About 100 mountain bikers made their way to the top of Diamond Head help celebrate a first for Squamish - the opening of a provincially-funded Squamish bike trail.
Enthusiasts congregated at the start of the 3.4-km Half Nelson Trail on Sunday (April 18) morning to witness the official "ribbon" cutting - actually a bicycle inner tube - before zipping down the machine-made trail built and designed by Ted "Big Red" Tempany.
Tempany and several volunteers spent seven days a week for seven months working on the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts (MOTCA) funded trail.
"Hopefully there's more of this to come, the first of many new trails. It's a progressive new trail so be weary. Roll it a whole bunch of times slow before you try to hit stuff fast because it bites back," Tempany told the eager crowd before heading down the trail with Motorhead's Ace of Spades blaring into his ears.
With hoots echoing in the background while riders set off on the course, MOTCA recreation officer Norbert Greinacher said typically one kilometre of trail costs about $50,000 to build, but Tempany managed to build more than three times as much for the same amount of cash.
"We got a lot of value added," said Greinacher.
The Half Nelson trail is named after SORCA government liaison Mike Nelson, who played a key role in securing the government funding.
"First of all it felt like 'I'm not worthy' type of thing," said Nelson with a laugh. "Why are you naming it after me? I just did a bunch of paperwork."
Squamish Off Road Cycling Association (SORCA) president Dave Gillie disagrees.
"Mike found the funding and got it done for all of you for your community so without Mike's input and interest in this biking community we wouldn't be able to rip this trail today."
MOTCA also stepped up and funded a $7,000 shelter, bench, and an information board for the trail.
West Vancouver-Sea to Sky MLA Joan McIntyre said the project was a collaborative success.
"There's been a lot of hard work done to pull the groups together," she said. "This is just a great and wonderful example of culmination of efforts."
After his first run down the trail North Vancouver's Jonathan Armstrong called the trail fun - very fun.
"It's the fun-est trail we've ridden in a long time. Maybe ever!"
His riding partner, Squamish resident Kirsten Sollid said the Half Nelson is "outstanding."
"It's worth doing laps for, you wouldn't just go up and ride it once," said Sollid who has been mountain biking for 20 years.
"It's a little play land in there. There were men - grown men- giggling riding down there, they were having so much fun."
Sollid said the trail would likely please a wide range of riders from the experts to moderate riders.
"You can go at it at whatever speed you feel comfortable with and still have a really good time. You definitely want to ride it once without going super fast because there are some tricky, sharp switchbacks."
