Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Yoga and Mountain Biking... Together?

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I've been mountain biking for over 20 years. To me it's practically the perfect sport: a great way to commune with the outdoors, connect with friends, and get fit in the process. When things are going really well I enter a quasi-zen-like state: my bike becomes a natural extension of me, and I feel one with the trail, the forest and the universe. Time practically disappears. I'm sure most mountain bikers can relate to this amazing feeling.

I started practicing yoga seriously about 3 years ago (no that's not me in the picture) - first to address the pains in my body that were building up from years of abuse as an adrenaline junkie in my 20s, but then also because of the emotional and mental benefits as well. It wasn't until recently that I started seeing the parallels with my mountain bike life: both were ways of focusing and quieting the mind and entering a state of bliss.

So when our British Columbia lead guide approached me about putting together a mountain biking/yoga retreat this winter, I jumped at the opportunity. A natural fit, I thought.

But then doubts started creeping in... Was this a crazy idea? Who would want to go on a yoga/mountain bike trip? Are we trying to mix oil and water?

If I might stereotype a bit... Mountain bikers are overwhelmingly male, often pretty macho, and seek the adrenaline rush that mountain biking so easily delivers. Yoginis are typically female and practice yoga to find calm and groundedness. I haven't run into too many people that practice both. But I'm sure I'm not the only one...

I'd love to hear your thoughts about yoga and mountain biking... Do you do both? Do you do one but think about doing the other? Are they a silly mix? Natural fit? How does one help/hinder the other.

I could go on and on, but I'd rather hear your stories.

Before I go, I'll leave you with a great article from Ellee Thalheimer, a Portland area yoga teacher who perfectly summed up my thoughts about the marriage of mountain biking and yoga. And if you agree that mountain biking and yoga are a good fit, then come join us on our private beach in Mexico this winter.

Yours,





Mike Brcic,
yogi, mountain bike addict and customer happiness manager
Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Adventures

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The Yoga of Mountain Biking
by Ellee Thalheimer

I roared down the trail (I say “roared,” but, between you and me, I probably wasn’t going all that fast) trying to keep up with Laura in Tillamook State Forest. At one point, I was cursing her, the trail, my stupid egg beater pedals, and the dumb guy who passed us in a matching lycra outfit. Why had I ever let this sport endure for so long in my life? Then the trail got more technical. I couldn’t give the negative thoughts any airspace if I wanted to stay helmet-up. My world became intricate root systems, rock gardens, and hair pin turns. I had to trust that my wheels would clear obstacles both bulbous and jagged, precipitous and loose. The grip on my handlebars had to give my bike the freedom to jerk while still maintaining control. It was a matter of facilitating a jostling dance between rubber and earth.

Resting at a waterfall, it hit me: there are yogic qualities to mountain biking. “Yoga” simply can translate to “union.” Mostly, we associate yoga with the practice of asana, or postures. Yet yoga in broader terms refers to a nature in which the separateness between self and the universe is dissipated. Seamless consciousness. It is said that the correlating mental state is harmonious, even blissful. The practice of yoga asana invites this consciousness.

In some ways, so can mountain biking. Ego, mind chatter, and drama all fall away on the trail. A mountain biker becomes pure focus. Though physical reality may be chaotic and rocks may clang under wheel, riding clean lines through a technical portion of trail creates an inner quiet. The body becomes a synergetic fusion of muscle and intent, with balance and core strength stabilizing the show. It feels pretty darn unified.

Another commonality is determination. Both the mountain biker and yogini have to carve precious time and energy out of their busy days to get on the mat or go to the woods so they can test how far limits can be pushed and, subsequently, respect/accept limitations with grace. Progress is earned through salt rings on clothes and navigating one hundred mistakes to unfold one success. To a true rider, it’s not about fluffing around town with mountain bikes racked to the top of the car. Just like to a true yogini, it’s not about sticking a leg behind her head at parties. It boils down to dedication and love.

Maybe the gurus of old are rolling in their graves knowing that this comparison has been forged. After all, yoga is a spiritual path that aims to help people become their highest self. Could the same be said for mountain biking? I’m not so sure. I’ve dated one too many mountain biker to affirm that statement. But, I’m not discounting it either. If the wisdom learned in mountain biking spills over into how one lives their day to day life, I don’t doubt that some deeper sense of awareness would evolve. It’s possible. After all, it’s undeniable that a mountain biker craves the spirit of “union:” the unadulterated absorption in riding whatever the trail throws down.

Monday, November 30, 2009

20 Things Mountain Biking Teaches You About Life

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Good writers have often used sport as a metaphor for life: the lessons of the playing field or arena applied to daily living. If Norman Mailer (boxing), William Kennedy (baseball) and John Irving (wrestling) had spent time on a mountain bike, they would have learned that:

20. Boldness pays.
19. Desperation breeds mistakes.
18. The hardest parts are also the loneliest.
17. There's fresh horse flop in the trail ahead.
16. Balance is first among the virtues; momentum is second.
15. Success requires confidence, but cockiness invites failure.
14. Sometimes, the best way past an obstacle is straight through it.
13. Some people get lucky at parts; nobody gets lucky at everything.
12. It's all about the being and the going, not the having and the arriving.
11. At each intersection, there's the easy way and the hard, rewarding way.
10. It's tempting to focus on the immediate problem to the exclusion of the big picture.
9. The thing that nails you is the one you don't see coming.
8. It's worth stopping for a breather to see where you are.
7. Thousands of tiny decisions shape the trip.
6. The fun starts when you push the limits.
5. You can get hurt, heal and go again.
4. Ups are followed by downs.
3. Practice makes you better.
2. No quitting allowed.
1. Love hurts (but don't let that stop you from falling in love.)

What have you learned from mountain biking?

Monday, September 28, 2009

La Belle Province

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We're off to la belle province (the beautiful province), Quebec, in a few days to scout out our newest trip!

Our new Eastern Epic trip will hit up all the Quebec hotspots, with a side dish of poutine (the de facto dish of Quebec: french fries, cheese curds and gravy) and some hefty doses of Quebec culture.

Joining us are a few journalists, including Kyle Dickman from Outside magazine and world-renowned adventure photographer Patrice Halley. We're doing a mix of DH and XC riding and covering plenty of ground between Montréal and Quebec.

I'll be posting videos and photos whenever I can. If you have a favourite ride in Quebec, let us know and we'll be sure to check it out!

p.s. we still have a spot or two left if you want to join us...

