#followcamfriday testing out the latest and greatest addition to the Snowmass Bike Park with everyone's favorite guinea pig, James Weingarten. 

Long story short, Snowmass has been working hard all summer to build a new jump trail and thought it would be a good idea to host James and myself for a weekend. You know, to "test" it out and shoot some video. Thank you to the Limelight hotel and Aspen Snowmass for taking good care of us. Love your work. 

This new section of trail is aptly named "Gonzo" and consists of a bunch of large jumps and wooden features. The one that James is boosting in the photo above is all of 40ft, lip to landing. Let me be the first to say "thank you" for building a progressive trail with properly sized features. After spending the last month in Whistler, I was pleasantly surprised by the scale of this trail. This is what we have been waiting for. Kudos to the bike park. When you do visit, give the trail crew a high-five. I bet they dink beer too. Off of the clock, of course. 

Next time you see Mr. Weingarten, you can congratulate him. James is a dad now, but I am happy to report that this has not slowed him down one bit. After all, who needs sleep to jump bikes.... Right? I mean, dad-bod hasn't even set in yet, I thought fatherhood would be different. James just has less time now, so compensates by going bigger off of every jump and feature. Got to pick your battles I guess.

As I type these words, the trees are just starting to turn in the high-country. Fall is upon us, my favorite time of year in Colorado. Just think how sweet this jump will look when the trees are glowing yellow. Fire. Snowmass is open for the next few weekends and well worth a trip. Unless you hate jumps and stunning scenery, in which case.... stay home. lol. 

If you look closely, you can just make out "Rim Trail" Its on the rim of that cliff, hence the name. Well worth a pedal if you find yourself in town. Government Trail is also a classic and can be added to the "scenic fall ride" list. I don't know anything about that lake in the distance. Maybe someone can educate me there... Looks refreshing tho. 

This bridge jump is a committing maneuver for the certified. Much like raising a child, I would imagine. James is all in, all the time,  in all aspects of life. That is perhaps why I enjoy his company so much. No half assing, always full-send. You can learn a lot from James.  Pull up, not out. See what I did there?

If you need me, I will be spending as much time outside as possible over the next month. It will be winter soon and I will be making the most of my time until the snow flies. I will not be shutting down this website for the global climate strike today, but I promise not to throw my carbon frame into the ocean when I am finished with it. But seriously, think about what you can do to make a difference in your own way today. Our actions shape the future.
​I am headed into the mountains for a couple of days to ride with friends.  What high-country, leaf peeping destination will #followcamfriday turn up at next? Keep it locked right here. 

If something gets in your way..... Turn. If there is a plane in the trail.... Jump it. #followcamfriday blasting through the forest with Heiko Krause. 

This actually isn't click-bait, we actually jumped over a plane. I don't know the whole story behind the wreckage, but I am guessing that things didn't end well for the pilot.... Now it's a stunt. Only in Canada.  

I filmed this during my road trip through Northern BC, earlier this summer. If I am being honest, these are some of my finest memories from the trip, so this one deserved another episode. I promise that I pedal more uphill miles than you, but somehow there is nothing that puts as big of a smile on my face as, DH shuttle laps. Put Smithers on your short list. Yes, it's hard to get to. Yes, it's worth it. You can thank me later. 

More groms doing dog-pissers. I should start the hashtag #gromsdoingdogpissers.... All of the natural talent in the world coming from Heiko Krause. I can't get my head around how well this kid rides. Especially considering that he doesn't really have that many close friends that ride. Natural talent. 

Just another blind huck, first time down this track, chasing someone I barely know. What could go wrong? This trip definitely got me out of my comfort zone. Most of my videos are chasing my friends. People who I know well, and trust with my life. I rarely film people I have never ridden with prior. By rarely, I mean never. Do you know how many requests I get to film people. The email usually goes like this... I am the raddest rider in the______, you should come film me so I can show you how rad I am..... Delete, delete, delete. My index finger is tired. Sorry, but I don't want you to kill yourself in front of my camera, even if that would get all the views. 

Now having said all of that, Heiko was dialed. Lucky for me, because I can honestly say that I have never ridden so fast down a trail that I had never laid eyes on before. Heiko is pinned. Do not take that statement lightly, I have seen a thing or two in my travels. Keep your eye on this kid. I was blown away. 

