Video: Back to the Basics - Episode 4 - Crashes Happen

As a Pinkbike presenter, and also a mountain bike industry member for 11 years, I’ve followed many different avenues of the sport since I began biking in 2011. Back then, I lived in Colorado where cross-country riding was booming, enduro racing was just becoming a thing and I remember being covered in bruises from hurling myself down the Rocky Mountain singletrack. Since those days, I migrated north and wiggled my way into the bike industry, working at a shop in Whistler for 8 years before eventually finding my way here, to Pinkbike.

Although I did delve into many aspects of the sport, I definitely skipped a few key steps along the way and have never dug too deep into any particular path in the bike world.

In this 4-part series, Back to the Basics, I'm staying true to myself. I am going to address, head-on, some of the fundamental elements of mountain biking to help me become a more confident, well-rounded rider, including some tips and tricks off the bike, too. I hope these lessons can benefit you or someone you know along the way.

Thanks to our friends at Mountain Biking BC, we'll be traveling to 8 of the most iconic bike parks and riding locations across British Columbia to ride with some of the most talented and influential women in our sport. Each location provides a unique classroom, and amazing bike park terrain, to learn from the best in the business.

I've come a long way since episode 1 and gained tons of knowledge and insight to become the well-rounded biker I set out to become. Am I there yet? Not quite, but with the lessons I've learned and practiced along the journey, I am well on my way! I hope you've enjoyed learning alongside me and that I've sparked some interest in you to continue learning and never settle. After all, that is one of the things I love so much about this sport, there is always room to progress on and off the trails.

We're down to the final 2 bike parks to visit and the final 2 influential ladies to introduce you to. In order to complete this journey, I felt it was necessary to wrap this series with some food for thought to take into the off-season. I head to Fernie Alpine Resort to meet with Megan Kelly, who is a bike park patroller and search and rescue member, and she has a wealth of knowledge on the topics of injuries and prevention. From there, I hit up Bike Big White, just outside of Kelowna, BC, to learn from Jenna Kubin about managing after a crash and what the recovery process can look like. She is another legendary bike park patroller and a registered nurse so she has seen a lot in her time.

Thank you to all the "teachers" that have donated their time and expertise to help me along the way, and of course to the bike parks for welcoming me with open arms and super fun trails to learn and explore on.



Fernie Alpine Resort mountain biking trails

Big White Mountain biking trails