FREERIDE ADVENTURES JAPAN

Long Cold Winter

2012-02-17T09:16:00.003+09:00

This year it has been one of the coldest winters I can remember since I moved to Chino, it has been at least -10 at night for the last couple of months now. I went for a ride last week and crashed on the black ice, lucky I slid into a big snowbank. For now I will go back to winter activities, skating and snowboarding. When the conditions are right snow riding can be super fun but when the snow gets to deep I would rather be on a snowboard. Here is a link to a video of Mitch and Katherine riding on the Sunshine Coast in British Columbia. They really know how to ride and have fun doing it. Mitch is one of the best wheel builders I know and last year I finished day 5 of the BC Race with Katherine. She was a guest rider for the day and I had no idea who was riding in front of me with a Cove Jersey. When I caught her she told me I was "pretty good rider", I was actually having a great day and was in the top 30 , the level of riding in Canada is incredibly high. When I watch the video I myself feel quite good about my riding because she is "pretty good".

Ultramontane & Company - Mitch & Kath on pinkbike.com

Happy New Year !!!

2012-01-12T13:20:00.005+09:00

Happy New Year from all of us here in Nagano. Lets hope 2012 is a better one than last year for Japan. A good friend of mine, J. Smoke at bushpilotbiking posted this video on Pinkbike recently, 40 seconds into it I am featured showing you how to break ribs in one easy motion.(I did ride this section clean later that day!) Everyone crashes sometimes, the best riders crash harder!

Hits and Misses :: 2001-2011 on pinkbike.com

First Snow

2011-11-25T09:14:00.004+09:00

Winter is coming fast here on Yatsugatake now, yesterday it snowed a bit outside our house. Nesta my 10 year old son has started skating but I still want to ride for a bit longer. The last few weeks have been excellent for riding, everybody enjoys riding when the fall colors are peaking but I think the riding is better just after all the leaves have fallen. Sometimes it feels like you are riding on a soft red carpet then all of a sudden you are sliding on the damp leaves, it keeps you on your game. Another nice part of the riding is the visability, more light in the forest really makes for great rides. It is cold when the ride starts but soon the body is warmed up and as long as you don't stop for to long you are okay. I hope this nice cold dry weather lasts for a bit longer as I don't wnat to get the snowboard out until 2012.

fall rides-somthing for everyone

2011-10-13T09:25:00.011+09:00

Its now the middle of October, getting into my favourite time of year for riding. Usually its a little cool in the mornings now but the temperature rises quickly and makes for perfect riding conditions. Last weekend I rode one day with a fit xc group the next with a group of hard core riders and on monday I spent the day with 2 beginners, a very enjoyable weekend. All 3 rides were completly different and all 3 were very fun, riding throught he forest on a mtb makes you feel wonderful no matter what your level. The leaves up on the mountain are changing colors now and slowly the red color is coming to our house , get out before you miss it!
Back at the end of August, Nesta my 10 year old finished his first XTERRA triathlon, his mom and dad are very proud of him, check out the pictures! Next year he said he will do it again!

Paul

BC RACE stage 3 , Sunshine Coast

2011-07-20T10:37:00.005+09:00

The Sunshine coast is BC`s hidden jewel,even though it is very close to Vancouver the Expensive Ferry ride seems to keep people away. Any of you who have watched the DVD Follow Me will remember the segment with Brandon Seminuk and Stevie Smith, that is the Sunshine Coast! For the next 3 days we play here!
Day 3 started and finished in Powell River 50 kilometers of single track,very hard technical riding , most racers finished saying"the downhill was harder than the 1000 meters of climbing". To go fast on the DH you had to work hard to keep your momentum going. Today was the first time I started to really enjoy the Shimano 2x10 system, instead of using the rear derailieur I was just going from big to small ring on the front, it was perfect! Tonight we camp at a park right on the ocean, beautiful setting for a cold beer!

BC RACE Stage 1 and 2

2011-07-05T08:19:00.002+09:00

2 days into the 7 day race right now, basically we ride out of town and then its 30-40 kilometers of super BC single track . Here the downhills take alot of work as well as the uphills , its super hard to get the good flow going. Today I gave a bunch of fellow racers a Japanese lesson" Jyutai". Have alook at the picture, a very good reason to practice getting a good start!

BC RACE starts tomorrow

2011-07-02T15:11:00.002+09:00

Tomorrow is day zero of the BC RACE we get our race package, travel to Vancouver Island and get ready for the 1st stage. Did a few laps on Mt. Seymour to get used to the trails here in BC. My bike is perfect, the beer tastes good , I am ready.
Paul
http://www.globalgiving.org/dy/fundraiser/prevfund/gg.html?regid=5969

BC RACE for Tohoku Orpahans

2011-06-11T22:14:00.005+09:00

On July 2nd I will be participating in the BC RACE, a 7 day mtb race in British Columbia , Canada. I am hoping to raise some money to help out the many children who were orphaned during the earthquake here in Japan back in March. There are many who need our help now and will need it for a long time as Japan tries to get back on track. Please follow this link to check out what I am doing and please donate if you can. http://www.globalgiving.org/dy/fundraiser/prevfund/gg.html?regid=5969
Paul Chetwynd

