What happens when you mix 30+ mountain bikers from all over the West Coast and shake them around in a giant bus? Apparently good times, lots of stories, and stacks of memories.
Our friend Quoc Phan of Tam Bicycles in Mill Valley put out the call months ago, and having participated in a similar gathering two years back, we knew this was a weekend we couldn’t miss.
The weekend didn’t disappoint. With three days of riding planned, balancing the amount of energy expended on each ride can be a challenge, especially coming into the season after a long winter with periods of inactivity.
Aside from Larison Rock, every ride begins with a climb to the trailhead from the shuttle drop-off. With summer already feeling far too short and with dozens of trips planned over the upcoming months, pacing ourselves and the amount of exertion was key to ensuring the fun will continue for the full season.
Our friend Quoc put it best:
On many of the trails you could go so fast that the only thing keeping you from going faster was the voice in your head asking you how hard did you want to eject when you finally got tired and clipped something.
The group did well as a whole – no one got lost thanks to the guiding skills of Shawn Litson, who managed to herd over 30+ riders down the mountain in one piece. (aside from a few skinned elbows at least!)
If you want to roll into Oakridge and get shuttled, you can stop by Oregon Adventures, the local outfitter. Alternatively, you could register for Mountain Bike Oregon, which provides a similar experience, packing three full days of riding plus camping, breakfast, and mechanical support.
A capable trail bike is all that you need to enjoy the weekend. Quality tires and large rotors are nice to have if you plan to open up on the descent. I’m generally happy with 6″ rotors on my trail bike, but wish I had spec’d my bike with 7″ models by the end of the day.
