By Doc Branney

There’s nothing like getting to listen to how a group ride went, when you were the one stuck back at home working. So, after 3 weeks of hearing about how cool the trails were, how fast everyone rode, how much Proctor can eat,  it was finally our turn to get in on the fun.

We pulled out of Darner’s after work on Thursday with 5 RPM riders and all our gear, and headed west.  Even with dry roads, It’s a hell of a long haul to Vegas. We pigged out on Mexican food in Junction (they’re right, it’s great!) and kept driving until we couldn’t take it any more. After a few hours sleep in the local Motel6, we ate some breakfast (we were only 2 miles from the all you can eat B&G and didn’t even know it), and headed on in to Bootleg.

After we staked out rooms in a hotel that looked like it was built from an abandoned Anasazi ruin, complete with empty swimming pool and WiFi (Chute must have WiFi),  we headed up to ride. We shuttled the dodge up the hill and then pushed up to the top. Matt and I hadn’t been on DH bikes  since Final D, so how do we get to warm up?? Zach points out the “easy” route down.  WHAT!?!? Zach’s itching to go, so he takes off, Matt’s already got that evil gleam in his eye (he came defective from the factory without a fear gene installed) so he takes off. Uh-oh, no one left, it’s dad’s turn. Even the easy stuff has lots of exposure, scary looking lava rock with amazing traction, and lots of loose stuff that might as well be made of ball-bearings.  First run,….UGLY! I get to Zach and Matt, and they already have huge grins, and I’m gripping it so hard I’m about to bend my bars. We headed down to Snakeback, and suddenly things are just flowing.  Turns, berms, g-outs, little drops,  stuff just keeps coming. We get to the truck, and I realize I’ve now got the same grin plastered to my face.

We knock off runs on Friday until the sun goes down, by that time all that travel is really catching up to us. We got some food, after starting with the waitress  at the “What do you mean you’re a brew pub and you don’t have hamburgers” place,  and finally finding a place where we could get Evan’s “Double cheesburger with Pastrami,grilled onions, grilled jalepenos, and chile please”. After we got back to the hotel  I think we all fell asleep within minutes.

Darner gets up like a rancher that he is, and Saturday was no different. We had an early breakfast, and were the first ones up the hill. I’m still trying to get a clean run up top (never did, but got it down to 1 dab on number 8), and the bottom just keeps getting faster and faster. Everybody’s riding quick and smooth. What a great bunch of runs, We add in a ride down the Love Canal, some Diva, a lot of Reaper, and Matt goes and knocks off Armageddon. It’s a great rhythm, shuttle and hydrate, push up, ride hard, repeat. We grabbed a little lunch, and kept going until the sun went down. By the end of the day everyone was just gassed. Time for another Mexican feast  and some sleep.

It had been getting pretty windy on Saturday afternoon, and by Sunday morning the wind was just roaring. We got up early and headed up again. Matt went over the first rock pile coming off the top and got blown almost 2 feet sideways. It was the first time the wind has ever nearly blown me, and my 250 pounds, off my bike. I managed to dab at high speed and had some hunk of lava literally tear the sole off my shoe from the SPD cleat to the toe.  We got to the bottom and called it a day.

Had time for a quick shower, loaded up the Dodge and headed for home. We made it all the way to Gunnison before running into snow, and a lot of it. Managed to get everyone home safe and sound by 4 am.  It’s taken  a couple of days for the perpetual grin to go away and for the soreness in my legs to settle down.