Orange County Firefighter Flies On Mountain Bike Trail

HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA —If you are hiking in Laguna Canyon and hear "rider on your right!" be sure to get out of the way, quick.

Mountain Biker and Huntington Beach Firefighter Wes Peebles was recently named "one of the fastest non-professional downhill riders" you'll see in southern California, and these are his home trails.
Just watching the above video can set your palms to sweating. Still, this former motocross rider has taken to the sport of mountain biking as a duck to water.

Peebles sold his bikes when he moved to California to become a firefighter, according to an interview WorldWide Cyclery.

"I met some friends who took me on a mountain bike ride, and I was hooked from there," he told the online magazine.

"Thankfully, my work schedule is flexible enough where I can make the time for the races, but it’s also sometimes unpredictable as you guys know with the latest big fire here in California," he said in the interview. "For the most part, I can take time off needed to ride and race the bike."

According to Peebles, GoPro doesn't capture the slope of the Laguna Canyon trails, but his videos showcase some of the steepest rides that Aliso Viejo and Laguna Beach have to offer, with a -48% slope.

The ride isn't for the fainthearted, as the videos show. Traction on those trails, with loose sand, winding curves and dips, is hard to come by, he says.

He does not endorse going "off trail" and reminds all riders to "ride at your own risk."

Peebles also surfs, snowboards and enjoys backpacking, camping, and fishing, he says. Still, the mountain biking is purely for the joy of it.

"If you can't stop smiling, that means that was a fun ride," he says.

Read more at www.worldwidecyclery.com

Youtube Screencapture