Stress Release

2011-06-06T10:24:00.004+09:00

Last Sunday I rode with a group that have been coming here once or twice a year for about 5 years now, they seem to come from all over Japan and meet here in Nagano. Lots of driving for all of them but they always leave here with big smiles on there faces saying all the stress from thier jobs and lives was left behind for the 5 hours we rode. These guys all ride well they don`t worry about how to do this or that , they ride they laugh, scream and generally have a great time just riding thier bikes. I call it the ZONE, a place where we don`t worry about air preasure in our suspension and tires, just letting the bike do its job, its a great place to get to even if its just for a short while. Try it sometime, leave everything behind just ride , its what the bike is all about!

MTB for Family Fun

2011-05-20T09:00:00.006+09:00

In the last few weeks the weather has finally warmed up! MTB'ing has been for 30 years now my favorite sport, recently I have been discovering something that when I started riding I did not think about. Riding with Kids! What a great way for the family to get out and enjoy a day together. Nesta my 10 year old son has been riding with our customers this year and Dayna at 5 years old has just started riding in the bush this spring. Escape the summer heat,come and spend a day riding with your family here on Yatsugatake Mtn, Nagano.

New Season-

2011-04-25T14:26:00.004+09:00

This year winter has fought hard, there is still snow on the ski runs at Panorama Ski Area, a very rare sight at this time of year. I rode my bike up to about 1700 meters last weekend and didn't find any snow on the ground and the trails were super fun! Make a plan for a day out on the trails with your friends now, we are ready to go!

Saipan XTERRA Tsunami

2011-03-21T13:05:00.005+09:00

We all know what happened here in Japan on the 11th of March, its hard to grasp how tragic it really is. I happened to be in Saipan with my 5 year old son when the quake hit. First time I heard about it was when my sister called from Canada and told us to get away from the beach. The Tsunami came but most of its power was absorbed by the Marianas Trench, the deepest part of the pacific ocean. Saturday morning came and the race was on, there were about 20 japanesse athletes there and we all knew we had to race, sitting and worrying would not help.After a minutes silence the race began. The ocean was not kind to us, vision was impossbible, I swam straight into a boulder, the currents were always changing but everyone got through it. The bike section of the race has slowly been improved over the years and is now an excellent MTB course. It had rained a litte bit during the night and made some of the downhills very slippery, this always helps me as my mtb skills are my only strength in a triathlon. Into the transition and out onto the run or in my case jog. This year I jogged as best I could , I didn`t walk but I was pretty slow. I ended up having one of my best triathons ever, I can`t explain it but I do believe it was mainly because I wanted to get back to my room to see what was going on in my adopted homeland.
I was not here during the quake, but it is now that real effect of this disaster are showing. I have had lots of emails asking about our well being and I am thankful that my family is fine and we are away from the scenes we all have seen. I beg any of you out there ,and if you have the means please help with CASH, there are so many needy people right now. I personally am going to do something to raise money for the orpahns, its heartbreaking to see children looking for thier parents and they are this countries future. Japan needs help now, this country has been supporting so many others for so long it is time for the world to show some love.
Be sure of one thing JAPAN will rebound, its people will not allow it to go down.
Please Help,
Paul

WINTER BREAK

2011-02-14T13:00:00.012+09:00

Today it is snowing here on Yatsugatake, I went for a short ride this morning before it started and had a blast in the dry powder. The trails are impossible right now but the roads around here are perfect. While I was riding I thought back about last week as I had been down to Kyushu for a bit of work and pleasure. I left Nagano and drove about 8 hours down the road towards Okayama Prefecture. I was suprised to see that I had left behind the cold weather and was now riding in 14 degree weather and sunshine. Mikan Oranges were still in some trees and flowers were starting to come out ! 3 days of road riding and I was ready for my mountainbike. I travelled down to Fukuoka and the Cleat Bike Shop, Matsunaga-san had organized a Saturday morning ride. A bowl of Hakata Ramen and a draft beer and I was ready for anything! Thanks to the group of riders who showed up early in the morning and took me for a ride, I was suprised to meet so many riders!

Next year I want to come back and ride more!!But for now it looks like my snowboard is a better tool for my backyard!

2011- COVE BIKES 30 YEARS OLD!

2011-01-21T18:55:00.002+09:00

2011 is a big year for Cove Bikes , 30 years ago , in Deep Cove , North Vancouver 3 friends of mine opened the first　“ MTB only” bike shop in Canada. I remember seeing the first bikes they brought up from California, back then even Rocky Mountain Bikes were only selling road bikes. 30 years means a lot to me as it also means I have been riding for 30 years , and I turn 50 this year! After riding and racing so long I am amazed that I still think I am getting better as a rider. I am sure I can go faster now than when I was 20, maybe not climb like I used to、but overall I am a much better rider now. Bikes as well have come a long way, I laughed when HB(Greg Herbold) started riding his Rocshox prototype back in 89, now I spend 80-90% of my riding on 6 inches of plush front and rear suspension. . Cove bikes has also come a long way , when we started riding on the trails in our backyard we never realized where the sport would take us. While I was travelling around the USA living out of my VW van and racing, Chaz was living on the floor of his bike shop trying to survive. He told me about his mechanics destroying their bikes on the North Shore, he showed me his new bike for the Shore and he changed the way we all think about bikes . Over this coming year I want to write a bit more about the Coves history and the tribe , so many good riders and people have come through the shop it should be fun.
I hope 2011 is a good year for all of us , for me I want to do something special for my 50th year, maybe the BC race solo , maybe a backflip over the Yamanote Line we`ll see. I can`t wait to see what the next 30 years will bring us.
Happy New Year !
Paul

