I’ve recently had the oppourtunity to become more immersed
in the downhill mountain biking culture and freeride, through spending time
with people who eat/live/breathe the sport. I find myself being captured by
everything about it… unfortunately, due to my back, it’s not something I’ll
probably ever be able to participate in. however, the strong nostalgia of my trail
running is brought to life in walking through half built bike trails, and climbing
up and down berms and drops. it's my belief that regardless of your vehicle (feet, bike, all else), once you've fallen in love with a trail sport, you can find appreciation and aptitude in anything
involving trails, a forest, and trees. if you have not yet trail run – please. stop
what you’re doing (once you’ve finished reading my blog, of course) and put on
a pair of running shoes, and go run 3k through roots and trees, and rocks and
grass. I promise you it’s the best thing you’ll ever experience.
it’s the collaborative effort of connor macleod and derek dix. these guys are genius. their love for ‘off-season’ riding in
south western BC, and their insistence to highlight the embracing of all
weather riding. as they say, “there’s no such thing as bad weather. just soft
people.” no. 3 . they try to convey that free-riding can happen anywhere, anytime. no need for
big budget trips to warmer climate, or even huge trips to mountains – instead,
using where you are, and enjoying the space around you… which I think is fair
to say that we could all take a cue from.
not many people know this about me, but in high school I took
as many ‘shop’ related classes I could – I took 5 years of auto shop (I have a
small obsessions with motors, cars, and anything I can build with my hands and
make move independent of me), I took shop class, and often took to our garage
to build things with my dad. Still now, my dad and I make weekends out of
working on the septic tank, building framing for decks, and other construction
projects that we can get our hands on (my dad was a brick layer in a previous
life – perhaps where I get my need to work with my hands from). In no. 3 they
work on the building of the courses, and what goes into prepping a space to
ride through. that.... to me... is amazing. and as someone who loves the feeling of building materials in her hands, i can put myself in that place in which you can use a space you've helped build.
the one in which he fastens a hacksaw and a tripod to the
front of his camera backpack. That could not be a more perfect symbol of the
person who appreciates art and nature, along with a need to work with their
hands, and understand the work that goes into these trails.
6 releases. started in Jan. now they’re done. check out
their entire season’s chronicle here. there’s way more than what I posted… and I
promise – whether you’re a rider or not – you won’t be disappointed. and be sure to check them out everywhere they are (below):
when a friend of mine showed me ultramontane, it didn’t take long for me to become obsessed. the series of
videos are sheer perfection – and regardless of your feelings towards biking
(which I’ve explained I don’t have much of a current investment in - i don't even have a bike after it's theft a couple of years ago), you can’t help but become enamoured
with the setting – the stunning shots of the spaces they ride through, and so
obviously have complete and utter respect for, are enough to make me want to
quit my job and move to washington state. the simple shots of them doing things
like making coffee, and sitting against logs with a drink. even the sheer
perspective of some of the shots while they’re riding – the trees looming
predictably large above them. it gives perspective to the world they're living
and riding in. it’s so wonderfully beautiful. breathtaking even.
“Since the last release it’s been two weeks. As
the crow flies…14 days. That one is for a measure of distance not time.Think
about it. There have been wet days, snowy days, and dry days none of which have
been exceptionally cold. All of which we have been out riding and shooting.” no 2.
this will be an image heavy post… as that’s the nature of
ultramontane. and I think to do it justice, I need to let the photos call out
to everyone’s (or perhaps simply my own) inner nature junkie.
the shot at 1:15 in this video is pure. Perfection.
“The whole idea of him riding a hand built hard
tail can be fairly well romanticised. The whole ‘feel of the bike’ thing
connecting with the ‘feel of materials’ in your hands. That’s heavy stuff. Real
talk.”
There’s something so epic about this video.
“Hearing trees come down in the distance however
was one of the most surreal things I heard in a while, at first we all thought
it was either a nearby shotgun going off, which would be incredibly odd for
where we were, or to kick up the weird factor, somebody playing with homemade
explosives. Through the night there were about five trees falling that woke me
up, each fairly frightening to hear the shattering crack of the trunk followed
by the earth shaking thump of the tree hitting the ground. Good thing we
checked the weather forecast and noted everything except wind speeds
before we set out.”
the video that began my love. the perfect summary of the whole series. the canada flag at 7 seconds. the ferry. the snow. the sun. the companionship. the music... oh the music. the sheer expansive space that they get to be part of. and then, the camping. oh the camping. there is literally much better than cooking over a fire.