Chile Part II

Our last installment had week one with Ride Guide covered, here we will pick up for the photoshoot and magazine story that became week two:

Chile 2010, week one blurred into week two at an appropriate pub in downtown Santiago. One day I was saying goodbye to Josh from the Ride Guide and the next it was hello to the Magazine and Rocky Mountain Crew. The pub auspiciously enough was called the 'Phonebooth' and we sat out on the patio as it was warm and British.,?

The crew for week 2 included, Jason Sumner on the pen, Chris Christie on Camera, Peter Vallance directing, Chris Winter media support and professional guide, with Wade, Dre and Curtis on bikes. Well we were all on bikes and our guide Marteen, winner of the Trans Andes and all around awesome ripper.

Hoist ye pints and we can begin our trip - Cheers and they were off. Our mission/itinerary/schedule was quit chock a block; get the catalogue shots, get the magazine shots, get some tourism shots and oh yeah have a good time. So it was with this in mind that our adventures began.

Day 1 - we had to shake out the plane ride and get the legs back into pedaling shape, so a quick rip around Santiago

Day 2 - A couple hours out of town through the vineyards and towards the coast, half way up a mountain; today turned out to host a view of Aconcagua (the highest peak in South America), a huge meat lunch and actually turned out to be 2 shuttles, sweet.

Day 3 - a.m. - Morning shoot in the downtown area.

Day 3 - p.m. - La Parva, the ski resort located right above Santiago, 52 switch backs into the still snow covered peaks that loom ominously and permanently over the city. Our downhill began from above the ski resort and dropped nearly 5000 feet, awesome. We managed to shuttle about 1/3 of the way back up for round 2 and had the company of a 3 legged dog for the whole time, twighlight zone strange, yes.

Day 4 - Had us on the way south to Pucon, with an afternoon of riding in the resort of Cheian. This resort had recently hosted a UCI DH and XC event that had been nationally broadcast. The courses were both still intact so we had a go at them, nailing a number of the jumps and a few quick laps on the XC,  we followed our work out up with an amazing BBQ at a ghost town of a hotel called the Eco-Box.

Day 5 - We finally arrived at Pucon, the Whistler of Chile. While the driving was taking a bit longer than we thought (go figure Chile the longest country in the world)  we were still motivated to push hard and get as much riding under out belts as possible. We met out local guide and proceeded to make our way up Volcan Villarica the most  picturesque Volcano I have ever seen. The trail proved to be superb, the guides amazing and so it was an absolute ripping descent, woo hoo, lets do it again and we did.

Day 6 - Took us to the other side of Volcan Villarica, literally the other side of the Volcano, we crossed some lava fields shot some pictures and generally soaked up a great day in the sun. The afternoon was filled with another shuttle on the Pucon side and an investment in the local BBQ scene (we located, bought and had prepared - a lamb), it's another story all together.

Day 7 - finally feeling the effects of our travels and biking adventures, we all piled into the van sans ride, reconciled to our fate - one wicked long drive back to Santiago. We slept, we talked and we watched the country roll by, as bad as a long drive is, when you are in a new country it's always interesting.

Day 8 - Valparaiso, a world UNESCO site, 1. 5 hours from Santiago, where the Spanish and the sailors of all nations first set foot on ground after rounding Cape Horn. This was the premier spot on the west coast, right up until the Panama Canal was completed in 1914. After which it was just another Chilean port town, but what a town. Unique and beautiful, this was truly the perfect last day after an amazing trip - Viva Chile.

November and January are terrible months even if you are a skier, go south, go south
Dre

The Bucket List

The Bucket List “what make a successful summer season”!

Another year in the bag, was it a good one, well that’s what we must decide. Upon reflection there are a number of qualifications/must do’s to make the criteria for a ‘great year’. I’m not giving any thumbs up to anyone until you justify how and why 2010 Rocked.

In Skiing they count the number of days, why don’t we do that in mountain biking. I’m pretty sure some of the guides out there had a wicked year and logged over 200 riding days, so too did the racers, but arguably that’s not enough to qualify as a great year, but it sure ranks high.

So what are some of the ‘bucket list’ adventures that would put a summer season into orbit?

Here are a list of things I have come up with that can help define a successful bike season and separate the good from the great, cause a bad day on the bike sure beats a great day in the office.

-Dawn Patrol – I originally had this phrase introduced to me by Mark Wier, exactly what it sounds like; get your ass up early and be dropping into your favourite trail as the sun comes up. What better way to start the day, eh?

-Frozen Dirt Winter Ride – when the conditions are just right and everything just gets ‘sticky’. It’s what’s happening right now – weeee!

-A Grand Fondo – yes, get out, change bikes and enjoy a long day in the saddle. These tend to be very scenic and will contribute greatly to your fitness. Doesn’t have to be the same one every year either, turn it into a road trip?

-Road Trip - Domestic – like a tour, but without a guide, surf style, exploring getting out there.

-Multi Day Race – BC Bike Race, no excuses, this is just a must do, it includes Road Trip, Travel and Friends but lasts for multiple days and you get to ride sans extra gear, just you and the bike wizzing through the singletrack.

-A Tour – Abroad or at home –Switzerland, Peru or Rossland, hiring a guide to show you the goods, no thinking required here, just wicked biking. Only the locals know all the secret stashes, this is investing in trails and the local economy.

-A Weekend in the Alpine – a committed weekend dedicated to big miles and big smiles – there are some amazing places in BC, Europe and South America, do it- it will make your heart pump faster.

-A Heli Drop or a plane drop – usually means something awesome rare and exposed in the Alpine, pucker up.

-RedBull 5000 down - or a mega avalanche or a super/enduro D – Do it just for the fun, don’t get all serious an shit, enjoy.

-One legendary poach -that nobody needs to know about, you didn’t hear this from me.

-Exploring you backyard by extending your natural range – go farther and keep your ear to the ground for hot new trails. For me this is Powell River, Port Alberni, Pemberton, Kamloops, Nelson, yea they are out of the way, but nothing good comes easy.

-A Triple Crown - every town has one, that local backyard epic, the one you only do once a year, make sure you bag it and tag it !

-Big Group Rides– I love getting out to Victoria, Squamish and Whistler and hooking up with some legendary bro’s and having an impromptu bike-fest. This year I hit a couple notables; a Friday Chromag ride in Vancouver and a winter solstice night ride in Victoria, they each had 21 people attending, it was awesome.

-Toonie Races –mid week races, cause it’s fun and you’ll never believe the benefits and the excitement. Find a local series and jump in, it doesn’t matter how fit or not, just enjoy it.

-Cruiser bike ride – head out for an afternoon on the cruiser bikes, bring some road pops, have a picnic, it’s still a bike ride, still a workout, but changes the scenery.

Now you might say, booo we don’t have the time, the money or the resources to accomplish even half of that, but I say you do. It might not be done all in a year or a season, but setting goals that take you out of your comfort zone, putting ones ego about results aside for just a minute can allow some serious magic to happen.

When I stopped racing I didn’t lose my passion to bike, or to go fast, but that simple change brought into focus different trails, different zones and different people – essentially it enriched my whole cycling experience.

Bucket list for a year, bucket list for your life= Goals for your race season, goals for your career – now blend em up, pour em over a few cubes and liberally add alcohol, cheers to 2010 and now for 2011.

Dre