Happy New Year! 2010 Last Ride

2010-12-31T09:36:00.006+09:00

What an end to a great season, Fresh Powder for our last ride! This season is the first time we didn`t cancel any rides in November or December. On Dec.29th,a record for riding so late in the season! I had a group of 4 beginners come riding, I had been worrying about the weather for this ride ever since Noguchi-san made thier reservation back in early October, we ended up riding in 5 cm of fresh powder snow and it was a super fun day in the sunshine. What a great sport mountainbiking is!
Next year makes it 30 years of riding a Mountainbike for me, it keeps getting better for me. I still feel like a kid when I ride, I still improve my skills and am enjoying watching my 2 young boys riding thier MTB`s. I hope it as good for you as it is for me. Thanks to everybody that came riding with us year and we are looking forward to seeing you all again next year.
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!

summer came and went

2010-10-20T14:52:00.003+09:00

This year is the first year in the near 20 I have been living in Japan that I can remember such a hot and dry summer. It lasted even here in Nagano until just recently and now the colors are beautiful here at 1300 meters. A few pictures from the summer.

North Shore

2010-07-05T09:58:00.005+09:00

I just returned from a 10 day trip to Vancouver. I managed to get in a few rides with some friends who really know the North Shore trails. I am always surprised at how many trails there actually are so close to the city. I had one day at the bike park in Whistler and was shocked to see so many people riding at a very high level. It took me almost the whole day to find my rhythm, but once I found it and gained trust in the trail builders I was in heaven! If you really want to increase your riding ability then a few days at Whistlers Bike Park is definitly the best way to do it, they have practice areas for jumping , riding tecknical stunts and just riding the berms. I tried to get some shots of some local riders but they seem to be going a bit quicker than what I am used to and my shots were not to good, sorry.

My Bikes - Hooker

2010-06-02T10:11:00.006+09:00

I bought my first MTB from the Cove Bike Shop in North Vancouver, B.C. back in 1982, it was a Specialized Stumpjumper and it changed my life. I haven't stopped riding since that first ride on the now famous North Shore. Bikes have come along way since then and I am fortunate to be the distributor for COVE BIKES here in Japan. Being the distributor means I must have some demo bikes available so I get to ride all sorts of different models. Cove Bikes specializes in high performance, Canadian made Mountain bikes. Over the next few months I will introduce some of my favourite rides,starting with the HOOKER, a bike designed as a short travel, big air, play bike. It is a one size only, 4 inch rear travel bike that our pro riders use in events like the Crankworxs Slopestyle event held in Whistler every summer. I can't jump very well myself but when I ride this bike it definitly feels like it wants to play! Very quick through the turns and super fun on the small jumps.
This is Cove rider Erik Lawrenuk playing with his Hooker:

Spring!! Winter??

2010-04-22T12:48:00.004+09:00

This past weekend David and his son Brian came to Freeride Adventures for 2 days at the end of thier trip to Japan. The plan was to do 2 days of MTB riding but 20 cms of fresh snow on Saturday morning forced us out onto the road. At least the cherry blossoms were in full bloom and Matsumoto Castle looked fantastic with the blue sky and white mountains for a backdrop. This year the weather has really been crazy with summer like temperatures one day and then snow the next, I myself am ready for some warm weather. The snow was pretty well all gone by Sunday and we ventured out onto the trails. A bit of snow in the shaded areas kept us on our toes, and I learned a few things about the handling of my new ride. My son Nesta joined us for the afternoon and we all enjoyed an afternoon in the sun. Special thanks to Brian and Dave for being so flexible when mother nature was not cooperating.
Paul

Onbashira

2010-04-07T15:16:00.004+09:00

Held every 7 years,on the year of the Monkey and Tiger only, the Onbashira festival, one of three festivals considered National Treasues, is held. First held about 1200 years ago the festival spans about 2 months from start to finish. Here are some shots I took while trying to pull the Onbashira "honored pillar" on its first part of the journey to its Shrine. The first day "Yamadashi" the village I live in along with the folks from nearbye Hara-Mura started in the rain and ended up in sunshine. Along the way our energy levels were kept high by the crowds on the side of the road plying us with local beer and sake. The second day we pulled the log down a steep bank . The third day found us crossing a river. Many people say this is the craziest most dangerous festival in Japan and they could be right but after spending three days inside the festival I have become motivated to ride the log in the next festival! It is amazing to feel the power of so many people working together, much like it was 1200 years ago.

