Mountain Flyer Number 1

Defining the Rocky Mountain Cyclist

The Greasy Thumb The Joe Breeze Story Training—Keeping it Fun Mount Evans Hill Climb Montezuma’s Revenge Valle Caldera Ride Onesville

Premier Issue Autumn 2004

Editor’s Note

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am fulfilling a dream in creating this magazine because I am certain that it will be good for our sport. This will be a regional report. Its focus will be on the people and events of the Greater Colorado Rocky Mountain region—specifically, northern New Mexico, eastern Utah, Colorado, and southern Wyoming, though you will read about adventurous cyclists of the region traveling to farther corners of the world to meet challenges there. This is not an original idea. The East Coast has a successful regional called The Ride that has, without doubt, helped the growth of the sport in that area. There is no shortage of enthusiasm for cycling in the Rocky Mountains but there is a distinct lack of media coverage for the events. There is no information resource for the cycling culture here.

If you think that cycling in this region reached its peak in the mid 90s, get off your couch and go race the train at the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, or pack up all your gear and three of your friends to slog it out at the 24 Hours of Moab. Thousands of others are doing it. Enter the Leadville 100, but you’d better plan ahead. This race is so popular that it’s necessary to register six months in advance. Shave your legs and sign up for the Boulder Rubaix, suffer up the Mt. Evans Hill Climb, mix it up in a Mountain States Cup event, or just show up for a weeknight “club ride” in Boulder, Fort Collins, Durango, or Los Alamos.

It will challenge you. How about cyclocross season? You’d better have some miles in those legs by November.

There are so many cycling events in this region that it could be considered hyper-competition between promoters. We can usually choose between several different events on any given weekend. Promoters are forced to differentiate themselves and offer a high-quality product. The creativity of events, like Montezuma’s Revenge, The Great Divide Race, or Ride the Rockies, continue to raise the bar in event promotion. I like to view race promotion as part of the entertainment industry.

We pay an entry fee, sometimes fairly high, and we expect an adventure, good support, laughter, fear, pain, suffering, camaraderie, and a BBQ or pizza party waiting at the end.

The talent pool in this region is deeper than the far end of a Princeton think tank. Even the people who don’t compete exemplify a level of skill that can only be gained through endless hours on the bike. Whether it’s the “new school” freeride crowd who has, in a very short period of time, pushed the limits of the bicycle beyond the laws of physics, or the road racers, or the mountain bikers, or the 24-hour soloists . . . the standards are very high. Some of the best cyclists in the world call this region their home.

It would not be accurate to say that this sport of ours is flawlessly, blissfully coasting along. There are some thorns in our tubes. Races are losing their funding and prize lists are short. USA Cycling is under attack for its failures. Some race

promoters are finding that they don’t need a sanctioning body and create their own corporation and insure themselves. We have multiple 24-hour “World Championships.” Two different organizations are running their own licensing systems for road racing. Corporations are pulling sponsorship for teams and events. Even pro racers are lucky to get minimal support.

Worse yet, we are continuously losing access to trails because of development and stricter government policies. As the population density is increasing, most of the roadways in this region have become unsafe if not downright hostile to cyclists. It is nearly impossible to get a road closed for a cycling event, even if it’s just for a few hours.

With all these problems in mind, the sport still shows signs of vigor. Even without prize money, event attendance remains strong. Maybe we’re just bored with our mundane easy lives.

There is no daily adventure anymore. We don’t have to get up early to savagely hunt down and kill wild game for dinner. We need the thrill of the chase and some physical challenge in our day. For whatever reason, we keep riding and racing. The bike shop owners I talk to say their sales are good. Every community has a handful of people who are dedicated to preserving their local trails. Federal agencies like the BLM and the Forest Service are working with local cycling advocates to preserve trails without closing them. We are high in numbers but low on organization. We do not have a voice in the media.

The purpose of this magazine is to showcase the events, riders, manufacturers, and advocates that define cycling in the Rocky Mountains. I believe that it will help to bring the Rocky Mountain cycling community together in a valuable way.

This is a grassroots effort. Please take the time to recognize the writers, photographers, editors, and designers who have contributed to this issue. They all volunteered their time, talent, and enthusiasm to make it a reality. It would not have happened without them. And, once you have reviewed the contents, feel free to email me at editor@mountainflyer.com with any ideas, suggestions, or comments you might have.

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Who’s Who in This Issue Front cover photo by Mike Tittel Back cover photo by Xavier Fané Editor Brian Riepe Art Director Gloria Sharp Mountain Flyer Logo Design Donald Montoya Photographers Xavier Fané Dean Howard Paige Miller James Rickman Mark Ridenour Mike Tittel Writers Gloria Beim MD Jefe Branham Dan Crean Susan DeMattei Marc Gullicson Jennifer Hopkinson-Smith Terrell Mac Susan Medville Paige Miller Gregg Morin Chad Oleson Caroline Spaeth John Weirath Copy Editor Caroline Spaeth Printer Crested Butte Printing and Publishing Publisher Secret Agent Marketing Group, LLC Mailing Address Mountain Flyer P.O. Box 272 Gunnison, CO 81230 Email editor@mountainflyer.com Web Site www.mountainflyer.com Advertising Sales 970.275.2573 adsales@mountainflyer.com Subscriptions subscriptions@mountainflyer.com

Premier Issue Autumn 2004

Contents

In the Spotlight Jesse Swift—Dean’s Dedicated Multitasker by Jennifer Hopkinson-Smith

