#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

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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. 

If you have a hangover at night, you have perhaps taken things a bit too deep. #followcamfriday finding the limit in Sedona with Lars Romig

When was the last time you were hungover? As a man who appreciates a cup or three of red wine, I definitely can relate to waking up feeling slightly worse than when my head hit the pillow the night before. If you are hungover in the evening, it may be time to reevaluate your priorities. Or, just get after that hair of the dog, and keep the party rolling.  

As I learned on this ride, if you have lights, you don't actually need to race daylight. Not that we were riding slow, but the imminent threat of getting darked on is somehow diminished when you have 3000 lumens strapped to your bike. Usually the beauty of sunset is contrasted by the need to get the fuck out of the woods. Not this time. 

Admittedly, night riding has never been that appealing to me. I guess when you ride for a living and days are planned around riding, I already get more miles than I can handle. I know, first world problems, right? But seriously, night is when I work, eat and sleep. And drink wine. This might cut into my wine drinking time... 

Would you just look at it! The twilight situation with the rock reflection is reasonably stunning. I was amazed watching the footage for the first time. For a man who spends quite a bit of time in the editing cave, it is not often that I am amazed. Pretty cool option for filming, moving forward. 

Why not choose Sedona's "hardest", most revered ride to film at night for a first go. Seems safe to me. If you can't actually see the cliff to the right, is it actually there? This may be an easier time for people to ride this if they are scared of heights. Or maybe, we are just telling ourselves that. Either way, it was rad. 

Lars is my danger-man when things need to get done. This definitely isn't for everyone, but I can always trust Lars to be up for my ridiculous ideas. Anything to up the levels and progress a bit. Mediocrity is boring.  

As I count, my bike currently has 8 batteries strapped to it. I didn't even bring water on this ride because I needed to cut weight. 8 batteries without being an e-bike. My how far we have come. I need an intern to manage my battery charging situation. Email me your resume. 

You win some, you lose some, and sometimes, your fancy new bike gets you in over your head. #followcamfriday all in the name of testing. 

The trails in Sedona are constantly changing. Sometimes a section gets sanitized, sometimes things get rougher. One thing remains a constant though, Schnebly Hill and Munds Wagon remain full of baby-heads and I really wouldn't have it any other way. If you enjoy trails that move as you ride them, there is none better in Sedona.

I guess it has turned into my job to follow people. Through the dust, through the tech, and through the loose sea of moving rocks that lie before my front wheel. If I am being honest, I would say I have been lucky, riding wheel to wheel on incredibly technical terrain, just a bike-length behind my friend, who is hopefully getting loose. This time however, my luck ran out.

Maybe I ran out of talent. However you choose to describe my situation, one thing is clear, when you are committed to a line and get roosted by baby-heads, nothing good usually occurs. I certainly don't blame Alex, he was just trying to stay upright too. I just happened to draw the short straw today. Oh well. I guess it's my turn to lay on the floor for a bit. 

Schnebly Hill is one of the only sustained downhills in Sedona. It is hard to get to, doesn't get ridded often, and has a distinctly different character than what Sedona is known for. Raw dog. Just how I like my trails. The ground is even a different color.... The views of cow pies and Hangover below contrast the white rock nicely. #shredthewhite. Just don't let it shred you! If I catch you removing baby-heads from this one, we are going to have issues. 

Check out my friends over at WorldWide Cyclery if you want to learn more about my new Yeti SB150 bike spec
HERE

Can you think of a better day than NEW BIKE DAY! #followcamfriday testing my new smash pony in Grand Junction with Cameron Joye. 

Mmmmm, that new bike smell. Nothing quite compares. The challenge of new bike day lies in mitigating the stoke. It is easy to froth too hard and explode. The dangers of being stoked. Fortunately, my new rig is unbelievably capable and saved my ass on several occasions. Smash Pony!

Peep my build video here. 
Check out my build spec HERE

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Enter Cameron Joye. Cameron, originally from So Cal, is going to school on Grand Junction and slaying trail. Look for him to be crushing it at the races this season as he makes the leap from U21 to Elite. Watch out big dogs, Cameron is on the hunt. Nose bonk game on lock. 

Classic end to Free Lunch rock pinch maneuver. If you made it all the way through the jank, this is one last chance to hook a bar and slap. Focus grasshopper. The rock in GJ burns flesh. Staying upright is the best policy. 

Bonk bonk bonk. Remember to have fun out there kiddos. Them rocks ain't gonna bonk themselves.  Show them some love. Most action this rock has seen in a long time. Rocks need love too. 

Man, how I've missed the desert. This time of year is always special. After skiing for the last month, and riding my gravel bike in the snow, I couldn't be more ready for spring. Birds chirping, flowers blooming, that sort of thing. Spring fever, combined with new bike day is about as good as it gets. And what of that new bike? Well, I am honestly blown away. 