Young Guns

2010-03-26T10:25:00.004+09:00

I took the Izumino Speed Skate Team for a Mountainbike ride this week. Last year I took them out for a day and was really pleased when they asked me to take them out again this year. I am convinced there is a future Olympian somewhere in this group, they all look great on the bike even though they spend 300 days a year training for speedskating. We did a couple hours out on the trails and did one good climb in the middle of the ride, no complaints , no crying, just smiles,lots of hoots and hollering. A couple of good crashes along the way just to keep them in the game and some hamburgers for lunch made for a great day. Thanks to the kids for bringing thier A-game and the moms for bring the dessert.

City Riding, helmets or style?

2010-03-08T13:22:00.006+09:00

Recently I have been spending some time riding around some cities here in Japan. I am happy to see so many people using bikes these days. It could be the economy or enviromental issues that have gotten more folks riding but it does show that the bicycle is a very good solution for this world.
When I ride in the city my biggest concern is safety, I need to have good vision, good brakes and quick reactions. I almost always ride my Mountainbike, I am sat up on the bike looking at all my surroundings , the disc brakes will stop me quicker than anything else available especially if it is wet, and with the high volume tires I can at least try some sort of manouver if a car happens to attack, and attack they will.
I consider myself a very good cyclist, I have ridden as a courier, a pro-racer and now as a guide and I always ride with a helmet. Why I wonder do all these smart well educated people ride around on their fancy bikes without a helmet on? "I don't want to mess my hair" is the answer I hear most , second is "helmets don't look cool". Whatever the reason it doesn't cut with me, I have crashed many times over the last 20 years, both my fault and sometimes caused by others, 3 helmets have been demolished during this time and each time I broke a helmet I walked away, and each time I crashed were times that I would consider low risk riding, you just never know when you will go down, but you will.
I urge you to wear a helmet ask any doctor they will back me up, you are putting yourselves at an even higher risk than we already are.
Paul

Winter Olympians

2010-02-01T12:48:00.008+09:00

Every 4 years the Winter Olympics arrive and evry 4 years I have been amazed to see banners across the roads congradulating local athletes on thier selection to the games. Speed Skating is the sport around here and every year there seems to be a local doing well at the world level. Last year my then 7 year old son Nesta decided to join the school skate team, so my skate education began. Yatsugatake Mountain is quite well know for its cold dry winter air, we don't get lots of snow here but it stays below zero for a good 3 months every winter, good for making ice. As an ex-pro bicycle racer I am very impressed by the coaching and infrastructure of the local skate clubs. I now understand why the level of cyclists is so low here in Japan, they have no support, by the time an apsiring cyclist figures out how to train properly they are already well into thier 20's and it is too late. Here are a few shots of last weeks Izumino Elementry School Skate Race. The skate club members and PTA were out on the ice every night for 2 weeks getting the ice ready. The sign in the background is a fight banner for local girl Sayuri Yoshi recently 2nd in the world speed skate championships.

Happy New Year ! First Ride

2010-01-03T09:07:00.004+09:00

A little bit of snow greeted us on Friday the 1st, it made for perfect snow riding conditions. We wish the best for you all for 2010.

The Flu, seasons end

2009-12-10T10:17:00.007+09:00

I love riding during the month of November, the fallen leaves make for a red carpet ride through the forest, the weather is chilly but sunny most of the time here in Nagano. I must apollogize to the customers who I had to cancel suddenly on because of the infamous Swine Flu, Adults are least likely to catch the flu I was told, but I managed to pick it up from my son, Nesta. I am still riding up here now, the trails are frozen but have no snow, definitly a nice time to ride a full suspension bike. Nesta has stopped ridng now and has traded his bike for speed skates, I will ride until the snow is too deep!

fall colors by bike

2009-10-19T14:03:00.005+09:00

Now we are well into the fall colors here in Nagano, mornings are actually cold and at night I am burning wood to stay warm. Cold nights and sunny days make for ideal fall colors and riding conditions. I did a couple nice one day rides last week, one ride was around Yatsugatake about 120 kilometers long and the other a nice flat ride in the Azumino Valley of about 60 kilometers. The Yatsugatake ride has lots of climbing and decending, not a ride I would reccomend for beginners but the Azumino Valley is perfect for a nice easy flat days riding, we stopped and checked out a Wasabi Farm, ate freshly picked apples and enjoyed the sunshine.

Indian Summer!

2009-09-30T11:31:00.006+09:00

September is a great time for riding here in Japan, the humidity drops and the temperature seems to stay between 25- 28 degrees C. for most of the month. I spent a week riding around the Noto Penisula and then into the mountains to Takayama. Fantastic weather, great roads and good company made for a really good trip.

Father and Son Ride

2009-09-07T09:19:00.002+09:00

Genki and Nesta took thier fathers for a summers end ride last week. I am very lucky to have some customers who are starting to bring their kids to ride here at Freeride Adventures, my son and I really enjoy spending the day riding the trails with them . Takagi-san has come riding with his son Genki a couple times this year and it is really exciting seeing both the father and son riding better and better. Kids learning curve is so much quicker than us adults and it won`t be long until they are demanding bigger jumps and faster trails to ride, but for now it is great cruising some easy trails.

