Winding it down with a Race

 This year Summer blended into Fall really nicely, not to much unstable weather just a gradual drop in temperature and a few weeks of beautiful colors. Now I see snow slowly coming down the mountain and soon the bikes will have to be put away for the Winter.

  I usually do at least one race a year just to feel some real pain, but this year I have not done so yet. So this year we have decided to enter the race at Midori Yama on Dec. 2 in Yokohama. http://www7b.biglobe.ne.jp/~mtb/
 We are going to enter a kids  team and an adults team in the enduro race.  Anyone who would like to join us is welcome, please contact us if you are interested.

Sad Times but Great Times!

  This time of year always makes me a bit sad, snow on top of the mountain means soon the MTB season will be finished. It is one of my most favorite times to ride but knowing that I have to put the bikes away soon is a bit depressing. Last weekend was one of the best fall weekends I can remember here in Nagano. A bit cold in the evenings to help the leaves change their colors and nice warm blue sky days for the rides. Still a few more weeks to get that last ride in, don't hesitate, do it!  

 

Hot Japan Summer

  I usually spend the summer holidays riding around the trails here on Yatsugatake Mountain, the altitude we ride at is between 900  and 1400 meters and is according to my customers  much cooler than the city. This year I spent 2 weeks with my family and another family from South Africa traveling around Japan. We spent a few days riding, rafting and dancing in the mountains before heading to Hiroshima, Kyoto and Tokyo. It was the first time I have spent any time in the big cities of Japan in August and I now know why so much beer is consumed during the summer months here. It was so hot that every time I saw a Beer Garden I wanted to stop!!  I really enjoyed doing something different this summer, but was very happy to get back to the muntains and start riding again

HONG KONG HAS MTB RIDERS

  Last week I  had 6 customers travel to Japan from Hong Kong for 4 days of riding. When I think of Hong Kong the last thing I think about is Mountain Biking but was very happy and surprised to find out how good these guys were. They all had nice all mountain full suspension bikes and could easily ride Panorama at a good pace.  We spent 3 days doing some hard core shuttle/ lift  riding and one day riding  an easy xc course.  They told me they will be back but not next year because they want to ride the BC Bike Race first. I told them they are ready for it but now they have me wanting to do it again!  Thanks to Jeff and the boys for a great time.

Starting Young

 It seems like yesterday that my youngest child, Dayna , started riding a bike. He is now 7 and has been chasing his older brother for 3 years now. He really seems to enjoy watching the latest Freeride movies, he tells me Thomas Vanderham is pretty good,  and it is fun watching him trying to copy him.  He doesn't jump or shred the berms just yet but his riding style and position on the bike is perfect, he stands on top of the bike and uses his knees to absorb the bumps and jumps. This year he is riding Panorama's c-course and loving it! When I look back at what I was riding at 7 and see what the young kids are doing today it is not suprising to see how good all the young riders are these days, I can't go back to my youth but I thank my boys all the time for making me try!