In April of 2024, I found myself in Kamloops, BCโa place where mountain biking is more than a hobby. But in a town full of bike shops, there was only one guy renting mountain bikes. His name? Jay Bearhead. What started as a simple rental became a deep dive into an incredible story of resilience, transformation and the healing power of bikes.
A ride like no other
My family and I spent the day riding with Jay on the trails at Harper Mountain. We did shuttle laps, weaving through Kamloopsโ unique terrain, with Jay leading the way. Between runs, he shared bits of his storyโhow heโd been through the darkest of times and came out the other side stronger. At only 44-years-old, Jay has lived a life full of challenges. As a survivor of the residential school system, his early years were marked by trauma, which led him down a path of substance abuse, homelessness and struggle.
โI was placed into a residential school in Holbrook, Arizona,โ Jay recalled. โIt was tough being thousands of miles away from home and I went through trauma there. When I came back to Canada, I didnโt know how to process what happened. I was an angry teenager.โ
The healing power of two wheels
Jayโs connection to bikes began when a group home support worker got him a job at a local bike shop. โThat was my start,โ Jay said. โIt went from horror to funโworking at the bike shop, riding trails. I didnโt realize it at the time, but it was therapy. Bikes were my outlet, my way of coping with all the traumas Iโd been through.โ
As Jay worked at the shop and rode more, he became deeply involved in the Lethbridge riding scene, even helping to establish the local freeride movement. But as life ebbed and flowed, so did his struggles with addiction. By his mid-twenties, substance use had become a major part of his life.
โI started drinking, and eventually, it escalated,โ Jay admitted. โIt went from having a few beers with friends to heavy drug useโcocaine, crack, meth. That led me to homelessness, first in Lethbridge, then Edmonton, and finally Kamloops.โ Jayโs descent into addiction saw him losing everything: his job, his home, and his connections to the people who cared about him.
Bottoming out
Jay found himself homeless in Kamloops, spending nights in the foam pit at the Bike Ranch between bouts of drug use. His life was spiraling out of control, and then came what he describes as a spiritual intervention.
โMeth, cocaine, crack, um, they obviously affect your sleeping,โ he said. โIt affects your sleep patterns. The highs are very intense, but they last for a very short amount of time, but the come down after is what is really affected. So a bowl of meth, $5. It would last maybe a minute, 30 seconds-to-a-minute. But the effects of it after are ten-to-twelve hours. And thatโs usually just restlessness, not sleeping. So youโre not sleeping for probably close to a week or a week-and-a-half. Wow. And when you do that, itโs psychosis. The medical term for it is drug-induced psychosis. Itโs itโs like youโre dreaming while youโre awake.โ
โSo I was in a cell after being arrested for wandering around in a psychotic state,โ Jay explained. โI was hallucinating, thinking I was on a game show. And in that cell, I had this moment of clarity. It felt like my ancestors were speaking to me, reminding me of who I was. Thatโs when I made a promiseโIโd never touch substances again.โ
And he hasnโt. Jayโs been sober for nearly ten years now and is once again thriving, not only as a rider but as a mentor, guide and advocate for Indigenous youth.
Building a better future
Today, Jay runs Bearhead Bikes and Boards, a company focused on getting Indigenous youth out on the trails, helping them experience the healing power of the outdoors just as he did. He provides coaching, gear and mentorship, hoping to inspire a new generation of riders to steer clear of the struggles he once faced.
โBikes saved me, and now I want to use them to help others,โ Jay said. โIf even one kid latches onto biking the way I did, it could keep them from going down the path I took.โ
Heโs also founded the Ancestors Work Foundation, a nonprofit aimed at providing zero-barrier access to sports and outdoor activities for Indigenous youth. The foundationโs goal is to offer camps that blend adventure sports like mountain biking and snowboarding with cultural education, giving kids the tools they need to succeed both on the trails and in life.
A new chapter
Jayโs back to riding at a high level, sponsored by brands like GT Bicycles and Shimano, but more importantly, heโs giving back in ways that could change lives.
โI wouldnโt be here if it wasnโt for giving up substances,โ Jay said. โAll it took was quitting. Now, Iโm back to living life, riding bikes and helping others.โ
The post The ride that changed everything: a day with Jay Bearhead appeared first on Canadian Cycling Magazine.
