Posted by North Shore:
It’s a place that birthed a style of mountain biking that involves lots of technical man made and natural features.
It’s hard, especially uphill … to prove this I provide the following exhibits which are from a trail described as “good for beginners learning how to ride the North Shore …”. Note these trails are designed to be ridden up, not down.
I have a love hate relationship with North Shore riding.
Mostly I hate it, or more correctly past a certain point of technical difficulty I really hate it. In fact I’m sitting here with many war wounds from the last few days of riding where I’ve been thrown, tossed, and churned by tracks that are well beyond my ability to ride.
Yes, I’m talking about you Mr River Runs Through it trail. Sorry, just had to get that off my chest. The first and only trail I gave up on whilst over here.
These tracks remind me of the first time I accidentally turned my skis down a black diamond run and paid the price in the most humble of ways … sitting on my backside wondering what the heck happened and more importantly how the hell I was going to get down the rest of that big long steep slope in front of me …
However, unlike black ski runs, I do like going down North Shore tracks, there’s something just awesome about throwing yourself down tight, rooty, rocky drops and coming out the other side alive. It is one of the few things where even though the risk is more than the reward you still want to give it a go.
I also really love where these trails are, they are just beautiful areas, and in my grumpy moments when I’m pushing and wheezing my way along technical tracks nursing bleeding shins and a bruised body, I have been known to mutter to myself that these are beautiful walking trails ruined by the presence of my bicycle.
Am I addicted to North Shore riding – No … well maybe a little bit, but I’m finding (other than Half Nelson and a few other intermediate trails) that mostly I enjoy the easier trails where I can just ride along and enjoy the forests and streams.
But that’s it for me and BC. Tomorrow morning I jump on a train and I’m heading across the border and south … it’s time to go down to Utah and maybe Colorado to see what they’ve got to offer … bring on flowing single track I say …
Did you try Mt Fromme, fireroad winds its way up the hill, and you can then just drop off into the single track downhill runs. I loved it there.
I found the local bike shops really unhelpful in giving directions to good trails (when I asked about some recommended routes they guy at the counter just threw a $25 book at me and said "buy this" – mind you he must get lots of requests). So, I only had one day and so only got to ride the Mt Seymour area. Would want to get fitter and go back though … at least now I've got the book.