2018 Occult Adventure Series

The tarot cards have been drawn!  

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There will be 9 gravel rides, 2 bikepacking trips, and a 3 part mixed-terrain race series! 

Dates and theme details below.
Routes and additional details will be posted closer to event date(s). 

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Heathen Gravel Rides:

-03/17

-04/22

-05/26

-06/23

-07/27

-09/22

-10/13

-11/03

-12/22

Shaman Guided Overnights:

-04/07-04/08

-08/18-08/20

Black Magick Racing:

-06/09

-07/14

-08/04

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Gravel Ride #1

Saturday March 17, 2018

Two of Pentacles - Lord of Harmonious Change

• For the first group ride of the year, we shall celebrate the Vernal Equinox.  This is a day to celebrate the birth of spring, death of winter, and first day of the new year to contain equal light and darkness.  Harmony has once again been restored.

• This card is the number Two, and the Pentacle suit that represents the Earth.  According to the doctrine that Change is the support of stability, the card is called Change. In the Hermetic deck specifically, it is called Lord of Harmonious Change.

• The card displays two Pentacles, one above the other; they are similar to the symbols of the Yang and Yin. One wheel is dextroand (spinning towards light) the other laevo-rotatory (spinning away from light). They thus represent the harmonious interplay of the Four Elements in constant movement. About them is entwined a Serpent. His tail is in his mouth. He forms the figure Eight, the symbol of the Infinite, the equation 0=2.

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Gravel Ride #2

Sunday April 22, 2018

Knight of Pentacles - Lord of the Wild and Fertile Land

• In celebration of Earth Day, we ride in honor of our one true mother.  Each year, Earth Day —April 22 — marks the anniversary of the birth of the modern environmental movement of 1970.  On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans took to the streets, parks, and auditoriums to demonstrate for a healthy, sustainable environment in massive coast-to-coast rallies.

• The tarot card reveals The Knight of Pentacles and represents the fiery part of Earth, and refers in particular to the phenomena of mountains, earthquakes, and gravitation; but it also represents the activity of Earth regarded as the producer of Life.

• This warrior is clothed in great solidity of plate armor; his helmet, typically crested with the head of a stag, and armed with a flail. The disk which he bears, represents nutrition.  He rides through the fertile land; even the distant hills are cultivated fields.

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Gravel Ride #3

Saturday May 26, 2018

Knight of Swords - Prince of the Chariots of the Winds

• May 26th is Einherjar Day.  Let's fight up those hills, and then fill our bellies with food and drink to celebrate like Viking heros!

• In Norse mythology, the einherjar (Old Norse meaning "those who fight alone") are those who have died in battle and are brought to Valhalla (from Old Norse Valhöll "hall of the slain") by valkyries. In Valhalla, the einherjar eat their fill of the nightly-resurrecting beast Sæhrímnir, and are brought their fill of mead.

• The tarot card shows The Knight of Swords and represents Air and the Mind.  The Knight of Swords is often seen as a confident and articulate young man, who may act impetuously. The problem is that this Knight, though visionary, is unrealistic. He fights bravely, but foolishly. In some illustrations, he is shown to have forgotten his armor or his helmet. A 'rush to war' is a possibility with this warrior. 

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Gravel Ride #4

Saturday June 23, 2018

Ace of Wands - Lord of the Root of Power of Fire

• Let us celebrate the Summer Solstice and the longest day of the year!  Solstice is derived from the Latin words sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still).  Summer is in full swing.

• This Ace of Wands card represents the essence of the element of Fire in its inception. 

• A hand reaches out from a cloud, it is a solar-phallic outburst of flame from which springs lightning in every direction.  These flames are Yods, arranged in the form of the Tree of Life.  

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Gravel Ride #5

Friday July 27, 2018

Knight of Wands - Lord of Flame and Lightning

• This is a night ride under a full moon.  Not just any full moon, the Thunder Moon...  Native Americans referred to it as the Thunder Moon, since thunderstorms are so prevalent in North America during July. May the thunder remain at bay and the light guide us along the trail.  *Moonrise is at 8:51 p.m.

• The Knight of Wands represents the fiery part of Fire. The heat of the desert, the cloudless sky, the red headed knight racing to complete a task.

