It's just six minutes and three kilometers by car from downtown Penticton. But when you’re up there, amidst the desert flora and the blue skies and the barren landscape, guarded from the sights and sounds of the city and the whine of boat engines by Munson Mountain, you seem so wonderfully removed from everything.
And then a rider whips by, mercilessly attacking a series of wild undulations that would toss most normal cyclists off their bikes head-first into the dirt, and you suddenly remember you're in BMX country.
In 2018, the local BMX scene shifted from a too short/too small urban circuit at Lion's Park to a wide-open City-owned hunk of land in the literal shadow of Munson. And participants and families alike rejoiced.
Now they had more room to race and more room for all those out-of towners who'd show up for all those big race days.
Since then, times have been pretty good for the Penticton BMX Club. Except for a couple of things.
First, they'd love to have more folks show up and get into the sport. They think the track, hidden as it is on the far side of Munson and accessed by a dead end road a lot of people don’t even know exists, might be hampering awareness.
The second issue -- a course that felt too tame and a bit too stale for its potential -- has pretty much already been handled. And for that, the Club can thank the generous nature of a local excavation business owner and a club member who's one of few adults that still actively races.
Dwayne Mellaart knows the thrills BMX racing can bring. And that's because at the tender age of 47, he regularly rides the Munson Mountain circuit. He adores it, and he doesn't care who knows it.
"I do this because it was part of my childhood growing up," he said last Sunday as we toured the course at 630 Munson Mountain Rd. "The competitive spirit never ends."
When Mellaart's not racing, he's an equipment operator for Grizzly Excavating. And this March, when it was clear the track needed some improvements, he asked his boss for some help.
"Wade (Wagstaff, Grizzly owner) donated an excavator for the weekend (April 2 and 3)," said Mellaart. "We worked eight hours Saturday and another four on Sunday. The truck drivers volunteered their time to drop the equipment off and I'm an equipment operator, so I volunteered my time to build the track.
"I used to BMX race as a kid back in the 80s, so to now give back is awesome."
Now, the circuit's key third corner, a turn that track operator Darren Muir said was "way too tight," is much bigger, with a higher bank and faster racing lines. Both the third and fourth straights were modified too.
Ultimately, the revamped circuit will delivers a faster, more satisfying experience. Even the finish line speeds will be snappier.
Impressively, this wasn't the first time Grizzly has stepped in to lend a hand. Not by a long shot. They were also there last year, and the year the club first arrived at Munson. And they were making modifications to the old circuit years before that.
Unfortunately, the track hasn't yet had a chance to really show its new stuff because the Club hasn’t been able to water and tamp it. And that's a big deal in the BMX world because without watering and tamping, surfaces are too soft and dust is too pronounced.
"The City hasn't turned on the water yet," said Muir. "We think it's because the water lines might still freeze at night."
Still, the riders are grateful for both the facility and the continued Grizzly grooming. With us on Sunday's tour were two teenage competitors -- 14-year-old Marquez Gonzalez and 17-year-old Jason Muir. And it didn't take long to realize just how much BMXing means to both.
"I got into it (BMX) because it's different," said Muir, a lanky dude on an XXL bike who hopes to one day get a chance to ride for Canada's Olympic team.
"It's not hockey, it's not baseball. Everyone else in my class says, 'I play hockey.' And I say, 'Cool. Good for you.'"
Muir just recently got his driver's license, which means he's able to drive himself to the track. He's psyched about that, but he's equally jazzed about last week's track upgrade.
"I really like the new corner," he said, knowing it'll be even better once it's watered and tamped. "Last year it was a lot smaller and way too tight to get around it with any speed."
Muir's also a proponent of new riders.
"More riders would be great," he said. "Of any age group. We don’t have a lot. We need more. I think it's because some people don’t know the track is here."
And he's ready to impart advice to newcomers.
"Usually when a newbie comes and I'm telling them to do things, I tell them the big hill looks scary to just about anyone who comes here, but go down it once you'll be fine. And then they're ripping around like there's no tomorrow."
Gonzalez, meanwhile, is the proud holder of a #1 plate. That means he's the best rider in his age group in his district. That district, "BC04," includes nearly 350 riders and big population centres such as Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops and of course Penticton.
So yeah, this Gonzalez guy is pretty good alright.
"It's fun here," he said. "You get to have competition. Riders come from Kelowna, Vernon, Kamloops, everywhere. And they race their hardest. It's just so much fun."
According to Marquez, the club gets "20 to 25 riders out on (Thursday) race nights."
He's happy with that, but like Muir, he'd love more. He's also looking forward to riding the newly altered circuit once it's properly prepped.
"I haven’t tried much of the new stuff yet because the track hasn’t been watered in so long," he said, "but I'm hoping to soon. I really like what they've done here."
Racing at the Penticton BMX Track for 2022 will commence as soon as the City switches on the water and the course can be prepped.
Action is typically confined to Thursday evenings -- practice sessions begin at 6 pm and competition at 6:30 -- but there may be Saturday sessions as well.
As is typical, the 2022 season will likely continue through to the end of September, but could stretch a little further if weather cooperates.
"We'd love to have more riders to grow our Club," said Darren Muir as we ended our tour. "If anyone wants to get involved, they can go to the Penticton BMX website where they'll find all the info they need. Then they can contact us via email through the site.
"Or if a rider wants to try it out before they decide, they can sign a one-day Thursday night waiver and get on the track when it's in its best conditions."
But according to Muir, non-riders are welcome too.
"We'd love more non-riding members, like me, who will actually run races," he said. "Right now, our board is as small as it can be."
The final word came from rider mom and board member Vanessa Gonzalez, who told us the Club is like a family.
"We help build each other's bikes, change each other's tires, and give each other tips," she said. "We can help rookies with safety tips, what gear to wear, bike recommendations and all of that. And when you get to the national level, we often go camping together at the track hosting the event."
Reach out to the Penticton BMX Club at their website here.
