Trails like this, in Aosta, Italy, are worth a vacation day or three.
With snow lines climbing ever higher in the Northern Hemisphere, the summer riding season is finally upon us. While some have traveled during the winter, seeking out warmer trails in drier destinations, others have hunkered down, working away to finish a semester at school, build up vacation time at work, or fasting...all to save up for the highly anticipated summer riding trip.
Barely over a decade ago, unless you were a professional athlete or somehow affiliated with the bike industry, it seemed that the most common road trip in North America either involved heading to the Utah desert, or up to British Colombia to ride Whistler and the North Shore. The trails in both diverse locations were the top in the world, and the most common way of getting there was loading your buddies in the car, packing it full of bikes, and scraping together gas funds while living off of ramen, fast food, and whatever else you could find.
Times are a changing. Every year, the number of destinations and locales with quality trail systems seems to grow - there's even singletrack worth riding in Kansas, of all places. Along with it, mountain bikers' enthusiasm for exploring new terrain is constantly stoked with a seemingly endless supply of media promoting those places. Whether it's a quick edit on Movies for your Monday, a social media post from a pro rider, an advertisement from a region's tourism board, or a photo montage highlighting an epic trip, it seems that there's an endless supply of bucket-list worthy destinations.
The desert and British Columbia are both still at the top of the list for many people, myself included, but options for riding destinations have grown. With mountain biking becoming a little more mainstream and consisting of a wider demographic than your average dirtbag, the ways to get there seem to have multiplied as well. Depending where you want to go or how you want to get there, if you can dream it, you can make it happen.
Flying is easy with a nice bike bag but you still risk your bike being damaged or lost...and likely $150 each way in baggage fees.
#Vanlife is all the rage, and pretty awesome. Borrowing a van is good too, just make sure you return Etta Lou clean, oil changed, and full of fuel.
There's still the good 'ol fashioned road trip in a car that may or may not make it without a mechanical, but there are other less stressful options. You could fly with your bike in style thanks to a host of well made travel cases, or, fly without a bike and rent a near brand new steed from a local shop. Search the forums and Pinterest if you want to get in on #vanlife and build out your own perfect road trip machine, or, just rent a full size RV online just about anywhere in the world. Or you could try hitchhiking, which comes with some added risk, but a near guarantee of a good story.
Once you're at a destination, options for getting out are endless as well. You can choose your own path and explore singletrack that's been mapped out by riders before you, hire a guide, buy a lift ticket, get a shuttle, charter a helicopter...or a float plane to get you out into the backcountry. No matter your desire, it's as easy as ever to get out and have a good time on the bike in a new or favorite spot close to or far away from home.
The start of my first summer riding trip with good friends Steven and Scott fresh out of high school some years back. No GPS, Trailforks, hashtags, or Instagram but we had bikes, a paper map, a Chevy Tahoe full of camping gear, and two months of junk food from Costco.
So... let's hear it. Where are you stoked to go ride to this summer? How are you going to get there? Are you bringing your bike with you? Shipping it? Flying it? Renting? Where will you stay?
Being a native Californian it is actually not a very good place to ride. I guess the proper term/description would be "overrated" because it is by no means horrible.
@danstratplr: yep. Thank all the idiots obsessed with Strava & Instagram blowing places up. The neighbors get over the crowds of people, cars & trash then the land owner finds out & boom, gone.
@codypup: I have lived all over CA and all over the U.S. for that matter and CA is not that great but I respect your opinion. Maybe I just hate Jerry Brown that much but who knows? hahaha
Leave California like I did and you will never want To go back. I don't know anyone who has broke out of that place that looks forward to returning for any reason.
Hmm. They didn’t mention anywhere on the entire continent of Asia, home to more than 60% of humans...
...meanwhile you’re feeling left out because they didn’t specifically mention your state in the list of four geographic regions of the United States that included “Western States”?!
@g123: I used to do a lot of work with Austrians (Atomic Ski), we said that joke regularly... and they never appreciated or found it funny, which just made it more funny.
True, I think there might be a grand total of six or seven people in the entire Germanic tribe that can laugh at ones self, or laugh period. The rest take themselves far too serious and laughing might hurt their fragile yet well displayed ego which I find hilarious.
Yup. From northern BC, and I dare say much of the riding there is better than the sea-to-sky. May get flak for that, but particularly if you don't like blown out trails or dodging other riders it's the best.
I thought the same... BC the only listed zones are South Coast... Like the interior is just a waste land??? Orrr.... Yes... Nothing to see here in the interior, please move along!
