One of the best things that has happened to the Tofino - Ucluelet corridor in years, at least in my opinion, is the building of a new 25 km multi-use trail called ʔapsčiik t̓ašii (pronounced: ups-cheek ta-shee and meaning going in the right direction on the trail) through Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The trail in the park is bookended by a multi-use trail in Tofino along with another multi-use trail in Ucluelet, providing an…
A large bike box containing the 72-pound Himiway all terrain electric cruiser bike showed up on my doorstep recently. It had taken three weeks to make it to Calgary from California via UPS ground, but it arrived in one piece with all bits inside carefully wrapped up - and everything in its place. Important parts like derailleurs were taped with protective layers. And there was a box holding all the accessories which made it way…
Southern Vancouver Island’s Cowichan Valley is an undiscovered gem. It offers lots of quiet back road and trail biking combined with taste worthy stops at any one of fourteen wineries. Rolling, pastoral landscapes with mountainous backdrops to the west are what you will encounter every day on your bike. Evenings can be spent in wonderful B&B’s, 5-star hotels, unique accommodations, along with budget options with some camping possibilities too. You’ll encounter small towns and villages…
If you're on the search for new places to explore why not take a break from the mountains and head out on a road-trip to Lethbridge, a former coal mining city of just over 100,000 people, located on the scenic Oldman River in southern Alberta. Lethbridge Alberta is an undiscovered gem when it comes to its outdoor spaces. Reconnect with nature here via a network of hiking and biking trails - or a paddle/SUP experience…
Alberta's Goat Creek Trail offers a fun mountain bike ride that traverses the beautiful valley between Mount Rundle and Sulphur Mountain. The trail starts above the town of Canmore at the top of the Smith Dorrien Road- Spray Lakes Road and finishes at the Spray River West trailhead, located approximately 150 m beyond the Banff Springs Hotel at the northern end of Spray Avenue in Banff. From there you can cycle through Banff to pick…
Scottsdale is probably not the first city you think of when it comes to mountain biking. But it should actually be on your radar. Scottsdale is home to 200 plus miles of trails in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve ALONE with trails ranging from beginner through to advanced. Mountain biking in Scottsdale on trails like the ones we rode at Brown's Ranch are made with crushed granite and compacted soil while others are rocky with loose…
The Magdalen Islands or their French name - Îles de la Madeleine are an archipelago of more than a dozen, almost treeless islands, linked by kilometres of sand dunes as far as the eye can see. Plunked down in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, they take up a mere 206 square km (80 square mi), so there’s a good chance you’ve never heard of them. Although French is the first language for most of the…
Three days of cycling in the South Bohemian region of the Czech Republic merely whet my appetite for what's available in the country. Lots has been written about the Prague to Vienna bike ride, especially with so many outdoor-adventure companies offering the tour. But the lesser known parts of the Czech Republic like the South Bohemian region are not nearly so well represented online. Our group of cyclists, made up of five young males and…
If you own a mountain bike, chances are you’ve heard of the riding in British Columbia. It’s legendary for good reason. But the fact that there’s a lifetime’s worth of riding in such a small area makes it hard to plan a shorter trip there. So what’s the ultimate three-day crash course, the riding that you just can’t miss? We’ve “sacrificed” a bunch of our own precious personal time testing and riding BC’s best trails,…
A week long trip cycling through Jordan is a fun way to see this safe and peace-loving country, often referred to as the Switzerland of the Middle East. While it's surrounded by noisy neighbours including Iraq, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Israel and the West Bank, don't let that deter you from visiting. I'm serious. Over the 10 days I was cycling Jordan and exploring the country I never felt unsafe for a second. You can expect…