My Secret Getaways

The North Shore area in British Columbia is considered one of the true hotspots of mountain biking and from all over the world avid mountain bikers arrive to traverse the hills of the Burrard Inlet and the trails of Mt. Fromme, Cypress Mountain, and Mt. Seymour. Also in the general area, youll find amazing riding in Coquitlams Eagle Mountain and Burke Mountain. Together, these numerous mountain ranges comprise one of the best places in Canada and possibly the world to mountain bike.

The Trails

The mountain areas in British Columbia as listed above are some of the most difficult and subsequently dangerous mountain terrain trails around. Merely through the standard machinations of nature there are dozens of obstacles like fallen trees, rock slides, ravines and ditches to jump and much more.

Man has added his own little touch to the trails with bridges, twisting “ladders” and mountain biking ramps. This hybrid style of mixing natural obstacles with man-made jumps and ladders is often referred to as “North Shore” style trail riding. If youre looking for the most popular of these trails, the CBC is considered by many to be the pinnacle of North Shore style trail riding.

Controversy

Like any massive sport related tourist attractions, the trails of North Shore have reigned in a great deal of controversy with local residents complaining of off trail bikers disturbing their property. In some of the nearby mountain trail areas, new developments threaten existing trails on Eagle and Burke Mountains.

Because of the influx of new residential growth and mountain biking tourists, the area has formed a North Shore Mountain Biking Association to help mediate between bikers and residents and try to preserve trails. Also responsible for more fun activities like races and annual events, the NSMBA is one of the premier mountain biking associations in Canada.

Whistler

For those familiar with the world class skiing and boarding of Whistler-Blackcomb resort in British Columbia, its no surprise that the mountain offers world class mountain biking as soon as the snow starts to melt.

Usually starting in April, the mountain biking season carries through until the end of the summer, utilizing the numerous ski lifts and wide open space to hold numerous mountain biking events. In years when the snow lingers a little longer, mountain biking season might run a little short at the top of the mountain, though usually the lower lifts are open by the end of April.

British Columbia for Mountain Biking

As one of the largest developed spaces, complete with the convenience of modern society and the joy of the great outdoors, British Columbia offers some of the best Mountain Biking trails in the world. You can find something almost anywhere there is a mountain and often enough when you leave the mountain trails, youll find simple back wood trails that are ten times better than anything youll have back home.

They take their mountain biking seriously in the mountains of BC, Canada and any mountain biker should take the time and energy to make a visit and traverse the expansive, exciting trails.

The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is where most people go to see this natural wonder. That means, that’s where you are going to find the crowds.

Crowds are not for me. That why I recommend the North Rim and other more out of the way places along the canyon rim. These places are just as beautiful and awe inspiring. You just have to drive a little farther to get there. But the quiet beauty is worth it.

The North Rim provides expansive views across the canyon. And if you’re visiting in summer, you’ll find the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to be comfortably cooler than the sweltering South Rim. The North Rim is more forested, with cool hiking trails out to several panoramic Grand Canyon overlooks through shaded evergreen forests.

There are a variety of places to stay on the North Rim, from the comfortable and rustic lodge to private cabins right on the Grand Canyon rim. If you prefer to camp, you’ll find several campgrounds there. If you visit in the winter, though, you’ll find the North Rim closed.

Now, if you REALLY like remote, try the West Rim. There are cabins and even teepees where you can spend the night at the West Rim.

The Grand Canyon is one of my favorite spots on earth. And there are so many ways and so many different vantage point from which to see it.

My recommendation … skip the crowds and head for the North and/or West rims.

Breckenridge Colorado is well known as a world class ski resort. But I’m going to let you in on a secret.

Breckenridge is a summer time playground that has no equal.

My wife and I were lucky enough to be in Breckenridge during the first week of July, 2007. What and terrific week this was!

The Fourth of July parade was really exciting. It started with the launch of a mountain bike race right through the streets of Breckenridge. Then came the floats, bands, and all the things that make up an Independence Day parade. There was a high school band that was the best I’ve ever seen (see video below).

Peak 8 in the summer time has something for everybody. You can walk a maze, bounce on a bungee cord, practice your “rock climbing” skills on the climbing wall. The chair lift is running to take you to the top of Peak 8, where you can race back down on the sled runs. They will even haul your mountain bike up on a chair, and you can ride it back down the mountain.

Double-click PLAY button to view video.

All in all, this was the highlight of our Colorado summer vacation of 2007.

Tombstone Arizona, known as “The Town Too Tough to Die,” was the home of Wyatt Earp and his brothers, Virgil and Morgan Earp. The Earp brothers, along with the notorious Doc Holliday, took on the Clantons and the McLaurys in the infamous Gunfight at the OK Corral. Those few seconds, that will forever live in Western history, is re-enacted here.

Double-click PLAY button to view video.

Tombstone is still alive and well today … indeed, the Town Too Tough to Die. It’s located about an hour from Tucson, Arizona. My wife and I,  along with some good friends from the UK, visited Tombstone in early December, and found it totally free of crowds. Tombstone is a wonderful trip back in time to when the West was a wild and wooly place.