Got home the other night from Stevens Pass Washington. What a rad trip. We wanted to head down there (Strand, Claire and I) to take some photos in their brand new bike park built with the help of Gravity Logic this summer and the timing and players involved with the trip couldn’t have worked out better. Mason Mashon agreed to join us at the last minute to ride and work behind the lens and he proved to be the perfect addition to our crew. Mellow, hilarious, hardworking and an incredible rider…ideal!

Strand takes a turn behind the lens while Claire and Mason take turns shredding.

On the first day we rode a shuttle trail in Leavenworth. Gnarly. Totally not what the three of us are used to – sandy, hot (like 36 degrees hot), exposed and with pretty big jumps. In half a day, we managed to get one scouting run in and another to shoot – high intensity, high consequence. Fun. So glad I was with Claire and Strand and Mase – it was the perfect crew to learn some of the features on the trail with and manage the heat with great jokes.

The next morning we were up bright and early to play at Stevens Pass. They have done an incredible job there on the trails they have done so far and they were super kind to have us there. Pro shuttled us all morning, we had lunch with their amazing crew…it was perfect. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, Stevens will be the place to shred nearby!

That’s pretty much all the info I’m going to share for now – we’re putting our work together on this and you’ll see more of it somewhere soon!

Thanks to Joel Martinez at Stevens Pass and Tom Pro for the kindness and hospitality. We had a great trip and we really appreciate the help!

-Leishner

I think we were home from the island for 4 days before we turned around and headed east.  After the WORCA Swap (gotta make room for the new stuff on the way!), a few days at Fanatyk Co and a ride with Strand, Billinghurst and Morland in Pemberton, we packed back up and rocked over to Fernie for a few days with Team Leishman. We made sure, however, to stop at my old weekend warrior stompin’ grounds in Invermere to do a pedal up Mt. Swansea.  I learned to downhill there and it was kind of funny (not at the time, but still) to pedal up the road and choke on shuttle dust to shred a trail that was waaaay more fun on a little bike than it used to be on a big one. Sure was nice to see it again – reminds me of camping on the side of the shuttle roads, drinking way too much at night and shredding my face off with my friends all day long.

First off, 13 hours to drive in one shot is ridiculous. My parents cannot understand why I chose to live so far away from them and it is times like those that I totally agree with them. At least the pedal up Swansea broke it up for us. It all became totally worthwhile after seeing my parents’ new amazing 950 square foot dream home (made of concrete, with an elevator and an outdoor shower) and getting fed an epic mom dinner when we arrived. The icing on the cake was getting to Fernie and hanging with my sisters, their new kids (Marcus and Nate) and their dudes. We also rode a bit while we were there which is always an awesome time.

Chuck Leishman is a genius. 3 years of blueprints, ideas and construction gives you this little gem in Elko, BC.

I thought my parents were crazy when they bought this piece of land. I guess I was a bit off.

Guard dogs.

Evening ride in Fernie with my sister's dog Rigs. So good in Ridgemont. Kinda like Fernie's own Lost Lake trail network, but with no people and long, sustained descents that take you back into town. Soul rides.

We got back home before we knew it. Seems kinda ridiculous to rock that far outta town just to turn around, but I had to be back for the first Whistler Dirt Series camp.  That’s a whole other story (that I will for sure write about this season) but it was a great time and I saw some women do some rad stuff during the camp. If you’re ever in the neighborhood and want a fun, mellow environment to challenge yourself in with some really awesome coaching, you should check it out.

Man. Wish my family lived closer!

Up next: more trail shreds, bike park time, a trip to Grande Prairie for Gravity Logic and full on summer!

-Leishner

Well this really should be the first post people actually read on the site as I am a few hours away from telling you all it exists.  It’s been a bit of a learning curve for me to get this thing running and it wouldn’t have happened at all if it weren’t for Ian Harker.  I’m nervous about it.  I didn’t want to call it sarahleishman.com but leishner.com was just as lame.  There was more of an urgency to just get this thing up and running than an urgency to think of something as clever as “whistlerdiaries.com” or …”pinkbike.com”.  Hah (sorry Seb!).

I’m still learning the ins and outs of how to use this thing but my objective is to have an outlet for writing about my life in Whistler while I work to afford bikes, ride them faster and to teach other people how to ride them better.  If you have feedback for me, my email account is listed on the “About Me” page (and I will cry if you tell me I suck so that’s hardly a challenge, now is it). I’m pumped. It’s a start I can live with and hopefully over time this thing will have an organic development process that feeds the creative hunger I’ve had since I moved to this town.

Here’s a photo. I have more but you’ll have to keep checking in to see them.

Whistler Bike Park 2010. Jelley photo.

-Leishner