Clean Cut shreds Kamloops with Brooks, Gatzka, and Sorge

Much like the ever changing weather in Kamloops, each and every day of our trip was compiled of various accomplishments, frustrations, and confusions. For the most part, the riding would be thrown down by the UFC IV finalists who were eager to ride for our Clean Cut cameras.The riding during our nine day stint was both epic and progressive. Kurt Sorge was tearing threw some forested trails extending superman seat grabs and no footed cans on his new Giant Faith that he had never before ridden. Matt Brooks was chilled time after time while waiting for the persistent winds to ease, only to gracefully present huge x-ups and nothing airs during the ten second gaps in the wind. Jared Gatzka was on the graveyard shift for the first half of the trip, but picked up his bicycle and began unleashing as if he’d been warming up for days prior. Jared effortlessly clicked out no footed cans over several large road gaps, and pumped his way threw some of the most epic and stylish run-ins to date.

(Jared, Matt, and Kurt building an epic long line)

The antics of the trip were well suited for both comedy and tragedy. Unfortunately, or fortunately, the more gruesome and controversial will only reach ears through folklore spread via the grapevine.

Tam Forde gave the trip a jump start when he took the wheel of the Chevy S-10. We knew full well that Tam only had his learner’s permit, but we didn’t realize that he had a grand total of thirty minutes behind the wheel. I put the passenger side oh f*#k handle into full usage when he attempted to rail a 180 degree gravely corner at 110km/hr. We survived, but immediately revoked Tam’s driving privileges. The wheel was passed on to the other amateur driver in the truck Kurt Sorge. Kurt’s competence behind the wheel was ten fold that of Tam. He even pulled us through a freak hail storm that left over 6 inches of slush on the freeway in less then ten minutes. The highlight of the storm was indubitably the semi-truck that, regardless of other vehicles sliding out at half the speed, stormed passed us at well over 100km/hr. We arrived at the Kamloops Bicycle Café relatively unscathed, minus Kurt’s soaking wet sleeping bag. The Bicycle Café is strategically located at the base of Rose Hill, and next door to the liquor store. For some bizarre reason the shop was always packed full of rowdy/and or drunken mountain bike characters.

(Attack of the killer slush)

Early in the week it was evident that the success of our trip would be jeopardized by windy conditions. Brooks stood at the top of the run to a wicked step down hip gap for almost an hour before the wind resided. The second the wind slowed he banged off a flawless air. Disappointed by the returning wind we packed up and set off scouting for new lines. Shortly after, with the light bland, we decided to call it a day. But suddenly we were blasted with golden delight. Determined not to waste the opportunity we bolted to a nearby double line and set up. Once again, Matt sat on the top and waited for the howling wind to pass. After the shot, Tam and I were astonished to discover a tumbleweed blowing past us. For those who have spent time around sage brush this may sound insignificant. But to us it was mythical. We felt as if we had discovered a unicorn. Anyway, we tucked the tumbleweed into the truck for future use. Not long after, Matt Hunter was speaking with us and noticed the tumbleweed in our truck. Needless to say, there was some pointing and laughing.


(A tumbleweed hay day)

We crashed at Matt Brooks and Steve Tuchuwski’s house while we were there. With Kurt effectively evading clean up duty, the house became more and more torn apart. When it was looking as if things couldn’t grow any worse Steve Romaniuk showed up in need of a place to stay. The house became an all out gong show. In an attempt to keep the story PG, let’s just say that Romaniuk caused a ruckus and effortlessly broke up a relationship between two love birds who he met that same evening.

(Rocked’ out at Matt’s Place)


Tam needs sleeping pills. Every night while trying to sleep he would unplug the clocks, turn off the computer, make sure the cell phones weren’t making any noise, and move Matt’s crickets into the bathroom; not to mention dealing with Romaniuk’s late night havoc. When morning came around things were slow going. It was always windy outside, which lowered motivational levels, and we had to spend several hours waiting for Brooks to finish up in the shower. He claims that he spends the time stretching his back out…right.

While Matt and Kurt sessioned an epic single track to hip jump to wall ride line, I almost died. While standing on a steep bank nestled high above the cliff wall ride I decided to adjust my angle. My foot quickly slipped on some grass and if it wasn’t for my hand tightly grasping some burly sage brush I would have flailed off the 30 foot ledge with camera in hand. With my heart pounding and my life flashing before my eyes a snake decided to slither across my foot. I am quite terrified of snakes. My shrieks of fear reached Kurt, Tam, and Matt who reacted like all good friends, with hysterical laughter. Matt even darted up towards me to find the snake and taunt me with it. Luckily the snake was too clever for Matt.

