TDS 2016: Raw. Mega Cut - Video

I was decidedly giddy when I received an invitation to compete in this year's edition of The Dirty Sanchez enduro. I registered immediately and would froth at the mouth every time I began to think about racing in what is universally regarded as the best enduro, and quite possibly mountain bike race in general, in America. I looked forward to a week in Northern California alongside my teammates and friends in Mason Bond and Adam Snyder, spending the time building up some proper fitness, and more importantly, enjoying some time on the heralded trails of the Sanchez property. Unfortunately, things changed. Adam suffered a gruesome injury while racing in the opening round of the EWS in Chile in March, and I went ahead and pulverized the left side of my abdomen 6 runs into the practice day of TDS. With a hematoma that closely resembled an eggplant in both size and color, a cracked rib and a hip pointer, my racing ambitions were whisked away immediately. With the help of the doctors and nurses on hand to tend to those with poor line decisions such as myself, I was able to get a few flow and jump runs in later that day, but was in no shape to race in the conditions that would follow.



However, I had some cameras with me as we originally planned to do some insta-filming for Pivot and could walk and scramble, albeit with a clumsy compliance; so I decided to make myself useful and document the antics of the weekend. The rain would come and go throughout the 2 day affair, although more often than not it lingered, soaking racers and spectators alike. Not that it mattered much, as smiles were prevalent all weekend long. Several riders hit the deck, some harder than others, and by Sunday's end, a number of DNF's would occupy the bottom of the results sheet.


But, this isn't a race report; you should check out Colin Meagher's stellar images and Soul ID's brilliant video coverage if you haven't already. This is about two long days of riding some enormously fun and challenging trails, with amazing dirt, jumps, berms and crowds. Over the course of 12 stages total, riders often found themselves riding on long and silent stretches of trail, with only the sound of their breathing, the buzzing of their hubs, and the muted noise of tires rolling across soft and damp trails to keep them company. However, the weekend was also punctuated by the sounds of a frenzied and passionate crowd, who would gather at any number of sections where the promise of carnage loomed large. This is also about the genuine camaraderie that exists between the riders and attendees. For many, the primary reason for their attendance was to simply experience these amazing trails among friends and family. The value of this community and these trails is most evident when you learn about the impact Buddy Newman had on so many people around him. Buddy lost his life last December at the age of 24, but his presence was felt by everyone there, even those of us who never had the privilege to meet him. There's a strong bond among the people who helped to put this event together, and it's contagious. Many thanks to the Sanchez, Newman, Bond, Weir and other families who helped to make this event so amazing.

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You can donate to the Buddy Newman Memorial Fund here.

The Dirty Sanchez Official race report and video can be found here.

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MENTIONS: @meagerdude

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