Hi All,
Just to let you guys know that the 35th Anniversary of the birth of Mountain Biking takes place over the weekend of 21/22/23 October.
History
On the 21st October 1976 a group of riders gathered with a collection of battered pre war newsboy bikes at the top of Mount Tamalpais high above the town of Fairfax in North California and staged the first ever organized downhill race. These informal events soon became popular and ran until the end of the decade and are considered to be the birth of our favourite sport. Organized by Charlie Kelly and Gary Fisher, and with a star studded list of competetors including Joe Breeze, Tom Ritchey, Otis Guy, Alan Bonds, Wende Cragg, Charlie Cunningham, Jaquie Phelan etc, these events have since become folklaw over the last 35 years.
To celebrate, retrobike.co.uk's Scottish and North East groups are putting on two rides.
The first is at Glentress on the friday night. Starting at 7pm and taking in the best of the blue, red and black routes with an approx distance of 15 miles, followed by a wee dram or two. All welcome on any bike. Good lights will be needed and a helmet is compulsory (yes, I know, but some folk still turn up without one!). Meeting point will be the Squirrel carpark- just up the fireroad from the main carpark next to the start of the blue climb.
The second ride is starting on the saturday morning at 10 am and starts from Lord Stokes Cafe, Carlton Bank, North Yorkshire Moors. There will be a steady 16 mile route of mixed singletrack and moorland drove road followed by a non competetive run down the Carlton Bank DH track with riders starting at minute intervals. We are hoping to have one of the original Repack competitors on the phone to start the first dozen riders away to mark the occasion. There will then be a spot of tea and cake in the cafe afterwards. Again open to all, but we would would love to have pre 1997 bikes only in attendance. 1970's fancy dress is strongly encouraged (prizes for the best dressed rider!) So, if you have an old bike kicking about gathering dust at the back of the shed and would like a great day out, dig out those old bell bottoms and kaftans and get your name down.
At both events there will be a great collection of Mountain Bikes spanning the last 35 years on display including a genuine Repack Schwinn Excelsior 'Klunker' which some brave fool will run a demo down the Carlton DH track with.
Hope to see you there
Si
Keeping it oldskool