My Yeti SB150 is an absolute beast. I can basically ride my new bike with great disregard for my personal safety, without feeling like I am even trying. Is that a good thing? This could end badly. But until it does, I will be holding it wide and letting it slide. This will catch up with me eventually, but until then, I am gonna enjoy the ride!

#followcamfriday chasing Frenchie in Sedona. If you hear any whimpering, it's just me back here trying. 

One thing is certain. After spending a few weeks in Sedona this past February, I came away a fitter man. It turns out that all of the sprinting I did to keep Alex in sight made me reasonably fit. Despite trying my best to offset this with wine and chocolate, I still came away net positive on the fitness thing.  I call that having my cake and eating it too. 

Sedona is not really known for its sustained downhills, and the Soldier Wash area is no exception. This area offers some of the more natural and less sanitized trails in the area, but make no mistake, you will earn every inch of it. By earn, I mean, cough up blood to make things interesting.... But, with effort, these trails become very interesting. These are the type of trails that are ho-hum if you are just cruising, but if you are sprinting like your life depends on it, shit gets real. Real quick. 

Speaking of sprinting, walking Pete these days is the opposite of sprinting. More meandering than anything. Pete is 12 and has lived the best life of any dog I know. He is still fit as a fiddle but I just can't bring myself to run him hard anymore. He will basically run till he explodes, so I have to exercise some restraint. We just cruise now. Pretty refreshing if you ask me. 

This is the look I get when Pete has had his walk and it is time for me to actually ride. He lays the guilt on hard, but I think he understands that I need to get my exercise too. A bowl of water, a bit of food, a couple of treats and it is nap time for Mr. Pete. If only my life were that simple. I have responsibilities, like typing this stupid blog and managing my Instagram account. I wish Pete could Instagram for me. 

So what were we doing? Oh yeah.... Sprinting. Alex is abnormally fit and holds most of the KOM's in the valley. Or Lars. Take your pick. I swear sometimes these two plan their schedules opposite so that when one gets tired, the other one has had a couple of days off and is ready to try and kill me. I think they are conspiring against me. Fresh Alex plus fresh Lars equals one very tired Nate. All in the name of training I suppose. 

This photo demonstrates the proper way to enter a turn. It's science, duh. If you haven't been paying attention, try turning the wrong way, just before you turn the right way. Got that? Poetry in motion. Nothing makes your bike fall into the turn better. Send Alex a dollar. He just taught you something. 

Alert AF
It is still snowing in Colorado as I type these words. Since returning from NZ, I have ridden my mountain bike once. I have been riding my gravel bike in the snow and skiing a bunch. And drinking wine. Lots of wine. It's almost time to get back on the road and make some magic for the people. Summer will be here before we know it. I guess I am ready. Road trip. 

#followcamfriday from the land of red rocks, vortexes, and sprinting. Finishing the day out correctly with Frenchie and Mongo. Pyramid, Scorpion, and Ridge Trail for your viewing pleasure. 

Chasing light. The life of a habitual procrastinator. Why did you wait until the last possible second to jump on your bike and put a mega ride together? Nothing keeps the pedals ticking over like imminent darkness. I like to film when the light is good, that is the real reason I "put things off to the last minute". This leaves less time for eating and drinking, but that is the price one pays for #lightbro I guess..... We will be up late, making up for lost time. 

This was filmed in early February, just before I departed for New Zealand. What is the best way to get ready for international travel and bike racing, you ask? Chase Lars and Alex around their local trails for a few weeks. All of the sprinting and cry-breathing was perfect race training, as it turns out. I felt like a million bucks down in NZ. Thanks for making me bleed out of my eyes, guys. That's what friends are for. 

Lars Romig is an absolute legend. Fireman, trail builder, father, photographer, gym rat, Keto diet fat glutton, consumer of the finest box wine. Lars' slowest day is your busiest. Lars' slowest ride is your fastest. Whenever I feel like my world is closing in and I have way too much on my plate, I think of what Lars does on the daily. Motivation for life, lived to its fullest. Pay attention kids. Go do something! Anything. Maybe go for a bike ride and eat bacon. 

It's getting dark now and my camera is struggling. Can you see the lightbro? This image is grainy, slightly out of focus ,underexposed, the sky is blown, and the chromatic aberration is next-level. Would you just look at it! But..... The lightbro on the crotch region, and the fact that I almost t-boned Alex in this turn, more than make up for my struggling GoPro screen grab. This is special to me somehow, despite being a "technical" disaster. 

