A Week of Crashes

I was recently filming a section with Dustin Greenall for Lone Wolf Productions.  Dustin was commenting on how clean my bike was and how there was not a mark on it.  I pompously replied that I had not taken anything close to a real crash for the entire year so far, and that was when everything changed.  I should have simply said “thank you” and kept my mouth shut, because as soon as I made that one comment the bike gods all turned their heads and looked at me like a new guy to town walking into the saloon in an old western movie.

I came home and had planned to start shooting for my up coming Banshee section, which was set to have a number of large stunts in it.  Unfortunately, the first thing I hit was a disaster all around.  I was hitting a drop with a corner before it and washed out a bit.  Thinking if I threw a quick pedal stroke or two in before the drop that I would be ok, I went for it.  Big mistake!  I knew as soon as I left the edge that I wasn’t even close.  I front tire cased the top of the landing pad, ejecting me about twenty feet down the hill.  I managed to roll out of it very nicely and walked away…luckily.  Upon retrieving my bike I realized just how hard I had impacted the ground.  My bars were bent down on both sides with stress marks all over them.  I was very sore for a few days but all in all was simply happy to not have seriously injured myself.

brutal slam

Not long after Mike Kinrade and Steve Romaniuk came into town to shoot video for their new section of Stund, which I had offered to help shoot for.  After a good day of hitting some of the biggest stunts in Kamloops we ended up at a large drop/gap I had built.  Steve and Mike both successfully managed to hit it after several run ins.  Then it was my turn.  I did a few speed checks, made sure there was no wind, and the sun popped out from behind a cloud; I felt it was time to roll off the edge.  This is where it got ugly.  Due to the fact that Mike and Steve had already hit the landing it had a couple ruts in it by this time.  I of course landed right in one of them which popped me out off the landing after impact.  This sent me barreling into the bottom of the landing sideways and out of control.  The next thing I remembered was Mike asking me if I was ok, as my vision came back from darkness to light.  I quickly realized I had been knocked out for a few seconds, and that I had a concussion.  Blood was all over the front of my shirt, and shorts from my nose; I was a mess.  After a short trip to the hospital I was cleared to go home and rest up, with no major injuries.

It seems that after a full season of no crashes they simply condensed into two large crashes at the end of the year.  I feel the lesson to be learned here is that none of us are immune to failure, and that we all make mistakes.  I got a little to big for my bridges and I got knocked back down to earth.  It can happen to anyone, so put some protective gear and a solid helmet on before you ride next time.  Be careful out there!

Rollin On

It finally happened. We got the Greg Watts edit up and finished. Things looks good and Karl Heldt did a great job with the editing. Just a heads up for everyone one, Lone olf Productions will be doing an article with Decline magazine walking everyone through our Whistler shoot with Watts and Brendan Fairclough. Since I already did updates from Whistler, a pinkbike article for Watts, and still have the Decline artile pending I won’t continue to beat a dead horse and drone on again about how the shoot with Greg went.

Instead I thought I would inform everyone of what to expect in the near future. I am currently shooting for one of my sections which will be sponsored by Spank. I have over half the edit filmed and can’t wait to finish it up. We are also going to be shooting one more day with Aggy before we release his riders section for Bell.  On top of all this I will be heading over to Revelstoke BC to do a contracted heli shoot with Lorraine Blancher for a cool new project she is working on at the end of September. Take a little peak at a line I shot for my section last week. It’s a b-role shot for sure but you can get a good idea of what the line looks like.

http://www.vimeo.com/28886505

BicycleWorld.tv Love

I wanted to add a quick twitter type post for you guys.   I was just sent this link and was told that Lone Wolf Productions is on the main page of bicycleworld.tv right now.  There is a very positive review of our latest Garett Buehler video seggy and I would like to thank the guys over at Bicycle World for the publicity.  Go check it out:

http://www.bicycleworld.tv/a-great-video-from-lone-wolf-productions-featuring-garett-buehler/news-303/

Another Season

It seems like we forget every year.  We spend our summers basking in the sun, out in the wilderness, and riding whenever we feel, completely unaware that time is ticking by.  They say time goes by when you’re having fun and I guess that’s why I am not surprised this season is has come to end so fast.  Although summer may have gone by quickly I feel that I got a lot out of it; riding with friends, building, meeting new people, road trips, filming and launching the new website.

While I often wish winter would never come, in the back of my mind I know it’s necessary. It provides a break, time to reflect, and a moment in our lives to think and prepare for what we want to do in the future.  It inspires, for if you go without something for a period of time you begin to truly appreciate it and your interest grows.  It gives time to re-energize; I know I have never ridden has hard as I usually do the first weeks of spring.  I believe everyone needs time to set goals that they can work towards, for it helps provide substance and meaning to our lives.  Winter is that time for me, I consider it the part of the year where I get to stretch my mental muscle a little.  Winter also allows us time to spend with others.  I know during the summer months I spend less time with my friends and family that do not ride, which causes our relationships to suffer to some degree, so having the time to rekindle lost connections is a blessing for me.

So for those of you that say you hate winter try to see the positive.  It gives you time to think about all the fun you just had, and all the enjoyment you are going to have.  On the trail you can never be certain what is coming next, but at least with winter you know there is another great spring season right around the corner.

The Kurt Sorge Section Recipe

In order to get a section with a lot of stoke and gnarly shreading follow this simple recipe and you can’t lose:

• Take 1 bicycle
• Add 1 Kurt Sorge
• Gently place bicycle under Kurt Sorge

At this point you will want to attach cameras to Kurt and the bicycle.  Feel free to be creative, your viewers will appreciate your effort and your section will be the talk of the town if this is done right!

