Direct link: https://vimeo.com/640722048/10ff53600f
Sorry for not getting this up earlier! This is just a video explaining some of the details about our new machine, and why we bought it.\
Enjoy!
2021-10-31 15:26:06 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/638240123/1ecf84660b
We found a great opportunity for a little drop that Oscar can follow us off of, so we went to it! This was going to just be a side project that we kind of glossed over or kept in a time lapse, but instead of filmed it—sparsely.
In any case, Oscar loves his drop, and loved filming the ending where he got to follow up down the hill a whole ton of times!
Enjoy the pup vibes
—Seth
2021-10-23 23:36:06 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/636866208/73f96e2615
It's good to get back to building on Berm Peak! This was the perfect spot for a wallride, so we built one.
Kevin hand-cut a spicy connector trail into the hillside right after the rock garden.
This new route will make it possible to bypass the Teeter Cannon when riding in groups, and ride a longer section of trail to Thumb Bucket.
Enjoy!
—Seth
2021-10-20 05:03:29 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/631598688/d7f5941ec7
I wish I could have posted this yesterday, but this truck didn't come out until today. Axial offered to send one, and I told them I would need it for towing on my property. They were okay with that.
Enjoy!
—Seth
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/626885666/4a0176e80a
It was a rough week on Berm Peak! We're used to lots of rain, but it's usually sporadic and not constant. The cooler temperatures are keeping everything soaking as well. The show must go on!
This week, we handle some long needed repairs on our ramps and skinnies, along with a tiny project for the Berm Peak Ranger Station. Enjoy!
—Seth
2021-10-09 13:35:32 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/617513814/b59f441042
My friend at Fox asked for help setting up an event. He had ordered an airbag, but ended up running into delays ordering a lip. As it turns out, there aren't a lot of places you can order a 6 foot booter from without waiting a few months.
In this video, we build yet, another lip.
I think everyone can sense that we've been away from the trails lately. Part of it is personal, and the other part is just the nuts and bolts of the operation here. Expect a return to normality soon, plus a little something extra.
Thanks!
—Seth
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/618338749/00ba007ad4
It's been a while since we lost a whole SD card. My best guess is that it never got imported and was formatted, along with really important footage! This set us back a day, but here we are the following evening, somewhat back on track. I'm glad to get this out early to you, even by just a few minutes.
Enjoy the latest episode of Flip Bike!
—Seth
2021-09-29 21:59:13 +0000 UTC View PostWe have the opportunity to adopt a beloved, serious trail in Pisgah National Forest.
We're still collecting funds here on Patreon, and we could easily afford to do this. Kevin is even getting certified as a trail crew leader.
*If everyone knows what trail it is, we could do more harm than good. So, we would do a video on the repair, but not really make a big show about where it is.
The trail name would be a blacklisted word in YouTube comments, so we would never end up with a massively upvoted comment along the lines of "oh sweet that's Old Man's Knob Trail".
Patron dig days are quite possible, but will need to be insured, and coordinated with the Forest Service and SORBA. I can't see them happening often, but they'd be on the roadmap.
The question is, what do you think of the idea?
2021-09-20 17:20:21 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/605210735/01907a9b03
Sorry I couldn't post this early, but I signed an NDA and agreed not to post this video anywhere until the release date. Reviewing a pre-release GoPro was a very exciting prospect, as we have never had the opportunity to do that before. I'll be up there with all the other "day of" reviews, and hopefully this one stands out as a little more down to Earth.
I always learn about the new GoPro through review videos, and it's always filmed walking in a park, a harbor, or on city streets. Sometimes someone rides a bike or straps it to their dog, but rarely do I get to see how it performs on a mountain bike right off the hop.
From now on (hopefully) you will. Spoiler alert. This is an incremental improvement.
—Seth
2021-09-16 13:00:07 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/602872568/88de22be16
Here's another one in my devil's advocate series, to go live on YouTube a full week from now. We're crunching on a few opportunities that came up out of nowhere.
Being forced to think about the advantages of used bikes, old bikes, and even outdated bikes made me realize they are truly a better decision in most cases. Unless you are racing at a high level, unwilling to fix things, or dead set on a certain style or feature, used bikes are just plain old cool! Here's why I think so.
—Seth
2021-09-12 13:57:10 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/599961583/0fe6975749
The results are in! The drop will be called the Rick Roll, and the up box will be called the Upvote. With a name like Clickbait, nobody will forget why this trail exists.
I'm really excited to show you this whole trail with all t he third person shots. Enjoy!
—Seth
2021-09-08 03:54:08 +0000 UTC View Post
This is the drop at the beginning of Clickbait Trail. A lot of you wanted to name something after Drama, and since he was the gatekeeper of drops this could be a great opportunity, or we could wait for another.
