Year: 2007

Hello from the City Brew in Missoula where I just got done checking out the photos and reminiscing over a cup of coffee and a blueberry scone about yesterdays mountain bike race in Lolo Montana. [results]

As I arrived it was apparent that last year's course had doomed the turnout for the race this year. The numbers were down, way down. Most of my competition was not even there. Needless to say I had a enjoyable race since no one challenged me for the win.

The big news of the day is the carnage. As I topped my second climb of the day I saw my friend walking up the course holding his shoulder. I asked if he was ok and he told me to keep going so I did. I kept wondering if he was alright. I remember a time when a friend back on the east coast never came off the mountain. We later found out he broke his back and had to be heli-ported off (remember that ROAR).

After the race he was at the parking lot all bandaged up in "Kona" course marking tape. I wish I got a photo as it was quite comical. What was not comical that he had to go to the hospital with a shoulder injury (Final Diagnosis–right AC separation, sprain: AC joint). looking around there were ripped shorts and skinless knees and elbows all round the finish line.

In the end my friends did well. One missed second place in the sport category by mere seconds while the Brown girls took top honors. And me, well I got some cash for first place.

"It is that time of year" … I hate those words. Usually means something bad or that involves work. This time it is a precursor to something that once it starts is a fun weekly event. Last night the Wednesday Night MTB Series finished up (I won the series and last race). It was hard to say goodbye to a weekly romp in the mountains but there is a new series on the horizon.

The weekly cross races are not new, in fact they have been around since Lewis and Clark tried to ride their bikes into Idaho and almost froze to death. Here is the facts straight from the organizers desk (well from yahoo list serve anyway).

The races are on beginning Wednesday Sept 26 at Ft. Missoula, and continuing for 5 Wednesdays until the series finale on October 24.

Start time is 5:45 except on October 24, when start time is 5:30.

Sponsored once again by Big Sky Brewing, Kettlehouse, Big Dipper, Le Petit, Open Road, and Missoula Bicycle Works.

Series entry fee is $20 or $5 per race.

You have to have a license to ride. Cost is $60 for an annual or $10 for each one-day.

No cash prizes. All prizes are beer and bread and ice cream and assorted schwag from the bike shops.

The schedule:

• September 26: Jeff Cincoski, course designer. 5VV Stampede set-up and take-down.
• October 3: Toby Meierbachtol, course designer. UM Cycling set-up and take-down
• October 10: Dave Hartman, course designer. NRO set-up and take-down
• October 17: John Weyhrich, course designer. 5VV Stampede set-up and take-down
• October 24: Mike Beltz, course designer. NRO set-up and take-down

Every race is different because every course designer puts in his own special touches. Dave Hartman will probably have barrier sequences at the bottom of run-ups that only he can jump; John Weyhrich will probably have long straightaways and no run-ups; Jeff Cincoski will probably have a maze that will require doubling back five times in 20 meters while crossing through a mud pit; Mike Beltz will make a bunny-hoppers paradise; I have idea what Toby's course will look like since this is his first course design as far as I know. So it is a fresh challenge every week.

Beginners welcome! Invite your friends to try bike racing in a low pressure atmosphere. Mountain bikes are OK, but remove any bar ends if you have bar ends.

~T.Bechtold

Double Haul is my favorite beer. I see a can of Double Haul and I am moved spiritually. I just read that the makers of this fine beer may be moving. Check out this article and view the news report [click here]

Turns out putting good microbrew in a can was a stroke of genius for western Montana where words like summer, floating, fishing and rivers are synonymous, and chilling cans in glacier-green rivers is not only more appealing than doing it with glass bottles but a whole lot more legal.

Greetings from City Brew in Missoula! Arrived from Big Sky last night, hit the sack immediately after admiring my new Leader cross frame. This morning, I’ve uploaded some photos from the trip. Not many, but I captured my friend’s son’s race—got some great shots of yesterday’s setting.

Had plans for a bike ride with friends today, but opting for a relaxed day to enjoy Missoula’s fresh air. Luckily, the smoke from the wildland fires hasn’t blanketed the valley today, a pleasant surprise.

I am looking at towering mountains with aspen groves in the foothills. To my attention in the foreground is the little village of Big Sky where I sit at the Hungary Moose sipping my latte (Pre race solution). I am about to drive up to the race course to grab the registration at 8. The race today starts at 10 and we have 4 laps around a course that exhibits some of the steepest climbs on the circuit. Should be a fabulous day.

