Vermont Sports September, 2019

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NEW ENGLAND’S OUTDOOR MAGAZINE ON THE COVER: Kris Fiore climbs Featherweight Champion, 5.12b, at Bolton's Upper West Crag.

Photo by Brian Diezel

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EDITOR/CO-PUBLISHER

Lisa Lynn - editor@vtsports.com

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Abagael Giles abagael@vtsports.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Shawn Braley

MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. Nathan Endres, Dr. David Lisle, Dr. James Slauterbeck —University of Vermont Robert Larner College of Medicine; Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation; Jamie Sheahan, M.S., R.D.

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5 The Start

13 Nutrition

27 Reader Athlete

Meet the heroes behind Vermont's world-class trails.

Some elite athletes are switching to a plant-based diet. Here's why.

With 85 first ascents to date, Kris Fiore is just getting started.

16

29 Reader Athlete

The Trail Blazers

6 Great Outdoors

A New Long Trail Record

A hiker just shattered the unsupported FKT on the Long Trail. Here's how he did it.

9 News

Should Act 250 Apply to Trails?

The latest on the Victory Hill closure, where to sail for free, the Brownsville Forest and more.

Plant Powered

Feature

6 Ways to Harness Your Fear

Tips for keeping a cool head from a sword swallower, a paraglider and an expert climbing guide.

20

Feature

Bikepacking Vermont!

Bikepack from brewery to brewery or join the Super 8 grand depart, plus the latest gear to get you gravel touring.

The Climber

The Disc Golf Entrepreneur

How one Vermonter has made growing his sport a business.

33

Calendar Race & Event Guide

42 Endgame

The Adrenaline of Stillness

Why Leath Tonino gets a rush from finding stillness.

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SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 3

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THE START

Waterbury Waterbury

THE TRAIL BLAZERS

W

hen James P. Taylor began daydreaming about creating a trail from Canada to Massachusetts in the early 1900s he had no idea that someone would hike his Long Trail through Vermont, unsupported, in under six days. Or that there would be a line of others trying to set fastest known times or 'FKTs'—both supported and unsupported.

This past summer saw two people consecutively break the unsupported Long Trail FKTs (see p. 6 for our interview with one) and countless others stumble along at their own pace.

Today, Taylor is something of a hero to Long Trail hikers.

Less well-known, but perhaps equally loved, are some of the other trail blazers around Vermont.

Take Dave Blumenthal. Blumenthal thru-hiked the Long Trail, was a board member of the Green Mountain Club and created the 3D relief map of the trail that’s on display at the GMC’s headquarters in Waterbury.

Blumenthal was all about maps.

Along with David Tremblay, he pored over maps as he envisioned a trail, much like Taylor had, but one that would take riders the length of Vermont: the XVT. A serious bikepacker, Blumenthal, 37, was riding a dirt road on the 2,745mile Tour Divide race, which traverses the Continental Divide, when he was hit by a pickup truck in 2010.

But the XVT did come to life, and now David Tremblay, Daniel Jordan, Kristopher Dennan and others have mapped a new, less arduous route for bikepackers that traverse the state.

On September 27, they’ve planned a grand depart, a group start from Montpelier to ride the Super 8, a figure 8 of ancient roads, trails and gravel routes through some of the most beautiful parts of Vermont.

This month also sees the 20th anniversary of CRAG-VT and the very first Vermont Climbing Festival, organized by vertical trail blazers Kris Fiore (profiled on page 27) and others in the climbing community. Thanks to their work, and that of CRAG-VT, Vermont has more climbing routes than ever.

And 2019 also marks the 25th anniversary of what is, perhaps, the state's most famous “new” trail system, Kingdom Trails. In 1994, a group of local landowners and business people agreed to work together to create a mountain bike trail system across more than 50 privately-owned land parcels. Back then,

RASTA volunteers at work on new mountain bike trails near Rochester. Photo by Mike McDonnell

Burke was a sleepy town. Today, more than 150,000 riders come to ride the trails each year.

Not far from Kingdom Trails, John Magill and his wife Laurie Saligman saw the potential for another trail system when they bought 1,100 acres of forest land and created the Victory Hill Sector Trails, which became home to CircumBurke and a number of other events.

That all came to an abrupt end this past spring. The story of how Act 250 is impacting this and other trails is on p. 9.

Elsewhere, commercial trail builders are seeing more success. This month Stratton Mountain Resort opens its first lift-served bike park, joining Suicide Six, which opened last year, Bolton Valley, Cochran’s and a number of other ski areas which recently opened or revived mountain bike trails.

And thanks to volunteers around the state and various chapters of the Vermont Mountain Bike Association, more than 15 new trail projects are underway.

“What people don’t realize is that nearly every inch of trail is built by volunteers, people who pick up a shovel and pick-axe on trail days,” says VMBA executive director Tom Stuessy. According to VMBA, there are more than 825 miles of singletrack in Vermont.

Some volunteers have trails named for them—Knight Slayer and Kitchel recognize two of Kingdom Trails’ early pioneers, Knight Ide and Dave Kitchel. But for the most part, Vermont’s thousands of trail builders are anonymous.

They are the people we should thank, revere and support as much as Long Trail founder, James P. Taylor.

And, by the way, have you renewed your trail organization membership?

—Lisa Lynn, Editor

@prohibitionpig @prohibitionpig

Fall adventures await

YOU

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 5

GREAT OUTDOORS

A NEW LONG TRAIL RECORD

SOME PEOPLE RUN THE LONG TRAIL SUPPORTED, THIS SUMMER, TWO MEN INDEPENDENTLY SET SUBSEQUENT RECORDS FOR THRU-HIKING IT UNSUPPORTED.

BY EVAN JOHNSON

W

hen Jeff Garmire arrived at the sign marking the southern terminus of Vermont’s Long Trail on July 24, he was in tough shape.

His ankles had nearly disappeared from swelling and his stomach was roaring with hunger. His mind, twisted with the effects of sleep deprivation, was beginning to play tricks on him: Leaves that covered the ground were childrens’ toys and a puddle reflecting blue sky was a hole in the earth that could send him spinning endlessly into space.

He felt no pain. But when he looked at his watch, he knew that he’d accomplished what he’d set out to do just five days earlier: He’d hiked unsupported the length of the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the country in five days, 23 hours, and 48 minutes.

It was not only a new record, it shattered the record of six days, nine hours, 48 minutes Josh Perry just set

in June. The previous record set by Travis Wildeboer in 2010 was six days, 17 hours, 25 minutes.

Garmire, 28, is no stranger to the long haul. Growing up in Oregon, he regularly went out into the woods with his parents for weekend trips. He hiked his first thru-hike on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) in 2011.

“That got the ball rolling and ever since I’ve made it a point to do it as much as I can,” he said. In 2016, Garmire completed the Triple Crown, one of the toughest feats of thru-hiking.

To do so, he hiked the 2,653-milelong PCT; the Appalachian Trail, 2,190 miles from Georgia to Maine; and the Continental Divide Trail, which runs 3,100 miles from Mexico to Canada along the Rocky Mountains—all within 12 months. In total, his year included about 8,000 miles of hiking.

In 2018, he hiked the Great Western

Jeff Garmire strikes a casual pose at the northern start of The Long Trail, before setting out to hike 272 miles in fewer than six days.

Photo courtesy Jeff Garmire

6 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

Loop, a 6,875-mile loop through nine states that links five long-distance trails.

Garmire, the second person to complete the loop, finished it in 208 days.

For 2019, Garmire set a goal to hike not for distance but for speed. In April, he set an unsupported speed record on the 800-mile-long Arizona Trail, breaking the previous record by three days to set a new record of 15 days, 13 hours and 10 minutes. “I wanted to see if I could stretch the comfort zone even further from the Arizona trail to the 272mile Long Trail, which is known among ultrarunners,” he said. “It’s almost like a different sport.”

Garmire, who hikes under the trail name “Legend,” talked with Vermont Sports about his latest adventure in the Green Mountains, what it required of him and his plans for the future.

When did you get the idea to go for a FKT on the Long Trail and how did you go about preparing?

I had an idea in December to try and do a few of these this year and the Long Trail was on the list. It was something I decided to do after I was successful on the Arizona Trail. Without that, I don’t know if I would’ve gone for it. I trained in California’s Sierra Nevada at about 10,000 feet for about three weeks. I did the John Muir trail and then added about 100 or so more miles. It was mostly hiking but I was running most days as well. I spent a lot of time listening to my body. If I didn’t feel like a big workout I would hike with my buddy, but if I wanted a big workout, I’d put the pack on and go for a run as well.

Let’s talk gear. What were you carrying on the Long Trail?

I did it unsupported, which meant I

had all my food with me for six days but stopped for water. I had a lightweight Six Moons Designs tarp to use mostly as a groundsheet but that I could also set up in a rainstorm. I had a Katabatic quilt that was my sleeping bag, rain gear, two shirts and a couple of pairs of socks. I wore adidas trail running shoes because they’re supposed to be good on slippery ground, but the rocks in Vermont seem to be slippery no matter what kind of shoe you’re wearing. The pack is a custom pack by LiteAF that had enough external storage so I could grab everything I needed while moving.

I tried to keep my gear as minimal as possible. I had my base weight down to about seven pounds before adding food and water. Since it was six days’ worth of food I had about 20 pounds of food. That went down quickly because the strategy was to eat two-thirds of the food in the first half of the trip so it would be much lighter for the final push.

What were some of the highs and lows you experienced?

I started out at the Canadian border and had a really good first day. I was able to pound out about 48 miles and just made myself go to sleep because I

needed to get enough sleep for the next day and I felt like I could keep going.

But I woke up on Day Two and my legs were cramping up as I put on my shoes.

Days Two and Three were the crux of the route with a heavy pack and hikes over Mansfield, Madonna, and Camel’s Hump. Those are some of the hardest portions of the trail. That’s where I hit the lowest low and my expectations were a lot higher than the actual miles I was able to make those days. It felt like my amazing first day was being washed out by two sub-par days. It was really hard to mentally reconcile.

Day Four was when the trail started to loosen up after Lincoln Gap and I was able to improve my mileage. I got this feeling of determination at around the end of the day and slept about three or four hours. Once Day Five started that’s when the big push began. At 5 a.m. on the morning of Day Five I had 108 miles left. I hiked through the night and the next day. Within 12 miles to the finish, my mind and body were messed up from lack of sleep, so I took a one-hour nap and that morning I finished the last of it. My goal was to get under six days, and I did it by 12 minutes. I guess that’s the power of setting goals.

How did you feel when you reached the southern terminus?

I’ve never had an emotion like the one I felt at the end of this hike. When I saw that I broke the six days mark by 12 minutes it was such a feeling of relief.

I did what I thought I could do and was happy but mostly relieved. I felt like I was either at or just below my ability to break that six-day mark. I’m pretty proud that I was able to set and reach a goal that was at the edge of my limit and comfort zone. I had my last handful of peanuts with 12 miles to go and when I got to the road a friend was waiting with ten quesadillas and I ate them all. I would’ve eaten anything.

So what’s next?

In September I may do a couple of projects on the West Coast, maybe the John Muir or the Tahoe Rim trail.

But my feet have disappeared because they’re so swollen. I need to rest before I think about anything else. My book comes out in a couple weeks so that’s the next big thing. It’s about my calendar year Triple Crown. The title is Free Outside and it’s about all the stories that go into a 252-day, 8,000-mile adventure, between getting attacked by a moose to swimming across a frozen river. All the stories I look back on and cringe at but I am happy that I have the ability to tell them now.

While the LT is the oldest trail, how does it stack up alongside the other trails you’ve hiked?

The northern 130 miles is the hardest true trail I’ve ever, ever hiked. I’ve done some cross country routes that are comparable to it but the fact that it’s a trail with blazes is just amazing. You’ve got ladders, and rebar and you’ve got to slide down areas on your butt. It’s amazing how rugged those 130 miles of the Long Trail are.

The hashtag you put up with all your Instagram posts is #doepicshit. What’s the story behind that?

I was running in a blizzard while living in Tahoe, training for the Arizona Trail and I just thought it was a funny doubleedged sword. Everyone wants to do epic stuff, but most people think that doing an 800-mile hike or a 272-mile hike as fast as you can doesn’t sound that great.

It’s shit to most people, but to me it’s epic. That’s how I frame it in my mind. "

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORT S.COM 7

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NEWS

THE STATE OF VERMONT’S TRAILS WHY THE BATTLE FOR VICTORY HILL SECTOR TRAILS MATTERS. BY LISA LYNN

T

his October would have marked the 10th anniversary of what had become one of the most popular and grueling trail races in Vermont. CircumBurke started in 2009 as a 26-mile backcountry trail run and mountain bike race in the Northeast Kingdom.

It originally coursed around Burke Mountain connecting some of Kingdom Trails’ buffed trails with Burke singletrack and, on the back side of Burke, old logging roads in the Victory Hill Sector.

Open to runners and mountain bikers, it was an epically brutal route with nearly 3,000 feet of climbing.

By 2018, the race was drawing close to 600 people. It was named by the readers of Vermont Sports as the Best Mountain Bike Ride/Race in Vermont.

But this October, the Victory Hill Sector trails will be quiet. No CircumBurke, no other races, no riding.

As widely reported, the Victory Hill Sector trails were shut down following a May 3 ruling by the Natural Resources Board arguing that Victory Hill Sector should have received Act 250 approval before building trails.

“I just don’t get it,” says John McGill who helped run the Victory Hill Trails on the former 1,100 acres of degraded logging land his wife, Laurie Saligman, purchased in 2007. “We spent tens of thousands of dollars to improve the land, set up the trail system as a non-profit and were barely recouping any trail fees. If this is the way the state wants to operate, we may just sell and leave.”

SHOULD ACT 250 APPLY TO TRAILS?

According to the decision handed down by NRB’s regional coordinator, Kirsten Sultan, what triggered Victory Hill’s need for an Act 250 review, the state’s land development act, were three main things: the trails were collecting fees, therefore commercial; when the trails were developed, they were not part of the Vermont Trail System or Kingdom Trails—non-profits that had preapproved trail building guidelines; and development impacted more than 10 acres of land.

While the Victory Hill decision may seem like an isolated incident, it fueled something of a firestorm in the trailbuilding community.

“All together, membe of the Trails and Greenways Alliance have put close to $50,000 that could have gone into trail building into legal work to help understand and lobby for revisions to Act 250,” says Vermont Mountain Bike

A rider competes in the popular CircumBurke race on the trails at the Victory Hill Sector. Though this year's race was canceled, organizers and riders alike are hopeful it will return. Photo by Hugh Swanson

Association executive director Tom Stuessy. “It’s really confusing for landowners and 70 percent of our trails are on private land and maintained with over 100,000 annual volunteer hours.”

While private landowners who have small sections of trail crossing their land may not be impacted by Act 250, larger landowners are feeling the pain.

“There’s a big difference between building a trail system for outdoor recreation and putting in a Walmart,” says Nick Mahood, who has helped to oversee Suicide Six’s new S6 bike park on the ski resort’s land. “Yet we’ve had to spend a lot of time and money going through the same Act 250 process.”

Nearby, Woodstock Area Mountain Bike Trails saw its Aqueduct Trails come under Act 250 review because the trails used land also occupied by a water storage tank that had a 1986 Act 250 review. WAMBA president Seth Westcott wrote on the WAMBA site. “Our recent and ongoing efforts to comply with the requirements of Act 250 have diverted our chapter’s volunteer hours away from trail improvements, signage, maps, and community events. We are spending membership dollars on permitting and specialists that could instead be spent on making our trail system better, and more environmentally friendly."

FINDING AN ALTERNATIVE?

This summer, Gov. Scott posted on the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economy Council website: "My Administration has proposed streamlining the Act 250

permitting process for recreational trails—including creating a mechanism that would allow recreational trails to be released from Act 250 jurisdiction."

Act 250 is still under review by the Act 250 Commission and there is still time for comment. In 2018, the Act 194 Recreational Trails Working Group (made up of members of the states’ Forest Parks & Recreation Department, Natural Resources Board and Agency of Natural Resources) submitted a report with results from a survey of trail organizations around the state.

BROWNSVILLE SAVED, BUT CLOSED TO BIKES

On July 30, representatives from Stowe Land Trust and the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation signed a permanent conservation easement on the 750-acre Brownsville-Story Ridge Forest in Stowe. The project was the result of a long community effort to conserve the largest remaining undeveloped tract in the town of Stowe, land that was previously owned by the Story family.

The Stowe Land Trust received more than 750 donations to fund the project, totalling $6 million.

The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, which now owns the property, is drafting a Long Range Management Plan for the Worcester Range Management Unit,

The members of the Vermont Trails and Greenways Council – which is formed by trail groups such as VMBA, the Vermont Association of Snow Travelers (VAST), The Green Mountain Club, and others—have also posted links on their sites to another survey on Act 250. (visit: https://www. surveymonkey.com/r/9CSPHY7).

The organization is also working on a unified response to Act 250 and recommendations for how to permit trails going forward.

“What people need to understand is the full value trails bring. They preserve open space, they help keep people healthy and they are huge economic drivers. We have more than 100,000 people come to Vermont to mountain bike here each year, and thousands of volunteers building trails on private land – those are things we need to encourage, not discourage,” says Stuessy.

