Crested Butte - Outerbike
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Adventures at the Wydaho Bike Event
Adventures at the Wydaho Bike Event
I recently had the chance to attend the Wydaho Bike event held at Grand Targhee to run a booth for TASCO Mtb. I brought along my buddy fisher to help me out. Our goal was to set up a booth and showcase our products, but what unfolded was a memorable adventure filled with unexpected challenges and amazing experiences.
Day 1: Setting Up Shop and Battling the Elements
We arrived on a Thursday afternoon in time for the expo setup. After we had assembled our booth, we decided to make the most of the remaining daylight by exploring the resort and testing our mtb skills at the skills park. Our camping plan was to sleep in the TASCO booth tent, which turned out to be a very crucial part of the event.
As night came, we retreated to our tent, where things took an unexpected turn. The winds picked up, and by midnight, we found ourselves desperately hanging onto the top bars of our easy-up tent to prevent it from becoming airborne. Despite securing the tent with water buckets and tying it to our truck, the wind was relentless. The winds were so fierce that other tents around us were getting destroyed. Fisher and I decided to help out. We tore down walls to other booths to help reduce wind resistance and held down tents until the wind finally calmed around 3 AM. It was a wild night, but we found it exhilarating and rewarding, knowing how much we had saved.
Day 2: Meeting People and Surviving the Winds
The following morning, we awoke to assess the aftermath. Most tents were salvageable, a testament to our efforts. We set up our booth and spent the day chatting with fellow mountain biking enthusiasts, and introducing them to TASCO products.
That night, we prepared for another windy night, advising others to do the same. Parking our truck inside the tent added extra stability. Thankfully, the winds weren't as bad, and we were prepared, so we had a more peaceful night.
Day 3: Trails and Good Times
Saturday was all about connecting with people and sharing TASCO with those who hadn't heard of us. After the expo closed, Fisher and I finally got to ride the trails everyone had been raving about since we had arrived there. We were able to get some super fun laps in before dark, and the views were stunning.
Afterward, we got food in the lodge and hung out around a campfire for the remainder of the night.
Day 4: Rain and Quick Thinking
Sunday morning started with some rain, but it didn't seem like a big deal. The rain stopped, and we set up our booth for the final day of the event. We had only been open for an hour or two when the skies suddenly opened up, and it poured some of the hardest rain I've experienced. Within minutes, we had a full river running through our booth. We scrambled to keep our products dry, standing atop chairs as we watched the water rise.
The rain eventually eased enough for the river to die down, but many vendors started packing up due to more bad weather in the forecast. We followed suit, packing everything up as quickly and carefully as we could.
As we left the mountain, we couldn't help but reflect on the adventure we'd just had. Despite the challenges, it was an incredible experience. We met new people, faced unpredictable weather, and shared our love for mountain biking. The Wydaho Bike event may have had some extreme weather, but it gave us a trip we are sure not to forget!
-Lucas Miller
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