Hooligan's Ball 2015
In February, the route was announced for the tenth annual Tour of California.
Almost immediately, Banning and I identified the famous Mt Baldy summit finish had been brought back to this year’s edition, after a two year absence. It required no deliberation…
EWB Hooligans Ball would also be making its grand re-emergence!
Going back through the years (Big Bear, Mt. Palomar, Mt. Baldy twice, Palm Springs), our Hooligans Ball has always strived for simple goals: Hard ride followed by a fun (and safe) party and concludes with a front row seat of the biggest stage race in the US.
We were very excited to have Vittoria North America Industries (“VINA”) join us as a sponsor this year for the Ball. VINA is the US distributor for Vittoria tires, 3T components, and Selle Italia saddles.
The plan was to meet at Glendora High School. Ride Glendora Mountain Road to Glendora Ridge Road to Baldy Road to the Mt. Baldy ski lifts.
The last time Hooligans Ball was on top of Mt. Baldy was 2012. It was a very hot and sunny day. For better or worse, we planned for similar conditions. But this year was different…The day before saw a good amount of snow fall at the summit. We had a total of four vehicles drive up the mountain very early in the morning with all the supplies needed for an awesome summit party. We were met with temperatures in the high 30s!
The Ball Begins!
We rode down, met the group, rode back up, hit the summit and then settled into our pop up tent camp to eat, drink, and get ready for the pros. For better or worse, the theme of the day was cold. But I have to give huge kudos to all who came out and joined us as everyone truly made the best of it and had fun regardless of the cold. Everyone was in good spirits and really wanted to make this a great event.
As streams of cycling fans rode through our camp, we started doing cookie and beer hand ups. As always, our camp became a spot on the course that was fun and entertaining.
We rode down, met the group, rode back up, hit the summit and then settled into our pop up tent camp to eat, drink, and get ready for the pros. For better or worse, the theme of the day was cold. But I have to give huge kudos to all who came out and joined us as everyone truly made the best of it and had fun regardless of the cold. Everyone was in good spirits and really wanted to make this a great event.
As streams of cycling fans rode through our camp, we started doing cookie and beer hand ups. As always, our camp became a spot on the course that was fun and entertaining.
Hooligan Time
When the CHPs started to come through to get the course cleared for the Pros, it became time to get into costume….Hooligan time.
“We cheered, ran with the racers, encouraged cookie and beer hand ups, and had as much fun as any cycling fans could.”
Hooligans Ball 2015 was a great success! I want to thank our good friend Ricardo from Stone Brewing for helping us out with a delicious keg of beer, Sean Kneale for bringing VINA to the event and for being a constant fun coordinator throughout the event, our new friends John McKone and Lucas Perez from VINA for lots of tireless work throughout the day, Team Velocity (Mike, Genna, Bill, Todd, etc.) for showing up in mass numbers and as always supporting EWB in a tremendous way, Wyatt for showing up with the ugliest sunglasses of the day, Ivan “Compa” Padilla for a ton of work before the event and being one of the main morale leaders throughout the event, and Banning for doing what Banning always does better than anyone else I’ve ever known (morale and spiritual leadership). And of course the biggest thanks goes to all those who participated…You made a cold day into a wonderful day!
We hope the 2016 route provides us with our next opportunity to repeat Hooligans Ball again!
