ESPN.com work

My work continues to appear on espn.go.com/action/freeskiing/ ESPN's skiing arm. Last week an article on Recon Instruments MOD Live went up. I used the Vancouver company's GPS enabled goggles last year and they changed the way I skied. Being able to see my speed on a little screen inside my goggles pushed me to ski faster all the time. It was fun.

This year the company is upping their game by adding Bluetooth connectivity. Plus, you'll be able to stick them in goggles from three different companies. Read the article here.

Shell game: jackets are my gig

My basement is filling up with dozens of jackets, the fodder for my contribution to Outside's Spring 2012 Buyer's Guide (http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-gear/summer-buyers-guide). Like in 2010 I'm reviewing shells for the biannual buyers guide.

I ship shells across the west to avid outdoors friends, mountain guides, sea kayakers and on testing trips. Plus, I try and abuse every shell personally. It's hard work and I love it.

Whitehorse mountain biking

Typical riding in Whitehorse. Ryan Creary photo.

If you think it's getting dark where you live imagine what it's like in Whitehorse, the capital of the Yukon Territory in Canada, where they have about six hours of daylight right now. But don't feel too sorry for these hearty folk they need to rest up from summer.

As one mountain biker told me on my recent visit to the north, "There's enough light after work that we'll go for a ride before dinner and again after."

I would too if their trail network was in my backyard and I had 20 hours of daylight, like they do in June. There's more than 10 kilometres of buff singletrack for every resident of the sprawling city of 26,000. Add in double track, paved paths and old mining roads and there's about 700 kilometres of trails to explore all within the city limits. And it's not just quantity.

During a four day visit in September with photographer Ryan Creary I rode some of the best trails of my life. The shot above is his from our first ride above the Yukon River. It's an out take, he's got hundreds more.  I am about to write an article for Canadian Cycling about the trip and I'm looking for an excuse to go back.

Writing for Restless Josie TV show

Restless Josie with climber Sonnie Trotter.

Watch CHEK TV Thursday at 8:30 and you'll hear my work. For the last few months I've been writing voice overs and monologues, helping with research and organizing logistics for a new TV show called Restless Josie. My name appears as chief researcher on the credits.

The show combines adventure travel with adventure sports. The first episode included a surf contest in Canada's beach capital Tofino and travel to the west coast rainforest. Next up is Crankworx Whistler, the world's biggest bike festival, and all the other fun to be found in the resort playground. Other episodes include a beach party in Kelowna, New York City for fashion week and the richest surf contest ever, the Calgary Stampede and climbing in Squamish.

It was fun combining my writing skills with my contacts and knowledge in the adventure sports world.

I'm looking forward to hearing more of my work on the little screen throughout the fall.

Yeah, I finished the BC Bike Race

Feeling the pain after stage one in Cumberland

It was by far the hardest physical accomplishment of my life: 7 days, 30,000 feet of climbing, 350 kilometres. The BC Bike Race is an annual seven day mountain bike race that jumps from community to community in southwestern British Columbia. Dubbed the "ultimate singletrack experience" each stage traverses the best of the local trails.

My buddy Paul LaPerriere and I entered last winter and trained hard all spring. We both have families and almost full time jobs, which made getting in shape for 50 kilometres of riding a day a logistical struggle every week. But in July we did it, finishing 22nd in teams of two, around the middle of the pack in the 470 person race.

I wrote about what I learned during the race for one of my favourite websites, TheGearJunkie.com. I have a few other articles planned.

It was one of the best weeks of my life full of amazing trails, tiring uphills and flowing descents. My favourite stage was on the Sunshine Coast from Sechelt to Langdale - 40 kilometres of fun singletrack ending with a 10 kilometre descent. Sick.

The Squamish stage was another epic and the week finished on a high with a long, exciting final plunge down Whistler's Comfortably Numb and into the Lost Lake Lake trails.

Would I do it again? I could probably be talked into it. I'm definitely looking for another race like it somewhere else.

Busy BC summer

My daughter Paige with her first trout.

I can't believe it's already mid-September. What's even more amazing - this is my first blog post since the end of June. In the next few posts I'll bring you up to speed with what's been keeping me busy writing, playing and performing.

Lately I've been wetting the line, that is, fishing. Salmon returns are looking healthy for most areas of British Columbia including along the east coast of Vancouver Island. One of the most amazing stories of recovery comes from just down the coast.

In the mid-90s most fisheries observers figured the Nile River was dead.  This year the Nile Creek Enhancement Society are expecting 100,000 pink salmon to return to spawn. Let me put this in perspective: pink salmon average about five pounds and almost two feet in length. Nile Creek might be 30 feet wide. Old timers around here like to say that you could walk across rivers on the back of returning salmon. That may be possible on Nile Creek this year all thanks to an impressive rehabilitation and hatchery program and a huge team of volunteers.

Despite the success Nile Creek, like most of the rivers south of Campbell River, are actually closed to salmon fishing. You can only fish the estuary and foreshore. Basically any waters effected by the tide. I'm heading out tonight to try some shore fishing with my daughter. Wish for tight lines.

Salmon aren't the only fish on my radar. There's some excellent trout fishing in the lakes nearby. We fished Upper Campbell and Muchalaht Lake this summer. I can't say we slayed them, but we did pull in a couple - check out the picture of a nice hatchery rainbow trout.

When I actually want to catch fish I call up my buddy James Fisher at Fishers Island Adventures. He knows the fresh and salt water around here as well as anyone. I've never struck out with him at the helm.

BC Bike Race here I come

For the last six months I've spent a lot of time on my bike. In fact, my wife has complained more than once that I've spent more time riding my bike than...uhh, never mind. All that training was for what will be the most grueling and challenging adventure of my life, the BC Bike Race.

The seven day, stage mountain bike race begins in Cumberland and then loops around the Strait of Georgia to Whistler. After a tough day of climbing in Cumberland racers travel to Campbell River, Powell River, Sechelt, Gibson and Squamish before the final stage in Whistler. Like the Tour de France, each day riders pedal off a 30 to 65 kilometre mountain bike race, navigating the best of the local trails, before moving on to the next community. Nights are spent in a tent city quickly erected and collapses by an army of volunteers - two are oceanside.

In total I'll log about 350 kilometres during the week. I feel as ready as I can be. Now I'll just see if all those early morning and muddy rides were enough.