With two public summits coming up (on Sept. 5, from 6 to 8 pm at the Franklin Conference Center in Rutland and on Sept. 12 at the Burlington Elk’s Lodge, from 6 to 8 pm) there are opportunities to comment.

As for CircumBurke? As Kingdom Trails and Victory Hill Sector’s noted in a joint statement: “The organizers look forward to hosting the 10th Anniversary CircumBurke together in 2020 in its original form, a celebration of epic single track and trail users, driving economic prosperity during a not so thriving time of year in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. —Lisa Lynn

NEWS BRIEFS which the property is now a part. In the meantime, the property is open to the public for hiking, hunting, skiing and snowshoeing—but not mountain biking.

The Story family had historically allowed mountain biking on the land.

As of late August, the state was in the process of assessing the existing trail network on the land and had deemed that “the trails do not currently meet standards for sustainable use,” according to a press release from the Stowe Land Trust.

For information about trail regulations and closures, visit stowelandtrust.org. —A.G.

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORT S.COM 9

NEWS ROCHESTER VALLEY TRAILS GO LIVE

Thanks to a $41,500 Recreational Trails Program grant awarded to the Rochester-Randolph Area Sports Trail Alliance by the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation in June, the 3-mile Rochester Valley Trail network is now complete.

This summer, volunteers coordinated by RASTA along with trailbuilding company Lepesquer & Daughters, LLC finished the three-mile Old Gent’s summit loop and the new Peavine Valley Trail. The Old Gent’s loop climbs via a looped system to a vista on Sugar Knob, from behind the USFS Rochester Ranger Station Visitors’ Center. A new connector trail was also completed in August, which links the Rochester Valley Trails with the village of Rochester.

In June, the 23-mile Green Mountain Trail network joined RASTA and the organization is now looking to connect the two networks. According to RASTA president Angus McCusker, 15 miles of new singletrack were recently approved as part of the Robinson Integrated Resource Project. The approved

trails would also connect with the Vermont Huts Association’s Chittenden Brook Hut, which opened in 2018.

As part of that effort, the organizations are collaborating with the USFS to reinstate the Contest Trail, the first mountain bike trail built on National Forest land in Vermont, and which once connected Pittsfield with Rochester.

Once completed, the trail systems will create a 30-mile loop between Rochester and Pittsfield, with only six miles of road riding. RASTA estimates that the cost of constructing those 15 miles of connector trails will be $479,650.

The trails are part of the Velomont Trail effort, which, if completed would connect 12 Vermont Mountain Bike Association chapters and partners with the ultimate goal to link existing mountain bike networks from Massachusetts to Canada with 70 percent being singletrack trails.

“We are looking at forming a Velomont chapter of VMBA this fall, to establish a board with representation from the 12 partners with existing trail networks,” said McCusker. —Abagael Giles

This summer, Purrier also made the Olympic standard, qualifying her in two events, the 5K and the 1500, for the 2020 games. Purrier, who won the NCAA indoor mile in 2016 while racing as a senior for the University of New Hampshire and is now a New Balance athlete, ran a time of 15:17:46 in the 5K. She finished in third place at that event, which qualified her for the World Championships, which will run from Sept. 28 to Oct. 6 in Doha, Qatar. —A.G.

PLANNING A HIKE? BRING A BEAR CANISTER Elle Purrier, who grew up on a dairy farm in Montgomery, is headed to the Track and Field World Championships. Photo courtesy Elle Purrier

VERMONTER QUALIFIES FOR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

An impressive performance at the U.S. Track & Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa on July 28 earned Montgomery runner Elle Purrier, 24, a spot on the United States’ track team at the 2019 Track and Field World Championships this fall.

On July 24, the Green Mountain National Forest issued an order that requires that anyone camping in the Green Mountain National Forest, including the Rochester, Middlebury and Manchester ranger districts store food in a vehicle, with a bear hang or in a bear canister. Bear hangs should leave the food suspended at least 12 feet off the ground and more than six feet from any neighboring objects. Though no fine has been instituted, Green Mountain National Forest spokesperson Ethan Ready told VTDigger.com that if the forest

MY LIGHT MY WAY

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NEWS

FREE SAILING COMES TO BURLINGTON

On Aug. 20, the Community Sailing Center in Burlington announced it will offer free sailboat rentals, starting this fall. The program, which is funded by the WaterWheel Foundation and requires that prospective renters take a skills test before setting sail, is the first of its kind in the nation. Sailing will be available during regular fall hours on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m from Sept. 7 to Oct. 14. Boats available for rent include 23-foot Sonar and 19-foot Rhodes keelboats and dinghies such as 420s and Lasers.

encounters someone who is “repeatedly out of compliance with the order… that’s something the Forest Service would deal with on a case-by-case basis.”

The order will apply to much of the 272-mile Long Trail and about 100 miles of the Appalachian Trail as it runs through Vermont.—A.G.

TAKING THE “PUBLIC” OUT OF PUBLIC LANDS

If a proposed change in federal land use rules goes through, the nearly 400,000 acres of Green Mountain National Forest that are federally managed could see a lot more commercial logging, road building and utility corridors—all without

environmental review or public input.

“Basically, the rules would take the ‘public’ out of public land management,” said Jamey Fidel, Forest and Wildlife Program Director for the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC).

At issue is a proposal by the United States Forest Service (USFS) to revise the way it interprets the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), which is the foundation of environmental policy making in the United States. It requires agencies like the USFS to analyze the environmental effects of their proposed actions prior to making decisions.

The USFS proposal would drastically alter the way it handles those requirements by greatly expanding the number and type of projects that would count as “categorical exclusions,” which can be approved without environmental assessments or impact statements.

Projects the USFS would reclassify as “categorical exclusions” include: • Commercial logging, including clear cutting, on areas up to 4,200 acres at a time.

• Building new roads through the forest up to five miles at a time.

• Reconstructing old roads through the forest up to 10 miles a time.

• Bulldozing up to four miles of pipeline and utility rights-of-way through the forest.

• Closing roads and trails used for recreational purposes.

• Adding illegally built roads and trails to the official USFS road and trail system.

According to estimates from a number of forestry and environmental organizations, the proposal would eliminate public and environmental review from more than 90 percent of all USFS projects.

Both the environmental assessment and environmental impact statement processes require that the public be notified that the project under review has been proposed and offered input during the process. No such scoping period is required for projects deemed categorically exempt.

According to the USFS, the average environmental assessment takes 687 days to complete and the average time required to process a project that is categorically exempt is 206 days.

— Christopher Ross and Abagael Giles

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NUTRITION

P

icture an elite athlete’s dinner plate. Go ahead, close your eyes and think about what you might see. Maybe some rice or pasta? Some kind of green vegetable? Perhaps, but most likely taking front and center stage in your mind is a big slab of meat.

Athletes need plenty of protein to build big, strong muscles so it only stands to reason that their plates should be piled high with meat or chicken paired with a tall glass of milk to wash it down, right?

I hate to burst your protein-packed milk bubble, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, a plant-based diet can be just as good, if not better, for athletic performance. Don’t believe me? Just ask the scores of professional athletes who attribute their ability to perform at high levels to a diet focused primarily on plants.

Tom Brady, Alex Morgan, Venus Williams and Scott Jurek are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to elite athletes who adhere to a vegan or vegetarian diet. With those kinds of high-caliber athletes onboard you’re probably wondering, “Should I be a ‘veg-head’ too?”

PLANT-BASED OR VEGETARIAN?

Before you take the plunge to eliminate meat from your diet, you should understand the various options and benefits. As the name implies, a plantbased diet is a diet made up of whole foods derived from plants, such as fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, beans and legumes. You might be scratching your head thinking, “Isn’t that just a vegan diet?” Yes and no.

A plant-based diet is actually more restrictive than a vegan diet. Individuals who follow a vegan diet can eat any food that is not an animal or animal byproduct. That means more processed foods make the cut as part of a vegan diet. Those who adhere to a plantbased diet, on the other hand, avoid processed foods, refined grains, snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages.

That’s right; no more white bread, white rice, packaged meats, cookies, chips or soda. Vegetarians have even more foods at their disposal: Typically they avoid all meat, fish or poultry, but can still consume foods that come from animals such as dairy and eggs.

Regardless of which iteration it is, numerous studies have established that a diet devoid of animal products reduces risk of chronic conditions such as cancer and heart disease. In fact, vegetarians are 32 percent less likely to

PLANT POWERED

MORE AND MORE ELITE ATHLETES ARE SWITCHING TO VEGETARIAN, VEGAN OR PLANTBASED DIETS. HERE’S WHY AND WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW. BY JAMIE SHEAHAN, M.S., R.D.

Plenty of elite athletes swear by plant-based diets. But what are the pros and cons associated with the trend and what should you know before you switch?

develop coronary artery disease than those who consume meat. As an athlete you might scoff at this fun fact because you assume that the miles you log make you all but immune to heart disease (in which case you might want to read our January 2019 article “Can You Eat What You Want?”).

Sadly, athletes are even more at risk for heart disease than non-athletes.

One recent study found that endurance runners and cyclists had a higher percentage of coronary plaques than their by-and-large inactive peers.

As a marathoner myself, I was alarmed to learn that a study of men who had completed the Twin Cities Marathon at least 25 years in a row showed the men had higher coronary plaque volume than sedentary subjects.

These findings make the potential heart-protective benefits of a meatfree diet all the more important for endurance athletes, even as the majority of us write off such concerns as a distant possibility.

That brings us to the question that might actually prompt us to consider changing to a diet consisting mainly of plant foods: If the health benefits of a plant-based, vegetarian or vegan diet are well established, can these diets potentially aid in our athletic performance as well?

HEALTH BENEFITS?

As is the case with any diet, it is nearly impossible to establish a direct causeand-effect relationship between our food choices and how well we run, bike, swim, hike, throw or even do

a downward dog. Still, we can make logical inferences based on what we have established through research. And all signs point to going meatless being a boon to athletes in nearly every sport.

Let’s break down how and why we can power our bodies and improve recovery with plants.

First up, let’s take what we do know: Plant-based, vegetarian or vegan diets have all been shown to reduce atherosclerosis.

Atherosclerosis—a disease caused by plaque deposition in the arteries— can reduce blood flow, thereby reducing how fast important nutrients like oxygen and glucose can be delivered to working muscles and how fast waste products like carbon dioxide and lactate can be cleared. The potential performance implication: A diet that decreases risk for atherosclerosis can also promote more rapid delivery of nutrients and removal of metabolic wastes during exercise and thereby enhance speed, stamina and recovery time.

We also know that exercising muscles produce what are known as free radicals. When exercising for long periods of time or at high intensities, the production of these free radicals can surpass our body’s ability to neutralize them, resulting in oxidative damage.

Oxidative damage to our muscles can cause fatigue, increased recovery time and even injury. Antioxidants work to combat this stress by neutralizing free radicals. Plenty of research has also shown that a diet high in antioxidants cuts down on recovery time and reduces risk of injury in athletes. Where do we

get our antioxidants? You guessed it, plant foods. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are teeming with antioxidants that promote recovery and prevent muscle fatigue.

Another known entity is the impact a plant-based diet has on inflammation. Numerous studies have found that a vegetarian diet reduces levels of C-reactive protein, a marker of inflammation that can be tested in the blood. Any athlete who has pushed their muscles to the limit is all too familiar with the soreness—caused by inflammation—that follows in the day or two after strenuous exercise. It can be deduced that a vegetarian diet could benefit athletes by easing muscular inflammation and pain.

Before you purge your kitchen of all traces of animal products, it is important to clear up one major misconception: becoming a vegetarian or vegan doesn’t automatically make you healthier or a better athlete. Highly processed foods ranging from Oreos to French fries are fair game as part of a vegan or vegetarian diet. I try to find the good in everything, but even I would be hard-pressed to find any redeeming health qualities from either. Switching to a plant-based diet or even just cutting down on animal products requires planning and smart choices to reap the potential health and performance benefits. In other words, focusing less on the foods that you aren’t eating and more on the foods that you are becomes critical to ensuring you’re meeting your dietary needs.

THE PROTEIN PROBLEM

The number one trepidation most individuals have about forgoing animal products is protein, and I am fairly confident that at some point every vegetarian has been asked, “If you don’t eat meat then how do you get enough protein?” Protein is certainly an important nutrient, especially for athletes, because it is essential for muscle growth and repair. The recommendation for the average person is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight per day, however this recommendation can increase to as much as 1.2 to 1.7 grams per kilogram of body weight for those exercising for long durations and/ or at high intensities. That means an adult weighing 150 pounds would need 82 to 116 grams of protein per day.

Consuming adequate protein can become even more challenging for plantbased athletes.

In general, the proteins in plant

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 13

IS THE “BEYOND BURGER” BEYOND REPROACH?

I

f it looks like a hamburger, smells like a hamburger and tastes like a hamburger, then it must be a burger,

sources has lower bioavailability than those found in meat. This means they are lacking in one or more essential amino acids, the building blocks of protein. It was previously thought that in order to get adequate amounts of protein from a plant-based diet, individuals had to pair different foods together (like rice and beans). Fortunately, further research has found that as long as a variety of foods are eaten throughout the

14 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

right? Not if you’ve just bitten into the latest food trend sweeping the nation—the Beyond Burger. Burger day, protein needs can be met.

Still, to account for the low bioavailability and lower digestibility of plant proteins, it is recommended that vegetarians consume 10 percent more protein. That means that same 150-pound athlete would need to consume 90 to 128 grams of protein per dayt.

If that seems daunting, fear not!

There are many sources of plant-based protein, including beans, legumes, soy,

alternatives are nothing new. The freezer section is chock full of veggie burgers, bean burgers, soy burgers and even quinoa burgers to satisfy those seeking a meatless alternative.

However, I think it's safe to say that none of these options ever purported to perfectly mimic the organoleptic properties of a true burger until the Beyond Burger hit store shelves. The company promotes itself as “the future of protein” by providing a burger that “looks, cooks and satisfies like beef without GMO’s, soy or gluten.” The Beyond Burger packs in nearly as much protein per serving as a beef burger, but is vegetarian and vegan-friendly.

However, the Beyond Burger is far from plant-based and contains a number whole grains, nuts and seeds.

Ultimately, there is no one diet that is right for all athletes. If you choose to follow a plant-based diet for health, performance, ethical or environmental reasons it is important you are aware of your individual needs and take a planned approach.

Consider meeting with a registered dietitian to check in on the adequacy of your current diet or to help you make

of highly processed ingredients that come with their own health concerns.

In addition, when it comes to fat and calories, the Beyond Burger stacks up similarly to a beef burger at 250 calories per 40z and 18g fat, calling into question the actual health benefits going meatless really provides. That said, as concerns about the environmental impact of a food system heavily reliant on animal protein continue to increase, the Beyond Burger could be a good alternative for those die-hard carnivores seeking to reduce their carbon footprint without giving up the taste and texture of their beef burger.

the transition to a body powered by plants.

Jamie Sheahan is the Director of Nutrition at The Edge in South Burlington.

She holds a Master of Science in Dietetics from the University of Vermont, where she serves as an adjunct professor of sports nutrition. Jamie has run over 40 marathons in addition to several ultra marathons.

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WAYS TO HARNESS YOUR

WHETHER YOU’RE A ROCK CLIMBER, WHITEWATER PADDLER OR SWORD SWALLOWER, AT SOME POINT YOU HAVE TO CONTEND WITH FEAR. WITH PRACTICE, IT CAN BE YOUR GREATEST PERFORMANCE AID.

BY ABAGAEL GILES

16 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

Though he's climbed all over the world, Petra Cliffs co-owner Steve Charest, shown here in Chamonix, has put up plenty of first ascents in Vermont. His latest, a three-pitch traditional climb up the Quartz Crack Face in Smugglers' Notch, goes at 5.12c or 5.13. Now, he's facing his biggest challenge yet. Photo courtesy Steve Charest

T

wo days after Christmas in 2018, Steve Charest, 39, experienced any climber’s worst nightmare: a catastrophic anchor failure that sent him plunging six stories down an ice flow.

The owner of Petra Cliffs—a Burlington-based climbing gym and international guiding company— was wrapping up a day of guiding introductory ice climbing in Smugglers’ Notch. As he had done hundreds of times before, he climbed the final route of the day to the anchor he had built at the top of a 60-foot route known as the Workout Wall, digging ice axes into solid ice as he made his way up the frozen flow.

“I transferred my rope to the fixed anchor that was on the tree. It was redundant, it had a knot and a locking carabiner. I assessed it for damage, running my hand around it, as I had the dozen or so other times I had climbed at that site earlier in the month,” recalls Charest, an American Mountain Guides Association-certified rock, alpine and ski guide who has been climbing since age nine. Then, having deemed the anchor safe to lower off of, he disassembled the anchor he had built himself, transferred his full weight onto the fixed anchor, and told his client to lower him. “At some point during the process of lowering, the fixed anchor failed,” he says.

Charest plummeted 60 feet to the ground. The impact crunched bones in his face, left wrist and ankle, fractured his skull and caused internal damage to his abdomen. An injury to his pituitary gland wiped away his memory of the day—or any day between December 27, 2018 and February 1, 2019. He spent seven weeks in the hospital, tackling each decision about his recovery like he was navigating a meandering and unyielding alpine climb.

