Dirt Buzz Re-Buzz 2017 // A List of Our Favorites
Well, another one bites the dust and we find ourselves reminiscing about the year that was 2017. We feel like this year we started to find our stride with this little offroad blog of ours. From the feedback we've received, we determined that quality trumps quantity every time for what our readers want to see. We’ve had some great features come across the Dirt Buzz desk this year and our hope is that you enjoyed reading these stories as much as we enjoyed creating them. Regardless, we love giving something back to the offroad community. On that note, here are a few of our favorites from 2017:
Favorite Feature Story of 2017
Behind the Shot – Emperors of the Single-lens Reflex Camera
For this feature, we thought it would be fun to flip the script and honor those in our sport that 'make' the photographs that grace the covers of our magazines; that tell the stories of our events, and that highlight the difficulty of motorcycle racing and riding. As Ansel Adams once said, “You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” With this in mind, this story honors those that make dirt bike photographs.
Read it HERE.
Honorable Mentions:
"Quinn Cody – Heavy Lifting"
Red Bull Romaniacs on an adventure bike. Enough said.
Read it HERE.
"Born Again"
Guest writer Frank Visone shares his experience racing his first ever enduro. Frank's style of writing is effortless and a joy to read.
Read it HERE.
Favorite Live Concert
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – Live at Neurolux – Boise, Idaho
Even though our favorite band is still The Revivalists, and even though we squeezed in one of their shows in Denver in December, the show that blew our minds in 2017 is King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Seeing a band with so much live energy, a band so far ahead of their years with how tight they play as a cohesive unit, made seeing them in a 250-max capacity venue all the more special. These guys ripped through 21 songs at breakneck speed with barely a break—and played for a good hour and a half! Not to mention, have you ever seen someone absolutely crush a flute solo? It’s life changing just like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard was for us. Likely we will never see these guys again in such a small venue. They are that good.
Honorable Mention:
Radio Moscow – Live at The Olympic in Boise, Idaho
Favorite Beer of the Year
Firestone Walker Helldorado Barrel-Aged Blonde Barleywine Ale
We find that the older we get the more we become a creature of habit. Consistency and structure, and comfort are things we appreciate much like an old favorite t-shirt. That’s how Firestone Walker’s 2017 Helldorado Barrel-aged Blonde Barleywine Ale was for us this year. We kept coming back, over and over, despite the fact that at $10.99 per 12 oz. bottle it’s not only idiotic, it's embarrassing to admit we bought so many of these this year.
Honorable Mention:
Belching Beaver Deftones Phantom Bride IPA
This has to be one of the sickest can designs of the year (despite the fact that the song sucks) and it’s one solid unfiltered somewhat-New-England-style IPA.
Band We Listened to the Most in 2017
Little Barrie.
The discovery of Little Barrie is bittersweet for us. The more we listened, the more we loved them, which is unfortunate because the band lost drummer Virgil Howe at the age of 42 on September 11th of this year. This is a drummer that reached through generations and in the short amount of time we've come to appreciate Little Barrie, we could tell that Virgil Howe was an integral part of this trio and something special. Maybe we are too late to the discovery of Little Barrie, but regardless, we still love them.
Learn More, HERE.
Honorable Mentions:
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard
See our favorite concert of the year above.
Or, learn more, HERE
The Revivalists
What more can we say except that these guys are our favorite band and they continue to make new fans with every show they play. Oh, and they have their own beer now courtesy of NOLA Brewing!
Learn More, HERE
Favorite Event We Attended in 2017
Zink Ranch National Enduro - Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is a pretty rad city located on the Arkansas River with a college vibe, a burgeoning culinary scene, and a place known for its art deco architecture. Tulsa also has some good breweries to choose from, which sealed the deal for us. The race site is located on the Zink Ranch property in the Osage region of Oklahoma. A great race location, a fantastic city, delicious food and beer, and awesome people.
Read about it HERE.
Idaho ISDE Qualifier
Photo highlights HERE.
Favorite Stir-the-pot Moment
Woods Riders Talk About Supercross, Soul, and the Tsunami of the Politically Correct
This one really got people talking from start with its subject matter. Jerry Bernardo and Frank Visone teamed up to talk about Supercross, finding one’s soul, and living in this era of the politically [over]correct.
Read it HERE.
Favorite Interview of 2017
Steward Baylor Jr. – “Just Send It” // The Dirt Buzz Interview
Steward Baylor Jr. was a man on a mission in 2017, taking home two titles. One of the most interesting characters in offroad racing, Baylor does things his way, which seems to work for him.
Read the interview HERE.
Honorable Mentions:
Steve Leivan // Missouri Off-road Racing Icon
Offroad OG Steve Leivan has been racing for over 30 years and is an inspiration to anyone who has ever thrown a leg over a dirt bike.
Read the interview HERE.
Photo: Eddie Marak
5-Minute Buzz // Cody Webb – On a Roll
Cody filled us in on his 2018 plans in this candid interview.
Read the interview HERE.
Favorite Blog Post
Everybody Flies Away in The End
" .... we all die living and that is what everyone from my list was doing: living. Most of them just happened to be racing when the curtain dropped unexpectedly." Jerry Bernardo penned this fantastic tribute to Nicky Hayden and others who passed too soon.
Read it HERE.
Honorable Mention:
Offroad – More for Your Money
Offroad is where it's at and where you get the most bang for your buck.
Read it HERE.
