| | Downieville Classic=Fun and Games |
 | | The local bar puts its glassware away and serves drinks in plastic cups when more than 800 mountain bikers swarm on Downieville, California (a few hours northeast of Sacramento), for three days of rowdiness that includes jumping bikes into the river, a cross-country and downhill race, live music and free schwag from the bike industry. |
 | | The event is the Downieville Classic, and the bartender hides the breakables when it happens each September because there is no telling what fired-up mountain bike racers will do after a day of ripping around on singletrack in the pines. |
 | | The biggest attraction of Downieville and the Downieville Classic is the epic trail system through the Sierra Mountains, which features huge rocks, roots, drops and mandatory water crossings that leave you muddy as hell. |
| www.bikemag.com /news/downieville_classic_2002 (363 words) |