DarkFEST – Week 3 Build Update

Jan 30, 2018
by Eric Palmer  

The DarkFEST course is nearly complete! The guys have been working amazingly well with the diggers and with a few tiny sprinkles of rain and some spade work, they've managed to compact most of the line.

At the beginning of the week Nico and Clemens compacted and cleaned the jumps as much as they could with the diggers. Then the rakes came out to tidy the dirt between the jumps and get it ready for the rain that was forecast. As usual, the clouds came, made everything look nice and stormy, sprinkled a few drops and moved further East before unloading tonnes of rain. So with not much water to soak in the guys got to work with the spades before it all dried again.

photo

Road Gap Compacting
Road gap compacting

photo

photo

DarkFEST 2018
DarkFEST 2018

Road Gap Landing compacting
Road gap landing compacting

There was more rain forecast for the end of the week, so the guys got everything ready for the downpour and enjoyed the trails on the farm and the big line at Hellsend Dirt Compound with Needles and Brendog and a few locals.

Trail Riding with the boys
Trail riding with the boys

Trail Riding with the boys
Trail riding with the boys

Big Whip on the Hellsend Line
Big whip on the Hellsend Line

[PI=15568358 nopbcaptionc]Hellsend[/PI]

Hellsend Whips
Hellsend whips

Hellsend Whips
Hellsend whips

1 foot tabes
1 foot tabes

Whip Train
Whip train

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Big Whipper on the Hellsend line

Big Whipper on the Hellsend line
Big Whipper on the Hellsend line

Hellsend
Hellsend

The rain came and went way too quickly again, but it was enough to get everything good enough to test it. The top of the line is more loamy dirt, but it held together well on all the berms and shark fins. The road gap is quite intimidating with the landing hidden until you're on it, but the guys made friends with it quickly.

The first jump was a little shorter for testing and the guys managed to get speed just by dropping in from the road. Everything was perfect and Sam and Nico got a few jumps in before dark and cleared the long and low sender before the hip too. The next morning, Clemens joined in for a quick test and it was drier, harder and faster, so the guys were having to speed check a bit more, but everything was good and the lip could move back to where they wanted it.

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Top Section
Top section

Top Section
Top section

Ready for Testing
Ready for testing

Test Jump
Test jump

That wraps up week 3 and we're looking forward to lots more riding!!!

Posted In:
Videos Darkfest


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Member since Feb 6, 2008
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19 Comments
  • 21 1
 So at what point do we begin to discuss the (now absent) Bumblebee from week 1?
  • 6 0
 He's been with us since day one! You know how transformers work and see the Lovol...
  • 2 0
 Bumblebee is trying to find water...
  • 12 0
 Brendog on a Geniussss? Big GUTS!!!!
  • 5 0
 The surrounding landscape is obviously gonna play a big part in the awesome pictures/images to come ! Fantastic location !
  • 1 0
 and the dust!
  • 4 0
 God how I love this! I can't even imagine the feeling these guys must have guinea pigging stuff this massive. Major kudos to you all!
  • 5 1
 Wow this is amazing. I get as stoked for Fest Series stuff as i do for Rampage. Wish the coverage was on par. we have a RedBull TV app, come on Monster where you at?
  • 5 0
 I hit a pretty big 5ft rock drop today...just wait til I drop the footage. But seriously these jumps are pure SAVAGE
  • 4 0
 Some awesome pictures too !
  • 3 0
 Another great update, you lot live a very unique life on a very high level and it’s pure joy to watch.
  • 2 2
 Another stellar Fest Series and a new location to boot. Can't wait to see what gets thrown down. I hear they are about to shut the water off to everyone in SA. Man, that sounds scary. What a crazy time to be alive.
  • 3 0
 Just Cape town, not the whole country. I say just, it's still a big deal.
  • 1 0
 Nico Vink is the man, craziest looking horse in the stable... Those jumps look massive and these guys just make them look simple. So sick.
  • 3 0
 looking great !!
  • 1 0
 Man this looks awesome but it just doesn't feel the same without Macduff's shenanigans.
  • 2 1
 Donker Fest is die antwoord to our problems.
  • 1 0
 Why isn't Eric in the PB photo of the year contest?!?
  • 1 0
 Awesome looking venue







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