Yo Hoots Jay!
Jay Invades the Kootenays

Welcome to the next instalment of the 'Yo Hoots Jay' articles. In great 2005 tradition I am going to change my format yet again towards the more 'ludicrous' side of things!!! Questions are on the down low so I thought that I might post up a story I wrote last season - it took me over a dozen edits to get it down from 7500 words.

I have written some stories that never made it to print (for various reasons) and ended up in my 'to do' folder. These articles took time away from past Yo Hoots Articles, so here is my payback to you, the finished and very cut article on my very first trip to the Kootenays, just in time to get stoked for summer vacations.

July 29/04
For over 3 years now I have tried to get to the Kootenays but either due to business, work, or injury I have never made the journey. This year would be different! Making appearances for Mount Purcell bike clinics and coaching as my inspiration I spread my wings and fled the North Shore with all 3 Norco steeds, cooler, a bag of smelly armour, and a backpack of clothes.

Just as I was ready to leave, Dave Devlin from Norco invited me for a day of local style guided riding in Golden B.C. while I was out that direction. A weary 8 hour drive chalk filled with accidents and tourists landed me at the home of our guides, Aaron Bernasconi and Adrian Marcoux, photographer extraordinaire. Both these guys run top notch touring, shuttling gigs, www.nnetours.com and Sessions 7 Shuttle . Between a bus and a pickup truck they easily handled 8 riders bikes and gear with room for dogs.

Mount 7 rules! I have never had the opportunity to have such a long descent without stopping ever! Everyone in our group was a strong rider so our gravity fuelled day stayed on course with very few breaks allowing us to keep a smooth groove on. We also had the pleasure of riding with 2 other shuttlers on XC bikes that had come from Banff to fuel their vertical addiction, so the ride had great balance. Losing my keys on the trail rocked! (sarcasm) But, I did manage to get the ignition re-keyed and the front locks replaced in record time, while the rest of the gang sat patiently repairing their dusty steeds as necessary (or maybe not). Before the inner door skins could go on it was 'go time' and back up the mountain we went for last runs before heading off to Calgary.

I found that the trails generally had two options: steep or very steep. As well, they offered a lot of obstacles and built up stunts for all skill levels. Although the steepness of the trail could, at times, be a little hairy, visibility seemed to be the largest challenge and goggles are a must. A wide variety of trail options were available and alternate lines accompanied all intimidating lines. From bermed corners, jumps and skinny lines to stoked locals who know how to have a great time, Golden has a wicked scene going on and I dare you to get there.


VPS-Fest at COP in Calgary

The next morning started out a little slow and fuzzy, but I was stoked on Calgary and VPS-Fest! After breakfast, we rolled over towards Calgary Olympic Park to set up for VPS-Fest, Norco's customer appreciation day. After a busy day of travel & setting up it was finally dinner time - Mexican on the menu. Sweet chili peppers! Most of the Norco team turned in for the night, but Dave and I decided to go and check out Millennium Skate Park, located right in the middle of Calgary.

You haven't seen a park until you have seen the Big M. Street section, mini bowls, full pipe, 14' half with over vert, 2 spines, clover leaf, dang! Just over 2 hours logged in it was suddenly midnight. Bed calls but Devlin and I were already trying to figure out how to get back for another session the next day

VPS day! The pit set up including awning's were already in place when we arrived, and rider's were already lined up, despite the rain, to take advantage of the free lift passes and tech support. Thankfully, Mother Nature allowed only a couple hours of rain, so everything was tacky with very few puddles. C.O.P. has a very diverse trail network that really spreads out and allows you to link trails together. Most of the trails had walk around or progressive option lines so that everyone could ride together. Heck, my riding pals ranged from nine to twenty three all day. Riders of all ability can really get a kick here as there is everything from small flat jumps to super skinny lines and even a World Cup DH course. Most of the bikes on the hill were hardtails and I couldn't shake the feeling I was living 'The Twilight Zone' as I didn't see more than ten adults riding all day, a strange kind of sandbox for sure. Ride Guide was filming throughout the day and the kids just ripped it up everywhere I went. Prizes, teardown and dinner, sweet glorious food and sleep dreaming of Millennium.


What Jay dreams about still...

During VPS-Fest, I was invited by a local kid named Jesse to come and check out his backyard. After spending the morning visiting some family I split to see what sits behind this grom's house. I have seen a few backyard parks, but this took the cake. Teeter's, a complete replica of 'The Green Monster' table at Whistler, elevated skinny lines and multiple dirt jumps. Scott (Jesse's Dad), contracted the incredible and completely insane Byron Grey to build this crazy park and I sessioned with the gang for a couple of hours. What a fun time - surely a highlight!

