Get your costume together for Boise Goathead Fest and Pedal-Powered Parade Saturday

Monster Mash is the overall dress-up theme 

Hi all,

The smoke from all of the fires burning in the West is already getting tiresome here in the Boise Valley, but we should not let that prevent anyone from participating in the Boise Goathead Fest on Saturday. There are already more than 1,000 people signed up! Let's see if we can surpass 10,000 or more!

In case you haven't heard about this, the Boise Goathead Fest is a new twist on a previous super-popular event called the Fat Tire Festival ... New Belgium Brewing created the Fat Tire Festival concept, and they partnered with local bike-advocacy groups in multiple communities including Boise to host bike festivals and raise funds for the non-profits to improve bike trails and facilities.

Boise peeps came out strong in support of the Fat Tire Festival in the past. One year, 16,000 people rode in the Fat Tire Parade. I rode in several of them, and they're just plain fun ... having the streets closed to cars, and checking out everyone in their costumes. For one small moment in time, BIKES RULE!

On Saturday, I think it's important for everyone to come out in force to support our local bike community in the Boise Goathead Fest, an  event powered by the Boise Bike Project and other non-profits like the Land Trust of the Treasure Valley, SWIMBA, Dirt Dolls mountain bike club for women, Treasure Valley Cycling Alliance and more.

So get your costume together for the Pedal-Powered Parade on Saturday (starts at 11 a.m.; on-site registration is at 10 a.m.). Suggested registration cost is $5. You are encouraged to register online because it's much easier! Go to Boise Goathead Fest and do it! It took me about 2 minutes to register Wendy and me.

Jimmy Hallyburton of the Boise Bike Project said people can help support the Goathead event in two ways -- sign up to volunteer at the event (easy to do on the web site) or pre-register for the parade online.

Show up at the parade, pedal around a 2-mile course downtown, and then have fun in the afternoon at Cecil D. Andrus Park by the Statehouse. This year, there are more activities for kids and more options for beverages other than beer, although 6 local breweries are participating. There will be live music throughout the afternoon and different activities going on. One of the stages will feature people cranking electric generators with pedal-power to show the potential of pedal-power ...

The parade route runs from the Statehouse down Jefferson Street to 14th Street, then back on Bannock to 2nd Street, and then back to the Statehouse.

If you're coming with a group from work or a group of any kind, you're encouraged to dress up in the same theme. The overall dress-up theme is "Monster Mash." You remember that song, right? "They did the mash ... the Monster Mash! They did the mash ... It was a graveyard smash!"

Ultimately the festival is about transforming Boise into the Bicycle Capital of America, and supporting your favorite nonprofits, but there's also been a side benefit, and that's to get rid of goat heads in places where we like to ride ... not only on bike trails but also in alleys and neighborhoods. Jimmy said in the month of July, there was more than 3,500 pounds of goat heads pulled by people in our community. That's fantastic!

Hope to see you at the Goathead Fest! There's also a pre-launch party Friday night at Cecil Andrus Park from 4-10 p.m.



Another alternative this weekend is to head up to Bogus Basin for Music on the Mountain and all of the fun activities available up there for you, your friends and your family. Johnny Boy Kunk with Sam Gates, Shot Glass and special guest are playing on Saturday from noon to 6 p.m.

At Bogus, you also can go hiking and biking on a multitude of trails, check out the bike skills park, ride the chairlift to start your ride or hike from the top of Deer Point, ride the Glade Runner mountain coaster, tubing, climbing wall, bungee trampoline, and more kids activities. See Bogus' summer activity page for more information and fee schedule.

Next week, I'm heading off to float the Salmon River, so you won't hear from me next Friday ... I'll be off the grid! 
- SS