The Greasy Thumb Are You Ready to Meet Stan? by Dan Crean

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The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame Then, Now, and Into the Future—The Joe Breeze Story by Susan Medville

Training Keeping it Fun by Susan DeMattei

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Health and Injury Prevention Water Intoxication—A Life-threatening Condition by Gloria Beim, MD 20 Learning to Drink—Misdiagnosis and a Case of Water Intoxication by Angie Lortie

Racing Action 2004 Carter Lake Road Race 26 Tour of Canyonlands 28 Iron Horse Bicycle Classic 30 Teva Moutain Games 32 Wild Flower Rush 34 Great Divide Race 37

New Crop—Great Products

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Contents

Mount Evans Bob Cook Memorial Hill Climb by Paige Miller

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Montezuma’s Revenge by Paige Miller, Mark Ridenour and Brian Riepe

On Safari— Getting to the Cape Epic Magical and Untamed Mountain Bike Race by Chad Oleson

RAAM 2004—3000 Miles of Intensity by Terrell Mac

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Cyclocross Get Yourself Fired Up—Cyclo-cross Season is Almost Upon Us by Marc Gullicson

Biking Into the Volcano by Caroline Spaeth

Appreciating Observed Trials by Greg Morin

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Onesville Jefe’s Single Speed Tale—The Suffering Must Continue by Jefe Branham

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In The Spotlight

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by Jennifer Hopkinson-Smith Jesse Swift is one of the people who make the Rocky Mountain cycling scene tick.

Anyone in the bike industry knows that many of the best companies would not succeed without their employees’ enthusiasm for the sport. It takes considerable extra effort and a deep passion for cycling to make a small manufacturer into a viable business.

photo at left by Paige Miller

music. Finally, Jesse manages and directs Team Dean, races professionally on the dirt (cross-country and trials), cyclocross and road.

Jesse is married to Jennifer Andow (professional racer supporter), loves music and techie stuff, his apple G4 computer and collects Star Wars movies and action figures—enough of them to fill a room.

photo by Paige Miller

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caught up with Jesse Swift while sitting on the grass during the prize-giving after the Tour of Canyonlands, the Mountain States Cup opening race. He was relaxing with teammates and making plans to ride the Slickrock trail at 7 p.m. that evening and the Porcupine Rim trail the next day. My initial comment was to ask how he got time off, as it was a Sunday night, and that meant he was going to be riding on Monday. He said in a joking tone that he’d worked 100 hours in the past two weeks and his boss was rewarding him with a day off.

Dean Bicycles, where Jesse works, started out of a Boulder, Colo., garage in 1991. Several buildings and 13 years later, Dean is a thriving, independently owned and operated company that specializes in custom titanium bikes.

Jesse is a rare find. He deftly juggles an assortment of occupations into his job description while most of us would consider each one a full-time career. Jesse’s main focus at Dean Bicycles is designing frames and welding custom titanium mountain and road bikes.

Since Dean is a small company, Jesse’s many facets include web design, frame brazing, sales, frame warranty, product testing, phone answering, cleaning the bathrooms as well as choosing the shop

Racing Battle at the Bear

Mountain Flyer: How did you get your start at Dean Bicycles?

Jessie Swift: I started at Dean in my last year of college. A friend was working there as a web designer and he said they needed some help. I started with decals and shipping. As the year went on, John kept me on and utilized my engineering degree to design frames and fixtures. It’s hard to believe that was five years and 1,500 frames ago.

MF: What is your role as team manager and how does it continue to evolve?

JS: The role I play as manager has changed over the years. The first green Team Dean was just four riders including me. The following season we expanded to eight and won our first mountain states cup title. This year we have a record number of racers at 25! We have aligned ourselves with other Colorado companies like Zukes, Honey Stinger, Victory Circle Graphix, and Colorado Organic Sports Drink. Because we are a small company, we view our team as a great stepping-stone for up and coming racers. The majority of our past racers are now racing in the professional ranks.

As team manager, I start by selecting the team for the next season through resumes and contacts I’ve made at the races. When the team is chosen, I begin writing contracts and securing additional sponsors. Then I design the team clothing and decals for racer’s bikes, update the team Dean website (www.Deanbikes.com/teamDean.htm), and then I personally build each team frame and order the parts to build the bikes. Once the season gets going my duties relax a little. I organize group rides, update the website and write emails to sponsors and riders about the progress of the team.

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photos by Paige Miller

Brian Laiho photo

Becca Blay, Trevor Krueger, Mark Roebke, Mitch Westall, Grant Berry, Brian Laiho, Warren Gravely, Ryan Hamilton, Tim Barnes, Brad Wood, Jenn Charrette, and Molly Hummel. Racers like Katherine Zambrana, Josh Bezecny, Matt Unger, Scott McCalmon, Micah Joseph, and several others are some of the new blood that has joined the team.

photo by Brian Riepe

engineering classes on my bikes. I was really into trials and street riding. I took a competitive mountain biking class for a gym credit that began my love for crosscountry racing. I transferred to CSU in Fort Collins and started collegiate racing while continuing with trials. I competed at both disciplines through to semipro and eventually had to focus on one. So I chose cross-country.

MF: Why do you race?

JS: I love the competition. It’s all you, no one else. I love the challenges you overcome—the mountain, the weather, and the other riders.

MF: Your favorite race?

JS: Road Apple Rally in Farmington, N.M. It’s fast with tight whoops and a sweet singletrack.

MF: How about your favorite rides?

JS: Porcupine Rim in Moab, Monarch Crest Trail, and the test racks (Star Wars) in Durango.

MF: What are your future goals?