“No one knew whether I would have the same mental functioning I did before my injury. It was a real question as to whether I would be paralyzed or not. The mountaineer in me was like, ok, this situation is not acceptable. So how do I climb off the mountain? How do I get back to base camp and normal?”

Dealing with fear is a big part of the answer.

Charest has taught hundreds of people to climb and ski in the backcountry. Notable mentees include Aaron Rice, a University of Vermont graduate who set a world record in 2018 by skiing 2.5 million vertical feet in a year; Backcountry Magazine editor Tyler Cohen; and Taylor Luneau, policy manager for the American Alpine Club.

But Charest, whose Petra Cliffs camps will introduce 550 local kids to climbing by the end of summer, is now facing some of the same challenges he’s

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 17

grown so skilled at teaching others to overcome.

“Because I’m recovering from a traumatic injury that I sustained doing something I’d done safely 100,000 times, I’m working through some of the same fears our summer camp kids face,” says Charest.

Repetition has been a key part of overcoming those fears. Charest has practiced cleaning an anchor—the act that led to his fall—over and over again since getting back on rock in April. “It’s not that I don’t trust the equipment or the systems, it’s that I’m learning to trust myself again.”

HARNESSING THE POWER OF FIGHT OR FLIGHT The fear of falling is one of the most common fears people face in any sport, whether it be rock climbing or paragliding, where the consequences can be fatal, or resort skiing and mountain biking, where a fall is more likely to result in bone breaks and bruises.

But fear, a natural instinct that goes hand in hand with self-preservation, does have its benefits.

“Fear is our friend,” says Calef Letorney, a paragliding instructor at Paraglide New England. The former whitewater kayaking national champion and Westford native has made a career out of helping people learn to fly safely. “Fear is an important teaching tool—listen to it. The key is to work on the basics so much and keep your performance within your skill level so that when it’s time to do something more challenging, you can use that input to make a logical decision.”

Bud Keene, the freeskiing and snowboarding coach from Vermont who helped snowboarder Shaun White rise to Olympic glory, sees other benefits.

Keene, who is also an accomplished climber, works with athletes—many of whom are Olympic caliber—to help them figure out how to use fear to reach the next level. In a 2016 article in VT SKI + RIDE, Keene says: “To most people, the queasy feeling that they get in their gut before dropping into something new is interpreted as a bad thing. That couldn’t be further from the truth! Here’s the reality, and what I tell my athletes: The butterflies are the adrenaline pouring into your system that prepares you for what you are about to do. Adrenaline is a powerful natural stimulant that, once released into your system makes you stronger, quicker and more capable. Your body is making sure that you have the best chance for success.”

Fear, as we experience it, starts in the amygdala, a little set of neurons buried deep in the temporal lobe of our brain.

18 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

Certified climbing guide Roderick Russell rappells while guiding a client on a rock climb in Bolton.

Photo courtesy Roderick Russell

It may come as no surprise that the amygdala has also been shown to play a key role in the way we process emotions.

According to one 2002 report published in Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, the fight-or-flight response Keene is describing triggers an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. It can cause your pupils to dilate, your brain to become hyperalert to your surroundings, and increases blood flow to your skeletal muscles—the ones that help you make your next move. The key, says Keene and other expert coaches, is to train your brain so you don’t let those feelings distract you from the task at hand.

But fear can also be paralyzing.

Burlington climbing guide Roderick Russell, who works alongside Steve Charest on the board of CRAG-VT, says fear is something every extreme athlete has to reckon with. “I had a pretty bad childhood that forced me into some uncomfortable situations and I had to learn to deal with challenging thoughts. As an adult, I started pursuing progressively more difficult and dangerous skill-based activities to try to explore that skillset further,” he says.

Russell, an AMGA-certified single pitch instructor in rock climbing, is also a master sword swallower (one of about one hundred in the world, according to the trade organization Sword Swallowers Association International).

When he's not climbing, Russell performs as one of the top 100 sword swallowers in the world.

Photo courtesy Roderick Russell

With a Masters’ degree in philosophy from the University of London, he’s also a licensed hypnotherapist who travels nationwide teaching workshops about how to build the mental toughness necessary to thrive at the edge of one’s comfort zone—whether in a corporate board room or climbing a peak.

“In performance circles, sword swallowing is sort of described as the Holy Grail of mind-over-body stunts,” he says. According to Russell, who can

swallow two swords at a time, “You have to be really determined to physically get a sword down your throat because you’re coordinating a lot of muscle groups at once to do something that goes against basic human instinct and is painful.” One involuntary muscle twitch or reflexive gag and you could die. For Russell, it took a year and a half of practicing three times a day to get his first short sword down.

Today, he’s swallowed swords on more than 3,000 stages for more than 2 million people, on beaches in Thailand and once on a moving train. Every time he does it, he still experiences fear. “It never goes away and it will come back when you need to focus the most.”

Russell has trained himself to notice fear’s onset and to hone cognitive skills to respond to the information fear offers him when it arises. When it does, he deploys a set of what cognitive behavioral therapists call “self-distancing techniques” to remove himself from the emotional response his fear inspires. It’s a technique most often used in a clinical psychotherapy setting to help people move past the emotions triggered when they revisit past traumatic experiences, so they can look at those experiences analytically.

For example, when Russell chokes up on a climb or feels fear creep into his synapses while swallowing a sword, he frequently deploys something called the “scientific observer” method. “Pretend you are a scientist reviewing the scene before you with an objective, analytical eye, noticing your fears as they come into your mind. What are the potential risks you see? How likely are they to occur and if they did, what would be the outcome? If the scenario passes this test, I proceed with confidence,” says Russell. If you decide that your fear is giving you good, objective feedback that it’s time to back off a climb or reevaluate your route, you listen to it. In either scenario, you return your focus to the task immediately ahead of you.

Other techniques Russell employs and teaches include naming thoughts, thanking them and saying, “I’m having the fearful thought that…” rather than “I am scared.” As a guide, he walks clients through ways to use these tools while they’re on the rock.

The practice appears to have some grounding. One 2015 study from Clinical Psychological Science found that veterans diagnosed with PTSD who employed these strategies when asked to revisit their traumatic memories showed less of an increase in heart rate and other physiological stress responses. Still another study published in Frontiers in Psychology in 2018 showed that participants who employed the “scientific observer” self-

JULY 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 7

distancing technique in a laboratory setting were more likely to make logical judgements about a series of lotteries in a way that allowed them to maximize a cash reward.

Russell is not a licensed cognitive behavioral therapist, but he says he’s seen these tools work for himself and others. “I think the key is that you don’t try to control the fear,” says Russell.

Instead, he focuses on the task ahead of him. As a guide, he aims to help others do the same. As a result, he says, “I am an incredibly safe climber and I am the safest sword swallower I know.”

As for Charest, he’s re-examining his own relationship with risk and hopes to keep helping others build confidence in their ability as he does. “It’s the process of re-learning to trust myself that can be frustrating,” he says. His goals are twofold: to get physically and mentally fit enough to finish his IFMGA certification and to someday climb Mt. McKinley, officially renamed Denali in 2015, with his two-year-old daughter, who’s named for the 20,146-foot peak. “Recovery has been a real test of the skills I’ve built so far as a skier, a climber and a guide.”

6 WAYS TO BUILD YOUR MENTAL MUSCLE Most outdoor athletes, whether they are just starting out or experts, will tell you that fear is something they deal with often. Here are six tips to help you take your performance to the next level—whether that’s on the sharp end of a rope, in the office or getting ready to drop into a big line.

1. FIND A GOOD MENTOR Whether you’re a paraglider, rock climber, backcountry skier or paddler, you can’t push your limits if you aren’t confident in the skills you have to mitigate the risk of failure. “One of the most useful development tools I’ve found in high consequence sports is having a good mentor who can keep a close eye on you and give direct feedback in the moment,” says paragliding instructor Calef Letorney. In paragliding, Letorney does that by talking to a student through their flight via radio from the air.

Petra Cliff’s Steve Charest echoes this with rock climbing. “I try to teach my students to communicate clearly what they’re feeling early on,” he says.

“I’ll often ascend a rope next to a new lead climber and talk with them about each piece of protection [removable gear that anchors a climber to the rock as they move up a face] as they place it. That way, we both know that we’re managing the risk… so they know what it looks like to push themselves within a reasonable set of parameters.”

Paragliding instructor Calef Letorney (left) is also a former whitewater kayaking national champion. He's taught many to fly over the Greens. Photo courtesy Calef Letorney

2. DON’T EXPECT OR TRY TO OVERCOME FEAR “Erase the mistaken notion that you have to eradicate your fear,” says Roderick Russell, a climber and one of the world’s top sword swallowers. “Regardless of how accomplished you are, you will deal with challenging thoughts. Practice self-distancing and find tricks that help you keep your focus on the task ahead of you while you let fearful feelings or thoughts come and go.”

For recurring fears, such as the fear of getting pumped out and falling at the start of leading a climb, Russell recommends naming them. “Literally call it Ted. Then, when the fear comes back, say, ‘Hey Ted. Nice to see you again.’ Or, you can try playfully thanking your brain for the observation. Once you do that, it becomes a little easier to redirect your focus to the task ahead of you.” His other tip? “Laugh at yourself a little when you feel afraid.”

3. BE TASK FOCUSED, NOT SELF-FOCUSED Russell teaches his clients and workshop participants to practice what he calls a “noticing” mindset. “Often when we have a fearful thought, we start spinning stories. It could be that we will fall if we try that next climbing move, or that we can’t accomplish the task ahead of us because of x, y, or z, and those narratives are distracting” says Roderick Russell.

“Learn to recognize that feeling. Accept the information it offers you. Then, if you can distance yourself from the emotion that comes with a thought, you can separate your sense of self from it, treat it with objectivity instead of emotion, and refocus your energy on the task ahead of you.”

4. SET PROCESS-ORIENTED GOALS, NOT OUTCOME-ORIENTED GOALS While ambition can be a useful tool, Russell recommends setting goals around the way you engage with a sport rather than outcomes such as climbing at a particular grade or conquering your fear. “With an outcome-oriented goal, your vision of success is always in the future. But if you focus instead on a set of values that guide the way you move toward a given goal, you’ll find more satisfaction in your sport and likely make more progress,” he says. For example, focus on climbing fluidly and efficiently, or as smoothly as possible, rather than on the full scope of the task of completing a challenging project or reaching the next grade.

“Play the long game,” says Letorney, who, at 35 is still paddling big water and completed a 37-mile solo flight in 2018. “This is supposed to be fun, so play within your comfort zone. If you’re always operating at 80 percent of what you think is possible over the course of your career as an athlete, you can accomplish a whole lot over a long career.”

5. PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT “At some point, you have to put yourself in a moderately stressful situation to practice these focus techniques,” says Russell.

“You have to swallow the sword or get out on the rock.” He says the key is to do it in a setting where you are comfortable with the consequences of your failure.

For Russell, this means finding the perfect balance between stress and your ability. “You need to push outside your comfort zone but not so far that you flood your system with stress.” For example, you may practice self-distancing while

lead climbing at a grade where you are confident, then pick a sport climb at the next harder grade with ample protection and an overhang, so a fall doesn’t mean you will hit the rock face. There, you can practice pushing your limits.

"Most people know deep down when something is scary and uncomfortable but probably doable, versus when it's so far outside your comfort zone that it's a hard 'hell no!'" he says.

“A mentor can help with identifying that balance,” says Charest. “But stay on your toes. Make your own observations about what is safe and don’t be afraid to communicate with your partners or teacher. Together, you can make a decision about what is a reasonable amount of risk to take on.”

6. DON’T BE AFRAID TO COMMIT “Once your skills are dialed and you’re in the act, and you feel you’ve mitigated the risk appropriately, don’t be afraid to enjoy the act of trusting your judgement and committing,” says Letorney, who offers the example of paddling a big rapid in a kayak once you’ve left the last eddy. “Sometimes, there’s nothing left to do but charge and there’s no place for fear once you’ve left that last bail out. Once you’re committed, sight it real hard and give it everything you’ve got,” —whether that’s taking a lead on a tough climb, steering your paraglider into a thermal or making a good decision in avalanche terrain.

Steve Charest and Roderick Russell will both speak at the inaugural Vermont Climbing Festival, Sept. 20-22 at Cochran’s Ski Area. For more climbingspecific fear management tools, sign up for Russell’s clinic, “On the Edge: Mental Training for Climbers.”

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 19

A Williams College philosophy professor who rides dirt roads to work from his home in Pownal, Vt. Joe Cruz has bikepacked and mapped routes from the Andes to Kyrgyzstan.

BIKEPACKING

VERMONT!

RIDE FROM BREWERY TO BREWERY, LOOP THROUGH SOUTHERN VERMONT’S QUIET VILLAGES OR JOIN THE SUPER 8 GRAND DEPART THIS MONTH AND RIDE THE WHOLE STATE.

BY JOE CRUZ | PHOTOS BY LOGAN WATTS

I

took my first bikepacking trip in 1988. My partner girlfriend at the time and I boarded an Amtrak train in Albany, New York with our mountain bikes in boxes and our panniers packed with sweaters and spare t-shirts, flannels and cargo shorts. We had bedrolls, a water filter, pots, a Coleman stove and a tent—all borrowed from our college outing club. I had a copy of Ed Abbey’s Desert Solitaire. We were bound for Thompson Springs, Utah, 42 hours away. From there we pedaled down to the White Rim Trail.

I’d sent a check and a self-addressed envelope to the Rim Cyclery in Moab, and they sent me back a map of the route. It was my first trip to the Ameri-

20 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

can West, my longest ride by a wide margin, and a powerful introduction to the sense of possibility that comes from watching the world unfold from a bike.

Between then and now I’ve had the chance to bikepack across the globe, including the length of the Andes from Ecuador to Argentina, a circuitous tour of Alaska, across the Middle East, through Scandinavia and a year-plus solo trip in Asia. But the most popular bikepacking route I’ve ever posted on Bikepacking.com is here in Vermont.

Bikepacking is what happens when you load up a bicycle with spare clothing and sleeping gear and pedal with the same aesthetic and mindset as a backpacker. The

goal is to be in nature for anything from an overnight to an open-ended aroundthe-world journey. It’s pedaling with a sense of curiosity, openness, awareness.

Notwithstanding internet debates about the definition of bikepacking, there are no rules. Five or six years ago, the dominant vision was of riding remote singletrack on a mountain bike with suspension, probably wearing a backpack and not seeing or talking to anyone other than your adventure companions. That’s a perfectly fine way to do it and planning for such an expedition brings its own substantial pleasure.

The images and aspirations that make up bikepacking nowadays still involve

getting away from paved roads and often involve camping. But the present heart of bikepacking achieves a broader and, to my way of thinking, better expression of the sport. Sure, the availability of capable all-road and gravel bikes has had an influence here, but the shift is about more than putting fatter tires on road bikes.

I think there’s a critical mass of thoughtful ways that we can engage with the geography and spirit of a place on a bicycle. Think a zigzag car camping trip mixed with a Long Trail walk combined with an old-school MTB jaunt. Any bike ride where you’re carrying provisions to go further than you normally would, counts.

Old forest roads and logging trails made up much of the route, as well as a little bit of singletrack, like here just south of Montpelier.

THE GREAT BREWERY TOUR

I live in southern Vermont and a few years ago Logan Watts, founder of Bikepacker.com, and I had the idea to create a multiday bikepacking loop that would combine great routes, vistas and camping with a chance to visit some of the best craft breweries in the state.

We pictured riders slowing down and savoring their surroundings, perhaps covering 50 miles each day even though they could do more if they hurried. We hoped that those who followed the trail would make stops to picnic on a town green, or take a dip in a swimming hole, and, of course, raise a few sublime pints.

The result was our Green Mountain Gravel Growler, a route that starts in Burlington, heads to Stowe and then the Northeast Kingdom, comes down through Montpelier, southeast to Northfield and curves back west over the mountains to the Mad River Valley then

After 13 breweries, your memory can get hazy. Here, Cruz, with a tasting notes booklet he created.

over mighty Lincoln Gap. On the west side of the Green’s, it’s another couple of days through Middlebury and Hinesburg, then back to the start, totalling close to 250 miles. The best part? We routed it to stop at 13 breweries along the way, with options for even more.

We left in early October for our scout run of the Growler, with morn-

ing frost on our tents but weather that warmed enough for short-sleeve riding by midday. Leaving the Burlington waterfront, it didn’t take long to get out past the bustle of Williston and Route 2, and turn onto Johnnie Brook Road, a mostly-dirt road that traces the south shore of the Winooski.

We stopped in Richmond (home of Stone Corral Brewery) and then pedaled on to Waterbury to camp at Little River State Park for our first night, by the shores of the Waterbury Reservoir.

From there, we could have opted for singletrack, riding the trails around Cottonbrook (closed now due to a recent landslide) or any of the trails in Waterbury’s Perry Hill. Instead, we pushed on up Loomis Hill, across Sweet Farm Road and gravelly Waterworks Road and into Stowe, home to von Trapp Brewing, along with The Alchemist and its famed Heady Topper,

Idletyme Brewing and Stowe Cider.

The breweries on the route were expecting us, as we had contacted them in advance and explained our vision.

