Whistler Bike Park 2015

Rode till about noon today. Feels like I've been smoking. I can't imagine the crew can be doing eight hours a day in this shit for much longer.

Depends on what you felt like you smoked …

Sounds like a pretty easy problem to fix… With a phone call or an email… Probably not your job, but somebody is dropping the ball.

It's a conspiracy!

You'd think so, but here we are. I have zero say in things like what's being discussed, so direct any suggestions further up the ol' totem pole if ye desire results.

It is indeed pretty rough out there. From a maintenance pov, "soul crushing" is the term that springs to mind. Shleyer has been getting a bunch of work, so we're definitely trying, but dry is dry and rough sure is rough. Break out the funky lines, it's time to zig and zag all over the place to avoid the craters. It's still pretty darn fun IMO, but the smoke and heat is really making it hard on the body.

PS, reductimat, it's 10 hour days. It's like the walking dead right now at shift's end. It's amazing how much passion can get you to accept serious discomfort. OK, "accept" is too strong. "Complain heavily while still working very hard" is perhaps more appropriate.

You'd think so, but here we are. I have zero say in things like what's being discussed, so direct any suggestions further up the ol' totem pole if ye desire results.

It is indeed pretty rough out there. From a maintenance pov, "soul crushing" is the term that springs to mind. Shleyer has been getting a bunch of work, so we're definitely trying, but dry is dry and rough sure is rough. Break out the funky lines, it's time to zig and zag all over the place to avoid the craters. It's still pretty darn fun IMO, but the smoke and heat is really making it hard on the body.

PS, reductimat, it's 10 hour days. It's like the walking dead right now at shift's end. It's amazing how much passion can get you to accept serious discomfort. OK, "accept" is too strong. "Complain heavily while still working very hard" is perhaps more appropriate.

Nickel, I don't know you, and might probably never meet you, but I really appreciate all your hard work, by you and your team.

I've been mountain biking for less than a year. I started with a "bike park 101" late August last year and was hooked instantly. I bought a bike and started riding the north shore since only this March (I'm this much as a newbie… ;) )
I worked hard to get the basics and the proper technique. I took some camps and clinics. I slipped, I fell, sometimes hard, sometime with some blood…but always, ALWAYS, I've had fun with a huge smile on my face when hitting these jumps, drops and technical trails that your hard working crew are building and maintaining.
Yes, there are brake bumps, yes it's dusty, but I know the condition, and I have to take, and enjoy what you can provide me.

I'm still learning, I know that I still have a lot to learn, but if I can enjoy and learn on rough conditions, that will make me stronger and better when the conditions will be ideal :)

Keep up the good work, keep communicating to us and, please, send all the kudos to the hard working team.

And if you want to know who I am, just look at the guy who got this huge smile on his face on the fitz line ;)

Last Tuesday Gah-bow Zone was all-time!

When does the fire ban include the entire mountain?

Thanks for the kind words playmobil, I'll pass them on, always feels nice to know the stoke is real!

Punky, I'd hate to speculate on something so undesirable, but back in 05 or 06, it was dry enough that someone decided to tell all bike staff (and anyone else who'd listen) not to set bikes down in the grass as rotors could start fires. I'd suspect we're there, despite no one caring about that particular initiative anymore. With elaho fire at 20000+ha and Boulder Creek somewhere around 5000ha, BC wildfire services 17M over budget for the year (one week into July) I'd expect we're well into the "no fucking around" neighborhood. We've been told to cease operating machines despite aggressive watering with Snowmaking infrastructure. We are officially living in a tinder box.

This fire/weather situation is depressing as shit. Hope you guys don't get any medical issues because of it… I suspect there are some very active talks inside WB HQ on whether or not to shut the fucker down.

In much more happier news, it looks like there's a big piece of work happening on the high-speed BV stretch to the wooden berm. I suspect many a clinic visit was authored in that area. Prime spot to learn how to squash, or land to very flat… and as of late, a great place to see if your derailleur is attached properly.

Rain dance in full effect.

Just heard a rumour that the Bikepark wont be open to Creekside this year.
Anybody have the facts?

Just heard a rumour that the Bikepark wont be open to Creekside this year.
Anybody have the facts?

As opposed to that other rumor going around that says it will?

There are currently very limited facts, and anyways, it's probably all a conspiracy to get big Ted to park in creekside only for the lift to not run.

Seriously though, I don't know and even if I did, conspiracies don't work if someone opens their mouth. I would expect movement on this some time between now and the time we're all too old to ride.

No rain makes trail crew something something…

This morning, I took a bike-less trip up the mountain to see how the smoke looked from on high. The 5 minute "hike" back from the peak chair to the Roundhouse was enough to make my throat feel as though I've just smoked a pack of cigarettes. Then I took this picture.

I p****ed out and spent the rest of the afternoon in an air conditioned condo.

Nickel, you and your crew do amazing work. And having to go about it in s*** conditions like today makes me all the more appreciative. Thanks. One of these days I want to shake your hand and buy you a beer. Seriously.

I don't have definitive measurements of them but small=less than ten feet. Maybe 8. It's tiny.
Big=30 ish. Seem to remember it being slightly under but close. 27 keeps popping into my head.

Thanks nickel!

There are currently very limited facts, and anyways, it's probably all a conspiracy to get big Ted to park in creekside only for the lift to not run.

:lol:

I love you too man.

Bike park closed for the evening due to serious air quality hazard….great call, imo. I got a really bad headache and dizziness just sitting in the office this morning, had to come home to a closed up house, at least the temps are down with the thick haze…

:lol:

I love you too man.

Glad you also have a sense of humor, that could've gone either way! :lol:

The Monday Night Ride was cancelled for the first time ever due to poor air quality. Still went to W's for beers though.