again, it seems pretty insignificant. I can't even imagine hearing those words. The mental strength that Danimal has, to keep a positive attitude in light of this situation is inspiring. Legend. 

Dan is stoked. I have raced and ridden with him for many years and he has always lived for bikes. Dan raced a klunker at the GJ Offroad last year. Yeah, no suspension, some of the roughest trails in the country, that is how much Dan loves bikes. Danimal is crazy. That is why we love Dan. And ultimately, why I sincerely believe, he will walk again. Until that day, he is going to stay positive and make lemons out of lemonade. Perhaps with some tequila mixed in. I haven't heard Dan complain once. Next time you complain about your wheel size, or the weather, or your morning coffee that wasn't perfectly prepared to your discriminating standards, think about Dan. Dan's legs don't move. Your first-world problems don't seem so important now, do they? Perspective on what actually matters in life. I am very fortunate. 

This is heavy shit. Riding with Dan, making this video, processing all of the emotion. I've been crying a bit. Heavy. I truly am thankful for my health and my friends. Dan is very fortunate to be surrounded by amazing people that help him do this sort of thing and help him to feel normal every day. Without that support structure, things would be very different. Without my friends, I would be nothing. My entire current situation is because I have surrounded myself with amazing people. I am very fortunate. 

When I asked Danimal if he wanted to shoot a FCF episode, I had the idea to do a fundraiser to help him with the unforeseen costs associated with this sort of thing. When I mentioned this to Dan, he basically told me that his financial needs were sorted and that we should donate to the organizations that helped him get through this, and be able to help others. This is a testament to Dan's character. Dan can't walk, and all he wants to do is help others that are struggling with similar injuries. Inspiring. 

So, here is the deal. Craig Hospital and the High Fives Foundation have helped Dan get through this injury and basically make it possible for people with spinal injuries to get back to "normal" life and give them the tools and support to succeed. If you are interested in making a donation, the links are below. If Dan can inspire anyone with a spinal injury to get back out there and live life to the fullest, it would mean the world to him. And to me. 

High Fives Foundation
Craig Hospital

​

If you can't see the cliff you are riding on, does it actually exist? Sedona's most notorious in the dark. #followcamfriday

Riding and filming the infamous White Line has been done to death. Mountain biking is evolving rapidly and this sort of thing is becoming more common. Not that I am suggesting you go ride it however... This line is spooky, to say the least. I am all about pushing boundaries, both mental and physical, so adding some darkness into the equation seemed like the logical choice. Can you really fear what you cannot see?

l have ridden this more than 50 times. Maybe 100. I still never take it for granted, because if I am being honest, you actually can die, but let's just say that I have become all too comfortable with this sort of thing. I enjoy exposure. Not for the camera, but for my mental state. Somehow cheating death is pleasing and stimulating to me. My adrenals have been used to the max for many years, and honestly, it takes this sort of thing to get me fired-up anymore. That fact in itself, is a scary prospect.  

The classic sky line from chicken point. Gaping area of many slack-jawed tourists as their Pink Jeep tour guide tells them that people ride their bikes on that formation. We are those people. I feel like a tourist attraction at times up there with 50 people gawking at us as we risk our lives for our own amusement. But the night. The night is different. Darkness and silence replace the chaos found during the day. 

Lars went first. This was a 77 second exposure taken from below. It's reasonably sharp as I was holding my breath for most of it. It's stressful to watch your best friend and his headlamp on the cliff above you. Never have I felt so helpless in the moment. This must be how the tourists feel. Now I understand. 

Fucking surreal. Not sure that there is an eloquently written sentence that can do this feeling more justice. I'll just leave it at that. 

Look closely. Yup, that is a javelina running willy-nilly down the middle of the trail,  mere inches from Lars' front tire. I guess there is a first time for everything. The creatures come out at night, as the saying goes. Interestingly enough, when I think about this night, I remember the pig sighting more than riding the White Line. Somehow it just meant more. Over the course of the evening my emotional state went from terror, to relief, to pure excitement for our encounter with nature. Emotional rollercoaster, to put it lightly.

And then we went to Lars' house and drank wine. Lots of wine. Some people drink to forget, we drink to celebrate a life full of surreal experiences that most will never have the privilege or motivation to experience. This isn't everyone's cup of tea after all. But for Lars and I, this night will never be forgotten. Oh the places my bicycle takes me. I am very fortunate. 
​In case you wondered, we had bacon for breakfast.