Inca Trail trip featured in Bike Magazine

Our Inca Trail trip was once again featured in a major mountain bike mag, this time Bike Magazine. This amazing trip features what writer Dan Barham calls "quite possibly, the best mountain bike trail in the world," the incredible Olleros Trail. Sacred Rides in Bike Magazine: Peru

Want to join us in Peru this year? Visit http://sacredrides.com/tours/peru and sign up today to start counting down the days until you ride the most amazing trails on Earth!

Mountain Bike Repair Tools for the Home Mechanic

[guest post from Sam Walker, www.gearreviewsonline.com]

Mountain bikes are designed to take a heavier beating in the trails than the average urban cycle. However given enough usage and time, the wear and tear does take its toll. It is not hard to learn how to fix and maintain a bike with only a few tools. The internet has built up a vast library of mountain bike repair info and of course bicycle maintenance books are available and very useful.

The most common type of mountain bike maintenance is changing tires, chain, cassette and cables. Learning how to check and replace these four components will go a long way in providing your bike a long and healthy life.

For anyone new to bicycle repair and interested in knowing which tools to use, I have listed some of the basic tools that are useful to have:

Bicycle Repair Stand

This is one of the most helpful tools you can have. A bicycle repair stand to bicycle repairs is the equivalent of a couch in your home. You can technically do without both, but once you have a good couch in your house, it is hard to go back to not having one. Likewise, once you use a quality home mechanic repair stand, there really is no going back.

A good stand will hold your bike rock solid while you work on it, elevate it to any level, and rotate it 360 degrees so you can even work on your bike upside down or sideways without putting pressure on your bike's components. Park Tool is known to be one of the better brands and I did a comprehensive review of their PCS-10 bike stand for my own website recently. They really build quality and functional stands.

Hand Pump, Floor Pump or CO2 Cartridge
These are used to pump air into your tire when you have a flat and need to replace the tire tube. Sooner or later we all need one of these. A hand pump is the bare minimum, and works fine though it takes more effort to put the last bit of air in the tires.

A floor pump or a CO2 cartridge (that uses compressed air) makes things a lot easier, although the CO2 cartridge will eventually exhaust itself. Some people like to carry a small hand pump or CO2 cartridge with them in a pack while they ride in case they get a flat and need to pump in enough air to get back home.

Tire Levers
Tire levers are used when you have a flat and need to remove the tire. You insert them between the tire and the rim of the wheel to break the seal, and pull it along the rim. Some people prefer to use two at once to achieve this and some don't use them at all, but I would recommend using them. They are not expensive and are easy to carry with you in your tire replacement kit.

If you also carry with you a new tire tube and C02 cartridge or hand pump, you will be all ready to replace a tire on the road should you get a flat. A tire patch kit (patches, sandpaper, and glue or self adhesive patches) will allow you to fix small punctures in your tire tube at home without replacing the whole tube.

Allen Keys (or Hex Wrench Set)
For anyone doing mountain bike maintenance, these will be your best friend. They allow you to tighten and loosen your:

• gearing and breaking stem
• handlebar
• seat
• pump mounts
• other bicycle accessories you may have such as bottle holder, etc.

Chain Tool
A chain tool is a handy device that some clever person invented which allows you to remove faulty links and replace your broken chain. Changing your chain before it gets completely worn out might save you from having to replace your drivetrain too, because a worn out chain tends to cause damage to parts of the drivetrain. You can learn to check your chain with a chain checker, but a ruler will also work.

Cable Cutter
This allows you to easily change your brake and gear cables. Make sure you use a proper one, as using any other device to cut will likely squash your cables and make fitting a problem. Taking the cables off is easy, replacing them can be tricky, so it is important to learn this technique properly before you try it.

To remove a cassette (which in turn allows you to clean, change or replace it), you also need a couple of specialty tools. A cassette lock ring tool goes into the top of the cassette, and a chain whip is a necessary tool that holds the cassette in place while you remove it. Use an adjustable wrench to grasp the lock ring and work the wrench against the chain whip to remove the cassette.

