Why we do this crazy event stuff.

Yesterday we had a major trail work day for the July 23-24 mountain bike race. Given that we’re five days from the Morro Bay Tri, I feel this is a sign that we have our crap together if we’re working on something more than a month out instead.

So, there we are, at ten in the morning at the gate to Santa Margarita ranch. Me, Yishai, and our friend Todd in the 4Runner, and suddenly the cavalry arrives: Josh and his girlfriend Karen from Foothill Cyclery, and Nate Lewis – designer of our downhill course – and five of his buddies, truck full of downhill bikes.

The buddies have already been up on the property pre-riding and they are blown. “World class,” “Amazing terrain,” “This is not something you find in San Luis” (in reference to the tree canopy riding) are things that are spilling out of their mouths. They’re back again to construct some berms and jumps for the downhill event.

Yishai and I do this for love, and we are super cognizant of not overusing our volunteers. But there Nate is, standing at the midpoint of our downhill section, looking up the hill with this ecstatic grin on his face: “This has been the realization of a dream since I was little. I have been making little jumps and stuff but this . . . this.” Yup, All Out Events – making dreams come true. We’ve fully given Nate control on the downhill and it’s fun watching his vision come together.

Today, we’re making his vision come together by building huge, huge berms:

Here’s Yishai up on the berm (you should see it all packed down and the jump above it) with Nate talking to him and everyone else looking at work going on down the hill.

To be quite honest, we’re sad about the serious dirt roads we’re making. Yishai and I try not to impact a place this much, but . . . well, you want world class, we’ll give you world class, my friends.

And then while the work here went on, the guys are up higher building the berms until the join up later on and go out with Yishai to build more features and trail down lower.

By now, Yishai has gotten good with the chain saw, a newly acquired skill:

Fallen logs begone!

Anyway, the entire day, all these people came together to build something wonderful. No one complained, everyone put in some shoulder grease, were all smiles, and stayed well into the sun fading into the horizon.

Cold, tired, and happy, the boys loaded their bikes and we shuttled them to the top and they rode down:

Events aren’t about money (but that would be nice one of these days), it’s about love, helping people achieve their dreams, have a good time, and make lasting relationships.

And I love it.