Am 26. und 27. August traf sich die Gravity-Downhillszene auf dem San Bernadino für das Gioasteka Free Ride Event. Luis war vor Ort und hat eine  Bilderreihe  zusammengestellt.

 

Friday 25 of August

After 6 races in 2006 the first Free Ride session happened in San Bernardino, I left the Fibretec Factory at 21:00, Roli, Bettina, Martin, Yoyo, Simon and me.
The old Rolladen bus did a good job, 6 persons and a lot of stuff.
Two and a half hours to San Bernardino, we arrive there about 23:30.
Really beautiful place, I was in San Bernardino two years ago in 2004, that time open road, no protection in the turns, really different then now.
We went to the pizza place on Friday night, everyone was there.
It will be really nice runs I thought, the course is amazing, 3km long, 9 hairpins, and super save, the guys there did a great job .
You can check the picture from the course, two straight party’s on this road where you can go fast.

Saturday 26 of August

Well, the first day start early for the inscriptions, after inscription you get one shirt, one ticket for dinner on Saturday and your credential.
At 9:30 start the free ride, first riders meeting, the organizer told to everyone to take care and be care full.
The first day start little bit later because the inscription, at 9:30 I’m ready to ride, the first run, the second run, the third run, top speed on my gps first run 65km/h, on the third run I did 75km/h in my gps, after the third run we stopped for the lunch break.
The lunch is not including on the inscription, only the dinner from Saturday, I eat little bit. On the lunch time I saw the Fibretec official van, Reinke came to enjoy the free ride with us.
Well At 13:30 everyone on the start line, to skate down and have fun, I did a lot of runs, really nice because the shuttle’s take a other road up to the top, the free ride never stop, I love free ride, no qualifying, no stress, you don’t have winner’s or loser’s, everybody win, have fun, and a big beautiful smile on the face.
After few runs my friend Yoyo from Rolladen crashed in one turn and solder the arm, the free ride finished for Yoyo.
Saturday on the afternoon I had great time with my friends, especially whit Roli Hafner we did every run together, really nice guy and friend, my top speed on Saturday after the day 85km/h, Benny did in streetluge 95km/h on Saturday.
At 16:30 stop the free ride, everyone was tired and hungry, we grilled before the dinner , whit Bettina, Simon, Reinke, Martin, Yoyo, Roli and me. (sooo hungry )
Everyone was really tired because a lot of runs in the legs, now only relax, at 19:30 the dinner is ready, we have nice place for dinner with music, few tents, bar tent, music tent and food tent.
After the dinner it started to rain, really bad for the party, everybody went to the bar place, but the party from the free ride is outside, no chance, only between 01:00 or 2:00 the rain stopped, I went to my tent early, happy but very tired ,and slept really fast.

Sunday 27 of August

The second day, also starts early at 08:30, really nice, better then Saturday, more runs on Sunday, few friend came on Sunday, many people work Saturday, I did on Sunday 90.1km/h top speed on my gps, really nice and Benny did 98km/h in the streetluge.
Saturday and Sunday we had a lot of people for watching the free ride, a lot of kids, pretty nice. On Sunday in the morning we did 6 runs, the best after Saturday.
We had two small crash’s but everything is okay with this two guys, again at 12:00 stop for the lunch break, San Bernardino is amazing both days we had beautiful sunshine only Saturday night big rain, on Sunday the road was perfect to ride. If you missed this free ride, you need to come next year. In the afternoon a lot of runs more then Saturday pretty nice but one time the start line told me “ this is the last run “ ooohhh, well the dream finished, see you there again next year.

Now I wait for Hautacam the other France National IGSA race this year in September.
if you have interest in more pictures or videos, please check the links below, you can get the pictures in high resolution, please contact the responsible guys, I only write articles about my trips or races, I don’t sale pictures.

Pictures 01: www.bistraja.ch/index.html?https://www.bistraja.ch/fotogalerien/fotogalerie06_index.html
Pictures 02: www.dirtsurfer-team.ch/galerie/r_id/1/func/upload/galerie_nr/99
Pictures 03: www.gioasteka.ch/index.php?option=com_zoom&Itemid=46
Pictures 04: www.thio.ch/mos/component/option,com_zoom/Itemid,28/catid,156/

Kontakt: Luis Lins  https://www.fibretec.ch/