JS: To continue racing pro and ride bikes for the rest of my life.

Jeese Swift at work

Because Dean is a small company, Team Dean is a great stepping-stone for up and coming racers.

The majority of its past racers are now racing in the professional ranks.

MF: How did you get your start in riding?

JS: I rode BMX as a kid and got into mountain biking in ninth-grade. My mom got me a trek 850 to ride to swim practice, then I got into trials riding in my senior year. I went to Fort Lewis College in Durango and spent all my time away from

Jennifer Hopkinson-Smith lives in Gunnison, Colorado with her husband, Brian and dog Max. A third year pro mountain bike racer (for West Virginia/Bon Jovi /Cannondale), she is the 2003 Mountain States Cup champion and current New Zealand team member.

Her favorite place to go is Moab, Utah. Favorite rides are the Monarch Crest trail, 403/401 in Crested Butte and hobbies include good coffee and chocolate.

photos by Paige Miller

MF: What role does Team Dean play in company marketing?

JS: Most of Team Dean’s marketing for Dean Bicycles is passive marketing. We do group rides in all our gear on local trails to build awareness of the company and brand. We also have a tent at some races where we offer bicycle support to other racers and display all the race bikes.

Talking to racers and people at races is probably the biggest thing Team Dean does for Dean. I put together a good roster of outgoing people who aren’t afraid to talk with people when they are approached. We get calls from all over the U.S. from customers that say they talked to Racer X about Dean bikes or customers will come into the shop and say they rode with Racer X and that Racer X was real excited about Dean. So mostly the marketing Team Dean does for Dean is just being out there with a strong presence and a great attitude.

MF: Tell us about Team Dean, the sponsors and some of the highlights.

JS: Some of the team highlights include No. 1 MSC titles in overall team title, semipro man, Colorado state champion, No. 1 MSC pro women, No. 1 expert men, and No. 1 NORBA semipro man.

Riders that I am proud to say have ridden for Team Dean include Nat Ross, Mitch Moreman, Ross Schnell, Jon Brown, Jenny Hopkinson-Smith, Brian Smith and Tim Barnes (the guy with the biggest smile, no matter what).

This year we have expanded to 25 riders (see the team roster). Our main focus is on the Mountain States Cup and the two Colorado NORBA Nationals.

Team Dean’s additional focus is to demonstrate a healthy lifestyle through positive riding and racing.

Sponsors for team Dean include Dean titanium bicycles, SRAM, Rock Shox, Zukes Natural pet treats, Honey Stinger energy gels, Giro helmets, The Northface, Victory Circle Graphix, Crank Brothers, Trailcentral.com, Curve Socks and Colorado Organic Sports Drinks.

The 2004 team Dean roster includes

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Mountain Flyer

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The Greasy Thumb

Are you ready to meet Stan?

by Dan Crean

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o, you think you want to ditch the tubes and try Stan’s NoTubes System. You may have heard it’s not as easy as it looks, and that’s correct.

There is a right way to use the system and a wrong way. If you do it the wrong way, it can wreck your eardrums and make your garage look like you hosted a 30-person . . . well, let’s just say that it can get messy. I’m going to let you in on some tips that I’ve learned, some by mistake, some by chance, and hopefully you will avoid getting in trouble with your significant other.

Stan’s NoTubes System is a fairly new product designed to make it possible to use a regular (non-tubeless) mountain bike rim and tire work effectively without a tube. The system also can be used creatively with a USB tubeless rim and a non- tubeless tire or to enhance a normal USB tubeless setup to make it more 10

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reliable and puncture resistant. However you choose to use Stan’s system, it can save weight in the all-important wheels area, save you a lot of trouble with punctures, and best of all, allow you to run lower tire pressure without pinch-flatting.

A complete Stan’s kit consists of a set of special rim strips and a quart of Stan’s special patented liquid latex sealant formula. It will cost you around sixty bucks and includes enough formula to last about one year of tire changes. You also can purchase all the stuff separately.

To begin with, Stan is one of the best resources when looking for help with the NoTubes System. His website is actionpacked with info. He has videos to download and many tips on what to do and what not to do. Check it out at (www.notubes.com).

Some of the tips I’ll give you are on his website and some are not. My goal is

to help you set up Stan’s right, shed some weight to from your steed, and help eliminate the dreaded psssst on the trail.

For starters, make sure you get the right package for your wheel set. Different rims do require different rim strips. The liquid latex is all the same. Stan has been messing with different formulas, and each time they get a little better, but all of them work better than butyl tubes. If your rim has eyelets that go all the way through the rim for the nipples, then you probably need to run the included packing tape strip before using Stan’s rim strip. This adds extra strength and keeps the rim strip from getting sucked down into those holes.

When running a tubeless rim system such as the Mavic Crossmax or Crossroc series, you may still want to run his rim strip. At times I have successfully run a regular (non- UST) tire on a Mavic UST

There is a right way to use the system and a wrong way. If you do it the wrong way it can wreck your eardrums and make your garage look like you hosted a 30-person . . . well, let’s just say it can get messy.

rim (with no rim strip) using only 1.5 scoops of Stan’s formula. I would recommend this only for a lighter rider (under 160 pounds). And if you push the tire into a corner too hard, a “burp” of the tire may mean a blow out, and we all know that can get ugly real fast. If you’re a smaller racer, or you are known for smooth lines and want to count every gram, use this setup, otherwise, use his rim strip or a tubeless tire.