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Magic Morning in the Slovenian Alps

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I arrived yesterday evening at the beautiful MTB Park and lodge my friend Dixi owns in the northern Slovenian Alps. We're about to start our Alps and Adriatic trip, and I couldn't be more excited. After one of the worst flights of my life (turbulence so bad I actually said goodbye to all my loved ones), it's pretty amazing to be here again.

It's been raining for 3 weeks, so to wake up this morning and have brilliant blue skies is a huge stroke of fortune. The forecast looks great for the rest of the week. We'll be riding hard, enjoying the beautiful Balkan culture, and enjoying the local schnapps.

I've got my helmetcam set up to capture the rides, so stay tuned for some vids. I'll also be posting to our new Community Site as well as our Facebook Group.

Mike
http://www.facebook.com/mikebrcic
http://www.twitter.com/mtbikermike

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

You are brilliant, and the earth is hiring…

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Warning: another non-MTB-related post. This one was sent to me and it's just too good to not post.

HEALING OR STEALING? “You are brilliant, and the earth is hiring…”

the unforgettable commencement address to the class of 2009,
University of Portland, May 3rd, 2009
by Paul Hawken

When I was invited to give this speech, I was asked if I could give a simple short talk that was “direct, naked, taut, honest, passionate, lean, shivering, startling, and graceful.” Boy, no pressure there.

But let’s begin with the startling part. Hey, Class of 2009: you are going to have to figure out what it means to be a human being on earth at a time when every living system is declining, and the rate of decline is accelerating. Kind of a mind-boggling situation ­ but not one peer-reviewed
paper published in the last thirty years can refute that statement. Basically, the earth needs a new operating system, you are the programmers, and we need it within a few decades.

This planet came with a set of operating instructions, but we seem to have misplaced them. Important rules like don’t poison the water, soil, or air, and don’t let the earth get overcrowded, and don’t touch the thermostat have been broken. Buckminster Fuller said that spaceship earth
was so ingeniously designed that no one has a clue that we are on one, flying through the universe at a million miles per hour, with no need for seatbelts, lots of room in coach, and really good food ­ but all that is changing.

There is invisible writing on the back of the diploma you will receive, and in case you didn’t bring lemon juice to decode it, I can tell you what it says: YOU ARE BRILLIANT, AND THE EARTH IS HIRING. The earth couldn’t afford to send any recruiters or limos to your school. It sent you rain, sunsets, ripe cherries, night blooming jasmine, and that unbelievably cute person you are dating. Take the hint. And here’s the deal: Forget that this task of planet-saving is not possible in the time required. Don’t be put off by people who know what is not possible. Do what needs to be done, and check to see if it was impossible only after you are done.

When asked if I am pessimistic or optimistic about the future, my answer is always the same: If you look at the science about what is happening on earth and aren’t pessimistic, you don’t understand data. But if you meet the people who are working to restore this earth and the lives of the poor, and you aren’t optimistic, you haven’t got a pulse. What I see everywhere in the world are ordinary people willing to confront despair, power, and incalculable odds in order to restore some semblance of grace, justice, and beauty to this world.

The poet Adrienne Rich wrote, “So much has been destroyed I have cast my lot with those who, age after age, perversely, with no extraordinary power, reconstitute the world.” There could be no better description. Humanity is coalescing. It is reconstituting the world, and the action is
taking place in schoolrooms, farms, jungles, villages, campuses, companies, refuge camps, deserts, fisheries, and slums.

You join a multitude of caring people. No one knows how many groups and organizations are working on the most salient issues of our day: climate change, poverty, deforestation, peace, water, hunger, conservation, human rights, and more. This is the largest movement the world has ever seen. Rather than control, it seeks connection. Rather than dominance, it strives to disperse concentrations of power. Like Mercy Corps, it works behind the scenes and gets the job done.

Large as it is, no one knows the true size of this movement. It provides hope, support, and meaning to billions of people in the world. Its clout resides in idea, not in force. It is made up of teachers, children, peasants, businesspeople, rappers, organic farmers, nuns, artists, government workers, fisher folk, engineers, students, incorrigible writers, weeping Muslims, concerned mothers, poets, doctors without borders, grieving Christians, street musicians, the President of the United States of America, and as the writer David James Duncan would say, the Creator, the One who loves us all in such a huge way.

There is a rabbinical teaching that says if the world is ending and the Messiah arrives, first plant a tree, and then see if the story is true. Inspiration is not garnered from the litanies of what may befall us; it resides in humanity’s willingness to restore, redress, reform, rebuild, recover, reimagine, and reconsider. “One day you finally knew what you had to do, and began, though the voices around you kept shouting their bad advice,” is Mary Oliver’s description of moving away from the profane toward a deep sense of connectedness to the living world.

Millions of people are working on behalf of strangers, even if the evening news is usually about the death of strangers. This kindness of strangers has religious, even mythic origins, and very specific eighteenth-century roots. Abolitionists were the first people to create a national and global movement to defend the rights of those they did not know. Until that time, no group had filed a grievance except on behalf of itself. The founders of this movement were largely unknown ­ Granville Clark, Thomas Clarkson, Josiah Wedgwood ­ and their goal was ridiculous on the face of it: at that time three out of four people in the world were enslaved.

Enslaving each other was what human beings had done for ages. And the abolitionist movement was greeted with incredulity. Conservative spokesmen ridiculed the abolitionists as liberals, progressives, do-gooders, meddlers, and activists. They were told they would ruin the economy and drive England into poverty. But for the first time in history a group of people organized themselves to help people they would never know, from whom they would never receive direct or indirect benefit.

And today tens of millions of people do this every day. It is called the world of non-profits, civil society, schools, social entrepreneurship, and non-governmental organizations, of companies who place social and environmental justice at the top of their strategic goals. The scope and
scale of this effort is unparalleled in history.

The living world is not “out there” somewhere, but in your heart. What do we know about life? In the words of biologist Janine Benyus, life creates the conditions that are conducive to life. I can think of no better motto for a future economy. We have tens of thousands of abandoned homes
without people and tens of thousands of abandoned people without homes. We have failed bankers advising failed regulators on how to save failed assets.

Think about this: we are the only species on this planet without full employment. Brilliant. We have an economy that tells us that it is cheaper to destroy earth in real time than to renew, restore, and sustain it. You can print money to bail out a bank but you can’t print life to bail
out a planet. At present we are stealing the future, selling it in the present, and calling it gross domestic product. We can just as easily have an economy that is based on healing the future instead of stealing it. We can either create assets for the future or take the assets of the future.
One is called restoration and the other exploitation. And whenever we exploit the earth we exploit people and cause untold suffering. Working for the earth is not a way to get rich, it is a way to be rich.

