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05/12/2008
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Pura Vida '05
Words by Cody Swansborough
Photos by Ian Hylands
& Chris Winter
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SEATAC airport 8am: We're waiting for Chris Winter and Wade Simmons
to arrive so we can check in and catch our flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. The
entire crew has been dreaming about jungle DH shuttle runs, new trails, hot
sun, and of course, the beach; we all knew it was going to be a sick trip. Finally,
the guys arrived, and after some last minute adjustments (a few of us had to
resize our bike boxes to fit on the plane) we got to check in and finally begin
a trip that had all the epic ingredients.
Even on the plane the group dynamic was starting to come together; we weren't
even in Costa and it was a gong show. Several hours later, one quick transfer
in Dallas, and we'd finally made it to San Jose where we met up with the rest
of our group, as well as our guides for the trip.
After some quick intros and handshakes, we loaded the bikes, grabbed a couple
of six packs of Imperial Cerveza to celebrate our arrival, and headed up to
Hotel La Condesa (a 5-star hotel tucked away in the mountains of San Jose).
I figured a 5-star would be pretty nice, but nothing prepared us for how sick
this place was - vaulted glass atrium, huge teak wood lobby, and marble floors.
We all just stood there shaking our heads and laughing. Right off the top Chris
Winter and Big Mountain Adventures had raised the bar for mountain bike travel.
Once we got over our initial awe, we stowed our bikes and bags and convened
in the lobby to sample Costa's finest beverages, talk about our plans, and get
comfortable with the group.
Day One: Dave Watson and I got up early to assemble our bikes in true
hotel room fashion. Once we'd packed our bags we met up with Paulo, our Costa
guide and ripper extraordinaire. We'd all decided to start with a DH ripper
so Paulo shuttled us up one of the steep hilly roads to our first trailhead
(only 5 minutes away from the hotel). When we arrived a few guys made last minute
adjustments, while others played "keep up soccer" with a local grom, until it
was finally time to ride. We spent the morning shuttling the first trail, which
I unofficially named "The Witch's Toe Nail" because it was so evil, dusty, and
rocky. Then we headed back to the hotel to grab some food and re-group for the
afternoon.
We drove the van most of the way up another steep hilly Costa Rican road towards
"Volcan Brava". Near the summit we unloaded and hiked our bikes the rest of
the way to the top to be cows, an incredible panoramic vista, and a trail head
that resembled the start gate of an Olympic bobsled track. The trail itself
consisted of high-speed banked corners and loose floaters, and ended with putting-green
grass alongside Costa Rican coffee plants and swaying palm trees. The grass
covered banks made for an endless wall ride experience and the fresh smell of
coffee was everywhere. This place is officially unreal.
 Day
Two: After a good sleep we got up ready to tackle day two. With a blue bird
sky overhead we loaded up the van and drove out to Escazu, a small town well-known
for its witchcraft and steep hills. Simmons, Watson, and I were roomies for
this part of the trip, which was just fine with me considering our room turned
out to be the size of a shopping mall and came with its own set of poker chips.
We took a few moments to high-five & congratulate each other on our second high-roller
accommodations score (I wasn't used to this kind of luxury), then grabbed our
stuff and headed out to check out the riding.
Like the previous day, the runs around Escazu were steep and rocky. We pinned
it for two runs, then returned to the summit for a fresh chicken lunch and another
breathtaking view. After lunch we descended down the rocky fire road that fed
us right into the 'mouth of the devil' - short wall rides and slippery roots,
this one was a workout! Although, I think I was more tired from laughing than
riding; Gabe (from Cove Bikes) and I were in hysterics the entire way down the
trail.
Day Three: There is nothing better than waking up to a traditional Costa
Rican breakfast and the sounds of the local birdlife. On day three we went to
explore La Carpentaria. The shuttle was the steepest drive I have ever done.
