We hit TDS this year with some old hands, some fresh faces and a double dose of that feverish Evil intensity. Anchored in the pits by our fearless leader Jason Moeschler – a veteran of every edition, and led by pro rider Bubba Warren – we showed up ready to race. Around this core, we emptied out the office, and filled our team with fresh Evil talent. We brought the boys, the girls, and the paparazzi – TDS virgins all of them. Then we mixed everything together in a pool of red chocolate mud and came up grinning.
We got to work early, putting in a full day on Thursday riding, guiding, and bonding with members of Semper Fi, a veteran’s organization focused on recovery through sport. We sampled perfect conditions and dismissed any fear of ‘a bit of rain overnight.’ In fact, we relished the possibility. When reality delivered 18 hours of rain we played in the mud and called it practice, we took photos and called it work. It was preparation for something. By Friday night we were committed to it all, mud or not. There was a Beer race to be contested after all, and victory at hand. Jake Taylor is not our best drinker, but when he is set to make something happen, it happens.
Saturday was racing. We had ups, downs and a few sideways that day. Bubba ran strong all day and all weekend, fastest on most stages and fastest overall in the surprisingly competitive e-bike category. Kole Wetherell, our DH king of content and crashes, survived both and posted a respectable top 10 in his first enduro. Jake Taylor blasted berms and drivetrains on the way to a game ending mechanical that simply became fuel for the party train. Local rider and FOE (Friend of Evil) Syra Fillat raced Pro Women and shocked plenty with her 5th place overall after skipping practice and feeling less than her best. On trail antics were supplied by the free style of new rider Connor Gallart,
Saturday night the firepit raged while cold beer was applied properly to any sore spots. Riders were fed, as always, by TDS and the Sanchez Family, bringing in Chef Cameron to supply the fuel for the duel. Here in the haze of smoke, Spirit Award finalists precipitated from a spray of beer and gasoline. The wise spread the lore of TDS, while the wiser crept off for a few hours of sleep.
Sunday rose gloriously. The dirt, which was good on Saturday, was beyond 😍 by Sunday. The fans flooded the course; hecklers were ready. The racers hucked the long jump, sent the road gap, whipped the beer can gallery. The gnomes drank in the forest. The event had split itself into two pieces. On one hand there was a race going full gas, and the top 20 were ripping turns and counting seconds. At the same time, riders no longer in the running were pulling tricks, doing bar spins, linking whip trains and stopping for beer handups as necessary. Anything to push the fun level for riders and fans alike. It was interactive and it was exhilarating.
Sunday night the awards were presented, stories were shared, and any remaining sore spots were soaked in beer. As the sun sank, we looked back on the weekend, already nostalgic, but before long were getting stoked on potential of another great riding season and planning that next adventure.