We were met with enthusiasm, and in most cases we got a tour of the brewery and a chance to talk to the head brewers. We found again and again a confident pride in the Vermont beer scene, and a sense that the landscape and the community were integral to the brewers' ability to produce the coveted craft drafts. We stopped when we could and sat and talked beer brewing—and coffee roasting with the amazing crew at Good Measure in Northfield. Usually we sampled a flight of the current favorites, but with a three-brewery average per day and 8% imperial IPAs on offer, we had to keep things moderate.

Where we could, we also sampled singletrack. In Stowe, we rode the tasty

Cruz's and Watt's trip including camping (with permission) in a farmer's field, sampling Hill Farmstead's famous brews and riding some of the quiet dirt roads near Craftsbury.

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 21

Lower Derby trail just off the von Trapp trails and then headed north on dirt roads and logging trails, before spilling out at Morrisville, home to Lost Nation and Rock Art Brewing. From there, it was more dirt roads and a nap in Craftsbury Common. We rolled along an obscure route to emerge at Hill Farmstead for a taste of its world-class brews before making our way south through the towns of Adamant and Calais.

Rolling in from North Branch Park into downtown Montpelier brought a return to cars and pedestrians and sound. We locked our bicycles outside of the Threepenny Taproom and shouldered our way to the bar. The next day we hooked up with MAMBA—the Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association—for a group ride over Irish Hill, another highlight mountain bike section. After ascending Lincoln Gap late in the day we camped in the Green Mountain National Forest with snow flurries in the middle of the night.

Using breweries as waypoints made for an easy way to give shape to the route. I followed my usual process of sitting with the paper maps and the Delorme Vermont Atlas and Gazetteer, then moving to satellite imagery and multiple base maps. I wrote to riders from the

Clockwise, from top: The Green Mountain Gravel Growler Route is the most downloaded tour on Bikepacking. com. Center: MAMBA member Mike Donofrio on Irish Hill, just south of Montpelier, on one of the many old roads on the route. Cruz and Watts, above, hop on the bus at Otter Creek Brewing in Middlebury.

towns that I thought we’d pass though.

There was some hilarity and a bit of pushing over the mountains from Northfield to Waitsfield. Locals saw the bicycles and ask us about our trip.

When you’re on a big ride for weeks at a time, sharing tales of the journey with a stranger can seem like an exercise in abstraction because the accumulated details are of far away locales.

But Vermonters would light up at the familiar places that we were stringing

THE SOUTHERN VERMONT TOUR It’s an oversight that the unfurling valleys and hollows of southern Vermont don’t get the same attention as the justly famous riding of the central and northern regions. This 4- to 5-day bikepacking loop celebrates the scenery and towns of that bottom quarter of our beautiful state. There are breweries, country inns, covered bridges, swimming holes, farmers’ markets, and quiet lanes to dream of. It begins in Bennington and climbs over the Green Mountains on a local favorite road, Kelley Stand.

On the other side, the route turns south to catch lovely villages and eventually tacks eastward to Brattleboro. Beyond Brattleboro

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together and would nod enthusiastically when we’d show pictures of an amazing covered bridge or Holstein cows at a farm at the other end of the hollow.

Most of all, a bikepacking route has to feel like a story, with parts that encapsulate the whole journey. There are hard parts, but on a good trip, you achieve relief through a span of gentler loveliness, with no single emotion taking over for too long. A bikepacking trip of several days makes

it heads north to Grafton, and west on an amazing seasonal forestry road to Dorset, where you should swim in the famous quarry. From Dorset it’s back south to Bennington. This route is mostly on dirt and easily doable on a gravel or cyclocross bike, but a hardtail mountain bike is never wrong for bikepacking.

Expect a lot of climbing—it’s Vermont! That’s a ready excuse to keep daily mileage low and to appreciate the scenery.

Primitive camping is free and legal in designated areas of the Green Mountain National Forest, with camping options indicated on the map. A fun mellow itinerary would be a five-day inn to inn trip with stays in Readsboro, Brattleboro, Grafton, and in Dorset.

An ambitious effort would be three 70-mile days with camping along the way. See VTSports.com/bikepacking/

it so that the small frustrations or low points get absorbed into something that is bigger and more positive.

For our last night we had no camping plan and were well outside of the National Forest. We introduced ourselves to a farmer in Addison County, explained that we were two cyclists who love Vermont, and asked whether there might be a grassy spot on her land where we could camp. We promised to leave no trace of our having been there. She showed us to a flat grassy area, offered us a shower and even invited us to sit by the woodstove before turning in for sleep. That conversation stays with us and continues to speak to us about community and regard for a place. We sent her a thank you note when we got home.

Logan and I have done plenty of trips where we’ve biked well off the grid and far away. We have relished the sense of sharing and humanity that we’ve met around the world. We have been lifted by the enthusiasm that people so often have for home when they’re asked about theirs with genuine respect and gratitude.

We found much the same and I’m hoping others will, too, close to home.

BIKEPACKING VERMONT

THE TRIPLE CROWN

The scene at the Vermont Bikepackers board meeting in 2017 as Kris Dennan and David Tremblay sample the Super 8 and camp in the Green Mountain National Forest Photo by Daniel Jordan

THE SUPER 8 GRAND DEPART

THIS MONTH A GROUP OF RIDERS PLANS TO BIKEPACK AROUND VERMONT ON A ROUTE THAT COVERS SOME OF THE PRETTIEST PARTS OF THE STATE. BY LISA LYNN

O

n September 27, a group of riders will set out from Montpelier on a bikepacking route that’s been years in the making. They plan to ride the length of the state and back on primarily trails and dirt roads in the second official grand depart of the Super 8.

“We did a trial run a couple of years ago,” says Daniel Jordan, 31, one of the organizers of the Super 8 and Vermont Bikepackers. “I think we had about 6 people and we pretty quickly got dispersed.” This year, Jordan says 25 have already signed up and he, and route-keepers Kris Dennan, 44 and David Tremblay, 55, are putting the final touches on a map they plan to share.

The Super 8, a figure 8 of old Class IV roads, double-track trails, dirt highways and some pavement, passes through some of the most scenic and remote parts of the state. It loops southeast from Montpelier through Windsor County and the Coolidge State Forest. A 15-mile section traverses the southern part of the state’s George Aiken Wilderness on a forest road so quiet and remote that you are unlikely to see another person. “It’s like a long green tunnel through the forest,” says Dennan.

“We’re not trying to take the most extreme or most rugged road, we don’t

Kris Dennan and some of the six who made the 2017 Super 8 Grand Depart, here in Orange County. Photo

by Daniel Jordan

want to always take the craziest route, just the most scenic and fun,” says Jordan.

As of August, 2019, the route cruises north from Bennington on the D&H Rail Trail past Poultney, with a stop at Lake St. Catherine. “We are rerouting it to Benson where the Wheel Inn has the most amazing pies,” says Dennan, a Vermonter who grew up in the area.

The Super 8 will then run along Lake Champlain, past the orchards of Addison County, before cutting back east toward the Greens. It follows historic roads, the Natural Turnpike—a dirt road

that connects the Breadloaf Wilderness to Lincoln and then cuts back toward the Mad River Valley and Montpelier.

From there, a northern loop winds to the far reaches of the Northeast Kingdom, with stops at lakes and remote campsites. “In the Green Mountain National Forest, we do dispersed camping—in other places it’s at campgrounds and sometimes with private landowner permission,” says Dennan.

“The route itself is pretty much crowdsourced,” says Jordan. In 2015, Jordan had just moved to Vermont and

was living in the Norwich area. “I read a story in Vermont Sports about the XVT trail that Dave Tremblay had mapped and immediately got in touch with him.”

Tremblay, the state apiarist at the time, had worked with the late Dave Blumenthal to map a route that would run down the center of the state, much of it on singletrack or double track, called the XVT. In 2015, a ski patroller from Killington named Calvin Decker rode the length of it in an amazing 38 hours.

“Originally the idea behind the Super 8 was to connect as much single track as we could,” says Jordan. “But that proved to be very untenable. Single track in Vermont is like spaghetti and there are not a lot of big long routes. It’s also really technical and felt really forced.”

Instead, Jordan, Tremblay and Dennan each began mapping scenic gravel routes in their parts of the state. “With the 2009 passage of Act 178, the Ancient Roads Act, all these towns had until 2015 to provide online maps of their old roads so we had a great resource there,” says Jordan. “We did this all virtually until one day I rode south from the section I was mapping in Norwich and Kris rode north from what he was mapping in southern Vermont, and we finally got to meet and ride together.

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 23

GEARING UP

WHAT DO YOU NEED FOR A BIKEPACKING TRIP? HERE ARE THE BASICS. BY JOE CRUZ AND LISA LYNN

W

The Super 8 Route, before its final tweaks. To see the full route, see links at vstports.com/bikepacking or at Vermontbikepackers.org.

They added campsites and swimming holes, bikepacker-friendly Airbnbs and cremee stands. Dennan, who runs Vermont Gravel Tours and has helped Stratton Resort put in its first lift-served trails, knew the southern part like the back of his hand. Jordan, who moved from Norwich to Littleton, N.H., explored the northeast part of the state and Tremblay, a Mad River Valley local, was familiar with the central section.

“We had a lot of help from riders all over the state and shops such as Old Spokes Home, West Hill Shop, Onion River and Bootlegger Bikes,” says Dennan. “We don’t lay claim to bikepacking in Vermont,” says Jordan. “There are people like Christine Hill who have led tours for Old Spokes Home, Chloe Wexler of Velo Vermont and the local chapter of WTF Bike Explorers who are also mapping routes,” he says.

“It really doesn’t matter where you go or how you do it,” says Jordan.

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Tremblay, left and Kris Dennan planning the route.

“There’s a guy who just did the first few days of the XVT trail as an inn-to-inn route,” he says, referring to Stowe Trails Partnership president Roger Murphy.

“Bikepacking is perfect for Vermont —we have trails, we have miles and miles of old roads, and we have great little inns, pizza places, cremee stops and breweries along the way.”

What more could you ask for?

hen we did the Green Mountain Gravel Growler, we had with us the gear that, over the years, we’ve settled on for most of our bikepacking adventures. It’s a packing list not essentially different from what I had on the first trips I took, but the equipment is fancier, lighter, and more compact.

I suppose I take less of it: A packable tent, sleeping pad, and down quilt.

A change of riding kit, a puffy jacket for after sunset, a rain jacket, hat, gloves, and leg warmers for inclement weather. There is a bar mounted GPS and a repair kit.

We ride in baggy shorts and loose shirts because it’s comfortable and feels normal off the bike, but lots of people appreciate the technical virtues of cycling jerseys and bib shorts. No one judges. We didn’t carry cooking gear, relying instead on country stores and diners and brewpubs for our meals. We each carried a couple of beer koozies to insulate cans in the frame bag for an end of day toast at camp.

We were on racy gravel bikes, Salsa Warbirds. They were perfect for the wellmaintained dirt roads that constitute the majority of the trip, but it’s true that we had

our hands full, “underbiking” on the singletrack.

“Underbiking” refers to when you’re riding a bicycle not quite intended for the ruggedness of the track. Many of us think of it as a distinctive kind of fun. Our bikes were quick and maneuverable with the soft bikepacking bag setup.

Panniers are convenient and familiar, but in my experience the hard points of attachment of a rack and pannier clips are prone to failure in rough conditions. Still, don’t let the kind of bags you have make you second guess leaving home. Plenty of people have done the GMGG with a pannier setup.

A new bicycle built for the special purpose of bike travel is wonderful, but to get out on a bikepacking trip is as easy as tuning up whatever bike you have—a hardtail 29er, a cyclocross bike, a touring bike that can fit 35mm+ semi-knobby tires—and unfolding a map on the kitchen table.

With a plan and some camping gear, you’re ready to spend a few days out. An easy weekend means leaving work early on a Friday and riding into the evening, an all day ride on Saturday, and then a meandering Sunday that brings you back to your starting point.

That simple triangle—with nights spent in campgrounds, or Airbnbs, or splurging for an historic inn—is a great bikepacking trip. —Joe Cruz

KONA LIBRE GRAVEL BIKE While you can bikepack any of the three routes listed on the previous pages on an old mountain bike, a hybrid or a gravel bike, the Kona Libre ($1999-$3999) is the ultimately versatile road-to-trail steed. With a Kona Race Light carbon frame and Verso carbon touring fork, it’s a light but strong frame fitted with wide, high handlebars, a low saddle and has a geometry that will be comfortable for long hauls over Vermont’s hills. With a dropper post (it’s compatible) it will have the feel of a hard tail mountain bike. The frame has mounts for everything you need (fenders, bottles, racks) and an internal dropper post. The Libre DL comes with a SRAM Force 1x and 700c wheels. The Libre (about $1,000 cheaper) has a Shimano 105 2x drivetrain and 650b wheels.

GARMIN ETREX32X As anyone who has ever tried to get cell coverage in Vermont knows, the most valuable piece of equipment for negotiating trails and backroads is a solid GPS with route maps. Garmin’s new eTre32x ($200, released this summer) comes preloaded with new TopoActive maps featuring routable roads, 8GB of internal memory and a microSD™ card slot so you can download more maps. Battery life is 25 hours (in GPS mode) and the unit uses two AA batteries so you can swap those out easily. It also has a barometric altimeter, compass and a 2.2 in. sunlight-readable color display with 240 x 320 display pixels for improved readability. Best of all, you can download customized maps, which if you are planning your own route, is key.

Ortlieb Seat Pack

Big Agnes Cooper Spur UL2 Tent

Velcocio Trail Shorts

MSR Thru-Link Water Filter

Kona Libre Gravel Bike

Maloja Cycling Tights

Nemo Banshee

Garmin eTREX32X

ORTLIEB SEAT PACK Ortlieb specializes in making lightweight, durable and waterproof bags for bikepacking and other adventures. The 16.5 liter Seat Pack ($175) is a great way to store a jacket and a change of clothes and most bikepackers prefer this set up to panniers. The bag has adjustable closure straps and rolls up to a minimal size of 8 liters, for a day ride, with a valve to easily deflate any extra air.

You do need 15 cm of free space on your seatpost but it can fit carbon posts too.

BIG AGNES COOPER SPUR UL2 BIKEPACKING TENT Tent poles are the bane of bikepackers. But with the Cooper Spur UL2 ($499), Big Agnes has helped solve that problem. With the option of 12inch Shortstik tent poles, this tent-and-pole pack can actually roll up tight enough to fit across your handlebars (inside the shifters on drop bars) or in

a frame bag. Packed down in its water-proof sack and secured with its straps, the UL2 measures just 6 inches x 12 inches and weighs 3 lbs, 7 ounces.

Set up, the two-person, three-season tent has a 9 foot x 9 foot vestibule, straps to store helmets and pockets for phones and other gear.

THE NEMO BANSHEE Unzip the Nemo Banshee ($369.95) and it’s a comfy quilt that’s great for picnicking by the side of the trail or tossing under you on a hot night.

Zip it up (and we love the front zipper), pull on the drawstrings on the collar and foot box, and it becomes a sleeping bag that will keep you warm down to 20 degrees, thanks to the synthetic, hydrophobic down (meaning it won’t bunch up when wet). The bag packs down to 14 x 5.5 inches and weighs in at 1 lb, 11 ounces.

MSR THRU-LINK WATER FILTER Having enough water is essential for any bikepacking trip and Vermont has plenty of streams where you can resupply. The new (for 2020) ThruLink Water Filter ($39.95,) is ideal for a bikepacking trip as the 2.5-ounce filter attaches to your hydration reservoir and filters water as you drink.

This means you never have to stop to filter water.

In camp, turn the reservoir upside down and it filters water into a cup or kettle.

MALOJA CYCLING TIGHTS With its first U.S. flagship opening at Mountain Road Outfitters in Stowe in September, Maloja is making inroads in bike apparel and ski apparel.

The German company, rooted in the Alps, specializes in “Made for the Mountains” apparel. The women’s three-quarter length MinorM. ($159) tights with a bistretch seamless Chamois lining

are great for fall riding — on road or gravel—and come in three colors. The flat waistband with silicone laminate insert on the back side keeps the tights where you want and the flatlock seams won’t chafe. The tights come in three colors.

VELOCIO TRAIL SHORTS Designed in Vermont, Velocio’s apparel has brought a sleek sense of style to road cycling.

Now, there’s a line of trailwear that slips over padded bike shorts or bibs. The super light-weight, trim-fit Trail Shorts ($159) make a great cross-over from road to gravel to trail. Made from a four-waystretch Polyamide Mec-Tex fabric milled in Italy, they give where you want them to but come back to looking great when you step off the bike and head in for a beer. The shorts come in both men’s and women’s sizing and in three colors: Navy, Titanium and Coral Red. —­L.L.

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 25

FEATURED ATHLETE

THE CLIMBER Name: Kris Fiore Age: 32 Lives in: Burlington Family: Partner, Julia Shatten; father, Aaron; brother Josh; four-legged mutt, Knuckles Primary sports: Rock climbing

K

ris Fiore, the president of CRAG-VT (Climbing Resource Access Group), loves finding new routes. He has 85 first ascents (not including boulders) to his credit. Fiore coaches Ultimate Frisbee at Colchester High School and works at Petra Cliffs, but he says the only thing that gives him as much pleasure as climbing is his job as Director of Camp Unirondack in Lowville, New York.

