[ad3] The Fest Series made it to Santa Cruz for the second year in a row for their first event of their season. CruzFest has become a fan favorite event for obvious reasons. Held on private property deep in the woods, it may seem to have a bit of an exclusionary vibe but it’s really just a bunch of the world’s best freeriders having a grand old time. We were there to catch all of the action a few days back so here is what we saw…
![No dig, no ride...everyone digs.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0543.jpg)
![This busted shitter is still around...](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0997.jpg)
![Swanpound master Arik Swan and Jordy Lunn head up for the first laps with an excited canine.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0503.jpg)
![Brendan Howey got an invite this year...he was eager to get started.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0578.jpg)
![Jeff Herb is still on the mend from a freak accident at Rampage. He held it down with organizational efforts as well as making sure there was no excess beer.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0858.jpg)
![Nitro Circus nutter Dusty Wygle hates goggles but was sending it like a champ.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC8847.jpg)
![Kyle Strait made the trek up from down South](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1496.jpg)
![The dirt was really dark, has a great deal of clay and is pretty easy to work with. R-Dog getting his hands dirty.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Untitled7.jpg)
![Real dirty.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC8909.jpg)
![Not an uncommon sight...MTB/Moto trains. Kyle Jameson pulls Tyler Bereman in.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1225.jpg)
![The moto guys were loving it.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1004.jpg)
![Local Ray George was stoked to get an invite and threw down accordingly.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1983.jpg)
![Feisty little dude.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9376.jpg)
![Sorge, Aggy and Sam Reynolds.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Untitled2.jpg)
![Makken was the first to start riding but came up short on the first double. He's healing up fine...Next year.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9430.jpg)
![Moto miniflips.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC2076.jpg)
![R-Dog mega whips](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0759.jpg)
![Randy Spangler made it down again this year. Classic....Not bad for pushing 50.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0574.jpg)
![It isn't all rosy. Spangler had a pretty nasty shoulder injury from coming up short on the first double.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9125.jpg)
![Sam Reynolds was loving California.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9281.jpg)
![Kyle Jameson was steezing hard. After all, he built most of these jumps.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1976.jpg)
![Ethan Nell came over from Utah and impressed everyone big time.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1550.jpg)
![Andreu Lacondaguy - One hand superman seat grab. Savage.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1169.jpg)
![Swanpound stanky leg.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0932.jpg)
![Ray George, Adolf Silva, Sam Reynolds.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Untitled6.jpg)
![Hillsack went off all week.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1238.jpg)
![Jordy Lunn loving the big hip.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1563.jpg)
![Damon Iwanaga came down from Tahoe...prior to this event, most people hadn't heard of him.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9133.jpg)
![Damon proved his mettle and absolutely sent it on everything. We were all super impressed.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0689.jpg)
![T-Mac whipping and tearing.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1247.jpg)
![Nico Vink with his classic steeze toboggan.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1534.jpg)
![Kyle Jameson with a massive whip on a 60 foot booter that's shrouded by trees.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1690.jpg)
![Aggy was just way too steezed out during the entire event. Bermslider.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1854.jpg)
![Brandon Semenuk made the trek down to melt some faces.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC2218.jpg)
![Tyler Bereman packs some of his tracks back in.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9138.jpg)
![R-Dog turnups.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC8762.jpg)
![R-Dog hiccups.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9563.jpg)
![Aggy scoring some nice light.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC2582.jpg)
![Arik Swan nosebonking the shitter car while everyone looks on.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9325.jpg)
![THREE X THREE. R-dog, Brandon Semenuk, Ethan Nell.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Untitled4.jpg)
![Ankle braces are a must.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9484.jpg)
![Top of the course](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC2534.jpg)
![Our essentials for the week](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0535.jpg)
![Steeze.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9309.jpg)
![Damon Iwanaga catching the last night.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9170.jpg)
![Cam Zink came down to keep an eye on everyone but was a bit bummed tha the couldn't ride. Makken gave his shoulder a solid taping.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC8897.jpg)
![Video game stuff. Brandon Semenuk, Aggy, Adolf Silva.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Untitled3.jpg)
![Kurt Sorge - Huge superman.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC2892.jpg)
![Course builder extraordinare Dustin Gilding was mashing out lap after lap.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1991.jpg)
![Andreu Lacondaguy. On a moto. Just think about that.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC1544.jpg)
![Arik Swan](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC8919.jpg)
![Jordy Lunn, Tyler McCaul and Kurt Sorge.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Untitled5.jpg)
![Andreu with a huge superman in the woods.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC0711.jpg)
![Sam Reynolds spinning the big one.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC2256.jpg)
![Huge whip from the "best whip" winner - Aggy.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC2171.jpg)
![Questionable behavior.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9594.jpg)
![But everyone survived.](https://www.mtb-mag.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/DSC9596.jpg)
A huge thanks to THE FEST SERIES for inviting us out. We had such a blast.