Forum menu
... now I can't really get enthused about riding here in the SE 😥
Same after every holiday... It wears off.
I've been trying to get over 3 weeks of European roadtrip bikepark goodness. Its tough, but meh....Start thinking about your next trip. It helps a lot 🙂
Start thinking about your next trip. It helps a lot
This is true. It would help if I lived somewhere with decent DH tracks, but hey ho!!
Don't go on holiday to places with better riding. Maybe try the north Norfolk coast next year? You'll come back and realise how good you have it (assuming there are some hills with trails on near you).
I've been the same since returning from spending my summer there last year 🙁 It doesn't wear off, hasn't for me anyway. I don't like "UK style" riding (for lack of a better term) as much, it's all about long runs full of proper jumps.
I just need to find some new tracks to get me out again, I think. I might purchase a new full-face helmet to inspire as well 😆
I have another 3 weeks here, hopefully my riding back home won't seem completely dull when I return!
On the positive side, I am getting addicted to downhill, but I hear it's like a different sport over here with so many trails. Ah well, there's a few DH courses near me back home so shouldn't be TOO bad.
I hate you already 🙂
Where are you from in the UK?
If you think coming back from a bike holiday is bad, just try the skiing downer!
After all we can all go and ride trails pretty easily, but let me tell you, the Hemel Alp isn't the same as the Cucumelle! 🙂
That is one of the reasons why I have never been too keen in taking up skiing, CFH.
I hate you alreadyWhere are you from in the UK?
Dublin so not the UK, I do the odd weekends riding over there though.
Hmmm hoping to give Freight Train a go before I leave, In Deep is probably my fav trail here so far.
In Deep is my favourite as well, and maybe Duffman/No Duff/Duffman; oh, and Original Sin, and Schleyer... and Whistler Downhill... and Detroit Rock City etc etc
Im in the process of applying for a visa to stay here..
Who wants to stay in the UK when youve got all this terrain to explore not to mention Vancouver, the rest of BC, Canada & the States on your doorstep?!
What method are you applying for the visa through?
I've looked into this too: As far as I can see, I can either apply for permanent residency, or get someone to offer me a job and sponsor my work permit.
Can I be the first to say WBP bores me? 😈
I moved to Vancouver 5 years ago...rode WBP a couple of time a year for the first few years, didn't ride it at all last year and have only ridden it once this year (and then only 'cos I had a free sampler pass).
I much prefer the valley trails...or Squamish....or Pemberton...or the Sunshine Coast or the Shore or the Chilcotins, or the Kootenays, or, indeed, many many other places in BC, or Utah, or Colorado, or Washington...you get the drift? </gloat>
Freight Train is one of my favourites. Really liked doing that into Dirt Merchant then Del Boca Vista then following the green that puts you onto til Hornet then finishing up with GLC 🙂 mr lebowski good luck! I had a visa but I just couldn't get a job due to a lack of experience in the customer services areas that all the jobs are in 🙁 Would love to live in Canada, hoping I can try again in a year or so when I have enough experience in my field then look for a similar job over there. Would probably aim for Vancouver or something rather than Whistler next time though!
I was spoiled by UK and Alpine riding.
Now i'm in Oz there is some good stuff but I miss the little 1 way arrows
Oh and Mikey have you seen the new trail being built at Aston Hill? Loads of jumps/drops etc, looks really fun and probably the closest sort of thing I've seen to a "whistler-style" trail.
Can I be the first to say WBP bores me?I moved to Vancouver 5 years ago...rode WBP a couple of time a year for the first few years, didn't ride it at all last year and have only ridden it once this year (and then only 'cos I had a free sampler pass).
I much prefer the valley trails...or Squamish....or Pemberton...or the Sunshine Coast
I think you are the first person to say that! I've always been more of an XC rider so I enjoyed riding loads of free XC trails around the lakes and valleys. They are more all-mountain compared to stuff in the UK though! In particular stuff like kill me thrill me, comfortably numb and a river runs through it.
And the valley trails? They're the paved paths going around the lakes 😕 .
In Deep is my favourite as well, and maybe Duffman/No Duff/Duffman; oh, and Original Sin, and Schleyer... and Whistler Downhill... and Detroit Rock City etc etc
Ye In Deep is SOOOO much fun, love those rooty sections going in to the rocky steep gullys. Challenging to me but really fun!
I haven't ridden Duff Man or No Duff yet, it's on my list.