Summer Time at Last

2009-08-19T14:22:00.005+09:00

I haven`t been able to get the camera out much recently,the rainy season really dragged on this year and it was really nice to finally have some sun for the Holidays. I had some Demo Bikes, www.covebike.jp , for an event a Panorama Ski Area last week and spent a bit of time checking out the new 4 cross and jump areas now open. I thought it looked like a lot of fun and today I took my 8 year old son , Nesta and his friend Ayano to give it a go. I have never tried this style of riding but after a few hours playing today I am hooked. It really helps your riding on the berms and jumps. If you ever have a chance to pump of a few runs definitly give it a try, it will only make you a better rider.

Quiet Roads and Seafood

2009-08-03T09:51:00.006+09:00

So many people are suprised to hear me talk aobut how good the road riding in this country is. Once you get out of the urban areas you can find some beautiful quiet roads almost anywhere in Japan. The Noto Peninsula is one of my favorite areas, sleepy villages, no traffic, beautiful scenry and fresh seafood all add up to a wonderful place to ride. Personally I think touring in small groups is the best way to enjoy Japan. With a big group you are restricted as to where you stay, eat and the main benifit of actually blending into Japan. I just got back from a short trip around Noto with Micheal and Tina, a wonderful couple from Germany, Micheal was kind enough to send me some pictures, enjoy his take on the Noto!

Panorama "motai nai"

2009-07-10T14:22:00.008+09:00

I had 3 Austrailians up here for a week a the start on July. 3 very solid riders who were happy to spend their time riding the Gondola at Panorama and ripping up the trails. I was suprised to hear that in the land down under they were riding 2-3 minute tracks,when you think about how many Aussies are at the top of the MTB downhill game it is hard to understand why there are no fast Japanesee riders, Mio-san excepted. They also wondered why Panorama doesn't make some trails like Whistler has done, this would help with the erosion problems ,slow the riders down and make it more enjoyable. They wonder why the thinking in Japan is "small world not the big picture". My favorite quote " This place could be Aisa's MTB capital,don't they know we are out here?" I had no answers for them ,, who does? Check out this video of the 3 Aussies enjoying a bit of Japanese single track.

Bikes are Beautiful

2009-06-23T12:52:00.004+09:00

Last weekend my customers and I met some cycle tourists on a local climb, it was the first time in over 10 years that I have met any riders on this road. These riders have been riding for a long time and they all looked very smooth climbing up the mountain. Check out the pictures I have uploaded and you will not find any Carbon in this group! Proof that the most important part about riding is getting out the door not worrying about having the latest, lightest gear. I am now inspired to build up a few of the bikes in my basement,,,they are crying out to be ridden again!

This is Fun!!!

2009-06-15T10:16:00.004+09:00

I was joined by Murata-san and his friends for a ride last saturday, Murata-san came for a couple of rides last year with me and this time brought some friends that he road rides with. It was great to introduce MTB`ing to these road riders,because of the good cycling fitness they have from the road they could climb on the big full suspension rental bikes without to much problem.The advantage of ridng these bikes doesnt become evident until you hit the trails, when the suspension sucks up all the bumps and the disc brakes help you control the speed and let you enjoy the challange of single track riding. I too love the feeling of my 7 kilogram road bike but it doesn't compare to a good single track ride. You must concentrate on the trail at all times, you don't have time to think about much else so you really can forget about the real world while you riding.

The Natural

2009-06-11T11:48:00.003+09:00

On Sunday I had a group from Kanagawa-ken come for a ride, this group shows up once or twice a year, the numbers vary but they are always ready for anything. This year just before we got to the top of the mountain, I was told that this was one guys first ride. I was quite concerned as the trail we were about to ride is not ideal for beginers, dropping in is a good way to descibe the first 10 meters of this descent. I was pleased to see him use good judgement and walk this section, I gave him a very quick , 1 minute, how to brake lesson and we were off. He made it down the first trail, a bit jerky but no injuries. One of his friends decided to let him try his full suspension bike and then it was game on, he found his groove and was riding right in the middle of the pack. Even during our afternoon ride when he was back on his "Bridgestone Slugger" he was right there ripping it up. I hope he keeps riding, he is a Natural

Age doesn`t matter

2009-06-07T22:15:00.004+09:00

Saigo-san and his friends came for a ride during the week, it was my first time riding with this group and we had a really good time. The ages in this group varied from 30 something year olds to 60 something , they were a perfect example of what makes cycling so wonderful. We did one of my more aggresive rides with a good 8 kilometer climb and fun downhills, I won`t say who was fastest or slowest but I will say the youngest and oldest were right in the middle. Great day , Paul

Big Day

2009-05-25T10:29:00.004+09:00

Hayashi-san asked me to take him for a different ride last Saturday so I decided it was time for him and his friends to join me for an OLD SCHOOL epic. 8 hours lots of trails and big climbs. My sons joined us for the first 30 minutes then we got serious. After our final and hardest climb of the day a 15 minute downhill which takes me back to my roots of Vancouvers North Shore, steep and fresh. Many thanks to the group for an excellent day, no whinners in this group!