It's funny how people act when tourists wanna ride their trails. Bike tourism saved a lot of small town in BC and gel thrive most community and most of those people complaining are working in tourism driven industry same with surfing nobody love tourists surfing in tofino but those people work or own hotels and surf shop or surf school. Embrace it don't try to fight it
Have always done mainland BC trips in the fall. This year going to visit Vancouver Island. Will miss Fergies breakfasts and Blackcomb trails, but time to find new zones. Looking forward to home trails too!
@JDFF: No idea! I've only had a little bit of experience with Island riding myself. That said, the locals pointed me toward a lot of the stuff that seems to be high on the Trailforks heatmaps, so you'll probably be okay. Though, there's probably some of the big gnarly stuff missing from Trailforks on mount Prevost where Stevie used to ride *speculation*.
@jayacheess: That's pretty much exactly what i would expect. My experiences in mainland BC are spot on to what you just described. Ride tons, get in with locals, find the goods the year before they get on Strava/Trailforks. Thanks!
@jayacheess: no need to be so specific mate, if they want to find it they will but no need to make these trails any busier than they already are FFS. keep the Island low key, don't talk about the Island.
You must do Cumberland but drop in at a local bike shop (Dodge city cycles will sort you out) as there are a lot of trails out there. If you are in the greater Victoria area harbourview in sooke is my favourite and it’s not too busy as it is out of the way. Tzouhalem and maple mountain in Duncan are also amazing and it would be hard to choose one over the other if I had to.
@jamesbrant: Good news! I have an extra two weeks. Loading up the RV with my cousins and heading your way! They don't ride (yet), but I'm getting them sorted with fat E-bikes, should work out fine. Yankee doodle dandy! (PS- I'm a disgruntal surfer from a depressed coastal logging town, don't worry, i get it. Calm down, it's all good we ride bikes
@JDFF: @jamesbrant I'm a surfer as well and that shit is getting old I got denied acces by douche bag in Oregon to surf a spot, trails and ocean are for everyone let it go.
I live in Whistler so I don’t need to go anywhere plus I am retired so I’m always on vacation. I think I’ve ridden 35 days or so this year in Squamish earlier and here on valley trails.
Just back from Sedona. Headed to Kernville to ride the Cannell Plunge next weekend, Whistler in July with stops in Ashland, Oakridge and Vancouver. Downieville in September. Durango & Moab in October.
I love ashland and oakridge! Already booked oakridge in August. Ashland is great too and Right up from far northern ca. Scratched Bellingham off the list last week. So much good riding up north.
Been off my bike since last July after tearing 2 tendons and displacing my long bicep tendon, with MRI and consultants, and the NHS putting back all nonemergency operations back 5 months last January. I'm finally getting it done June 25th, so I can't do Whistler (1st time) as planned this year, or a return trip to Morzine. So anyone who's not quite happy where they're riding, just be thankful you can. Enjoy people, you don't know how much ya' miss it when ya' can't;
Might take a trip to Penticton/Silver Star or Revelstoke/Nelson. Other than that, after work rides on the Shore and weekend trail rides in Squamish/Whistler plus the bike park. #blessed to live here.
Pisgah. There are tons of camping options and affordable airbbs, great bike shops right at the entrance of the forest, plenty of restaurants and grocery options, and enough trail to keep you entertained for months.
Man, did Iceland last summer and it was outrageously cool. Lots of other worthwhile places on this "poll", but for areas to ride with a totally different feel and terrain, Iceland can't be beat.
@Wilburfied..... you challange for the summer..... it should be easy enough to find on a topo map/opentreetmap.... look at the lay of the land and compare it to the map..... it's a major valley with a airport in it by the looks of it.....
I was being led around...don’t know the name of the trail. Was a shuttle up, hour or so pedal, then a short hike and then a descent from there to town. Stellar riding. The crew at Aosta Valley Freeride was guiding us.
What's with N.Mex getting dropped off the 'US Western States'? Three out of the 4 corner states represented. Angel Fire, Santa Fe, Gallup area all have the goods.
In usa, majority of full time workers may only get 2 weeks vacation time. But, usa does have numerous holiday's which are great for 3-4 day trips or stay-cations.
@SillyTorque: nice! Im fortunate to get close to a month and half off in total which is unheard of. 60-70 hour work weeks average. Mtb vaca in Washington this August then Utah October!
...meanwhile you’re feeling left out because they didn’t specifically mention your state in the list of four geographic regions of the United States that included “Western States”?!
Same. Gone for nearly 25 years and don't miss it a bit.
(PS- I'm a disgruntal surfer from a depressed coastal logging town, don't worry, i get it. Calm down, it's all good we ride bikes
No way of opting for multiples in the pole though
My plan for the summer, si an wait for my flayed ribs, phnema thorax an dislocated ACJ to heal up
:/
you're
:-)
3Stage
SCMBC
Copeland
Midhurst
Buckwallow
Mansfield
Those 3-4 day trips can bring good times though!
PANIC ATTACK