Drifting....

What does this word mean to you?

Like the transition between seasons we "drift" from summer to winter. I know there's another season there but lets face it, autumn is just a minor inconvenience while waiting for the next adventure season. That is why we live in Whistler isn't it?

Like a ship at sea, when it's dead in the water: it is drifting with the tide. As a matter of fact the term "adrift" has nautical roots and is still used to day when describing a sailor who is absent from his place of duty without authority, or "AWOL".

"Drifters" are similar to nomadic gypsies who "drift" from place to place, with no real fixed address, enough said there.

I'm riding the road bike this past weekend, it's a beautiful day, rare for "drifting" season. Honestly I really miss riding the road sometimes, I love the speed, efficiency, you know: all that man and machine crap. This was one of those days where all is right and I'm feeling great. My route is short but planned and I'm cruising on the west side just around the Rainbow trail head. I passed by a another rider on the roadside, she was on the phone and I thought, that's interesting because we as riders will stop to talk on the phone but drivers won't, I digress. I also know that as soon as she gets off the phone, she will try to pursue me as I lumber along, it's just what roadies do sometimes. So I try to put some distance between me and her and I'm feeling solid but alas I'm caught at Stonebridge, only a few short km from our first encounter. We chat, as we do, and I'm now gearing up for a serious downhill where I'm sure I will be able to put distance on her as I know this is my strength, sad I know. I get up to speed and into my tuck and fire all my spidie-senses and as I turn the last right before the bottom my traction is disrupted by a patch of loose gravel that is spread across the road. I "drift" to the left for what feels like ten feet and my heart-rate goes through the roof, because by now I am cooking down the hill at about 70 km/hr! I can only assume this speed because my focus is on the road!

I'm happy to say that I emerged unharmed and rode out of it like a champ, remember downhill is my forte. I only just realized that had this is truly the first time that my DH skills have come in handy on the road. Maybe I was just lucky, who knows?

I get back to Hwy 99 and make the turn north. I'm cruising now and all of a sudden the familiar voice from the top of the hill, "wow, you're fast on those downhills." she says. "That's only because I'm fat." I say. We chat about the weather and in less that one km I'm struggling to maintain conversation and she pedals away. I thought for a moment I could put the DH "hurt" on her by the time I got to the top of the small hill but no, she was gone, I never saw her again.

Drifting......
Think about it and look at this picture to get a clear vision.

On to Amazing Opportunities

So for some reason, unbeknownst to me, I found myself taking part in a sort of "coaching symposuim" this past weekend.

A little history...

This past summer I have become affiliated with the Professional Mountain Bike Instructors - PMBI and as a result I have been fortunate to broaden my coaching footprint beyond the boundaries of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park.

Now PMBI, and its parent company ZEP Techniques, is the brainchild of Paul Howard. Paul is a fully certified CASI snowboard instructor who has a deep passion for mountain biking, long story short; he has created a mountain bike specific instruction template that has its roots in the long time CASI and even longer time CSIA formula of "skill development".

In a "manoeuvre-based "system, the idea is: if an instructor/coach were to teach a rider to perfom a manoeuvre they would become very one-dimensional as a rider. i.e Learn how to carry speed through corner "a" and therefore be proficient in corner "a". But, what does he do when confronted with corner "b"?

In a "skill-based" system there are a series of "skills" that are common to all mountain biking, XC, DH, SS, DJ, whatever. The theory is that if a "skill" is deficient in a rider then it will be deficient in most, if not all asects of their riding. If a coach were to develop this skill then as a result, all riding will improve in the rider. ("a rising tide raises all ships") This has been proven in many different sports including skiing and snowboarding.


Last autumn Paul asked me if I would like to get involved in PMBI and I was excited to get onboard. Since then I have primamrily conducted and evaluated PMBI courses for Paul and sporadically helped with his multi-day camps. The thing that struck me most about the courses was the people that were taking them. The list reads like a who's who of the industry, Kirt and Lindsey Voreis, Katie Holden, Claire Buchar, Chris Kovarik, pretty solid company I must say.

So, Paul decided to create a new course for PMBI, level III,  and he brought together some of the most talented coaches and riders to a forum last weekend here in Whistler. I was fortunate enough to be invited and contrubite my 2 cents as well. I can honestly say that I cannot remember a time where I have had more fun riding a bike nor have I felt more encouraged to speak my thoughts. The level of knowledge and riding was beyond my expectations, and at one point during the weekend it became apparent to me that we were creating awareness among the guests in the bike park. I noticed on more than one occasion that riders were inching closer to our discussions just to hear what was going on. A sensational position to be in. Paul may very well be the biggest mountain bike nerd out there but remember this: Bill Gates once said during an address he made at a graduation ceremony "be nice to nerds, because someday you will be working for them"

Many thanks to my fellow attendees, you have taught me more in three days than I could have learned on my own in a year.

PMBI L3 Pilot project was attended by:
   Andy Bostock - Former Masters World Champion
   Ryan Kuhn - Perform X MTB Team Coach
   David Gagnon - CASI Senior Trainer and CCA Coach
   John Shelly - CASI Instructor and Former Coach for the New Zealand National SB Team
   Claire Buchar - Reigning Canadian National DH Champion and World Champion Bronze Medalist
   Chric Kovarik - World Cup DH Legend who claims to be "better at riding a bike than walking"
   Paul Howard - Owner/Director ZEP Techniques
   Myself - Mountain Bike Coach and Staff Trainer at Whistler Mountain Bike Park
               CSIA/PMBI/IDP Course Conductor

A legend was lost .......

So I really didn't think it would start like this. 

Today was a rare weather treat, the torrential rain that had been pounding the west coast this past few days had finally waned and it was shaping up to be a legendary autumn day in the bike park.

Not so fast.....

I was informed today that a dear friend of mine had been tragically killed in a logging accident. This guy was the most, giving, kind-hearted, and selfless person. When his name is mentioned there is a genuine swell of admiration and respect that follows, I can honestly say I have never heard a person speak ill of him, ever. This is what makes it so very tragic. He was one of the good guys!!! When I was a still in the military I worked as a part time ski instructor at Mount Washington, on Vancouver Island. One year during our annual course conductor training I was introduced to him. We struck up an instant friendship, it wasn't hard to like him, he skied like a god, his charisma was inspiring. He planted a small seed and told me to consider moving to Whistler.

Everyone wanted to know him and those that did, wanted to be him.

He was the kind of guy who would give you his gloves, if you forgot yours, so you could teach, he would later jet to the valley with his hands in his pockets. He'd still ski better than you. The only thing I disliked about him was that I could never be as good as him, teaching or skiing.
I think what most people loved about him was that he lived larger than life, big truck, fast bike, fast skiing, big air, compelling smile, magnetic personality.

He will be missed for many years to come.

Every day he lead the charge and after a few words of inspiration he said...