Tell us about the new climbing festival that will take place this month at Cochran’s.

The Vermont Climbing Festival (September 20-22) will be Vermont’s first climbing festival. There will be gear demos and clinics. Professional climbers will be coming to speak, including Matty Hong, at 7 p.m. on Saturday, and he’s someone I’d drive three hours to hear. What we’re really excited about is the chance to get the community together, not to raise money, but just to enjoy and appreciate Vermont climbing.

Have you always been a climber?

I started climbing eight years ago, just before I moved to Burlington, but I got obsessed super quick. I started climbing because of Marissa Gorman, my former partner, whom I met at Plattsburgh State. I'd climbed indoors a few times, but she was an expeditionary studies major so she helped me move outside.

How did you become involved with CRAG-VT? I moved to Burlington seven years ago and joined the board about two years later. I was vice president for two years and I’ve been president for two. Part of the reason is a desire to give back to the climbing community but also to make sure things are done the right way.

Those of us on the board have seen climbing areas that were not managed well, and irresponsible climbing is bad for conservation efforts and the

Kris Fiore climbs up and over the massive roof on Featherweight Champion, 5.12b, at Bolton's Upper West crag.

land. On the flip side, good, ethical and responsible climbing gives people an appreciation for the land they are using and breeds a sense of respect.

Let’s talk about the purchase of Bolton Dome.

Bolton Dome is the largest project CRAG-VT has ever taken on and it’s also the largest loan the Access Fund [a national climbing advocacy group] has ever given. That number is a little inflated because we purchased a house with the loan and then repaid most of it with the resale. CRAG-VT has been around for 20 years and we own three other properties but the scale of this project was much larger. In the 1980s this cliff was closed because people didn’t respect the land. People trespassed and continued to climb

until a clear-cut made that impossible.

When CRAG-VT was formed, we went to the landowners to ask for permission to climb and were turned down. We returned every five years or so and 18 years later, when they decided to sell, they gave us the first shot at purchasing the house and land. It was over $400,000 and we didn’t think we had any chance of making it happen but the Access Fund was willing to help. It’s pretty cool and something we’re really proud of. We’ll eventually do a conservation easement through the Vermont Land Trust and we’re in the process of finalizing a parking plan.

How have you managed so many first ascents?

Six years ago, I was climbing the Quarry in Bolton with Marissa and I saw a

Photo by Brian Diezel

line of holds between two routes and thought it could be its own route. We didn’t know anything about bolting.

I was at University of Vermont at the time—I guess the statute of limitations has run out so I can admit that I stole a drill and brought it out there. We were close enough to be able to charge the drill from the car but it wasn’t really up to the task as we shuffled back and forth between the car and the wall. It was the worst way to do it.

Eventually I bought my own drill, but I was a graduate student so I planned to return it after we were finished. When it took me only eight seconds to drill a bolt, I realized I really enjoyed the process and kept the drill. We were so excited that we climbed the route while it was still wet. The end result was two mediocre routes that are really nothing

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORT S.COM 27

to recommend so we called one “Where’s the Wrench?” and the other “I Thought You Had It” as an homage to the way we did it. I discovered I loved hanging on the ropes, checking for loose rock and seeing if it was safe.

It was kind of a puzzle. When you get done, you have something you’re really proud of, even though it’s not a highly recognized route in Vermont. Clipping the anchor at the top after climbing it was an amazing feeling.

I was hooked but there weren’t that many places where I could find new rock until I read about this place called Bone Mountain, which was a largely unexplored cliff in Bolton with no bolted climbs. We walked up to the cliff and when I was 500 feet away, my jaw dropped. I picked up my copy of Tough Schist and couldn’t believe there weren’t that many routes. I think we’ve tripled the number of routes there since then and it’s a constant drive to find new rock. I love giving back and there is a lot of gratification in figuring out where the movement should go, although some are a total waste of time.

Is there one first ascent that really sticks out in your mind?

The first full-length climb I bolted is called “Schistine Chapel” on Bone Mountain. It’s kind of crazy because

28 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

I bolted it five years ago and I still don’t think anyone else has climbed it. It’s about an hour and half to hike to it and it’s a really confusing hike. I always say that the best way to get to it is on your second try. That’s one of the things I like about Vermont climbing: I’ve never waited in line. I’ve travelled around the country to climb and often you have to come up with backup plans in case the routes you want to do are taken. Here’s it’s plan A every time.

What’s the hardest rated climb you’ve done?

I’ve done a 5.13a but I didn’t know it at the time. I had been training really hard to get to that level, but I work at a Unitarian Universalist camp in the Adirondacks called Unirondack during the summer so I don’t have much time to climb. Two summers ago, my friend Luke Mendola and I snuck out at midnight and canoed across the Eagle Lake for a climb. We went up Eagle Falls with headlamps and I bolted a route I had been doing for years. It took me three or four tries and I figured it was a 5.12c or 5.12d. After the summer, when I was back in Vermont, I climbed what I thought was my first 5.13a but then some other people tried my New York route and said it was a '13. I guess the moral is not to let anyone else’s scale of success hold you. I had already

accomplished what I was trying to do.

Tell us about Unirondack.

I started working there 11 years ago and now I’m the camp director. Other than the people in my life, camp is the only thing I care about more than climbing. The camp is about creating a place of total, unequivocal acceptance of whatever children want to be. We do a lot of social justice work and we’re active in the LGBTQ community and want to be a welcoming place for marginalized groups. I’m proud of the community we build.

What drives you to these social justice issues?

A lot of what I’ve been able to do comes from the privilege of being a white dude. I want to elevate marginalized voices and get more people, including the LGBTQ community and people of color, into the Vermont wilderness.

Vermont is one of the best places I’ve been for social justice, but any time you get into athletics there is an awkwardness that I would like to see dispelled. I come from a lot of privilege that has given me leverage to do things like travel the country climbing. I’ve been to Hawaii and I’ve climbed El Cap and I’ll be going to Kenya at the end of this year.

I’ve never thought of Kenya as a climbing destination.

My friend Luke has been working at a youth center in Kenya and there is a lot of undeveloped rock there. I once made the mistake of saying to him “find me an unclimbed wall and I’ll travel the world for it.” Climbing isn’t that popular in Kenya but that has more to do with resources than interest. Traditional climbing requires a lot of gear and is very expensive.

Sport climbing with bolts is cheaper and easier to do but nobody in this town of Kipwa has bolting equipment.

I reached out to the Mountain Club of Kenya and they were enthusiastic. I’ve placed more than 450 bolts so I feel confident that I know what I’m doing.

We applied for a Live Your Dream grant from the American Alpine Club, but even if we don’t get it four of us will go with carry-on bags filled to the brim with bolting gear. The plan is to do mostly beginner and intermediate routes and to teach what I can and leave them with enough resources to continue on their own. This is just another way to get people to appreciate the land and treat it well. It’s the intersection of teaching, conservation, climbing and route development: a perfect intersection of the worlds I really love.

--Phyl Newbeck

FEATURED ATHLETE

Christopher Young throws a disc at Smugglers' Notch Disc Golf Center. Photo courtesy Christopher Young

THE DISC GOLF ENTREPRENEUR Name: Christopher Young Age: 43 Lives in: Burlington Family: Wife, Serena Parnau; daughter, Lily Young Primary sports: Disc Golf

C

hristopher Young wants Vermonters to love disc golf as much as he does. After years of volunteering with the Green Mountain Disc Golf Club, he opened a business in 2018, Disc Golf Vermont, to spread his love of the sport throughout the state. Young continues to take part in competitions across the country while making sure there are ample opportunities for others to play here in Vermont. This month you can catch him at the Green Mountain Disc Golf Championships, Sept. 12-13 at Smugglers' Notch Resort.

What is the appeal of disc golf?

Really, the big thing is the people. I got into the sport in Oregon in 2003. I played there for several years and then I moved to Colorado and played there. I grew up in Brattleboro and I came back home to Vermont in 2007. The people continue to draw me, as much as the flight of the disc.

How did you get into the sport?

I just happened upon a course when I was in Oregon and later found myself in a league where two world champions— Avery Jenkins and Dave Feldberg—were playing. I just fell in love with the game and those guys were great mentors.

My wife and I had a daughter and we decided to move back to Vermont and that’s when I decided I wanted to get more involved from an organizational standpoint.

The sport was still pretty small at the time with just a handful of events and players and no sponsors or partners. I wanted to grow it and one way was to hold a winter disc golf event called the Ice Bowl. These events are held nationwide and the one I run is at the Center Chains Disc Golf Course in Waterbury. Last winter was the twelfth one and the tenth that I’ve led, and we’ve raised almost $100,000 for the Vermont Foodbank.

The Lamoille Community Food Share gets us prizes for the players and all the money raised goes to the foodbank. It’s a really fun event.

What made you start your business?

Generally, states have clubs which are mostly volunteer-based but I wanted to try this model. The Green Mountain Disc Golf Club was in existence when I came back to Vermont and I joined the board as secretary and then became president in 2010. I held that position until I started Disc Golf Vermont to help promote the sport across the state. I’ve always wanted to start a business and as a volunteer it’s hard to put in those hours, particularly with a family and a full-time job as a waiter. The club did a number of things that I have continued, such as the Green Mountain Point Series. We had a few events the first few years and it's grown to ten events at the most popular courses in the state. Now we call it the Disc Golf Vermont Tour and almost every event sells out every year.

What else does the business do?

I just held two camps for kids in the Burlington area and I’m planning on buying a trailer that will serve as a

Disc Golf Vermont founder Christopher Young is a sponsorded Innova athlete. Photo courtesy Christopher Young

mobile pro shop. Last year I signed on with Innova, a disc manufacturer, for their ambassador team. They have hundreds of ambassadors across the country, some of whom are also athletes and some of whom aren’t. We’re all working to grow the sport. I work closely with them and sell their products. As a player, Innova discs are what I’ve always thrown so it was a natural fit.

Let’s talk about the upcoming Green Mountain Disc Golf Championship.

We’re holding it at Smugglers’ Notch on September 12-13, which is a great place because it’s the only Vermont venue with two 18-hole courses. One is more forested and the other is more open, but they are both championship level courses and they complement each other.

Smuggs has a great new pro shop with staff and groundskeepers. Players from all over the country say it’s one of their favorite places because they can stay at the resort, ride the shuttle bus and, during their downtime, they can hike and explore the area. Last year we had the Professional Disc Golf World Championship at Smuggs and this year we held the Pro Masters World Championship and the U.S. Junior Disc Golf Championship there.

Jeff Spring, Operations Director at Smuggs, and his crew are the reasons we’ve been able to get all these world class events. It’s one of the stops on the tour and definitely one of our bigger events. It will draw well over 100 professionals and another 100 amateur players and there will be media coverage of the event.

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORT S.COM 29

What are some of your favorite courses?

Some of my favorites are in Oregon and include Milo McIver State Park in Estacada. There are also some great courses in Colorado, like the one in Aspen that’s so high you need to take the ski lift to reach it. Locally, I love the courses at Smuggs, but I’m also partial to Waterbury’s Center Chains, which is a free course maintained by volunteers.

Black Falls Disc Golf in Montgomery is a private club, but it’s also a beautiful place to play. In the southern part of the state I like Willow Park in Bennington and the new Chester Disc Golf Course.

What were some of your highlights as a player?

In 2011, I was the Men’s Pro Open winner of the Green Mountain Points Series. In 2015, I won the Men’s Pro Open Division at the New England Disc Golf Championship at Killington which was my biggest win. I had some home field advantage since I knew the course.

I’ve been playing about 15 tournaments a year since I got serious about the sport in 2004. I played amateur for a couple of years and turned pro in 2006. The difference is that amateurs play for prizes and pros play for money.

One of the great things about disc golf is that the learning curve is fast. People can get good pretty quickly, but I don’t

CHRISTOPHER YOUNG’S TOP 10 VERMONT DISC GOLF COURSES: 1. Smugglers Notch Disc Golf Center 2. North Calais Disc Golf Course 3. Black Falls Disc Golf Course (Montgomery)

4. Base Camp Outfitters Disc Golf Course (Killington)

5. Center Chains Disc Golf Course (Waterbury)

6. Quarries Disc Golf Course (Websterville)

7. Wrightsville Beach Disc Golf Course (Middlesex)

8. Jay Peak Disc Golf Course 9. White River Disc Golf Course (Randolph)

10. East Wallingford Disc Golf Course.

want to give the impression that it’s an easy sport. Winning is always hard, but I have a lot of second and third places finishes. I recently won my first B-Tier

event at Quebec. There are A, B and C-Tier events and the lower the tier, the higher the competition. I’ve played in 87 Pro Disc Golf Association events and won $2,466. [Editor’s note: according to the PDGA website, the highest ranked professionals can earn between $30,000 and $60,000 a year, not including sponsorship deals and endorsements].

Is disc golf a growing sport?

I would say that it’s booming. In Vermont we now have between 30 and 40 courses. Maine has 85 and Quebec is starting to grow, as well. There are new players getting involved all the time and it’s one of the fastest growing sports in the country. All you need is one disc. I teach mostly in the Burlington area, but I have worked with schools across the state with the Velocity Program. When I teach, I tend not to have new people throw drivers. All they need is a midrange disc and a putter. Cost is a huge factor in disc golf’s popularity. A round of ball golf is $50 to $100 in green’s fees and a game can take four hours, but with disc golf you can play 18 holes for free at Center Chains in an hour and half.

Are there some groups that are underrepresented in disc golf?

We would definitely like to get more women involved and we will be having Vermont’s first women-only event

in Bolton, called Throw Pink, on September 20-21. It will be a fundraiser for cancer research, but the goal is also to get more women playing. The nice thing about disc golf is we have a range of players, from the junior level to those 70 and over. There are divisions based on age and ability. I’d love to see the women and junior side grow more, but having 86 competitors at the U.S. Junior Championship at Smuggs this past August was a testament to the fact that the junior segment is growing. Seven of those competitors were Vermonters.

Do you have time for other sports?

I’ve always been an athlete. Living out West I played soccer and softball and did some mountain biking, but when I fell in love with disc golf it really became my passion. I still do some cross-country and downhill skiing, but generally, if I’m not playing disc golf, I’m organizing for it. Disc Golf Vermont also does some course design and we’re working on new courses in Glens Falls, New York, as well as at Williston Central School and Champlain Valley Union High School.

The goal is to get people outside, walking, playing disc golf and enjoying nature. The number of courses is growing and that’s keeping me busy.

--Phyl Newbeck

Fall sports season is just around the corner.

It’s good to know that we are, too.

A COPLEY HOSPITAL PRACTICE

A SPECIALTY PRACTICE OF COPLEY HOSPITAL

802-888-8405

OUR SPORTS MEDICINE TEAM

Brian C. Aros, MD Joseph S. McLaughlin, MD Bryan C. Monier, MD Alexis K. Gagne, PA-C Stuart D. Sutherland, PA-C Janessa Vandette, PA-C Nella D. Wennberg, PA-C

30Soccer_Boys_Ad_VTSports_Half.indd VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019 1

8/20/2019 9:27:15 AM

RACE & EVENT GUIDE

VERMONT

SPORTS

6 | Stride for Pride 5K Walk & Run, Burlington Kick off Pride Weekend with a beautiful sunset 5K along Lake Champlain. All are welcome to join regardless of ability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression. pridecentervt.org

LISTING YOUR EVENT IN THIS

CALENDAR IS FREE AND EASY. VISIT VTSPORTS.COM/SUBMIT-AN-EVENT OR E-MAIL EDITOR@VTSPORTS.

COM. ALL AREA CODES ARE 802.

ALL LOCATIONS ARE IN VERMONT, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

7 | Maple Leaf Half Marathon and Kotler 5K, Manchester Run through picturesque villages on country roads and back to the finish during fall color.

Choose between the marathon and 5K. manchestervtmapleleaf.com

FEATURED EVENTS, IN YELLOW, PAY A NOMINAL FEE.

