[TreeSaw]

Each summer (since we purchased our home) we have held a Deck Party for a large group of our friends to come to our home, ride bikes, drink beer, eat and have good times. We usually hold our Deck Party the very first weekend of August, but this year, we were off at Monkeyfest so we postponed it 2 weeks and had everyone out this past weekend.

People started arriving on Friday night, just in time for some freshly baked cookies and newly tapped beer. Of course, we began the festivities toasting to the weekend and drank until atleast 3am.

Saturday morning began bright and early for some jackalopes who were driving out from Rochester. Instigator, Stuntmatty, Ell bee, Alex and greasey monkey all arrived to find Echo, Tweek, Squirrel, myself, Deyv, Isa, Sorge and Zombie (Squirrel's brother) loading up for our 10am (which became 10:30am) bike ride at our local SMBA trail system.

Off we went to the trail head (about 15 minute drive) to meet up with some of our local biking buddies for a fun day and a large group ride.

Here we are at the beginning of our ride...17 riders in all (if I can count that is).

After about 3 hours of riding, we returned to the deck for some showers, beers and much stunt riding!

First up, the drop to the burm to the vortex.

The drop:

The burm:

The Vortex:

 

[T-Blazer]

we want the secret photo

 

[TreeSaw]

Now for some action photos.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any great pics of many people hitting the big drop but here is one of Echo and Squirrel.

Echo on the drop:

Squirrel on the drop:

Then comes the burm!!!

Echo:

Squirrel:

Next up...the infamous vortex!

Stuntmatty:

Tweek:

The guys all wished we had a lift, but not such luck for them!

Echo:

Greasey Monkey ripping his XC bike with style across the Vortex!

Deyv:

And last, but not least...the Vortex Dog!!! Yes, she actually followed the guys down the vortex and managed to hit the creek jump (literally...she cased it a lesson to all who might think about using brakes on the vortex!!!).

 

[TreeSaw]

Enough with the vortex already...back to the beer!!!!

And deep fried turkey (you guess which one's the turkey :devil: )

After many more beers, the boys started giving each other haircuts (Deyv has some nice shots of this). Once they were finished with the cutting, it was time for some style.

TreeSaw giving Sorge a new do:

Not sure what to say about this do??? Perhaps a little too much potato vodka :devil:

And then some backrubs for the tired riders:

Then it was time to play horseshoes and drink even more!

Finally it was off to bed (once again around 3-4am!!!)

 

[Echo]

Sweet pics T!

 

[MMcG]

How far of a gap is it to clear the vortex and how high is the big drop? The berm is cool as hell Treesaw!

It is funny how your beer drinking photos are blurrier than the ones you took of the actual riding!

 

[T-Blazer]

nice sandles greasey

 

[Echo]

I think the Vortex gap is like 6-8 feet, and the drop is 5-8 feet depending on how much speed you take into it.

 

[Echo]

Once I get my Firewire cable back I'll have video of the festivities

 

[Deyv]

Cool pics Treesaw, here`s my trip report of this fabulous weekend.




Once again we were to meet with the awesomly friendly jackalopes and assbalancers. Teresa & Earl again welcomed us with great warmth on the friday Night in their lovely house near Gleen Falls, NY. John (Echo) and Mike (Tweek) were already there and eventhought it was not the plan we started to party.

It degenerated soon enough to something quite funky.

We were realy happy once again to meet with our good friends

John and Echo are always willing to go the extra hundreds miles to meet with friends and ride.

After too much drinking and many laughs we went to bed to wake up to a beautifull day in the Adirondaks. We loaded up the carriage and headed out to the Skidmore trails

Here are the girls representing for Trailblazers at the trailhead.

We met up with other local riders to create the perfect troop for the ride.

The trails were a challenging mix of rock faces to climb, slickrocks ,singletrack, sketchy rock gardens and slippery maze of roots.

I put a lot of thought into wich bike I was going to use on that ride. I had the choice of a light trail bike, a full on DH bike and a singlespeed polyvalent hardtail. I opted for the SS hardtail and it kick my butt! The steep rock faces to climb and the technical terrain got the best of me and I struggled througout the entire ride.

It is quite unsual but fun for us Québecers to ride on big slick rocks like that and obviously Isa agreeds on the fun factor.

A couple of drops were along the way. Eventhougth they were not that high there was always something sketchy about them. To capture Earl to film while dropping this rock I throught myself down a river bed because I was afraid he was going to ride into me. It was pretty funny....... they told me.

