Innerleithen Apartments Cater To Mountain Bikers

Shortly after my write-up about the new Dirt School DVD produced by Scottish national downhiller Chris Ball I received an email from Alan Napier.

Alan Napier who turns 60 this year and his wife and partner Sheila both moved to Innerleithen just over 5 years ago. They had been involved in a taxi business in Edinburgh, sold the business and took a form of retirement.

When they first moved to Innerleithen they enjoyed the joys of retirement spent on long walks with their dogs. However, after six months decided they had to do something. Sheila got a job in Peebles managing a retail store on Saturdays while Alan did some extensive upgrading on property they purchased in Innerleithen.

After the work was done on the property they decided to rent out the flats and did so successfully for several years until last year. They were about to lose both of their tenants at the same time and decided that holiday lets could be more fun and provide some excitement during retirement.

So with the not inconsiderable help from their son Allan, the proprietor of an IT support and consultancy company they created MountainBikeApartments.com

Innerleithen is home to some of the best downhill mountain bike courses and races in the United Kingdom.  The Apartments have been specifically altered to suit mountain bikers.  The carpets have been replaced with either polished wood flooring, vinyl or tiles, all designed to make the bikers feel comfortable when coming back from their exertions.  Fully fitted modern kitchens make self catering easy as do the dining areas.  The lounges have comfy seating with flat screen digital TVs and DVD players available,

All of the beds are new and are either bunk or single divans.  When people arrive Alan and Sheila go out of their way to make them feel welcome with not only ensuring there is milk in the fridge to go with the tea, coffee and sugar provided as with the fruit bowl that Sheila makes sure is filled fresh as is all linen and bedding.

Checkout (when possible) is late in the day providing riders another day’s worth of biking and the ability to shower and have a cuppa before heading back home.  This is something that is always appreciated by the bikers and as long as they do not have someone arriving that day they are happy to oblige.

In the beginning Alan and Sheila were advised that this venture was risky…the bikers would be muddy, loud and bothersome late at night and generally be the cause of many headaches.  They have been doing this now since late September 08 and have had visitors from all over England, Aberdeen, the Isle of Mull.  They have had individual couples, large parties, families, clubs and on each and every occasion have been treated with the greatest of respect.  The Apartments have been left in the best of conditions and NO complaints from neighbors.  In short, all of the bikers have been a credit to themselves and their sport.

Alan and Sheila are thoroughly enjoying the new experience and this year they are looking forward to creating a new barbecue area for their guests.  The barbecue area will be ready before end of March and will be in the large garden where the secure storage shed and bike wash are presently located.

Notes From the Field: On Location in Vermont

I remember the days long ago whence I resided in the little town of Atlanta. Anxiously waiting for the next trip up to Ellijay to rip Bear Creek and a stay at M.O.E.S. Even now, 10 years later, I still make trips down from Vermont in the spring to remember those early years of mountain bike bliss sessions. And that was before the advent of what we now call “advancements in technology”.

So I was sitting in Austin, TX about two years ago and realized that I had my fill of dirt jumping and 4x racing. I wanted easy-access DH and trails to write home about. So I headed north to the green mountains of Vermont…a paradise for those with a penchant for clean living and the great outdoors. Oh, and beer too.

What can I say? Sure the winters are snowy and cold but the riding here is great. The Fellowship of Wheel is the local trail org. and those boys can build some trails. My favorite…The Flo Trails in Essex. Imagine a pump track flow on several miles of smooth wooded trail…just the perfect thing after work or before a day on the slopes. So good, in fact, that when selecting a new place of residence, I had juxtaposition to the Flo trails in mind (5 minutes away by car isn’t too bad).

And for the DH’ers in the audience, there is so much up here-Bromont, White face, Mt. Snow, Sugarbush, Highlands, Sunday River…the list goes on and on. It’s a proverbial potpourri I say! And the dirt jumps in Stowe are well worth the fight through all the leaf-peepers (that’s what they call the tourists that get bussed in to see the fall foliage here).

