Ibis Migration3 LR 15

May 11–14, 2017

Men­do­ci­no Cal­i­for­nia — Back to the Roots

Ibis Migration #3 Report

It all start­ed here.

Coastal Cal­i­for­nia has always held a spe­cial allure for Ibis. From our cur­rent digs in laid-back San­ta Cruz to the ear­ly years in rur­al Sono­ma Coun­ty, we’ve always been drawn to the rugged coast­line and dra­mat­ic forests of the West Coast.

For the third Ibis Migra­tion, we decid­ed to bring our extend­ed fam­i­ly – both ded­i­cat­ed Ibis rid­ers and the I‑curious – to the place where it all began. Adven­tur­ers from all over the map trav­eled to the Men­do­ci­no Wood­lands, a his­tor­i­cal­ly sig­nif­i­cant clus­ter of rus­tic cab­ins nes­tled with­in the red­wood sprawl of Jack­son State Demo Forest. 

Scot Nicol found­ed Ibis only a cou­ple miles away from here back in 1981, and indeed some of the trails we rode dur­ing the Migra­tion came with­in huck­ing dis­tance to the place where it all began back in the day. 

There were few trails then, but thanks to the Men­do­ci­no Coast Cyclists and the Steam Don­key Trail Crew, that has changed dra­mat­i­cal­ly. These ded­i­cat­ed dirt dig­gers (dig­glers?) have carved dozens of miles of sin­u­ous trails that wind among, and some­times even through, the majes­tic redwoods. 

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Dozens of miles of sin­u­ous trails that wind among, and some­times even through, the majes­tic redwoods.
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Our accom­mo­da­tions were in rus­tic cab­ins built in the 1930’s out of red­wood. Each cozy cab­in had a fire­place and a bal­cony… along with a boat­load of old-world charm.
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Wel­come to the old­est group camp­ing site in the States and base camp for some of the finest trails in North­ern California.
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Not much can match the excite­ment of a pre-ride meeting.
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Most peo­ple ride around trees. Ibisians ride through them.
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Rec­og­nize this guy? That’s for­mer Nation­al and World Tri­als Champ, Ibis rid­er and Ibisian Andy Grayson, and he still rips.
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#yogabutts Morn­ing yoga led by Abbie Dur­kee gave every­one ener­gy and flex­i­bil­i­ty for a full day of singletrack.
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Peanut but­ter and jel­ly, Hall and Oates, Rip­leys and Landys.
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The kids are alright: here’s Dustin Dur­kee with the hula hoop hardstyle.
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Our skills instruc­tors Asa and Frank Shoe­mak­er gave campers the prop­er the­o­ry and pos­i­tive stoke required to lev­el up their cor­ner­ing abilities.
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If eye-water­ing, high speed descents are your thing, Big Tree Trail deliv­ers the goods.
Ibis Migration3 LR 122
Some­where along Big Tree Trail, we ran into a big tree. 1200 years old.
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Good vibes and fam­i­ly meals in a 1930s-era mess hall.
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Miles and smiles of sweet duffy sin­gle­track greet­ed our fel­low migrators.
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Each evening we con­coct­ed some deli­cious cock­tails full of vit­a­min c and oth­er essen­tial life force nutrients.
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Noth­ing like a 1 meter diam­e­ter pan of pael­la to feed some hun­gry cyclists.
"If you’ve already drunk the Ibis kool-aid or if you just love riding trails and enjoying the finer things in life, we predict you’ll have a blast at a Migration!"
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After rid­ing each day, it was time for cock­tails, camp­fires and conversation.

Thanks to all who par­tic­i­pat­ed, both campers and guides, with a spe­cial shout out to the Steam Don­key Trail Crew for cre­at­ing and main­tain­ing these top-shelf trails.

If you’ve already drunk the Ibis kool-aid or if you just love rid­ing trails and enjoy­ing the fin­er things in life, we pre­dict you’ll have a blast at a Migration!

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