RR: Downieville Gathering 2008

[tkblazer]

Originally Posted by Shu

Motts and I passed you and was passed by you and Neil a couple times on sat...once while you had the rear torn down to fix the flat...

Downieville is my new fav ride....

o ok i think i know which duo you were wish i would have known it was you so we could have ridden together

Originally Posted by dstepper

Good stuff great seeing everyone. Spent one day on the Downieville Downhill stuff then 2 other days exploring some of the other trails in the area. Need to go back much more to explore.

Dean

let me know when you plan on going, i would like to explore the other stuff besides the dh stuffs

[mouse jockey]

Wow. Great Shots everyone! Glad good times were had an no injuries. Love the alpine scenery!

[DeeZee]

Sounds like you guys had a great time!

[art23rockpile]

This was a trip i'll never forget. The memories will begin with the riding... the BEST trails i've ever ridden!

After a long drive up (close to 10 hours with stops), we found a great campsite and were done setting-up in time for a short evening ride. Erwin (eruizela), Steve (kanga), and I headed out to Deer Lake. I think the stats are 3 1/2 miles with 1600ft climbing. The ride up was tough... really rocky, a number of stream crossings, downed trees, and some HAB. Steve's a pleasure to ride with: a great all-round rider and gracious enough to wait up for me without complaint. Hopefully he'll post some pics... I was in such a rush to get riding, I forgot my camera. The ride down was a blast... aside from my one and only crash of the trip, that is.

The next day we had two shuttle runs. How to describe the trails? Awesome... really flowy and quite challenging in places. Our first run included Erwin, Dean, Scott, Liz, Jeff, Lynn, and myself. Sunrise trail: steep and flowy thru the forest, wide switchbacks, great small dirtjumps... Butcher Ranch: steep gravelly jeep trail, techy rockgardens, the "Waterfall"... Third Divide: nice climb, GREAT flowy singletrack, some tech sections with plenty of exposure. After 2+ hours, we hit town, and after shuttling back to the top, it was time for another run.

After buying a map, I found a route to ride solo on Saturday. See my separate RR "D-ville Solo...".

After the riding, the thing i'll always remember about this Gathering was the comeraderie. We made a lot of new friends (a slew of NorCal guys shared our campsite), and got to hang with some STR folk at nighttime campfires and while riding. "Good times" is an understatement!

Andy, when can I RSVP for 2009?

[Fired Yo Momma]

I don't have very many pictures but I will post up the few I have soon. First things first thanks to Neil, Nam, Dave,Tim, Noel, and Jarrod for the great times, great experiances and good group of guys to camp, ride and party with. We all could be stuck camping in Antartica and it would be a great time with these guys. I learned a few things on this trip tubes and a good pump are your best friend. I learned I could still climb after downing a budweiser eating taco bell, crackerjacks, and zingers. I actually thought if Neil's 29er Salsa could speak it woul have told him to F off for the abuse that poor bike went throught the first day. The best life saver tool brought on this trip besides water and booze was Nam's $10.00 shower. At first we were making fun of him with that thing but after the end of the day that shower was a lifesaver. The tazer to the nuts was for 10 seconds for $100.00 was awesome. I would also like to thank Paul from Binicon for being the Bear Grils and preventing us from getting lost. It was cool riding with Kurt from Rocky Mountain funny guy. Kurt go get more pine cones!!!!

Also I learned that the hottest girl in Downiville was the half black half white girl at the ice cream place and that Sonic Burger place sucks arse.

[chongoblanco]

Alright!! carange count for the weekend 6 pich flats, I broken hydration bladder, small tear in a brand new schwalbe tire, lost/broken Ipod shuffle, two days worth of hangovers,

and I'm still smiling and laughing, best ride ever!!!!!!

thanks to all for the best weekend ever, fire walkers rule!!!! thaks to every ones hard work for putting this together neil, andy, klye and the doods frome mtbr!

KURT from rocky is a sandbagger, neil should be the bike tester for salsa and rock shock.
getting to ride with every one was awsome.

thanks to the new friends I made and getting to know others alot more!!! lol

If you want an adventure, and if you ever get the opertunity ride with Paul from bionicon

And if you hear any noise its just sleezy "D" boys! yeeeeaaaaahhh

p.s quad boobs rule!!

[JoeTruth]

There's lots of awesome photos and great RR's by many. I'm in complete awe of the place! Wow, I agree with Oh-Dee, this needs to go on the calendar for next year for sure!

Thanks all who posted photo's and stories. Great work!

One of many calendar worthy photo's. I like this one of Tim with the exposure and the river in the backdrop. Very cool shot, Noel! Plus, it never hurts to see Tim's hot old arss!

[sheclimbs]

What an amazing weekend. We have done a lot of road trips but this one will jump up to the top of the list! Downieville is gorgeous! Some of the most beautiful and exciting trails I’ve ever ridden.

We rode here several years ago when I first started riding. It was quite a thrill to ride and enjoy the trail this time around rather than hiking my way down. Much more fun!

It was a great to be part of such a big gathering, an opportunity to see some new faces including our new friend Irwin – and to hang out with old friends I don’t get to see that often.

Big thanks to Liz for your persistence, coordination, shuttle scheduling, encouragement and as always, entertainment! Downieville was everything you promised it would be!

It was a treat to have Jeff with us thanks for rallying the troops and transporting our posse! Our group wouldn’t be complete without you.

And of course there’s never a trip without excitement or exploration and adventure with my core crew – HHH and the soccer mom…thanks to you as always.

Lynn

Three days of riding and three very diverse rides.

Day one we did two shuttles on the D-ville downhill

My Posse (where's the d-mistress?)
myposse.jpg

Trail views
trailviews.jpg

Two Mann's Munching
twomansmunching.jpg

Day two we did some exploring in the Lakes Basin Area breathtaking views

lakesbasinone.jpg

lakebasinclimb.jpg

Lakestwo.jpg

lakesthree.jpg

lakestrees.jpg

Day three we headed up the hill and did the Sardine Lakes loop

Just when you thought the views couldn't get anymore spectacular...those Buttes are stunning

Scottandthebuttes.jpg

[JoeTruth]

Wow, Lynn. That's very nice!

I like this shot below (minus the rider) j/k Scott!

[chongoblanco]

dude I'm already missing ridding those awsome trails, I keep watching youtube videos of helmet came rides and trying to figure out how to get back up there.

well now that d-ville is over time to go get a job!

[Fired Yo Momma]

Originally Posted by chongoblanco

dude I'm already missing ridding those awsome trails, I keep watching youtube videos of helmet came rides and trying to figure out how to get back up there.

Next time we have to bring a tattoo artist with us and if you let me taze your tongue for 20 seconds then maybe that can help with the money needed for the trip?

[chongoblanco]

Originally Posted by Fired Yo Momma

Next time we have to bring a tattoo artist with us and if you let me taze your tongue for 20 seconds then maybe that can help with the money needed for the trip?

OHHHHHHH NOOOOOOO!!!

[Trizz]

Wow, looks like you guys had a blast, tons of awsome pictures, those trails look awsome, gonna have to go next year.

[KeepsWhatHappens]

Awesome RRs everyone. Thanks for the words and photos. One question: where was Rut? He is conspicuously missing from all the photos. I thought he was going.