Events: St. Patty's Day Feast At Bootleg

Early spring mountain biking can be challenging. Many trails still lie dormant under blankets of snow or mud. Bootleg Canyon in Boulder City, Nevada however is the hot ticket to getting your ride on during the seasonal thaw. Spring comes early in the Nevada desert, making mid March the perfect time for a two-day mountain bike festival.

The March 15-16 St. Patty's Day Feast at Bootleg Canyon includes pro and amateur downhill and super D races. There will also be food, live music and a Saturday night street party. Former pro downhiller David “Crash” Collins, organized the St. Patty’s Day Feast and expects about 400 racers at the event’s debut. Local restaurants and motels are offering racer discounts, and Collins has made sure that bike rentals, free camping, on-site mechanics and even a downhill clinic will be available.

Bootleg is best known as the once-a-year Interbike Dirt Demo locale, but trail builder Brent Thomson has been carving these narrow strips of dirt into the Boulder City hills since 1994. Bootleg terrain has a reputation for being rough and nasty, especially on the many tech downhill lines at the park. There are also lots of XC trails, some jagged and rocky all-mountain lines and a challenging dirt jump zone to satisfy just about any MTB enthusiast out there. And Bootleg just recently earned an IMBA "Epic Ride" designation so come celebrate by riding the trails.

So why not skip the green beer and shamrock stickers this year in favor of some real Saint Patrick's Day fun. Head for the warm desert sun of Boulder City and ride Bootleg Canyon. If you still have some energy left over after two days riding and racing you can always head over to the Vegas strip, just a half-hour drive away.

For more information, go to bootlegcanyon.org or e-mail crashinnovations@cox.net.

Photo: Alan Davis