Archive for the ‘Travel’ Category
A mid tour trip back home!
Sunday, June 13th, 2010Day 2 of the 200 km Ride to Conquer Cancer from Toronto to Niagra Fall is under way for over 4000 cyclists. They collectively raised 16.1 million for cancer research and prevention. I had the pleasure of performing yesterday in Hamilton at the mid station party, such a humbling but yet positive vibe.
I have now been on the road for 49 days, travelled 12311 km’s in my truck and trailer, presented/performed at 31 schools, performed at 10 bike shops, taught 3 yoga classes, did a mtb xc race, and of course last nights RTCC. After the show I drove up to Toronto, dropped my truck and trailer off, and am now waiting for my flight back home to BC. Yup, a mid tour trip home! A good friend at Norco is kindly driving my rig 3800 km’s back to Alberta where I’ll pick it up in 9 days to continue my adventures toward Whitehorse in the Yukon. I am again feeling so grateful for so many reasons, it’s almost overwhelming!
Peace!
Friday Afternoon, gotta chill
Friday, June 4th, 2010Hello from the GTA, hanging out in Pickering right now, trying to get some serious ‘rest on’ so I’m ready for a show at one of the biggest shops in Ontario, Bay Cycle, tomorrow. (Noon sharp for anyone that is local)
Crashed during the last school show today, slipped out on the back wheel and landed on my now bruised sit bones. First proper bail of the tour, but I’m fine, finished the show, and might do some yoga to limber up…maybe I’ll play my didgeridoo partly to vibrate some healing blood flow to my low back and sit bones, but mainly to acknowledge my jealousy that Caryn is going to see Xavier Rudd play in Vancouver later on tonight!!!!
What a great week though! Yesterday, one of the police officers on the Pedal-For-Hope team came up with a skit for an elementary school. I pretended to be a photographer during their presentation, then he pretended to set up to jump over a couple staff members, making it sound legit, finally, the bike was taken away from him out of fear and they asked the audience if anyone else might be able to do it instead, I jumped in, pretended to be just a novice, and then leaped over them. We scared everyone because no one new I was going to be at that school! Good times!!
I watched at least 50 kids get their head shaved this week, many of them were girls! Lots of full locks to be made in to wigs.
I also put one of the cops on the spot and made him sing “listen to your heart” by Roxette in front of a thousand high schoolers because earlier he was joking around with me about one of my quotes in my presentation. He stepped up and busted out in song, it was great!
Nine schools in total this week, plus an awesome mountain bike ride with the Shimano crew in Peterborough. Gotta rest up!!
I feel so grateful to everyone I have met while on this tour, it has been epic in every way so far!
Ryan
PinkBike Post
Saturday, May 22nd, 2010Just a quick link to a blog post I wrote for PinkBike. Click Here. It’s the first of three posts I’ll share on that site during my tour…
Ryan
Blasting Eastward
Saturday, May 1st, 2010It’s snowing! I’m in Wolseley Saskatchewan staying at the Banbury House Inn, a 105 year old mansion with quant old rooms. Did a quick yoga on arrival to stretch out my stiff and cranky driving body. Making quick progress toward Winnipeg where I have two school presentation on Monday followed by a poster signing at Bikes and Beyond at 4pm.
Stayed with a friend last night in Eastend Saskatchewan. He is a multi talented dude, trials is one of them, and another one of his passions is building and playing the didgeridoo. I’m traveling with one that he made, and so we got to have a little jam last night…well at least he jammed and I made a bunch of disconnected noises that would scare a dog away (as one person on FB commented). I did have fun and learn a few things though! Many thanks Kevin!!
For any yogi’s, coincidentally, this uber small town, of like of a few hundred people, is the home of Dr. Georg Feuerstein; and my buddy Kevin is taking yoga classes with his wife Brenda. So cool!! Both are brilliant brilliant human beings as far as I can tell. Here’s a quote by them.
“Tread lightly on this Earth.
Be kind to all creatures.
Live simply.
Consume less.
Avoid air travel.
Find alternatives to car travel.
Delight in a vegetarian diet.
Grow your own food if possible.
Use water sparingly.
Lobby for a saner, healthier world.”
My road trip candy is dried mango. I bought a $45 bag of it. It is so sweet and yummy…to bad I made a mistake and it is instead papaya, lame.
Did I mention it’s snowing and is very very flat here.
Still on the yoga thing….I’m teaching yoga in Fredericton next week. Here’s a blurb from the studio owner Stephanie:
As you may remember, I mentioned earlier this winter that we were having a guest Yoga teacher from BC arrive in Fredericton to perform a Bike Stunt show at Officer Square, and it just happens to be next weekend! Ryan Leech will be landing with all his tricks in Fredericton for May 8th, to perform a crazy wild stunt show that simply must be seen on Saturday, May 8th at 4pm in Officer Square, free for all to come and enjoy! Then, once he’s rested up, Ryan will be leading us through a Vinyasa Yoga class on Sunday, May 9th from 6:00-7:30pm here at the Satori studio. As you know, space is limited, so sign up as soon as possible to join in on this one time opportunity! Ryan doesn’t come to town very often, but hopefully Satori and Savages Bicycle Shop can be a home away from home for him when he does make it! To sign up for Ryan’s class, email me at enlighten.satori@gmail.com
Seeya’ll!
