Ryan Thibault and Vince Hempsall discuss the finer points of Vermont mountain biking while skiing in B.C.
Maybe it was all the snow. Or the coniferous trees. Or maybe it was the fact we were 2,751 miles from Vermont. Whatever the reason, graphic artist and avid mountain biker Ryan Thibault and I conceived of the Mountain Bike Vermont guide book while on a backcountry ski trip in British Columbia. Of course.
While skinning up the slopes of the Kootenay Pass in south-central BC last March, we began discussing the fact that mountain biking was hugely popular in his home state and that people were travelling from New York, Quebec and other New England states to hit the sweet trails there. Only problem was, they didn’t exactly know where the trails were because there wasn’t a comprehensive guide book to show them the way. Even locals were having a hard time finding out all the beta.
I had just finished a rock climbing guide and was flush with knowledge about the book publishing process so I casually mentioned to Ryan we should put together a guidebook and ensure everyone has all the beta they need for epic, two-wheeled fun.
So, while standing knee-deep in snow in a different country on the other side of the continent, we agreed to create Mountain Bike Vermont – the comprehensive guide.
And then we dropped in and promptly forgot everything about tires, treads and trails.
Until now.
Let the fun begin.
