GnomeFest heads into virgin territory for it’s Tenth
reincarnation bringing the fun and festivities to the trails of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. Serving as our bunker for this year’s
assault on the covert Gnome forces of the Northwoods will be the fabulous Bear
Paw Outdoor Adventure Resort in White Lake (Have you heard? They have a BAR! With food!). Of course, what would Gnome-Fest be without miles of dreamy
single track for you to go and play bikes on? The Nicolet-Roche trail system offers up some of the best
single track that Wisconsin has to offer.
These trails range from fast and flowy to technical (boulders anyone?!)
and offer something for everyone.
If you like to ride your bike on dirt, smiles will be produced and you
will not be disappointed!
GnomeFest X starts at Noon on
Friday. Camping at Bear Paw is for registered attendees and is good for Friday
and Saturday nights. If you are
arriving early or staying later, you need to make arrangements directly with
Bear Paw.
FRIDAY
CHECK IN &
REGISTRATION
Lets just get this out of the
way – Gnome Fest X is going to rock!
Come prepared to have fun on bikes.
Registration
Hours - Friday, between 4pm and 9pm and Saturday between 9am and
11 am. Registration will take
place on the back sun deck of the Bear Paw Pub.
Pre-
Registration - Citizens of Gnome City will get their GFX t-shirt (if
applicable), fancy GFX patch, one free raffle ticket, and receive a festival wristband that grants
access to the kegs and all of the other events. Your camping (Friday and
Saturday night) is included in your pre-paid registration fees.
On-Site
Registration - You'll be able to register on-site at the festival for $50
per person. You won’t get the
t-shirt or free raffle ticket (you can buy some), but you’ll get everything else plus a good time. To stay in the good
graces of the Northwood gnomes, make sure you bring must have items like a
costume for the dwarf cycle, beer for the beer pool, and some chili or food to
share.
Everyone must register and
sign a waiver to be admitted into the festival grounds - and then - Lets play bikes!
CAMPING
- Check in and register BEFORE
you set up camp. Registration is open from 4-8 pm on Friday evening and
Saturday from 9-11. Registration will be located on the sun deck of the Bear
Paw’s pub. After you register,
stop in and have a beer or two (maybe a tasty bite to eat) and say howdy to our
hosts.
- Bring Garbage Bags – pack out
everything you pack in – we mean everything – dog poop, used condoms, punctured
blow up dolls, wigs, dead gerbils…..EVERYTHING
- Remember your Camp Chair
- Bring Warm Clothes and a Warm
Cozy Sleeping Nest (gnite-time temps can drop into the 40’s)
- We will supply wood for a
large communal fire. No other fires are permitted.
- Bring Ear Plugs if you have
any hope of getting any sleep
-Camping isn’t your thing? Contact the Bear Paw
(http://bearpawoutdoors.com/).
They may still have some cabins to rent.
Swag SWAP!
Since it was such a success last
year, we're asking all of our guests to bring an item of swag to be given away
during the Dirt Cat Awards to the crowd. We all have things that we've won or
outgrown that sit in our drawers or garages that we'll never use so what better
way to clear out the clutter. New or used items are ok as long as they
are in good condition. Bring your swag item with you to the Gnome City
Registration HQ sun deck when you check in.
KEGGER PARTY
We tap the first keg at around
7pm and derby all night long around a raging bonfire. Who knows, maybe someone will throw down on the pump track.
. .
- Registered guests of the fest
should bring a mug or stein for the delicious beer from Lakefront Brewing.
- Don't forget to cook some
dinner for yourself
FRIDAY NIGHT RIDE
Not much needs said about a
night ride. If it’s your first- this is a great ride. If it’s your 100th- this
is a great ride. Don't worry about pushing a huge pace or gear- this is as
social of a ride as there can be single-file in the woods. We take regular
stops to regroup and have been known to stop for a beverage occasionally.
Derbies in the dark have also been known to spontaneously erupt. It is one of
the only times I can remember being able to see lights in the woods as far in
front and behind as my eyes could go. Night rides go off all weekend at GF, but
this ride on Friday night (departure will be around 9ish) is a great kick off
for the weekend- and rearrival to the kegs is the happiest ending. To sweeten
the pot, this year's night ride will be lead by none other than our expert
local team of Charlie Johnson and Scott "Mr. Bear Paw" Berry.
What you need -
- all the necessary riding gear
including helmets
- bring a light and a charged
battery- its good to bring the charger if you can snag an outlet for a bit.
- the group will stay together
so navigation should only be necessary if you choose to turn off early or just
go on your own.