Mr. GoPro still struggling to maintain detail in the sky. Dynamic range lacking. But would you just look at cactus tips... Just the tips... Lightbro game strong. As it just so happens, I pulled a cactus quill out of my leg, just a week ago. Sometimes they take a while to emerge to the surface. The human body, being the wonderful machine that is is, will eventually push and foreign bodies to the surface for ejection. I hope you enjoyed your travels for the last six weeks, freeloader quill. Thank you for leaving my body. #justthetip

Classic Sedona. #shredthered

More post TransNZ shenanigans with Brady and Tom. Slip Saddle is one of Queenstown's steepest, legal descents. 

Slip Saddle, aptly named, is one of my favorite tracks in NZ. We actually raced this one for a stage of the TransNZ. Brady but the wood to us. Brady also won the U21 EWS last week in Rotorua. Keep your eye on this kid. Pinned as and humble as they come. True Kiwi spirit. Follow Brady on the IG's HERE

We started the descent from a little ways up the Coronet "XC" track. The section just before the turn into Slip is world-class, and worth the extra effort. You can see here that Tom is frothing for some more climbing, because a 6 day stage race clearly isn't enough to wear down Mr. Sampson. Tom is into fitness. 

I was told by some locals that there was a stunt, about half way down this track, built by the late, great, legend that was Kelly Mcgarry. It would have been rude not to hit it a couple of times for nostalgia sake. RIP legend. I never knew Kelly very well but his larger than life presence and positive attitude inspired so many people. Absolute Legend. 

Most of my friends have a reasonable amount of back wheel love in them. Brady is on another level. Watch out Kendall-Weed, Brady is coming in hot to take your #lovesbackwheel title. 

Digby Shaw, photobombing my ice-cream-selfie. #pesting hard. Aren't I pleased with myself. Yes, that is a zip-tie on my head. Digby is from Nelson and is one of the petter photographers and better people I have had the pleasure of working with and becoming good friends with. Cheers Digby, love your work, enjoy your ice cream!

If I am being honest, I tend to have an addictive personality. This applies to most things in life. Anything worth doing, is worth overdoing. This could be a problem....  If you stare longingly at the person scooping your ice cream, you are guaranteed to get a larger portion. That is my #fatkid tip of the week. You can thank me later when you are packing on those KG's. Do work. 

Where will #followcamfriday take me to next? The sky is the limit. I am honestly excited to be home for a couple of weeks, skiing pow and getting my life back together. Only time will tell what lies ahead. Desert, dessert season is nearing. Stay tuned frothers. This kid will be fat and sunburned soon enough.  

Fishing for Salmon outside of the Queenstown Skyline Bike Park with James Weingarten and Nate Corrigan. #followcamfriday

Skyline Bike Park in Queenstown , New Zealand offers some of the best lift-accessed riding in the world. If you are willing to work for it, there is a ton of good riding, just outside of the park that takes minimal effort to get to. I know, you paid to ride the lift and you only ride park, but these two gems are worth it.  The nectar always tastes better when you sweat a bit to get there... 

I only get to ride with Nate Corrigan on special occasions and in special locations, throughout the world. Together we make up team-Nate. Corrigan is like my younger, more pesty, brother. From another mother. Legend has it that Nate spent some time in Japan racing track bikes in a full-contact situation that is apparently popular there. Perhaps that is where he gets his reckless demeanor from. 

Interestingly enough, this was Nate's first day on flat pedals. Foot out suits him well I say. Missing Link is accessed via a 1 hour hike a bike from the top of the chair, and shares some sections with the classic tramping route "Ben Lomond" Missing Link is well worth the effort and eventually dumps back down to Beached As, the main traverse that accesses  some of the better side-country trails near the park. Combining this into Salmon Run is up there on the all-time list. 

Enter James Weingarten. After traveling to New Zealand in my carry on luggage, it only seemed fitting that he join me for a lap on Salmon Run. James handily won the 40plus, old guy class of the TransNZ, the week prior, so a run on this Queenstown classic was well overdue. James did great for his first run. Living up to his ninja status nicely. 

The bottom of Salmon Run is full-on jungle riding. Slippery on the dryest days, this bit couldn't be more different from the steep beach forest that makes up the top section of this track.  No worries for James. Riding blind is his specialty. If you need me, i'll be back here, trying to hold his wheel. 

Upper Salmon is basically a sketchy bench-cut through some amazingly steep terrain, linked with barely rideable switchbacks. Can't nose-pick? This one is not for you.  Fortunately, James can only turn on his front wheel, so he did just fine. Come to think of it, I don't recall ever seeing James' wheels on the ground at the same time...  There is just something special about riding a trail for the first time. You only get to do it once, so don't fuck it up. Be like James. 

By the time you read these words, assuming you made it this far, I will be at home in Colorado, skiing knee-deep pow. Oh the contrast. A lucky boy I am. Making the most of the seasons. So very fortunate. Mountain bikers traditionally complain about the snow. Not this guy. I'm headed straight back into the biggest winter Colorado has seen in 10 plus years. Time to send.