The first living cell came into being nearly 40 million centuries ago, and its direct descendants are in all of our bloodstreams. Literally you are breathing molecules this very second that were inhaled by Moses, Mother Teresa, and Bono. We are vastly interconnected. Our fates are inseparable. We are here because the dream of every cell is to become two cells. In each of you are one quadrillion cells, 90 percent of which are not human cells. Your body is a community, and without those other microorganisms you would perish in hours.

Each human cell has 400 billion molecules conducting millions of processes between trillions of atoms. The total cellular activity in one human body is staggering: one septillion actions at any one moment, a one with twenty-four zeros after it. In a millisecond, our body has undergone
ten times more processes than there are stars in the universe exactly what Charles Darwin foretold when he said science would discover that each living creature was a “little universe, formed of a host of self-propagating organisms, inconceivably minute and as numerous as the stars of heaven.”

So I have two questions for you all: First, can you feel your body? Stop for a moment. Feel your body. One septillion activities going on simultaneously, and your body does this so well you are free to ignore it, and wonder instead when this speech will end. Second question: who is in charge of your body? Who is managing those molecules? Hopefully not a political party. Life is creating the conditions that are conducive to life inside you, just as in all of nature. What I want you to imagine is that collectively humanity is evincing a deep innate wisdom in coming together to heal the wounds and insults of the past.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once asked what we would do if the stars only came out once every thousand years. No one would sleep that night, of course. The world would become religious overnight. We would be ecstatic, delirious, made rapturous by the glory of God. Instead the stars come out every night, and we watch television.

This extraordinary time when we are globally aware of each other and the multiple dangers that threaten civilization has never happened, not in a thousand years, not in ten thousand years. Each of us is as complex and beautiful as all the stars in the universe. We have done great things and we have gone way off course in terms of honoring creation.

You are graduating to the most amazing, challenging, stupefying challenge ever bequested to any generation. The generations before you failed. They didn’t stay up all night. They got distracted and lost sight of the fact that life is a miracle every moment of your existence. Nature beckons you to be on her side. You couldn’t ask for a better boss. The most unrealistic person in the world is the cynic, not the dreamer. Hopefulness only makes sense when it doesn’t make sense to be hopeful. This is your century. Take it and run as if your life depends on it.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

How to Play (and Work) Well with Others

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OK, this is another totally non-mountain-biking-related post. But in a way, it is about mountain biking. Most of us go out riding with other people (75% of you do, according to my poll), and often there are decisions to be made as a group: where to ride, how long, when to stop, who goes in front, etc...

I'm reading The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch, and just finished a chapter entitled Start by Sitting Together. It's about how to work well with others in groups. A lot of the work I do, especially with my non-profit organization Bikes Without Borders, involves working in groups. It's a tricky feat, and it's not easy to manage multiple people and multiple personalities. There's always opportunities and situations for conflict. But the following tips, from Randy Pausch, will help in any group situation:

1. Meet People Properly. It all starts with the introduction. Exchange contact information. Make sure you can pronounce everyone's names.

2. Find things you have in common. You can almost always find someting in common with another person, and from there, it's much easier to address issues where you have differences. Sports cut across boundaries of race and wealth. And if nothing else, we have the weather in common.

3. Try for optimal meeting conditions.
Make sure no one is hungry, cold or tired. Meet over a meal if you can; food softens a meeting. That's why they "do lunch" in Hollywood.

4. Let everyone talk.
Don't finish someone's sentences. And talking louder or faster doesn't make your idea any better.

5. Check egos at the door.
When you discuss ideas, label them and write them down. The label should be non-descriptive of the idea, not the originator: "the bridge story" not "Jane's story."

6. Praise each other.
Find something nice to say, even if it's a stretch. The worst ideas can have silver linings if you look hard enough.

7. Phrase alternatives as questions.
Instead of "I think we should do A not B," try "What if we did A, instead of B?" That allows people to offer comments rather than defend one choice.

--

I'd like to, humbly, add a couple of my own tidbits to his list:

8. Show up on time. Nothing shows disrespect for others' time and disrupts a meeting like not bothering to show up on time and forcing people to repeat themselves. Plan to arrive 10 minutes early, and if you do, then spend your time preparing for the meeting. If you run late, you'll have a 10-minute cushion.

9. Listen for Common Purpose. This is somewhat related to #2, but relates to common purpose rather than things. From the wonderful spiritual teacher Nithya Shanti: "If respect can be developed between people working at odds, then a foundation will exist for exploring and/or re-establishing common purpose. Differences may still exist, but the possibility for coming to agreement is significantly enhanced if mutual respect and common purpose are identified and set solidly in place." The converse to this statement is paying to attention to situations where you are at cross-purposes.

I hope these tips will help you when you are working with others. I'd love to hear your comments and stories about working with other people: what worked, what didn't, how did you overcome obstacles, etc...

Mike

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Sacred Rides and Women's Mountain Biking

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We hosted writer Bobbi Barbarich on one of our women's mountain bike skills camps in Fernie last summer. I was anxious to hear her take on the camps, since I've never actually participated in one, just sat on the sidelines and helped out. Here's her write up...

Where my ladies at?
by Bobbi Barbarich, Vue Weekly

A ramp, a teeter-totter and a wooden sidewalk sit amidst 23 women wearing baggy bike shorts and determined stares. We range in occupation from geology students to lawyers, but our bikes were all made for mountains.

Under the shadow of the Ridgemont trails above Fernie, each woman cautiously inspects the other at the Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Adventure women's skills camp. The subtle inspection is not unusual or malicious. In the sport forum, females like to figure out the level of competition immediately. Then we can relax.

Our eyes slow their shifting and settle on Danika Schroeter and Johanna Weintrager. Danika is tall, blonde and lithe. Johanna is a pixie with muscles. Both riders have competed in downhill racing. Weintrager is a nationally respected coach and Schroeter is a national downhill champion. They're chatting casually about their passions—namely, the two tires under their fit frames.

Despite their welcoming natures, I'm skeptical. Within moments of their introductions, we're on our bikes, circling the parking lot like vultures over a carcass. I'm circling my confidence. Schroeter and Weintrager mean to cajole me into attempting what I thought I would never do: careen down a mountain on a bike.

[read the full article]

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Bike for Africa

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It's been a while since my last post. Too long. But there's a good reason for this so I hope you'll forgive me... For the past month, my team and I have been working furiously on a big event for our non-profit organization, Bikes Without Borders. If you're anywhere near the Toronto area, please read on. And if you're not, skip a couple of paragraphs and I can tell you more about what Bikes Without Borders has been up to.

