No One Will Be Turned Away

Even though the chicken and t-shirts have been ordered (with a handful of extras) and reserved for the pre-registrants, we want you to know we won't turn anyone away from enjoying the festivities of the BASH. You may not get food or a t-shirt, but you sure can still come ride and enjoy the camaraderie the BASH is known for. How could we deny anyone from having a good time!? At least that's the attitude of the organizers... its all fun and good and we want YOU to enjoy the party. "It's like a reunion man...." Please be sure to still e-mail us if you plan to show up even though the chicken/t-shirts are gone -- there will still be a charge for the weekend for camping/raffle drawing/etc. rebjsw@epix.net

Ride on!

Info for the BASH Virgins

Boy are you first-timers in for a treat! I'm sure by now you've heard about all the hoopla from your friends on how great of a time the BASH is. They weren't kidding. It's laid back and easy-going - not a lot of rules. So here's some basic info if its your first time.
Gates open at 4:00 on Thursday.

• Drive all the way to the end of the driveway to a cinder block building -- that's registration and check-in. You'll pass two pavilions -- that's where the chili cook off and the Sat evening dinner is will be, along with the prize drawings and maybe the band.
• There's no announcements or loud speakers saying what's going on -- so watch your clock for the times on the schedule of events and happenings.
• They'll be a schedule at check-in, along with other goodies like:
• Group rides. We try to post who is doing what kind of ride on Saturday, and that will be hanging in the bunkhouse to give you an idea of what kind of ride you might want to do.
• We'll provide a black and white map so you can find your way on your own on Thurs eve and Friday. Only Saturday is organized rides unless we can find folks willing to lead a group or two on Friday.
• A full kitchen is in the bunkhouse. Feel free to use it! You can cook if you want, the water is good to drink and fill up for rides, and the bunkhouse is where bagels and coffee are located for breakfast. There's a microwave and a nice gas stove and oven.
• Porta-potties - there will be 5 this year, thanks to the generous donation of an un-named regular who thinks we never have enough.
• Showers -- are primitive. Ricky Brown builds 3 "porta-showers" with curtains and we have a club member who supplies a water heater. So its actually not bad. But remember there's going to be about 200 people wanting to shower. So think that through. There's also a nice, private washroom in the bunkhouse with 3 bowls to wash, brush your teeth, change. Feel free to use that. One of my friends said they never "shower" at the BASH -- showering is over-rated. (???)
• Camping - first come first served. No reserved spots. But don't fret - its BIG and there are lots of spaces. It's help yourself. If you don't want to tent camp, you're welcome to the bunkhouse which has about 40 bunk beds. There's usually about a dozen or so used during the BASH. Remember though -- its a CAMP. It has that wonderful campy smell to it :)
• Saturday evening hoopla -- the Beer Wagon (yup, there's a WAGON with 4 or so taps on the side of it) is fired up about 4:00 ish (I think) and it's included in your registration fee so help yourself! Dinner arrives about 5:30ish and most folks bring a chair and sit under the pavilion and relax a little. About 7:00ish, Keith, Jill, and Rick do the raffle drawing. If you registered for the whole weekend, you're name is in the drawing. Other years we had prizes for everyone, but it took WAY too long so we cut the prizes back to about 40 or 50 NICE things. So many of you will walk away with a nice prize.
• The Trails. Ahhhh... the best part. The trail system is about 27 miles total if you ride from camp. Riding from camp means a 2 mile, 800 foot elevation climb. But you get to come back DOWN that at the end of the ride, so its all good. We'll have black and white maps for you. Many folks drive to the top of the mountain to skip the climb and just go for the meat of the trails -- the oh-so-sweet singletrack. Some will ride Rock's Ridge over and over again to get ready for....
• Rock's Ridge Contest on Sunday. It starts at 10:00 this year. You just show up at the Schreffler Trail end and get your number plate (a paper plate). The judges mark a start-point and end-point in the rockiest sections of the trail and YOU get to TRY to dead start and make it through the rocks. That's right -- no running start -- its a dead start and it ain't easy! But it sure is fun. Please tell the GIRLS to enter. We didn't have any last year and other years were sparse. Last year we had to give the queen trophy to the last place guy! He was such a trooper and had SUCH a good attitude. GIRLS -- ENTER THIS!! Its really fun.
• Closing time. You gotta be out by 3:00 on Sunday! and we mean OUT by 3:00. Last year we had to rush some guys 'cause the camp owner was there to lock things up and he wasn't happy waiting around. So please respect the property owner and be out by 3:00.
• Campfires. You are welcome to build them - but bring your own firewood. The camp is out of firewood this year. We're trying to locate some for the big bonfire in the middle, but that hasn't happened yet. When you are done for the weekend, the ashes need taken to the big bonfire in the middle and your ring must be covered over.

You'll get all this info at check-in too. Welcome!!!

