Treading through summers in BC

When BC summers come calling I pack my bags and follow its voice note, wide eyed for new experiences, new friends and new terrain. Above all, the fine riders to watch and learn from as they dance with their bikes on some of the finest trails out there.

Coming from the foothills of India’s Sahyadri range, most of the riding insights I’ve gathered over the years has been through bike films and magazines. The Chilcotin, in British Columbia, Canada, a region I’d heard of and seen in bike videos from the early 2000s. Probably it was the ‘Collective’. The stars aligned this summer and I got the opportunity to get a little glimpse of the region in the best weather. Thanks to my trail builder buddy Randy Cunningham, aka Krow, from Prince Rupert who has carved out several trails in the hills around his current home in Redstone. He led me across his favourite riding spots and shared some amazing times.

The trails around Redstone that Krow carved out were mainly shovelled during the Covid lockdowns. Built right behind his home, most of the descents finish straight down into Krow’s backyard.

After a few days of riding in, we headed up to Williams Lake to checkout some of the decade old trails that sit on the outskirts of town. Ladder bridges that’d faded with age, creatively designed skinnies, switchbacks with massive exposure, silence of the forest summed up the few trails that we rode while in Williams Lake.

Next up, we filled up the fuel tank to head up to Kamloops.

Kamloops Bike Ranch has been on my ‘to visit’ list for years, finally the day arrived. I’d seen images and video clips of the ranch and heard a lot about the place through the internet. To see it in person and to absorb the calmness around the massive jumps, carved berms, cliff drops and slick trails is something else!

With a day of riding at the KBR, it was time Randy headed back to Prince Rupert while I made my way to Vancouver to get some more riding in before heading back to India.

Leading me on the North Shore trails through this week, Martin Littlejohn, Dan Cowan and friends.

After one more week on the trails around Fromme, Cypress and Seymour it was time for me to fly back to India to join my friends at India’s newest DH race series in the lower Himalayas.