Likin’ Bikin’ News

Soon after we returned from the big Durango adventure, we were packing up the utility vehicle for some tent-camping in Kernville, at the 17th annual Fat Tire Festival up there. How cool it was to go from the Rockies to the Sierras in a day!

Let’s stop here. If you’ve not attended a mountain bike gathering, like a ”Fat Tire Fest” stop reading, go here, and find one near you. It’s important! Email me if you can’t find one. I’ll help you look. Why? Read-on…

Now, races are cool too, and both are similar in that ‘bunch-of-like-minded-cyclists-there-to-have-fun’ kinda way. But at these non-race focused gatherings, the vibe is completely different. At the festivals, things are a bit slipshod, relaxed, and social. (Yeah, I used “slipshod”) No race strategies, agendas, competitive scheming, start times, finish times… you get the idea.

The Kernville sort of these gatherings is a shining example of this vibe. You get:

• 3 days of shuttle serviced rides on some of California’s best singletrack.
• Atmosphere o’plenty! Camping right there in the middle of it, with your fellow bicyclistas!
• Guides and festaval directors who are passionate about the sport.
• Fun-n-game competitions… like limbo and wheel bowling <– brought to you by Likin’ Bikin’
• Food!
• Camaraderie… Who understands you better than other cyclists?
• Schwag! These things are sponsored by loving, generous, good looking shop owners.

…and what better way to extend a honeymoon for another few days?

So, we rolled into Kernville on Thursday afternoon. Set up the campsite, which included inflating a huge air mattress via an A/C outlet in the trunk of our car, a new 4 person tent for 2, a doublewide sleeping bag (which was NICE!), and a few other luxury items which were requirements of Bri’s before she’d agree to not being in a hotel (We drove past the Keyesville hotel on the way in).

After a great night sleep, thanks to Bri for making the 5-star campsite, it was Friday morning and time to start the rides! Time for pics:

Friday: (Pre-ride talk; fellow SHARE guys; I can’t NOT jump off rocks-n-stuff on group rides <– Keith with the premature picture taking… my lo-tech camera tho)

(Mr. ride guide Jim Scarry; planned water refilling spot on the Kern Canyon ride; one banner strikingly more lovely than the others

(SS legend Keith was limbo bikin’ on the L’B’ BlkMrkt Mob; Sheryl came by and joined us for dinner – nice placemats!; Bri sneaking up on the JetBoil tea)

Saturday = Cannell Plunge day: (Emily taking the pro-line thru the rocks; Ray and James on a PB&J break – these guys are hilarious… and fast!; Emily, Em’s friend, a cabin in the woods, and a butt)

Dan’s Cannell Trail helmet cam… and quite possibly the poorest quality video on the Tube today! I had the camera pointed too far down most of the weekend, so if you get motion sickness from watching this, I appologize.

(Mike attacking the Hill Climb Contest; Bri getting lots of attention (undoubtedly due to the BlkMrkt Mob she’s on); Workin’ on the Foes with the help of an especially helpful Hoss canopy)

Sunday: (As sponsors of this event, we added loads of stuff to the big raffle.. including one of these DT Swiss wheelsets; MRA owner, event creator, and hellofa a good rider, John Stallone… with a bicycle pancake; Back of the event t-shirt… Likin’ Bikin’ will happily be there next year!)

Thanks to John Stallone, Jason, Emily, Scarry, and Mike for the great time and all the laughs. We’re looking forward to seeing y’all again reall soon!