Other useful tools that are good to have are your basic flat and Philips screwdrivers, pliers and long nose pliers.

You may want to look into getting a bicycle maintenance/repair book if you are serious about learning. Park Tool also puts out a great book called the Park Tool Big Blue Book of Bicycle Repair which has a lot of good information, diagrams and tips for just about all bicycle repairs.

There are of course other handy tools but hopefully this list is a good help to anyone looking into a beginner set. Maintaining and repairing your own bike can be a rewarding, useful and even money saving experience in the long run.

For more gear reviews, visit www.gearreviewsonline.com

Patagonia trip wins Top Ten Trips of the Year

We were pretty excited to find out that our new Pedal and Paddle trip in Patagonia was just selected as one of the Top Ten Trips of 2011 by Outside Magazine.



With one of the most spectacular regions on Earth as a backdrop, a gorgeous eco-lodge as our base, handbuilt singletrack to ride on, and whitewater rafting and/or kayaking on three world-class rivers, there's plenty to be excited about, so we're not surprised Outside selected this trip!

Want to give your adventure glands a big boost this year? Come join us in Patagonia!

Bending Time

There’s a trail just outside of Fernie, British Columbia that defies the laws of physics, specifically those dealing with time.

We’re used to – in the modern world, at least – thinking of time as a linear thing. Today follows yesterday, tomorrow follows today, 3:02 follows 3:01 pm.  But on this trail, the normal rules just don’t seem to apply.  I’ll tell you why.

Sacred Rides runs mountain bike trips all over the world, but the heart of our company beats in Fernie, British Columbia; it’s where the company was founded and it’s where our most popular trips take place.  I’ve ridden all over the world with my mountain bike, but nowhere does this strange time-bending phenomenon seem to be more powerful than on this particular trail.

the spectacular Lizard Range

It starts with a fairly steep 1-hour climb from town, through pine and cedar forest, every now and then a spectacular view of the Lizard Range poking out through the canopy.  It takes about an hour of clock time (I’ve timed it), but by the time you get to the top it you’ll swear you’ve been climbing for a week.  Even the air seems thinner even though you’ve only climbed about 1,200 vertical feet.

Then the magic happens. 

You wipe the sweat from your brow, take a deep breath, and point your front wheel down the trail.  And then time soon ceases to exist entirely. Your bike picks up speed and time gradually peels away, first becoming a fleeting memory, then disappearing altogether.  And it’s just you, the hushed silence of the forest, the mountains, and the 50 feet of trail ahead. 

It happens to me every time on this trail, more so than any other trail in the world: the rest of life just drops off like a layer of dead skin – no worries, no anxieties, no bills to pay, no deadlines, no stress. 

Just pure, timeless freedom.

Want to stop the clock?  Join us in British Columbia this summer...

Mike Brcic,
Rider Happiness Manager,
Sacred Rides

Why Choose Sacred Rides?

At Sacred Rides, we know you have a lot of choices on where and how to spend your next vacation, and if you choose a mountain bike vacation there are still hundreds of companies to choose from out there.

We know you could spend your hard-earned dollars with any company other than Sacred Rides, and we know we're not the right choice for everyone.

We're not your typical tour company. We love mountain biking and when
you join us for a trip, you'll experience an incredible mountain bike
adventure.

But if you answer yes to any of the questions below then we think we might be the right company for you, and your choice for an exciting, fulfilling adventure travel experience:

hanging with the locals in Peru

1) Do you enjoy spectacular singletrack rides with challenging climbs and beautiful descents, but don't want to ride crazy steeps and stunts, and prefer to keep your wheels on the ground?

2) Do you care about responsible tourism that gives back to local communities and supports local community projects?

3) Do you want to ride with local guides that live and work in the areas where they guide, and who have intimate knowledge of the trails, adventure spots and communities you'll visit?

4) Do you want adventure that incorporates meaningful interactions with locals and lots of local culture?

