TEAM FBC ATHLETE INTERVIEWS.

EPISODE 4, MORGAN MEGARRY

With the snow beginning to melt and mountain bikes slowly taking over the streets once again, we touched base with #TeamFBC athlete Morgan Megarry to get the low down on the adventures that have kept him busy this winter season – and what’s been getting him stoked for spring.

A retired ski racer turned backcountry enthusiast, Morgan is a true weekend warrior. Spending his weekdays working as a management consultant in Calgary, Alberta, he jets off to the mountains every weekend whether it’s to ski, tour, mountain bike or gravel grind.

A connoisseur of FBC who loves a good Nomad Wild IPA, Morgan joined our team back in April 2020, coinciding with the launch our first low ABV beer Finish Line Hazy Pale with Lime.

So grab a beer, settle in, and enjoy our forth athlete interview…

Photo credits for featured image to: @phillipforsey

FBC: How did the winter go for you this year?

Morgan: It was great! It’s been so different than any other season I’ve had in my life. Coming from a ski racing background, just chasing races, training venues, and travelling the world in that sense, it’s a full 180. This past season I was kind of just a weekend warrior – any day that conditions permitted, Roger and I would go back country skiing and explore new areas like that. So that’s been the athletic outlet over the winter.

FBC: What would you say was the highlight of the winter?

Morgan: We spent a week at a backcountry hut Northwest of Golden (Fairy Meadows) and I just had the best time of my life. We skied as much pow as we could possibly get – it was my first time doing anything like that. It was unbelievable.

FBC: So is this one of your first seasons properly getting into backcountry skiing, seeing that you only recently retired from ski racing in 2019?

Morgan: Yeah pretty much, this is my first full season just skiing for fun. Last season I was recovering from a big knee injury, but this year I got to really go all in and ski as much as I can. It’s obviously a familiar sport, but backcountry skiing compared to ski racing are like… they might as well be totally independent. So it was nice to be an amateur again and keep learning.

FBC: So if I were to ask you backcountry v.s. ski racing, would you be able to pick one?

Morgan: What I will tell you is that I am having more fun skiing right now than I think I ever have. And I can say that pretty comfortably.

FBC: I guess it’s safe to say skiing has helped you keep your head up throughout the pandemic?

Morgan: My week is so restricted – I live in 800 square feet throughout the week and pretty much don’t leave. The contrast of not being able to leave my house during the week, and then being able to go get outside during the weekend in a responsible way makes me appreciate the time I do have in the mountains or outside during the weekend. And because of that I haven’t really had a weekend off in months, which is a good problem to have.

FBC: With the warmer weather, I’m sure you’re also pretty stoked to swap your skis for a set of wheels. What are some of the things you’re looking forward to this summer and shoulder season?

Morgan: I’ve been getting on the gravel bike a little bit more. I’m super excited to be an ambassador for the Fernie Gravel Grind this summer – so that’s been a really great motivator to get me on my gravel bike whenever possible, and just explore a new sport that I’m an amateur at but would like to figure out. It’s a new kind of suffering that I’ve been enjoying. So I’m looking forward to lots of time on my gravel bike, and as the dirt dries come summer I’m hoping to ride as many mountain bikes as I can.

FBC: The Fernie Gravel Grind is such a great local race – we’ll be right there with you, sponsoring the event this year. Have you done any big gravel grinds before?

Morgan: We’ve got some big ones planned for this summer – we want to do the Canmore to Fernie ride.

FBC: That’s a great ride. Any other exciting plans?

Morgan: I’ve got a really tight riding group in Calgary – we’re just a bunch of grown adults that act like we’re twelve. We got brought in by the Sun Peaks marketing team to put together a boys trip opening weekend at the bike park. So we’re going to hopefully go have an awesome weekend there in mid-June.

To keep up to date with Morgan and his adventures, follow his Instagram @morganmegarry. Be sure to also follow @ferniegravelgrind for the latest and greatest on this sweet new local race!