HopDrift

Allow me to introduce you to Salt Lake City’s latest thrill and beer seeking adventure…

HopDrift is essentially a brewery crawl on drift trikes.  This entire post should be in caps because THAT’S HOW EXCITED I AM ABOUT IT. But don’t worry, I won’t do that to you. What I will do to you is make you think you’re missing out. Because you are.

I began the day knowing I was going to drink beer and pedal around on a trike. I ended the day spending more time than I’d like to admit looking at trike drifting videos on youtube and wondering if buying myself a drift trike would be a feasible purchase. Instead, I’ve opted to write about it here and intend to be the first one to sign up for the next HopDrift event.

Here are the facts!

• HopDrift is brand-spankin new! Yesterday was the first official HopDrift, and it will be followed by several more before it gets too chilly outside.
• The HopDrift fleet currently consists of 13 drift trikes that are tricked out with a phone mount for taking photos and video of your drift, fanny packs to hold your keys so they don’t end up somewhere between the Aves and downtown, and american flags for ultimate visibility while you coast through the city.
• There were three stops along the drift, not including the start location at Avenues Proper. We stopped at Red Rock Brewing, Fisher Brewing, and Proper Brewing. The drift lasted 3 hours and was about 4 miles long.
• HopDrift will be lead by a “Trikerone”, or a trike/beer expert. Derik Deboard, brewer at Uinta Brewing Co., was our Trikerone for the drift! He called the shots while keeping us safe and on track for our next brewery stop.
• The price for HopDrift does not currently include beers at brewery locations. While this may change in the future, it’s good to know ahead of time.
• Riders are followed by the “Campbulance” – an ambulance turned camper turned shuttle bus/trike chaser. 
• Helmets are currently not provided, but it’s recommended that you bring your own.
• When the ride is concluded, trikers are given the option of being shuttled back up to the point of origin. I could hardly pedal away from the slope down to the curb after being parked. I can’t imagine trying to trike back up the hill. Hah!
• The first HopDrift was $20 per person. Expect the price to go up once beers become included in the ticket price and extras are added to the trikes.

Here are the tips!

• Charge your phone before leaving the house. The phone mounts mean you can easily document your ride and drain some serious juice from your phone. If you’re trying to get an uber afterward, you might wish you had more battery life!
• I didn’t figure out how to drift until we got to the Proper Brewing parking lot. Drifting is the second best part next to beer! If you want to drift, get a bit of momentum and throw your ass into it while leaning the opposite way with your upper body. Try to figure it out before you get too far into the ride!
• While I didn’t wipe out, I can’t imagine it hurting too bad. Your head is hardly ever more than 2-3 feet above the asphalt, so taking a little tumble after an unsuccessful drift will hurt your pride more than anything. The only people that wiped out were attempting to do extreme things, so if your actions are conservative, you’ll likely be free from spills.
• Bring a friend and sign up ASAP! Tickets are limited, as are the trikes. Keep an eye on the HopDrift facebook page for event info. 

As an idiot preteen, I recall flying down a hill at my friend’s house in a Fisher Price Little Tykes car (the red and yellow one). It was stupid, and dangerous and a hell of a lot of fun! Yesterday as an adult, I let gravity take me downhill once again – but this time there were three wheels instead of four, pints of delicious beer, and no one’s mom yelled at me!

If you’re looking to feed your inner child and outer adult, HopDrift is here to satisfy. Hop on a trike, drift down the hill, and drink up a beer.

It’s all downhill from here!

Huge thanks to Eric Brooks, Deven Baum, and Derik Deboard for throwing a killer event!