Fall is fast-approaching and I bet these trees will look amazing soon. This particular zone reminds me very much of the terrain in Crested Butte or Aspen. Just more sweet jumps. Any more wood. This is Canada after all. The resemblance to Colorado was uncanny. Good thing for me because I would have been dropped in an instant. 

Blasting. The kids are alright. I just need to say that as long as the kids are hitting jumps at warp speed, everything will be okay for the cycling future. While people are wasting their lives worrying about wheel size or complaining about e-bikes, Heiko is out here blasting jumps and having the time of his life doing it. How refreshing. Riding feels good. This is why I ride. 26 for life. 

Don't feel bad if these little kids make you look silly. If you grew up in Whistler, you might be able to keep up with them. #followcamfriday for the children. 

It is easy to start feeling bad about yourself after watching small children do things that you never thought possible on a mountain bike. I was definitely scratching my head a bit. Benny is 12, Landon is 10. Prepare to feel like quitting bikes, lol

Double over-head berm roost. This is the proper technique to make the dogs bark. When you hear the dogs barking, you are doing it right. I wonder where all those holes come from..... Keep it up boys. Holes are for hacking and jumps are for stacking. Burritos are for snacking. 

Speaking of dogs, Benny has a dog-pisser that would even leave R-Dog shaking his head. So much style coming from these groms at such a young age. The future is promising. My feet only leave the pedals by accident these days. 

A-Line rock drop pre-jump? Yup, if a 10yr old can do it, so can you... Right? If we were playing Mario Brothers, these kids would be gobbling up all the coins. If you are old enough to understand that reference, you probably shouldn't try to pre-jump this one. Landon on lock. 

Classic moody Whistler vibes. There is just something magical about riding here in the mist. I am not trying to be all cinematic, but would you just look at it.... Groms in the mist. 

It's really inspiring to see the family dynamic here. Father Judd, who is a legend in his own right, definitely gets father of the year for keeping these groms stoked without making riding feel like a chore. These two look out for each other and push each other to progress. I can't even imagine what the future holds. World cup DH podiums? Crankworx Joyride fame? Someone sponsor these kids now. They are way beyond their years. 

Nose-manual down the biggest slab in the park? Landon got it on lock. When I was ten, I was still crapping my pants. Seriously, just start sending these kids bikes. You can thank me when they dominate the world and bring your bike company with it. Iv'e had the pleasure of riding with a lot of the world's best and most talented people to ever throw a leg over a mountain bike. Mark my words, these groms are going places. One dog-pisser at a time. 

#followcamfriday squirrel lording with The Free Radicals and Braydon Bringhurst. Whistler's most popular alpine trail. 

I seem to get a lot of requests to film this trail when I ask the question- "what do you want to see in Whistler". So here you go, people of the interwebs. I present to you, Lord of the Squirrels. King of the squids. Master of puppets. Zebras in a cage. 

If I am being honest, this isn't my favorite trail in Whistler. It contradicts everything I love about riding in the alpine. Let me explain...

Don't get me wrong, this trail is super fun. That said, I couldn't be bothered to ride bench-cut, bike park style trails in the alpine. The reason I ride in the alpine is to escape that style of trail. It just seems very manufactured to me. Quite the contrast to normal alpine riding that is actually natural. And hard. It just seems very out of place to me, considering where we are. I mean, look at those views. You could drive a subaru up the climb trail to access them. 

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Due to the difficulty of access, most alpine riding is devoid of people. That is part of the appeal. An escape. When you build a 3 meter wide climb-trail to the top, it is accessible by anyone with a bicycle and a little bit of fitness. Now I completely get it, trails are meant to be shared, and beginners make my job possible. Somehow this all seems a little out of place, on the top of a mountain in Whistler. Everything I am trying to escape, is up here. So very strange. This is an artificial alpine experience to me. It's like going to the zoo or on a safari to me. Not quite like being out in the wild. But like I stated, it's still fun. A zebra in a cage is still a zebra. 