I'm personally open to anything. "The Rainbow Bridge" could be a good one, or even "The Bully Drop". It doesn't need to be literal. "The Drama Drop 3.0" would be simple, but still appropriate in the lineage of our drops.
If you clear this thing past the down ramp it's no joke. Let me know what you think!
2021-09-06 15:38:32 +0000 UTC View Post
This feature is similar to the Pucker Pad on Berm Peak. The technical name for this type of feature is an "up box".
My idea is to name it pucker something, but make the "pad" bigger. This way we pay homage to Berm Peak while representing its size. We could also use "pad" but change "pucker" to something more ominous.
Even an entirely different name altogether would be great, but I'd love to hear your suggestions! Upvote ideas you like the best.
2021-09-06 15:32:48 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/597788299/5f14d7e798
Let me ask you guys a serious question...
Who HASN'T thought of doing this?
Well, now we did.
Enjoy!
2021-09-04 21:57:54 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/593927760/96087dab8d
Yes, I'm actually going to tout the benefits of the 3X drivetrain and front derailleur for MTB applications. Even though I rip on them constantly, there are objective reasons why this old tried and true system still has its advantages. Curmudgeons rejoice!
Sorry for the late post again, we'll be back on track next week.
—Seth
2021-08-29 11:23:42 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/591868308/a91d7a2ee2
Yes, I know! Flip bike for a third time! We're getting back to Berm Park next time, and then Thumb Bucket trail, which has taken on quite a bit of rain in the last few weeks. Trying to build has been a nightmare lately.
Flip Bike is a series we're definitely going to keep going. I truly enjoy fixing up these bikes, and the constraints of needing to make a profit each time makes it even more fun.
This Kona is truly a heavy duty bike, and will probably run forever. It was kind of sad to see it go, but it wasn't my size! Enjoy this one.
—Seth
2021-08-25 01:08:08 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/590515139/ba6f43e3ce
Sorry this isn't as early as usual! I'll blame it on Curt dog. Although fairly elementary, I really wanted to put a blast of this content out to help new riders who started during the pandemic.
On another note, much of this region has been flooded pretty bad, including the town of Canton, which Berm Park is in. Elevated Trail Design lost two UTV's and an entire trailer of equipment. The trails got pretty rocked, but luckily they were built to drain right.
Everything is insured, all is well on our project, but the town of Canton definitely needs some healing time. I let the city manager know to inform me as soon as there's a way to help the residents, some of which have lost their entire homes and even family members. Kevin and I will personally drop off supplies or donate.
Now, I'm rooting for everyone in the Northeast! I hope this storm blows over.
—Seth
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/586419948/3b177c5317
One year after the first episode, we finally got around to doing the second episode of MTB 101. See a pattern here? I'm kind of enjoying doing series...
People really enjoyed that first video, and with all the new riders out there it makes sense to take it a step further. Even if you already understand this stuff, I hope you enjoy it anyway!
—Seth
2021-08-12 21:48:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/585608922/10aa90a71a
Here’s another episode of Flip Bike! I was going to wait another month to do episode 2, but the timing worked out due to weather.
This one was exceptionally fun to build!
—Seth
2021-08-11 03:07:24 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link:
What do you want to hear first?
The Bad News
Berm Park won't be opening this Fall. I had been bracing for this for so long that my original estimate for opening was Spring 2022. Now it looks like that's a safe bet. However much this bothers you, I bet it bothers me more. Still, there's no reason to commiserate.
Elevated Trail Design has been kicking ass, and has been totally on schedule. I'm not really interested in placing blame on anyone. The Southern Appalachian Highlands Conservancy donated millions of dollars worth of land to the cause, the Town of Canton continues to pour more and more resources into the Chestnut Mountain Project, and the final result continues to look better and better.
For a public project being implemented during the pandemic to only suffer a few months delay is phenomenal. Sorry guys, but we're still getting a sweet public park!
The Great News
Elevated Trail Design will return to Berm Park this Spring, at no additional cost to us, to completely resurface the trails for grand opening. The park will be pristine, just as originally planned.
Even More Great News
Remember Nick, the assistant town manager? Well, he's the actual town manager now, and he's been making smart moves. More resources than before are being devoted to Chestnut mountain, and everyone will benefit.
We are also almost finished with Clickbait trail, which I've included a sneak peak of above! This trail is somehow only a 3 minute climb per lap. It blows my mind. This trail contains a Pucker Pad (up box) ! We need to find a name for it.
With the additional delay, I'm going to slow down the video schedule on the project a bit, and spend time dialing in things like the trailhead kiosk and repair stations.
The extra time will also avail some more funds for us to make the trailhead extra special.
Patron Ride Day or Sneak Peak
For the same liability reasons we can't open the park this Fall, I'm unsure when I can organize an exclusive ride day for contributors. People keep asking about it, and I can't really answer until I have a date. Rest assured you will be the first to know!