BIKE FOR AFRICA
The 2009 Bikes Without Borders/Virgin Mobile Bike for Africa will take place on May 30 on Toronto Islands from 1 pm to 8 pm. Join us and help raise $100,000 for our Pedal Powered Hope project in Malawi, providing bikes and bicycle ambulances to HIV/AIDS and community care workers. It's 2 hours of inspiring, fun biking or walking, followed by a BBQ picnic and an afternoon with Toronto's hottest bands!

Early bird-registration closes on April 17 - sign up before then and pay just $20/individual, $50/family, or $175/team. This includes BBQ dinner and an afternoon of kickass music with Toronto's hottest local bands!

Please help spread the word - e-mail your friends or invite people to the Facebook event page!

Pedal Powered Hope - Malawi
Bikes Without Borders is working with a Malawian-based NGO (YONECO) to establish a program that will provide Community Health Workers in 7 districts with 400 new bikes and 100 bicycle ambulances. Providing a bicycle or bicycle ambulance to a CHW allows them to reach up to 5 times as many patients, reach remote communities with patient support and HIV/AIDS prevention education, and do their work more efficiently and with greater impact. 400 bikes and 100 bicycle ambulances will allow our network of CHWs in Malawi to reach an estimated 15,000 additional people with lifesaving medication, prevention education and additional support services.

Just $150 purchases a reliable, durable bike for a Community Healthcare Worker in Malawi. $400 is enough to purchase a bicycle ambulance. Visit our donations page to make your investment in the future of African healthcare!

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I hope to see you at Bike for Africa,

Mike, owner/president,
Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Adventures

founder/director
Bikes Without Borders

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

Do you love mountain biking? Your love could get you a free trip to Peru worth $4500!

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At Sacred Rides, we eat, sleep and dream mountain biking. And we want to share that love of mountain biking with you and we want you to share it with us. So we're inviting you to show us your love with our new 'I Love Mountain Biking' video contest.

The winner of the contest will walk away with an all-expenses-paid MTB trip to Peru or British Columbia worth over $4500. The grand prize includes a spot on one of our trips in Peru or British Columbia, return airfare from North America or select spots in Europe, and the use of a DeVinci bike for the duration of the trip.

For contest details & to enter your video, please visit
www.sacredrides.com/ilovemountainbiking

The sooner you enter, the better your chances. Your video could be 1 to 3 minutes of anything: footage of you riding your home trails, a song and dance, a music video. However you express your love of the sport.

Good luck!

Mike Brcic, president,
Sacred Rides
http://www.sacredrides.com

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Flying on the Cheap

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Because our mountain bike trips occur all over the globe and our customers typically fly to their destination, I thought this was a great article to share with you.

If you have any tips of your own, please send them to me via the comment box below.

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FRUGAL FLYERS SHARE THEIR TICKET TIPS
from MetroNews Toronto, Mar. 6, 2009

Want to fly cheap? Time to break some bad habits. Like buying the first cheap ticket you see or waiting until the last minute to book a fare.

As the economic slump continues and both business and leisure travel declines, fares are getting cheaper as airlines try to fill seats. But even though there are more bargains to be found, travellers still need to know a few tricks to get the very best prices.

First, don’t hurry. Matt­hew D. Weyer sometimes spends hours researching fares online. Knowing what a ticket usually sells for allows him to spot cheap fares almost immediately.

Weyer sets up email alerts for prices on the route he’s shopping for at fare-watching sites like Kayak.com or Farecast.com. He finds out whether discount-carrier Southwest Airlines Co. flies a route. He also checks the ticket on booking sites like Travelocity or Orbitz.

Weyer recently shopped for a flight from Greenville, N.C., to Chicago, a ticket he said commonly runs around $410 US. He was tempted at $280. He eventually paid $180 on Priceline.com. Weyer figures he spent about two hours spread over a couple of days searching for the ticket.

Weyer starts shopping as far in advance as he can but doesn’t book right away. He considers it safe to book between one and three months ahead of time. Legacy carriers generally show their schedules for about 11 months out. The window is shorter for discount carriers.

Southwest’s window is currently six months, and AirTran’s is nine months.

The 24-year-old Chicago college student and software programmer once flew for only $9 on Spirit Airlines from Chicago to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., and says the most he has ever paid for a ticket is $240.

Having a price in mind is good advice. A sense of timing helps, too.

If you tend to make travel plans during weekend down time, reconsider. The best time to shop is late Monday or early Tuesday, some fare experts say. Airlines often start fare sales on Sunday night or Monday morning, said Rick Seaney of FareCompare.com.

Those sales alone are fine if they include the flight you want. But other carriers generally match the fare sale by Monday evening or Tuesday morning, giving you more choices.

Seaney said Wednesdays are generally the cheapest day to fly. Tuesdays and Saturdays are also good days to fly because demand is low and the airlines are trying to fill seats.

It’s natural for travellers to book their flight when the workday is done or the kids are asleep.

But the airlines are posting fares on their own schedule. They file fares to the computer system that shares them among websites and travel agents three times each weekday — 10 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern time, and 5 p.m. Eastern on Saturdays and Sundays. That means fares can change at those times, so when you do see a fare at the price you’re looking for, grab it.

Former New Yorker Jill Gott of Providence, R.I., spent 2-1/2 weeks checking American Airlines’ website several times a day before snagging a $109 round-trip ticket from New York-LaGuardia to Atlanta. She said it was only available for about three hours before jumping back up to $250.

“I just decide what I want to pay for something, and I just keep clicking away until I get it,” she said.

But shopper beware. Fares start to rise again seven to 10 days before a flight — sometimes as long as 14 days or more, depending on the airline and sale offer. Airlines raise fares closer to the departure date because last-minute seats tend to be bought by business travellers and others who must fly at certain times.

Roger Johnson, director of revenue management at New York-based JetBlue Airways Corp., notes that it can be risky for a flyer to delay buying a ticket in hopes it will be even cheaper. He says there’s no good way for customers to know whether a fare sale will show up in their market.

“They would be gambling that this would happen and would probably lose out more than they would win,” he said.

AirTran Airways spokesman Tad Hutcheson said his advice is simple: “I would follow the Moscow rule of shopping — you see it, you like it, you buy it.”

Where to buy also matters. For an airline ticket only, your best bet is an individual airline’s website because you’ll skip the extra fees some travel Web sites charge. Also, while Orbitz will show you a handful of round-trip flights from Baltimore to Austin, Texas, for instance, a key option is missing. Southwest doesn’t sell on those sites.