Braydon, The Free Radicals, and myself did this ride on a busy day during Crankworx, hoping to escape the madness of the village and work off our hangovers a bit. While we did sober up a hair, we did not escape the madness unfortunately. I can't really complain, I don't even live here. But, I do live in a tourist town and plan rides to avoid the masses on occasion. I have never seen so many people on a trail outside of a bike park. We still had the time of our lives, don't misunderstand me. It's just weird. I myself am to blame for making trails popular, so I really cannot bitch. It's partially my fault, and the fault of the current state of social media and how people consume information. But that is another story for another day... End rant. 

What I remember the most about rides anymore are the people I am with. Always a pleasure to chase Will and Mark around and make Braydon bonk after riding every day, all day, at Crankworx. That first-time Whistler stoke finally got the best of Braydon. Kudos for living your best life while in Whistler. Leaving on your death-bed is a proper exit. Good thing the Free Rad's were having a rest day. Just a casual 5K eh. 

It should be noted that I am still in awe of the current moisture levels after the last two smokey summers, here in Whis. I think we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief and appreciate the moisture. See what I did there? Black and green, blasting through the forest. As it should be. Where will followcamfriday turn up next?

#followcamfriday riding the Whistler Bike Park with Braydon Bringhurst. Prepare to be amazed. 

This is a proper reminder to do things your own way.  While most things have been done before, it is all too easy to copy someone else's style. This applies to all things in life. While imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, creativity is king. Braydon has a style,  all his own. 

When the person you are filming is backwards and only has one foot on the pedals. Jra for Braydon. Fun is first and Mr. Bringhurst is bringing the party. 
Follow Braydon on the IG's
HERE

Those down-valley views tho.... This is the first time I have been here for Crankworx in a couple of years where you could actually see the valley. Consistent moisture has kept the fires at bay and the trails perfect this year. How refreshing. Quite literally. No more smoking darts and riding bikes. 

This was Braydon's first trip to Whistler. We had the talk. You know the one. It basically goes like this. Chill the fuck out, don't kill yourself first run.... Fortunately this man's "chill" is still next-level, for your viewing pleasure. It was impressive to see how fast Braydon got his head around the lines in the park and rode them in his own unique way.  

And yes, the new Dirt Merchant is all that it is cracked up to be. Extra bonus points for nose-presses. If you need me, I'll just be spinning laps on this beauty.  The trail crew here never ceases to amaze. 

I think I will be staying up here for a while. How could I not? With Crankworx in the rear view mirror and a continued smattering of moisture, fall is lining up to be perfect. My what a year it has been, Nate is a fortunate boy. Maybe I should explore Squamish a bit. Any recommendations?

#followcamfriday from Green's Creek in Salida with special guest, Rajesh Magar. 

I couldn't think of a better way to welcome RJ to our country. Green's Creek is easily on my top 10 in the world list, so this seemed like a logical stop on the way back from the Yeti Tribe Gathering. It's not every day that you get to share one of your favorite trails with a celebrity.

Have a look at this gem of a film from Joey Schusler. If you are not familiar with RJ's story, this is a brilliant watch. This one really put some things into perspective for me. RJ is a legend. 

Got rocks? Bucking today's monotony of smooth, flow-trails, Green's remains as rough as ever. Perhaps that is why this trail is so near and dear to my heart. This is basically a fist-fight the entire way. Oh yeah, and it is more than 25 minutes long, without any breaks, at race pace. Prepare to get reduced. I have raced this one a few times and I am not sure that I can think of a harder stage to race. Humbling, to say the least. 

As we began the descent, it took all of 5 seconds for me to realize that RJ was on the program. Slapping turns, laughing, jumping everything. It is amazing to me that people from opposite corners of the world can have such a similar eye for terrain. Same team. Brother from another mother. 

I cannot recall a time when RJ didn't have a shit-eating grin on his face. I mean, how could you not? With Joey at the helm, I was impressed at how fast RJ was able to make sense of terrain he has never ridden. The smile is 10 seconds faster in every situation. Never not. 

Maybe this is why they named this one "Green's" A record winter and continued spring moisture have the green levels peaking. Such a relief to see this, instead of 
"fire season", that is unfortunately becoming the norm. This particular stretch of aspen forest is as good as it gets. I need to get back out there when the trees start to change in another month. 

