Salmon Run

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.