Another tip when using a Mavic tubeless rim is to get a strip of adhesive 3/8” foam insulation from a hardware store (see photo). What this does is get Stan’s rim strip to lay flatter on the rim instead of making a “V.” Trust me, this saves a lot of time and effort when trying to get your tire on. All told, this little strip weighs in at a little over 10 grams and is worth every bit.

Most of the Stan’s rim strips nowadays have his valve stem with a removable core. This handy little feature allows you to add more latex down the road without breaking the tire bead. Stan’s formula does not last forever. It turns into funny little rubbery balls (you’ll see), and it will be less effective over time and should be replaced, or replenished. This is the reason for the handy removable core. If your strip doesn’t have it, don’t worry–the latex usually lasts about as long as your tire does, and you can still add more fluid by unseating a small section of tire. If you are one of those people who run a WTB VelociRaptor until it looks like a semislick, then you should make sure you get the removable core rim strip.

The key to using Stan’s sealant is shaking the mixture. The stuff settles out fast within the container, and Stan recommends shaking the bottle upside down vigorously before pouring. This gets the stuff into solution and makes sure that both tires get equal amounts of the good funky crystals that make Stan’s work.

Seating the tire bead onto the rim can be the easiest or most difficult part of the process. Here are some tips to help you out: To begin with, not all tires are created

For about $60, you get a Stan’s tubeless kit that includes everything you need (special latex formula, rim strips, rim tape) to set up two wheels. Be prepared for the work to get a little bit messy. Take care to avoid getting it in your eyes (goggles are recommended) as it can cause blindness.

Stan’s special liquid latex formula can be used to make a regular non-tubeless tire work on a tubeless rim without any rim strip.

equal. Some go on much easier than others. I have had the best luck with Kenda tires, and Stan will agree with me.

However, I have tried most of the other tires on the market, including Panaracer, Hutchinson, WTB, Continental, Bontrager, Maxxis, and Schwalble, and I have gotten all of them to work–some easier than others–but they all work.

Here’s another tip: Try to seat the tire without having the Stan’s sealant in the tire. Use a strong mixture of liquid soap to water (1/4:1 mixture). Use a spray bottle and squirt this around the bead of the tire.

This will act as a lubricant, allowing the tire and rim to interface and seal. The reason for doing this is to get one side of the tire firmly seated into the rim. If you get it Mountain Flyer

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Right now you’re probably thinking, “Is this worth it?” It sounds like a lot of trouble to go through. Yes, it is worth it.

When installing a Stan’s NoTubes rim strip on a UST rim, you can use 3/8” adhesive foam insulation to help the rim strip seat correctly.

Immediately after the tire is pumped up, some air will leak out along the bead until the liquid latex formula seals the tire to the rim.

Stan’s liquid latex formula can be a little chunky out of the bottle. This is fine. The crystals do the work.

to “pop” into place, let the air out and remove only one side of the bead half of the way (enough to get the goop inside).

Rotate the tire 180 degrees and push the bead back on. Never inflate the tire beyond 65 p.s.i. This pressure is even too high for most mountain bike tires and you could snap the bead. Stan recommends that you inflate to only 5 p.s.i. over your normal riding pressure.

If you cannot get the tire to seat on the rim, there’s a good possibility that the tire bead could be kinked. When tires are packaged in their neat little boxes, they are often folded, creating a kink or bend.

To help iron this out, I have learned to inflate the tire on the rim using a regular tube. If you allow the tire to sit on the rim for several minutes (or even overnight if you have time), the kink will unfold and help seat the tire bead with better contact against the rim.

If you are going to skip seating the tire onto the rim with an inner tube (trust me, I’ve done this with unexpected tire changes right before a race), make sure both beads are sitting in the center of the rim, except for the area around the valve core. Use care when rotating the tire so as not to lose a ton of Stan’s (this stuff stains). The best bet for getting the tire to seat is to use an air compressor. A good floor pump will work, but it may also work you.

Stan would never recommend you use a CO2 cartridge to inflate the tire; however, in a race situation, Carl Swenson used a cartridge to re-inflate a torn sidewall and had enough success to continue racing. The CO2 comes out way too cold and reacts with the Stan’s with negative effects. I would say that the best way to fix a major flat is by installing a tube. If you lose a small amount of air from a small puncture, you can usually re-inflate the tire by using a mini pump. If you still hear some leakage, put that section of the tire at the bottom and shake–allowing the Stan’s to do its job.

Right now you’re probably thinking, “Is this worth it?” It sounds like a lot of trouble to go through. Yes, it is worth it.

Jeremy Horgan-Kobelski used Stan’s in a tubeless tire last year at every race and never got a flat. He even had a 10-millimeter tear in his sidewall only 5 minutes into last year’s Tour of the Canyonlands in Moab, Utah, and went on to win that race, never stopping to fix the gash. In fact, the entire team used Stan’s all season and had only two race flats that were no fault of Stan’s.

So, I’ve either convinced you or scared the hell out of you. All I can say is that this stuff, when used properly, will help you avoid most flats. Flats suck. I’ve never had a ride when getting a flat was the best part of the ride. Enjoy, relax, and remember–it’s only a bicycle.

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Dan Crean, a.k.a. Creanbeans, was destined to be the next world champion mountain biker.

However this dream ended soon after he realized that training sucks. The enticing draw of bike parts at cost and low wages drew him into the bike industry. After 12 years of P.O.S. repairs, cleaning toilets, and dealing with “the man”, he went professional. He has been the mechanic for the RLX Mountain Bike team for two years and has helped send two of their athletes to the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Numerous NORBA wins and podium visits have occurred solely because of his wrenching abilities and had nothing to do with the riders or their skill. He can speak five different languages.