My Cross Canada Adventure Begins
Sunday, April 25th, 2010Knocked off a short 4 1/2 hours of driving today, the first warm up drive of my cross Canada tour. I’m in Penticton, BC right now, I have two school shows tomorrow, plus a yoga class in Kelowna in the evening—busy first day! (Yoga is at OranjDance starting at 6:45pm and is a fundraiser that benefits Pediatric Cancer Research-check out my fundraising page-more to come on that)
So I pulled up to what looked like a clean cozy hotel, it was pretty late so I didn’t want to be too picky. First odd sign was that the attendant at the front desk didn’t know how to swipe my credit card. Hmmm. Anyway, got my key, grabbed my things from the truck, walked in the smelly room and looked at the caved in bed, hmmm, pulled the sheets up and spotted a bed bug, eeeee. Caryn and I had done our research from previous encounters, there was no doubt. Not good. I booked it out of there and put myself up somewhere decent. Might do some camping this tour!
I’m just downloading a couple new songs right now to add to my yoga playlist for tomorrow nights class. It’ll be a 75 minute long session, I think it might be a hard class, I have to go over my routine after writing this blog. I always like to mix my yoga classes up a bit, different each time, some spontaneity.
Well, I’ll sign off for now. More soon….and hey, don’t let the bed bugs bite…
Ryan
Yoga at The Sea Otter Classic with Ryan Leech
Thursday, January 14th, 2010Hi Everyone!
The 2010 Sea Otter Classic is coming up April 15-18!
My focus at this world renowned cycling festival will be to perform trials shows in the pit area (see schedule below); but as a side bonus, I’m happy to announce that I’ll be offering free morning yoga classes for anyone that is interested.
So this blog post will serve as a reference for all those riders who might be interested.
Whether you’re racing, watching, working, exhibiting, or performing, the goal of this class is to charge you up so you’re feeling amazing for the day ahead—loose body, primed muscles, and a clean and clear mind. Nothing too serious, just playing yoga!
Instructor: Ryan Leech
When: April 16, 17, 18
Time: 7am – 8am
Where: Chapparel Campground B in the Meeting Building
Style: Vinyasa Flow
Level: All levels All good
For Who: Everyone welcome
If you have your own yoga mat, please be sure to bring it. But I’ll have a few extra just in case.
For an interview with Ryan about how mountain biking and yoga fit together, check out NSMB.com.
Feel free to ask questions in the comments feild below, I’ll do my best to answer!
If you’d like to check out a trials show, I’ll be at booth 755. Come on by for daily shows:
Thursday: 1 and 3
Friday: 10:30, 1 and 3
Saturday: 10:30, 1 and 3
Sunday: 10:30 and 1
(photo-Harookz, chain line from CRUX)
Looking forward to see you there!
All the best,
Ryan
PS-If you’re looking for a mountain biking and yoga holiday, check out the one I’m hosting with Boreale Mountain Biking in Whitehorse, Yukon Territories, Canada 
Ride and Reach with Ryan Leech
Thursday, December 17th, 2009My friends at Boréale Mountain Biking in the Yukon Territory of Canada have an incredible mountain bike tour and accommodation operation going on. It is a dreamland for mountain bikers, and after filming a segment for The Ride Guide TV show last year, I knew I’d be back, just didn’t know when, how, or for what.
Another glorious view while on a ride in Whitehorse
A small section of a never ending singletrack downhill
Then a vision came to me about combining mountain biking and yoga in a retreat like setting, and figured there would be no better place than Boréale’s Yurtville in Whitehorse. With Sylvain and Marsha to lead us to all the best singletrack, and myself to work in mountain bike skill development along the way, we figured we were on to something. Throw in my daily yoga sessions/workshops and gourmet catered food (by a fellow rider), and the idea just came to life! We quickly carved out the week of July 3 – 9th for the offering.
One of the many yurts in Boreale's Yurtville headquarters.
The bike blender inside the dining yurt. Breakfast of champions!
There is a certain feeling I get when out riding, it’s hard to describe; most riders know it, but describe it differently. While thinking about some of the custom built log rides and woodwork spanning from giant rock to rock that I rode in Whitehorse, I remember a feeling of my bike and body becoming one, time being suspended, my awareness expanding and becoming razor sharp, the incredible trail flowed effortlessly, I felt ease, I felt flow, the moment stretched, and a great big perma-grin grew.
Short break while taking in the view of the Yukon River.
A couple pups along for the adventure. The ride finished down at the water in the distance.
Getting in the zone often happens randomly, as if by accident, but there are certain things one can do to increase the likelihood of it happening. This is one of the often neglected topics I’d like to talk about and progress during the retreat. It is such a powerful state, and truly indescribable, my weak description above didn’t come close to what it actually felt like.
