Meeting Of The Grinds Fest Retrospective

New events are always interesting. Will people come? Do we have all the things, people and info we need? What about the weather? Uuuugh the weather! Three days left, two days, one day… And then it’s go time. Do or die. And we’re live!

One of my favorite parts of new events is that it always feels like a throwback to the roots of MTBVT. In the early days, it was the unknowns that provided the excitement and pleasant surprises. That was particularly true at the MOTG. We had never done “business” at Slate Valley Trails. The network is rather new. The community is fresh with an emerging scene. The infrastructure is under development. And the crowd would be small. All of these factors lent to a throw-back grassroots vibe that I hadn’t felt in some time. And it felt good!

First off, thanks to all those that attended and helped us prove our model. Mountain biking and gravel biking can exist at one event! Lo and behold, we all wear the same chamois underneath. Second, thank you to the people of Poultney and the Slate Valley Trails community for welcoming all of us with open arms. Your hospitality MADE this event! And to our sponsors, volunteers and donors, well, we could not have done it without you. Chris and Kenny (AKA Halyard Brewing and Zero Gravity Brewing) you guys brought the party! You also walked the walk and participated in riding adventures with us which is kind of a first among our beverage sponsors. Cheers to you!

On September 18th, 2021, 150 people gathered for the first annual Meeting Of the Grinds Cycling Fest at Slate Valley Trails. A bike party was had! Now, I could tell all of you a long and twisted tale about all the day’s escapades but I think the pics tell the story best. See what I mean…