Joe lights it up for the Olympics

Rider and guide extraordinaire Joe Schwartz was invited to ride with the Olympic torch in his hometown of Nelson BC last week for the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics. Congratulations Joe!!

Want to ride with Joe in 2010? how about DH'ing in the Alps? Alpenrock.

happy birthday joe

hmmmm...where to start? it was just another ride, or seemingly so. we met up, unloaded our bikes and got dressed and then started climbing up the mountain. it wasn't raining. it was Sunday. we climbed high this time, to an unknown fresh trail that few knew, a trail that you had to hike in off the road and where the loam roosted like a jet boat in the Florida Keys. everything felt really good and the bikes were running exceptionally well, or was it the riders? at times, we'd drop into a short downhill transition with a berm at the bottom and both wheels would drift and then traction would return, almost on demand. drift, carve. bikes where thrown around and echoes of glee resonated in the forest. falltime. great friends. Sunday. mellow vibes. thanks Joe and happy birthday buddy.

Joe, Wade and Arthur's dog, mid-ride.

Dave Norona, birthday boy, Chimonez and me.

wanna ride with Joe and Wade too? Wade's guiding our Costa Rica Pura Vida DH trips, February 19 - 27 and February 27 - March 7 2010 and Joe is guiding our Swiss Alpenrock DH trips next summer, Aug. 13 - 21 2010 and Aug. 21 - 29 2010.

Joe rides iceland

On assignment for Bike Magazine, Kona rider and Big Mountain guide on our Swiss Alpenrock DH trip, Joe Schwartz drops in off of Blue Mountain in the remote southern mountains of Iceland...

Icelandic Mountain Biking from Joe Schwartz on Vimeo.

Photos: Mitchell Scott

riding with Joe in the Alps

Our annual Swiss Alpenrock DH trips are happening as we speak. Want to ride with Joe next year in Switzerland? Keep your eyes peeled here...we're working on 2010 dates and details now and will have them posted very soon. Enjoy the rest of summer!!
Read Joe's Kona Cog blog here.
Thanks to Scott Hagarty for these fine photos.


Schwartzy hitting a little wall ride at the Crans-Montana bike park.


The group of Alpenrock I on top of Gornergrat, high above Zermatt. Looks like a great day!

Joe in Bolivia

Big Mountain guide Joe Schwartz is in Bolivia going downhill, fast. "We are back in La Paz, for a night of connection with the outside world before we continue on with our exploration of this amazing country. The last three days have been spent in the mountains west of the city, in a zone I will not soon forget." Read more...

Want to ride with Joe yourself? Join him in Switzerland this summer on either of our two amazing Alpenrock DH trips - August 14 to 22 or August 22 to 30, 2009.

Help Joe raise money for cancer

Big Mountain guide Joe Schwartz needs your help to raise money for cancer. Click here and donate today!

Schwartzy: the Euro interview

Click here - Read the French version at the top, English at the bottom. Join Joe and his DH bike in Switzerland next summer.