Nesta's First Guide Tour

2009-05-07T10:21:00.003+09:00

This past Golden Week we had some nice weather, good rides and good times. Nesta, my 8 year old son joined me and a family for an afternoon of riding. I didn't get to see him working as the 2 boys couldn't wait for us slow folks, but they did stop and wait for us once in a while. Many thanks for those who joined us over the holidays.

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Trails Open

2009-04-15T10:47:00.004+09:00

Riding has started early this year! We have been having some fantastic weather here in Nagano so far this year, the low snowfall and warm weather has enabled us to ride the trails much earlier than usual and now the riding is very good. Last week we had some customers here for both road and MTB rides , many thanks to them for making our season start so enjoyable. Now is a great time to come and spend a day riding here at Freeride Adventures. We have a good variety of rental bikes here, road racers , mountain bikes or even nice cross bikes for an easy days riding , we have you covered.

BC RACE Stage 6

2009-03-23T10:38:00.005+09:00

Day 6
The town of Squamish was the setting for what many had said would be the crunch of the BC race. This stage is a combination of 2 separate cross country races the Test of Metal and the Gearjammer. The Test of Metal is widely regarded in Canada as the unofficial MTB Championship of the World, the winner of this one day race held in May every year must be an excellent mountain bike rider, Max Plaxton won the race just before the BC Race started this year and along with his partner Andreas Hestler managed to win the stage as well. Today we made it through without any problems but I was really feeling the effects of only 4 hours sleep the night before. After the ferry trip back from the Sunshine coast I had gone into Vancouver for a couple hours before trying to head up to Squamish. A propane leak on the Whistler Highway closed the road until 1 a.m. so what should have been a big nights sleep turned into a stressful evening instead. Our plan was to ride smoothly and pick up the pace on the long logging road climb about halfway through the race,a couple times I had to tell Yoshi to back off a bit and even though we managed to maintain our position we could have done a bit more with this super hard 65 kilometer course today.
A big thanks goes out to the mechanics who worked until 3 or 4 a.m. every night repairing racers bikes, my bike spent the night before the 6th stage in their hands as I had manged to destroy a chainring and chain on the 5th stage. Due to my traveling problems I didn't have a chance to check the bike out at all before the stage start, I pretty well walked up to the service area 10 minutes before the start of the race, begged them to let me "pay you later" and lined up at the start line. The bike was perfect right from the word go and after the race when I paid up I also gave them my thanks. There is a lot that goes into putting a 7 day stage race together, somebody was taking my tent down and putting it up again every night, somebody else was making me breakfast and dinner everyday, when you think there is about 600 people traveling along within the race. A big shower truck was always near the campsite, I never had to wait more than 10 minutes to get clean. The organizers of the race made a few mistakes but were always quick to take the blame and make the corrections, very impressive group.

BC RACE stage 5

2009-03-23T09:45:00.005+09:00

Stage 5
If you ever have the chance to get over to the sunshine coast , make sure you ride the trails around the towns of Sechelt and Gibson known as the Rat Race Trail System. The locals have built some of the most fun flowing trails that I have ever had the pleasure to ride. Not super technical but just tricky enough to keep you on your toes. Great banked trails through the rainforest help you keep your speed on these fast smooth trails. We were feeling good about our riding over the last couple days and were looking forward to this day. The cycling gods were not on my side though as today was my turn to have the mechanical problem , with about 15 kilometers left to go on this 65 kilometer ride my chain snapped. Not only did it break but a whole section of chain came off. By the time we got that fixed we had lost at least 20 minutes and once again finished the day feeling a bit unsatisfied.

Stage Winners-

Team Old School ( Canadain 2008 olympian Seamus Mcgrath, Chris Sheppard) 3:36

Brownfishjumpers 4:47

BC RACE Stage 3-4

2009-03-19T12:59:00.004+09:00

Stage 3
With our new plan of action we start out on a 65 kilometer day which takes us to Cumberland. We had been told that the last 20 kilometers of this day were like the icing on the cake with the last 10 kilometers being the sweetest. Lots of singletrack and logging roads took us to the Qualicum river. The cool river waters felt great as we hiked through to the far side, Yoshi layed himself down in the water while we waited our turn to get up the river bank, he started a trend as by the time we got out pretty well all the racers behind us were submerged in the river. The final hour of riding was awesome , we had energy left in our tanks to really enjoy the technical riding and we finished feeling tired but good about our day, a big contrast to our 2 previous days
Stage Winners – Team Trek VW- 3:42
29th- Brownfishjumpers- 4:39

Stage 4

A 4:30 am wake up call greeted the racers today, we were herded onto buses, driven to the ferry. After a breakfast provided by BC Ferries we had time to go on the deck of the boat and take in a classic BC scene of　mountains, ocean and blue sky. Today’s race started right from the Ferry Terminal and would take us 60 kilometers down the Sunshine Coast to Sachet. Once again we started of at a reasonable pace and slowly worked into the ride. Lots of excellent trails along the way today and we were well on the way to having our best ride yet when Yoshi had the first of 2 flat tires in the final 2o kilometers. Having a mechanical problem in a race of this length is not really surprising in fact we had seen many other teams dealing with their problems right since the first kilometer of day 1. Mountain Biking is all about finishing.
Stage Winners – Team Kona- 3:11
31st Brownfishjumpers- 4:15

