Thanks

[sampo]

So I read a fair bit of bitching on this forum towards Whistler mountain (closures, trail changes, etc) so I thought I'd post a little love to even things out...

I've just flown back to the UK from a nine week stay in Whistler and I would like to thank:

The trail medics, several of whom scraped a couple of my friends off the mountain. One of them was seriously injured with fractures to his wrist, both elbows and jaw - he would not have been able to get off the mountain without those guys.

The trail crews for building some of the best trails out there. You might bitch about Goats being made easier, or the top of No Joke being closed, but the runs on that mountain are still amazing. I'm back in the UK and the best I can hope for is a 2 minute run after a 30 min push...probably in the rain.

Ticket2RideBC for making everything pretty painless, organising a cool EP lodge, great guiding and having a decent workshop!

Merlins and the GLC!

I wanna go back now *sigh*

[McTB]

Nice to hear. It's easy to forget how good we have it here.
I'm going back this weekend! BRAAAAAP

[littlemountainmike]

Your sooo right. Whistler is the pOOnage.

[kookboy]

Everyone I talk to about riding, I always say that I'm so fortunate and lucky to be able to go up there every 4 days (work rotates between Van/Whis) and ride.

We are so damn lucky.

It's cheap.

It's the best (so I hear/read) riding on the planet.

The girls are great.

The guys on most trails are friendly.

The trail builders are gods and I pray to them every night.

The medics/trail crew are individual supermen.

We're in heaven up here.

Nice thread. :)

[Westwood]

I wanna go back now *sigh*

Amen to that. I've been back just over a week. :(

Always makes me smile when I read the gripes about one of the 'good' trails being closed on the mountain, because the place is full of them!

[hpman]

So I read a fair bit of bitching on this forum towards Whistler mountain (closures, trail
The trail crews for building some of the best trails out there. You might bitch about Goats being made easier, or the top of No Joke being closed, but the runs on that mountain are still amazing. I'm back in the UK and the best I can hope for is a 2 minute run after a 30 min push...probably in the rain.

I wanna go back now *sigh*

Like you, I'm now come back in France. Hopefully nobody from my friends need to test the medic efficiency ;)
You know after riding in Whistler, your local MTB area seems to be non interesting and you're so depressed when you ride on your local trails... It's normal, it's the post Whistler depressive syndrome ;)

Summer 2007, I will come back :)

[HIBuLlitT]

I say thanks to the girls that cook the burgers at Garbanzo bike and bean.
Thanks to the guys at fanatyk co for constantly fixing my bike..

[jpi]

Is yoga really good for the body?

[motorp]

Hey Sampo, thanks from the WBP Patrol and Trail Crew. It has been a tough year with the closures, construction dry weather etc. and your kind words mean a lot to us. We know that most people that "bitch" don't realy mean it in a bad way, it's just constructive criticism. We all know how good we have it, but sometimes it takes someone like you to remind us. See you next year.

[motorp]

Thanks for a great season WBP. I've had A LOT of fun this season.

Just curious... what happend to bike patrol Charlie? I havn't seen him much this year.

Charlie is there. He may have taken a few days off, or you don't hang out at the same bars. Oh wait, Charlie hangs out at all of them.

[Rosscofat]

Whistler is cloud 9

[the Master Plan Dan]

My own personal slice of heaven... although... I think I divulged too much this year.

Outstanding trails... diversity... girls... night life (hardly remember any of it)... Medics... shops... the riders... and I'll even thank the guy that told me after a night of drinking, that one day I'll get it, and not to give up.

(I was off to the side of trails wondering what I was doing there and choking down what was coming back up!)

Needless to say that never happened again!

Thanks Whistler for reinforcing my belief that I made the right decision to move here... well Vancouver at least!

Cheers!

Dan

[ebxtreme]

Sampo,

Great thread!! I lurk here more than I post, but I've got to agree with you here.

I've spent a fair amount of time in the WBP riding over the past 4+ years and have nothing but good things to say about it. I got married up there during Crankworx weekend (no, not at the event) specifically so me, my wife and our friends could get lots of ridin in. During that weekend, we had a HUGE posse riding and 3 of my crew went down. The WBP patrol did an awesome job with them and really showed why they are pro's at what they do.

I just spent 2 weeks following that riding in the Alps (portes du soleil region) for my honeymoon and while the area beats Whistler with the sheer number of trails/resorts that accomodate riding, there aren't any trails that can compete with the trails at the WBP. Not only are they not maintained nearly as well, but they generally aren't as technical in nature. It's funny to read about "brake bumps" now compared to the stuff we saw in Les Gets, Morzine, Chatel, etc. They were so nasty, it was unbelievable (but it was also very wet then). Don't get me wrong....that area is killer and the "adventure" factor is cool, but Whistler blows it away, imo.

A couple of my posts on mtbr - giving the bike park serious love.

Early season report:
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=196646

Late Season report (last weekend):
http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=225592

Folks around here sometimes forget how good they've got it living in a true mt. bike destination with world class trailbuilders (pete morin, dave kelly, digger, jeremy, synchro, etc.). Hell, it's half the reason I'm still living in Seattle and not in Boston. :agree:

Cheers,
EBX

[HIBuLlitT]

Just got back from 10 days non-stop. WBP every day w/ a couple trail outside
too.

Where else can you get so many runs in on great trails? Only my second time
there and I did everything that scared me last year (aline rock drop, big GLC,
rock faces on Whislter DH and others, I even made all the trannys on the
biker-X once...)

Keep it up, see you next year!!!:woot:

[kokanee]

Never posted before, but couldn't let this one go...we're pretty lucky to have that crew on that mountain and that mountain in our backyard. Thanks to all involved....

[AndyK]

Just got back to the UK after my 9 days in BC - got add to what the boys said... unreal place and props to the guys at the bike park for maintaining the place. The guys that bitch about it have NO IDEA - the place is a mecca. There's a whole big world out there that would kill for what you have on your doorstep. Looking forward to next years trip already :-)

PS - to the tourists... next time, see if you can hook up a some rides in Pemberton and Squamish too... they will blow your mind for steep tech trails... plenty of soul riding out there in the forest.... and ya gotta get a ride in on the shore... everyone needs to visit mecca once in their life :)