However, the only words he knows how to say are “hello” and “excuse me”. In three languages he can say, “One more please”, a very helpful phrase in bar situations. Stop by and see him at the RLX tent at any of theNORBA events.

He usually signs autographs between 12:00 and 1:00 p.m., and if you call him “Camp Jeep World Champion” he’ll give you a sticker…. Oooooh!!

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The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame

Joe Breeze on the Breezer Villager with Mt. Tam in the Background.

Photo by Connie Breeze

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by Susan Medville

The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum Crested Butte, Colo.

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sing bicycles for recreation is a relatively new concept. The bicycle is still, more or less, a form of transportation. We just like riding them so much that we will travel just for the sake of covering ground on a bike, even though we have nowhere important to go. In many ways, this is a shame. We will drive 20 miles to go for a bike ride. If we all rode our bikes to work and for errands around town, we really could save a considerable amount of fuel. In many Rocky Mountain towns, the townie bike is a basic part of the culture.

It’s a matter of convenience.

Mountain Bike hall of famer Joe Breeze has always recognized the value of the townie in these little Rocky Mountain towns, and now after helping turn the town bike into the first mountain bike, Joe Breeze is bringing the townie back to the city.

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For Joe Breeze back in California, the concept of the bike as a practical and fun means of transportation was nothing new.

You know it’s a good party in Crested ing grounds for development of modern Butte, Colo., when you have to step over day mountain biking. It seems that the rows of town bikes just to get to the whole mountain biking movement door. Here town bikes are part of our developed as a progressive step from culture–almost everyone rides one. It just townie riding. makes more sense to ride your townie to Townie riding became the thing to do the store, the Post Office, the bank, or a in Crested Butte, partially because of friend’s house than Albert Maunz and it does to drive or Steve Baker. walk. Walking is Maunz moved to slow and parking Crested Butte in your car is a pain.

1971. He worked Crested Butte is as a fire fighter on bike friendly, the the local Hotshot streets are flat, and Crew and enjoyed the speed limit for his evenings at the autos is 15 mph.

Grubstake Saloon.

Even though The Grubstake, Crested Butte is a owned partially by Joe Breeze welding one of the first ten Breezers on his Judy Nauberg, small mountain welding jig, 1977. Photo by Wende Cragg town at the end of served as the social the road, Joe center for Crested Breeze sees the town’s bike culture and its Butte’s newer residents in the 1960s (that benefits as a possibility for Middle is, the ski bums, hippies, and anyone else America. who moved to town at the time).

The first time Breeze, a Mountain Bike According to Maunz, the tradition of Hall of Fame Charter Inductee and the town bike riding in Crested Butte really creator of Breezer Bicycles, came to started with Steve Baker. Baker blew out Crested Butte in 1978, he found a comhis knee in a construction accident in the munity that shared some of his visions for summer of 1971. He found an old cruiser a bike friendly world. Breeze came to and began riding it to the Grubstake rather Crested Butte to ride the “Third Annual, than limping there. The practicality caught Second Actual Pearl Pass Clunker Tour,” a on. Why walk or drive after a few cockpivotal event in the history of mountain tails when you could cruise? Maunz and biking. The tour brought together Crested Baker took a trip to Denver and purchased Butte riders and Marin County, Calif., a load of bikes and bike parts at a junkriders for the first time. The two groups yard. They brought the load back to had been developing the new sport simulNauberg’s garage and started assembling taneously, and this like-mindedness what they could from the salvaged materiextended into the use of bikes for everyals, putting together townies that they sold day transportation. In Crested Butte, for around $20.

Breeze found it wonderful that everyone From that point on town bikes became cruised around town on bikes. a regular Crested Butte fixture. Mountain Crested Butte’s bike culture goes way biking came later after folks figured it back in history. The Elk Mountain Pilot would be fun to take their cruisers out to reported that gentlemen raced their nearby trails. Then, since that was such a scorchers in the streets in the early 1900s. blast, why not drive the bikes up to Photos taken in the 1940s and 50s and Paradise Divide (elevation 12,000 feet) now hanging at the Crested Butte Mt. and bomb back down to town (elevation Heritage Museum show folks tooling 8,500 feet) on the bikes, and roll on into around town on their bikes. Crested Butte the Grubstake for a cold one. is also considered one of the early breedThe first Pearl Pass Tour took place in 16

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the summer of 1976 as a way to prove to Aspen motocross bikers which type of biker was tougher and who knew how to have more fun. A group of Grubstake friends took two days to ride over to Aspen and then stayed to party at the Hotel Jerome. The tradition of mountain bike touring was born.

For Joe Breeze back in California, the concept of the bike as a practical and fun means of transportation was nothing new.

In the 1950s, his father Bill commuted to work by bike from their home in Mill Valley to Sausalito. Breeze found freedom as a fifth grader riding a bike to friends’ houses and to the local bowling alley five miles away. A bike and a boy in the 1960s meant independence.

His first road bike, a Dawes Galaxy, gave him the opportunity to travel farther and faster. When Breeze was 14, he and his brother Richard, 15, hit the road. Their first adventure took them on bikes from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe, covering more than 200 miles. Not everyone understood the idea of biking on the highway, and the California Highway Patrol pulled over the boys as runaways. On their second adventure, the brothers brought along

Joe Breeze rounding hairpin #4 on Breezer #1, Repack October, 1977. Photo by Wende Cragg

a notarized letter from their parents explaining that it was permissible for them to travel from Mill Valley to Sequoia National Park on their bikes, without any adult supervision.

