Ride Like a Local is a podcast and article series dedicated to exploring the best mountain bike destinations in the world through the eyes of the riders who call these places home. We’ll find out about the must ride trails and the groups that maintain them, and also where to find pizza and beer after the ride.
Penny Deck is the Operations Manager for the Fraser Valley Mountain Bikers Association in British Columbia. She’s worked as a volunteer trail builder with the North Shore Mountain Bike Association for over 8 years and led the NSMBA Trail Academy.
In this episode, we ask Penny:
- Most mountain bikers have probably heard of the North Shore but may not be familiar with the area. Where is the North Shore?
- What makes the NS so unique and special for mountain biking?
- Is the NS a big draw for mountain bike tourists outside of Vancouver and surrounding areas, or are the majority of the riders locals?
- How are the trails organized in the North Shore? Are there a few key riding areas?
- Are there many family-friendly trails in the North Shore?
- Which rides are the most challenging?
- What are some lesser-known trails where riders can get farther away from town?
- Who builds and maintains the trails in the area?
- Are there tour operators or clubs visitors can connect with if they want to ride with locals?
- Where do people hang out after the ride? Are there any bars or breweries that tend to attract mountain bikers?
- Where is the best area to find lodging for a North Shore MTB trip?
- What is the best time of year to visit?
- Are there plans to expand or improve trails in the area?
- Is there anything else mountain bikers need to know before visiting the North Shore?
For more information visit nsmba.ca.
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A lot of the work Penny and the NSMBA are doing is smoothing technical trails to turn them into ‘flow’ trails = NSMBA, the IMBA of the north. It sounds like from the podcast this is in the pursuit of tourism? 30% of trails being black isn’t a problem, it should actually be more. Most of the locals are building their own trails for the desired challenge that’s no longer available. Intermediate riders are loving the smooth trails but the ‘improvements’ leave little to be desired if you like advanced trails. I’ve heard this is now happening in the Fraser Valley. The real Shore is out of bounds.