Original Sin is SUCH a fun trail too. And Facrobat, off In Deep. A bit crazier than In Deep but still major fun. Rode Schleyer and Rock City for the first time last week, a bit sketchy my first time down but found way more flow the second time! 😀
Im going for a TRV (6-12 months) to start with & if I like what I find out here long-term, Ill go for the Investor/Business Visa. Fortunately I can afford to take the time off & not have to worry if Im not working.
And the valley trails? They're the paved paths going around the lakes
No need to be pedantic, I think we all know what was being referred to....unless you were trying to prove a point somehow?
I'm with markgrayfish on this. Been in Vancouver coming on 10 years now, and hardly ever ride the park these days.
#1 it is too expensive
#2 it is a matter of time before you get seriously hurt
#3 Whistler is full of ass-hats.
This year I sold my big DH bike. I ride my 29er on the shore, and much prefer the local pedal-up trails to the lift-served. If I do fancy some lift-served, I would rather go to silverstar, pay less, have the place practically to myself, and not have to deal with the attitude. I do my best never to ski whistler in the winter for much the same reasons.
A word of warning to all of you looking to emigrate here....compare your salary expectations to the house prices before you make any decisions, this is not a cheap place to live!
Paul
Whistler is full of ass-hats
Never seen so much attitude as here..
Personally Im not big on the park either, yes its fun but there are so many other things to do here. The "dudes" can have their thrills in the park, Ill be somewhere else 😉
No need to be pedantic, I think we all know what was being referred to
No I didn't know if you meant the paved paths called the valley trails or the off-road XC trails around the lakes and valleys.
paulpalf: It does have a few down sides like most things but you can't argue that it's one of the best ski and bike places in the world. I haven't come across any attitude in the bike part yet, everyone seems pretty easy going and friendly to me.
i love riding the interior and the shore etc . whistler was just ok
been to bc 5 times 🙂
Jedi your making me feel not worthy now 🙁
😆
I'd like to ride more areas of BC like Silver-star but not having a car makes it hard. And I have a season pass for the bike park here so wanna make the most of the last few weeks!
sunshine coast is fun, van island, loops, kelowna. love it there but also love it at home at herts 😀
Everyone should ride the bikepark once in their life! nothing else like it on the planet...
I spent a year living in Vancouver and rode the park quite abit
But as others have said there is alot more to BC riding as well. My most memorable rides though are things like the shore, gargamel, chilcotins, interior around fernie, rossland etc
silverstar bikepark was awesome.
As paul says it aint cheap in vancouver, I am way better off back here in sunny UK!
may I recommend you don't read the shore article in the latest privateer then.
why whats the article about?
Yes, there are some "asshats", but A) it's a big park and B) Most "asshats" don't seem to venture beyond A-Line.
TBH, at the moment, I can't think of anywhere I'd rather be, especially when you consider the other trails in the Whistler, Squamish and Pemberton area.
great article about the history of riding in the North Shore area, great pics too - [url= http://rouleur.cc/privateer-10?gallery=6 ]linky [/url]
In Deep is probably my fav trail here so far.
Fun in the winter too 😀
[img] 
[/img]
If you think coming back from a bike holiday is bad, just try the skiing downer!
+1
Yep, I survive by eating grass, wood and if I'm lucky some old fish pulled from a dumpster but I rode Cypress gnar on Sunday, Sunshine Coast on Monday, will be riding Squampton today and WBP probably on Sunday so am having a 'living the dream' week this week. The Park serves it's purpose but none of my favourite trails are in it, innit, nor in Whistler come to think of it.
Valley Trails is just the generic name given to all the Whistler trails outside the Park.
Valley Trails is just the generic name given to all the Whistler trails outside the Park.
+1...that's what I was referring to, not the paved Lost Lake trails nor the 'commuter' valley trail
Valley Trails is just the generic name given to all the Whistler trails outside the Park.
Everyone that I know here refers to the valley trail as the paved trails or pavements around the lakes. All the other free mountain bike trails are called cross country trails. Do I really have to go out and take a photo of the valley trail map?
Everyone that I know here refers to the valley trail as the paved trails or pavements around the lakes. All the other free mountain bike trails are called cross country trails. Do I really have to go out and take a photo of the valley trail map?
[img] 
[/img]
Sounds a bit like Morzine then, great if it wasn't for all the other people. Whens the quiet day?
Its pretty dead in the park and pretty much everywhere these days and I imagine it will only get quieter until people start arriving for the winter season.
