Kyle Jameson, better known as KJ, isn’t a founding member of FEST but is considered an OG in the circle. He’s now a three-time host of successful FEST events. While KJ still lived in Santa Cruz, California, he put on the much loved Cruz FEST in 2015 and 2016. Just months after to moving to Bend, Oregon, KJ teamed up with fellow Bendite Carson Storch to create Black Sage – a FEST course that was praised as being one of the most fun and longest lines in the series’ history.

“We were tired of feeling like circus animals being told when to ride,” KJ said. “It was more about when the helicopter was ready or if the cameras were rolling than it was about the riding,” he continued. “The vibe was different and it wasn’t always about the fun and some of us realized that the passion we had for riding was slowly dying as more stress and anxiety crept in.” This, was a common theme from the riders in attendance at Black Sage – less stress, more fun.

When founding members Nico Vink and Makken began sharing their ideas and swapped invites to ride their respective local areas with some friends, the idea sort of clicked. Nico shared, “I was lucky enough to get invited to Makken’s Hillbilly festival and we just decided that there was a solid group of us that had a bigger vision of what we wanted. We wanted to ride different stuff than what the current event organizers or industry was offering us. Now it’s been a few years and we’re still doing what we wanted, which is to ride really cool places with our friends and inspire people to have fun and ride how you want.”

Since 2013, FEST events have crossed the globe from Norway to Africa and the interior of Canada. Much like the 1960’s documentary, Endless Summer the FEST riders are on a never-ending quest to chase the flow. By steering clear of the stressful competitions that robbed the spark of passion, they feel motivated to ride for something more true. This is where the script flips as the seemingly-selfish motivation for the riders to ride for themselves actually benefits those outside the club.

While talking with Aggy at Black Sage we asked him how important events like this were to the mountain bike scene. “I feel like they’re really important,” he said. “It seems like passion is something the mountain bike industry has kinda been missing the last few years. If you look around here you’ll see everyone having a good time. People are high fiving each other and just stoked to be riding and pushing each other. When we’re able to ride in productive and relaxed environments like this we can progress to new levels. And hopefully when people see how much fun we’re having, and that it’s genuine, other people will get inspired to go out and push themselves,” Aggy explained. Through their desire to ride for themselves, they’re hoping to give inspiration and entertainment to others.

True to their mission, the crew went on mountain bike rides, moto rides and out to the event site to dig and work on the line after some unexpected rain. The riders in attendance come from motocross, World Cup racing, big mountain freeriding and dirt jump backgrounds. This motley crew of riders was always stoked and inclusive to everyone there. If it were anything besides a FEST event this same crew would be set out to compete against each other for the top spot or for points in a judged event. Here they were just friends looking to ride and hang out. In a way it almost seemed like a company retreat where coworkers go to mingle, relax and socialize outside their stressful work environments.

When the riders return from these FEST retreats their minds are rejuvenated and refreshed for the next competition or obligation they need to fulfill. While hanging out with the crew several things became apparent. First, despite the exotic locations, fun and allure a dream job may have, it’s still a job and I’ve never met anyone who loved their job all the time. Whether it’s waking up early to freeze their asses off for a sunrise photo shoot or hiking up a mountain for the 30th time to hit a sketchy jump in the wind, the reality shifts from dream job to dreaming they were back in bed. It’s no different than when a group of desk jockeys, burnt out from a week of TPS reports pack up their trucks and head out for a weekend ride trip. In a way, they’re throwing their own FEST event. This brings us to the point number two. Peel away the insane amounts of talent, huge jumps, and drool-worthy locales and a mountain biker is just a mountain biker. If you’re reading this then you already know better than anyone that the best medicine is going out for a rip with the buds. Imagine the only time you could ride with all your buds was when you were surrounded by thousands of screaming people. Then throw a few cameras in your face while you try to determine what is it the people watching you will find most impressive. That same escape we as riders crave is no different for those involved in the FEST Series. While some may find it selfish or narrow-minded that they keep the events so closed-off, I realized more than anything it meant these dudes are the real deal. These guys like riding so much that when they get burned out from the stresses of events and competition, the medicine they crave is just riding and chilling with their bros. How cool is that!?

For more info on the FEST Series or to see more from past events visit, festseries.com