Bertl Bikes

I kind of understand, but mostly don't get why just after Christmas is busier than Christmas itself. Yesterday in rentals was busy, today was MENTAL. So, I no longer work in Lift-ops here in Revelstoke. Lets just call it a misunderstanding/miscommunication/massive screw up shall we? #notjobstoked Fortunately I had a part time job in rentals - like working in a grocery store, not something I had planned to do this winter. Not as bad an alternative though, and the rental team/managers have been awesome. I'm working enough hours to keep me going and will be full time there very soon. When I was part time it was EASY, the days I worked in there, nothing seemed to happen. Turns out that was just pre-Christmas, and now we're really busy. Not quite 'Whistler' levels of busy, but not far off for such a little store! On the bright side, at least I'm not in boot fitting. Those guys have days that make mine look pretty easy. Today was 7:45-5:15, but there it could have

*Photo updates to the last blog have been added* To have such a good group of friends here, once again, I was looked after at Christmas. My friends from Whistler - Cam and Sam (a pair of Kiwi's) hosted a group of us at theirs for a great Christmas dinner. Not only did they have a turkey, potatoes and wine, but they managed to rustle up the salad they had requested I brought, but couldn't source as all the stores were closed on Christmas day. I did contribute a little, although maybe a little selfishly. The other day I gave Cam a book on making different types of bread, something he's already been very good at, but there's no hard in more ideas is there? Possibly I'm just looking forward to him making another fantastic loaf though! I also left them my bottle of wine - they already seem to have plenty though, so maybe we'll just have a party soon! Cam and I worked together over the summer as bike instructors, and we help look out for eachother when we can.

...and we went touring! Touring (for those not in the know) is climbing up a mountain to ski or snowboard back down, or simply 'touring' to a destination on ski's/snowboard. For ski's you need specific bindings and boots, as well as 'skins' to go under the ski's to give you grip as you go uphill. On a snowboard, it is called 'splitboarding' because you have a snowboard that splits in half down the middle to make skis, then you also need some special bindings and skins. So where's the fun in it? After all you spend hours going up a hill, for. just 10-45 minutes of descent. Honestly, from what I have done, it is mostly the experience of being with a group of friends and achieving something you've not done before. The climb up is, understandably, hard. The way back down can often be some of the best snow you've ever skied, but the run might be steeper or more technical than you find enjoyable, or the weather could change, you could even fi

First off, it's going to take more than one blog post to really answer that question! When we get down to it though, essentially; like any living space, the nicer it is, the happier you are to spend time there. To clarify: Last year I was in a van from Dec 1st till mid Feb, in Whistler, in a pretty standard winter. The reality? It was nothing like those Vanlife video's you see on youtube, it sucked. My van was too small (a 1996 short wheel base Dodge Ram van), cold, cramped and unhomely. This year I have a van that is big enough for a double bed AND 4' of changing space (a 2001 Ford E150). Because I bought it as an essentially bare van then kitted it out as I wanted, it has all the features I wanted, in the way I want. I have plenty of storage space, a double bed, a double burner stove, running water (when temps are above 0 degrees), a changing area, a power inverter, good insulation and wood paneling everywhere! The trade off is that this set up has, unsurprisingly,

Was had today. It's snowed the last 2 days, and today it cleared up, giving us good weather AND lots of fresh snow! I was too busy boarding to take photos, but I had a lot of fun. The morning was spent riding with my friend Anne and her husband, Tim, the afternoon with a colleague. We hit drops, fresh powder in bowls, fresh powder in trees and almost got a virgin run down a piste. With an 8am start, we finished on the mountain at 2pm and were knackered, but somehow I still made it along to a mini bouldering session with a friend this evening! Now I am tired and tomorrow I will be sore, but today was epic! Days like these are why we lead the life we lead.

I had one that has really stuck with me, earlier this summer. One afternoon on my way to work I bumped into a guy I knew, I barely knew him though - at the time I couldn't even remember his name or where I knew him from. He was looking a bit down and I just asked how he was doing, after a moment (you could tell he was debating whether or not to talk) he told me his best friend had just died back in Australia. I just turned around and gave the guy a hug. We spent a minute or so like that, while he just sobbed into my shoulder and it's been something that has stuck with me since. The way we can have a moment where someone who is almost a stranger, can provide the comfort you need in a time of struggle. He went back to Aus for his friends funeral and the next time I saw him was back to normal, but it was a profound moment for me.

Well, that's easy. Currently I am living in Revelstoke. After a year in Whistler, it really was time for a change. Reading my last blog would surely have conveyed that, but despite everything I wrote, I was actually finally settling in and making some really good friends there. I was getting to the stage I was enjoying it for more than just the snowboarding and mountain biking, which made leaving almost hard. The 'new' bike - a 2015 Kona Process 167. Fun as it is, it definitely comes with it's own problems. A bit like finding this spot! It was a total pain to get to, but stunning once I eventually did! This is in Cumberland. I took a week off at the end of my time in Whistler to explore Vancouver Island a little - I'd heard great things and knew there was some great biking to be had there. I visited Victoria, Sooke, Duncan and Cumberland and would love to go back next year to spend some time in Cumberland and explore the places I didn't have time to view.

It's weird, once I actually got to Whistler, I basically stopped blogging. Still, here's a bit of an update to my life over the last year. Winter: Once in Whistler I got a job working in ski rentals for the mountain. My boss was nice, the team was average, and I worked downstairs in what I titled as 'The Dungeon'. I can firmly say that were I to do it again, there're things I'd do differently! During that time I also failed to find accommodation so on Dec 1st I moved into a van. It was an old Dodge Ram van SWB. SWB stands for short wheel base, which also stands for 'bad choice' when choosing a vehicle to live in! After 2 and a half months I finally managed to get into staff accommodation. From that moment on, I was warm! My room mates were good and I got out boarding as regularly as possible. Oh, and I also broke the cartilage that holds one of my ribs to my sternum in a snowboarding crash. Not as painful as breaking a femur, but very unpleasant!