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Is blogging still a thing?

So there I was, drinking beer and looking at the internet. What ever happened to my blog..... I don't think people even realize that I race mountain bikes for a living. I think people know me as that guy who posts weekly POV videos on YouTube about riding on the edge of some scary cliff in the desert. I am a Vlogger now, do I really need a blog? Well, after a two-year hiatus, I just turned it back on because it made me smile. Let me know what you guys think. Times were simpler then. More projects, more problems. Wouldn't trade it for anything. ​

Creekside's New Trail

9/28/2018

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It's not every day that you get to do loam laps off of a chairlift. #followcamfriday in the green room with the big 
​#loambowski
Creekside.... So hot right now. All it needs is a few more trails and we won't have to go to the Whistler Village ever again.... Well, your prayers have been answered. This new bit of trail connects the Garbo zone to Creekside, enabling riders to do a full lap into the existing Creekside trail system. 
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We were very fortunate to "test" this new trail for the builder Scott Veach. Love your work Scott! After all, somebody has got to blow up all the fresh turns and clean the loam off of the trail for the public. It's a dirty job but #loambowski is well equipped to handle these tasks. Ariel officially declares this trail "shred ready" for public consumption. 
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So basically now, you can start in Creekside, ride something sweet over to Garbo, head up the chair, and drop back into Creekside from where TOW ends. Full loam back to Delayed Fuse. There are 2 trails going in currently, Midguard is more flow, Trail 14 is more natural. Perfect options to get you back over to Creekside without too much faffing about. These sections will hopefully be open for public consumption by the time you read this. Don't worry, we made it safe for you. 
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 I really enjoy the backwards filming perspective. Ariel calls this "shark cam", named for a shark video he saw on youtube where the shark is chasing the camera, just inches behind the boat. I prefer to call it "reverse cow girl" . But, that is another story for another time... Either way, this provides a uniqued perspective and shows the steepness of the trail much better than forward facing footy. 
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If you look closely here, you can see Ariel. This is proper fall-park attire. Pants and a bright jacket. Notice how he contrasts the forest and is actually visible in the frame. All black is trending. Unless your name is Semenuk, the all black thing is hard to pull off. Put some bright shit on so I can see you for fuck sake. Look how nice Ariel looks in orange. So handsome. 
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#loamatose #loamloamborghini #loambowski
If you need us, we will be blasting through the forest, bouncing down the hill. If you can't hear your tires, you are doing things right. 
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Smashing Loam on Blackcomb

9/21/2018

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Blasting loam on Blackcomb with the one and only #loambowski. #followcamfriday in the green room.
Dark Crystal is the newest trail to be adopted into the ever-expanding network of radness that exists on Blackcomb. There is still a bit of top-soil left for shredding, so go and do a lap while the getting is good. The powder day will be over soon. 
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If you look at this picture closely, you will see "Dingo" calmly riding a nose manual down this rock slab. No big deal, JRA. Matty Ryan is a legend. This is just normal Whistler stuff. I feel like I am being desensitized to reality. Whistler is just different I guess. The skill level here is a notch above....
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We wouldn't be in Canada without some wood, right? Nathan Rennie was once quoted as saying "mountain bikers ride on dirt" in an old bike movie that I may have watched too many times. I would imagine that there isn't much wood in Australia. Canada is different. 
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Ariel Lindsley is a Fox engineer/tester/spirit leader. He works remotely in Whistler and gives valuable feedback that influences the future of mountain biking. Without Ariel, things would be different. He is the eyes on the ground that steer product development in the correct direction. Ariel works his ass off. He also rides better than you. He also parties harder than you... ha
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Blasting through the green room. Every high line, an opportunity to send. Every hole, a chance to bottom out your rig. This trail is amazingly abusive at speed. Not that I would know but I would imagine this is how bull-riders feel at the rodeo. Just for 10 minutes straight. And minus the pissed off, large animal.... Hacking holes for 10 minutes straight is my happy place. More please. 
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Cheers boys! That was a lap to remember. Perfect dirt with a proper squad. Does it really get any better? Back up for another. Until next time friends. 
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Whistler is for the Children

9/14/2018

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Believe me when I tell you that Benny and Landon De Vall are the future. What were you doing when you were 9? #followcamfriday with groms in the Whistler Bike Park
Oh, to grow up having your back-yard be The Whistler Bike Park... I can't even imagine. These kids are so far ahead of the curve that it left me somewhat speechless. Benny is 11 and Landon is 9. The future is here, keep your eyes on these groms. And, just start sending them free stuff right now. 
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I have always refrained from shooting young kids. Here is how the conversation goes- Super keen parent- "my kid is the best! you should film him and make an episode!"  Me- " Awe, so cute... I only film my close friends"... Internal dialogue- Truth be told, your kid is more cute than "pinned". My videos are about shredding and I am not trying to post cute kids riding slowly. I also do not post cat videos. I am not mining for views, I am keeping it real.