Often times that feeling is only experienced while on the trail, the only way we have access to this high is by taking off to go riding again…not a bad thing, but imagine integrating this experience in to your everyday life, having access to this kind of experience during the mundane moments, and using it to inform and grow the quality of our daily lives. Yoga is one way to help establish that connection. If you’ve signed up for this holiday, you may already know the benefits of yoga practice. There will be some form of yoga every day. Riding and playing yoga for five days, whew!
Teaching some lunchtime yoga at the Norco Office...
Sylvain from Boreale and Myself atop a great climb.
Generally, the style of yoga I teach is a vinyasa/flow/power, so it is pretty athletic, but since we’ll be going on some epic rides, I’ll modify the yoga practice as need be, some days may need to be pretty mellow, some a little more intense. We will also do a workshop style practice and get in to the details of each yoga pose, and the alignment necessary to keep your often abused joints healthy.
This is a retreat to spoil your senses and an opportunity to explore your edge…then go a little past them. We are going to dive in to the big mountain riding experience, deepen and expand it, fill it out to the max. Skills developed, fears acknowledged, pure pleasure embodied. Whatever your reason to come, it is our (Boréale & RL) common goal and intention to provide and set the stage to fulfill all your riding and reaching desires. Let’s have some fun, eat well, play yoga, and rip it up on our mountain bikes!!
Ryan
Sea to Sky Trail
Wednesday, October 7th, 2009Earlier this Summer, I spent a day filming to help out with some promotion for the new Sea to Sky Trail. This multi-use trail is already open in sections and will ultimately run from Squamish to Whistler to Pemberton, and on to D’Arcy. Pretty sweet! Working with Jack Christie is always a delight, and getting to hold a boom mic for Dr. David Suzuki was an honor The team that put this promotional film together did a fantastic job. The purpose of this film is to generate interest and support for the completion of this important project; so please check it out, and picture yourself exploring by foot, bike, wheelchair, or even unicycle, this spectacular part of the world.
Pre-InterBike Ramble
Friday, September 11th, 2009Hi Folks!
The approach of the InterBike Trade Show and Convention in Las Vegas acts as the end of one riding season and the beginning of another. Over the past year, my goal was to lighten my load of demos and focus on other areas of my career; while that was more or less the case, I still managed to perform 58 shows, and many of those were full Trials of Life school presentations. Mix in a variety of sponsorship obligations, magazine articles, photo-shoots, advocacy work, and filming sessions, and all of a sudden a year blows by!
Some may know that playing yoga has been an important background activity of mine for the past five years, but recently it has come to the foreground through my desire to share the benefits of the practice with others. The 200 hour yoga teacher training program I embarked on finishes the day before InterBike starts, and I’ll be throwing myself in to the teaching world by offering a “Free Morning Yoga Session with Ryan Leech” on Sept. 23, starting at 7:30am in Casanova Room 602, at the Sands Convention Centre.
I leave tomorrow for Ucluelet, BC, the sister city of Tofino on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. This is the venue for the rest of my yoga teacher training. Though I won’t have my bike with me (except for my pavement bike), I may get out in the waves for some surfing…actually, it might be required by my teacher Eoin Finn who is huge in to surfing. Should be ten days of intensity and chillosity (is that word)…two things every yoga practice should have!
If you have some good ideas about a trials show demo set-up, please pass your ideas or drawing along to me at trials@ryanleech.com; after four years of shows on the same stuff, I’m excited to mix it up with a new trailer and a fresh obstacle design. I need the obstacles to have a quick set up and tear down time as one of my plans for 2010 is to launch another Canadian Trials of Life school tour, on which I’ll be visiting and performing at multiple schools everyday. Whew!
Project Blue Sky is up and running and looking good! If you’re curious about how much of an effect your carbon friendly modes of transportation have, then please sign up and start using the handy dandy kilometer counting widget. You can embed the widget in your blog (just look to the right on my side column), or link to it in facebook, it’s pretty cool. The goal of this athlete driven, student directed project is to inspire concrete action to fight climate change, that concrete goal is one billion kilometers of carbon friendly travel which incidentally would balance the amount of CO2 emitted indirectly from the Vancouver Olympic Games. It’s a big goal, so if you ride to work, or take the bus once-in-a-while, log it up at Project Blue Sky!
Happy September Everyone!
Yukon Days
Thursday, July 30th, 2009The days have been long (approx 20 hours of light) and full during our visit to Whitehorse, in the Yukon Territory of Canada.
Yurts rock! Boreal Mountain Biking’s Headquarters (Yurtville).
Josh, the cinematographer/editors from The Ride Guide setting up for a shot beside a caribou antler. We’re on a mountain above Carcross, about one hour south of Whitehorse. This ride was called Mountain Hero; it is historic because it follows the path of the old miners that built a wooden tram line over century ago. Check the image below.
Our host and guide Sylvain pushing up to the top of Grey Mountain for a trail called Money Shot and Easy Money. That’s the Yukon river in the distance.
Today we’re hitting the town getting some scenic and lifestyle shots, some yoga in the park shots, farmers market shots, bike shop shots, and then we’re going to hit the trails for some evening sun.