The Province of British Columbia has six distinct regions, all with an abundance of mountain biking and their own unique local flavours. Episode 2 of Mountain Biking Lives Here takes Rocky Mountain athletes Thomas Vanderham, Brett Tippie, Geoff Gulevich, and Andreas Hestler to Vancouver Island to explore some of British Columbia’s finest singletrack. (Previously:
Episode 1 - Kootenay Rockies)
“
Before this trip I had lived a large chunk of my life on Vancouver Island and had never been north of Campbell River” said former Olympic athlete
Andreas Hestler. “
Getting out and exploring is what it’s all about - even places you think you know well have amazing things to discover!”
The team travelled from Victoria on the southern tip of the island all the way to Alert Bay in the North. From Sooke’s ocean views to Cumberland’s legendary trail network to the North Island’s unique cultures and food, it was another reminder of just how deeply ingrained mountain biking is in all corners of British Columbia, and a trip none of the riders will soon forget.
Next up, Mountain Biking Lives Here pays a visit to Rocky Mountain Bicycles’ home turf in Vancouver, Coast, and Mountains. Stay tuned, and happy trail shredding in 2014!
-Mountain Biking BC & Rocky Mountain Bicycles
Visit
mountainbikingbc.ca for more information on riding in British Columbia, and visit
bikes.com for more information on Rocky Mountain Bicycles.
and if you search Pinkbike you'll find some riding on the island areas profiled - Cowichan, Cobble Hill, Cumberland, Hornby, Campbell River. Of course there's a lot more. We haven't got around to profiling Quadra, Qualicum, Port Alberni, Nanaimo, Parksville etc
I know lots of you are gonna make the trip, and that's great. You'll have a great time, especially if you're riding with someone who knows the trails. Many of the riding areas are trail networks rather than a loop or out and back on one trail. Local knowledge helps in figuring out a good ride from all the options in the trail networks.
Please be prepared, self-sufficient, and realistic. In the more remote areas your phone might not work, and even in Victoria, you're a long way from help if you get hurt on the trails.
Duncan's never looked so nice as that view of the Cowichan River delta from the top of Mt. Tzouhalem.
Would move there tomorrow if I could just ride all day and not worry about things like mortgages & pensions.
instagram.com/p/pFal8CHRFu