Tom Pro's Bike Park Report
From Ukraine?
Words by Tom Pro.
Date: 2008-09-04
I take you back a few years when DK and I were having a beer at our favorite watering hole in Whistler and thinking that given the amount of enquiries coming our way about the Bike Park, that we should start a separate consulting arm of the Bike Park. Our excitement level was rising which necessitated us to order another round and then I remember telling DK that one day we would be traveling the World building bike parks. His reply was “ya think so?” and mine was “mark my words.” Rest is history as I sit here in Ukraine and write this piece.
"I can’t really compare it to anything in Whistler, because Whistler doesn’t have dirt like this..."
I have not seen my partners, DK and Rob for about two months and my family for about a month and a half as our work scattered us into different parts of the World like a bunch of Aussies. Much has happened since we started this year by rebuilding the COP Bike Park in snowstorms of last April. Rob and I designed a trail in Southern France which Lindsay, BT and Cervo built a few weeks later. John Cowan and his crew built a Jump Park on our behalf at the same place. Rob and DK designed the Sugarloaf Bike Park in New Brunswick which Duncan, Tom O. and Marc built in one month. Marty and I collaborated on the Dual GS in the WMBP. DK and Rob have conducted assessments for a score of different resorts in Canada and US. They designed new trails at Winter Park and Mt. Bachelor. Rob and I went to Ruka, Finland. In September we will continue designing trails at Steven Pass and Whistler Mountain Bike Park. Meanwhile, I ended up deep in the Carpathian Mountains of Southern Ukraine at Bukovel Ski Resort.
Looks a bit like Silver Star to me.
It all started as I met a couple of the guys from Ukraine in Whistler last may. They were on a scouting mission to see how it’s done in Canada, namely Whistler. I decked out Igor, who has never ridden a mountain bike off road before, with Alex’s old gear and bike. We set out for the bike park and after a lap down B-Line, an excited Igor was ready for Crank It Up. I did a few laps with him and had to leave as I had other work. I told him to bring the bike back later – he returned it at 9:30 that evening, grinning from ear to ear. He rode CIU all day long.
Tom Pro doing what he does best. And I don't mean sit on his ass.
The word from Ukraine came in June, so I packed my Dakine luggage and left. The Ukrainian language is similar to my native Czech, so I didn’t feel totally lost but the two hundred kilometer taxi ride from Lvov airport to the head office in Ivano-Frankiskv was something I was not prepared for – beat roads at 160km/h in a suspect Russian vehicle circa mid 1980’s, passing smoke belching trucks while others are coming the other way. When I reached for a seat belt, the driver wagged his finger at me which I interpreted as “no” and all he said was “Ukraina”. OK, a normal person would have gotten out and caught the next plane back home…I just swore to wear ‘Depends’ on my next Ukrainian taxi ride. At the head office I met the ‘main man’, Mr. Alexander Shevchenko. His large frame exuded power and the stare of his piercing blue eyes spelled Russian arrogance. He told me point blank that he wanted to build the biggest bike park in the world and that money was not a problem - and he wanted it done in one year. I politely told him that he was out of his mind, but took note of his intentions. Mr. A’s cavalier attitude was in stark contrast to a lot of hums and haws we get from a lot of other non-believing ski area operators in North America and Europe. Needless to say I was excited about what was possible.
And the finished product being ridden. By a ghost.
My initial assessment of the area revealed a gem – 320 meters vertical (about the same as Fitz Chair), nearly brand new detachable Leitner quad chair, beautiful forests, cool terrain and endless, endless dirt. I immediately got to work designing trails. At the same time I called on my good friend Jaroslav Lucan who built the Spicak Bike Park (www.spicak.cz) in Czech Republic to come to Ukraine and be a part of this project. Our plan was to design three trails - one excavated, one blue single track and one black single track and to build two trails (total 5.5 kilometers long) in 60 days. I had no idea how the Ukrainian trail crew would work and what unseen problems we’d run into. I budgeted for 20 people per day but in the end we did it with an average of 12 people per day working through some nasty weather and putting in some savage hours. 20 people would have been just right. After the initial slackers and complainers were weeded out and sent packing, we ended up with a great crew that was that was willing to learn and work hard to get the job done. Most were young guys; bike riders who were stoked to ride what they built. We had very little mechanical help in the form of transport. Most of the materials were transported on human backs and everyone walked up the mountain to work every day. No fancy Bike Park Trail Crew trucks here…Even Jaroslav and I ended up walking most of the time as the ATV transport was unreliable and the driver must have been a taxi driver in his other job, crazy.
A local enjoying the fruit.
The project had a couple of minor glitches, but all in all it was a lot of fun and the final product, a blue single track and a black single track, is awesome. I can’t really compare it to anything in Whistler, because Whistler doesn’t have dirt like this, but a blend of Ninja Cougar and Karate Monkey would be close. The real fun came when Jaroslav and I built some cool wood features on the black trail. Ample supply of trees and a brand new Stihl 260 made the job a breeze. As the word of new trails spread, people would come from as far as Latvia to push their bikes up and ride the trails. They would always stop and chat as Jaroslav and I were working. It was evident that they have never seen trails like this, trails with flow and were appreciative and excited about having a bike park to ride. All of them dream of one day being able ride the Whistler Bike Park. A trail builder’s greatest payoff is in the happiness of the riders using the trail. Here it came as we ran into a group of riders on our way down the mountain at the end a day. When asked what they thought of the trail, one of the riders said he just had and orgasm and another said that he’d died and gone to heaven. Can you imagine if these guys ever came to BC? We drank a lot of beer with these guys (and girls) that night and became lifetime friends.
Fresh air Ukrainian style.
Jaroslav went home a few days ago and I’m just tying up some loose ends. As I was leaving Bukovel yesterday, in a taxi (not wearing ‘Depends’ or seat belt), I felt kind of sad, like I was leaving something behind. In fact, I was leaving a brand new bike park behind…
bukovelbikepark.com
Now I can’t wait to get home, see my family, friends and ride the best bike park in the World – Whistler.
For more info on what Tom, Dave Kelly and Rob Cocquyt do check out whistlergravitylogic.com
"I just had a bermgasm..."
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