A mountain biker looks back at a wide alpine vista.

Story and photos by Dylan Sherrard. 

There is a hum of alpine electricity filling the air as we ride out from the village and into the hills. It’s a unique buzz to be felt, knowing that between these modern marvels of mountain bikes and trail building innovations in Sun Peaks, what once felt like an elusive summer dream - the one 'big ride' - now seems as accessible as a walk in the park. A mountain biker stands beside his bike with a singletrack alpine trail behind him.

Wind up through the cedars and zip across the meadows, to look around and find nothing but wildflowers, and maybe a scruffy fox if we’re so lucky. We used to wait for that one Sunday, the stars aligning just right so we could chase the big ride. Back then, the ride was an event, a unique task requiring a chance alignment of timing and teammates. And a lot of snacks. A mountain biker stands in an alpine meadow, full of wildflowers, with a camera.

Now, the same experience awaits us on a casual afternoon. What a time to be alive. Much less focused on the challenge, much more focused on the experience, the quiet, and the open canvas available for capture. It’s a collision of accessibility and adventure as we stop and collect the moments, and the unique way the mountains stack up in the distance when we get this high in the hills. New landscapes unfold before us at the crest of each climb, repeatedly revealing unique compositions and the crafty work of local trail builders alongside mother nature. Two side by side photos of a photographer getting his camera out of his backpack and lining up a shot.

As we reach the furthest point of the ride, the world offers up a treat. Nature’s air purifier and the perfect antidote to the summer heat, in the shape of an alpine lake. Drop the helmet and dunk the head at the very least, but a quick swim is on the menu too. Then we pause. The moment is hanging all too easy. And then we dive into the infinite mix of trails for the ride back down. A man kneels by the side of an alpine lake and splashes water over his head.A mountain biker ascends an alpine trail with a camera bag on his back.

The kind of ride that once took all day when weighted with a camera pack and snacks is now an afternoon delight, blurring past nostalgia in a pot of present joy and future ambitions. As we carve our way back down, that alpine electricity buzzing through us, we laugh out loud knowing we can do this all over again, very soon.

A Ballad of Belonging - short stories of the moments that define our ride. A photographer stands at an alpine lake.

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