Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Riding bikes and UFO's in Yukon Territory...



So we're heading up to the Great White North in a few days to explore some new trails in the Yukon Territory and get our Yukon Gold trip finally up and running for 2010. As journalist Dave Smith writes on Twitter, "Whitehorse weather report calls for a 30% chance of rain and 40% chance of grizzly bear mauling." The grizzlies are one thing, but how about the UFOs? Turns out that we'll be riding Montana Mountain which just happens to be where a solid UFO sighting occurred from a geologist in 1988. Here is a spine tingling excerpt from his diary on that fateful night...get the full scoop on the UFO BC website.. Check back here for updates on this adventure...

EXCERPT FROM DIARY OF DES CLARK:

Tuesday 15 March, 1988

"Cabin very hot from cooking stew and wood stove – went for walk @ 2430 hrs. Had experience of a lifetime! Coming back and almost to cabin, aircraft came over south ridge very slowly lost altitude and hovered around sta’s 26-1 à 26-2. Craft was so called UFO – blueish aura on periphery of inverted bowl – very low pulsing hum; no wind so everything quiet except for barely discernable humming noise. Cannot describe blue/grey light – didn’t seem to have any specific source – just all over edge and upper overt. Craft was below the ridge to the west of cabin so distance easy to determine due to our survey grid lines – large diameter – noticed blueish light or glow on my hands and clothing – dog and I are being observed I’m sure of it as the craft sideslipped to within 150-200 meters horizontal and possibly 30 meters above us – damn! Could almost touch the bloody thing – when craft slipped in, dog started barking and ran behind the wood pile at the cabin – first impulse was run to cabin and get shotgun – stupid – just stayed there – not frightened somehow – cannot determine if any control surfaces – seemed omni-directional – no port, starboard, nose or tail – movements were smooth and I sense very deliberate. Christ! I’ve been at this cabin 3 weeks and even as I write I know some will think I’ve gone crackers. I’m bloody sure we (dog and I) were being observed but so overwhelmed did not notice ports, windows or such. Seemed like forever that craft in the valley. The machine left in a tight 180 degree turn to the NE quadrant; through east and up through the south – gained altitude with tremendous acceleration although no propulsion noise except humming and no sound of air displacement -- the latter I found strange as it defies physical law! Will not call this UFO because it isn’t – it’s a bloody flying machine – true and simple. Although not frightened when all was happening; went into cabin and it took me 4 matches to light the propane stove – noticed that dog wasn’t around – went back outside to call him – no dog – back into cabin – had to hold my cup of tea with both hands to keep from slopping it all over. The time is 0222 hrs of the 16th March and it has taken me and hour and a half to stop shaking enough to put this to paper – dog isn’t outside – he just crawled out from beneath the bunk – he has been hiding under the bed all this time! As I write this the impact of the experience is coming home – I know I’ll never be the same again and why wasn’t there someone else here to witness it also – if only dogs could talk!"

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Peru in Pedal Magazine

Check out the June issue of Canada's Pedal Magazine for a great article on our Peru all-mountain trip, Unforgettable Andes, from journalist Jason Sumner. This trip is absolutely unreal. Trust us. We'll have our 2010 dates posted in the coming weeks.


Big Mountain guide and mountain biker extraordinaire...Andreas Hestler!

Monday, August 24, 2009

crankworx slopestyle finals slow-mo footie

Watch this video and you'll really appreciate what the riders were pulling off in the slopestyle finals....very very impressive.

2009 Crankworx Slopestyle Finals - More Mountain Bike Videos

zermatt last week from the eyes of joe schwartz...

Swiss Bliss! from Joe Schwartz on Vimeo.

two girls and a fixie...

riding with Joe in the Alps

Our annual Swiss Alpenrock DH trips are happening as we speak. Want to ride with Joe next year in Switzerland? Keep your eyes peeled here...we're working on 2010 dates and details now and will have them posted very soon. Enjoy the rest of summer!!
Read Joe's Kona Cog blog here.
Thanks to Scott Hagarty for these fine photos.


