At times, occasionally, I miss having young people around.  I miss their buzz and hype.  With youth comes the ever-changing energy of pop culture.  They bring an awareness of what’s new and happening, what’s edgy, what everyone wearing  and listening to.

I have had my fill of country fairs for this year. Thank you.   It was definitely time to shake things up a bit and lean out of our comfort zone. Yesterday afternoon Warren and I headed over to Macaulay mountain to watch PEC Gravity Fest.  We got what we were after.  It was awesome.

PEC Gravity Fest is an International Gravity Sports Association (IGSA) event.  (They are the world sanctioning body of skateboard and street luge racing).   It is the third time the tour has come to Picton.  On this particular tour there are no other Canadian  destinations, but Calgary’s Olympic Park does hold events on their bobsled run.  My point is that this is world-class stuff.  www.pecgravityfest.com

This was round six of the NorAm Championship. There were three groups racing in this two-day competition:  the street luge, classic luge and open DH skateboarding. The descend from Macaulay mountain is 1.1 km long and provides speeds of up to 95 kph.

 A yellow school bus was there to courier the competing riders up the mountain.

Long board adjustment

 We chose to walk up to the corner of Church and Pitt Streets where spectator stands were set up.  From this point we had a good advantage of the steepest part of the track.  Riders had to navigate through a tricky chicane and then slow themselves down from a rapid descent,  just enough to navigate around a 90 degree corner and then push through to the finish.     Hay bails lined the road.  It was thrilling to watch them scrape through this turn without spilling out on to the asphalt.  Lots tangled with the straw.

Loud speakers pumped out music.  A fun in-the-know commentator kept us up to date on who was tearing down the track, where they were from and their current stats.

I learned a lot yesterday about a sporting world that was new to me.   I hope the fans and riders also enjoyed Picton’s third annual Gravity Fest.  At some IGSA track locations they offer big screens, beer gardens and live bands.  While Picton didn’t have those, there was definitely  a festival atmosphere, with food concessions and merchandising..   Around me were lots of  tats, dreads, and nose rings.  At times I felt like an out-of-place voyeur mingling around the hordes of young male riders dressed in full leather protective wear. I reminded myself that I was a mother of kids the same age.  I had a place being there.  I was keeping current.  It was edgy.  I got what I was needing. 

Riders waiting around between qualifying races

 It was thrilling.  It was happening.  Totally sick!