Alabama Mountain Games featuring NAWFest 2010
jeremyadkins wrote 758 days ago:
NAWFest/A.M.G. 2010 BLOG
By: Jeremy & Shannon Adkins
With each new idea comes sometimes overwhelmingly hard work. Planning the change from NAWFest to the Alabama Mountain Games for March 17-21st in 2010 was no exception. As we approached the organizing portion of the 1st AMG, we decided that the time had come to take that first big step into the next phase of the event. Our 1st goal: to add more outdoor sporting events encouraging a more well rounded overall competition. However, as with all big changes, the work proved to be more than any of us anticipated.
The idea behind the plan was simple. We would bring together all the event organizers in Alabama to create one unique music/extreme sports festival with a dash of arts, crafts and games while pointing the spotlight on conservation. Unfortunately, it was a very slow start forcing us to wait rather than actively organize. It was in December, with only 4 months to pull it off, that the ideas and suggestions started to roll in. Man, people have no idea the resources there are in Blount County and now everyone is starting to take notice. Think about how many people do you know that kayak that do another sport. We are all one large outdoor family. With this said different people and companies stepped up to take charge of organizing and funding their own perspective sports.
The main example of the dedication we received was that of Rob Beckman and his crew. Those guys were on the land relentlessly pick-axing, raking and building drains, gaps, rails and more to make the bike trail worthy of competition. The amount of work put into the mountain biking portion was inspiring something that became more apparent after riding the trail. With a 15-foot wall ride, long bridges and so much more, the trail itself earned the respect to hold up to competition standards. Yes! We had pulled one event off and the emails kept pouring in. Soon we were on to the next project.
With even less time to prepare, we were definitely punching the clock on finding someone to step up and take charge of the wakeboarding and climbing section. We were more than thrilled when Shred Ready so graciously took the reigns and led the sport of wakeboarding into what I thought became one of the most entertaining events of the entire festival. The Shred Ready team’s ingenuity on highlighting the showmanship of the sport really seemed to draw a crowd getting everyone up and cheering, something we strive for each year. Nice job, guys!
With only weeks to go, thanks to everyone’s support and drive, our little vision was starting to really take shape. We still had much to do, but for the first time, we could breathe a bit easier knowing the festival was actually going to happen.
Now, if we could just get the climbing wall set, the rest would be cake…that is IF…
No one could have possibly foreseen the insanity that became the search for the AMG climbing wall. After a wall was destroyed in a freak car accident, one was broken in the transportation process and another just ceased to exist, it turned into Jeremy vs. the Climbing Wall! Wall – 3, Jeremy – 0! It seemed like one thing after another was killing the possibility of our final event. I was out of time and ideas! Enter, Adventures Unlimited. These fantastic people came through along with help from Alabama Outdoors, Sam, Bill, Mags and Timmy made it happen for us.
Finally the day had come, March 18, 2010, the first day of our brand new and improved festival. We got an early start and headed over to Short Creek falls to start the Monster Energy Kayaking Events. The Fluid Kayaks Huckfest and Stony Boatercross competitions would kick off AMG 2010. Because these two events have been the highlight of our festival since the inception of NAWFest in 2005, we wanted make sure everything ran as smoothly as possible. The only real change this year was that we had to paddle down to set up judging as did each competitor. Even with this slight difference, I feel it still went as well as always. I want to give a special thanks to Gaia Paddlesports for the messenger bag which enabled me to carry all the judging material down both rivers without getting a single thing wet. Couldn’t have done it without Gaia!
[MEDIA not found]The Huckfest, always a favorite, gave us some entertaining downriver freestyle which seems to get better and better each year. Kudos to all the competitors for going big and continuing to raise the bar each year. It is that attitude and determination that keeps our sport fresh and new, never dull! The highlight, for me, was watching Dane Jackson pop his skirt before the drop causing him to crash hard. Yea for carnage!!
The Boatercross was scheduled to commence immediately following the Huckfest and was as always just as entertaining. But as each boater disappeared from sight, we were left with one question: what goes on behind that waterfall? It was rumored that some people were shoved over. Hmm…an interesting end to a full day that couldn’t have ran more smoothly. Before we knew it, it was time to head back to Boogie Bottoms.
Thursday night featured Alice Gillee Project and One Eyed Mary, two bands that introduced the crowd to our after dark festivities and brought an appropriate close to day 1. So far, so good!
The next morning we awoke to jump-start the Coosa Outfitters Throwdown. And much like short Creek, this year we paddled down from Swann’s bridge. As usual, random landowner issues to get around. But we all made it without a problem and kicked off the event with the Junior’s division going all the way through and closing it out with the Pro’s. With all the great moves behind us, we moved downstream to catch the shuttle.
