Peace, love and mountain bikes. The Fat Tyre Festival at Melrose has been on my MTB Bucket List for years. FINALLY, AMAZINGLY, UNBELIEVABLY after a wee 12 1/2 hour drive over from Central Victoria I found myself wheeling down Dodging Bullets trail at Melrose late on the Friday afternoon of the festival with Shaz and Steve. WOOHOO!
2012 was the 10th anniversary of the Fat Tire Festival and it went off. Along with hundreds of other mountain bikers, from start to finish I was spoilt with idyllic blue sky days of riding on great trails, capped off with cold camp fire nights. No race to be seen, just folk of all ages, sizes and styles of MTB out enjoying the trails. Not to mention the welcoming local community, relaxed festival vibe, yummy food and last but not least Over the Edge, the uber cool local bike store/regional MTB hub from where my Ibis Mojo HD came… it was great to finally meet the OTE gang in person 🙂
Thanks to everyone involved with Fat Tire Festival. Looking forward to visiting Melrose again… soon!
![Over the Edge, hub of the Fat Tire Festival Over the Edge, hub of the Fat Tire Festival](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-4.jpg)
![Just a little excited to be here! Arrived nice and early Just a little excited to be here! Arrived nice and early](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-10.jpg)
![Hippie neath the 'Ride More Work Less' mantra :) Hippie neath the 'Ride More Work Less' mantra :)](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-11.jpg)
![Wheel love Wheel love](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-12.jpg)
![Brrrr... freezing mornings! Melrose Fat Tire Festival 2012 Brrrr... freezing mornings! Melrose Fat Tire Festival 2012](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-1-550x310.jpg)
![Great trails, and clear blue skies all weekend Great trails, and clear blue skies all weekend](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-5.jpg)
![Main St closed for festival, nice! Main St closed for festival, nice!](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-13-550x310.jpg)
![Blueys at Melrose, GREAT food and not of this world service! Blueys at Melrose, GREAT food and not of this world service!](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-3-550x310.jpg)
![No shortage of cool demo bikes! No shortage of cool demo bikes!](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-7-550x310.jpg)
![Trail access right from the camp ground, cool! Trail access right from the camp ground, cool!](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-2-550x310.jpg)
![Cold nights = camp fires Cold nights = camp fires](https://digitalhippie.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/melrose-fat-tire-festival-2012-8.jpg)