After a spectacular family chicken dinner and it was time to pack up and hit the road to Fernie to hook up with my friend Ryan, the park building genius at Fernie Mountain Resort. The three hour drive turns into four due to crazy lightening and hail storms, but like an old-fashioned adventurer, I pressed on fuelled by coffee, Red Bull, and a gut ache. The weather improved the second I arrived in Fernie. Between that, and meeting up with Ryan and Elaine on the front lawn, I started to get stoked on the sick Fernie experience waiting.

Morning brought heavy rain and all I could think about was that I was only half way through my trip and there was no way any number of air fresheners would even be able to defeat the smell of moldy wet gear in my poor AstroVan. Undaunted by the rain, we headed up from town towards the resort. It takes no time to get from downtown Fernie to the hill. The core village is super cool and includes a shop and rentals. If you need more technical assistance downtown Fernie has 4 sweet bike shops and great food.

It was a rainy week day but I was surprised at how many local rippers were out. The trail network on the mountain is nothing short of exceptional. A very honest trail rating combined with option lines at almost every fork allowed us to ride at a fun pace and challenge stunts and slopes without intimidation. There are several trails on the mountain for every level of rider and a total of 34 trails including Top Gun, a fast jump trail, as well as, a Canada Cup level DH course that kicks! All of the trails have a very natural feel but still flow quite nicely with lots of cool stunts and tons of turns. I found the lift a shake slow but it was a quad and the staff were energetic, so it didn't seem so bad having the opportunity to chill. In fact, it seemed to fit the Fernie lifestyle quite nicely. I was so stoked on Fernie that I stayed for a second day of riding, and this time, in the sun. The trails were in stellar shape and dried quickly, so I did a few runs before catching up with the trail crew hard at it. Sessioning a new structure and then poking a couple of runs in with some gnarly shredder groms finished out all my resort time. It was now time to hit sk8 park to prepare for my drive to Invermere.

It is not hard to understand why people are so passionate about living in Invermere, the place is awe inspiring. I decided to shadow a Darren Butler pro day clinic and use it as an opportunity to tour the mountain before I did my own Jay Hoots Super Über Pro Downhill/ FreeRide weekend clinics :. Panorama hosts a variety of mountain bike trails at all skill levels and even includes a Canada Cup/BC Cup DH and four cross course. Both of these courses are worth the trip, but the other trail networks are the icing on the cake. I think that most beginners will think this hill is steep and rightfully so, but the park is gradual and progressive so it's a great place for a total beginner to tour the trails and log in some serious saddle time.

I woke up at 6am listening to it pour rain and I can't help but wonder what kind of chaos this will cause on my first day of clinics. Byron and I are off and running to get the day started and it looks as though I have one hour to rattle off a run. My first trail of choice is the DH course but I take a wrong turn and end upon a steep shale slope with tight dropping off-camber turns…mmmmm One serious way to start a day off, wish I could do this every morning! Despite the weather, 7 young rippers who are all stoked to get riding showed up for my clinic. The rain stopped and it turned out to be a cool day with the trails in tacky to slippery shape - perfect for today's lessons. Everyone rode like super stars and the day passed before we knew what happened. Just as I am about to leave, Rob (Grampa) a local Invermere legend makes his way down from the hill, yes! Opportunity! With little effort Rob concedes to doing a run and we both pull three killer secret local runs in ninja fashion. You couldn't wash the smile off my face!

Another 6am start and rather than sit around, I decided to shuttle Rob, Butler, Grampa and Forrest a one hour drive up a sketchy mountain road to catapult their quest to Hike-Bike over 2 serious mountain passes to get back to Panorama resort. Driving back to Byron's was quite adventurous with many wildlife sightings. The day was shaping into a super sunny one and the trails were still tacky from the recent rain. A couple of chainless runs to get warmed up and it looks as all my grom's are eager to get the day going Panorama style. Day two of the clinic went off! The group kept focus and we toured every trail on the hill including the Punisher. Kids these days blow my mind, three 16 year olds and three 12 year olds and we collectively slayed any trail that came our way riding today. After a tearful farewell, I got a grip and made my way to find Byron at the Mt. Purcell MTB school kiosk. Byron promised to take me to his church. Toby Creek Adventures hooked us up with a couple of ripper quad's and we ascended in to the sky riding with obsession to reach 9000 feet. The view from here is stunning, I am in love and I know it's going to take some time for all this to settle. It is easy to see why Byron is a religious man.


Nature's Cathedral

Morning comes early and as plans would have it, I am to meet Rob from Brooklyn Bike Riders in Sun Peaks on my trip home. Butler wrestled me into having company on the drive and between bad timing and lousy phone reception neither of us made it to Sun Peaks to rip with Rob. With Butler as co pilot we made our way home, physically and mentally spent, but grinning ear to ear form our Kootenays experience.

- Jay Hoots

Jay Hoots is sponsored by Norco Performance Bikes, Hoots Gear, Progressive Suspension, John Henry: The Bicycle Man, Ryders Eyewear, Recovery Formula Supplements, and Funn Components.