That means checking its website is a must if you’re flying near a city they serve. For instance, on Feb. 24, Southwest was offering tickets on the Baltimore-Austin route for as low as $99, while Orbitz’s cheapest offering was $193.

If you’re packaging airfare, hotel and a rental car, however, consider Orbitz and Travelocity, which often discount such bundles.

Like Weyer, you can also try Priceline, where users can bid for tickets. A customer may end up with an undesirable itinerary, like flying in the wrong direction to make a connection, but the fare can sometimes be cheaper. Not all airlines, however, participate in Priceline’s “name your own price” offer.

Friday, February 27, 2009

Everyday Adventures

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Today's post comes to you via Matthew at Adventure-Some. It's all about finding the adventure in everyday experiences. It resonated with me - yesterday morning I was taking a shower and the morning sunlight was streaming in through the bathroom shutters. I looked up and the water vapour was dancing around in the light in the most amazing way. It was the coolest effect, and it made me pause to think. Remember that scene in American Beauty when the plastic bag is floating around in the air, caught by the wind?

It's so easy in our hectic lives to keep looking ahead to the next big 'adventure' or experience, and totally miss out on the small, quiet moments that take our breath away. Like when my 10-month-old daughter smiles at me.

What are your everyday adventures?

Thanks, Matthew. Live the adventure!

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Often when I tell someone that I am going on a trip, they comment “what a great adventure!” And they are right. However, I think that people often have the mistaken idea that adventure = travel, which is not the case. Traveling might get you to the adventure, it might even be an adventure in and of itself, but adventure can be found wherever you are.

I think that the biggest reason for this mis-belief is because people don’t realize what I said in my first post, that “an adventure is something that is exciting or new to you.” They think ‘adventure’ and picture some grand excursion. In reality, an adventure can take place in your back yard, at your local park, or in your home town.

It all depends on your mindset. When you are looking for adventure, you can find it in the most surprising, dare I say everyday, places. If all it takes is doing something new or something exciting, you can do that in your nearest grocery store. I can wander over to the cheese section and find some very interesting looking specimens. I have never tried any of them, and know nothing about them. For a quick culinary adventure, I could pick out one that looks interesting and ask someone behind the counter what they recommend that I try it with. Pick up their recommendation and go home to sample. I might feel safer to do a quick search online for recommendations [do search for cheese, side and wine combo]. I found this… in less than five minutes. If you’re already a cheese fan and have tried everything offered locally, check out the other aisles, I’m sure that you can find something new.

If you are short of inspiration, spend some time with a 5 year old. Any child will lead you on a constant stream of adventures, if you let them. You will explore with a prince or princess, discover exciting worlds and otherwise have an amazing time. All of these amazing adventures to be had in familiar, everyday settings. (Don’t have a 5 year old that you can borrow? I’m sure that if you ask your friends, family, and neighbors you will find someone who could use a babysitter, even if it is just for a few hours of peace during the day.)

As a blog about everyday adventure, I will be mentioning all different kinds of adventures that are available, not just the ones that involve travel. Don’t become discouraged because you don’t have the time or money to go somewhere for a week-long getaway, you can have adventures anytime, anywhere, as long as you are looking for them.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Feeling the love

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It's not often I get a personal letter from a government minister, so I was a little surprised to get some correspondence from the Canadian Minister of Tourism Diane Ablonczy this morning. "What the hell," I thought. "What does the government want now?"

I was surprised and touched to open a personal letter from Diane, congratulating me on our recent selection as one of the "Best Adventure Companies on Earth" by National Geographic Adventure (#1 mountain bike tour company, actually!)

You love me, you really love me.

Thanks, Diane. It's not often I see eye to eye with the government of Canada (especially the current one) but this was pretty touching, and I really appreciate it.

Here's what she wrote.

"Dear Mr. Brcic,

I recently learned that Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Holidays Ltd. has been named one of the world's top adventure travel companies by National Geographic Adventure magazine. I would like to extend my personal congratulations to you and your staff on receiving this coveted endorsement.

Your efforts toward sustainable practices and infusing the spirit of adventure into Canada's tourism offerings are exemplary. it is individuals like you who inspire the industry and serve as role models for others.

On behalf of the Government of Canada, please accept my warmest congratulations and best wishes for continued success in your future endeavours.

Sincerely,

Diane Ablonczy"

Friday, February 20, 2009

My favourite MTB photos

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I'm pretty blessed to have had the opportunity to host some of the world's top mountain bike and adventure photographers on my trips - people like Patrice Halley, Stephen Wilde and Paul Morrisson.

Not only do they get the shots, but they're all great people: fun to be with, humble and with lots to offer those who are willing to listen. As an amateur photography buff, it's amazing to see these guys in action and the lengths to which they will go to get the shot. I've seen Patrice fall out of trees in BC, Stephen running at top speed in Croatia to keep up with the shot, and Paul hanging from bushes over cliffs in Peru. Their dedication to their craft is admirable.

I was looking through my collection of photos yesterday and reminiscing about the great memories behind all of the photos in my library. Each has a special connection to a time and place, memories that will live on for a long time. They remind me why I do what I do and what I love about mountain biking.

I'm posting my 3 favourite photos below. If you've got the itch for mountain biking and are stuck in midwinter deep-freeze, check out our Flickr account with many more beautiful images from around the world to inspire you.

Thanks to all you shutterbugs out there for so beautifully capturing the essence of our sport. If you have a favourite photo to share, send it to me via Twitter, e-mail, or post it to our Facebook group and I'll get it up on the blog soon.

Mike

Peru lead guide Wayo showing off his freeride form on top of the Olleros trail, with about 10,000 feet of vertical to go. I love this shot for all the white space on the frame, bringing attention right on the rider. ©Stephen Wilde

Guatemala guide Matt Hartell dropping in to the Santa Catarina trail above Lake Atitlan. This photo captures the essence of Guatemala riding beautifully: the spectacular scenery, and sharing trails with locals going about their daily business. ©Patrice Halley

pro riders Richie Schley and Robbie Bourdon riding a crazy section of discovered trail in Peru. Although the line was pretty technical, this shot makes the line look totally insane! ©Paul Morrison

Monday, February 16, 2009

DeVinci and Sacred Rides: together at last

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It's true. After a long courtship full of awkward, shy moments and playing hard-to-get, Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Holidays and DeVinci bikes are now dating.

