Dustin Gilding's Spring Jump Jam

Many of you are probably familiar with Dustin Gilding's craftsmanship with a shovel over the past few years from online videos, The Revealing (1 & 2), Familiar Territory and Alchemy 1. As well as being part of the Joyride slopestyle course build crew since 2013. This past fall, after over 6 years of relentless dedication moving earth and sculpting dirt into some of the best jump trails in the lower mainland. Dustin has broken ground in a new location with more creative space for even bigger, badder jumps than before. Spending all winter working hard to carve his imagination into the landscape to shoot his segment for Eric Lawenuk's follow up to Alchemy; Alchemy 2.




But what fun are an amazing set of massive dirt jumps if you don't have anyone to enjoy them with? So earlier in March, Dustin invited a list of friends and riders to come out to session his new trails, enjoy some barbecued food and just an old fashioned good time. The weather couldn't have been better for late winter. With bluebird skies and the temperature creeping up to 20ºC, the conditions felt more like late spring and stayed prime for a full day of riding.


The riders favourite line of the day was without a doubt the large step-up, into a berm that wrapped around into a step-down. Tuck no-handers, double tailwhips, truck drivers, frontflips, 360's, and everything in between were thrown down by riders on the step-up all day long.





Alchemy creator and rider, Eric Lawrenuk earned the unofficial MVP title of the day. Eric destroyed the jumps with huge frontflips, flip tables, 360's off the step-down, oppo-360s all day long including stomping a fronty to 360 drop to oppo-360 through the whole line. Not to mention tailwhiping the last jump of the largest set on the property. Nick Tingren was also on fire putting some impressive combos to pedals. Including a barspin to tailwhip.



After warming up on the first set of jumps a handful of the riders, including Paul Genovese, Brandon Semenuk, Logan Peat, & Reece Wallace turned their attention to the biggest, yet to be ridden line farther down the hill consisting of a shark-fin step-down into two progressively larger doubles. After the first few riders rode in the line of the jump more riders followed suit and another session broke out.


The day wasn't just fun for the riders. Media heavyweights, Harookz and Nic Genovese were also out with big smiles and enjoying some creative freedom behind the lens to document the session.


For seasoned FMB vets Brandon, Anthony and Paul simply riding the jumps wasn't quite enough and it wasn't long before all of them were stomping some major moves over the set. Paul rode out a few massive backflips and spread his wings with a number of huge, fully extended superman seat grabs. On just his second run through the set, Anthony Messere decided to throw a large and stylish flat spin over the final jump, making it look all too easy. Not much of a surprise that Brandon claimed what was arguably the biggest trick of the day, twice. Riding out two clean backflip barspin to tuck no handers.





While the session on the large jumps was under way, the rest of the riders took turns having some fun on the small pump track line in between watching the moves on the big set.



Thanks to the first day of the time change and the amazing weather. All the riders were able to make the most of the day, squeezing out every last bit of daylight on the jumps. A fire was lit for everyone to relax and warm up by as the sun left and the summer like temperatures began to taper off. Finally when the last of the riders had ran out of light it marked the end of a truly amazing day just having fun on two wheels with a great group of friends. This amazing day wouldn't have been possible without all the hard work and labour Dustin put into his jumps and willingness to share it with his friends. I think I can speak for all the riders and friends that were invited out when I say to Dustin and his family thank you for organizing this day and letting us come ride (and photograph) your trails.

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MENTIONS: @brycepiwek / @dustingilding / @reecewallace / @paulgenovese / @nicgenovese / @lornny / @winkgrant / @harookz / @loganpeat

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