Crankworx 2011/In the books

The strangest things happen at Crankworx.
 
People are connected in unusual ways.
 
Last year my dad jumps on Fitz with three total strangers.  He really doesn't pay attention to the whose who of the biking world like I do.  He ends up riding the chair with none other than Brian Lopes.

Being clueless seems to put him into contact with the superstars of the biking world.  The funny thing is......... he relates to them and actually makes friends with them without any concept of who they are.  Perhaps his vibe is different because he actually relates to them about issues that really have nothing to do with biking.

Yesterday my dad and uncle were waiting in an obvious spot on the enduro course in order to re-supply me with pb+j sandwiches as well as give me unwanted advice.  They had waited quite a while when another dude who had also been waiting, with full face helmet and goggles in hand, approached them.  He seemed concerned that he was perhaps waiting in the wrong spot as his girlfriend had entered the enduro and he was to swap helmets.

My father assured him he was in the correct spot and that was that.  Unknown to all of them, the race was behind schedule due to logistical issues.  After some time passed my dad decided to walk over to the end of the fourth stage on Blackcomb Mountain and asked the chap if he would like to join both he and my uncle.  The stranger thought that was a good idea and joined them for both the walk over to Blackcomb and then a conversation at the end of stage four.  They spent around 30 to 40 minutes talking about whatever it is that adults talk about.

My father learned many things about the stranger.

He was from the Isle of Skye

The surfing isn't good there because its an inner island but the outer islands have epic surf. 

He had been jumping earlier in the week over at Crabapple Hits and had injured his back and felt fortunate to not be hurt worse.

He was shooting a movie for the next month in Vancouver.

He mostly road "street".

In fact my dad learned so much about this guy that he is certain that at some point he will move to Vancouver.  Without directly saying it the stranger had told him so with his description of the perfect place to live.  My father feels fortunate to have gotten to know him the way he did.

What he did not learn is his name.  Just like when he road the chair with Lopes he did not put two and two together until after the fact.  After finishing the fourth stage of the Enduro I even asked my dad who he was and he just said "some guy into biking from the British Isles".

My dad had just spent the better part of an hour with Danny MacAskill.  Danny might be one of the most talented bike riders on the planet.  If you don't know who Danny is, here are a couple videos to help you understand what Danny is about.

 







Whistler's energy is something else.

Cheers