Thanks everyone.
I may have volunteered to be the ringleader of the Blazer Bash circus but it couldn’t happen without help. From Mike and Ben rousting up vendors for door prizes with shorter notice than usual. Josh, Joey, Keith and Dave pitching at the BBQ and keeping me on task. Obviously the BBQ can’t happen without ORD and the Watson family by the great meal they provide and support with great parts. Despite Stephen being at UA, his folks stepped in along with Jackson and Riley and the rest of the crew that came out to join the fun. All of you that came to the BBQ did me proud by helping leave the park in as good or better condition than we found it in.
Trail days are what we come for and those can’t happen without the guys that step up to lead and tailgun and help the rest get down the trails. You guys know what it takes to get a group down a trail and back and don’t leave anyone behind.
Last but certainly not least is those that came out to enjoy Blazer Bash. Thank you for having faith that the event would even happen. I know it was touch and go but once we got the green light you all stepped up and supported the by coming out. I messed up a few things but you all cut me some slack and I appreciate it. Thanks for recognizing it being my first time at the helm and being so gracious in thanking me at the BBQ, on the trail, at the campground or by text.
One last big thanks has to go to Kate at the Grand County Special event department. She’s like us. She also is a part of the county search and rescue team while being on the national guard. I had invited her to the BBQ to publicly thank her, but it was her weekend for the reserves and couldn’t make it. I went to her office to at least give her my thanks as well as the appreciation from the BB participants.
I know the political landscape in Moab and Grand county lately hasn’t been all that friendly to the off road crowd. But Kate was a champion for us within the county. She helped guide me through the completely new process that even the county was admittedly struggling with. When our insurance underwriter pulled the rug out from under us at the last possible moment, Kate did what she could to clear the way with the county commission to allow our final submission of our application for review a day later than they should. So often government agencies work on a very black/white understanding and if we were late regardless of the reason we wouldn’t have got the final approval we needed. So the fact that she was able to keep the admin updated of our status and still got it on the meeting agenda is absolutely amazing. To say the week before BB was stressful would be an understatement but Kate was the one that got us through the final process with the approval we needed. She admitted the new process was launched prior to being fully developed but with a year under their belt they are fixing the gaps in the process and next years application process should be easier and accomplished sooner with much less drama.
I know how vocal we all have been over the political antics within the city and county, but if this year taught me anything it is that at least they are trying. Yes the process was cumbersome but it will be better. Outside of a misunderstanding of satellite phone requirements for 2022 we did not catch any flack for being an off road group. I nipped that issue in the bud early that allowed it to be a non-issue moving forward. I’m really confident that next year should be easier. It will allow for approval months in advance. Which will allow for longer time to get with vendors for door prizes and open registrations sooner with T-shirt sales at the same time.
I was pretty stressed leading into this years event for multiple reasons, but once we met up and hit dirt that all disappeared. Didn’t matter if I was in my blazer or not. I was with our Blazer Bash family enjoying the epic sights that only Moab and surrounding Grand County could provide. It was great seeing the old familiar folks as well as getting to know the new folks coming for the first time.
I feel good getting the experience under my belt and hope everybody that came enjoyed their time in Moab and out on the trails.
Thank you all again. Stay tuned for t-shirt info.