It wouldn't be the Colorado High-country without some proper stream crossings. Get wet! As I type these words, I find myself in Whistler. The contrast between this sort of riding and the chaos that is Crankworx, couldn't be more pronounced. Don't get me wrong, I love Whistler, but it is pretty hard to beat a solid romp in the mountains with a good group of friends. You can have a drink or two, post ride, wherever you are in the world. They just cost more in Whistler. And the line at the GLC is brutal. 

There is no other day like "new bike day" Proper shake out in the Telluride alpine with Joey, Jon and Nate. #followcamfriday

I have built a bunch of new bikes lately. If I am being honest, I barely have the time to ride them all, between traveling, filming, racing, and typing these words. I am definitely not complaining, because after all, these are good problems to have. I built my 140 a couple of weeks ago and was excited, to say the least, to give her a proper rip in the alpine.

When Joey Schusler isn't busy traveling the world and making films about his addiction to adventure, he is bringing the streets to the alpine. Always a pleasure to ride with, Joey is special. It has been far too long since we had done a proper ride in the alpine together. Finding time is hard for both of us, but I am glad that we made this happen. Like getting the band back together. 

Our squad was made up of myself, Joey, and two Telluride locals, Jonathan Yaseen and Nate Smith. These guys were stoked to get a ride in the alpine after an epic winter that left meters of snow on their favorite trail. Our timing was perfect, and the "Weenie Wasatch" was just melting out. Jon owns a bar in town called "There". Where? Yeah, There. If you are looking for a proper cocktail, this is the place. Pisco Sour anyone? Definitely check it out if you are in Telluride
THERE 

I had not been to Telluride since racing the last Mountain States Cup event there in 2012. What have I been doing with my life? Telluride is hard to get to, and that is perhaps what keeps this place so good. You have to try really hard to get here for a weekend if you live in the Front Range. Perfect for weeding out the crowds on the weekends. I bet the skiing is good too. 

Loose as. There is only one way if you are Joey Schusler. 

Views with the Bru's. Focus grasshopper, you actually can fall down the hill on this one. Long live rustic alpine trails. While this  is not a bike park, it should be noted however, that the Telluride Bike Park is building new trails and fixing up some of the classics. Nice work Telluride, keep it up!

Where will #followcamfriday turn up next? Only time will tell, but this trip will be hard to beat. Keep it locked right here for sweet biking action. 

#followcamfriday visiting the historic Mount 7 psychosis track with the Kiwi contingent. Good luck. 

Know your history, nerds. Mount 7 last hosted the Psychosis race in 2008. At the time, and still to this very day, it is regarded as one of the hardest tracks to ever race a DH bike on. Bars were narrower, bikes were heavier and men were manlier. Despite having $10K, state of the art, carbon space ship MTB's, we still didn't come close to Sam's winning time. What have we learned? Skills over bills. 

In case you were unsure of the pitch, here is a catch-net so save your body from flinging itself off of a cliff. I wonder how many people have ended up in this thing. I didn't bother, or should I say, actually couldn't stop to see what was behind that thing, but I am guessing it is not pretty. Stay left. Ignorance is bliss. 

The top of Dead Dog is a scree chute. Don't get too cocky of you make it down that in one piece, the trail only gets steeper and more slippery once you make it into the trees. If you make it into the trees... The tree section was wet when we rode it, bad choice, but there is no time like the present. To put this in perspective, bot Kiwi's opted for gloves on this day. I have never seen such a thing. 

The drop in is enough of a squirrel catcher to keep 99% of the people from dropping in. Basically dropping off the edge of the world. Nope, you can't see the bottom. The tourists that we passed by as we rolled in were in disbelief, clutching their iPhones, documenting the gnar. Tag us on IG, tourists. Made their vacation. 

If I had a dollar every time someone said "the GoPro makes things look flat" I wouldn't be typing these words. GoPro effect in full effect as Nigel tries to not die. Basically, the accepted technique is try and go as slow as possible. Turns out that is still too fast. 

Tom Bradshaw. Kiwi legend. Dirt suit model. No fucks given. Standing on the paraglider launch ramp offers hella views to the valley below. Just 1800 meters below. What could go wrong? 