We met at a party, somewhere in the vicinity of the chip table. I was reaching for the nacho chips while DV was reaching for the guacamole. Our hands touched, ever so briefly, but it was enough to send sparks flying throughout the room. I think at one point the curtains were on fire, but we were too enthralled with each other to notice.

DeVinci is now going to be our main sponsor, providing us with staff bikes, rental bikes, and some sweet jerseys and shorts. I'm especially excited because we get to work with a Canadian company, based not far from our Toronto offices (they're in Quebec). This fits in nicely with our local suppliers mandate (part of our Responsible Riding sustainability mandate).

DeVinci is one of the smaller bike companies out there, but they have a great reputation. I first rode a DeVinci at Fernie Alpine Resort a few years back and was immediately impressed. There's a lot of attention to detail on their bikes and you can tell that the builders are proud of their work.

We'll be sporting the Remix SL3 XC Trail bike and the Hectik 1 All-Mountain bike in our British Columbia and Utah rental fleet. I'm getting mine in a few weeks and hope to have some dirt to try it out on soon!

You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or e-mail, or if you are receiving it via e-mail, you can visit the blog site to read other posts and leave comments.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Tweet Tweet, Twiddle Twiddle

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..."there's only one candy with the hole in the middle."

Remember those old Lifesavers commercials from the 80s? That silly jingle is stuck in my head now. I hope it doesn't get stuck in yours.

Anyway, this post isn't about candy. It's about Twitter. If you haven't been paying attention, Twitter is the most explosive social networking tool on the internet. It's barely been around a year, and already there are over six million users worldwide.

At its heart, Twitter is a tool that lets you answer, in 140 characters or less, the question "what are you doing right now?" It's similar to the Facebook status bar, with two exceptions: 1) you only have 140 characters, so you have to be very succint and to the point 2) you can choose to 'follow' anyone's Twitter feed, without their permission (unlike Facebook, where you have to give permission for someone to be your 'friend').

What does this mean?

For one, it means you can waste even more time on the internet, reading about what people ate for breakfast and how many kilometres they cycled that morning. On the other hand, however, Twitter is also an amazing tool for sharing useful information fast and connecting people. By faciliating quick connections that aren't permission-based (you just choose interesting people to follow on the internet - as many as you want), users can quickly grow their network from just a few followers (and followed) to a few hundred or few thousand.

Witness Twestival. This is a worldwide festival on February 12 in over 100 cities around the world. The festival was not only a way to bring together Twitter users in a physical space, but also had a goal of raising money for a global water charity. The festival was organized entirely by volunteer Twitter users, and although the numbers aren't in yet, organizers expected to pull in over $1,000,000 for the charity. The amazing thing is how easy Twitter allows you to connect with large numbers of people all over the world.

Like Facebook or MySpace, it's all about how you use it. You can use it for wasting time reading extremely banal information about people, or you can use it as an incredible tool for engagement with the world. I'll be using it to promote a Canada-wide walk/bike festival our non-profit organization Bikes Without Borders is putting on for HIV/AIDS workers in Africa . Already, I've had Twitter users nationwide messaging me asking how they can help promote the event.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about Twitter? Boring? Beautiful? Bold? How do you use it? Or refuse it?

Mike
http://www.twitter.com/mtbikermike

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Trail Tales: Olleros, Peru

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I've only ridden it twice, but the Olleros trail near Lima, Peru has to rank as one of the best downhills in the world. With spectacular views of the Andes, 3,000 metres/10,500 vertical feet of downhill (that's not a misprint!), and some of the flowiest, most beautiful riding on the planet, I can't think of any downhill I've ever had more fun on.

The day starts with a 3-hour drive from Lima, up a crazy mountain road, with a steep drop on one side. Thankfully, our driver Pablo has driven this road "about 500 times," as he puts it, and inspires lots of confidence. The amazing part is that both times we drove this road we didn't encounter a single vehicle - we had the road to ourselves for 3 hours.

After climbing for what seems forever, you reach the remote village of Olleros, perched high on the Andean mountainside. After saying hello to a few curious kids, you pedal through town and then drop in on the trail.

The Olleros trail is fast, flowing singletrack, dusty in spots but not enough to affect your riding or the person behind you. This is freeriding at its free-est: at times the trail disappears and you can just follow the flow of the topography, hitting dozens of jumps and terrain features along the way. There are spots where the trail opens up onto wide ridges and you can really open it up; our guide Wayo hit 70 km/h on one of the ridges once... Amazingly enough, it's as smooth as can be and you don't feel unsafe at this speed!



The whole downhill is about 30 km (20 miles) in total. Near the bottom the trail starts to switchback frequently, providing for some slower, more challenging fun. Finally the trail spits you out into a wide, dry-river-bed valley. The river bed is hardpacked sand - very hardpacked, almost like concrete - and you can really fly on the gentle downhill grade, for the next 30 km or so.

Last time I was here, with Ride Guide TV and pro riders Richie Schley and Robbie Bourdon, we got back to the van just as the sun was setting over the Pacific Ocean, our driver waiting for us with sandwiches and cold beers. I'll never forget the feeling of riding my bike in a remote valley in the Andes, as the sun went down and my tires whistled in the evening wind. Pretty freaking amazing.

Mike

if you want to join us in Peru, we still have a few spots left on our spring departures, and are taking bookings for our fall trips now. We have a deal with LAN airlines for 10% off posted rates, plus free bike shipping - enough to save you about $300-$400 off your flight costs.

You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or e-mail, or if you are receiving it via e-mail, you can visit the blog site to read other posts and leave comments.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

getting it right...

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On our website, we have a 'Contact a Past Participant' feature, that allows you to send an e-mail to someone who has already done the trip you're interested in. It's a great way for our past clients (thank you!) to give people the inside, customer perspective on what our trips are like. It's also a great way for me to experience our trips as our clients see them

This is an e-mail that one of our past clients from Brazil sent to a fellow from the UK. It makes me extremely proud of our staff and the great job they do.

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Hey Julian,

Before my trip I was also full of doubts, like I was preparing for a space flight.

After, I found out that it's WAY MORE COOL.

Even when comparing with my homeland, it is a completely different world, where the only link to our realities is our bikes.

The mountains are the best, taking rider and gear to the limit every day, with changing climate, terrain and altitude, but ALWAYS WITH THE GUIDES TELLING YOU OF EVERY RISK, IN EACH SECTION OF THE TRAILS.

We had full time support on wrenching, eating and also hanging out. Cusqueña is the beer to have! Food is awesome, the homeland of every potato and corn in the world. Great steaks (lomos) of beef, pork, lamb and alpaca.

