Ever heard of a game called Hot Shalaka? The rules are you take a literal burning hot coal from the center of a raging campfire, cup your hands around it and shake it until you can’t anymore, then toss it to the next person, who blows on it to keep it super spicy hot and does the same thing till someone drops it. It’s intense. It’s also an example of one of the “feats of strength” that we got familiar with by partying with the Surly crew at Saddledrive this year.

Surly turned 21 this year, a memorable year if you live in the states. They wanted to celebrate by throwing the worlds biggest bike party. They encouraged every Surly dealer to host their own event, whether it was a ride, a party or something different. Just make it fun.

I think initially we we were going to host a chill group ride that ended up at a brewery or something where everyone could continue socializing afterwards, which is tough to go wrong with but since it was Surly day and all…we thought it might be fun to add a few feats of strength of our own along the way.

Here’s some rad snaps from our friend Alex!

 

CHILLING AT THE FRONT OF THE STORE. WE HOSTED A BOOK LAUNCH THAT DAY AS WELL FOR OUR GOOD BUD RYAN LESTER. 

 

GETTING READY TO HEAD OUT.  

 

ON Y VA!

 

 GEORGE AND ANNABELLE RIPPIN THE TANDEM

 

ZEKE AND SOME OF THE GANG FOLLOWING BEHIND

 

THE VIEWING PLATFORM FOR THE FIRST FEAT OF STRENGTH. PAT IS EXPLAINING THE RULES. 

 

SHOPPING CART CHALLENGE: YOU LINE EVERYONE UP SIDE BY SIDE AT THE BOTTOM OF A STEEP HILL. FLIP YOUR BIKE AROUND AND HOLD IT BY THE HANDLEBAR. ONCE THE GUN GOES OFF YOU RUN AS FAST AS YOU CAN TO THE TOP OF THE HILL PUSHING YOUR BIKE. ITS VERY, VERY HARD TO KEEP YOUR BIKE TRACKING STRAIGHT....CHAOS ENSUES. 

 

THE GANG

 

THE GANG GOES RIDING

 

 

 

FEATS OF STRENGTH NUMBER 2! **BEAT TIFF AT BIKE LIMBO**
OUR MECHANIC TIFF WENT AND SET THE BAR FOR EVERYONE, BEAT THEM AT BIKE LIMBO TO CONTINUE TO THE NEXT ROUND.  

 

THERE WERE SOME VERY SOLID EFFORTS. 

 

SURLY JOHN!

 

SURLY FEAT OF STRENGTH NUMBER 3! **THE SLOWEST OF ROLLS**

- NO TRACKSTANDING - NO PUTTING YOUR FOOT DOWN - YOU MUST KEEP MOVING. LAST ONE ACROSS THE LINE WINS.  

 

CHAOS OF THE SLOW ROLL

 

ALSO A PINATA. IT WAS A BIRTHDAY PARTY AFTER ALL. 

 

 

 

 

IT WAS ALSO OUR REP'S BIRTHDAY SO JOHN FROM SURLY DID GET HIM A DONUT CAKE. 

 

 MIKE WAS KEEPING THE JAMS GOING ON HIS SURLY BIG EASY ELECTRIC CARGO BIKE. HUGE SPEAKER ON THE BACK WAS KEY!