• He is a warrior in complete armor. On his helmet for a crest he wears a black horse. In his hand he bears a flaming torch; a flame also in his mantle; and upon the flames does he ride. His steed is a black horse leaping.

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Gravel Ride #6

Saturday September 22, 2018

4 of Wands - Lord of Perfected Work

• Similar in nature to the first ride of the year, we shall now celebrate the Autumnal Equinox.  This is a day to celebrate the birth of autumn, death of summer, and second day of the year to contain equal light and darkness.  Shorter days are ahead...

• The 4 of  Wands card refers to kindness in the suit of Fire. Being below the Abyss, it is the Lord of all manifested active Power.  The power to start taking our daylight.

• The wands are headed by the Ram, sacred to kindness, but at the other end of the wands are the Doves of Venus.  In the symbol, the ends of the wands touch a circle.  It is within this circle that the flames (as if to assert the balance) of the Energy are seen to play.

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Gravel Ride #7

Saturday October 13, 2018

The Magician - The Magus of Power

• We ride to celebrate the birthday of Aleister Crowley!  - albeit a day late...  Aleister Crowley was an English occultist, ceremonial magician, poet, painter, novelist, and mountaineer. A prolific writer, he published widely over the course of his life.

• The number of the Magician is one, the number of beginnings. The Magician is the bridge between the world of the spirit and the world of humanity.

• His right hand holds a staff raised toward the sky and his left hand points to the earth. He takes the power of the Universe and channels it through his own body and directs it to the physical plane. He holds all four suits of the Tarot, each of which represents one of the four primordial elements of the alchemists – earth, air, fire and water. He is what the Fool becomes once lessons are learned and experiences lead to greater understanding.

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Gravel Ride #8

Saturday November 03, 2018

8 of Swords - Lord of Shortened Force

• We ride today before Daylight Savings Time ends and the nights start to feel longer and colder.  Tonight we will "fall back" towards darkness.

• The Eight of Swords is a card of restriction and feelings of being trapped by circumstances. It is possible that you may find yourself in a catch twenty-two situation where you almost feel as if you are "damned if you do" and "damned if you don't."

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Gravel Ride #9

Saturday December 22, 2018

10 of Swords - Lord of Ruin

• Winter Solstice Ride.  Last night was the darkest, longest night of the year.  Now we start regaining daylight as we head towards the new year.  

• The Ten of Swords represents finality, the end of something. 

• As is easy to grasp from the picture in many decks, there is no hope for revival here. A limit has been reached, a line has been crossed and there is no turning back. The waiting and wondering are over. There is no more ambiguity. You can rightly let go and move on.

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

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Overnight Trip #1

Saturday April 07-Sunday April 08, 2018

Death - Child of the Great Transformers

• Celebrate the birth of Chris & Ryan with an overnight bickpacking trip!

• The frightening image of the boney Reaper with a scythe contradicts the true interpretation of this card, which is that of rebirth and transformation.  Death is not the final end but a new beginning. This cards represents the passing of the old, the natural end of a situation, and the dawn of a new opportunity.

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Double Overnight Trip #2

Saturday August 18-Monday August 20, 2018

Ace of Cups - Lord of the Root of the Powers of Water

• Second Annual bikepacking trip out to the coast.  We shall meander out to Cape Lookout for camping by the ocean and celebrate our efforts with libations.

• This Ace of Cups represents the element of Water in its most secret and original form.  The card itself depicts an image of a hand that is stretching outward from the havens, offering you a refreshing drink from a cup that is filled from the five streams of living water. This Water flows from the Cup into the Lake below the hand.

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

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Black Magick Race #1

Saturday June 09, 2018

The Hierophant - Magus of the Eternal Gods

• The first race of the Black Magick series is called 'Crowley's Magick'  

• Details to come...

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Black Magick Race #2

Saturday July 14, 2018

The Devil - Lord of the Gates of Matter

• The second race of the Black Magick series is called 'LaVey's Black Mass'  

• Details to come...

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...

Black Magick Race #3

Saturday August 04, 2018

The High Priestess - The Priestess of the Silver Star

• The third and final race of the Black Magick series is called 'Helena's New Age'  

• Details to come...

• Route: to be announced closer to event, check back...