Skidmore trails are leased and maintain by Teresa and Earl`s local bike club. We got served many miles or prime techical trails and it filled our freeride hunger....... for a couple of hours!

We were really tired but it felt so good.

Skidmore trails are leased from a paper company and we took advantaged of that.

All the way to the end of the trails our guides showed us the good stuff.

Here's bob teaching everyone`s a leasson, you don`t need big bikes if you got skills. I was really impressed by his riding troughtout the weekend.

Back to Theresa and Earl we drank a couple of well deserved beers but it did not take long before the stinking harmor and sweaty helmets were worned again to hit the stunts.

The stunts around their house are so fun to ride. Earl build many new stunts this year but the infamous Vortex was still the favorite of all.

Here`s Echo throwing a one hander over the creek.

Everyone was participating in the activities!

Here`s the guys putting the finishing touch on Earl`s little freeride park.

Here`s Stuntmatty taking the left line to reach the Teeter Totter

Earl has a way of making thing interesting. That tight curve gave some of us problems.

The end of the first part of this small freeride park was a sweet little drop onto his driveway.

but not everyone made it everytime.

Doug came to say hi and hang out even if he could not make it for the ride early that day.

Isa and me were so happy that Ralph could make it even with his heretic work schedule.

mmmm Yuengling on tap

Earl had the great idea to create modular stunts, we could switch them around, elevate them etc....

Here`s Bob riding the skinny on a wheelie.

We all looked at the roof wondering if it was dropable but only stuntmatty seriously tought about doing it. The landing was a little too flat for this 15 feet drop so he played it safe and stayed alive.

Welcome to the power tool garage hair salon where Earl, the coiffeur, uses a air compressor to clean up a fresh short cut.

No one was safe from the crazy hairdressers.

After a couple of victims we started to get creative.

Here`s the power tool garage salon boys band

Anyone heard of drunken freeride spinning class before?

Tweek switch from beer to Vodka at 5:44 pm, obsviously the potato alcohol was starting to take it`s toll.

We party, drank, laugh, hung out and played horse shoes until 4 am

Nothing beats home made pancakes to cure hangovers. Except for Tweek, nothing could save him on sunday morning.

After breakfast it was time to hits the fun stunts over and over again.

There was 2 lines to choose from on the first set of stunts.

Here`s Echo taking the left line to go over the teeter.

The teeter was spring activated and was very smooth. I usually don`t like them to much, most of the time I ride them once or twice but this one I could not stop hitting it again and again.

The right line was a little easier so the girls could show us their always improving skills.

Teresa GET UP FROM YOUR SEAT!

Isa again on the stunt, looking way too calm.

Earl had saved a fallen tree to extend his freeride park and we helped him move it at the end of the right lane. The right option was not easy anymore.

We also build a pretty crazy stunt by elavating the 8" skinny 2 feet from the ground and put it just before a small drop. It was way harder than it looked and we crashed a couple of times before making it all the way.

We then proceded to the older part of the course. The flow of the 3 consecutive stunts is so awesome that it becomes addicting.

Our trip reports often finish this way but how could it be otherwise: Good times, great riding, awesome friends! life is good

 

[TreeSaw]

Sunday morning...hangovers were there, but didn't stop us from eating blueberry pancakes and riding stunts of course!!!

Before he left, Stuntmatty showed us how to style on the skinny.

Deyv has some nice pictures of people riding the stunts in our front yard.

Here we have a teeter.

Squirrel negotiating a skinny turn before a drop.

Squirrel doin' his thing on the drop:

Deyv...same drop:

All good stunts need mojo...here's ours. We like to call him "the guy who didn't make it"

Tweek riding the skinny while Deyv tapes him:

Deyv rippin' up the log ride:

Echo bustin' out a one footer on the log ride:

TreeSaw trying to ride the beam backwards...WOAH!!!

Deyv got some photos of Isa and TreeSaw showing off their skillz on the stunts too!!!

Lastly, we cannot forget to recoginze our very own "extreme photography team" TreeSaw & Isa:

What an amazing weekend!!! Can't wait until Deck Party VI!!!!!

 

[TreeSaw]

Once I get my Firewire cable back I'll have video of the festivities

I sent it to you today...priority mail so you should get it in the next day or 2!!!

 

[MMcG]

DAmn that looks like one helluva fun time. I'm sorry I missed it, but I did have a really fun weekend with my sons - so that more than makes up for it.

