Growing up in a surf city on the east coast of Australia, the concept of the “early bird gets the worm” was learned from a young age. Regularly up at the crack of dawn in an often failed effort to get the goods before too many others hit the water, it didn’t take the eager grommets long to realize why there was so much secrecy around spots that saw good, clean waves on a regular basis.
Anyone who skis or snowboards can no doubt relate with the concept, often finding themselves in lift lines while the sun still hides behind surrounding mountain peaks. The addiction to getting those three or four fresh turns or perfect, glassy barrels all to oneself can often result in normally respectable human beings turning into complete, frothing, rabid monsters — ones that will trample their own mothers to get what they desire and keep the secret from their closest of friends.
This same mentality appears to have permeated the cycling community, resulting in riders quietly disappearing into the woods seeking a fresh patch of loam that someone is often still breaking his or her back to finish. They heard through their friend’s brother’s co-worker — who saw a photo of fresh loam on the interwebs — that there may be a new trail, beyond the red stump on the left but prior to the gray rock on the right...
The search begins, and once found, these riders will ride the patch of loam to death, often beating it into the stage of a trail three years its senior in a matter of weeks. Despite having not lent a hand to build or being asked to go ride it, they’ll do so while swearing in blood to only tell a certain few of the new goods.
This completely common phenomenon in Squamish, Whistler and the whole Sea to Sky leaves many shaking their heads in complete disbelief, as they drop into a trail open less than a week, only to realize it appears a lot older. Those who couldn’t contain themselves in the hunt for brown pow have had their way with the new trail, long before it was officially announced.
We’ve been lucky enough to be given access to a number of new and exciting additions to the local networks this spring, some shrouded in secrecy while others are ridden a little raw and unfinished (the builder’s choice) and for those wondering why there is so much secrecy around the builds, just think back to the secret pow stash, or the glassy waves of which you were so protective.
It’s time we give the builders and their help a break. Yes, they are building the trails for the betterment of the mountain biking community and for all to enjoy, but they also want to make sure their vision is perfect for all when opened, with their bonus being the ability to sample their hard work while testing it for the masses. We’re so fortunate to have these hard workers as part of our community and if that means they have a secret trail, a Spot X if you will, for a minuscule amount of time while working their magic, then go right ahead.
Next time you hear of a potential line being built, sit back for a second and think about it before rushing to your bike, still yanking on your pants and reaching for the helmet. The trail will be there for years to come once it is opened and if everyone respects the builders enough to stay out until they’re ready to reveal their creation to the world, it will be completed sooner. In many cases the early bird indeed does get the worm, but it should never be at the expense of someone else’s hard work being prematurely ruined.
A.J. Barlas is an avid Squamish mountain biker with deep roots in the local cycling community. A transplant from Down Under, he posts his own ramblings and creative works on his blog at www.straightshotblog.com and is also currently writing for Vital MTB.