So, good luck. Sam Hill holds the track record at just under 13 minutes. honorable mentions to Stevie Smith and Tyler Morland for holding it down for Canada. I should mention that it is worth googling "Mount 7 Psychosis" and going down that rabbit hole. A word of caution though, you will feel like less of a man, after you do. 2008 has come and gone and these guys are still faster than you, by a mile, on what would be considered "unrideable" bikes, by today's Pinkbike audience. I mean, they had 26" wheels.... 

#followcamfriday fifth and final stop on my tour across Northern BC. Put Valemount on your short list. 

I have ridden many bike parks in my day, and this one is right up there with the best of the best. Not to be confused with Valmont in Boulder, Valemount lies near the BC / Alberta border, just south of Banff National Park. How such a small town can sustain such an amazing trail network is beyond me. Impressive, to say the least. 

 Circus stunts or bike park features.... You be the judge. Any time you can pass over the top of your squad, on trail, you are winning. These trails have been thoughtfully created. The attention to detail is obvious from the second you point your bike downhill. You can support the trails HERE 

Synchronized park riding. Because everything is better with a squad. I was fortunate to get a proper tour from Conor, Glenn and Jacob. Rad Army has these trails on lock. 

Turns out that your hands are worthless. Hands are for slowing down and maintaining control. Two things that are less important than the send. 

Living life correctly means almost touching your friend's back wheel in mid air. If it looks close on my GoPro, I am basically tire buzzing. Fortunately Jacob whipped right, as I was sneaking under on the left. Timing is everything friends. 

Glenn King has more ups than you. At least 1 meter higher than everyone else on this particular jump. That is three feet for you 'Mericans. Where will #FollowCamFriday turn up next? Canadian withdrawal hitting hard!

No worries eh, welcome to Canada. #followcamfriday hunting for wet-wood-jank. Prince George delivering the goods.

Stop 4 from my tour across Route 16, exploring the lesser known spots in Northern BC.  You can learn more about the Ride North initiative HERE

Glenn King, Conor Sproull, and Graeme Paterson were kind enough to give me the tour of their local spot, Pidherny. This place has more wood than you can shake a stick at. It is all remarkably well-built and rides well, even in the wet. Which was a good thing because it rained heaps, upon my arrival to town. Moisture levels on fleek. 

Always pull up, never not. Glenn knows the deal. The young shredder vibe is alive and well in town. All the dudes at the local bike shop rip and are keen to hit big jumps. All is well in the world. As long as the kids just want to hit jumps and don't actually like to pedal uphill, everything is right in the world. As it should be. 

Sideways is the right way. You can definitely jump over your friends on the lower section of Ditch Pig. The gist of the game is to get as many people in the air at that same time as possible. We had 3. You can do better. If you can buzz the tire of the person you are following, they buy you a beer. Have fun. 

Most Americans have a great disdain for wood. I rather enjoy it. Most people hate on things that they suck at, as a general rule of thumb. "That track had too much pedaling"..... You suck at climbing. "That track was too tech".... You suck at riding downhill. I just try and embrace all of the trails, and ride them all mediocrely. Jack of all trades, master of none theory.  

Yeah BC forest. Brown and green make the trails slappy and mean. Prince George received its first rain in a while, upon my arrival, leaving the conditions perfect for shredding. I am not sure how it is possible, but I have timed my visit just right. Breaking my streak that is normally a day late and a dollar short. Let's keep those moisture levels up and keep "fire season" at bay. 

Check out the boys from Rad Army HERE!!. They are a crew based out of PG, representing all things sweet in bicycling. Sometimes they even do merch, so go give them a follow on the IG and buy some socks because your feet smell. 

This trail nomenclature made me smile. I grew up in New England, eating clam chowder. Interestingly enough, the "r" is silent and the "e" is pronounced a, but I digress. Chowda guy. Although there were no clams on this trail, it was still a heartwarming comfort trail. Yum. I don't even know what that means.  

Where will FollowCamFriday emerge next? Keep it locked right here for more misadventures from The Great White North No Worries Eh Welcome To Canada Tour. Get that down your neck.