Thank you all for your help in this project, and sorry to be the bearer of bad news. I try my best to pad time estimates to avoid breaking people's hearts, but this time everyone seemed really confident about a Fall opening. All in all, we're getting a public bike park with world class features. I ain't mad!
—Seth
2021-08-08 14:09:57 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/584116377/b459a0455a
I love tools as much as the next person, but some of the things that will improve your home bike shop aren't so obvious. Today, we'll talk about some of the things here at Berm Peak that make us more efficient and effective at doing bike projects.
-Seth
2021-08-07 17:07:19 +0000 UTC View Post
The Berm Park metal sculpture is finished! (Second picture for scale)
In the picture the bottom section is elevated on casters, but when mounted in the park the tree will stick out over the top a bit more. On either side, we have included sleds so visitors can stand up their bikes for pictures in front of the sign.
I felt this would be a really important piece for the park, as we need something recognizable and iconic for this story to be remembered by.
In the second picture you can see Chukk and I mounting the tree to the trunk, which gives you a sense of scale for how large this frigging thing is.
Thanks again for supporting the mountain bike community in this free public testament to goodness. Weather permitting, I'm filming at Berm Park this week for another video on Clickbait trail! It's wild.
—Seth
2021-08-02 18:54:20 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/581383381/12eb797815
We have seen the swing bike many times, but today we're actually going to take it apart and work on it. Afterwards, we'll see if some people who have never ridden it before can figure it out.
Enjoy!
2021-07-31 12:48:36 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/580112935/766f2d1701
This series is happening—I don't know for how many episodes but I already have more bikes lined up. This can teach the audience (and me) so much about bike repair, the used bike market, and making the most efficient upgrades from a cost standpoint.
Normal parts bin upgrade videos are fun, but having the constraints of actually needing to make a profit adds a whole new dimension. This is why "Flip Bike" will air on Berm Peak. I'll probably do one episode of this per month until it either flops, or proves to be a good format.
Let me know what you would like to see!
—Seth
2021-07-28 03:49:32 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/578673501/a058195485
Join Kevin and I as we ride a few of our favorite lines at Kanuga, and then unload these two bikes.
Although we made two people very happy and had some fun, I don't feel this video came together as well as we had planned. The park got crowded so we needed to cut our shoot short, and we didn't get enough footage to build up how excited these two brothers were.
What I really loved was that both of them were riding Walmart bikes, and totally thankful for it. They would fix these bikes themselves, take them to Kanuga, and pay for replacement parts themselves. That's what we like to see. Now, they'll be donating those bikes, and passing these along as they grow out of them. It seems like a win win!
Enjoy what we were able to make of this footage!
—Seth
2021-07-24 18:53:50 +0000 UTC View Post
I almost forgot about this! Athletic Brewing is contributing to Berm Park among other cycling related causes, and I agreed to go on their podcast. I thought it was a very enjoyable interview with great questions.
This is a good 40 minute listen if you're looking for some entertainment!
Itunes link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/seth-alvo-building-berm-peak/id1492451017?i=1000520662063
—Seth
2021-07-20 17:57:47 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/575918323/98619612a6
This one is full of laughs. My mom has been digitizing old VHS tapes, and we came across some really spicy stuff. One of the clips is an actual tutorial I made when I was probably 13 years old, and it includes tools you would never see in a bike shop.
This one is a little bit different, but it would have been a crime not to make content out of it!
Enjoy, my friends
—Seth
2021-07-17 19:28:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/574735372/61f26871d3
Lumber prices are absolutely insane right now, and we're about to build a whole bunch of wooden mountain bike features. Time to tap into Berm Peak's natural resources. Dead standing oaks around the property are a great source of timber if you can get them out of the woods and process them. Today, we figure out a way to transport logs from my backyard to the saw mill.
This was a really fun video to make. We learned a ton, got to see a saw mill running up close, and procured a large stack of lumber to use this Summer.
Enjoy!
—Seth
2021-07-14 04:47:39 +0000 UTC View Post
Direct link: https://vimeo.com/572884726/de8a688d69
In a moment of insanity, I ordered this back in February. Now it's here, and carnage ensues!
Watch us test this custom built Sherpy thing all over town.
Enjoy!
—Seth 😂
2021-07-09 12:35:46 +0000 UTC View Post
This is a pretty cool article and video! I wish they gave a little more credit to you all in the edited down version, but I still think it's a really nice feature on a local North Carolina news channel.
As things start coming together, Berm Park is going to get a lot more attention.
Thanks again for making this dream happen! Soon, I'll be revisiting the park in videos again as more projects get completed. For the last month ETD has been building access trails to actually get into the property, so there has been less "fun stuff" happening. More to come!
—Seth
2021-07-07 21:40:24 +0000 UTC View Post