- water as well as booze are
encouraged for the ride. The gnomes get feisty at night and need to be appeased
sometimes.
- spare tubes, chains, and other
small parts are great to have. There are people with the mechanical knowledge
to fix you up, but can't create components out of thin air.
- ride time is usually an hour
thirty- two hours.
Saturday
- Register if you came in
late. Registration is open from
9-11 am on Saturday morning. Registration HQ will be located on the deck of the
Bear Paw’s pub.
- Get up and go for a ride with
your new friends!
- Get familiar with the trail
system (it will help you in the Dirt Cat)
WILD COUGAR FORMATION
Ladies "WCF" Ride -
Saturday Morning 10:00am
This year’s ladies ride will be
led by none other than Bear Paw’s High Priestess Jamee Peters. The ride will be a 2ish hour guided
casual, all ability ride through the singletrack located on the Bear Paw
property. Watch out for the gnomes. Our ride will start and end from the back
deck of the Bear Paw pub. Of course, as has become tradition, bring along
beverages (wine?) that you would like enjoy during the ride. When you return, continue to bask in
the warm glow of your fellow ladies and enjoy some food and drink at the pub. Don't miss out on the best girl ride of
the season. This is planned as a casual 2 hour ride.
What you need -
- All the necessary riding gear
including helmets
- Water, food, repair kit (we
can share repair stuff)
NOONISH IN GNOME CITY -
Man Camp
- Return from rides, make some
lunch, derby, get ready to race!
DIRT CAT ~1:30 pm rider
meeting
This year’s running of the Dirt
Cat is brought to you by none other than Mr. GnomeFest himself – GOMEZ!!
I don't know how I got rooked
into running this race. I was supposed to be retired from running things at
gnome-fest. But it looks like I'm the mayor of the gnome fest Dirt Cat. I've
enlisted the assistance of the gnome fest dirt cat inventor and creator Cale
Wenthur and the two of us together will act as race officials.
I am not a fan of traditional
bicycle racing, so this is a race where the fastest rider will not necessarily
Win. Luck, chivalry and common courtesy will play a significant role in winning
the dirt cat crown. In the great tradition of the GnomeFest Enduro, we'll
ride, parade fashion out to a spot and Derby. After that, you'll have a few
hours to visit several checkpoints where you will be tested. You will be given
a score at each checkpoint. At the end of the race you will be given an envelope
that contains your bonus score. The riders with the highest scores will win
prizes. so as you can see, there is no reason to rush or push or hammer the
race course. There will be plenty of time to play on the numerous rock
features, hang out and take pictures and have fun.
The GFX Dirt Cat will be unlike
any other race you've ever entered!!
Tips for the Gnome-Dirt Cat
- join the parade - even if you
don't race ride with the group.
- As always, embrace the
unusual…costumes, drag queens, elvis impersonators, tube tops, luchadero
masks……etc.
- Be serious about the
competition or just come along for the ride…..the Dirt Cat format offers
something for almost everyone. Remember, just because you’re the fastest
doesn’t mean you’re going to win.
- Have fun! Let down your hair
and go play bikes!
- This is an all abilities
event, however, the beginners should feel comfortable with the use of a
trailmap, so if the event goes beyond their comfort level, they can simply ride
back to camp (unassisted).
SATURDAY EVENING
Chili Contest / Pot-Luck
Last year the return of chili
cook-off/pot luck was such a success that we’re doing it again this year.
Gnomes love chili, and Gnomefesters are no different. All types are appreciated
whether it is vegetarian, meatatarian, or a conglomeration. As with last year,
judging will be done by a panel of Gnomefest veterans (and people who love a
good bowl of chili). Don’t like chili but you'd still like to participate? No
problem - you should make something else- desserts, corn bread, bacon, brats --
anything. We aren't picky. Last
year we had quite an impressive array of chili so the bar is set pretty
high. The Golden Ladle is up for
grabs so consider yourselves warned.
The best motto at GF is to
think, "I give before I take." This can be applied to many facets of
Gnomefest and keeps you in the gnomes' good graces. Serving time will be
Saturday evening post dirt-cat on the sun deck of the Bear Paw’s pub. The more
participation the grander the scale of pot-luckiness. Oh, and what goes better with Chili than a nice cold one.
For chili contest cookers:
-have enough chili for 10-12
"servings"
-bring all necessary condiments
to jazz up your chili to the fullest
-YOU must be able to bring the
chili up to serving temperature. We have tables to put the chili on, but can't
-rely on outlet availability for crock pots or hot plates.-
-Also please bring some type of
oven mitt to put the chili on- can't burn those picnic tables
-a serving utensil to distribute
the chili
-recipe if you want
OTHER STUFF YOU CAN BRING
-plates and utensils for you to
eat with. Also cups and napkins are nice.