The love of bikes continued for Breeze as he grew older. He discovered road racing, but more significantly, he discovered the adrenaline-charged thrill of bombing down the bone-rattling dirt roads of Mt. Tam, launching him into designing and building in 1977 what are now widely considered the first modern mountain bikes. Designed specifically for riding off-road, his bikes were built with all-new parts and called Breezers.

Today, most of the town bikes in Crested Butte have a good deal of character and are genuinely cherished by their owners. Town bikes vary from the retired mountain bike such as a pink Moots titanium to 1940s-era Schwinns and everything else in between. Many of the bikes have baskets for mail and groceries. Most people respect that the bikes belong to someone they probably know and the bikes are generally left unlocked. Not having to lock the bike lends itself nicely to the convenience factor. However, most of the townies here are older and quite heavy; they are only practical for short commutes.

Breeze has envisioned a bike that would work for everyone. This vision was planted at the tender age of 17 on his first trip to Holland in 1971. There he saw families riding bikes, carpenters and plumbers commuting to jobs on bikes with their tools in tow, businessmen wheeling their way to work or the train.

Today in Holland, 30 percent of the population’s trips from their homes are by bicycle. In the United States only one percent of trips are made by bicycle.

Breeze’s goal is to increase the number of people riding bikes in America. To fulfill this goal, he is now providing the public with usefully equipped bikes that are convenient and comfortable for everyday riding to work or the store.

In 2002 Breeze joined forces with John Doidge, a long-time bicycle advocate who had worked 30 years in the healthcare field. Doidge commuted to his office in Pasadena. Yet he had become frustrated with the fact that he could not find a bike built right for easy transportation. Bicycle advocate Deb Hubsmith, who was featured in the book Divorce Your Car, connected Doidge with Breeze in 2001. The next year Breeze and Doidge started the SimpliCity Cycle Company.

The company’s new Breezer bikes are designed to be comfortable, light and outfitted with what the commuter needs. The townies weigh in at a light 31 pounds compared to the European town bikes, which often weigh closer to 50 pounds.

Each Breezer bike comes with lights, mud fenders, a bell, baskets, a built-in lock and easy shifting. This is a bike designed as a transportation tool and is currently carried by 175 dealers nation-wide.

With his new bikes, Breeze has developed a useful bike for the common person and is getting the secret out about how we can all get healthy going places while having fun and saving time. It seems as if the movement is once again happening simultaneously, similar to the mountain bike

movement in Crested Butte and Marin.

People in Crested Butte are simply riding their townies and perhaps a tourist or visitor from Boulder might pick up the idea and give it a whirl at home.

In Marin, Breeze and the people there are taking a more pro-active approach to promoting pedaling to the public. The people of Marin are working on the 20-20 Vision Project. The mission of the project is to have 20 percent of all trips taken in Marin County by the year 2020 take place by foot or on bicycles, which would be a marked improvement over the current rates.

Breeze said that a national-model Safe Routes to Schools program, installed in the county, that encourages children to ride and walk to school has greatly increased kids’ trips by bike in just a few years.

Perhaps once again the trends of these two communities will take the nation by storm and provide all of America with a healthier and more practical way of getting from one place to the next.

Susan Medville is the Director of the Crested Butte Mt. Heritage Museum, which houses the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. The Museum is located in an 1883 Hardware store, which also served as a Conoco Station for over 50 years. She enjoys riding her 1979 Ross three-speed around town and her fancy mountain bike with lots of travel up and down everywhere else.

The Mountain Bike Hall of Fame and Museum is located at 331 Elk Avenue in Crested Butte, Colo. Founded in 1988, the Hall of Fame has worked to recognize the people who have significantly affected mountain biking.

Many of those individuals are still cycling advocates today. This column will take a look at what those people are up to now. For more information on the Hall of Fame, check out: www.mtnbikehalloffame.com.

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Keeping it Fun Training

Training with Sue Demo

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by Susan “Sue Demo” DeMattei

t this point in the road or mountain bike race season, the majority of events have come and gone, and you’ve probably attained your best fitness of the year. This sits well for most people, but what if you have some race goals that won’t come to fruition until August, September, or October? How do you stay motivated, physically and mentally, for the long haul? Here are a few scenarios I’ve used over the years to maintain a sense of excitement for these late season goals.

Take time off the bike. It’s as

simple as that. Getting away from your steed will get you to MISS it, so try some other activities to lessen the monotony of cycling. If you’re a strict roadie, hop on a mountain bike. Dirt lovers should try out a road bike. Go swimming, trail running, play tennis, get out of shape, and just change the routine so that you’re eager to get back to your cycle of choice.

Ride with different people.

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of people with different strengths will improve your fitness and add an unexpected element of fun. Jump in the local bike shop or club ride. For a solid, stress-free workout, take part in a local race series.

Enlist the help of the strongest riders you know. My favorite ride of the week is our local bike shop ride, where I’m assured of getting an incredible work-out, spending time with friends, and hanging on for dear life. Even if I have to drag my sorry butt over there each week, I’m always in a better state of mind when it’s done.

Commit to a goal. Let others

know what you plan to do in these later months, so that they can keep tabs on your progress. There’s nothing like someone asking you “how the training is coming along” to get you out the door.

Keep it fun. If you find yourself

making excuses for poor performances (constantly), being a grump more than normal, and really suffering in the attitude department, chances are that you need to lighten up. Most cyclists I know have

great senses of humor, my hubby included. His attitude is so refreshing and welcome after so many years that I’m hoping some of it wears off on me.

