Winter Park, Colorado: Slope style, I gather, is an extreme form of mountain biking. I watched in a mixture of amazement and horror as young males of the human species astride bicycles hurled themselves over a series of dirt berms. I’d say they were airborne for a considerable part of the ride, performing upside down and sideways flips. Oh my God.
Meanwhile, spectators could view the entire ride on a super-large TV screen. And there were replays. An announcer gave a play-by-play description, using phrases like, “Way to go, Dude!” or “Nice ride, Dude.” When one particularly talented rider began his run, a remote-control helicopter with a camera monitored his progress. There was an enthusiastic shout from the announcer: “SHUT THE FRONT DOOR,” which meant that’s the best we’ll see. Nobody can beat that.
When another rider suffered a nasty fall, the announcer asked, “Hey dude, you all right?” Medics came in. It was determined that there was a dislocated shoulder, and it was not the first time it had happened. First aid was administered. It sounded oh so painful. I am glad I’m not his mom.
It’s a world I’ve only recently heard about, but it seems to have a considerable following. Slope style is not a sport for the faint hearted, but it’s pretty amazing to see.
Big picture photo below shows rider slightly below center, big screen video at left center, Winter Park Resort, center right.