BC RACE Stage two

2009-03-12T10:03:00.004+09:00

Stage-2
135 kilometers of gravel roads was the answer for the snowed in trails that separated Lake Cowichan to Port Alberni. I used to ride allot of road races but hadn't ridden in a pack at 35kmh for longer than I cared to remember, Yoshi as well has spent many hours riding but mainly on the trails that abound in British Columbia. The hard thing about riding in a pack is that at first it is not that hard in fact if you get right in the middle of it you get a good draft and get pulled along. Problems started to occur after about 90 kilometers of hammering along trying to stay in the slipstream. 1st I had to chase back to the pack after a slow stop at a feed zone , next Yoshi got left behind on a short climb and when I dropped back to him we made a huge mistake, For the next 5 kilometers we chased back to the pack one more time. As soon as we made contact the road turned up, the climb was only 3 kilometers long but after all the high-speed riding Yoshi`s legs stopped going around. This Combined with his overheating the previous day and the pace of road racing today he experienced what is commonly know as the bonk. It is almost impossible to recover if you have let your body get into this state, Yoshi tried to eat and drink as much as he could but in the 35 degree heat and with 30 kilometers still to go we were in big trouble. I should have realized what we were getting into well before we got to this point but both of us were elite racers not to many years back and it felt great to ride with the pros again. Yoshi completely drained himself getting to the finish then had to spend 3 hours in the medical tent rehydrating and cooling his body down. That night I said to Yoshi that on the 3rd day we should start very easy, forget about riding with Sheamus Magrath(Canadian Olympic Team Member) and finish the day riding strong not dead.
Stage Winners- Team Flight Center- Aus.- 4:21
32nd- Brownfish Jumpers - 5:18

BC RACE Stage one

2009-02-05T11:57:00.005+09:00

Stage-1, 89 kilometers
Nerves were frayed as all 450 racers lined up to start was to turn into an epic adventure. As a former professional cyclist I was well aware that the start would be one of the most dangerous times of this 7 day race. Even though the organizers warned us at the previous nights pre-race meeting as soon as the gun went off so did the race. Within 500 meters I had lost my partner , who seemed to be riding way faster than I could, a big field full of cut grass slowed everyone down as racers, myself included, had to dismount and clear their drivetrain of grass before continuing. Yoshi was pulled over waiting for me and we got going along with the rest of the field. Todays race was an 89 kilometer ride from Shawnigan Lake to Lake Cowichan, it included a variety of the terrain that we would ride over the next 7 days, gravel logging roads, double track jeep roads and of course what all mountain bikers crave , single track trails. The heat, mid 30`s was a factor many riders including Yoshi didn`t consider as they rode past the first water station thinking it was more important to hold their position in the technical trails. The heat and Yoshi`s choice of clothing " I`m not a racer anymore, I am a freerider" started to effect his riding and for the last 20 kilometers we had to back off on the pace and cruise into the finish. We felt okay about our day and realized we could do a bit better if we worked together more smoothly, little did we know what day 2 had in store for us.
Stage winners- Team Canondale U.S.A. - 4:14
45 place- Team Brownfish Jumpers - 5:43

BC Race- report- Intro-Day Zero

2009-01-28T12:41:00.007+09:00

BC RACE
Back in the early summer of 2007 I had the opportunity to work with a Canadian film crew here in Japan to film a 30 minute TV show for Rideguide TV. The idea was to combine a lot of riding with some sightseeing. The show would feature Andreas Hestler, 5 time Canadian Champion and 2 time Olympian and myself . We had a great time and you can see the end result at www.rideguide.ca episode 138. During filming Andreas kept telling me about a race he is the course director for, a 7 day epic stage race linking up a lot of the now famous single track trails that abound in B.C. I didn`t hesitate when he asked me if I was interested in doing this race and reporting on it here in Japan.
The BC RACE is a 2 man team race so my first task was to find a willing partner. I made a few calls and soon had a few very good prospects, in the end I teamed up with Yoshito Tsuji who is a Japanese transplant living in BC. Yoshi T is an excellent rider/racer. I consider myself very lucky to have had him as my partner as he had ridden many of the trails we rode on over the last 3 days and his local knownledge was very helpful on some of the techical trails we rode.
Day O
The race starts in Victoria on Vancouver Island, a beautiful ferry ride and a short drive to the town of Shanigan and we were at race registration. Here we signed the race waivers and recieved a Dekine travel bag in which we were told to place all our belongings for the weeks race. Upon opening the bag we found alsorts of goodies from the races sponsers . We were told to put all our belongings for the race in the bag and every morning after getting geared up we took the bag to a waiting truck and then at the end of the days stage we would pick it up and take it to our tent. After a welcome dinner party we went back to our hotel and prepared ourselves for adventure.
Before I get into the actual racing I feel a bit of my background should be shared with you, I did my first MTB race in 1983 , raced profesionally until 2000. During this time I raced many different races, some good , some bad, I have done some big stage races on the road such as the Tour of Hokkaido here in Japan, the Casper Classic in the US and I even did the Tour of the Rockies Mountain Bike race back in 1986. I tell you this because after all the racing I have done I would never have expected to be saying that a race I did in 2008 was the best race I have ever had the privilage of racing. The organizers have a winning combination with the BC RACE, it is a race for all mountainbikers, pros are saying it is the best test for a true MTB rider. Age group riders love the challenge of riding over the same course as the pros and old washed up racers like myself only dream about being a bit younger and really having a go at this race. Stage One will be posted next week.
Paul