5) Do you want to ride with a company that has over 15 years experience and has won numerous awards, including "#1 Mountain Bike Tour Company on Earth" by National Geographic Adventure magazine?

Check out our website and you'll find out just a little bit more about why we may be the right choice for your next adventure!

20 Things Mountain Biking Teaches You About Life

a little boldness goes a long way in Utah

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 has mountain biking taught you about life?

GoPro Cameras and Sacred Rides

Parva Trail, Chile

We're pretty excited to have a new partnership with GoPro cameras, makers of the best point-of-view cameras in the world.

Our guides in BC, Utah, Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, Peru, and Croatia/Slovenia now have GoPro Hero HD cameras to capture all the action from around the world. Look for some great riding videos to be coming your way over the coming months and years.

Videos will be posted at our Facebook Page and on our website. Looking for a little inspiration? Check out some vids and get motivated to go riding!

Epic Descents

I was recently asked by the crew at Biciklo to provide a writeup of our 3 most epic descents in Peru. With so many to choose from, it was hard to choose just 3, but here are my 3 favourites in the land of the Incas:

Olleros Descent
The thrilling Olleros Descent in Peru is one of the longest mountain bike downhills in the world, if not the longest. The day starts with a 3-hour drive from Lima into the Andes Mountains, ascending 11,000 feet on a remote, one-lane dirt road carved into the side of a mountain.

Upon reaching the town of Olleros, the fun begins with a short, technical descent on narrow singletrack. The trail soon opens up onto a wide, smooth ridge that gives the rider the opportunity to let go of the brakes and hit maximum speed as the mountains whizz by. The ride ends at a dry riverbed valley with 35 kilometres of unforgettable cruising as the sun sets, ending at the Pacific Ocean over 60 kilometres later.

In total the trail drops over 11,000 feet from Olleros to the ocean, a truly epic descent!


Marcahuasi Descent
This descent certainly qualifies as one of the more unique days of mountain biking in the world. We start the day off with an ascent in the van to the town of San Pedro de Casta, about 7,000 feet up into the Andes from Lima. In San Pedro we switch our van for other, more traditional steeds: local horses. We hand off our bikes to a group of local teenagers who will push our bikes up the last 1,000 vertical feet while we take the horses on a thrilling, technical ascent to the Marcahuasi Stone Forest. The Stone Forest is an ancient geological formation where the rock has morphed over time into human-like formations, a place revered by locals for its spiritual powers.

From the stone forest it’s a thrilling 8,000-foot descent along technical singletrack with spectacular views of the Andes in all directions. Unlike the Olleros Trail, this trail is tight with lots of switchbacks and technical sections to keep you on your toes. When it’s over, you’ll be grinning from ear to ear, exhausted but buzzing with the energy of the Incas!

Lares Descent
This is one of the highest altitude descents in Peru, starting at 14,500 feet above sea level. You’ll notice the thin air when you first get out of the van, but you’ll soon acclimatize as you descend. The trail is fast and fun, with lots of little jumps and trail features that will get you airborne should you choose.

Near the bottom the trail descends into a narrow river valley and you’ll ride alongside the river on technical singletrack for several kilometres before finally exiting into a traditional Peruvian village, gulping down all the extra oxygen and wiping the drool off your chin.

Hope you like this write-up - feel free to drop us a line at ride@sacredrides.com if you have any questions about our Peru Rides. We're now taking bookings for spring 2011 - you'll have to book at least 4 months in advance to reserve your spot on one of our amazing Peru Rides!

Last-minute discounts on summer and fall trips

Hello Riders!

If you've ever dreamed of stepping out of the routine of your local trails and adding a mega-dose of adventure into your life, I'm writing today to tell you just how you can do that, and save a few $ in the process.

Over the next 3 months, we've got some truly amazing Rides coming up.

We've got 10,000-foot downhills and Inca villages in Peru.
We've got the Rainbow Rim of the Grand Canyon & world-famous Moab in Utah.
We've got waterfalls, the Alps & the bright blue Adriatic Sea in Croatia and Slovenia.
We've got beautiful backcountry resorts surrounded by handcarved singletrack in British Columbia.