Yes, racing is challenging in many ways, but we’re not rocket scientists here, so put it in perspective.

Get injured or sick. Not really,

but I’ve yet to see a case where someone who sustained an injury (collarbone, stress fracture, etc.) or an illness that put them out of competition for a while didn’t come back stronger and more hungry. I’m not advocating getting hurt, but be patient if you are—you’ll see continued improvements in strength and fitness before you know it.

Be rested. To those with children

and/or real jobs, good luck in this department! It really does help though, if you can start those tough workouts with a good night’s sleep behind you, and maybe some time off of your feet.

You’ve exerted a lot of energy by this time of year, so cajoling any more out of that tired body requires feeling refreshed every now and then.

Adapt. This comes easier for some

than others. Things happen during the season that are out of our control (injury, social engagements, weddings, foul weather, etc.), so rather than lament them, fixate on another positive situation and take steps to make IT happen.

Trying to set goals for a few local races this year has been a challenge for me because at least one of my kids seems to constantly be sick; I’m lucky if the bug doesn’t spread to me. That’s the deal, though, and I’m learning that instead of being frustrated at having to change plans at a moment’s notice, it’s best to look ahead and try again.

Keep it short. Unless you’re train-

ing for some marathon-type events, you should have more than enough base miles by now, so don’t waste energy on long rides that take days to recover from.

Susan DeMattei’s focused but lighthearted training style always kept her at the top of the World Cup standings.

(O.K., some people like being in their saddles for over three hours; I’m not one of them.)

In a nutshell, mix it up.

Varying your routine will benefit every aspect of your fitness. If any of these examples don’t help, I’d suggest Starbuck’s Coffee Almond Fudge ice cream; it always changes my attitude.

Susan DeMattei Although I’ve been retired from the racing circuit for eight years, I still enjoy my mountain bike rides; living in Gunnison for the past 10 years has enabled me to get out and see the sights, starting most rides from my front door. Raising my three boys has kept me busy since retirement, but I try to teach MTB clinics whenever possible, and I stay up on the latest bike related “stuff” through my husband, Dave Wiens, who still slogs it out with the other pros on most summer week-ends.

Some favorite moments from my past include, but aren’t limited to: 1990 National Champion, 1994 Silver Medalist at Vail World Championships, Bronze Medal at 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA. Competing on the national and World Cup circuits were a wonderful way for me to see the world, meet some stellar people, and challenge myself both physically and mentally.

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Health and Injury Prevention

Water Intoxication

A life-threatening condition

by Gloria Beim, MD

Hydration—when to hydrate and how often—can trip up the best of athletes.

Many people are misinformed when it comes to sports hydration. Ironically, many athletes try so hard to avoid dehydration that they become water intoxicated instead —-a condition that can be as debilitating as dehydration.

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Water intoxication, or drinking too much water, causes hyponatremia, a potentially life-threatening condition. Out on the trail, when you sweat and drink too much plain water, the salt in your body is depleted and your sodium levels can drop dangerously low. The cells in your body tissues, lungs and brain absorb too much water. Symptoms of hyponatremia include nausea, fatigue, vomiting, weakness and sleepiness. In extreme cases, your brain swells, causing seizures or a coma.

The incidence of hyponatremia has risen with the advent of ultradistance triathlons, Ironman competitions and other extreme athletic events. Many endurance competitions have an abundance of water available to the athletes and they are often encouraged to drink as much as they can.

Thirst doesn’t come too late either. If you are thirsty, it doesn’t mean that you are already dehydrated, so don’t worry about preventing thirst altogether. When your body needs fluids, it will tell you and then you can drink.

Elite athletes don’t have time to overload on water so they are generally pretty safe. However, non-elite marathoners who run and or walk the distance in more than five hours often take advantage of every water station and before you know it these people may have added 5% of their body weight in water and this can be fatal.

A woman can kill herself if she puts on 5.5 pounds of fluid during a competition.

One 35-year-old-man had severely depleted sodium levels at an Ironman Triathlon after finishing the race in 14 hours. He began having seizures at the finish and was found to have gained 7 pounds during the race. He was estimated to have consumed 23 liters of fluid during the race. He continued to have seizures for the following two days and was released from the hospital on day 8. If he had consumed far less water and more sodium (contained in sports drinks), this potentially fatal condition could have been prevented.

Several reports of physicians misdiagnosing athletes with dehydration have been reported. Unfortunately these ath-

letes were treated with oral or even IV fluids. This can make the hyponatremia far worse and has caused fatalities. A cyclist who is acting unusual during or after a race is not necessarily dehydrated and may have to be treated with salt replenishment, not fluids.

So how do you know if you have hyponatremia? Well if you have been hydrating and your performance is impaired (you are slowing down significantly), you may have water intoxication.

Early treatment of hyponatremia is salt replenishment with foods such as salty pretzels or bananas. The best treatment, however, is prevention.

Here are some tips for preventing hyponatremia: • If you are going to participate in a long race, try to train in a similar environment for 10 to 14 days before gradually building workout intensity and duration.

• Weigh yourself daily before and after training and before the race to see if you are over or underhydrating.

• Check your urine 30 minutes before the race. If it is dark, drink fluids before the race.

• Be aware of the temperature and humidity and how much you are sweating.

• Favor a diluted sports drink for replenishment rather than plain water.

• Avoid caffeine or carbonated drinks.

• Add salt to your foods a few days prior to the race (if you don’t have high blood pressure and you have no medically directed dietary salt restrictions).

• Eat something with salt (pretzels) during the last half of the race.

