Yesterday, Sunday, September 21st, I went to THE PARTY 35, an event celebrating the 35th anniversary of MOTOCROSS INTERNATIONAL, held at Gonzo Park, a dedicated bicycle off-road park in Kuwana.
Contrary to the initial rainy forecast, the day was clear and sunny.
The event also served as a test-ride session for 2015 bike models, and there were test bikes available for the new Salsa Cycle and Surly models.
The day was packed with events.
A run bike race presented by HARO BIKES.
A fat bike race presented by Surly, held on the BMX race course.
A racing clinic led by top professional BMX racers from SE BIKES.
It really shows just how broad the range of brands handled by MOTOCROSS INTERNATIONAL is.
The most exciting part of all was the dirt jump session where international guest riders and local riders jumped together.
I hadn't intended to ride and hadn't brought my bike, but I couldn't help myself, so I borrowed a test bike and a helmet to go for a quick ride.
Sorry, there are no photos. I was too caught up in the jumping.
Everyone was fired up by the sight of international riders, whom we rarely get to see in person.
And the final highlight of the day was the one-day reunion of these two: DirtBros.
I didn't follow them in real-time, but long-time mountain bike fans were incredibly excited by their demonstration run.
I felt that the fact that this event could be enjoyed by everyone from young BMX riders to mountain bikers in their 30s and 40s is a testament to 35 years of history.
JUS and I often go to Gonzo Park, where this event was held.
As long as you have an off-road bike, you can ride there, so whether you want to ride a mountain bike or train for cyclocross, if you're interested, let me know.
Let's go together.