Photo: Patrick Switzer rises from his outdoor sleeping space after a night of partying
After finishing our laundry and eating a couple Dutch Tacos for breakfast the crew spent the day in Portland before setting off on the drive to the Maryhill campsite. As the van began to get closer to Goldendale everyone became excited to see friends at the race, although it was bittersweet because the road trip was coming to an end.
As the van pulled into the campground with the music blaring everyone knew the party had arrived. The van was swarmed with people ready to party. When the doors finally opened everyone was glad to see old friends and begin a five day long party. The party was wild and lasted late into the night, with the crew from the van being the last ones to head to sleep. A large part of the fun was knowing that the next morning the practice days would begin.
photo: The Mercado van has one of the best spots for relaxing at Maryhill
In the morning we headed off to maryhill to stake our claim of land next to the tree so we could fashion a tarp for protection from the sun. The first two days of the festival are practice runs with the Uhauls doing shuttles several times a day. This gives first time riders a chance to experience the course, and the pros are able to dial thier lines and warm up their legs. This is also a great time for riders to guage themselves against the rest of the competition. The IGSA format only allows for runs of six at a time which disappointed some riders who enjoy a run with a large group.
photo: Some members of the Sector9 downhill team get in a free ride run on the first day
The party the second night was similar to the first but maybe with a bit more power as all of the racers were in town after the first official day had concluded. The next morning we managed to make it to the hill early enough to get one run in before lunch, in the afternoon the wind picked up and was carrying riders to fast speeds coming into the lower section of the track. Everyone continued to practice in anticipation of the qualyfying runs the next day.
Next up... qualifying news from the event.
