When local mountain biker, Jordan Proctor, isn't seen ripping down a trail, you can find him maintaining bike trails for the Kamloops Performance Cycling Centre (KPCC). Jordan shares his motivations on why he chose to move to Kamloops and how he’s involved with the mountain bike community and culture.

Meet Jordan

Jordan Proctor, or George as the locals call him, was left with a lasting impression of Kamloops when he first visited in 2010. With the ability to sneak a ride in, I was blown away by the easy access and the flowy ride. When I discovered I could drop my bike off to be repaired, enjoy a beverage at a local pub, and have the bike ready for pick up the same day, I was very impressed. Searching for a change of pace and to escape the city life, I made the move a few hours north to Kamloops in 2014.

I began working with the Kamloops Performance Cycling Centre (a non-profit organization) soon after moving here. My responsibilities with the KPCC include building and maintaining bike trails at Kamloops Bike Ranch, Harper Mountain, and Pineview Valley, as well as consulting in the development of pump tracks or modifications of riding facilities in the area. This allowed me to dive headfirst into the manual labour of trail building which I enjoy.

I hate to sound like a nerd, but I used to get extremely excited when new Kamloops videos came out. It was wild how excited they motivated me to ride. And now, being in Kamloops full time, riding with guys that I used to watch in movies and calling them my friends… I actually have to pinch myself sometimes. It’s fantasy camp, no doubt.

We filmed in the Harper Mountain riding area, a downhill playground located near Paul Lake just 15 minutes from downtown Kamloops. There is a parking lot at the bottom across from the BC Parks group campsite and you can pedal up the road to the Ket-R-Done climb trail or up the shuttle road to access the trailheads. There are over ten trails suited for intermediate to advanced riding levels, taking you through the alpine forest; the fall colours make for a magical ride.

Use Trail Karma and donate to the bike organizations and trail builders, like Jordan, who continuously work to improve Kamloops' bike trails.