 

[TreeSaw]

DAmn that looks like one helluva fun time. I'm sorry I missed it, but I did have a really fun weekend with my sons - so that more than makes up for it.

No need to worry...there will be more good times at our house! :dancing:

 

[greasey monkey]

nice sandles greasey

those were on loan from earl. they were sweet

 

[Deyv]

cool pics Treesaw. I am still laughing about "the guy that did not make it"

 

[greasey monkey]

Awsome pics everyone!!!! I just want to say I had a great time thank you Tree Saw and Earl for all the hospitality!!!! Instigator thanks for the ride there I hope your rack survived the bouncing. Hope we can all get together soon.

 

[stuntmatty]

That was an awesome weekend, thanks again T and Earl!!! Skidmore was a blast, I can't wait to ride (and lumberjack) there again. It was great to see everyone and meet some of the extended family of Jackalopes.

Isa and Treesaw - Al and I saved your signs for future use

Tweek - Looking good bro. You must still be recovering, how's tha finga????

Echo and Deyv - I miss my haircut, it was a masterpiece.

Doug - Good to see you again

Greasey monkey - We gotta get together and utilize your freeriding skillz more often.

Instigator - You owe me a set of tires son

 

[stuntmatty]

we want the secret photo

Yes please send it to stuntmatty@hotmail.com

somebody needs to get the checkbook ready....

 

[douglas]

cool pics.......now I so wish I got up earlier and made the ride!

 

[Echo]

cool pics.......now I so wish I got up earlier and made the ride!

Yeah we were up until 3 also, you had no excuse

 

[Instigator]

Awsome pics everyone!!!! I just want to say I had a great time thank you Tree Saw and Earl for all the hospitality!!!! Instigator thanks for the ride there I hope your rack survived the bouncing. Hope we can all get together soon.

Thanks Earl and TreeSaw, it was a great time as always.

As for the rack, it has a couple of bent parts, but I am not worried about it braking anymore neaky:

It is good to have access to metal, machines and welders

pic shows 2 braces I had welded on and the bent pin that helps support the rack.

 

[Instigator]

Hey this is me!!! I actually do ride now and then

Matty had one heck of a time on that drop

 

[Echo]

Yeah Ralph as usual you owned that drop like it was a curb

 

[Instigator]

Yeah Ralph as usual you owned that drop like it was a curb

:love:

 

[McGRP01]

Wow!!! Great pics y'all!!! Sorry I missed it! I'll have to get my %#@ together and make sure not to miss Deck Party VI!! :dancing:

 

[Evergrey]

This looked like awesome fun. Well built stuff too. I'm so sorry I missed it. I hope there will be more in the future.
I'm droolin' over those pics!

 

[stuntmatty]

Hey this is me!!! I actually do ride now and then

Matty had one heck of a time on that drop

hahaha

yeah you schooled me again, but can you cut down trees with your brake rotor????? :eviltongu

 

[-BB-]

DAMN... looks like a REAL fun time.

 

[greasey monkey]

hahaha

yeah you schooled me again, but can you cut down trees with your brake rotor????? :eviltongu

Matt you are the only one who can cut down trees.

 

[ghostrider]

Awesome. Great to see that Tweek still parties like he hasn't learned his lesson, just like always.

 

[Echo]

Awesome. Great to see that Tweek still parties like he hasn't learned his lesson, just like always.

You have no idea...

 

[greasey monkey]

Awesome. Great to see that Tweek still parties like he hasn't learned his lesson, just like always.

You don't Know the half of it. :evil:

 

[ghostrider]

You don't Know the half of it. :evil:

Is he still alive?

 

[stuntmatty]

Is he still alive?

Yes and with very red cheeks

 

[Instigator]

Matty may be able to cut down trees with his rotor, but he still needed me to get it straight enough so he could still ride his bike out of there

Tweek is going to have a tough time living this party down

 

[Shyrmp]

Looks like fun everyone! Great pics!

 

[TreeSaw]

Awesome. Great to see that Tweek still parties like he hasn't learned his lesson, just like always.

Just hope you are privy to the "secret photos". :devil:

 

[ghostrider]

Just hope you are privy to the "secret photos". :devil:

Hook me up, woman!

 

[Echo]

Hook me up, woman!

You're on the list of people authorized to view the incriminating evidence. It just hasn't been released from the Official Center For Embarrassing Photos up in Montreal yet.