I don't know about what bike you plan to take, but here is some tips.

The Lima part is full-on DH. The Cusco part is All-Mountain. I think that a DH or freeride bike with front mech is ideal. I went with an AM 6" bike, with DH tires and brakes, but felt a little restraint for my taste.

It is a good idea to improve strength and fitness before the trip, to be able to squeeze the juice out of it. We had some guys that didn't enjoy as much because of getting too tired.

I didn't have to take any altitude medicine. All I did was follow the guide's orientations.

Man, go for it.

Best regards

Ricardo

Thursday, February 5, 2009

The World Wide Ride Guide Poll

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The results of our online mountain biking poll (at the World Wide Ride Guide blog) are in... We received 144 responses. Here are the final tallies numbers.


Cross-Country



114 (79%)
Downhill

48 (33%)
Freeride

60 (41%)
Dirt Jump

22 (15%)

Racer
35 (24%)

Solo rider
75 (52%)
Ride with buddies

109 (75%)
Ride with clubs

29 (20%)


1-2x/month

16 (11%)
Weekend Warrior

50 (34%)
Every day if I can

62 (43%)

Sunday, February 1, 2009

Trail Tales: Seven Summits, BC

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I'll admit it. I'm going a little stir crazy. I haven't been on my mountain bike since mid-December's trip to Guatemala, and 6 weeks out of the saddle is always hard on me. So I'm already dreaming about the summer, and heading back to BC to ride one of my favourite trails, the incredible Seven Summits. I'm definitely not the only one to rate this a personal favourite - Bike magazine rated Seven Summits their trail of the year back in 2007.

I've ridden Seven Summits about a half a dozen times, on our Ultimate BC trip, and each time it inflicts new levels of suffering and ecstasy on me. It's an all-day epic, and you need to bring lots of water and lots of food. I've heard of people doing it in as little as 3 hours, but most people take 6-8 to do the entire trail.

The trail gets its name from the 7 peaks you ride either on top of or just underneath, traversing a number of ridges, saddles and summits over its course. For the most part you stay underneath the actual summits, but each of the 7 has a side trail leading up to its peak.

The ride is not for the faint of heart - or lungs. There are several punishing climbs, and only the strongest climbers will be able to tackle them all without walking. I've never managed to clean it myself, but I have watched in awe as Ă¼ber-guide Eddy spanked off one climb after another. The downhills are fun, fast and furious, with lots of technical sections to keep you on your toes.

The views of Rossland and the mountains of the southern Monashees are spectacular at every turn, and there are some spots that are just so picture-perfect you have to remember to breathe.

The best part? Ending off with 2,000 vertical feet of downhill on the Dewdney Trail, and having a cold one when you get back to the van. Unless, that is, you're one of the brave souls who ride the whole thing without benefit of shuttle vehicles - my everlasting respect to you.

Mike

Seven Summits is just one of dozens of trails we ride on our 13-day Ultimate BC trip. There are still spots available for this summer - check our schedule page and sign up today!

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

New Poll - What kind of mountain biker are you?

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If you're viewing this post online at our blog, then you've probably noticed the giant poll sitting right above this post. I'm a sucker for polls, and I hope you are too.

I'd love to know a bit more about the people that read my blog. Are you a cross-country workhorse? Do you prefer to ride the lifts? Do you go it alone, or with a group?

Let's hear it!

You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or e-mail, or if you are receiving it via e-mail, you can visit the blog site to read other posts and leave comments.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Weekend Wrenching: The Pre-Ride Checklist

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This is a post I thought you might like from my friend Robb Sutton over at Mountain Biking by 198. If you're a passionate mountain biker you should definitely subscribe to his excellent blog.

Although we here in the Great White North are still blanketed in the white stuff, I know many of you are still riding or getting ready to ride. Enjoy this informative post!

Mike,
Sacred Rides

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It's time! Finally! The weather has cooperated enough and you and your group are heading out on a weekend epic. This isn't your regular Tuesday romp in the woods. This is going to be a ride to remember as you all suffer through some incredible mountain riding. These are rides that create memories. The views, the single track and the fellow riders are told in stories for years to come.

There is only one thing standing in the way of an incredible ride and a frustrating day out on the trail...mechanicals. Follow this pre-ride checklist to make sure that you don't have issues out on the trail. Take some time the night before to go thoroughly over the bike and bring a prepared steed to the trail.

Check Tire Pressure

This check needs to happen the night before and trailside before the ride. Air pressure is a funny animal. As the weather gets warmer, air expands and increases pressure. As air cools, it compresses and causes smaller air pressures in your tubes/tires. Check your air pressure to make sure it is at your desired setting. This is the perfect time to check for leaks or abnormalities in your tubes and tires. Change them the night before instead of finding the problem at the trailhead or even worse...while riding on the trail. If you need some help with determining what pressure level is ideal for your riding...check out this post.

Check Derailleur Alignment/Shifting

Mountain Bike Drivetrain

Nothing is more annoying on a ride than shifting that just won't cooperate. Place your bike in the stand and go through the gears. Make sure that each gear change is crisp and that there is no clicking or jumping at any gear location. After you are sure you have it correct in the stand, take your mountain bike out on the road and test it under load. Especially with full suspension mountain bikes, your shifting can act differently under load than when in the stand. Make adjustments as needed with the barrel adjusters, and reset the cable if it just will not shift correctly. Be sure to clean the entire drivetrain of any debris and re-lube the chain.

Check Shock Pressures

Just like with your air pressure in your tires, air pressure in your fork and rear shock on your mountain bike change with the weather and over time. Double check all of your pressure settings and sag. Typically, you want to run around 25% sag on the rear suspension for a cross country ride. This is measured by stroke length using the supplied rubber o-ring on the rear shock shaft. I will normally check these pressures during pre-ride preparations and carry a shock pump with me on the trail.

Check ALL Bolts

Imagine you are blasting down your favorite section of blissful mountain biking singletrack. You get that tacky soil, Superman feeling and nothing can go wrong or slow you down. All of the sudden you hit a small jump or rock and the handlebars flip around! You can't react in time and it's over the bars for you! This could have all been avoided! Just check and make sure all of your bolts on your mountain bike are securely fastened the night before the ride. I recommend using a torque wrench for this but even hand tightening is better than doing nothing at all.

Double Check Saddle Height and Levelness

Is levelness a word? If it isn't...it should be. Make sure that your saddle is at the correct height and that it is level. This will make your ride much more enjoyable and it will increase your efficiency on the trail.

