I am in Rockland, Maine with my wife Caryn, a bit of a long day to get here. Started at 4am, got to the airport, checked in, paid through the nose for my bike as usual, proceeded to customs, they pulled me aside because my travel plans were suspicious, they questioned me for about 30 minutes, finally got out, and proceeded to get the full security check feel down and bag search, then finally we rushed to our flight that was actually departing 25 minutes sooner than on our original schedule. Starving on the plane we ordered the only food they had which was a dodgy ’snack pack’ and a ‘right pack’ of pre packaged food, along with some tepid tea. With an hour long layover in Chicago that turned in to a 5 hour layover, we finally arrived in Maine and amazingly our patient ride, the owner of BikesenJava, Chris Christie and his son Hayden, were still there waiting for us. A typical travel day!

Yesterday was a blast at John Henry bike shop in North Van. I did a show, but the highlight for me was racing an ‘88 Norco Rampage in Jay Hoots dual speed stunt course, good times! Jay, you put on an awesome event buddy!!

More from Maine soon, should be a fun week of shows!!

I have just arrived home after a month on the road, a fantastic month of shows that took me through Northern BC, down to California for the Sea Otter Classic, across to Toronto for demos at The Green Living Show, then finally to Ottawa for a shop show. After mixing in some very early morning photo shoots, breakfast TV shows, and late nights, and not enough yoga, my body decided it had had enough, so now I am at home in bed, sick with either bronchitis or pneumonia, and strep throut. Have you ever gone through an exceptionally busy time and right at the end, when all commitments were done, got really sick? Our bodies way of giving us a forced rest.

For me though, it’s tough, this rest is short lived, I have to pick up my trailer and get ready to perform on Saturday. Hopefully the antibiotics kick in in time, because it’s hard to cancel a show that is being advertised on the radio, and in the newspaper, some people make an extra effort to see me, and I have known people that travel a fair distance to do so. Even if it is just one person, or one kid that is bummed, that is enough for me to grit my teeth and make it happen. One worry is being contagious, but as I understand, after two days of antibiotics, people around me should be in the clear; or is that an old wives tale? Robin Coope, hopefully you can come announce for me buddy, like the good ‘ol days where you couldn’t get a word out of my mouth!

So the last demo in Ottawa  (well technically Gatineau), my symptoms were starting to show. The weather was cold, but clear, and I had been up at 5am in Toronto, to get a photo shoot in. Of course traveling to the shop, and eating nothing but ‘Timmies’ and ‘Coffee Time’ didn’t help with my health. I then started setting up my old demo structures which live out in Toronto. I was at this shop last year with my ‘nice’ western demo set-up, so as far as the look and flash, it’s a step down. Managed to muster off the show, sign a whack of posters, and all was good, and my petty worries about performing on my old stuff was a non-issue. Friendly folk there, even took me out to Dinner, thanks JF!

Once I muster enough energy, I have a little video tour edit of the Green Living show to post, I was so excited to have been a part of that event, and wanted to share some of it with you.

Thanks to everyone who helped me out over the last month, couldn’t do these tours without all the great people along the way. 

Nice!! 

Ryan

There’s nothing better then getting in to a yoga routine, mixing some classes with some solo practices at home. For me though, routine is a foreign word. I travel extensively as a professional mountain biker, and since February this year, have performed over 160 trials shows. Yoga is the last thing I’d give up because it’s the only thing that keeps me going!

I ask so much of my body doing what I do, so no matter where I go, I am sure to make time for yoga, and have never regretted waking up early to do so. I can always find space to practice while travelling, even small hotel rooms can be rearranged for the appropriate footprint. If I can open a window and turn off the air conditioner, that’s a bonus; glaring ceiling lights have to go off too. Then there is the issue of that nasty carpet, and in plank position, you get a pretty good idea of what you’re dealing with. I often grab an extra bathroom towel to lay down at the head of my mat, so that deep inhalation in to upward dog doesn’t include a bunch of dust mites, not a good visualisation!! Another thing I do is lay my mat down the same side, thus keeping a ‘clean side’ for practising on, a clever idea I thought until my wife Caryn pointed out that when I roll the mat up, the dirty carpet side always touches the practice side, there goes that theory!

In a way, mountain bike trials is like yoga; I have to put my bike and body in a variety of contorted balance positions which ideally require a clear mind. In this state of ‘no thought’ the best results seem to occur, both externally and more importantly internally. With riding these ‘clear mind’ moments are deep (my physical well being depends on this!), but at the same time are very short lived (the length of the riding challenge). With yoga, I find I can have a clear mind for longer, but perhaps not as deep (that internal dialogue always pipes up). This long lasting clear mind is of course the biggest challenge for an encultured westerner like myself (I’m lucky to have 10 seconds of this!).

Hotels often have deserted fitness rooms or outdoor decks which serve as great practice areas and if the weather is nice, it’s worth looking for a peaceful setting outside. On my recent Canadian tour (drove from coast to coast to coast), I decided to do some camping along the way, and found lakeside practice spots a couple times, and then went back to the campsite for some extended savasana in my hammock, good living!!

After a good year of solo practices where I tended to flow in to my favourite positions, I think it’s time to increase my pose database and push myself a bit, looking forward to some great Fall classes with Eoin Finn!!

I think one of the emerging ethical questions of our time might be as to whether the carbon footprint of our jobs is justified. For example, travel is a huge part of my career as a professional mountain biker; and air travel is particularly harmful to the environment. Is the amount of pollution I emmit through my job worth all the positives that may come from it? Am I making enough of a difference to influence humanity toward a more integral and harmonious lifestyle? Or is my jaded western value system still tricking me, even after all the research and reading I have done, in to believing my role is important enough to travel the world?

I of course have had to justify this to myself in order to keep proceeding with my lifestyle. With this thought in the back of my mind though, I have seriously considered every trip I have been invited on, and the trips that I do agree to, I have been making sure my contribution while on the road is as complete as possible.

Education about the environment is important, this is why I linked up with The David Suzuki Fountain. When I am speaking at a school, or performing at a public event, I reference this foundation, and give out brochures about global warming. After all trips, I also ‘offset’ my carbon emissions; this has to be one of the best ways to justify polluting (although always as a last resort, reducing is the most important), as there is really no such thing as going on a trip that is “carbon neutral”. Anyway, this is enough of a rant for now, it’s nice to get these ideas out of your head and on to paper (well computer), somehow, doing this just makes the thoughts just that much more real.

Happy day everyone,

Ryan