XTERRA JAPAN

2008-08-11T10:25:00.006+09:00

If you are looking for a good way to cool down this summer, head up to Marunuma Lake on Saturday the 30th and either participate or watch the XTERRA JAPAN Championship.Marunuma is in Gunma Prefecture on the road that leads over into Nikko from Numata City, a very beautiful part of Japan not to far from Tokyo. Turn off your air conditioners and breath the fresh air in this beautiful mountain setting. Paul is the course director for this event, one of these days he will actually race this event, but for now he makes do with the draft beer and live music at the Awards party on Saturday night. For more info check here: http://www.xterrajapan.net/ or contact paul@freerideadventuresjpn.com

BC Race, Awesome

2008-07-24T10:41:00.006+09:00

I just finished the BC race in British Columbia, Canada. 7 days of hard mountain bike riding/racing. I did my first race in 1983 and have no idea how many races I have done since then but this last race was by far the Best Race I have ever done. Great organization took care of all our needs, tents were always built before we arrived at the finsh everyday, good food was plentiful and even the emergency crew was very profesional during the entire week. More than anything though was the riding, everyday was epic, lots of hard work but if you like single track riding like I do then the 5-6 hours a day were a joy not a burden. Look for my race report in outdoorjapan coming soon.

Paul goes to the BC Race

2008-05-26T14:06:00.004+09:00

I have been invited to the BC Race, a seven day mtb race through British Columbia`s west coast. Lots of long hard days on some of the best single track in the world convinced me to put my race face on once again! I am starting to lose my beer belly a very big thanks to all who came for to ride over the last month, we did lots of good climbing and downhilling. Having both beginners and experts come mtb riding, a week on the road in the mountains of Kumano and another weeks road riding on the Noto Penisula has me thinking that I will be able to make it to the finish. My partner in the race is Yoshi T a former xc racer turned freerider who now lives in BC, recently he has been spending more time dropping of of big jumps than racing so I think we will make a good match. The race bible tells us we should spend many hours training together but in truth we have raced against each other a few times about 10 years ago and stage one will probably be our first ride together. Look for our race reports in some publications here in Japan and also on this blog.

Cove Bikes Japan

2008-03-07T10:14:00.006+09:00

Freeride Adventures is pleased to announce that as of January 1st,2008 they will be the distributor for Cove Bikes here in Japan. Cove Bikes based in North Vancouver, British Columbia , Canada are the pioneers of the Freeride movement that has sweep the MTB world over the last 10 years. For more info, go to the Cove Bikes Japan website.

Freeride Adventures Video

2007-07-05T11:01:00.000+09:00

This video was made by one of our customers last weekend. Everytime Paul looked at Suzuki-san he seemed to have his camera in his hand. He filmed all this one handed while chasing us down the trails riding his mountainbike. The only thing he couldn`t do one handed was eat the hamburger! You can link up to either of these links to check it out.

All trails and roads open

2007-06-11T14:43:00.001+09:00

Now that summer is nearly upon us here in Nagano we are happy to anounce that all our trails and even the highest mountain passes are open for riding. It doesn`t matter if you want a hardcore day of riding or an easy cruise down into the valley, we have just the right trail for you. We also have added a few more rental bikes to our collection, we have some dual suspension mtb`s and some crossbikes for those of you who want to cruise along the beautiful rural backroads that are abundant in this area.

MBUK and Earthed 4

2007-04-05T02:48:00.000+09:00

We recently hooked up with some British media who were in Japan to produce some content for Mountain Biking UK (MBUK) and the video Earthed 4.

You can read about it on the Charge Bikes website. Look for Paul around Day 2.

New Clinic for New Road Riders

2007-02-15T06:57:00.000+09:00

We're proud to offer a new one day introductory clinic for road riders. Get into shape and have fun while you learn about the ins and outs of road cycling. The emphasis is on safety and good technique, and we have rental bikes available if you're not able to bring your own.

For more details, click HERE>>>

The Backroad to Nikko

2007-02-08T12:04:00.001+09:00

This season take a 2 day ride up through the famous Oze and Nikko national parks. This ride involves quite a bit of climbing on the first day but there is always a support vehicle nearby for those with weary legs. As long as you have a reasonable fitness level riding up through these beautiful mountains will be exhilarating.

Read more about this ride HERE>>>