Black Rock "Monkey Mountain" (Falls City, OR)

The Story

"Once upon a time at the foot of a great mountain (Black Rock Mountain Bike Area) there was a town (Falls City) where the people known as "happy folk" lived. Their very existence a mystery to the rest of the world (who mostly just rolled through town on their way to the trails) obscured as it was by great clouds." : "Then one day... strange folk arrived in the town. They came in camouflage, hidden behind dark glasses. And no one noticed them..." This song by Gorillaz reminds me a lot of how the local freeride/downhill community kind of descended on the town of Falls City - drawn to the area by the Black Rock Mountain Bike area trails located just 3 miles west... I've wanted to put a video together with this song as the backdrop, and I finally did. Shot some HD footage May/June 2007 at Black Rock and also in Falls City, and here is the result. (And no, there's no issues between the "city folk" at Falls City and the riders... in fact, the town love to see riders... They want to do more to invite more to come visit.) Stop in at the local grocery store or grab a burger at the bar/grill... That does a lot to help show support for the local town! The other message this video has is this... I believe that the city of Falls City could re-invent itself if it choose to... instead of declining under dependence on logging operations. Instead, they could "mine the rich seam" of what recreational mountain biking opportunities have to give - cooperating with Oregon State agencies to develop a mecca in the heart of Willamette Valley.