Originally scheduled for March 22-23, the 2005 Red Bull Ride to the Hills encountered a barrage of rain showers and thunderstorms as the crew of 10 elite riders, photographers, film, and event production waiting patiently three days for clearing in the Central Coast region of California. To no avail, the event was postponed and rescheduled for late April. By then the sun had shone for weeks on the hallowed grounds of Jackpot Ranch. The wild flowers blossomed, the mud turned sandy dry. Riders and crew returned, but Mother Nature was waiting. Her winds howled. Her showers scattered. But, fortunately, the skies held back long enough so that four of the six stages – Red Bull Line, Space Mountain, Purple Hill, Jabba the Hut – were run and Red Bull Ride to the Hills was done.
At the end, it was the smallest man, Dustin Miller, who earned the biggest overall style points from his fellow riders. Miller threw together the most technical and sickest combinations, particularly on the Jabba the Hut double, to prevail over Mike Mason and Ronnie “Rendawg” Renner.
And so it is, the 2005 Red Bull Ride to the Hills proved to be an epic challenge. Mother Nature may have won the battle, but it was man and his bike who won the war.
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