It was back to the festival site where competitors and judges were welcomed by the hum of live music in the slight roar of a growing crowd in the background. It was NAWFest veterans, Sorry Lee Harvey, Jon Poor, Laissez Funk and The Incredible Sandwich that brought down the house as they fantastically headlined our Friday night concert series. After a great showing and tons of fun with the jousting and more the night came to a close.
Saturday marked the time for all kayakers to report our previous home, King’s Bend, for the Locust Fork Whitewater Classic slalom race. This was the first time that AMG/NAWFest paired up with this event and seemed to have proven a great idea. I definitely think we will keep that going and continue making these events a little more convenient and easier to attend.
Meanwhile, at Boogie Bottoms, the Werner Trading Post XC Mountain Biking competition was making its debut! Finally it was on! Almost 4 months of building the trails had actually become worth the hard work and it was great to see people enjoying it. Everything was going great for day 3 and now it was time for Saturday’s featured event – Shred Ready Wakeboarding Invitational. The wake boarders were set to be pulled from a 250 sq. ft. hole in the ground into a pool where water was constantly being pumped. From the pool, each was pulled onto 2, 30ft. sets of foot rails shooting the boarder out, dropping him back into the water. He would continue on downstream, line up behind the jet-ski setting him up for the course’s grand finale. As the jet ski took off, the boarder was aimed directly for the ramp, hitting it at just the right moment, shooting him up and landing him in the river for the finish. Talk about a crowd-pleasing event! I don’t think I have seen a group of people more into an outdoor sport than wakeboarding. Thanks to Nick Troutman and Dane Jackson for taking one for the team, going off that ramp and bringing a proper end to the event!
As the crowd dispersed, most headed over to the to watch the Guntersville Outdoors Freeride Mountain Biking. With three drops of different heights and speeds the table was set for some entertaining demonstrations. What an excitement-packed day. And as our final AMG evening got underway, The crowd continued to venture around the site, eventually being pulled back to live music of, One Eyed Mary, Kendra Sutton Band and The Back Row Baptists.
And for all those arts and crafts fiends, many thanks to Jessica Rains for her work on the brand new, Go Green Art Marketplace which quickly became the main attraction of all the festivals minglers. It was this group of talent that brought the crowd arts & crafts to purchase set amongst many expo tents offering: massage therapy, chainsaw art, paintings, necklace making, pottery, chiropractors, bottle cap necklaces and organic candles and soaps.
The festival is full of things going on. With dusk only a couple hours away the Alabama Outdoors Climbing Competition began. 
Finally, the wall was in full use! What a fun event to watch! Next year we plan to improve the event as a whole, but for our 1st year, I think it made a decent debut.
As evening festivities continued, the ever popular, fan favorite Jousting Competition was on! And after many had beaten each other stupid with foam sticks, what better time to start the awards ceremony? Saturday night BONFIRE was on.
With refreshments rolling in, we had some great times giving out Mountain Khakis pants. We loved watching people fight over the really small gift card. This is also the same time we asked everyone to add Mountain Khakis to your facebook pages. If you have not done this yet, please do so now to help us continue to earn their support in years to come. After the work of the festival was done, the organizers actually had the 1st opportunity to witness what they had accomplished. Sitting on the stage with the Incredible Sandwich rockin’ out behind me, I was very happy to see so many people dancing, laughing, cheering and just having a great time. Seeing this reaction made all the sleepless nights, 16 hour days, and crazy mishaps completely worth it.
We are continually working on improving our festival and really look forward to seeing everyone next year. As with all new things, year 1 is usually more experimental than anything, so thank you for bearing with the changes and sticking by NAWFest as it continues to grow into its new title. Great ideas are in the process and more sports will be unveiled next year. Keep an eye out on our website for videos of all events complements of Riverbone Productions. Thanks to all who worked so hard for AMG. Without you guys, we wouldn’t be able to do any of this. Our organizers, volunteers and supporters are the ones who have kept our dream alive and push it to be better each year. Here are the results from 2010 and we will see you all in 2011! If you are interested in being part of our great team and think you can contribute in any way please email Flyinskeleton@cs.com. Special thanks to Ian Zinner, Weston Photgraphy, Gary Holder, Charlie Simmons, Samantha Meadows and Sunburst Rafting for all the pictures.
[MEDIA not found]
Jeremy Adkins
AMG/NAWFest Co/Organizer
FlyinSkeleton@cs.com
Categorized as:Kayaking Events • River TripsKayaking Events • River TripsKayaking Events • River TripsKayaking Events • River Trips
Tagged with:AMG • Alabama • Alabama Mountain Games • bama boyz • boatercross • climbing • flyinskeleton • huckfest • jeremy adkins • kayak • kayaking • mountain-biking • throwdown • wakeboarding
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