I squinted against the acrid campfire smoke and tried not to breathe it. Here I was, sitting at a campfire with people I have never met before, talking about RVs. But it wasn’t long before we were reminiscing enthusiastically about our shared experiences. Our conversation wandered toward the good old days of cross country/downhill mountain bike racing. We had both competed in the BC Cup circuit and the Test Of Metal mountain bike race. We could have met in those days, in the early 2000’s. However, fate had us meet here, in a remote campground, some 25 years later. It’s funny how fate works.
It’s been so long since I’ve had the opportunity to trade stories with people about those joyful memories. And my companions were too- happy to swap stories in the presence of the warm glow of a campfire.
And then Missy Giove’s name came up- what was she up to these days? Was she semi- hobbled by old injuries like us? She had, after all, endured more than 40 fractured bones and 10 concussions in a career that saw her take 14 NORBA championships by storm.
I hadn’t thought about Missy for years. In addition to being a fearless champion downhill racer ,Missy was an absolutely wild and driven woman who refused to accept the stereotypical female role in a patriarchal society. She smashed sterotypes with abandon and precision, all at once. Missy had pink hair and facial piercings before they became popular with the “in” crowd. She wore her dead pet piranha on a lace around her neck. He had become a kind of a magic good luck charm that allowed her to fly over downhill courses with astonishing speed and grace.
Even though she was 10 years my junior, Missy’s fearless attitude and riding style greatly inspired me as I flew over jumps and navigated technical descents (albeit with far less grace). Missy was amazing.
All this happened at a time in history when very few other women competed in mountain bike events. There were so few of us, that in my first race, I competed against a meagre lineup of 5 other women. Because there were so few of us, they lumped us into a single category that I think the famous Alison Sydor won.
Anyway, back around the warmth of the campfire, there was enthusiastic conversation between kindred spirits. Camping creates a magical atmosphere that allows us to enjoy conversations with people that we would never otherwise meet. The world needs more of that.
Lynne Fedorick is an RV expert and experienced outdoor author who has written hundreds of articles for RV Life, RV Trader, and other leading publications. She evaluates RV gear, portable power systems, and emergency preparedness equipment for real-world RV travel. Lynne is the founder of RVAdventureGuide.com, offering RV travel tips, reviews, and destinations from a uniquely Canadian perspective.