This is one of my favorite trips. The last time I was here was the Big Sky Cyclocross race where I sat in the exact same place blogging. Today the sun is out and the trails are calling. I spent a great night by the Gallatin River and Marcy and I awoke to a crisp 40 degrees … Brrrrr!

I better get up the hill so this is Bill signing out from the Hungary Moose. Have a good day everyone.

First off I would like to shout out to my friend Pablo (you know who you are). If you would of been there last night you would of finished and had a Double Haul with me as well.

Hello from Smokeville Montana. The Wednesday Night Race Series went off even with smoke in the air. In the beginning the pace was the usual fast “lets drop Bill” pace. The difference between yesterday and a week ago is that I was not to be dropped. I climbed right behind the road bikers and one by one they dropped back. With only 1 guy to follow and only 3/4 the way up the 1100 vert foot climb I was still hanging in there. Suddenly the guy stopped and I rode on and finished the lap with a record time. At the finish line after two laps I discovered that everyone had dropped out of the race but 2 guys (Alex and I). Very weird to start a race a half dozen strong and have everyone quite. I believe that no one wanted to be seen in the results that far behind the leader … boooyea! 2 laps in 1:15 🙂

With the cyclocross season fast approaching, my humble abode is transforming into a bicycle-themed episode of ‘The Price is Right,’ where the prizes are sleek, high-performance two-wheeled machines. Here’s the battle plan for transforming my humble two-wheeled steed into a mud-slinging, barrier-hopping, cowbell-clanging machine.

First up, we’ve got the heart of the operation: the LEADER LD 416R CROSS Frame. This isn’t just any frame; it’s the Excalibur of cyclocross frames, ready to carry me valiantly across any battlefield… or at least through a lot of mud and over some questionable terrain.

To match, I’ve enlisted the NEW LEADER C802 3K CARBON 700C CYCLO CROSS BIKE FORK. Because if you’re going to have Excalibur, you might as well have Merlin’s wand to guide you through the course, right?

Steering won’t be left to chance thanks to the Sette Avanti O/S 31.8mm Carbon Road Bar and the Planet X Team Pro Road 3D Forged Stem. Together, they’re like having the hands of a surgeon, if that surgeon were performing delicate operations on gravel at 20mph.

Grip is no joke either, with Sette Carbon Gel Bar Tape. It’s essentially like holding onto a cloud, if clouds were made of ultra-tacky gel and could withstand the rigors of cyclocross.

Then there’s the Salsa Chainring Guard and Redline Chain Keeper combo, the dynamic duo tasked with keeping my chain where it belongs. Because the only thing I want dropping mid-race is my competition, not my chain.

For tires, we’ve got 2 Kenda Small Block 8 Cross DTC Tires, ready to bite into the earth with the determination of a toddler biting into a cookie. Paired with Stan’s System (tubeless), because flats are for quitters and I’m not in the business of standing sadly by the sidelines.

Shifting will be smoother than a politician at a fundraising dinner, thanks to the Shimano XT M772 Shadow Rear Derailleur. And to keep things moving, there’s the SALSA INNER 130MM CHAINRING, because power transfer is key, and I intend to transfer all my pent-up energy from the off-season into speed.

So there you have it, my meticulously curated list for the cyclocross season. It’s less of a shopping list and more of a manifesto—a declaration of my intent to conquer the cyclocross season with as much grace, speed, and style as a mud-covered racer can muster. Let the games begin!

 

Terrain Distance (approx): 25.18 miles
Climbing Distance: 5,409 vert feet
Highest Altitude: 7,675 feet
Trip Time: 4 hours 20 mins. (4:07:27 9/12/09 WLM)
Difficulty: Long Hard Climbing.
Map: 2009-09-12-sheep.gpx

Bill mentioned he unfortunately had to work this weekend so I decided Sunday to ride over the Hill. Went to Rattlesnake trail head and met a local bike merchant amigo at 6.45am. I did not expect him to show up!

We headed up Wood’s and rode over numerous fresh berry filled bear piles. Smoke was bad, but we hit an occasional clear spot. Looking down on Missoula was a sad thing. The city was completely socked in (later learned a Stage 1 was in effect). I asked my friend why he only had one water bottle? At the 5 mile mark, he bailed and went down to 3 Pines and probably back to bed! So, I went on up solo and content anyway.