RUNNING/HIKING SEPTEMBER

7 | Groton Forest Trail Runs, Groton The Central Vermont Runners host these 26.5-mile and 15-mile runs at the Groton Forest State Park on a combination of hiking and multi-use trails. cvrunners.org

1-2 | 7th Annual Jay Peak Trail Run Festival, Jay Jay Peak Resort hosts eight trail running races over two days, from a kids’ trail run to a 53.1K ultramarathon. jaypeakrun.com

7 | Charlotte Covered Bridge 5K/10K Run & Walk, Charlotte This race begins and ends at Shelburne Beach and follows a scenic gravel road by the orchards and shores of Lake Champlain. racevermont.com

1 | Heels to Paws 5K, Stratton A 5k fun run to benefit the Second Chance Animal Center on the ski area grounds. stratton.com 1| 51st GMAA Archie Post 5-Miler, Burlington Run the bike path and take in sweeping views of the Green Mountains. gmaa.run

7 | The Endurance Society Sky Run, Mad River Glen Choose between a 5K and a 10K. Both courses take you to the top of General Stark Mountain, offering 2,000 and 3,700 feet of vertical climbing respectively. Descend to the base camp for a post-race party. endurancesociety.org

2 | Mini Sky Race and Trail Relay, South Duxbury Run 1.7, 2.3, or 4 miles in this sky race-style running race with a relay option at Harwood Union High School. skyrunningus.com

7 | 3rd Annual Samantha Brochu Memorial Run, Morristown Run on the scenic Lamoille Valley Rail Trail to support a scholarship for graduates of Hazen Union High School. Race followed by a festival, beer, games and kids’ activities. samanthabrochumemorialfundscholarship. formstack.com 8 | Run for Recovery, Brattleboro Run or walk an easy 5K through downtown runsignup.com/Race/VT/Brattleboro 8 | Pine Street Mile, Burlington Choose from a Challenge Mile, , a Merry Mile, and a Youth Mile for kids 14 and under. Point-to-point race down Pine Street. runvermont.com 8 | Vermont Remembers 5K & 11K, Colchester Run, walk or ruck (carrying a heavy pack) to support Vermont veterans. runsignup.com/ Race/VT/Colchester

14-15 | 24 Hours of the Northeast Kingdom, East Charleston See how many laps you can complete as an individual or as part of a relay team in this 6-, 12- or 14-hour race on the trails at NorthWoods Stewardship Center. ironwoodsadventureworks.com

15 | L.L. Bean Flannel 5K, Burlington Run from Leddy Park to Battery Park on a point-to-point course on the Burlington Bike Path. flannel5k.net/burlington 15 | The 16th Annual TAM Trek, Middlebury a\A 19-mile race, a 10K or a two-mile family fun run on the beautiful and rolling Trail Around Middlebury,with lots of single track.

Proceeds support the TAM. maltvt.org 15 | Pisgah Mountain Trail Races, Chesterfield, N.H. Choose a scenic 23K or 50K race at Pisgah State Park in southwest New Hampshire. pisgahmountaintrailraces.blogspot.com

14 | 3rd ADK 5K, Lake George, N.Y. Run an out-and-back course that offers sweeping views of Lake George, followed by live music, food trucks and yard games at the Adirondack Pub and Brewery. adk5k.com

18 | Sodom Pond 5-Miler, Adamant A scenic dirt road race that joins trails to circumnavigate Sodom Pond. cvrunners.org

14 | 11th Annual Lt. Mark H. Dooley Race of Remembrance, Wilmington A 5K walk/run and kids' fun run followed by live music, food, a bagpipes and awards ceremony. markdooley5K.com

21-22 | Adirondack Marathon Distance Festival, Schroon Lake Run a 5K, 10K, children’s 1K fun run, halfmarathon, marathon or relay over the course of a weekend packed with award ceremonies, community meals and more. adirondackmarathon.org

West Hill Grinder Sunday, Sept. 22nd

Over mountain ridges, Across Vermont pavé, Down hiking trails, or Simply smooth gravel roads.

FREE pair of West Hill socks for first 80 PRE-registrants! https://www.bikereg.com/west-hill-grinder 49 Brickyard Lane, Putney Vermont

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SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 31

ADVENTURE CONTEST DOG VERMONT SPORTS PRESENTS THE 2019

SEND US YOUR BEST

action shots ● face shots ● dog stories ● videos Special Grand Prize: Two-night stay at Topnotch Resort and Spa at Stowe, PLUS breakfast for two and a dog massage at Topnotch’s world-class spa.

Runners Up: Get $75 gift certificates to Pet Food Warehouse.

Readers’ Choice to be judged on our social media pages in September. Grand prize winner and finalists to be featured in the October 2019 issue of Vermont Sports.

ENTER at vtsports.com/2019-dog-contest/ 32 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

21 | Miles for Migraine, Burlington Run a 10K, 5K or two-mile course to raise awareness about migraine disease and research. milesformigraine.org

22 | Orchard Fun Run, Shoreham Run or walk a 5K loop through apple orchard country to start and finish at this annual harvest festival. friendsoftheplatt.com

21 | The 3rd Vermont Great Run, Rutland Run 8K, 6K, 4K or 2K or an 8K relay to support palliative care at Rutland Regional Hospital. rrmc.org

22 | Trapp Cabin 5K, 10K and Half Marathon, Stowe All courses run on the scenic trails at Trapp Family Outdoor Center, with proceeds benefiting Stowe Adaptive Sports. stoweadaptive.org

21 | 8th Annual Sprouty, Sharon A 5K walk/run and 10K run along the White River to support the Farm-to-School program at Sharon Elementary followed by music by The Panhandlers. thesprouty.com 21 | Maple 5K, Brattleboro A 5K fun run and walk to support Black Mountain Assisted Family Living. bmafl.org 21 | The Red Line Scramble, Londonderry A point-to-point race up the Red Line Ski Trail at Magic Mountain. One mile long, approximitely 1,500 feet of vertical gain. magicmtn.com 22 | Cider Shuffle 5K Run/Walk, Enosburg Falls Out-and-back 5K on the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail. Kids welcome. Free apple cider and donuts for all participants. runvt.org 22 | Harpoon Flannel 5K, Windsor A scenic fall foliage 5K course that starts and ends at the Harpoon brewery and features a post-run party with live music by Hot Flannel. harpoonbrewery.com 22 | 6th Island Vines 10K, South Hero Run a 10K through the Champlain Islands and enjoy wines from Snow Farm Vineyard afterwards. runvermont.org

26-27 | Beebe Farm Classic, Dorset Choose between a 48-hour, a 12-hour, a 6-hour race, a marathon, a 50K or a “quadzilla” all on a 0.87-mile loop at Harold Beebe Farm. Hosted by Nor’East Trails. netrails.com 28 | The Color Run, Burlington A 5K, untimed event. At each kilometer, runners are doused in a different colored powder. The race is followed by a festival with music, dancing, vendor booths and more massive color throws. thecolorrun.com 28 | Vermont Craft Beer Half Marathon, St. Albans Run through historic downtown and on the Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail to a festival with food trucks, live music and craft breweries. 14thstarbrewing.com 28 | Poultney Chili Cook-Off 5K, Poultney Celebrate the start of fall with a 5K run/walk followed by samples from the chilli cook-off. poultneyareachamber.com 28 | Westmore Mountain Challenge, East Charleston Run or hike 26 miles in one day to climb Moose, Hor, Pisgah, Haystack and Bald mountains. Hosted by the Northwoods Stewardship Center. northwoodscenter.org

29 | Kingdom Games Fly to Pie Kingdom Marathon, West Glover Run, bike or hike 26.2, 17 or 13.5 miles or a 10K to an after-party at Parker Pie with Hill Farmstead and other beer and live music by Beg, Steal or Borrow. kingdomgames.co 29 | 27th Vermont 50, West Windsor Head to Mt. Ascutney for this ultramarathon on trails or an epic 50-mile, cross-country mountain bike race to benefit Vermont Adaptive Ski + Sports. There is also a team relay and a kids fun run. vermont50.com

OCTOBER 5 | New Hampshire Marathon, Bristol, N.H. Run a full marathon, half-marathon, 10K or kids’ race around Newfound Lake in this Boston Marathon qualifier event. nhmarathon.com 5 | Stark Mountain Hillclimb, Fayston Celebrate Green and Gold Weekend at Mad River Glen with a foot race from the base of the ski area to the summit of General Stark Mountain. Mileage depends on route taken to the top, but the race features 2,000 vertical feet of climbing. achillclimb.org 5 | 5th Annual Front Porches Half Marathon, Rockingham Run a scenic half marathon or 8-mile course through Saxtons River and Bellows Falls. vtfrontporcheshalf.com 5 | Going the Dismas 5K, White River Junction A fall-themed 5K fun run to benefit the Hartford Dismas House, a transitional home for individuals leaving incarceration. dismasofvt.org

5 | 46th GMAA Art Tudhope 10K, Shelburne A certified 10K out and back through Charlotte on a fast mix of dirt and paved roads. gmaa.net 6 | 9th Chase Away 5K, Essex Junction Run to raise funds for research into canine cancer. chaseawayk9cancer.org 6 | Leaf Peepers Half Marathon and 5K, Duxbury Run out and back along River Road. leafpeepershalfmarathon.org 6 | Stark Mountain Hillclimb, Fayston A foot race from the base of Mad River Glen to the summit of General Stark Mountain to benefit the Stark Mountain Foundation. achillclimb.org 6 | CURE for IBD Fun Run, Walk and 5K for Crohn’s & Colitis, Burlington Run or walk a one-mile, two-mile or 5K race from Oakledge Park. cure4ibd.org 12 | Shelburne Farms 5K, Shelburne Race begins and ends at the Shelburne Farms Coach Barn and moves between dirt roads and trails. racevermont.com 12 | Climb the Moose, Salisbury An inaugural three-mile uphill trail run or mountain bike to Silver Lake Trailhead in Goshen. A great introductory trail run in the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area at the peak of fall foliage, with half a mile of uphill singletrack to the finish for runners.

Proceeds benefit the MNRA. runreg.com/climb-the-moose

32nd Annual

Ripton Ridge Run Sunday - October 13th - 2019

12:30 pm Race start

A 10.4 K & 5K Footrace 5K Fun -Walk!!!

On scenic country roads T-shirts (to first 175 paid registrants) Prizes, Lunch, & Raffle Race day registration from 11-12 Ripton Elementary School www.riptonridgerun.org - 802-388-2208 A Benefit for the Friends of Ripton School

We craft small-batch Vermont cannatopicals with love.

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www.FreedomandUnityVT.com SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 33

MTB ENDURO RACE & OUTDOOR EXPO Bolton Valley Resort | Saturday, October 19 Mountain bike Enduro race, group rides, kids’ zone and an outdoor expo to benefit the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance

The Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance is a non-profit, member-based organization dedicated to strengthening, attracting, expanding and retaining outdoor recreation economy businesses in Vermont.

Join us at vermontoutdoorbusinessalliance.org

13 | Ripton Ridge Run, Ripton An annual fundraiser to benefit the Ripton Elementary School, put on by Friends of Ripton School, Inc., This 32nd annual race includes a 5K run, a 10.4K run, and a noncompetitive 5K Fun Walk. There is also a short, non-competitive event for children.

All courses start and finish at the Ripton Elementary School. The race traverses roads in Ripton and the Green Mountain National Forest and includes water stops. Race checkin and day of race registration open at 11 am.

Races begin at 12:30 pm. riptonridgerun.addisoncentralsu.org 13 | North Face Race to the Summit, Stratton Race from Stratton’s base area to the summit to win cash prizes and swag. stratton.com 13 | 49th GMAA Green Mountain Marathon and Half Marathon, South Hero This is an out-and-back race on the west shore of South Hero and Grand Isle, land of farms, apple orchards and summer cottages.

About half dirt roads. gmaa.net 13 | 7th Annual Harvest Run for Sustainability, Burlington Choose between a 5K and 1-mile fun run on the farm and wooded trails at the Intervale. citymarket.coop 13 | 24th Mad Dash, Waitsfield A classic Vermont foot race on mostly dirt roads to benefit the Mad River Path. madriverpath.com 17 | 29092, Stratton Run/walk/crawl up Stratton Mountain. Take the gondola down. Repeat 17 times until you climb 29092 feet, the height of Mt. Everest.

Celebrate with live music at the base, food and beer. stratton.com 19 | Trapp Mountain Marathon & Half Marathon, Stowe A challenging race through the heart of the Green Mountains at beautiful Trapp Family Lodge during peak fall foliage. trappmountainmarathon.com 19 | The Dee Run, Rockingham A challenging 5K race with steep hills, wooded trails and dirt roads. There is also a kids 1K fun run. thedeefoundation.org 20 | Heady Trotter 4-Miler, Stowe Run a fun road race followed by beer, live music and lawn games at the Alchemist Brewery. thealchemistbeer.com 20 | The Hills are Alive 5K XC, Stowe GMAA hosts this rolling 5K race on the trails at Trapp Family Lodge Outdoor Center. gmaa.net

26 | 7th Annual Glow Run, St. Albans A fun nighttime 5K where costumes are encouraged. Race starts at 6:30 p.m. Prizes for best costume. stalbansvt.myrec.com 26 | Halloween Hustle 5K, Essex Junction A certified 5K costume run. Prizes for age group winners and costumes. essexhalf.com

WE HAVE THE GEAR FOR YOUR CHILD’S

NEXT ADVENTURE

26 | Kingdom Challenge, St. Johnsbury Run a 5K or half marathon. The 5K is a loop and the half marathon is a challenging point-to-point course that starts at the Lyndonville Town Offices and features 3,000 feet of elevation change, with 60 percent of the course on dirt roads. thekingdomchallenge.com 27 | Black River Beatdown, Craftsbury Common Ironwood Adventure Works hosts this epic 15-, 30- and 45K solo and relay trail run race at Craftsbury Outdoor Center. ironwoodadventureworks.com 27 | Nor’witch Halloween Half’witch, Full’witch and Ultra’witch, Norwich A 13.1K, full marathon or 50K on mostly dirt roads with rolling terrain on loop courses.

Costumes encouraged. netrailruns.com

NOVEMBER

be ready for the any adventure

in the classroom and beyond!

20 LANGDON ST, MONTPELIER VT • ONIONRIVER.COM • 802.225.6736

3 | Fall 5K/10K and Half Marathon, Shelburne Run scenic loop courses past Shelburne Farms, out Shelburne Point and back along the Shelburne Bay Path into the village. racevermont.com 3 | Vermont 10-Miler, Stowe The final event for the season in the New England 10 Miler Series, this race through Stowe features a beer garden at the finish at von Trapp Brewery, where participants get one free brew. vermont10miler.com 28 | Gobble Gobble Wobble 5K, Stratton Pre-Thanksgiving dinner 5K road run.

Costumes are suggested, with ski passes and cash prizes on the line for winners. stratton.com 28 | Zack’s Place Turkey Trot, Woodstock Run or walk this community fundraiser race through the village of Woodstock to Billings Farm to the Town Green and live music. zacksplacevt.org 28 | 43rd Turkey Trot 5K, Burlington A 5K walk or run on the UVM women’s cross-country course. gmaa.net 30 | The Jingle Jog 5K, Shelburne The first 100 entrants in this race get a free Santa hat and jingle bells to ring along the course. racevermont.com

SEPTEMBER 2019 | VTSPORTS.COM 35

YOU WON’T BELIVE THESE ULTRA LIGHT WEIGHT BOATS

Starting at only 14 lbs

BIKING SEPTEMBER Aug. 30- Sept. 2 | Green Mountain Stage Race, Waitsfield The largest pro-amateur road stage race east of the Mississippi returns with time trials, criterium races and a gran fondo. gmsr.info 2 | 5th Annual Richard Tom Foundation Kids’ Crit, Burlington A free non-competitive cycling event for kids 7-11. Kids ride 2-4 sections of the Green Mountain Stage Race, led by adult riders. richardtomfoundation.com 7 | 14th Kelly Brush Ride, Middlebury Ride 20, 50 or 100 miles on paved roads through the Champlain Valley. Fundraising for this event helps people with spinal cord injuries afford adaptive athletic equipment. kellybrushfoundation.org

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7 | Mad River Riders EnduroFest, Warren A day of lift rides at Sugarbush, followed by more than 3,000 feet of descents with a shuttle back for more. madriverriders.com 8 | Cabot Ride the Ridges, Cabot A mostly gravel ride through the hills of Cabot and Peacham. Supported with 10K, 30K, 60K and 100K loops. ridetheridges.net 13 | Grand Prix Quebec, Quebec City The UCI WorldTour comes to Quebec with pro world teams, continental teams and national teams going head-to-head in criterium-style races in historic downtown Montreal and Quebec City. gpcqm.ca 14 | Grand Prix Montreal, Montreal The UCI WorldTour comes to Montreal with world teams, professional continental teams and national teams going head-to-head in criterium-style races in historic downtown Montreal and Quebec City. gpcqm.ca

September 15, 2019

14 | The Granite Gravelcade, Barre A 45-mile gravel ride for bragging rights from Barre. vermontbicycleshop.com 14 | NO LIMITS Fall Foliage Ride for Bart Adaptive, Manchester Ride 100, 60, 30 or nine miles to support the Bart J. Riggiere Adaptive Sports Center.

Hand cyclists ride free. bartadaptive.org 15 | Vermont Youth Cycling Series #3, Burke Mountain Enduro mountain bike races for middle and high school athletes on courses averaging 5K in length. skiburke.com

AUGUST 11-13

Gravel road race fundraiser | craftsbury.com/genny-tenny © John Lazenby

36 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

15 | Woodstock Triple Crown Race, Suicide Six Enduro-style race on 3 mountain bike trail networks: the Aqueduct Trails, Mt. Peg and Suicide Six Bike Park. suicide6.com

19 | Steal Your Wheel Mountain Bike Festival, Montgomery Center Celebrate food, fun, friends and off-road, two-wheel adventures at this four-day festival featuring riding in and around Montgomery and Jay. Expect group rides, live music in the evenings, a bike rodeo and pump track sessions. Hosted by Grateful Treads Mountain Bike Club. thejaycloud.com 20 | Intro to Mountain Biking Clinic for Women, Craftsbury Common Craftsbury Outdoor Center hosts a series of free introductory mountain bike clinics.

