The Cycle Source/ Hog N Heifers Ride to Mountain Springs Saloon
Arcticle By: Penny Osiecki
Photos By: Darren McKeag
Originally Published In The February 2014 Issue Of Cycle Source Magazine
Amost of you already know, Cycle Source holds a bitchin’ ride at each rally throughout the year. We promote the ride to our readers, rally attendees and industry folks and have built up some to include a few hundred bikes. It’s the one time that our crew can get away from the work bullshit at the rally, spend some quality time with our friends and see some new scenery other than our own backyards. Although Las Vegas BikeFest is in my backyard, I still look forward to showing off some of my favorite riding areas and destinations in Sin City.
Last year we didn’t promote our ride during Las Vegas BikeFest. It was just a small one consisting of the Cycle Source team and a couple of our buddies. We rode to the Pioneer Saloon. It’s a historical saloon built in the 1800s that is a must see when you come in to town. The riding is right along the 15 freeway and then another 11 miles up a desert road. The scenery is soso, but the place is the highlight.
The crew doesn’t know the area so they look to me to find the rad places to ride. There are a few places I ride to regularly; the world famous Mountain Springs’ Saloon is always a good time and the perfect place to get away from the sound of slot machines and hustle of Vegas. Last year my buddy Doug and I lead the ride so I called him again for this year’s run, and of course he was more than happy to help out. The ride started out Saturday morning in downtown Vegas with our friends from Hogs & Heifers. They set us up with a Bloody Mary breakfast, compliments of Sin City Whiskey. We knew there would be some folks that would need a little “hair-of-the-dog” to get their day started as Friday nights in Vegas can be ruthless. Our Cycle Source brother, Zak, was a perfect example of this. He walked up to me looking a bit on the pale side, cuddled into my arms and said, “I think I want to go home now.” I didn’t even ask what he did the night before but I’m sure it was one of those “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” kinds of nights. This was his first trip to Vegas — need I say more?
Once we finished fueling up, Doug and I were very pleasantly surprised to see about 100 bikes lined up down 3rd Street in front of Hogs & Heifers. Not bad for our first big Cycle Source ride in Vegas! I was a bit worried about losing some bikes on the way because you have to fight quite a few traffic lights in town until you get to the open roads going up the mountain. There was a gas stop planned so I thought for sure that’s where we’d get all screwed up. Some how, some way, we got every single green light and didn’t lose one person. The bikes were crazy in sync up the mountain in the beautiful desert air. The view goes from stunning red rock at the lower elevation to desert forest at the top of the mountain. The temperature was a perfect 82 degrees getting started and once we reached the top of the mountain at 5,490 feet elevation, it was a brisk 62 degrees. For me that’s brisk, but most of the crew is from the East Coast and Midwest so this temp was still warm for them.
We pulled into the Mountain Springs’ Saloon parking lot where things were already jumping and found spots to squeeze in to. Thank goodness there’s no lack of parking here. Mountain Springs’ Saloon has been in business for over 60 years and attracts folks from all over the world. Inside the bar you’ll find a cozy fireplace and a plethora of signed and dated dollar bills stapled to the rafters of the building. The bar manager, Chase, makes a mean Bloody Mary and always has a smile on his face, no matter how busy he gets. Out back is a regulation size horseshoe pit that some of our guys took full advantage of, and a little food stand that serves burgers. A few of us bellied up to a picnic table, ate lunch and chatted in the warm sun. It really was the perfect day.
While most stayed to play, the Cycle Source crew had to hit the roads back to the Cashman Center to get ready for the Artistry in Iron show winner announcements, Editor’s Choice awards and later that night, our Cycle Source ridein show back at Hogs & Heifers. We work hard and play hard, and we love every minute of it. Las Vegas BikeFest is one of our favorite events, so come join our crew for the 2014 festivities. I mean, how could you not have a good time? It’s Vegas baby!