It was quiet all the way up. Trail was dry and loose. No bears or cats. I had pepper spray just in case, though I hate carrying it. The smoke at the Hele-Pad was thick. The sky was red/golden. 7600 +/- ft. There was a couple there with their two dogs hanging out who had hiked in from the Mineral Peak / Gold Creek side. I visited briefly, but their dogs did not like my helmet or something? So, I dropped off the back and into those 6 or 7 switchbacks we all love on the descent to the E. Fork. There were two trees across the trail prior to dropping into the E. fork trail. One had an axe quietly hiding next to it with a yellow handle. I could not believe my luck (only two portages so far – 2006 I counted 19+/- to the Franklin Bridge). The E. fork was completely cleared too – an absolute dream descent through the jungle! Thank you Forest Service! Stopped a couple of times on top to see the views and figure out where that couple had hiked in from – so GPS said it was 4hrs. 20mins. getting it done, just over 26 miles. My favorite Missoula ride. ~ MT Rogue

ELEVATIONS:

• Sheep Mt.: 7675; N 46 56.868; W 113 48.403
• Franklin Bridge: 4294
• Rattlesnake Trail Head 3645
• Point 6 (for grins, not this ride) 7917

photos: above, Wisherd Ridge 6/9/07 in fog/snowing (solo); above, Marshall Ski Hill 6/3/06; above Wisherd Ridge 8/19/07; Hele Pad/Heart 6/9/07; Max – Bike Mechanic Extraordinaire /Utah Ski Patroller (8/19/06 Sheep); Lake, N/E of Point 6 on 6/25/06.

 

*Edited by Bill Martin

My friends Charlie and Ed (from the lands of the North Country in Plattsburgh New York) participated in the NY Capital Region Road Race in Ravena, NY [results] last week. Charlie came in 13 out of 36 in the masters class and Ed came in 19 out of 83 racers in the cat 4 field. Although it is sad for me to see a road result instead of a mountain bike result I want to give a shout out to them.

My weekend went ok even thought the smoke in the air was as thick as soup. At one point while sitting in my apartment the window glowed orange while the lighting in the front room was whiter and brighter than the outdoors. It is a very sad place to be in right now. Residents near Seeley Lake were evacuated once again yesterday. In all the doom, gloom, and drugs I managed to get in two fantastic rides.

The first one was with friends and we biked the single track to the base of Lolo Peak. We rode all the way to the lakes at the top of Carleton Ridge. The decent was the finest I have experienced to date. Lots of rocks and roots. Lots of switchbacks and tons of fast deep woods trail.

Yesterday I was able to drive away from the smoke to Lolo Pass where I put in a 26 mile time-trial (Mountain Pass) in a little over an hour. I felt strong and consistent but my heart rate would not go over 167 which scares me. Today is the last day I will be on medication so we will see if life will be better now.

I certainly appreciate my buds that stop by the lodge to say hi and keep me up to date what is going on in places I used to live. I am there with them in spirit as I can feel the humidity and the road ride that my cycling friends from Plattsburgh experienced yesterday. I only wish I could meet up with my bro in Burlington on Church Street for some relaxation, coffee, and banter. And with all that spiritual experience I was able to fulfill my current existence smack dab in the middle of single track heaven.

Last night's Thursday Night Ride took place at the Snow Bowl area. We climbed up the single track to the lodge at the top. the smoke was gone and the air was cool. As always the ride down was total ZEN. We are lucky to have such sweet trails here in Missoula. Thank you mother earth! After we downed some beers and stopped off at McKenzie River Pizza and closed the place with three more pictures of beer and two large pizzas. The conversation was full of fun filled stories as well as a tragic one where Biscuit the rock climbing dog was suggested to have been eaten by a mountain lion (un confirmed). This had a big affect on one of our riding buddies and we were there to console him.

What's up this weekend everyone? Big rides? Epic Rides? I am looking forward to some rest.

Barely awake in Missoula, Montana, I’m attempting to recount last night’s mountain bike race—a venture that didn’t pan out as planned. Overlooked the importance of rest, especially after a 100-mile race and some surgery.

Kicked off the race alongside two speedy competitors, tackling an 1100-foot climb. It’s tougher than you’d think. My heart raced at 173 bpm, but soon, my lungs were on fire, leading to a coughing fit. My body hit its limit and forced me to slow down, letting riders I usually outpace easily zoom past, making me look like a newbie.

The second lap went somewhat better after expelling a good deal of phlegm, thanks to the dusty roads of the 100-miler, and I reduced my pace to 160 bpm. The climb felt smoother, and I nearly caught up. However, the treacherous downhill, more suitable for a downhill specialist, caused a few errors, and I crossed the finish line feeling defeated.