Wow Eight Years!!!!!!!!

[Chief Illiniwek]

Can't believe its been eight years!

I'll never forget that first year! It all started with a conversation Jim Ghys and I had on a late winter afternoon in 2003 about the lack of a real MTB scene in the QC. Nobody but us really thought a race on Sylan Island was a good idea! Hell FORC wasn't really sure about it and the race didn't become an offical FORC race until the next year. Some people wanted to change the name of the island to injury island, telling us we would need an ambulance on the Island all day just to haul people be off when they went down (we didn't need one). They also said no one would make it one lap with out getting a flat, we had flats but about as many as we had yesterday. Never will forget one of the first flats in a SIS (remember Huck), this local guy decided that the best bike for a race like this would be a cross bike, do I need to say more? The guy in the sport race yesterday on what looked like a cross bike brought back alot of memories of that first race.

So a BIG thanks to Kings, Neips, and everyone else thats stepped up and volunteered their time over the past eight years to help keep the dream alive! A real big thanks to Jim Ghys and Bruce Grell, because with out their knowledge of bike racing and the biking industy that frist year would have never happened!

Now this is my opinion and my opinion alone, so don't go getting all pissed off if you don't agree! But I think the SIS is one of the number one reasons this club is what it is today!

P.S. Can't wait for 2014 and the big 10!

JB

[Rage]

Ayup.

Rg.

[dgw2jr]

Now this is my opinion and my opinion alone, so don't go getting all pissed off if you don't agree! But I think the SIS is one of the number one reasons this club is what it is today!

Agreed! It really brings everyone together and shows what a volunteer group that loves what they are doing are capable of!

[Dirt]

Congrats, Guys! This is something to be really, really proud of. I love stories like these. Before you know it, we're going to need to establish a Club Historian to make sure the stories of the origin of the club and its events, trail systems, etc. are preserved (and appropriately embellished).

[Vibrato]

How come all mountain bike history starts with a bunch of ole' crotchety doods? HA!! Forcmeister may be our "Gary Fisher", but JB and JG are our "Charlie Kelly" and "Tom Ritchey". You guys are tops.

I am always amazed at how things that are 100% "together" just seem so natural, and we never really know the incredible amount of troubles and hard times that people went through to make them a success. SIS and FORC are both like that, and its double cool that they're so ingrained you wouldn't think of having one without the other.

HEY! You got your Stampede in my FORC! No, you got your FORC in my Stampede...

[jimithng23]

...we're going to need to establish a Club Historian to make sure the stories of the origin of the club and its events, trail systems, etc. are preserved (and appropriately embellished).

Funny...Steve-O and I were talking just a few weeks ago about doing this for real. Set up an "Our History" page with a timeline of events just like JB described.

Could you imagine the fact-gathering and story-telling that would take place? Just the thought of sitting around with sages such as JB, FM, and Rage enjoying tales of years past and sipping from growlers has me smitten with excitement.

So, who's gonna organize this?!

but back to the main topic, yes JB...it's amazing how far everything has come and I am with you - the incredible people who dreamt up, coordinate, direct, and volunteer to put on the SIS have made FORC what it is today!

And now...on to the 2012 Midwest Mountain Bike Fest!!!

[Russhole]

...

enjoying tales of years past and sipping from growlers has me smitten with excitement.

Thanks for volunteering.