Reflecting on a Year of Adventure
A Dream Build for Winter
The year kicked off in style with the arrival of my new Ibis Ripmo V3 frame, soon to be adorned with a stunning array of bronzy-orange Hope components. The anticipation was real—especially for the 155mm carbon cranks and the mighty V4 brakes. Some might call those brakes overkill for a lightweight trail bike, but for me, with my horribly damaged thumbs, they’ve been a total game-changer.
Spring: Trails, Bluebells, and Building Momentum
As winter faded into a super-dry spring, I began to build confidence on my beautiful new bike loving the feel of the shorter carbon cranks and, oh wow… those brakes, game changers! The mountains and forests sparkled and slowly turned from their winter brown into bluebell-scented fresh green. Our steep, winter trails disappeared once again for their off-season snooze under their thick green head high bracken blanket.
Work at RideHigh MTB picked up pace. Guided rides, laughter-filled ladies’ weekends, wild swimming, yoga, and coaching sessions all blurred together in a haze of sunshine and dusty trails.
Whistler: Redemption and New Skills
Before I knew it, it was time for our long-awaited trip to Whistler. My last visit in 2016 had been overshadowed by injury and peri-menopause struggles, but this time I was healthy, fit, and ready to ride.
What can I say? Whistler and Squamish really are paradise for mountain bikers. Everything is simply perfect: The trails – even the hand-built climbing trails are something for a keen trail builder to wonder at, the bike park, the connecting cycleways, the lakes, the people, the food, the vibe are all just so good. Highlights for me were the jaw-dropping quality of the non-bike park trails. The descent from Top of the World to Creekside via the perfect loam of Millionaires Ridge was a real highlight. I must add that on these huge descents, in the past, I’d have been crippled with hand pain and cramps due to my damaged thumbs, now, with mighty V4s – No problem. Also, having pretty much resigned myself to probably never properly getting to grips with bike park jumps, after a coaching session with Lizzie (Arbutus Bikes), some kind of magic happened. I confess, I sat in the dust and wept after clearing every jump on Crank it Up. Proof that old dogs can learn new tricks!
Back Home: Giving Back and Looking Forward
Returning to North Wales, I jumped straight back into guiding and coaching. A real August highlight was working at the Limitlass Festival in Dunkeld—an amazing weekend spent networking with an inspiring team of women coaches and guides. It’s moments like these that remind me how powerful our community can be.
September brought the rain—and the realization that our local trails had taken a beating over the dry summer. As trail maintenance season began, I was heartened to see so many new volunteers joining Trail Collective North Wales. Their energy reminded me why we started: community, connection to nature, and protecting our trails for the future.
What’s Next?
The rest of 2025 will be about rebuilding—both my body and our trails! The gym, physio, and yoga studio are calling. As Chair of Trail Collective North Wales, I’m preparing for our AGM and continuing our quest for a formal agreement with Natural Resources Wales. And of course, I’ll be donning my Christmas tree costume for our legendary TCNW Christmas ride!
Thank You, Hope WMN
A huge thank you to Hope WMN for your support this year. Your products have made a real difference to my riding, and your community has inspired me every step of the way. Here’s to more adventures, more learning, and more women on bikes!
Words & Pictures : Kath Goodey