There is a certain comfort with the trappings of home. The familiar nooks and crannies of a house that one has grown up in, the hiding places, the comfort that is bred through this familiarity. The trails I grew up on evoke similar feelings. My travels take me all over the world, but my roots run deep into the dark forest loam of the Kootenays, my first home. I recently visited my hometown of Nelson for a few days, and managed to get out for a few mountain bike rides.
More than just the trails themselves, the feeling of re-immersing myself in an environment that nurtured me from a young age was a comfort in itself. The stoic and silent mountains that I grew up in seemed to welcome me as I climbed up the logging road towards the first Kootenay trail of my return. Even the scents of the forest seemed familiar, reminding me of my youthful adventures on the very same mountain.
This is the Viper. Our hydration pack that’s perfect for mountain biking. But how do all its fun features work? Just ask Bike Rumor. They put together a “magical video tour” of the Viper 7, and we liked it so much we’re posting it here. The pack even gets used in the snow, proof of Bike Rumor’s commitment to putting gear to the true test.
We’re happy that the Raptor was considered the “bee’s knees” by bike site 29 Inches. “Something I found incredibly useful, sturdy, comfortable, and impressive during my riding time in 2010.” Cheers to that!
Hello there loyal Bike Blog readers. So you know how we here at Osprey love contests, right? Well, we’ve got another one going, and we’re sure that you want to take part.
Through the end of the year, we’re pushing to get 10,000 fans on Facebook. Along the way we’ll be giving away a plethora of packs from our new Spring 2011 product line. A few of our lucky “likers” will receive a very special visit from Osprey athlete Timmy O’Neill!
For you cycling fiends, we’ve got Vipers and Verves up for grabs, as well as some of the new Momentums!
We just had to post this photo, taken by Shannon Galpin of Mountain 2 Mountain.
Founded in 2006 by Shannon, M2M is a non-profit that creates education and opportunity for women and girls in conflict regions. Today, M2M is a burgeoning nonprofit that has touched the lives of hundreds of men, women and children in Afghanistan. Not only has Shannon managed to launch projects across the war-torn country, but in 2009, she also became the first woman to ride a mountain bike in Afghanistan.
According to her, “apparently even dodgy Afghan boiled water tastes better coming through your hydration packs!” Thanks Shannon!
