Crafty Beer Girls

Girls Love Beer

  • Home
  • About
  • Beer Stories

By Jenni Shafer 1 Comment

Return to Fears, Tears, and Beers

Photo courtesy of Photo-John

Ely, Nevada is the kind of town that grows on you. It doesn’t seem like much, but the historical charm that permeates it, and the regular sound of the old train whistle from the steam engine that circles it, give Ely a beating heart that warms yours. Two years ago, I attended the 2016 Fears, Tears, and Beers mountain bike enduro race in Ely for the first time. You can read all about that adventure from my earlier blog post here. I was excited to return this year for a second run at it.

After checking into the Jailhouse Casino-Motel on Friday morning, we headed out to pre-ride the race course. Since my husband John is the race photographer, it would be his only opportunity to ride it. I took advantage of my chance to get familiar with the trail conditions which were a lot different from the last time I was there. Heavy rains had given many of the trails some really nice traction. The hot, dry weather this year made for dusty conditions and much looser traction. We shuttled the ride (drove the car to the top rather than riding up) so that I could conserve my energy for race day and worked up a healthy appetite for dinner in the process.

The hunting-themed Racks Bar & Grill is the most popular place in town to hang out and grab a drink and a bite to eat. They have a good selection of sandwiches, burgers, and wraps. The smoky pulled-pork sandwich made for a tasty pre-race meal. Like most of Ely, the beer selection is mostly devoid of craft. But, they did have Rack’s IPA made by Ruby Mountain Brewing Company. Located on a ranch near Wells, NV, Ruby Mountain is the essential craft option for the region. Many of the casino bars carry their own brand of the same Ruby Mountain IPA. I couldn’t help but notice how hazy it’s looking these days! With citrus and floral hops flavors, smooth mouthfeel, and the appearance of a glass of orange juice, this remote little brewery is right on trend.

Photo courtesy of Photo-John

Race day was full of excitement! With no rain in sight, everything was right on schedule. Things got rolling from the middle of town, right through the Jailhouse Casino and Hotel Nevada. Tell me; where else will you ever get to ride your bike on a casino floor? It’s great to see the community participate and support local events.

The race itself is pretty tough, especially with hotter temperatures. I took my time getting to the top where I would begin the first of 3 timed stages. I chose to ride the Beginner loop again this year. The Sport, Expert, and Pro divisions start with an additional loop before tackling Stage #2 which was my first stage. My leisurely climbing pace had me at the pack of the Beginner pack and I found myself in the company of the fastest Expert and Pro men. As a result, I was passed twice by fast men on course, even though riders are staggered to avoid this. One got a little too close and clipped my handle bar causing me to crash. Ouch! Other than that, I had a smooth race. I finished up my last stage where a lovely volunteer offered me a bottle of cold beer. I believe that’s about as good as beer will ever taste!

Once I returned back to town, it was time to relax. I got showered and then headed back to the park where the race started to chill in the shade, and watch Pro and Expert racers descend the gnarliness that is Whorehouse Hill. Folks have binoculars at the ready to catch the action. Later on, everyone reconvened at the local convention center for an awards ceremony, raffle, dinner, and free beer from Ruby Mountain Brewing Co.

With a belly full of food and beer, my tired body slept very well. We woke up on Sunday morning, checked out of the motel, and headed over to La Fiesta for a Mexican breakfast. I sipped a crisp Sol Mexican lager as I devoured a plate of huevos rancheros. It was delicious! I don’t expect to find great Mexican food in Ely, Nevada, but this place continues to surprise me!

Photo courtesy of Photo-John

The good times continued at Cave Lake State Park, just south of Ely. This beautiful reservoir is host to a variety of summer and winter activities. The trails there offer amazing views of the lake and some really nice downhill flow if you’re riding. As tired as I was from racing, the place seemed magical and rejuvenating somehow. Our campsite at Elk Flats campground had mountain views, flushing toilets, and showers. For us, it was truly luxurious!