There are a few spots left on some of our remaining summer and fall trips, and to make it a little bit easier for you to join us, we're offering 15% off on the following trips:

August 13 Ultimate BC (British Columbia)
August 20 Rocky Mountain Singletrack (British Columbia)
August 27 Rocky Mountain Singletrack (British Columbia)
Sep. 4 Alps and Adriatic (Croatia/Slovenia)
Sep. 18 Alps and Adriatic (Croatia/Slovenia)
Sep. 18 Inca Trail (Peru)
Sep. 19 Southwest Slickrock (Utah)
Oct. 16 Inca Adventure Freeride (Peru)
Oct. 17 Southwest Slickrock (Utah)

To take advantage of this offer, click on the trip you want, then click on 'Book Now' and enter lastminute in the promotional code field. Or call us at 1-888-423-7849 toll-free in North America or+1.647.999.7955 elsewhere.

Most of these trips are close to sold out, with just 1 or 2 spots remaining in some cases, so you'll need to act quick before someone beats you to it.

So what are you waiting for? Your sacred ride is calling...

Interview with Wayo Stein, Sacred Rides' Lead Guide, Peru

Eduardo 'Wayo' Stein is our lead guide in Peru. He's the former national DH champion, a devoted father of two, and one of the friendliest guys and best guides you'll ever meet. Even the locals love him: in one village high in the Andes, where we start one of our rides, several women have even named their children after him. Yes we also raised an eyebrow, but once you meet Wayo, you may consider naming your first born after him too.

1. Tell us a bit about yourself.

I started riding bikes since a little kid, first with BMX and then with mountain bikes. My first years riding BMX I liked to ride with my friends and build little BMX tracks with jumps on the empty lots that there were many on those days. There were other friends in other districts with the same passion and every week we used to meet in one place to ride that local track. Then started the passion for jumps. On each place every one of us used to built bigger and bigger jumps until we reached 25ft. double jumps (with a hole inside). Just a few of us could jump on those ones and I was one of them. At the same time, I started to race BMX and I was hooked also in BMX racing. I wasn't so good as I didn't won any title but I was always on the top 5 riders in Peru. I also raced internationally on Panamerican Championships and even a World Championship in Brazil at the age of 18. Left 2 years from competition to get used to the university and at the age of 20 I started riding and racing mountain bikes. Started first in Cross Country back in 1994 but at the same time I raced downhill with my GT Xizang hardtail. I was winning the XC Championships and getting second or third with that bike on the downhill events. I won the Annual Championships in 1994, 1995 and 1996 and was XC National Champion in 1995. In Downhill I was second place on the Annual Championships and National Championships during 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998 with the hardtail beating many riders with full suspension bikes.

In 1999 I started racing only downhill with a good downhill bike and I won every single race between 1999 and 2001. Was Annual and National Champion during those three years. I also went to race outside and reached a 4th and a 3rd place on the Panamerican Championships in 1999 and 2001. I also reached the second place on the Bolivarian Games in 2001 and that was the peak of my carreer. In 2002 I stopped racing to win another race: get my masters degree in Business Administration. So I was away from Mountain Biking until the end of 2004. I 2005 I returned to downhill racing and I won the Masters National Championship and the Annual Championship. In 2006 I started to work as a mountain bike guide and my life went to the other side from the competitions. Now I was focused in riding everywhere and discovering new trails for mountain biking in Peru until today.

I got married in 2005 and had my first kid in 2006 and the second kid in 2007. Now my family is growing fast and the kids are starting to ride their little bikes with great skills!

I consider myself as a normal guy but with a lot of passion for mountain bikes and passion for riding epic trails in remote destinations, especially at high altitude trails. I'm a very friendly guy who loves to show Peru to every rider that comes down here. I also like to travel and camp with my family especially in the Andes Mountains of Peru where we can find cool new destinations with hot springs, white water rivers and awesome scenery.