"O.K Nene," one of the guys commented as our van wrestled it's way up the jungle
road, "..just get on the roof and swing the machete like a windmill, that's
the only way we're going to make it through the thick of this canopy". Finally,
after a skilled drive by Paulo we reached the summit and then hiked our bikes
to the champagne-infused meadows of La Carpentaria
 A
few quick shot's by photographer, Ian Hylands, and we dropped into the darkness
of the rainforest. We rode a quick XC loop ending with a steep technical DH
run and then coasted down the road into the sunset. Did I mention DH shuttles
in Costa? Just checking, cause I had to pinch myself everyday of the trip; it
was that unreal. After another solid day of riding we headed towards Hotel Milvia,
our stay for the night. Hotel Milvia was rich with art and had a boutique feel
to it; a perfect setting for another poker game refereed by Vanderham. All I
can say is "I'm all in boys."
Dave Four: Morning came and Dave from Ottawa emerged from our poker party $25,000 Col richer. The group loaded into the van and headed to an undisclosed location for a major event in mountain bike history. We drove for one and a half hours up and up until we reached the summit of our 7000 ft descent. Everyone rushed to the souvenir shop for coffee and warmth hoping for a break in the clouds and a glimmer of sun. "Alright", waved Paulo, "Let's vamoose". Zipping up my Sombrio jacket I began my 7000 ft descent through thick clouds and mist. This was an endless DH run that offered everything - single track, double track, high speed, low speed, wall rides, and corners. It felt like riding Garbanzo at Whistler four times minus the lift.
After this epic descent we stopped for a quick food & fuel refill, then started our drive down to Santa Maria in the Dota Valley, home of good cooking and the one and only "Smoke Show". We were greeted by beautiful surroundings, optional massage and your own shared cabin with ensuite bathroom, all compliments of Hotel Cecelia. I settled nicely into the accommodation and soaked up the good food as I listened to Simmons & Watson recall fabled stories of the bike world.
Day Five: Winter and our guides decided we needed to explore La Provincida. We shuttled the now famous, leaf blower trail. It was almost like skiing, but with the odd ladder bridge thrown in for good measure. In the early afternoon we hammered down rough, exposed ridges that were often so dusty you could barely follow the person in front of you. When the dust did settle we were once again surrounded by scenic vistas and endless singletrack.
After a heavy ride we had lunch in a remote village where we let the locals try out our rigs while we ate a home cooked meal provided by a local family. Not only were we gaining riding experience, the cultural experience was incredible. That night we drove to "Hotel Severge", a bird watching haven @ 2200 m. We settled into yet another 'A class' accommodation and feasted on amazing food while we anticipated another day of riding.
Day Six: For our final day of riding and our hosts saved the best for
last. We headed up Costa Rica's second highest peak, a mountain that offered
views of both the Caribbean and the Pacific. It was everything you would expect;
long, steep, rocky, fast and loose. It was the perfect night cap for a riding
trip that had trails looser than a college frat party and clearly we were worn
out and ready for the beach... Ahh yes, Mal Pais here we come!
Post ride services. Photo ~ Chris Winter
Day Seven: That night we headed back to Hotel Milvia and experienced
some of the local entertainment (enough said), then woke up the next day ready
to hit the beach and try a little surfing. For this leg of the trip we planned
to trade in our bikes for a 5-night stay in a beach cabana 3 minutes away from
the best point break in Costa Rica. If that wasn't enough, the biggest night
club on that side of town was right behind my cabana and the scenery was more
than just palm trees and sunny beaches. We'd just switched from one form of
paradise to another.
We did eventually fly home from our beach paradise via a hang glider with 2 engines, (or whatever you call those planes), and left behind a place with more beauty than words can explain. This trip truly was Pura Vida, everything was about the good life… the people, the bikes, the trails, and having all of them put together in one tropical paradise was an experience I will never forget.
Special Thanks go out to Chris Winter and Big Mountain Bike Adventures for
opening up this new experience in the mountain bike world. For more details
and information on how you can book your "Pura Vida" trip log onto www.ridebig.com
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Cheers to Dainese, Tioga, Orange, Vellend Tech and all the riders who made this trip what it was. Keep pinning it.
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