Photo courtesy of Photo-John

The more time I spend in Ely, the more I love it. It ain’t fancy, but it’s bursting with pastimes waiting to be discovered and passionate people who appreciate the outdoors. Fears, Tears, and Beers is a challenging, fun, and well-organized race. I can’t wait to return, hopefully with a crew of friends, and make a real party out of it!

Check our Facebook page for a full photo gallery.

Filed Under: Beer Stories, Sports, Travel Tagged With: mountain biking, nevada beer, Ruby Mountain Brewing Co., sports, travel

Comments

  1. Zvakec says

    June 17, 2018 at 2:34 pm

    My mother – in – law supervises all the recreational events involving the BLM in the Bristlecone Field Office and she is pleased to hear you had a good time and enjoyed yourself.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

craftybeergirls

Jenni Shafer & Lauren Lerch
A sunny Sunday morning on the slopes with a tasty A sunny Sunday morning on the slopes with a tasty local @fisherbrewing beer to wash down burritos in the parking lot. Yes, Utah! #sundayinutah #utahbeer #skiday #parkinglotbeer #skialta #fisherbeer #sundayfunday #sundaybeer #skibeer #lunch #beer #altaskiarea #fisherbrewing #crispyboi #utah
Finishing up the holiday pie/beer #pieisbeer #beer Finishing up the holiday pie/beer #pieisbeer #beerispie #drinklocal #utahbeer #pecanpie #pumpkinpie #roostersbrewing #shadesbrewing #epicbrewing #dessertbeer #holidaypie #holidaybeer #holidays #aretheyoveryet #drinkbeer #newyear
Taste the sensation of skiing @altaskiarea on Chri Taste the sensation of skiing @altaskiarea on Christmas Day! ⛷️🎄 #peppermintpatty #uintabrewing #skialta #christmasday #skiday #christmasbeer #peppermint #chocolate #beer #getthesensation #merrychristmas #christmasskiing
We hope your cup is full of beer this fine Christm We hope your cup is full of beer this fine Christmas Eve 🎄🍻 #merrychristmas #griswalds #holidayale #redrockbrewery #cupofcheer #christmasbeer #utahbeer #drinklocal #spicedale  #christmaseve #beer #cheers
Welcome, winter! It's good to be back on the slope Welcome, winter! It's good to be back on the slopes for some snowy mountain therapy. #winterwelcome #beerwithaview #skibeer #apresski #altaskiarea #wasatchmountains #beeroutside #brightonresort #samuelsmith #kiitosbrewing #skilunch #wheatbeer #dogfishhead #americanbeauty #hazyipa #snowboarding #skiutah
High above the grid, this GABF medal winner lets s High above the grid, this GABF medal winner lets simple flavors shine. Cheers to the highs and lows of 2020, @gridcitybeer 🍻
.
.
#utahbeer #gridcitybeerworks #honeycream #ale #slcbeer #honey #creamale #utahcraftbeerscene #gabfmedalwinner #awardwinningbeer #utah #beer #beerwithaview #beeroutside #socialdistancing #survivingcoronavirus #trailbeer
All hopped up on cider! 🍎🌱 ~L #hoppedcider # All hopped up on cider! 🍎🌱 ~L #hoppedcider #craftcider #oregon #oregoncoast #roadtrip #beachlife #weebitchilly #tillamook #greenery
Last week vs this week. A bit of a temperature cha Last week vs this week. A bit of a temperature change, but still spending Sunday on the trails. #sundayfunday #mountainbiking #trailbeer #levelcrossing #sinday #kiitosbrewing #pumpkinlatte #sundaybeer #bikesandbeers #beerwithaview #beeroutside #utahbeer #paleale #pumpkinbeer #utah #beer
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Contact us:

craftybeergirlsblog@gmail.com

© 2019 Crafty Beer Girls