Long Cold Winter

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 !!!

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

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

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

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!