All Out Events: That’s a wrap–the Ancient Peaks Classic

First, I want to start this post with gratitude. Events don’t happen when it’s a two-person show without a lot of support. Huge thanks to SIDI for deciding to support us early on and defraying half the costs of developing the course and putting on the event. To Josh Cohen and Foothill Cyclery for the enthusiasm, the man power, driving shuttles, and being our other title sponsor.

Photo by Chris Bersbach

Thanks to Karl Wittstrom, Doug Filliponi, and Ron Rossi for allowing us to take their beautiful ranch and show it to our event attendants. There is so much interesting stuff out there to find out about! And where elsewould you be able to take a ranch and turn it into an event mountain bike course?

Photo by Chris Bersbach

Huge thanks to the crew that not only pretty much devoted the last few months to helping us finish the trails, but run the event: Todd (of ToddBuilt construction – let us know if you have general contracting needs!), Mitch, Eddie, Ryan, and Mimo (Demitri). And for his toys, enthusiasm, and man power: Josh Machado at Mac2 Build. Huge thanks to Jim of Central Coast Brewing for beers and donating half the proceeds to our event to defray costs. Thanks to the rest of our friends for showing up and filling out the venue – Lezyne, Smartwash, Fluid, Elemental Herbs, Voler (supplier of the prize jerseys), SLO County Search and Rescue, CalStar, Ira’s Bike shop, and CBO.

Photo by Chris Bersbach

Thanks to all of you who came out to support us, take photos, race, ride, or spread the word. Thank you so much to the volunteers that came when they said they would, spread the stoke, and kept everyone safe!

Photo by Brandon Sampson

Out all day, home at dark, dinner at 11 pm – that was the last few months. If there wasn’t computer work to be done, there was driving. There was sunburns. There was soreness. There was so much poison oak that my car gives it to me when I drive it.

Photo by Brandon Sampson

But, honestly, while we were terrified we wouldn’t be able to break even this year, the amount of commitment to the dream from the people that were supporting us kept us going. I loved watching Nate talk about his work, hearing feedback from his friends who were testing the course, and the thrill of the community of Santa Margarita (which, if you haven’t spent time there, you should – the Range is the best restaurant in SLO County, and that’s saying a lot!).

Photo by Lloyd Baggs

The weather was perfect, if a little windy, everyone was super cool, and we had no major injuries. Yishai kept reminding me that “WE COULD KILL SOMEONE.” Of course, I wasn’t too worried about the cross country course – you might fall into a pile of poison oak or into a creek, but mostly it was just rolling grassy hills. I had resigned myself to a couple helicopter rides after hearing about how Parkfield usually goes, and I was totally thrilled when the last Pro went down the hill and the med supplies went mostly unused. Huge props to Nate for creating a downhill course that was not only badass, but safe.

Photo by Scott McDowell – Sweet digger, but he/she survived!

There were only a few problems (most out of our control), and I ended the weekend a pretty solid almost-semi-truck driver – but overall, this may have been the best event we’ve ever done and it comes down to this: support of the community, of the racers, of the companies we’re promoting, and the huge payoff of seeing almost a year’s worth of work come to an end.