SSUSA Report

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This one in from our boy 40 Hands.

Here we go, I’m gonna make my best attempt at giving you full and complete report about the entity that was SSAZ/SSUSA. Let me start off by giving a big thanks to Mr. Dejay Birtch for putting everything together. For me it all started the Tuesday before, when I headed out of Missoula with a full car and a desire to escape the cold. Made the journey in three days with two stops to ride, once in St. George, the second in Sedona. Despite the fact I hadn’t ridden my mountain bike in about four months, the riding was great, and riding in shorts and short-sleeves was eve better. Enough of that, Thursday night, the folks who were already in town went to 4th Ave in Tucson, for grub and drinks. Dejay and Self had a number too many and upon return from the bar began to make chocolate covered bacon for the event.

Friday involved some work to get shit set up for the event, followed by a group ride of 20 or so people out to TMP. A good time was had by all, and eventually we joined the rest of the gang who was in town made it to the Surly Wench for the pre-race meeting. Dejay said some stuff but all I understood was that whoever presented him with the largest bar tab would win a prize. Immediately a group of Self, Timmy, Jake, Dax, and Kramer went to work. Our high tab was earned the old fashioned way, one Schlitz or Tecate at a time with some help from Rob, Nick, and Cheuy. The drinking and good times continue until around 4 in the morning when everyone decided we should try to get some sleep.

7 am arrives and Dejay is awake and running around like a six year old on Christmas morning. Eventually our crew of flunkies get our asses in cars, and head on over to Sooters for the race start. It appeared that a group of nearly 100 singlespeeders had shown up for this event, once everyone has gathered, the group rolled out on a neutral 7-mile ride to the base of Reddington. During which beers were cracked, jokes are shared, and good vibes get spread. Once at Reddington, Dejay makes everyone take their front wheel off their bike, and put their bike out of sight up the road. The race will start with us running to our bikes with wheels in hand. Then with all little enthusiasm as possible we are told to start. I’m not gonna waste your time providing all the specifics about my personal ride. Here’s what you need to know, the course was great, food and drink was plentiful, and JUST COME DO THE FUCKING RIDE NEXT YEAR, YOU WONT REGRET IT.

Once I finished up it was back to the Sooters for food and drink. The beer flowed, and spirits were high, mostly due to all the cans of delicious brew provided by the crew from Oscar Blues who had participated in the event. The results were that Dax the Rockstar (who had been up until 4 am the night before), and Krista Park won the pedal race. To determine the winners of the SSUSA event, Dejay selected a group to compete in a game of Derby to determine the boy and girls winner. In the end it was Bailey from Durango, and Amanda from Vermont who took the win and the belt. After that the part really began, a fire was started, the keg was tapped, good times ensured. At some point a game of tug of war was held to determine who would host next years SSUSA, with Jake and Kramer taking the victory for Boulder in 2011. After that I can just remember more booze and smiles. I chose to lock myself in my car to sleep, fearing that the few drunk guys who were awake might try to shave my eyebrows while I slept. Dax continued his rockstar legacy when he was found early in the morning in the rain, passed out sitting on a rock next to the fire. Someone moved him underneath an RV so he didn’t get soaked by the rain.

So there ya have it, that’s my half-assed version of SSAZ/SSUSA, if you want more ask about or search that internets for some blog posting about it. What you really need to know is that it was a great event, if you have nothing to do early next year head down to Tucson for SSAZ, and keep your ears and eyes peeled about SSUSA next year in Colorado. I’m out, back to suffering through the rest of the Montana winter.

Threw in some pictures of the roll out, bailey after winning derby, a shitload of beer in a large cooler (this beer was like the oil in the story of the first hanakauh, it should have only lasted for an hour, but instead five hours later it was still full), and me putting the hurt on fuzzy (if only for a moment).

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