Schwartzy hitting a little wall ride at the Crans-Montana bike park.


The group of Alpenrock I on top of Gornergrat, high above Zermatt. Looks like a great day!

Monday, August 17, 2009

more crankworx...sat ride!

Ahhhhhhhh....Khyber. So we were graciously given some free day passes to the Whistler Bike Park which we put to very good use. After several coffees and a crack-of-noon meeting in the village we boarded the gondola for the 20 min cruise up Whistler Mountain. A few scenic viewings and token pointing to distant vista, we boarded our steeds for the 30 min climb to the peak and down to the Khyber into Babylon and into Tunnel Vision, a head-shakingly sweet and technical singletrack descent that ends near Creekside. Highlights...taking turns following Gray Rodier and Paddy Kaye on Khyber - railing tech root sections that can be taken at speed with uphill slopes that can be coasted up...Babylon and it's video game of overgrown saplings a la two wheel drift and finally Tunnel Vision which has been worked on and has some killer wood ramps and new berms. What a ride! Rolled home for a quick shower and a few beers and straight to the Crankworx Slopestyle event...


PK negotiating some roots and rocks and trees...


Gray with his wheels in the air, again.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

crankworx..friday ride

my Crankworx Whistler week-end was all about riding epic all-mountain singletrack with Pemberton + Whistler + Squamish friends...what a blast! On Friday our good friends at Chromag Bikes hosted a fantastic ride-bbq-beers event. We left the Chromag headquarters in Function Junction and headed up Flank trail on the westside of the valley and rode Cheap Thrills and a quiver of other trails that i can't remember and 4 hours or so later we were enjoying cold beers and smokies. Thanks to Ian Ritz and Kevin Phelps and Chromag for the great times. That night turned into a shaker...drinks are the Blake Jorgenson Gallery and then more drinks and carousing at the Fireside and the 10th anniversary of New World Disorder. Congrats on the milestone and thanks for the great movies.


Ryan Sullivan, Paddy Kaye, Ian Ritz and Paulo Valle...and 19 other rippers about to start off.


Jonny I from Pemby Bike Co and his dog.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

performance

Monday, August 10, 2009

Peru with journalist Jason Sumner

Why don't you come to Peru with us in 2010? It's quite possibly the best mountain bike destination on the planet!! Read journalist Jason Sumner's words here and start planning...

Saturday, August 08, 2009

Brandon Semenuk's Crankworks Colorado practice runs...

Brandon Semenuk POV Camera Crankworx Colorado... - More Mountain Bike Videos

PK's summer

Our friend Paddy Kaye's helmet cam footage...Park City Utah, Nelson BC, Gray Rodier on Windy Pass near Whistler and some from our Swiss Cloudraker trip from a few weeks ago. Looks like a great summer...

09 rides from paddy kaye on Vimeo.

Wednesday, August 05, 2009

Paulo, Wade and El Diablo...



Satindar, Paulo and Wade after a tough climb on the Shore's Cypress Mountain earlier today. Want to ride with Paulo and Wade in Costa Rica this February? I do! Check out the roster of Costa Rica DH trips here...

top of the Brazillian...

hard to tell that our group was stoked...they were! Maybe a little blown from the climb. this is at the top of the now famous Brazilian trail in Switzerland's Valais region. Thanks for a great trip everyone!!



Want to view some more images from our recent Swiss Clouraker all-mountain trip? More here.

Tuesday, August 04, 2009

back from the alps

just back from a great trip in Switzerland and our Cloudraker trips. Unreal times...thanks to the crew for joining us on this epic adventure.
A slideshow from our man Jeremy. Click here.
PK's version here.
Zack and Robbie's take...here.


PK and the Colonel atop the Rothorn in Zermatt on our last day. the skies parted and gave us a full view of the horn...