2. As a Peruvian how would you describe the essence of your country? What other things are iconic beyond Machu Picchu?

I can describe Peru as one of the most scenic countries on earth for mountain biking because we have almost all type of terrains and weathers. One day you can be riding in the dessert, the next day you can ride in the jungle and then you can ride in the mountains, crossing rivers, riding from the glaciers, descending to the deepest canyon on earth, etc. etc. Besides this magical scenery in Peru, we have a great cultural heritage of thousands of years ago that goes back to 5,000 years ago with the oldest civilization in America or 10,000 years ago with rock drawings up in the Andes Mountains. Many civilizations since that time has passed throughout all the Peruvian territory making the area very mistic and with a lot of spiritual energy inside. On our rides we can feel that energy sometimes when we ride close to Cusco or close to the center of a past civilization.

Machu Picchu is not the only iconic site in Peru. There are many other sites and places that are considered as unique on its kind like exploring the Amazon Jungle, riding in the Colca Canyon that it's the deepest canyon on earth with more than 4,000m deep, Choquequirao, Lake Titicaca which is the highest sailable lake on earth, the northern beaches of Peru and many other sites.

3. Tell me about your most sacred mountain bike ride, where was it, what made it sacred?

The most sacred ride I've ever made, well, there are many in Peru, sacred and epic at the same time. I can tell maybe that in Cusco are the most sacred rides on earth because they combine awesome mountain biking, mind-blowing landscapes, lots of energy coming from the Inca's and they all descend to the Sacred Valley. The first time we went to make that trail, it was a little bit of an exploration ride. No one, even the local riders of Cusco, knew about this trail and we decided to ride it! It was quite hard to get to the top. First we went on our vehicle above Cusco at an altitude of 4,000m and from that place we had to push our bikes up until we reached the Inca trail. We were on those times with DH bikes so if we have to go up, it was a must that we have tu push. We pushed for around one hour and when we reached the top, the views from there were rewarding and watching the Sacred valley on the other side and an amazing Inca trail going that way was the extacy for all of us! I think that there's nothing better than that. After we rest for a while, it was time to enjoy that trail. We descended from 4,450m to 2,900m that it's the bottom of the Sacred Valley. On the way we passed one little Inca site and a major Inca site that it's called Huchuy Cusco which is a big military fortress that dominates the whole area of the Sacred Valley. Then we had amazing views and sections we had to pass very close to the cliff. Other super technical sections but with our skills and our bikes there were just amazing to ride. Another sacred part of riding that trail was that we knew we were riding the main Inca trail that goes from Cusco to Machu Picchu! Watching the dimensions of the trail, made us imagine the importance of that trail and we were always thinking that the Inca used to pass over the same trail we were riding!

4. Why do you guide trips with Sacred Rides?

I guide trips for Sacred Rides because I'm a passionate mountain biker with lot of experience on mountain bikes and I love to share my riding experiences with other great riders too. I like to meet great people from all over the world and for me is a game more than a job!

5. How would you describe yourself as a guide?

I have learned a lot through these years of guiding groups for Sacred Rides and other companies from all over the world. At the beggining it was just my riding abilities and my knowledge of the trails but today I feel a more experienced guide. I can understand inmediately every rider, what are their needs and how much skills they have. I say inmedialtely as the first 50 meters of trail. At that moment I understand the group and their needs and I work for them. Every rider gets the best for me. Some guys needs some technical tips and other guys they want to ride super flowy on the trails and take them to some really technical lines. At the end, my mission is to satisfy everyone and take them safe on the trails. I know every risk we have on the trails and I advise everyone when we have one of those.

6. We have community partners in all of our 9 destinations, can you tell me more about our partner in Peru and about what they are doing?

We are starting to work with Awamaki organization which it's an NGO organization and I know them since 2006 and I know they are making one of the best jobs in the whole country. They are based in Ollantaytambo and they work mainly with the community of Ollanta, Huilloc and Patacancha that are located very close to Ollantaytambo. Their main job is with the ladies and the kids which I think it's great and the best people to focus. They are developing projects to preserve ancient traditions of weaving with natural wools like Alpaca and Sheep. Their products are exported and sold on their local store to the turists and I can see they are doing great clothes. With the kids they are also working in their schools giving education and group activities to improve their schools.