5:30-7 p.m. craftsbury.com 20 | Kingdom Trails 100-, 50- and 25K Challenge, Lyndon Opt for a guided or adventure-style race at any distance on the world-class singletrack at Kingdom Trails. kingdomexperiences.com/kt100K 21 | 12th Annual Tour de Farms, Vergennes Ride 10 or 30 miles through scenic Addison County and visit four to eight farms with food and beverage samples at each. acornvt.org 21 | Peacham Fall Fondo, Peacham Enter the 40-mile ride or a 5K fun ride for kids. Hosted by Tour de France cyclist Ian Boswell. peachamfallfondo.com 22 | West Hill Grinder, Putney Ride a 39-mile, 4-gap gravel grinder route, a 34-mile, 2-gap gravel grinder route, a 19.6or 24-mile loop on a mix of pavement and dirt roads. westhillshop.com 28 | Hungry Lion Bike Tour, Whitingham Tackle 75-, 50-, 35-, 32- or 5-mile rides on scenic roads or take on a 26-mile gravel ride.

Followed by a BBQ. hungrylionbiketour.com 28 | Tardigrade 50, Bristol More than 55 miles of adventure riding on 4th class roads and trails. tardigrade50.com 28-29 | Farm to Fork Fondo: The Berkshires, Mass.

Choose the 79-mile Gran Fondo, a 48-mile Medio, the 31-mile Piccolo or a 10-mile ride through rolling hills. Enjoy stops with local food. farmtoforkfondo.com 29 | Fly to Pie, Coventry Tackle a 26.2-mile or 13.5-mile ride on dirt roads to finish at Parker Pie in West Glover. kingdomgames.co 29 | Just Bike! Justice for Kids, North Bennington A kid-fiendly ride with categories for adults only, walks for small children and their parents and kids-only rides ranging from 5 to 11 miles. bccac.org

OCTOBER 1 | Analog’s Gory Hollows Ride, Poultney Tackle 50 miles of riding on 120-yearold disused roads, up and over mountain saddles, through dark hollows and down into deep gores on this spooky adventure ride. analogcycles.com 6 | Allen Clark Hillclimb, Waitsfield Ride up the east side of Appalachian Gap for the last race in the annual BUMPS series. achillclimb.org 12 | Oktoberfest Weekend, Suicide Six Catch a fun downhill race at the Suicide Six Bike Park on Saturday and an Enduro race on Sunday at the Mt. Peg Network. suicide6.com 12 | The Leaf Blower Fall Classic Mountain Bike Festival, Stowe The Stowe Trails Partnership and Mountain Bike Vermont host a mountain bike festival featuring group rides, vendors, live music and local food and drink. mtbvt.com 12 | Braintree 357 Gravel Enduro, Braintree Race or ride 50, 35 or 18 miles with 8,000, 5,000 and 2,700 feet of elevation gain. Rides follow gravel roads to an after-party with craft beer and bluegrass music. braintree357.com 17 | 29th Annual West Hill Shop Cyclocross Race, Putney Tackle a classic cyclocross course, with an open singlespeed race as well as conventional categories on lots of technical singletrack. westhillshop.com 19 | VOBA Enduro, Bolton Valley An enduro mountain bike race, group rides, the SunCommon bouncy castle and familyfriendly activities highlight the day, as well as an outdoor recreation expo. All benefit the Vermont Outdoor Business Alliance. vermontoutdoorbusinessalliance.com 19 | Green River Rip, Dover A 31-mile supported, guided gravel ride through rolling southern Vermont, near the base of Mount Snow. hitherandyonadventurerides.com 19 | The Hibernator, East Burke Tackle a 100K gravel ride with 8,000 feet of climbing or a 50K gravel ride with 4,000 feet of climbing on the IV class roads and double track of the Northeast Kingdom.

Either a gravel bike or mountain bike will do. skiburke.com 20 | Vermont Forest Fondo, Lincoln A 45-mile ride on 70-perent gravel roads, 20-percent class 4 roads, 5-percent single track and 5-percent paved roads, with 5,000 feet of climbing. vtforestfondo.com

WATER SPORTS/TRIATHLON SEPTEMBER 6-8 | Adirondack Canoe Classic 90-Miler, Saranac Lake This three-day, 90-mile flatwater race on original waterways of the Adirondacks from Old Forge to Saranac Lake. macscanoe.com 7 | Winooski River Cleanup, Montpelier Join Friends of the Winooski to celebrate the paddling season and pull trash from the Winooski River. winooskiriver.org 9 | In Search of Memphre IX, Newport An epic 25-mile swim the length of Lake Memphremagog between Newport, Vt. and Magog, QC. If poor weather, Sept. 10 or 11. kingdomgames.co 15 | 43rd Josh Billings Triathlon, Stockbridge, Mass.

Run 6 miles around Stockbridge Bowl, paddle 5 miles around Stockbridge Bowl and bike 27 miles from Great Barrington, Mass. to Lenox, Mass. joshbillings.com 28-29 | She Casts—A Women’s FlyFishing Weekend, Woodstock FE Hosted by the Woodstock Inn & Resort, an Orvis Endorsed Lodge, and taught by resident guide Chandra Anderson at Suicide Six and surrounding waters. Learn everything from the basics to advanced tactics and skills. Gear provided. suicide6. com/summer/orvisc-endorsed-fly-fishing

OCTOBER 26 | Vampire Swim Derby, Newport Head to the Northeast Kingdom for a 25- to 100m swim in Lake Memphremagog as part of an international blood drive by cold water swimmers. kingdomgames.co

FESTIVALS SEPTEMBER 6-8 | 22nd Outdoor Family Weekend, Groton Join Outdoor Gear Exchange, UVM Extension, the Agency of Natural Resources and Vermont Forest, Parks and Recreation for classes on forestry, orienteering, hiking, camping skills, kayaking, fishing and more. uvm.edu/extension.outdoorfamily 13-14 | Fiddlehead Fallfest, Smugglers' Notch Resort Catch live music, beer, food trucks, a pig roast, rock climbing and hiking, disc golf championships and more. smuggs.com

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20-22 | Vermont Climbing Festival, Cochran's, Richmond An event for new and current climbers to socialize, participate in clinics, see keynote speakers and gain new skills while camping out. vermontclimbingfestival.com 27-29 | 2nd Annual Rumney Craggin’ Classic, Rumney, N.H. Head to Rumney Rattlesnake Campground for a climbing festival hosted by the American Alpine Club. Live music, beer, climbing films, and clinics led by professional guides and athletes. americanalpineclub.org

the moose MOOSALAMOO V E R M O N T

New for 2019!

Come Climb the Moose at Moosalamoo National Recreation Area in Salisbury, Vt. on Saturday, Oct. 12, at 8 a.m.

This inaugural 3-mile uphill trail run, and mountain bike, to Silver Lake trailhead in Goshen, is an ideal introductory race for trail runreg.com/climb-the-moose runners and mountain bikers on an old logging road.

Register online free t-shirt

with entry before Sept. 30.

Start and awards ceremony at Branbury State Park on Lake Dunmore. Camping available.

runreg.com/climb-the-moose

OTHER SEPTEMBER 9 | 16th Annual Lookout for Each Other Golf Tournament, Killington A fundraiser for local charities, this fun golf tournament features an on-course lunch, prizes and dinner. killington.com 12-15 | Discraft's Green Mountain Championship Disc Golf Pro Tour, Smugglers' Notch Meet the pros and watch some of the best disc golfers in the world vie for the title of Green Mountain Champion. smuggs.com 14-15 | 2nd Annual Lake Placid Doubleday and Climb to the Castle Rollerski Race, Lake Placid A 3K prologue with an interval start followed by a 1.5K cross-country sprint. On Sunday, the Climb to the Castle is 5 miles of climbing at an average 8 percent grade to the summit of Whiteface. nensa.net 14-15 | Spartan Race, Killington Compete in the birthplace of the Spartan Beast. Plus a kids’ obstacle course race. killington.com

OCTOBER 5 | 20th Annual Green Mountain Iron Dog, Colchester Run a 1.5-mile obstacle course with your dog, designed to simulate real-world Police K9 deployments. irondogvt.weebly.com 6 | Wag It Forward, Colchester A festival for pets and their ownes at the Champlain Valley Fairgrounds. ffwt/ wagitforward.com 12 | Fall Rollerski Classic, Jericho Race at Camp Ethan Allen hosted by Mansfield Nordic Club. nensa.net 24 | The Green Mountain Club Presents: “Haute Route: Chamonix to Zermat,” Middlebury Tales from a recent alpine adventure in the Alps. greenmountainclub.org

38 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

27 | Walter N. Levy Challenge, Northfield A 6.5-mile combat endurance race. Raises funds and awareness for wounded military veterans. semperfifund.org 27 | The Maine Event: Rollerski Agility Sprint Festival, New Gloucester, Maine This first ever open rollerski cross country ski cross event will test rollerskiers on both agility and sprinting on a 400m loop with three ramps and other agility components.

Hosted by NENSA. nensa.net

NOVEMBER 2-3 | NENSA Trapp Invitational Rollerski Race, Stowe Hosted by Trapp Family Lodge, this elite rollerski event draws 2018 Olympians, many Junior National Champions and a World Championship medalist. nensa.net 16 | The Dark Horse Bouldering Competition, Essex Metrorock hosts round one of this regional northeast climbing competition, with subsequent rounds in Brooklyn and finals in Everett, Mass. on March 28, 2019. darkhorseseries.com

ONGOING SERIES Through-Oct. 13 | Mountaintop Yoga, Stratton On Saturdays and Sundays, enjoy 90 minutes of yoga at the summit yoga deck on Stratton Mountain. Class includes round-trip on the gondola. stratton.com Sept.-Dec. | Stay to Stay Weekends, Statewide See what it would be like to live and work in Vermont. Connect with employers, realtors, community leaders, local entrepreneurs and get outside. Sept 13-16: Bennington & Manchester, St. Johnsbury, Woodstock.

Oct. 4-7: St. Johnsbury. Oct. 18-21: Rutland.

Oct. 25-28: Bennington & Manchester, Brattleboro. Nov. 8-11: Burlington. Dec. 1316: Newport. vermontvacation.com Sept. 1 | North Face Doggie and Me Hikes, Stratton Enjoy a private guided hike with your dog on Stratton Mountain. Repeats Oct. 12. stratton.com Nov. 1 - 16 | CVRR Fallen Leaves 5K Race Series, Montpelier Three low-key 5K races on a flat and fast course at Montpelier High School. Nov. 2, 9 and 16. cvrunners.org Nov. 2-16 | Hard’ack Fall Trail Running Series, St. Albans Support trail improvements at Hard’ack with a series of three 5K footraces on trails on Nov. 2, 9 and 16. stalbansvt.myrec.com

IKE SHOPS

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ALPINE SHOP

1184 Williston ALPINE Rd., South SHOP Burlington, VT 802-862-2714 | alpineshopvt.com V

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In operation since 1963, we specialize in mountain bikes, hybrid, commuter and E-bikes from Norco, Felt, Devinci & Rossignol. Alpine Shop is a full-service bike shop with ample free parking and riding space. Rental and demo bikes available.

Stylish clothing for men and women plus gear, shoes & apparel for tennis. Hours: Mon. – Sat. 10 – 6; Sun. 10 – 5.

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BASIN SPORTS

2886 Killington Rd., Killington, VT 802-422-3234 | basinski.com Purchasing a bike is a big investment. This investment unlocks the door to adventure.

For the thrill seekers, boardwalk cruisers and tarmac chasers we’ve got a little bit of everything for you. Just below Killington Resort, we focus on all-mountain mountain bikes and downhill too. Carrying Specialized, Santa Cruz, Juliana, and Devenci we’ve got the perfect match for just about anyone, plus all the other gear and apparel you need to have fun on the road or trails.

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WHY BUY LOCAL?

These local, independent bike shops have become go-to resources for riders.

Here are five reasons why: 1) Trust. When you buy from your local bike shop you know that if something goes wrong, they're there to help.

2) Fit. A bike has to fit right to perform well. Your shop will find the bike that fits your riding and your body.

3) Local knowledge. No one knows the local roads and trails like these shops.

4) Weekly group rides. What's more fun than riding with an awesome group?

5) They make it happen. Whether it's helping build trails or volunteering their support on a charity road ride, these shops work hard so you can have fun.

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BATTENKILL BICYCLES

Battenkill Bicycles has been Manchester’s choice for bicycle sales, service and rentals since 1972. We offer the entire line of the latest Trek and Specialized bikes. Come in for a fitting and advice; each new bike includes one free tune up for a year. Our service department will work on all bikes and repair and maintain your bike in tip-top shape for the road and trail. We offer road, mountain and hybrid bikes and our staff enjoys sharing local knowledge about where to ride. Our shop has lots of parking, so please come park for the day while you ride and take advantage of our shower before going out to dinner in Manchester.

Check our website, Facebook or join our mailing list to find out about regular group rides. We look forward to serving you and your family for all your cycling needs.

BELGEN CYCLES

24 Bridge St., Richmond, VT 802-434-4876 | belgencycles.com Belgen Cycles offers custom and stock bicycles supported by 40 years of hands-on experience.

Focused on the right bike for you covering the spectrum from road to ‘cross and mountain to fat with bikes from Salsa, Xprezo, Moots, Parlee, Litespeed, Lynskey and Soma. Full service maintenance and repair as well as fitting solutions. In business as Village Bicycle in Richmond for 20 years. Hours: Mon. – Sat. 10:30 – 6:30.

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99 Bonnet St., Manchester Ctr, VT 802-362-2734 | battenkillbicycles.com

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BERKSHIRE OUTFITTERS

RR 8, 169 Grove St., Adams, MA 413-743-5900 | berkout@bcn.net

We are a full-service bike shop at the base of the Mt. Greylock State Reservation. We also border a beautiful 12-mile paved rail trail. We carry Jamis, Rocky Mountain and G.T. We offer sales, repairs and hybrid bike rentals for the rail trail.

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BOOTLEGGER BIKES

60 Main Street Jeffersonville, VT 802-644-8370 | bootleggerbikes.com

A full-service shop near Smugglers' Notch.

We offer new, used and custom bikes as well as custom wheel builds for mountain, road, gravel, fat bikes, bikepacking and touring. Rentals offered at our Cambridge Junction shop on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail. Bikes are a passion here.

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BRADLEY’S PRO SHOP SKI & SPORT

2012 Depot St. Manchester Center, VT 05255 802-367-3118 | bradleysproski.com Bradley’s Pro Shop Ski & Bike is the premier bike shop in Southern Vermont!

We are located in Manchester Center.

Always known as your go-to ski shop we are now your go-to bike shop. We have one of the best bike mechanics in Vermont on staff, Dan Rhodes. Many of you know of his reputation as a master bike mechanic. Dan runs all aspects of our bicycle operations. We carry the full lineup of Cannondale and GT bikes—mountain bikes, gravel, e-bikes, BMX and hybrids.

We are a full-service operation with sales, service, accessories and rentals including e-bikes. We always offer a great bike tuneup price so be sure to bring your ride in.

As always: THINK DIRT!

45 Bridge St. Morrisville, VT 802-888-7642 | chucksbikes802.com Putting smiles on people’s faces for over 35 years. Bikes by Jamis,Transition, Norco, KHS, Surly, Raleigh, Marin and Diamondback. Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9 – 5:30, Sat. 9 – 3, closed Sundays.

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CLAREMONT CYCLE

12 Plains Rd. Claremont, NH 603.542.

BIKE (2453) | claremontcycle.com We are always evolving to stay current with trends to meet our customers needs. With certain change, we always stay true to who and what we are: a true bike shop where customer satisfaction is the top priority and staff is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly. Everyone who walks through our door is welcomed into our diverse bike community. We bring people together from all walks of life and ages that share the same love and passion for cycling. Hours: Mon. 8:30 - 5:30, Tues. - Fri. 10:30 - 5:30, Sat. 10:30 - 4, closed Sunday.

10 COWBELL MOBILE BIKE SHOP

25-mile radius around Burlington and White River Junction 802-373-3411 | cowbellbike.com Cowbell mobile bike shop is Vermont’s first full-service bike shop in a van. No more waiting around for weeks to get your bike tuned up. Just book an appointment and Cowbell shows up and you ride the same day. Todd the owner and operator has 24 years of experience and arrives in the Burlington and Upper Valley areas with a van full of parts and accessories. More than just a rolling bike shop...Cowbell also offers corporate visits, ride support and bike maintenance classes.

IKE SHOPS

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advertising section

14 FIRST STOP

3-Color Option: BOARD BARN

11 EARL’S CYCLERY &

8474 Route 4, Killington, VT 802-422-9050 | firststopboardbarn.com

FITNESS

2069 Williston Rd., South Burlington, VT 802-864-9197 | earlsbikes.com

12 EAST BURKE SPORTS 439 Route 114 East Burke, VT 802-626-3215 | eastburkesports.com We are the original home to Kingdom Trails. Located in the heart of town, we pride ourselves in expert knowledge while providing friendly customer service. A fullservice shop awaits you and your repair needs. We have 100 rental bikes with an enormous selection of clothing, parts, and accessories. Hours: 9 - 6 every day.