My thoughts are this, people who love riding, really love riding. I love the love personally. Most everyone started riding bikes as a kid. I think the excitement derived from those early fires of youthful stoke was so pure and simple. And now, it is really something to be able warm my soul by those fires every time I climb aboard and take a ride. There is nothing wrong with getting older, just as long as you learn how to stay young. Well, I’ve need to wipe my eyes folks (sniff).

Stay tuned for next time, when I tell you about a little something called “The Drifter”…a full-on DH ski-machine converted from my old Santa Cruz Super 8…check it out!

Mountain Biking Vacation

What IS a mountain biking vacation?

This is one of the most common questions we receive and there are in fact several answers to this one.

Everyone knows what a ski vacation is -right? You fly out West, or pack up the car and head North for a week on the slopes. You stay in a condo or hotel, eat out, spend lots of money on t-shirts that read “ I skied the XXX Couloir” and come home with sore feet. Sounds pretty good actually, but while most skiers can relate to this scenario – even if they don’t indulge in them, very few mountain bikers know what the concept of a bike vacation is.

The beauty of the ski vacation is anyone can do it. Even if you’ve only skied once – you call yourself a skier. But cyclists are a different breed. They’re afraid to call themselves a cyclist if they don’t have shaved legs and a $5,000 bike. Cyclist sounds too serious. “I only ride once a week at best.” “I have not rode since college.” “I’m 20lbs heavier than I used to be – I can’t do a bike trip”. This is where they’re wrong.

The beauty of a Western Spirit bike trip is the fact that we have trips for ALL abilities. Just like that ski vacation- you can come even if you’re a bit heavier than you were in your twenties, or if your bike is 10 years old. Here’s a couple of examples.

My Mom did our Grand Staircase trip for her 70th birthday and she did excellent. She’s certainly no Lance Armstrong, but she got through the first few days and actually got stronger as the week went on. I think she got in the van one day after lunch when faced with one of the larger climbs of the trip – but that’s what it’s there for. The Grand Staircase is one of our easiest trips and it’s the perfect introduction to a bike vacation. When she got back home she continued to ride twice a week for the rest of the summer and lost those 20lbs for good!

On the other end of the spectrum some folks think they’re so good they can’t possibly need a guide. They’re right, they don’t NEED one, but it sure is nice; especially when you want to ride at 10,000’ for five days across the Colorado Trail. Certain trips would be next to impossible to do on your own – unless your wife is willing to drive the custom F450 support truck up a 15 mile 4×4 Forest Service road, set up camp and make dinner for you and all your buddies. Oh yeah, and do all the dishes. My good friend from college who lives back East has been racing mountain bikes for 20 plus years. It was hard to convince him of the merits of a guided mountain bike trip, but after his first one there was this huge “ah-haaa” and an all knowing smile that said “why didn’t I do one of these years ago?”

The concept is simple; the truck carries all the gear and the guides do all the cooking. You, on the other hand ride your bike, eat, sleep and –repeat. The camping part is quite cushy and even if it’s been 30 years since you last camped in the army, boyscouts, or where ever, we make it easy and pleasurable. In fact the only thing you really have to do is find a place to set up your tent at camp, and if you’ve never done that, well the guides can help with that too.

Some folks ask what they do once they arrive at camp. Good question considering they’ve never been on one of these things before. The answer is it depends on what you feel like doing and what trip it is. We like to call it “unstructured leisure time”! – and it seems like none of us get enough of it anymore in our daily lives. Some may just set up the tent and take an afternoon nap. Reading a book down by the river is always relaxing – or how about with a view of the Grand Canyon! Many of our camps have million dollar views and just taking it all in while lounging about in a comfy camp chair is as good as it gets. Most folks want to get cleaned up right away to wash off the day’s sweat & dirt. So it’s down to the hot springs if you’re in Idaho, or a jump into Loon Lake with the kids if you’re on our Grand Teton family trip. For others, any good bike ride has to be followed by a round of cold beers and laughs with the other guests. One of the best times of the trip is once you’re all cleaned up, have a cold beverage or nice glass of wine in your hand and you’re enjoying some of the scrumptious appetizers the guides put out. Then you can kick back – relive parts of the ride with the other guests and watch the guides as they cook up yet another mouth watering delicacy right in front of you. The meals they turn out would be impressive in a fancy restaurant with full kitchen, but given the fact they are in the middle of nowhere with not much more than some coolers and stoves is truly remarkable. You will not go hungry on a Western Spirit trip and in fact you’ll even be hard pressed to lose any weight even though you’re riding your bike for five days straight. The food is simply that good.