7. How has Sacred Rides made an impact?

Sacred Rides is defenitely making an impact on the economy and lifes of local people. At the beginning we used to donate school supplies to remote schools in the Peruvian Andes. Every client and Sacred Rides brought many school supplies and made the donation in group to one school at the time. I saw that most of the colors and stuff were totally new for these kids and watching their faces happy was a good impact we made on them. Now we are going to work with a NGO in Ollantaytambo and I think better things are going to come soon! Can't wait to start working together with that NGO and help develop those local communities in the highlands of Cusco.

Find your Sacred Ride in Peru, http://www.sacredrides.com/tours/peru

What's a 'Sacred' Ride?

We get asked this question a lot. People wonder what’s up with the ‘sacred’ in our name.

Are we riding with Jesus? Well, no, although if that’s your thing then go for it.

Do we practice odd rituals? Well, yes… if you count greasing our chains before every ride, and having a beer after.

Are we trying to convert people to our religion? Well, yes again... but not ‘religion’ like you’re used to thinking about it. It’s the religion of mountain biking and it means something different to everyone.

For us, the ‘sacred ride’ is the evolution of mountain biking and mountain bike tourism: it’s mountain biking that makes a difference in the world - not just in our customers minds’ and hearts, but also in the communities where we ride.

· A sacred ride makes you feel at one with the universe – that indescribable feeling you get when you’re riding a trail that’s so perfect you forget about everything else and are completely lost in flow.

· A sacred ride exposes you to the spectacular beauty of our planet.

· A sacred ride connects you with your fellow riders through amazing experiences and shared challenges.

· A sacred ride opens your eyes to new people, new places, new cultures and new ways of life.

· A sacred ride makes tangible, direct contributions to the communities where we ride. Through our donations and our Riders’ support, we’re building schools, creating jobs, saving wilderness and making positive change in the world – through mountain biking.

· A sacred ride leaves you forever changed for the better and with memories that will stay with you your whole life.

We recently posted a question on our Facebook Page, just five words: “Why do you mountain bike?” The answers were incredible, totally in line with our vision and why we mountain bike.

Here’s a sampling of responses, each and every one of them sacred in their own way:

“It clears and focuses the mind - when you are riding a technical trail you have no choice but to focus entirely on the trail ahead of you constantly thinking about lines, how to attack the coming hill and how to position yourself for the coming downhill. It works the body - It is an ever changing exercise from killer climbs that burn the legs to long flat stretches with are constant work on upper and lower body. It is just straight fun!!!”

“I love to mountain bike to feel strong, challenged and aware. I concentrate on my breathing, when I'm climbing. I say a mantra up and up and up the mountains. Its helps me clear all the insignificant worries of my mind. It helps me find my heart and its path again. ♥ “

“I love the feeling of just being out around fresh air. All the trees, sun, wind, animals. You see so much of life that people miss. Its the feeling of something accomplished, everything gets rewarded. You mind, spirit, body. Its the feel good wind on a hot day when you are going down a hill you just went up. The feeling of your calves burning on your way up it. Its just so powering, so fulfilling! :)”

“It gives me freedom and takes me places I would not be able to access by driving or walking. Love it.”

“To be close to nature. To explore. To overcome fears. And because it's not just sweating for nothing. You sweat on the way up and you get the reward of the adrenaline on the way down!”

“I do it because I'm an overweight 70-year-old who wants to see his great-grandchildren grow up and the exercise is good for me.”

“Apparently to satisfy my need to do harm to my body. I am proud of every cut, scrape and injury though. ;)”

“It’s an awesome stress reliever for me, I get to get away & forget about everything for a few hours a week.”

“Because it’s spiritual. When you're on the trail away from the concrete, you know what's really important in life. And it can't be described in any sort of power point or spreadsheet.”

