S'Ender Bash

Nov 23, 2014 at 7:59

by Highland Mountain Bike Park

S’Ender Bash! Highland’s annual season ender party happens each year on closing day, and it’s a crazy affair. This year’s poster said it best: ride lifts, burn laps, dress up, get down and party! …and that’s what we did.

Nearly 300 people converged on the hill to get in their last fix for the season. Another lap? Don’t mind if we do.

The day was cold but spirits were high. The Sherwood jump-jam was full on. The dual slalom course saw an impromptu race break out and quickly degrade into a mass-start slalom rampage! The Highland Trail Crew klunked around the mountain in full regalia, boosting jumps, bending steel forks and “cold forging” them back into shape to boost again.

The lift line felt like a party, and by the time the bull wheel stopped spinning everybody was primed for the base lodge bash. DJ Rekkon kicked the event off with a musical mashup before The Cop Outs took the stage. Once the amps were powered up and the punk rock started flowing it was game on!

Highland is an amazing place and each year S’Ender Bash reminds us why; we have an awesome community made of rare humans. It’s a family affair. To all the local and visiting riders, the Highland staff, lifties, cafe ladies, patrol, trail crew, jumpers, racers, and campers… thanks for another epic season! See you in 2015.

Klunking on closing day: A Highland Trail Crew tradition (Slim, Meat Hammer, and Tom)

Highland Trail Crew chief Tom Lepesqueur with some killer helmet art

Tom klunkin' the sh*t out of Paddy Glades

Slim klunkin' air

Tom, wind in his hair

Highland local Mark Carboni sending the Tombstone drop. Photo: "Owl Nuggets"

Slalom Course Madness Photo: Dave Smutok

Mike Kent in Sherwood

Steezy bunnyhop barspin

Mike Kent gettin' all kinds of tricky in the HTC. Photo: Dave Smutok

Mike Kent. Photo: Dave Smutok

Adam Hauck. Holy Smokes. Photo: Dave Smutok

If Mark Hayes was Santa Dave Smutok would be his elf

The Cop Outs. Photo: Paul Kelly

America's Bike Park 100% Photo: Paul Kelly

VT crew in NH

Adam Hauck, Kara and Aaron Chase... and that other guy

The Highland bar ladies will see you next year!

Words & Photos: Ryan Thibault unless noted

HighlandMountain.com

Highland Mountain Bike Park
Trailforks.com

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17 Comments

18 0

potussanta FL (Nov 23, 2014 at 22:47)

much nicer to scroll through than to click to a new page on vital's version

mayha49 (Nov 24, 2014 at 4:29)

Keep it up Highland...You are doing it right!!!

kevmocal (Nov 24, 2014 at 19:43)

When people ask me "what's Highland?" I honestly don't have a way to answer. Saying "it's a bike park" is sort of like saying the Grand Canyon is a deep ditch. Highland is like a door to a whole other world; being there just feels so damn good; the trails, the vibes. Doesn't matter if you're a new rider or a pro, brought my 8 year old son and people were just so stoked to see the little guy out there learning how to rip. Seriously, the place brings tears to my eyes; my last trip I got to thank Mark personally; he was out string trimming the new skills area. Love that!!! Rockin' my Highland hat with pride and looking forward to next season

kzabb (Nov 26, 2014 at 15:18)

yep...the week before he rolled his sleeves up and started washing the empty beer glasses piling up on the bar - 1 bar tender on and the place got slammed, thirsty peeps after hard riding! We noticed the glasses in rows two / three deep and realized just how crowded it was. He walked up, saw the heap, rolled up his sleeves and took care of it. We were in the corner and all commented on it. Coolness. Almost hate to see the place become huge, and lose that sense of small town place.

VTwintips (Nov 23, 2014 at 22:36)

I wonder if they could find a way to keep the indoor part open during the winter on select days or something so people can continue to ride year round?

projectnortheast (Nov 24, 2014 at 7:06)

uninsulated and no heat I think. They did open early for some sessions last year in march and the parking lot was a mud pit.. we were carrying our DJ's walking on 2x6's to get down to the HTC haha.. we really need an indoor bike park around here, other than rye airfield..

VTwintips (Nov 24, 2014 at 7:08)

I've seen worse places to ride in the winter in NE. This'd be much easier to heat than Sasha's Mill Jam.

massbmx (Nov 24, 2014 at 11:45)

Such a sick day watching the trail crew clunk it up...hard to miss too due to Tom and Rob's jackets. I could barely keep up with them on the run the pics are from (and I'm on my DH bike!). Mission for next year...find a worthy clunker!

Edit: Sick pic of Gee's mustache in the dual slalom too!

mtbfunfunfun (Nov 24, 2014 at 6:46)

Mass-start dual slalom is the new enduro!

skierdud89 (Nov 24, 2014 at 12:54)

Mass starts only work for slopestyle.

YoKev (Nov 24, 2014 at 2:44)

By all means, let the 'Punk Rock' flow

Novic (Nov 24, 2014 at 6:44)

Tom looks strait out of the 80s

Bronco82 (Nov 23, 2014 at 22:24)

Meat Hammer?

Jimmy0 FL (Nov 23, 2014 at 22:34)

Meat Hammer

Bronco82 (Nov 23, 2014 at 22:47)

He must like to beat his meat.

catfish9797 (Nov 24, 2014 at 6:24)

How tall is that dude, 6'8" or something? Love Tom rocking the Jimmy McGarth set-up

Clausset (Nov 24, 2014 at 23:14)

there aint nothing wrong with the boatacycle you aint ridin rite. classic Ronnie mac and jimmy mcgarth