And here we go.

Thanks for your understanding regarding my absence on Monday. Truth be told, what little content I did post, was about all I had in me.

On Sunday night, I was asleep standing up;
sleep anywhere

Now that I have a bit of rest under my belt, I’ll start at the start.

It was during last year’s W.S.A.T.U. celebration, Paul Price asked his long time girlfriend Marley if in one year’s time she’d do him the honor of becoming his wife. Luckily for Paul, she said yes, and it was over this weekend that a number of his family and friends all converged on the tiny mountain town of Downiville, California to assist in the celebration of their love.
IMG_0073
Word had gone out that at the head of the weekend we’d be meeting up at Yuba Expeditions for a morning shuttle run;
IMG_0081
Seven years ago I was in Downieville for my 35th birthday and I had planned to do a shuttle but ended up skipping it and riding the entire loop instead. So aside from a couple of trips up various mountains on chairlifts, I had never before free-ridden. We all piled in and enjoyed the picturesque trip to the top of the hill.

Standing around and shooting the breeze, we each individually marveled at the bike that one Danny Boy Smith had chosen to ride on the famously technical trail network;
IMG_0097
Everybody was all kinda on the same page in that Danny Boy, who it should be noted had never ridden a mountain bike before, had already won the tough guy award before we’d even begun pedaling;
IMG_0096
Though we decided that since the steed had new tires, he was pretty much good to go.

Before long we began our descent- a rolling shitshow of laughter, conversation and repeated mechanicals;
IMG_0104
IMG_0109
IMG_0116
IMG_0117
IMG_0125
IMG_0130
IMG_0133
But just then, as anyone with even a smidge of meat between their ears could have predicted, the relec met an untimely issue;
IMG_0139
Though when you’re riding with a bunch of machinists, engineers, and various degrees of smarty-pantses in possession of toe straps, electrical tape, a couple of ti tire levers, and a stick taken from the forest floor, a solution to every conundrum is never far away;
IMG_0147
While it wasn’t a fix that would be suitable for a full-blown conclusion of the ride, it was good enough to get our hero out of the middle of the woods in one piece.

We continued mashing our way down the hill with a few more stops and a few more flat tires;
IMG_0158
IMG_0150
IMG_0151
IMG_0157
Finally we got back to town with time to get cleaned up and head to dinner;
IMG_0174
IMG_0175
IMG_0169
It was a lovely start to what would be ultimately be an equally lovely weekend.

Finally we all blew apart in different directions, and retreated to our various safe zones to rest up for the next day and an evening full of marital bliss.

Now, for any one who is keeping score, you’re aware that the day of the wedding also happened to fall on the fourth (or fifth) year of my W.S.A.T.U. celebration. Paul and I shared probably a dozen or two texts regarding what would be the most appropriate way for me to do both without ruining anyone’s good time.

Upon our final exchange it was requested that any assembled staffs would do well to be prone during the ceremony. It was also requested that my Amigos would be present in our colors, both of which I was more than happy to accomodate.

Before the 4:00 ceremony however, the lot of us spent our day engaging in all manner of off-goofing;
IMG_0197
IMG_0198
IMG_0202
IMG_0203
IMG_0205
IMG_0216
IMG_0218
IMG_0224
IMG_0230
IMG_0231
The time to get dolled up had arrived and we did so with haste, to get out the door and to the big show;
IMG_0234
IMG_0235
Landing at the river-side venue, we consorted with our compatriots, and stood around looking dashing;
IMG_0242
IMG_0244 copy
IMG_0248
IMG_0251
IMG_0253
IMG_0261
IMG_0264
IMG_0281
IMG_0286
IMG_0294
Then came time for the main event, which was officiated by my Amigo, and Mr. Blue Collar Bikes hisself, Robert Ives;
IMG_0272
It was short, to the point, and as lovely a service as I’ve attended. Surrounded by weepy eyed individuals of all ages and genders, those present erupted into applause as we were finally introduced to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Price.

From that point going forward, it was game on for everybody;
IMG_0300
IMG_0302
IMG_0312
IMG_0314
-Including Paul Senior, who is half of the Price parental unit, both of whom are a couple of the dearest human beings you’d ever imagine meeting;
IMG_0315
Anyway- The night continued on;
IMG_0319 copy
IMG_0334
IMG_0338
IMG_0341
IMG_0347
Finally, after departing from the venue, Robert, Sean Walling and I were sitting in a local watering hole and a big fellow sauntered up next to us and said “hey- Whose Wizard Staff is parked outside?

I claimed ownership and explained to him the significance of the third weekend of every June.

You know what you should do?” he started… “You should post something about that on the internet.

We all agreed that would be a good idea, and one that I would take into consideration.

We then said our goodbyes, and made plans for the following day which ended up looking something like this;
IMG_0353
IMG_0362
IMG_0363
IMG_0365
IMG_0387
IMG_0392
IMG_0395
IMG_0396
IMG_0401
IMG_0403
IMG_0404
IMG_0409
IMG_0418
All in all, it was a brilliantly perfect weekend which left my heart full, and my brain exhausted.

With that, I thank you for your time, Paul and Marley for their love, and ultimately my sleeping brace for its support.
newlittleskull

Spread this like it's sick

Leave a Reply to Colin M Click here to cancel reply.

12 Responses to “And here we go.”

    • Stevil June 25, 2014 at 11:37 am #

      Yeah, check. I spent three days looking at their sign. I got subliminally choked.

      • Jon Palmer June 25, 2014 at 12:03 pm #

        I frequently call them Yuba Outfitters and Downieville Expeditions. Respectively

  1. El Pirata Del Rio June 25, 2014 at 10:44 am #

    Did I spot a Hairless Mexican River Ham in there?

  2. Crank June 25, 2014 at 3:25 pm #

    When did you shave your toes and paint your toenails?

  3. tj June 25, 2014 at 3:51 pm #

    I guess orange really is the new black.

  4. gene o June 26, 2014 at 12:06 pm #

    That was a wonderful thing you did there.
    Congrats to the Prices’s

    • Stevil June 26, 2014 at 2:25 pm #

      Our last Amigo was sorely missed.

  5. Knuckler June 27, 2014 at 11:02 am #

    That was the best thing I’ve ever read about a wedding.

  6. Margnar July 2, 2014 at 7:17 pm #

    You did a really awesome thing here, Stevil. As a result of this post, my mom (who is afraid of bikes, sweat, and wizard staffs) put a post-it on her computer with ‘www.allhailtheblackmarket.com’ written on it. Another disciple!

  7. Colin M July 5, 2014 at 1:40 pm #

    Great photos! Weddings can be fun. If the bride and groom invite the right people 😉

  8. Vaeringjar July 6, 2014 at 6:53 pm #

    At a wedding years ago, I was coerced into riding a mountain bike for the first time (I’ve never been a hippy, worn a beard, liked smoking weed or been into hacky-sack–I’m an urban drink ) but I rode tough. I was kind of disappointed, my BMX skills never left me and I still hate hippys.