MOUNTAIN LIFE - Blue Mountains | Spring 2020

WHEEL WELL When we get to the mountain, Phoebe leads us to the rental building. We hop in line, and it turns out that it’s like an assembly line: build your own downhill mountain biker. First we get big kneepads that cover from our knees to our shins. Then elbow pads. Then a chest plate. Next, the massive full-face helmet that looks like what a dirt biker would wear. And finally, the bike, which is in fact gigantic. We’re giggling like crazy as we drag ourselves and the bikes outside. We’ve pretty much doubled in size since we went in! “It’s. So. Heavy,” Jen groans. “And I look ridiculous.” She kind of does, with her kneepads bunching up around her thighs and her elbows almost stuck out at ninety-degree angles because she’s so packed down with the padding. It’s funny to see her so out of her element, and while Lindsay and I look equally silly, I think we’re pulling it off a bit better because neither of us cares about how it makes us look. “Trust me, you’ll feel a lot more confident wearing this stuff when you’re going downhill. And look at that guy,” Phoebe says, pointing at a dude about her age walking by wearing pretty much the same gear. “I know him. He’s a pro racer. He’s been doing this for years, and that’s what he’s wearing for practice.” Knowing that it’s not just us wearing sumo-wrestler levels of padding makes me feel better, like at least Phoebe doesn’t think we’re huge babies who are going to immediately crash. Which may be the case, but I’m glad that we don’t stand out in the crowd. We roll our bikes over to the lift, and Phoebe starts explaining how the chairlift works. We’re at a ski hill, but in the summer it’s a downhill park, which means that instead of chairlifts for skiers, they’re for cyclists now. When it’s our turn, we all nervously walk toward the lift like we’re walking the plank. I try to keep my heart from racing as the chair starts moving closer and the bike rack glides into position. “Have fun, girls,” Phoebe says, waving goodbye to us even though she’ll follow on the next chair. SHRED GIRLS: ALI’S ROCKY RIDE In this excerpt from a new book series, girls’ downhill MTB is front and centre words :: Molly Hurford // illustrations :: Violet Lemay ... 39