personal stories

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I'm not guiding yet. Why?

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I'm not guiding yet. Why?

People all over the world are affected by the COVID-19 crisis, us included. It has been and still are intense time for us and the world. After more then three months the Spanish state of alarm was lifted on June 21 and most of the European borders opened again.

Which ment that I was allowed to guide again. When I look at my Instagram feed, I constantly see happy messages of other guides and bikers in Spain and Europe that they can guide again. Not me I am not ready to guide again. There are a few reasons for that

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How to create a dream bike shed for free during Spanish lockdown?

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How to create a dream bike shed for free during Spanish lockdown?

Ever since last September I wanted to re-do my barn and turn it into a proper bike shed. Only until the Spanish government locked us up due to corona mid March I had time to really start thinking, designing & working in the re-construction of my bike shed.. The goal was to use recycled material only , not spend any money and create a space that really is a sanctuary for my mountain bike passion. Have a look to see if I succeeded.

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Bike review - my new Commencal META AM 29 TEAM 2020

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Bike review - my new Commencal META AM 29 TEAM 2020

I choose the Commencal enduro bike over their trail bike, because I wanted a bike that gets me down some of the hardest trails in Zona Zero and Puro Pirineo with more confidence. Commencal nailed it in terms of designing the well balanced looking META AM 29 and a great paint job. This bike makes me a better mountain bike guide. This is the best bike I could possibly ask for as my next guiding bike. It makes me a more confident mountain biker, which is important because that gives me more energy to focus on guiding clients.

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Unbeaten Adventures in Up/ Down mountainbike magazine

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Unbeaten Adventures in Up/ Down mountainbike magazine

it is an honour to be in the mountain bike magazine that helped me become the mountain biker I am today

I am humbled to be in the Up/ Down mountainbike magazine with an article about all the beauty Ainsa & Zona Zero has to offer. And beyond stoked that I am on the cover too, that to me was a huge surprise. Up/Down mountainbike magazine was a huge inspiration for me back when I still lived in the Netherlands and now I appear in it myself.

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Support your local business NOW! Drink Rondadora beer.

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Support your local business NOW! Drink Rondadora beer.

Due to the lockdown, one of my favourite local business is also having a hard time. The Rondadora brewery has seen revenue drop to a minimum, because all the restaurants and bars are closed. They sell in supermarkets, but there main market has gone.

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New guiding services, new webdesign, & updated identity.

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New guiding services, new webdesign, & updated identity.

Shall I go ONLINE with the new website or NOT? So I was really excited about the new Unbeaten Adventures website and all the new things we developed for the upcoming guiding season(s). And then Covid-19 happened. Due to the corona virus the the world came to a standstill. Spain went in to a lockdown and it is now forbidden to ride my mountain bike. And the outdoor industry is going to have a massive crisis, just like the rest of the world. But I am releasing my new website anyway. Why? First of all because I am quiet proud of the result after the amount of thinking, designing and work I put into it. Second because it might inspire you to keep on doing what you love. I expect I need to change things because the mountain bike & tourism industry is going to change a lot and I have to adapt my guiding business accordingly. The mountains and its trails will not go away and they are here for you to enjoy in the near future.

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Becoming a Kona Ambassador for 2020 part 1

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Becoming a Kona Ambassador for 2020 part 1

Ok I am doing this. Applying for a Kona Ambassadorship for 2020. I am doing it in public by writing this as a blog…This part 1, if I don’t become an ambassador it stays part 1 otherwise we are going to have a series of blogs as a Kona Ambassador. Let’s see. Wish me luck!

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The joy of being a mountain bike guide in Ainsa, Zona Zero

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The joy of being a mountain bike guide in Ainsa, Zona Zero

What is it like packing up your life and moving everything to a new country to start a new business doing something you love? Just read on

Ever since my studies 20 years ago I wanted to work in the mountain bike industry. I studied Product Design and when one of my fellow students started working at Ghost bikes, I wanted to work in the bike industry as well..