Don't get me wrong, supportive parents are rad. I just don't want to film your children. Or your cats. Just because you are old and used to be fast, you cannot live vicariously through your children.... 
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Enter Judd De Vall. Father to the boys, Judd lives in Whistler, builds trail and is raising his boys properly in the bike park. Judd raced DH for years and is super pinned and motivated to ride. He is passing on his passion to his boys correctly. He isn't jamming bikes down their throats and telling them that they have to win races. He is teaching them respect and to be humble. So refreshing! Judd is an all-star dad. Oh Yeah, and mom was an Olympian.... So there's that. Needless to say, cycling runs in the family. 
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I was absolutely in awe following these guys on their 24" bikes in the park. This really puts the wheel size debate in perspective. These kids could give a shit about wheel size, they just want to send. Just like me. Perfect company. 
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As it turns out, when you weigh 70lbs, you have to sprint everywhere to keep speed. Here I am coasting along, and these guys are sprinting everywhere possible to maintain. Pretty inspiring really. It's a good thing that they are so small, if we were the same weight, I would have surely have  been dropped. 
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In a world dominated by social media, this is an interesting situation. These kids aren't even old enough to use social media. Kudos father Judd. My world revolves around creating content, and if you are reading this, much of your time is spent at the computer as well. I can't even tag these guys.... I can't drive traffic for them or blow up their IG accounts. They don't have IG..... Crazy! Such a shift in thinking here for me. This kids are all passion, no other motivations. They are just having fun riding their bikes. Isn't that what this is supposed to be about. Smash your iPhone..... after reading, liking, and sharing this post....
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Smurfs for breakfast

9/7/2018

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Smurfy day for a ride in the wet. #followcamfriday on Gargamel in Whistler with Braedyn Kozman. There are certain trails that people generally don't ride in the wet. This is one of them. On a side note, I always had a crush on Smurfette. So there's that. 
Continuing the theme from last week, black dirt and green foliage are the norm now in Whistler. Fall has arrived. Pretty good time to be up here if you ask me. Last week was park, this week is pedal. Fortunately, Whis delivers the best of both. Enough to make Nate a tired boy at the all- you- can- eat trail buffet. 
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Temperature regulation is a constant battle in these conditions. Camouflage climbing cape engage. This is a popular technique in the area. The cape is faster in every situation. Every. 
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Gargamel has existed for many years and is what I would consider a "Whistler classic". Rocks slabs, chutes and roots. The perfect recipe for disaster in the wet. Perfect time to give this one a rip. The first time I rode this was about ten years ago. We ended the ride in the dark after getting lost for a bit. It can only be better than that time, right?
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Always nose-pick when the slabs are wet. It's the only way to spice up the already habanero-level descent. You see, making things easier isn't always the best protocol. Lets make things harder. I like challenge in cycling and in life. I fell down more than once on this one. Character building. Don't bitch, get better. It's that simple. 
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If I was pretending to be a  photographer, and not busy chasing someone around with my video recorder, this is the spot I would choose to take a still photo. Nose-pickable moss covered rock, lake views, green things. All the elements. Now, where did I put that camera....
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Sometimes in the wet, the climbs present as much trouble as the descents. Bob and weave, bob and weave, repeat. What ever gets you to the next section of rad. Full commitment on display here. Braedyn is a ninja. 
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Looks pretty grippy right? Get this bit wrong and you are basically falling into a hole with logs in it. I prefer aligators, but logs will have to do. Always add more spice to your food. Your food is bland. 
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Keep it locked right here for more black and green from Whistler. This place never ceases to challenge and amaze. Hopefully I remain in one piece for the duration. If not, at least I gave er' skido!
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