Now that you get the idea of what a trip is like, you might ask what are the other guests like. Well, they just like you – or not, and that’s the other best part. They could be the high power Wall Street broker, Chicago lawyer, or the plumber from Dayton, OH. It just doesn’t matter and that’s the beauty. They’ve come together from all over the country, and beyond to ride bikes, be outdoors for a week and meet new friends.

A common question used to be “do I get cell service on that trip?” While it’s still a question some folks ask, it’s usually because they want to get away from their phones for a week. With no phones, computers or other daily distractions you can then begin to truly relax and recharge. Try it sometime – it will be a bit scary at first but you’ll be amazed at the outcome.

So there you have it – a mountain bike vacation is just like a ski trip – only slightly cheaper, definitely warmer and no cheesy t-shirts you have to buy at the end.

Give Western Spirit a call and talk to one of their guides. They’re about the friendliest sales staff you could ever imagine and can answer any question you might have about they’re vacations. Most importantly they can help you choose the right trip for you. Do it soon, because if you don’t do it this year, you’ll be one year older when you do!

800 845-BIKE (2453)
www.westernspirit.com

Mammoth Mountain Bike Park

Mammoth Mountain Bike Park features 34 trails and 4 lifts (Village Gondola, Canyon Express, Stump Alley Express, and Panorama Gondola) totaling over 100 miles of trails ranging from beginner single-track dirt trails to full-on downhill/freeride terrain. With a summit elevation of 11,053 feet and over 3,000 feet of vertical and 3,500 acres to explore, there is bound to be a trail for every rider.

Getting Up the Mountain:

The bike park shuttle departs from The Village on the half hour and head directly to Main Lodge. Riders can then board the Panorama Gondola and be transported to the summit of Mammoth Mountain located at 11,053 feet.

Gearing Up:

Visit the Adventure Center at Main Lodge for information on all things summer including mountain biking and lessons, hiking trails, scenic rides, climbing, ziplines, golfing and more. Full-suspension Kona rental bikes and lift tickets are also available.

Food:

If you’re near Main Lodge, swing by the Yodler for a full menu and bar or head over to the Mountainside Grill or Dry Creek Bar located across the street in the Mammoth Mountain Inn. Top of the Sierra Café, located on the summit of Mammoth Mountain at 11,053 feet, will offer soups, sandwiches and salads. Riders near The Village will find many restaurants with a wide variety of food offerings ranging from sushi to New York style pizza.

Hours: The bike park is open from 9am to 6pm daily.

Where to Stay:

Mammoth Mountain has a wide variety of lodging options available for riders. Freeriders who prefer intermediate and advanced terrain around Main Lodge can stay across the street from the trails at Mammoth Mountain Inn. Riders looking for a little night life can check out accommodations at The Village at Mammoth. Visitors can also consider Tamarack Lodge and Juniper Springs Resort for more secluded lodging options. Stay and Bike packages are available; to make reservations call 800.MAMMOTH.

Other Activities:

There are many summertime activities in Mammoth to compliment mountain biking. Play 18 holes at California’s highest golf course, Sierra Star. High-flying kids will love the ziplines and climbing walls at Main Lodge. Hikers will love Mammoth’s extensive trail network that includes lift-accessed trails. The Mammoth Lakes area is home to world-class fly fishing on many streams and rivers. Enjoy the breathtaking view of the Eastern Sierras with a scenic gondola ride on the Panorama Gondola. Yosemite National Park, located just to the north, offers spectacular camping and outdoor activities.

Special Interest Items:

Due to the success of the Wounded Warriors program last summer, Mammoth Mountain has again teamed up with Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra to provide a one-of-a-kind opportunity to soldiers who have been wounded while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Warriors and their families are provided lodging, meals and a full array of summer activities that include hand-cycling, rock climbing and kayaking. Previous participants in the program have included multiple limb amputees, burn victims and soldiers suffering from nerve damage.