Check All Axles

Check your quick releases or thru axles to make sure they are tight and secure. This one should be pretty self-explanatory!

Check Frame and Cables

Before every long ride, I do a once over of the entire frame and all of the cables to make sure that everything are in working order. Normally, I clean the bike first using Suzuki Wash so I can see the areas that may be stressed or cables that are frayed. Two things I do not normally carry with me on long rides are extra cables and a spare frame. Catastrophic failures in either area can end a great day on the trail quickly.

Check All Brakes and Brake Lines

Make sure your brakes are adjusted correctly and are ready for a full day of riding. With post mount disc brakes, it is extremely easy to adjust the calipers, so I normally readjust them before every long ride. IS mounted brakes are a little bit more involved by using washers to set the caliper positioning, so as long as they are not dragging…I leave them alone.

After The Bike Checklist

After I have gone over the entire bike, it is time to get everything together for the ride. What do I bring with me? Check out this post for a complete listing.

Getting everything ready the night before these mountain biking adventures makes my morning much more enjoyable. I am able to get my coffee, load the bike and head on my way. Trying to scramble the day of gets my morning started the wrong way and takes away from the overall experience. Is there anything else that you guys do the night before a long, epic mountain bike ride? (pray for the legs to get through it…)

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

A new day in America and the world

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Warning: this post has nothing to do with mountain biking. Sorry - sometimes I realize that there is a world beyond two wheels and dirt. If you want something mountain bike related, check out our YouTube channel, chock full of cool mountain bike vids from around the world.

Wow, what a day Jan. 20, 2009 turned out to be. Yesterday I sat with about 80 other people at the Centre for Social Innovation and watched Barack Obama get sworn in as the 44th president of the United States, on Martin Luther King day. The significance and timing of his inauguration was not lost on any of the people there, nor on the nearly 2,000,000 people who went to Washington to watch it live. The fact that it happened just a little more than a generation later after King's "I have a dream" speech is simply stunning. It proves once again that in America, anything is possible.

And while anything is possible in the grand ole U.S. of A., what is certain is that America is hurting right now. From a deep economic meltdown, to two seemingly interminable foreign wars, to a worldwide ecological crisis of which America is playing a major role, there is no shortage of doom and gloom purveyed on the screens and news pages of our neighbours to the south. America is hurting.

Which is why Barack's inauguration speech was such an amazing piece of writing and oratory. To offer hope in the midst of despair is no easy feat, yet Obama and his 27-year-old speechwriter Jon Favreau managed to do just that. Brilliantly penned by Favreau and flawlessly delivered by Obama, the speech was made all that more remarkable by the contrast it offered to 8 years of the Bush administration. Instead of fear and division, the speech inspired hope and reconciliation.

As I listened, I found myself getting swept up deeper into the Obama myth. There is something about him that inspires us all and touches a deeper human chord. Everything that I wanted to hear from a U.S. president - that was so sadly lacking during the past 8 years - was there: addressing climate change, promoting peace and understanding worldwide, adopting a more humble stance in the world, sowing sustainable economies, addressing domestic and international poverty... everything I've ever wanted to hear from a political leader and a wonderful image of what a just and peaceful world would look like, and America's role in it.

Whether Obama and his administration can pull off what he has promised remains to be seen. Yet something more important than just one man and one government has emerged from this election: the notion of responsibility. This was a topic Obama touched on several times in his speech - the notion that it is not just America's president and its government that has a responsibility, but its citizens as well. Echoing JKF's "ask not what your country can do for you..." speech, Obama's oratory reminded America's citizens that democracy is not a top-down institution, but one that springs forth from the roots, and that democracy must be practiced every day by its citizens, in the practice of community involvement, engagment in the political process and more importantly, in looking out for one another.

I am looking forward to seeing the changes that occur in America and in the world over the next decade, and I know Obama will play a big part. Hope springs eternal.

What did you think about the speech? Send me your comments!

You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or e-mail, or if you are receiving it via e-mail, you can visit the blog site to read other posts and leave comments.

Friday, January 16, 2009

Mountain Biking Turns 30 - What's Your Story?

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The sport of mountain biking is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year. Hard to believe it's only been 30 years since Gary Fisher and friends starting racing down Mt. Tam with their modified cruisers. What an evolution we've seen in just one generation.

There are now dozens of companies around the world making mountain bikes, and my company Sacred Rides Mountain Bike Holidays is just one of hundreds of mountain bike tour companies around the world offering adventures to people willing to pay a few bucks to explore the world on their bikes. There are mountain bike trails and clubs in almost every country in the world. Pretty amazing how the sport has grown.

Finding out that the sport is turning 30 caused me to reflect on my first experiences with mountain biking. I didn't get into the sport until I was about 20, way back in 1991. My first bike frame was an aluminum Balance (I don't even think they're in business any more) and I ordered it from one of those mail order places in California, then painstakingly and lovingly built up the frame part by part. It took me about 2 months to finally get the thing together, since I was learning on the fly. it had 1" of front travel on one of the original Manitou forks and top of the line cantilever brakes that were useless in the rain.

But once it was complete, I couldn't tear myself away from it. I was in downtown Toronto, not exactly the hotbed of mountain biking, but I took every chance I could to ride it: around town, on the local trails, to class, you name it. I was in love. Here was a bike that could take me anywhere. To say it changed my life is a bit of an understatement. These days, I mountain bike for a living, traveling all over the world in search of the best places to ride. I no longer ride a Balance (our new sponsor is DeVinci and I can't wait to get my new rig), but the thrill is still the same.

So what's your first mountain bike story? I'd love to hear your experiences with your first mountain bike and how you got into the sport. Leave your comments below!

Mike

You can subscribe to this blog via RSS or e-mail, or if you are receiving it via e-mail, you can visit the blog site to read other posts and leave comments.

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Best Adventure Companies on Earth

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I know I've already posted this news, but I'm so freakin' proud and excited about this I can't resist doing it again: Sacred Rides has been named one of the 2009 Best Adventure Companies on Earth by National Geographic Adventure magazine.

The annual ratings were just posted on their website this weekend, and we came in highly ranked in the cycling/biking category: #18 of 59 outfitters. Not only that, but we were the top-ranked mountain bike company on the list (the companies above us on the list are either road biking, touring or multi-sport adventure companies).

What makes me particularly proud about this award is that, unlike most magazine awards, these are rigorously researched (read about the methodology), and a large emphasis is placed on sustainability.

A big thank you goes out to all of our customers, who helped make this happen, and our incredible staff, who go out of their way to make every customer's ride a sacred one!

Mike