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!

BC RACE Stage 1 and 2

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

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

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

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

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-

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

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

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 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