-ways to keep cold, cool, warm,
or hot whatever it is you bring,
-If you are vegetarian or make
vegetarian dishes it is nice to mark the dish with something for easy
distinguishing.
It’s recommend to have the chili
fully assembled and cooked before coming. Time flies at GF and you will only
have around an hour, max, to be able to get everything in order. That way you
only put it on the fire for a bit and carry it into the chalet.
For the tasters:
- Bring your own bowl and spoon
- help us clean up
AWARDS
This is where we award trophies
to the top 3 places in the Dirt Cat, the winner of the Chili Contest, raffle drawing (winner must be present), and the
SWAG Swap will make it rain presents just like gnome-xmas!
BEER POT LUCK - the baby
pools
BRING ALL THE AWESOME BEER YOU
WANT TO DRINK WITH YOUR FRIENDS AND PUT IT IN THE POOL.
The more diverse, awesome beer
that you can find is what we're talking about. Think beer potluck.
Beer smorgasbord. Beer . .
. you get the idea! Bring that cellar whale you’ve been sitting on, bring good
craft brewed beer, bring your best homebrew, bring some crazy wicked IPA from
some brewpub by your house, Belgian beer - local beer - good beer. All shall be
shared and we will all be friends when the cows come home.
Also bring a that sweet
mug/cup/chalice/stein/champaign flute that you used for the kegs on Friday, so
we can save some red plastic cups.
And remember, spirits are welcome as well....let’s do this!
THE DWARF CYCLE DEATH RACE
GFX will bring yet another
installment of the gnomes' favorite event... Dwarf Cycle Death Race. If you
don't know what the DCDR is you are in for a treat - an even bigger treat if
you are a veteran of this awesome example of debauchery. The format will be as
usual - Racers line up at the start/finish, in costume, powered by a favorite
high octane fuel, and ride what else? Dwarf Cycles (a.k.a. little kid’s bikes)
in a head-to-head figure 8 of death! Lighting of The Captain Conelingus Race
Course and Polo Grounds will commence at O-Drunk-Thirty and racing will start
shortly after. It is the brutal-ness of a street brawl combined with the glam
of your favorite drag show. Come
prepared with costumes and courage (liquid or otherwise). Do you have what it
takes to become the DCDR Pan Galactic Grand Champion? We shall see.
As with last year, the number of
entrants will be limited this year to facilitate a smooth and timely flow to
the race so if you want to race sign up early. (Bribes to the DCDR Dominatrix
may or may not help your cause should you miss the signup window - but I
wouldn't count on it.)
Sunday
Go out and play bikes with your
new amigos. Sunday is the best day at Gnome-Fest....we just ride for fun !
Please use those Garbage bags
that we told you to bring and clean up your camp area - like a good scout!
THINGS TO BRING
Same old same old but it still
applies!
Bike[s]. – Especially fat
bikes, 29+, and ones with two wheels
Bike gear - Helmet[s], shoes, tools,
tubes, etc., etc.
Toothbrush.
First aid stuff, cause you might
get cut!
A glorious costume for the Dwarf
Cycle
Good beer to share.
Garbage Bags (the big black
kind)
Food
Camp chair
Rain Gear
Camping gear
Swag for the retro-gnome swag
swap
Don’t forget - Costume for
Saturday Night's festivities
Fun attitude
A frisbee
Canteen - yeah, those old ones
that look like the round part of a banjo.
Soap – Bear Paw has showers
Tic-Tacs - you never know who'll
you end up making out with
2nd aid kit
Pillow
Have we mentioned? – GOOD BEER!
Blanket
A willingness to accept/give
bribes.
Fanny pack
EAR PLUGS
NO - fireworks
Camera
Toilet paper - because you never
know
Plenty of ice - because keeping
things cold is good thing
A Stein or Mug for Friday
night's keg(s)
Bug spray
Butter – just because
Your sense of humor
Zip-off convertible bra
A ride home, cause we're not
going your direction.
Don’t forget that special local
Beer for Saturday Night’s beer pot luck
Bladder bra for your
secret/suggestive boozing
Booze if you don't like beer
(what are you, weird?) – we like weird!
NO Bad Attitudes – gnome-fest is
a judgment free, love in style, bike joint
Booze for bribes at the Dirt Cat
Other 'stuff' for bribes.
Fairy Dust – a natural Gnome
repellent
WHAT NOT TO
BRING
Firearms
Fireworks
Perfume
STD’s
Firewood
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