“Therapeutic big time! I tell my friends it was an instant 'love affair.' It's also a sense of accomplishment... empowering. I was scared to death to even try it, but it actually took for me to have a really bad day to just go for it -- and that day I nailed the trail for the first time, putting my fear aside. By the time I finished, fear was replaced by - I CAN DO IT!!!!”

“Because its what I do and its a reflection of life and love, sometimes smooth riding sometimes rocky, it can make you feel pleasure or it can break your heart...”

“Becuz its just me and the bike, and nothing else, my world, no bike, no life.......”

“It makes me feel like a kid again...wonderful to get wet, dirty & mucky. I feel complete when on my bike.”

How do you find the sacred in your mountain biking?

Mexico recap

I just got back to Canada from our inaugural yoga/mountain bike retreat in Mexico. And I'm still on that beautiful beach, listening to the waves lapping at the shore and watching birds circle the ocean.

We spent 6 nights at the sublime Punta Monterrey and 1 night in the mountain town of San Sebastian. Punta Monterrey is a beautiful private beach, 1 hour north of Puerto Vallarta, 2 km down a dirt road past the sleepy village of Las Lomas. There are 8 cabins, and the place is owned by Jaime Acosta and his family. From the moment we arrived, Jaime and his family (his mom and aunt did all the cooking) made us feel like we were at home. The food was out of this world - healthy and delicious, with lots of fresh vegetables, fruit and fish.

They had just completed a brand-new yoga studio 1 week before we got there, on the hillside overlooking the beach. We started each morning just after sunrise with an energizing session with Johanna, and finished off with a relaxing sunset session. It was without a doubt the nicest, most scenic yoga studio I've ever had the privilege of being in.

Our group had mixed experiences with yoga - some had practiced for years and/or were teachers themselves, some were fairly new to it. But everyone seemed to get a lot out of it. I hadn't been practicing much over the past few months, so I was stiff and awkward my first few sessions. But by the end of the week, I found myself getting deeper into my practice, more flexible, and more able to relax into the poses. I've never done a week straight of 2+ hours a day of yoga, so it was a new and enlightening experience for me.

Johanna took her yoga teaching off the mat too, giving us tips for incorporating our yoga practice into our riding, and focusing on poses that would strengthen our cores to make our riding stronger.

The area is surrounded by jungle, and all of our rides featured beautiful scenery: ocean views, giant palms with hanging vines, lots of jungle birds, and lots of cows.

One of the coolest aspects of the trip for me was when we visited the local school at Las Lomas, just up the road from Punta Monterrey. As part of our Keeping Rides Sacred program, we put a percentage of each trip's revenues into local community projects, and Jaime from Punta Monterrey had suggested we do something to support the school, as they had no money and little government funding.

We met with the school headmaster one morning, and he showed us the middle school, a small, dilapidated wooden structure that served as the classroom for 14 students. The building, he explained to us, was open to the elements and in the rainy season the classroom flooded and the students would have to put their desks up on stilts (or they would cancel class altogether). Would we consider helping them building a wall on the uphill side of the school to prevent flooding (and keep out rats, he added)? I agreed, and asked him the cost.

The money we were contributing would make up about half of the budget, so I asked our riders if any of them would consider contributing to the project. Amazingly, within minutes we had the rest of the funds. Later that day, Jaime called up the hardware store in San Pancho and 2 days later, the school had a huge pile of cinder blocks and mortar. The local families, I'm told, will be starting construction in early April and the whole community is pitching in.

It was an amazing example of tourism doing good in the world - not as an act of charity, but as an act of thanks. A thanks for letting us use their trails and visit their communities. We have a number of projects planned with the community of Las Lomas for future trips, as well as projects all around the world with our other trips.

We still have 2 spots left on our April 12-19 Mexico trip, so if you're itching to get on your bike, into downward dog, and onto a beach, give us a shout.

Mike Brcic,
Sacred Rides
www.sacredrides.com

Yoga and Mountain Biking... Together?

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

----

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.