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Killington’s authorized Cannondale and Trek dealer. We also carry: Fox, Giro, Shimano, FiveTen, G-Form, Pearl Izumi, Smith, Spy, Oakley and more. We’ve helped outfit first timers to world class athletes since 1979. We have a Service Center that can fix practically anything and a Rental & Demo Test Center that lets you try equipment before you buy. We have Gear Experts who can help you find the right gear, right now. If you’re not sure where to get started, give us a call or stop by—we’re open 365 days a year.

EQUIPE SPORT

8749 Rte. 30, Rawsonville, VT 802 297 2847 | equipesport.com With locations on the Stratton and the Mount Snow valleys, Equipe Sport offers a wide range of services including sales, rental and repair. We sell bikes from GT, Santa Cruz and Rocky Mountain and have a rental fleet of Rocky Mountain bikes.

15 FROG HOLLOW

Website 1-Color Options:

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74 Main St., Middlebury, VT 802-388-6666 | froghollow bikes.com

Web Fonts: ROBOTO MEDIUM ROBOTO BOLD Georgia Georgia Italics

Take advantage of the most advanced and courteous service in our region, with quick turn-around time in our service shop downstairs. Upstairs in the sales room, we offer the best in new and used road, mountain, lifestyle, and children’s bikes and new gear. We carry brands that offer superior products that balance innovation and performance with reliability and value. Hours: Mon. - Sat. 9:30 - 5:30, Sun. 11 – 4.

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21 OMER & BOB’S

2733 Main St., Lake Placid, NY 518-523-3764 | highpeaks cyclery.com

20 Hanover St. Lebanon, NH 603-448-3522 | omerandbobs.com

Lake Placid’s source for bicycling and outdoor gear since 1983! Sales, service, rentals and tours. Bikes by Intense, B.M.C., Salsa, Surly, Giant and Scott. Your information headquarters for Lake Placid and the Adirondacks for gravel road, mountain biking and road riding adventures.

Free maps. ADK80 and Ironman race info and course conditions. New! Basecamp lodges. Hours: Mon – Fri 9 – 6, Sun 9 – 5.

18 MALLETTS BAY BICYCLE & SKI

2-Color Options:

Earl’s Cyclery has been serving Vermont's cycling and fitness needs for more than 65 years. With over 12,000 square feet at the new location, Earl’s has the largest selection of bikes from Trek, Giant, Scott, Bianchi, Electra, Haro, and more. The service center at Earl’s has professionally trained technicians who are certified to work on all makes and models of bicycles, not just the ones we sell. Whether Logo Typface: you need a flat tire fix or a suspension Tracked +20, UPPERCASE DIN staff Bold is ready to help. rebuild, the service Estimates are always free! Check out the new location at 2069 Williston Rd, South Burlington, or call us.

17 HIGH PEAKS CYCLERY

GREEN MOUNTAIN BIKES

105 N. Main St. Rochester VT 800-767-7882 | greenmountain bikes.com Located in the heart of the Green Mountains, we are surrounded by terrain that calls to mountain and road bikers alike. Whether you ride twisting trails or back-to-back gaps, we service, sell, and rent all styles of bicycles, featuring Kona, Jamis, Juliana, Raleigh, Santa Cruz, Transition and Hinderyckx bikes - hand crafted by our own Rochester boy Zak Hinderyckx. So STOP READING and RIDE YOUR BIKE! Hours: 7 days a week, 10 – 6.

794 W. Lakeshore 1-Color Options: Dr. Colchester, VT 802-863-2453 | mbbicyle.com

Malletts Bay es�� ����

Bicycle & Ski

Service, rentals and sales. Located on the shores of beautiful Malletts Bay, our shop offers expert repairs, top quality rentals, a fine complement of accessories and new bicycles from KHS, Swix, Intense and Reid.

Rent a bike from our Airport Park location and be out on the Colchester Causeway, the ‘Jewel of the Island Line Trail,” in minutes!

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MOUNTAINOPS

Color(s): (Pantone, CMYK, RGB, HTML): Black, White, Orange Orange: Pantone 021 C R: 254 G: 105 B: 0 CMYK: 0 65 100 0 HTML: FE5000

4081 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT 802-253-4531 | mountainopsvt.com

MountainOps offers bike sales and service, fast and friendly, with no attitude. We sell Niner and Scott bikes for all abilities and riding styles. You’ll find tons of clothing and accessories in our converted 1893 barn.

Our techs have decades of experience with all types of bikes and our knowledge of local trails is awesome. We are Stowe's MTB Demo Center with more than 60 different mountain bikes for demo. They range anywhere from trail-worthy hardtails to carbon frame full suspension enduro bikes. Sizes and prices to fit everyone!

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OLD SPOKES HOME

331 North Winooski Ave., Burlington, VT 802-863-4475 | oldspokeshome.com Old Spokes Home offers Vermont’s best selection of professionally refurbished used bikes and new bikes for touring, bike packing, commuting, fat biking, and simply getting around town. Named one of the country’s best bike shops by Outside Online for it’s “plain-talk advice and no-nonsense service.”

A non-profit as of 2015, Old Spokes Home uses 100% of its revenue to run programs creating access to bikes in the community.

Don’t miss the famous antique bicycle museum! Mon. – Sat. 10 - 6, Sun. 12 - 5.

The Upper Valley’s bike shop since 1964. We carry road bikes, mountain bikes and kids bikes from specialty brands including Trek, Specialized and Colnago. Featuring a full service department offering bike fitting, bike rentals and a kids’ trade-in, trade-up program. Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9 – 6, Sat. 9 – 5.

22 ONION RIVER OUTDOORS

20 Langdon St. Montpelier, VT 802-225-6736 | onionriver.com

Gear, clothing and expert advice for all your hiking, biking, running, camping, outdoor adventures!

Friendly, knowledgeable bicycle and car rack sales and service. Check out onionriver.com to learn about all of our fun events and clinics. Hours: Mon. through Fri. 10 - 6:00; Sat. 9 - 5, Sun. 10 - 4.

23 OUTDOOR GEAR EXCHANGE

37 Church St., Burlington, VT 802-860-0190 | gearx.com

OGE offers Burlington riders a premier bike shop with a knowledgeable, friendly, and honest staff. We have commuters and gravel grinders from Marin and KHS, mountain bikes from Pivot, Transition, Rocky Mountain and Yeti and a wide consignment selection as well as a demo fleet so you can try it before you buy it.

Our service department is capable of everything from tuning your vintage road bike to servicing your new mountain bike and offers full Fox shock service. Come on down and see us on Church Street! Hours: Mon. – Thurs. 10 – 8, Fri. – Sat. 10 – 9, Sun. 10 – 6.

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POWERPLAY SPORTS

35 Portland St. Morrisville, VT 802-888-6557 powerplaysports.com North Central Vermont’s Trek and Giant Dealer. With over 200 new and used bikes, P.P.S. has a bike for everyone. Service and rentals too! Hours: Mon. – Fri. 9 – 6, Sat. 8:30 – 5, Sun. 10 – 4.

25 RANCH CAMP 311 Mountain Road, Stowe, VT 802-253-2753 | ranchcampvt.com Ranch Camp is Stowe’s mountain bike base lodge, and your hub for bikes, gear, and culture!

Ranch Camp offers a full-service mountain bike shop, tap room, and fast casual eatery, featuring sales and demo bikes from Ibis Cycles, Yeti, Rocky Mountain, Evil, and Specialized. Looking for top of the line mountain bikes and components?

Got ‘em. How about local brews from New England's finest purveyors of craft libations? You bet. And if you need a thoughtfully crafted grab-and-go meal for your ride, or a place to sit down and refuel afterwards, Ranch Camp has you covered.

Best of all, Ranch Camp is situated trailside with its very own public access entrance into Stowe’s iconic Cady Hill trail network and beyond.

26 SKIRACK 85 Main St. Burlington, VT 802-6583313 | skirack.com Locally owned since 1969, Skirack provides gear, clothing, expert fitting and accessories for all cyclists, with full service tuning and repairs...plus complete bike suspension service on most forks and rear shocks. Designated one of America’s Best Bike Shops, Skirack is blocks from Lake Champlain. Open 8 a.m. Mon. - Sat. for bike service, car racks and rentals.

27 STARK MOUNTAIN

9 RTE 17 Waitsfield, VT 802-496-4800 | Find us on Facebook Located at the lowest spot in the Mad River Valley so you can coast in when you break your bike on a ride! 20 years of advise, directions and fixing anything that pedals. You know you want a Yeti. Come try one of ours! Hours: Tues - Fri. 9 – 6*. Sat. 9 - 4, Sun. 9 - 1, closed on Mon. *Closes at 5 on Thursdays for Shop ride.

28 VILLAGE SPORT SHOP

511 Broad St. Lyndonville, VT 802-626-8448| villagesport shop.com

Established in 1978, we are a family-owned, passiondriven sporting goods store serving customers for four seasons of adventure.

Strongly focused on bike and ski, we have highly skilled knowledgeable technicians and sales staff to assist in all needs of purchase, rental and service. With two locations, one nestled trailside on the world-renowned Kingdom Trails, and the other in downtown Lyndonville, we’re here to make your adventures happen!

“A little Austria... a lot of Vermont.”

BE A PART OF THESE COMING EVENTS: SEPTEMBER 15th

Chris Ludington Memorial Trail Run, 5k and 10K

SEPTEMBER 22nd

Stowe Adaptive ½ Marathon

OCTOBER 19th

Trapp’s Mountain Marathon

29 WATERBURY SPORTS 46 South Main Street, Waterbury, VT 802-882-8595 | waterburysportsvt.com WBS sells Trek and Giant bikes of every flavor from high-end mountain bikes to kids, hybrids and cross bikes. Our service techs are among the best in northern Vt. We also rent and Demo from our downtown location right near the Perry Hill Trails. Hours: Mon. – Thurs. 10 – 6, Fri. - Sat 9 – 7, Sun. 10 – 4.

30 WEST HILL

BIKE SHOP

49 Brickyard Lane, Putney, VT 802-387-5718 | westhillshop.com Since 1971, the West Hill Shop has been a low-key, friendly source for bikes ‘n gear, service and rare wisdoms. We are known regionally as the go-to place for problemsolving technicians. Our bike fitters specialize in comfort without sacrificing efficiency. Recently, we’ve focused on stocking gravel road bikes, with awesome dirt road riding right out our door. Join us for our Annual West Hill Grinder in September. It’s truly a rural adventure with loops on scenic gravel roads or wily trails.

Hours: Mon. to Sat., 10 – 6.

DID YOUR SHOP GET DROPPED? TO JOIN THE BIKE SHOP DIRECTORY, GIVE US A CALL AT 802-388-4944 OR SEND AN EMAIL TO ADS@VTSPORTS.COM

Join us this summer for any events or to explore our diverse trail system and take advantage of the best trailhead in Vermont at the Bierhall at Trapp Family Lodge! For more info, call the Outdoor Center at 802.253.5719 or go to trappfamily.com.

ADS

700 Trapp Hill Road | Stowe, Vermont | 800.826.7000

ENDGAME

L

et’s begin with two versions of home. Version A: Quiet lake, soft breeze, hammock swaying on the porch at dusk. Version B: Summit ridge, flash of lightning, electric crackles leaping the brain’s every synapse.

Put a different way: over here we’ve got slow, mellow, contemplative encounters with place, while over there we’ve got fast, manic, hypercharged encounters with place. Both modes are valid. Both modes are fun. Equally, though differently, both modes open the local environment to us and, in turn, open us to the local environment.

But what about the overlap of Version A and Version B? Better yet, what about the possibility of synthesizing these distinct (arguably conflicting) modes of engagement? I fantasize about making the introduction: Adrenaline, meet Stillness… talk among yourselves.

Putting differences aside, perhaps you will become friends of a sort? Perhaps, without knowing it, you already are friends?

Though I do dearly love motion and action and adventure and thrill—shooting rapids, scrambling crags—I actually spend the majority of my recreational hours sitting silently in the deep woods: spacing out, going passive, inviting the surrounding scenery to come in close, to wash over and through me. And I’ve noticed that, on rare and delightful occasions, this cultivation of stillness prepares me for a unique sub-category of adrenaline rush, an intense and fleeting high. It’s a jolt no less jolting, I’m tempted to say, than leaping from a ledge into Lake Champlain or skiing the resort when every trail is bulletproof ice.

Take, as a kind of thought experiment, the following scenario. You’ve cleared the afternoon schedule, locked the damned iPhone in a drawer, and aimlessly wandered the sugarbush behind Farmer Bob’s barn at the end of the street. Now, lounging on a mossy log as the sun sets, your breathing steady, your eyes glazed from staring at a nearby maple’s crimson crown… hmm, nothing particularly amazing happens. The day slides toward night.

The forest slides from calm to calmer.

You slide farther, farther, farther into the droning trance of foliage, into the sweet gentle hum of—FALLING LEAF! At this precise moment—this pinprick instant in the great sweep of time marked by a single vibrant leaf’s letting go—the ancient mammalian glands also let go, releasing a flood of Jim Beam, Benzedrine, and refined white sugar into your bloodstream:

42 VTSPORTS.COM | SEPTEMBER 2019

THE ADRENALINE OF STILLNESS

CAN YOU GET THE SAME RUSH SIMPLY WATCHING A LEAF FALL AS YOU DO CLIMBING OR MOUNTAIN BIKING? BY LEATH TONINO A loon stirs in the morning mist.

Stock photo

wheeeeee! This non-event is, in fact, a Huge Event, an Awe Event, and it makes you gleefully shiver. The leaf seems to fall through vast inner spaces, what Chinese poets from a thousand years ago labeled xin, or “heart-mind.”

Hey dude, we’re planning to bike the Skull-‘N’-Crossbones Trail at Mach 5 this weekend, jazzed out of our gourds on Monster Energy drinks, earbuds blasting Black Sabbath… you in?

“What it comes down

Pause for deliberation.

Uh, no thanks.

I’ve got this random tree I need to visit behind Farmer Bob’s barn.

What it comes down to is perception: the magic of making ourselves available to an ecosystem’s uncountable small wonders, the mystery of being both in and with a place. We typically understand rushing adrenaline in terms of our own personal dynamism (my body hurtling through space, my body careening and caroming), but consider the alternative. By settling the fanny on a mossy log we settle consciousness. By settling consciousness we ready ourselves to participate, via perception’s strange transference, in the dynamism of another—an Other.

It’s weird psychological stuff, and I’ll admit that my metaphors may not be the best articulation. They do convey, however, at least a piece of what I feel when a peak suddenly blushes with alpenglow, or a camouflaged toad slyly emerges from the backdrop of bankside grass, or a colder thread of wind unravels from

wonders, the mystery

to is perception: the magic of making ourselves available to an ecosystem’s uncountable small of being both in and with a place.” the fabric of already-dang-cold wind.

Despite the difficulties of talking about this experience, I believe that most folks know it viscerally, in the neck’s raised hairs and the sudden wow-wow-wow that races as a spark up the fuse we call backbone. For an example of what I mean, return to that initial image of the quiet lake and the hammock on the porch. You’re swaying, swaying, swaaaaaying, drifting off, beginning to dream about— HOLY FREAKIN’ LOON WAIL! A loon wail. A rent in the silk of evening that is, simultaneously, the silk of a hammock-lulled heart-mind.

This is a common enough occurrence in our lucky corner of the world, right?

It strikes me that the Huge Awe

Event is only inches away at any given moment, and that we need merely recalibrate our xin in order to surge with its power. At the kid’s soccer game—a spider web in the bleachers trembles under the weight of winter’s first snowflake.

Stuck in traffic—the rearview mirror frames a violet horizon nicked by the blade of a rising crescent moon. Stooping to gather fumbled mail from the gravel path—a raven’s wings whoosh the air ten feet overhead. These may not yield gonzo, may not zap us like a pissed momma bear (Easy, lady, easy) or a gripped ascent of frozen waterfalls (Are you positive I’m on belay?) but it’s valuable to recognize that they could.

Subtlety, that’s the word. There’s a massive excitement to be located in nature’s subtle changes—those shifts and twists and fades and flutters of our immediate environs—if only we properly tune ourselves, dial the correct frequency. And here’s the coolest part: my “research” in the obscure field of Adrenalized Stillness Studies indicates that there’s an inverse correlation between degree of subtlety and degree of rush. The daintier the phenomenon, it turns out, the wilder a ride.

An anecdote to illustrate this final point: January in the backcountry, early Sunday morning, no pressure to hurry, to break camp and commence the hard, homeward trudge. Following a second cup of coffee, I find myself bundled and hunkered, butt to a pillowy drift, heels dug in beside a thin pool... find myself lost, that is, staring for a spell of indeterminate duration at the water’s glassy surface. Unbidden and unannounced, the glass shatters mutely around a wee visage, a muskrat’s whiskery face, and a tingle sprints up my spine in precisely three nanoseconds.

Quick as the face appears, though, it disappears, leaving me delighted by the presence that has become absence.

Is that it? Are we finished?

Not quite.

The last ripple-circle dissolves into nothingness. The glass returns. And then the very smoothness—such incredible smoothness—is my buzz.

Contributing editor Leath Tonino is the author of two essay collections, both published by Trinity University Press: The Animal One Thousand Miles Long (2018) and The West Will Swallow You (forthcoming October 2019). An altered version of this essay previously appeared in Adirondack Life.

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