End of September/start of October was a bit depressing last year, there were only a few of us left riding up until closing weekend when it was a bit busier again!
I got stuck In Deep on my snowboard, turns out it wasn't deep enough 🙁
Love Whistler, been 4 times. Last time was August 11. Can't say I noticed any attitude or "asshats". There's always been a general good feel about the place in my view.
Also love the other places in the area, particularly Squamish and North Shore. Unfortunately I was never lucky enough to ride the interior.
Fully understand what the OP is saying though. The first time I got back from Whistler in '04 I got really depressed. Not too bad on subsequent occasions but still get a tug on the heart strings for BC.
Erm, play nice folks. My original intention for this thread was that I was kinda hoping that people would enthuse me about riding in the UK again: C'mon folks!! 
the best thing for Whistler blues is to get out and ride, but not to try and think about replicating what you rode in Whistler, especially in the SE. It's 4 years since I last went there and I'm almost over my depression.
I got stuck In Deep on my snowboard, turns out it wasn't deep enough 🙁
It was up to my waist when I tried it. Sketchy as. Had to swim out!
As someone mentioned earlier, to get over Whistler just check out the house price average in Vancouver/Whistler, general cost of living. Price of beer, food especially anything resembling cheese. the thing i could never get over is jobs offering 10days holiday a year.
I am a permanent resident there but chose to come back to the UK.
I was in Whistler this summer too, didnt ride the WBP once, Done over 80 days in my time there but the quality and variety of trails in the Valley was too much to spend over $100/day on a lift ticket.
$100/day on a lift ticket? You've got to be kidding: $47/day, more like.
yes you are right, ski day passes are over a ton not summer ones.
Everyone that I know here refers to the valley trail as the paved trails or pavements around the lakes. All the other free mountain bike trails are called cross country trails. Do I really have to go out and take a photo of the valley trail map?
Well, I could only be bothered to flick through a couple of pages, but plenty of reference to the Valley Trails referring to the trails that drop into the valley below, including by people who built them. As to what the sidewalks and the like are called, I neither know nor care.
http://bb.nsmb.com/showthread.php?t=147764
PS.....
PS again, I guided on them for a season and have lived here since 2007 so I think I know what they are called 😉
walleater you obviously care enough to reply lol! I'll take a pic of the valley trail map when I'm back there tomorrow.
FFS you 2 get a room..
walleater you obviously care enough to reply lol! I'll take a pic of the valley trail map when I'm back there tomorrow.
Heh heh. Go for it. Then you might finally notice that there is a difference between 'Valley Trails' and 'Valley Trail' 😉 They are two separate entities....
Erm, play nice folks. My original intention for this thread was that I was kinda hoping that people would enthuse me about riding in the UK again: C'mon folks!!
best advice I can offer after several vacations (typically 3-4 weeks involving WBP, North Vancouver and the Interior) is to put the 'big bike' away and get some trail riding (we have excellent trails in the UK) or get some BMX riding / racing (again, we have excellent BMX facilities in the UK), or if not into the BMX, then some dirt jump and pump tracks
nothing more depressing (we have a term~: PWD = post Whistler Depression) than taking a 'big bike' to your local spots and realising how damn short and flat the hills are i.e. basically crap, compared to the sheer vertical madness of descending Garbanzo into the bike park at WBP 🙁
Very true. Good advice ES.
Yep. The last time I rode in the UK was some loops of the Long Mynd on a borrowed old GT Zaskar with 80mm travel forks. A far cry from riding Goats Gully or Gargamel, but it was probably my favourite ride of the year! It was so good to be away from all the damn trees over here and rip down some fast easy trails on a short travel bike.
To help clarify:
The 'Valley Trail' is the paved trail that connects all of Whistler subdivisions to the village.
The Valley Trail Network every trail in the valley from Brandywine to Wedge.. including the paved 'Valley Trail'
Yes the Valley Trail network is also the cross country network.
Not really worth arguing about except that if you didn't ride any of the XC trails, you missed out!
In regards to the OP, thats why we have such a high percentage of returning guests.. we (and the riding in Whistler) seem to end up spoiling the riding everywhere else.
I do think however that our guides do enough to develop peoples riding that they can go back to riding their usual trails but with a new level of confidence and open mindedness that hopefully means they can attack their home trails with a new attitude and still have fun.. so.. hopefully you can manage to find a new approach to your old routes and enjoy your old loops still!