(Matt below the wall ride with snakes)

After missing as much school as possible, Kurt headed home. However, he didn’t leave without a bang. He spent all evening bartering with Tuchuwski. After some strategic whining, Kurt left reasonably pleased with two sets of Adidas glasses, leaving behind a Race Face t-shirt and a pair of Race Face riding shorts. With Tuchuwski feeling generous, he proceeded to replace Tam’s bike seat with one that he approved of. Kurt snuck away without taking his turn at the dishes.


(Kurt books it to Nelson)

Not knowing our way around, Tam and I were always chasing the locals around town. Kamloops drivers are impatient and never wait for you; especially Justin Teriwal, who passionately pushed the limits of driving, and almost ditched a few passengers out of his box during the process. As karma would have it Justin ended up spending many long cold hours waiting for his mother to rescue him, and unlock his keys from within his truck. As well as reckless drivers, Kamloops also has poorly designed roads. After witnessing first hand the absurd number of one way streets, lanes that merge without warning, and traffic lights in 100km zones, my small town nerve shot self proposes that all city planners in Kamloops receive pink slips without delay. To top off the driving mayhem, every person who rode in my truck felt the need to criticize my taste in music. Just because The Unicorns use penny whistles and flutes does not make them a justifiable catalyst for ridicule. Although, to make all things even, Matt, Jared, and I collectively peer pressured Tam until he listened to, and enjoyed Jack Johnson.


(Justin between)

Matt and Jared both took some wicked mouth’s full of dirt on our adventures. Matt kicked it off with a gnarly full bike ditch off a large step down road gap, safely sliding it into home plate. Jared took two consecutive over the bars to death crashes off the ladder half of a double drop. He buried his front tire right up to the fork on both attempts. Matt took the last spill when he washed out off a run in and grinded his forearms across the approaching road. Kurt Sorge never falls, he’s superman…haha.


(Matt and Jared going locomotive style)

I almost died again. Stationed on top of a nearby mountain I clenched my radio and waited to hear the ever so appreciated “…3, 2, 1 dropping in…” But that was futile. It seems that Tam decided to take a handful of close up shots of Matt and Jared from down below. That handful of shots took an hour, and almost killed me. There was a treacherous storm approaching, the temperature was frigid, and the wind was howling. The wind was howling so hard that it knocked my twelve pounds of camera and tripod over; thankfully into my arms. My shivering underdressed body huddled behind my backpack next to the tripod with the full intention of not dieing. Finally I got the go ahead and tried to minimize the shaking as I panned the agonizingly cold thirty second single-track shot. Moaning in my truck afterwards as the heat blasted my body was blissful. I get the impression that Tam does not want to use the shot.

Harookz is crazy. We were shooting a stellar step up road gap when he decided it would be cool to stand on the gap’s deck and shoot the riders whipping right past him. He was certainly more comfortable in this position than the riders, who feared the death to all crash that would occur if mid air contact was made. Harookz stood so close to the riders that upon reviewing the footage we noticed Jared’s feet boning out a no footed can directly above Harookz’s head, less than a foot away. We can’t wait to see those photos. Upon setting up for a drive by shot of the gap, a mean old guy with nothing better to do informed me that we were breaking Bi-Law 87, and that he had my licence plate number. Awesome, I wonder if I’ll be receiving a ticket in the mail.


(Team Faith)

By the final evening of our trip Matt and Jared were pretty beaten up and burnt out. With a beautiful sunset appearing it seemed wasteful to shoot nothing. So I told Matt to take a camera and film Tam and I riding the forked single track behind his house. Tam looked thoroughly unimpressed. Regardless of Tam’s lack of enthusiasm we began hiking the trail. With Tam feeling a little bit rusty, and myself nursing a wrist injury it was sure to be a classic moment. Tam and I positioned ourselves on top of the two single tracks and, even though the two lines connect into one halfway down, we decided to start at the same time and let nature work itself out. Tam radioed the “...riders up…” and we dropped in. As should be expected we merged at the exact same time. Not one for surrendering my line, I stayed true to course and rode Tam right off the trail. However, he pulled it all together and we came to a stop on the run out side by side and unharmed…laughing our asses off. I guess that’s what happens when you let a couple film makers ride their bikes. That little fiasco more or less concluded our journey to the land of Kamloops.


(Jared and Matt are done)

Props go out to The Sacred Ride and Oso Negro in Nelson, Transition Bicycles, Block 8, Pinkbike, and that crazy Graham kid in Kamloops who was entertaining me with his ridiculous hardtail airs. If anyone is making the journey from Kamloops to Nelson, stop by Matt Brooks’s place on Valleyview and pick up our tumbleweed. His name is Tumbly and we’re afraid that Matt will discard of him.

--Jason Mannings

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