• Add several tons of dirt shaped into neat jumps
• Mix in some riding friends for a little added spice
• Take your Kurt to higher elevations for a fluffier more air born section
• Sprinkle in 2 cups of fresh loamy trails
• Mix all of your shots together and send to Karl Heldt for editing

If your Kurt falls while cooking…down a trail, set in Nelson BC for 1 month and allow to heal.  Once healed baste with Sun Peaks Flow Zone for an optimum finish to your section.

Killing It

Sometimes I think it’s killing me. But more often I like to think I’m killing it.  Plans change as fast as the weather. One minute its raining and the next its shining. In either case its all good.  It’s hard to keep a balance between working, riding, and riding to promote myself. And it keeps getting harder. Especially since there are no definitive lines between the three. Working means not riding, but still promoting. Riding means riding, working and promoting. Promoting means working and riding. Working in a bike store, as a bike coach and being a rider certainly keeps me busy. It seems that I never have a full day off without some sort of project I need to work on. But then again I don’t have an office or a suit, so perhaps I have a lot of days off? I’m not complaining by any means. I’m extremely grateful to have a life filled with passion and aim. I’m also grateful for the opportunity to work on media projects with Sun Peaks Resort and Lone Wolf Productions. The kind of projects that help me fill in those definitive lines and remember how much I love doing what I do. Killing it.

Check out some recent photos from Sun Peaks Resort sniper Adam Stein and the latest Lone Wolf Productions edit from Karl Heldt below.

I’d Like to Indroduce you to the Future

As I stand in 30 degree heat watching yet another golden sun set rain down upon the urban back drop that is Kamloops, I hear something out of place.  ZZZZIIIINNNNGGGG silence, then BANG, follow by laughter.   To my surprise it’s Garett Buehler flying off a rather large step down without doing any practice runs.  In most cases I would at least have the time to get my camera set up and ready to shoot before the rider drops in and hits a stunt.

Kamloops Sunset

However, Garett seems to be able to ride the craziest lines first go with the confidence of a rider that has hit the same line every day for a year.  The rather odd thing about that is that he is still only 19 years old, which makes me think back to when I was 19.  Was I anywhere near as confident and strong a rider as he is at that age?…certainly not.  The next question I ask myself is, how good will he get?

Garett appears to be in an excellent position in his riding career with nothing but talent and time on his side.  I have to predict that he will be one of the next big names in the sport, and having worked with him for Lone Wolf Productions has only cemented that notion in my head.  Garett also appears to be one of a group of young riders who are bringing back the once popular “big mountain” style of riding, filming epic lines and massive airs with style and grace.

I have had the pleasure of knowing Garett since he was 14 years old, and to be honest he hasn’t changed much, but that’s not a negative thing.  His antics and unique sense of humor are addictive, and while going through his footage I couldn’t help but laugh many time over.  When you ride with Garett it’s hard not to have a good time.  It’s refreshing to see an up and comer that isn’t full of him self or that acts like a rock star.

As the sun dropped below the side of the mountain and dusk began, Garett continued hitting big lines knowing that the shots on the camera were likely not going to work due to dim light.  However, he continued to ride anyways.  I then realized he isn’t riding for the camera, he is riding for the sheer enjoyment of the sport, and that is what is going to propel him into the future as a professional rider; his pure love of mountain biking.

If you want to see more of Garett, he will be working on several project this year including a sequel to the hit Rockstar Energy Drink movie Bared for Life, which he was working on at the same time as his Lone Wolf Productions section.  He will also be joining the Stund crew for yet another awesome season, along with participating in many contests and events.

Video of the Day for Lone Wolf Productions

Hello all,

I was just sifting through Garett Buehler’s footage when I decided to take a break and check out pinkbike.com, and guess what I saw.  VOD for Lone Wolf Production…not bad for our first section.  Stay tuned for more to come very soon.

http://www.pinkbike.com/video/140319/

Gentlemen Of The Road

We are pretty spoiled here, living in The Loops. Amazing trails, jumps and people all withing a hop, skip and a jump.  It’s exciting to be in the center of all things mountain biking. I take it for granted, but often remember how rad this town is when I see the expressions and excitement of the riders visiting. Having been just a visitor to Kamloops only a few short years ago, and exposed to the never-ending goodies by the Lone Wolf himself, Matt Brooks, I really know the difference between being a visitor and being a local. The locals know all the lines, the secret little nuggets in between the trees and the sneaky yet highly illegal traffic violations that get you to the trails faster. I can’t give all the secrets away, but I’ve always felt an obligation to share some of my secrets with the kind gentlemen I meet along the trails. I like to think of it as paying forward what has been payed to me in the past. I’m stoked on Lone Wolf Productions ,yet another opportunity to show off some of what goes on in Kamloops. Expect to hear a lot more about what goes on behind my speckled lens as the summer rolls along.

Dylan

Garett Getting it Done

So I just spoke with Garett Buehler over the phone and it sounds like he got some real cool footage in Nelson while he was at home.  By the sounds of it he has had to really work for it thought.  He has been battling brutal amounts of rain along with a broken camera case.  I don’t want to give it away but it sounds like he has been shooting some really cool new trail features.  Garett said he will be in Kamloops tomorrow so we can finish his section here.  We have also decided to have Aaron LaRocque edit his seggy so you know it will be dope!  We will have more on this story later…

Whipin it