RCST Chili Cook-off - Sept 11, 2009 6:00 pm

Yup… we’re doing it again this year. Friday evening, September 11, 2009 at 6:00 begins the “contest” to see who is the creator of the best chili in Camp. It’s a simple thing… just brew up a pot of Chili, bring it to the pavilion between 5:30 and 6:00, and at 6:00 the troops start tasting them all and casting votes on which one they think is the best. There are no rules on what goes in the Chili. We keep it simple. Yes, meat competes against meatless – no holds barred. (BTW, a meatless chili was tied for 2nd last year.) And the judging is pretty simple too. Cast your vote by writing the number of your favorite chili on the piece of paper and throw it in the voting can between 6:00 and 7:00 pm. At about 7:15 or 7:30 (while you all enjoy swapping micro-brews), the top 3 winners will be announced with the winner taking home a specially made trophy (courtesy Reinhart Ironworks!) for the BASH Chili cook off. It’s all good fun. Chili creators are welcome to use the kitchen in the bunkhouse to cook up your chili. There’s a nice gas stove, ovens, and a microwave. There’s usually space in the frig to store your prepared Chili prior to the cook-off too. And here’s a tiny word of advice – make sure its heated up and ready for taste tasting at 6:00!!! I’ve seen some beautiful looking pots of chili go uneaten and not voted on because they were cold. Don’t let your creation fall into this “blah, it’s cold!” category! It coulda been a winner if only it was warm. So cook up some chili – there’s about 150 people waiting to taste it.

p.s. BTW, only make a normal “batch” – don’t make enough for 150 people! Folks will only take a taste of each pot so that pot should go a long way except when they love it and come back for more. Last year all of the pots were empty (if I remember correctly). There were 16 (?) pots. The year before there was 13. So bring along a pot of chili. Past winners “secret’ ingredients include beer and smoky chipotle peppers.

Jay de Jesus/EWR Bikes Skills Clinic at the BASH

Oh is this going to be fun. Famed Jay de Jesus will be offering "Beginner/Intermediate Technical Skills Clinic by Jay de Jesus of EWR Bikes". They'll be two clinics at Camp Muckelratz -- one on Friday evening and one on Saturday morning before everyone heads out for a day of riding which is actually perfect 'cause you can use the new-found skills on the trail. We'll have exact times on the final schedule when you check in, but more than likely you won't miss when it's going on 'cause there will be a crowd around the cones and logs (which you also won't miss 'cause they will be near the entrance driveway somewhere). Here's what the clinic will involve:

1) bike set-up and body position
2) balance and stance
3) cornering
4) logs - general and uphill
5) bunnyhopping
6) whatever else we have time for

There will be a "course" set up at the camp for this clinic and it should be a ton of fun - and you just might learn a thing or two too!

2009 RCST BASH Final Days of Registration

We're at the deadline for registrations for the 2009 10th anniversary BASH. If you haven't registered by now, you may miss the boat. We're calling in the chicken order tomorrow (Gonder's Grubhouse wanted two weeks notice) and the t-shirt orders are going in on Monday. At this point, PLEASE E-MAIL US IF YOU HAVEN'T SENT YOUR REGISTRATION. We need to know chicken flavors for tomorrow's (Friday, August 28) order placing. Our e-mail is rebjsw@epix.net And the t-shirt sizes are s,m,l,xl, and xxl.

Rattling Creek Single Trackers DCNR Volunteer Group of the Year 2006

I think its ironic the RCST club was selected as volunteer group of the year in 2006 (I just found this press release on the DCNR website -- sorry for taking 3 years to share with you!!), and the DCNR folks in Weiser, Haldeman Tract aren't exactly cooperative these days when it comes to the club's views of sustainable trails. Interesting. Check out the press release! I'll be sure to share all this information with DCNR in November when I attend the PA Mountain Bike Summit to share our recent story of horses on the single track.

2009 RCST Mountain Bike BASH Schedule!

Finally.... here's the 2009 schedule -- subject to change slightly (not the times except for Jay's clinics). We'll have the final, final schedule for you at check-in.

Thursday
4:00 pm – Gates and check-in/registration opens for the weekend
REGISTRATION AT BUNKHOUSE (end of driveway)
All evening – on-your-own riding

Friday
REGISTRATION IN BUNKHOUSE
7-8:30 am Coffee and Bagels in Bunkhouse
??? Jay DeJesus Mountain Bike Skills Clinic (time to be determined)
6:00 pm Chili Cookoff! (pavilion)
6:00 pm Micro-brew swap! (pavilion)
All day and evening; on-your-own riding

Saturday
7-8:30 am Coffee and Bagels in Bunkhouse
9:30 am Organized group rides depart (meet at bunkhouse/pavilion area) Note: Social/casual group(s) drive to starting location – have bike loaded and ready to roll at 9:30.
??? Jay DeJesus Mountain Bike Skills Clinic (time to be determined)
4:00 pm Troegs tasting begins (at pavilion)
5:30 pm Dinner at pavillion
7:00 pm Prize Drawings (at pavilion)
8:00 ish “Accouco” Acoustic duo – will set up near bonfire in camp area.

Sunday
7-8:30 am Coffee and Bagels in Bunkhouse
10:00 am Rock’s Ridge Competition – meet at Matter Trail end of Rock’s Ridge (off White Oak Road)
3:00 am Gates Close to campers. Please be out by 3:00. Respect the property owner!

All weekend
Swap Meet/Sale. Located at the registration area in the Bunk house. Bring your items you’d like to sell, tag (price), and put on the swap table. You never know what others might be interested in!