Rider: Eric Lawrenuk
Director/Cinematographer: Graeme Meiklejohn
Vancouver’s North Shore mountains are home to some of the world’s best mountain bike trails. Three riding areas: Seymour, Fromme, and Cypress, each deliver a unique take on the steep terrain offered up by the southern tip of the Coast Mountain Range. Each has a defined style of trails, brought to life by the builders and riders that call that terrain home. However, they all share the same steep, deep, and wet geographic landscape that culminates the essence of Vancouver’s Northshore. A distinct aroma rises from the decomposing cedar logs, duff, loam, and moss to create a damp, musty yet sweet smell. When this aroma hits your nostrils as you pedal to the top of a trail or get out of the shuttle truck, it triggers memories of rides past and invigorates your body before dropping into the next steep technical descent.
This smell is the
Eau De Shore.This three-part video series captures the essence of riding in each of these zones and is inspired in equal parts by the photographic styles of Sterling Lorence and the unique atmosphere surrounding each mountain
CypressDeep, dark, rough, and fast, the Cypress trails are unforgiving. Primarily a downhill shuttle zone, Cypress has evolved into a training ground for some of the world's best downhill racers. The trails are wide, steep, and extremely fast. The culture surrounding Cypress is one that brings tons of volunteers to maintain the trails. It inspires more riders to get out there and enjoy what Cypress has to offer. Many of the trails finish just above the Cypress lookout. The shuttle reload area looks out over the Burrard Inlet (when it’s visible). An unreal backdrop to a shuttle day.
| Lorny (Lawrenuk) and I grew up on The Shore riding bikes together, and one thing that is inherently linked, for us, to the look and feel of riding on the North Shore mountains is the photographs of Sterling Lorence. Those images are as connected to our version of The Shore as any of the trails on those mountains. So, it only felt right to try and shoot these pieces in a style inspired by those images and Sterling’s continued work on The Shore.—Graeme Meiklejohn |
www.pinkbike.com/video/236939