Magic Bird in the Sky

. Truck shuttles are cool, chairlift laps are sweet. Helicopter rides? Next level! #followcamfriday take me to the top, magic bird in the sky. 7000' descent off of Mount Cartier in Revelstoke, BC. With 15 people. 

This is the second edit I have produced from a lap on the infamous Mount Cartier in Revelstoke. Last time we did this, it was so smoky that you could not see the valley floor below. As wild fires become part of the summer norm in the interior, we were lucky to fit this one in on on a crystal clear day in July. 

The descent off the top of Cartier is one of the finest I have ridden,  anywhere in the world. 7000' of amazing trail, beginning in the alpine, winding through classic BC pine forest, and finishing with a ripping fast section to the road below. This one has a bit of everything. 

When was the last time you did a proper euro-turn? Do you even nose-pick bro? I am not talking about the type of picking that you do when no one is looking or you are driving your car on the highway... Tight switchbacks require a bit of finesse. Ted has got this game on lock and can basically go around every tight turn on his front wheel. Set up high, grab a bunch of front brake, commit, swing that ass end around, giggle, repeat. Now do it 45 times and drink a beer. Win.

The second most important skill to learn is the elusive "frame surf". This technique is not recommended for off road applications but is very acceptable after a 7000' descent, once you reach the pavement. Bonus points if none of your friends are wearing shirts. Oncoming traffic.... More bonus points.

Yes, this is as steep as it looks. If one were to crash, the bike would go for a very long way before stopping, several hundred feet below. Seems like the perfect place to ride manuals. If you are Ted Morton, that is. No big deal, JRA. I personally wasn't even watching as I was distracted by the lake views below. Not sure which approach is more dangerous really. Stunts or lack of focus. Somehow, we made it. 

If you ever have a chance to ride in a helicopter, make it happen. It costs about 200$ but when you consider that you are riding a 10K carbon spaceship bike, this is a drop in the hat. It is basically an adult amusement park ride and is well worth the price of admission. And after said amusement park ride, you get to actually ride your bike down a mountain. Double win. 

Tom Kiwi Bradshaw is a fucking legend. Life of the party, wearer of jandals, Tom is a man who lifts the mood of any situation. Always stoked, always motivated, one of the finest humans I have met. Be like Tom. Wear a custom tailored flower shirt, pin it, and have a few laughs. Cycling done right. Cheers Bru!