First International Mountain Goat Bar Conference - Day 1

[TreeSaw]

An epic weekend of riding and drinking it was!

Friday night, Sq-Earl and I decided to hit our local SMBA trails for a quick ride before our guests arrived. The weather was beautiful, but the bugs are definitely out in force so we tried not to stop much.

Some climbing practice for me:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0178.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0179.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0182.jpg

And jumps for Sq-Earl:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0188.jpg

Just as we’re leaving, we get a call that Echo & Ito have arrived so we get home and the drinking begins. After a short while and some tasty homemade hummus, Deyv & Isa arrive and more beers are consumed before we drift off to sleep.

Saturday, breakfast sandwiches were had and then it was off to Spier Falls for our epic deathmarch ride of glory. We rode for 5 ½ hours (5 of which were climbing) and were treated to some excellent technical singletrack, burning legs, millions of mosquito bites, various cuts, scrapes & bruises, an overlook view, another overlook (that we didn’t need to see, but did anyway ;) ) and a mystery trail roller coaster ride down to the cars.

The Group at the base of the mountain (boat launch area for the river): from Left to right, Deyv, Isa, Echo, Ito, Douglas, TreeSaw & Sq-Earl.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0193.jpg

And so it begins (we’re still figuring out the camera so some pics are a bit blurry…sorry):

Isa:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0195.jpg

Echo & Deyv:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0196.jpg

TreeSaw:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0198.jpg
Ito:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0197.jpg

Deyv:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0199.jpg

Playing on some rocks we have Ito, then Douglas & Echo.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0209.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0208.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0212.jpg

Did we mention the mosquitoes?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0213.jpg

Deyv showing us how to climb.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0220.jpg

Deyv’s got so much style, he doesn’t even need a bike to do stunts:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0222.jpg

A very large owl we saw along the way wasn’t sure whether we were dinner or just there to bother him.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0227.jpg

TreeSaw navigating a steep climb between the rocks:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0228.jpg

Ito showing us how to really climb rocks:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0230.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0232.jpg

Back to the climbing and first up is Deyv, then Isa, TreeSaw & Ito:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0233.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0234.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0235.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0236.jpg

A birds-eye view of Isa & TreeSaw climbing from the cliffs above:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0241.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0243.jpg

More climbing? (Douglas & Ito rockin’ the SS 29ers):
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0246.jpg

Isa & TreeSaw on a scenic ledge climb:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/CopyofDSCF0247.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/CopyofDSCF0248.jpg

Ah, the overlook…the place where we eat, rest and hope that the climbing is done.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0249.jpg

Mmmm…..rocks (Doug & Echo, then Deyv & finally Isa):
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0251.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0252.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0254.jpg

FINALLY…some DH action!!! First up…Isa, followed by TreeSaw.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0257.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0258.jpg

Wait a minute….I thought it was “all downhill from here” Why is Deyv climbing again?
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0259.jpg

Ito & Doug, still climbing on their SS 29ers:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0261.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0262.jpg

Finally, after a DH on the mystery trail (no pics because it’s just too fun to stop and take them) we reach the last section of singletrack that winds through an old restaurant foundation. Echo & Isa showing us how it’s done.
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0266.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF0264.jpg

The aftermath of TreeSaw brushing up against a tree rather lovingly & many mosquito bites later:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5913.jpg

Lessons learned from Saturday’s ride…we never have enough water for epic spier rides, no amount of bug spray can deter the spier mosquitoes from eating us alive, it’s never really “all downhill from here” and Sq-Earl can and will ride anything!

Once home, it was to the showers, grilling some veggie burgers, chicken kabobs, veggie kabobs & shrimp kabobs and we were joined by some other friends for dinner & drinks. MANY good beers were consumed as well as a few rusty nails, some new drink we created involving pomegranate liquor & vodka (which was tasty) and good ole’ bourbon.

The bar Sq-Earl built:
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/DSCF5807.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/DSCF5801.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/DSCF5800.jpg

Various party shots throughout the night:
At one point, Ito had 3 drinks going…crazy!!!
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5874.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5875.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5876.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5878.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5882.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5903.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5900.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5888.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5909.jpg
http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5906.jpg

After countless hours of stories and cheers, we finally headed to bed and were sleeping before the lights were all out.

[splat]

Looks like Dalton doug is his typical lightweight !

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a341/musicace76/Bar%20opening%20rides/DSCF5874.jpg

[JRogers]

Nice pics! That bar looks awesome!

[MMcG]

Nice pic -

Doug - open your eyes man! ;)

[Quo Fan]

I love the recycled chain rings!

[MMcG]

I see some cookies and beer - yum.... cookies and beer!

[douglas]

Nice pic -

Doug - open your eyes man! ;)

haha, you do a 5 1/2 hour ride where the 1st 5:20 is up, and your reward is 10 minutes of down....on a SS!! :twitch:

...just sitting upright was tough!!

[ito]

haha, you do a 5 1/2 hour ride where the 1st 5:20 is up, and your reward is 10 minutes of down....on a SS!! :twitch:

...just sitting upright was tough!!

Hmm, the kid sitting next to you seems to have handled it alright.

Lightweight. :disgust1:

The Ito

[Echo]

Awesome pics and report Treesaw!! And thanks again for your first class hospitality :)

[TreeSaw]

Awesome pics and report Treesaw!! And thanks again for your first class hospitality :)

I'm always glad to host my friends! Hope you're feeling well this evening!

[douglas]

Hmm, the kid sitting next to you seems to have handled it alright.

Lightweight. :disgust1:

The Ito

oh yeah!! well...well...



damnit, I got nothing :hmm:

[I Are Baboon]

Hey, me and MBC also had hummus and grilled shrimp Saturday night. Go figure. :D

That looks like a fun place to ride. Note to self: Convert garage into bar.

[splat]

That looks like a fun place to ride. Note to self: Have MBC Convert garage into bar.


Fixed :D

[McGRP01]

I could cry... :(

[MtnBikerChk]

Fixed :D


LMAO!

Nice pics. One day when IAB and I get the road trip urge, we're just gonna show up at your door!

[McGRP01]

One day when IAB and I get the road trip urge, we're just gonna show up at your door!

The sooner the better! :thumb:

[TreeSaw]

LMAO!

Nice pics. One day when IAB and I get the road trip urge, we're just gonna show up at your door!

You definitely should! We always have a good time :thumb:

[TreeSaw]

The sooner the better! :thumb:

:stupid:

So, what happened to you on Saturday? ;)

[McGRP01]

:stupid:

So, what happened to you on Saturday? ;)

Long story... :rolleyes: Did you call me on Sunday as well? I saw that I had a missed call, but didn't realize it was you until much later. :( Oh, and when are we coming over for dinner!??! :)

[jacksonpt]

Wow, great pics. I guess the only thing that tops that bar (and the included liquor selection) is the ride.