DENVER, CO – AUGUST 7: Mitch Armstrong, right, and Doug Gammell, left, try to go the slowest in the Slow race during the Mile High Mayhem scooter event on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Armstrong prevailed and won the Slow Race overall. The weekend long event celebrates scooters of all kinds and includes rides around the city, drinking and eating at local bars and restaurants and competitive events such as the Slow Race to close out the weekend. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
More than 60 scooters stood wrapped around Skylark Lounge in central Denver on Sunday for the end of the 19th annual .
“Itap a sense of community,” said David Eackles, 40, a member of the Bottle Rocket Scooter Club. “People sharing a common interest and sharing passions and making friendships.”
Eackles sat among a raucous crowd of more than 80 as they drank and cheered for the winners of events from Thursday through Sunday — rides on the first two days gave way to a scavenger hunt ride to 18 locations around the area Saturday. Sunday’s events concluded in a gymkhana, an obstacle course for scooter riders.
“There (can be) balance beams, ramps, jumps,” Eackles said, but Sunday’s course consisted of cones set up in the parking lot between the lounge and Sportique Scooters store. The course ended with riders kicking a large soccer ball into a goal.
But itap not just about fun and games for these riders — more than 100 from 10 scooter clubs participated in the festival, Eackles said, and they make up a tight-knit community.
“There’s a lot of soul, old soul music … and some reggae associated with the subculture,” Eackles said. “Anything from Motown or Stax (Records).”
Jon Kroge, owner of scooter shop in Denver, said the network of riders takes care of each other.
“I kind of fell into it — I’d been involved in underground things, punk rock, skating,” said Kroge, who said he got a scooter and had to figure out how to repair it. “And it turned into a livelihood.”
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: Two naked scooter riders cruise by during the Mile High Mayhem scooter event on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. The weekend long event celebrates scooters of all kinds and includes rides around the city, drinking and eating at local bars and restaurants and competitive events such as the Slow Race to close out the weekend. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: Doug Gammell tries to go the slowest in the Slow race during the Mile High Mayhem scooter event on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Kantola came off his scooter so Gammel won the heat moving him to the next round. The weekend long event celebrates scooters of all kinds and includes rides around the city, drinking and eating at local bars and restaurants and competitive events such as the Slow Race to close out the weekend. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: Scooters of all kinds sit on the sidewalk as part of the Mile High Mayhem scooter event on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. The weekend long event celebrates scooters of all kinds and includes rides around the city, drinking and eating at local bars and restaurants and competitive events such as the Slow Race to close out the weekend. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: Adam Keaveny, left, and Elie Kimura, right, try to go the slowest in the Slow race during the Mile High Mayhem scooter event on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. Kimura went slower than Keaveny moving him to the next round. The weekend long event celebrates scooters of all kinds and includes rides around the city, drinking and eating at local bars and restaurants and competitive events such as the Slow Race to close out the weekend. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: Scooters of all kinds sit on the sidewalk as part of the Mile High Mayhem scooter event on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. The weekend long event celebrates scooters of all kinds and includes rides around the city, drinking and eating at local bars and restaurants and competitive events such as the Slow Race to close out the weekend. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
Helen H. Richardson, The Denver Post
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DENVER, CO - AUGUST 7: Two naked scooter riders cruise by during the Mile High Mayhem scooter event on August 7, 2016 in Denver, Colorado. The weekend long event celebrates scooters of all kinds and includes rides around the city, drinking and eating at local bars and restaurants and competitive events such as the Slow Race to close out the weekend. (Photo by Helen H. Richardson/The Denver Post)
“Itap huge — this is my life,” said Kroge, who was married at a scooter event in Italy and has attended similar festivals worldwide. “I have so many friends around the country and around the world.”
Kenneth O’Neal, 28, stopped by the lounge with a friend after the scooters caught their eye. He watched the gymkhana and stuck around to talk to people outside.
“We’ve talked about getting (a scooter) for the ease of parking around here,” said O’Neal, who has been in Denver for a month and came from Louisiana. After seeing the gymkhana, he said he “thought it would be a cool investment.”
“They were asking, ‘Who’s next?’ and I said, ‘Well, give me a scooter,’” O’Neal laughed.
“Itap an expensive hobby,” Eackles said, “But you’ll never find a better group of people.”
