MOUNTAIN LIFE - Coast Mountains | Winter Spring 2019

72 MLCM WINTER/SPRING 2019 From ancient traditions, Slovenia cooks up pure mountain-riding experiences, big culinary surprises, and a clear vision for the future. words :: Todd Lawson photography :: Mason Mashon June 25, 1991 – Birth of a Nation Throughout much of the 20 th century, life in what was then known as Yugoslavia was a dull, dreary, and often scary affair. Fascist, Socialist and Communist regimes kept the general population under stress, limited economic options and stifled creative expression. To escape, many turned to the freedom afforded by alpine exploration. Mountaineering became a celebrated pastime—one that brought a great deal of tradition and culture to this tiny mountainous region. In the summer of 1991, a new country was born. Home to just two million people, Slovenia became one of the wildest and greenest countries in the world, with more than 60 per cent of its total area covered with forest and national parks. While Slovenians had long revelled in the outdoors, new ideas and creativity flourished after independence and the sport of mountain biking, barely in its infancy, found a foothold. Riding on the coattails of the rich alpine traditions and Europe’s deep road-biking history, mountain biking offered a perfect blend of both—an exciting way to explore mountain passes and the old World War I & II trails that connected Slovenia with Austria and Italy. Mountain biking has flourished here for 25 years, albeit with some growing pains. Many of the 60,000 members of the Slovenian Alpine Association have issues with two-wheelers using, and abusing, centuries-old hiking trails without permission. But the sport is evolving, in a good way. EPIC TRIP