Some experts also recommend avoiding nonsteriodal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as Ibuprofen, Advil or Motrin on the day of a race. These drugs may predispose athletes to hyponatremia.

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is safe on race day.

So don’t drown in your enthusiasm to stay hydrated. Your body is pretty well equipped to manage endurance events if

Always carry water but use good judgement in the amount you drink.

you are well-trained and it will let you know when to replenish. When you do replenish, use diluted electrolyte or sports drinks.

Gloria Beim is a board certified Orthopaedic Surgeon with fellowship training in shoulder surgery, knee surgery, arthroscopy and sports medicine.

Dr. Beim founded Alpine Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine Clinic, located on the Western Slope of the Colorado Rockies, and holds clinics at four sites—Crested Butte, Mt. Crested Butte, Gunnison and Telluride, Colo. She is the physician for the United States Track Cycling Team and a team physician for Western State College Athletics in Gunnison.

She is a member of the Olympic Sports Medicine Society for Sports medicine and is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Most recently, Dr. Beim has been chosen to be team physician for the USA cycling team at the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Greece.

In addition to publishing in numerous professional journals and textbooks, Dr. Beim is a reviewer for the American Journal of Sports medicine and the author of The Female Athlete’s Body Book. She has appeared as an authority in sports medicine in a number of TV newscasts including The Today Show.

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Learning to Drink

Misdiagnosis and a case of water intoxication

by Angie Lortie

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told myself it was going to be like any other long day on the bike. I had ridden more than 100 miles in one day before, and I actually enjoyed ridiculously long days in the saddle. The only difference today was that my riding partners consisted of two or three hundred spandex-clad racers of all calibers. I figured I would just ignore them and go my own pace. I was not a racer—never intended to be—just looking for adventure.

Weeks before I embarked on this endurance ride, I had heard all kinds of advice from veteran racers—all reverberating the words “be sure and hydrate.”

People even warned me to stock up on fluids a few days before the event. Well, I’ve never been a drinker. My husband, an ex-racer, always looks at me in dismay at the small amounts I consume. But I’d never done such a ride in a race setting, so I figured I’d better heed their words. First lesson learned: don’t let others’ (wellmeaning) advice steer you from what you know works for your own body.

At mile 50, I felt great. I’d kept a steady pace and slowly reeled the eager sprinters in. No problemo. I passed the dudes who felt stopping to pee was too time prohibitive, so they just did it in their shorts. The Tour de France this wasn’t.

Peeew!

At mile 60, I took two Ibuprofen tablets to head off an old familiar ache before it became an issue. Curiously, I had been peeing fairly regularly up until this point. The next 20 miles were in desertlike heat, ending with a brutal climb up to the next aid station at mile 80. From there it was downhill and only another

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20 miles and less than 2,000 feet of climbing to the finish.

Descending into the heat, I passed my sweety husband, also racing and going the opposite direction, climbing out of the heat. “Hi honey!” I was having such a great day. All he could say was “Be sure and drink through this next section!” Well okay then. He was right—it was hot.

People were pulled off to the side of the trail seeking shade and some were puking.

Great.

I’d eaten throughout the day, sucked on salt tablets, drank my electrolyte drinks.

After mile 60 however, I stopped urinating. That is strange for a woman with a bladder the size of a pea. I thought, “I must be getting dehydrated”. Climbing up to mile 80, I started to feel strange.

Metallic is the only way I can describe it.

I sucked on more electrolyte tabs and ate some turkey jerky.

At mile 80, after removing my sunglasses, an aid station worker asked if I felt okay. “Pretty good, but a little strange”, I said. She was probably horrified at the sight of my bloodshot eyes. Contacts and dry dusty roads don’t mix. I grabbed a handful of chips and the salt was so tangy on my tongue.

Second lesson learned: listen to your body—those chips tasted good, right? I needed salt. What I got were cautionary words to sit down, take a load off and rest a minute. So I sat with some miserable looking dudes who were keeled over, wrapped in wool blankets, puking and shivering. It’s 80 degrees out here! These guys were suffering heat stroke and dehydration.

So of course the one over-worked medical tech took one look at my bloodshot eyes and dilated pupils and told me “your body is exhausted and dehydrated and shutting down”. What words of comfort, I thought. I’m sure it didn’t help that I had the words “Hydrate or die” across my forehead (on an old hand-medown headband) when he was diagnosing me. At this point, he took away my electrolyte drink, asked its ingredients and informed me the protein in it was dehydrating me. “Just stay here and drink some plain water,” I was instructed.

“That’s so strange that I would be dehydrated,” I told him, describing how much I had consumed, what I had eaten, the two pain-relievers I had taken 20 miles back. “Don’t worry, you’re just a little dehydrated and tired,” he assured me.

Laying there, sipping on water, I began to feel worse. Walking to the bathroom, I could barely walk a straight line. I had pressure in my bladder but could barely urinate. I felt extremely tired all of a sudden. I was urged to take a ride with the truck and not finish the race. Scared, I listened to their words “just keep drinking as much as you can” as they filled my Camelbak.

During the ride down, my limbs began to feel tingly. I noticed my forearms and hands were swollen. I felt as though I was so sleepy I might pass out. My breathing was becoming difficult and felt raspy. The driver stopped to say hello to a course worker/EMT on the side of the road.

Scared and knowing something was not right and getting worse, I told the EMT my symptoms. He looked at me like I was

crazy and told me I was going to be fine, I was probably just dehydrated. The other passengers in the truck told me to just keep drinking.

Two hours from the time I arrived at mile 80, I stumbled out of the truck at the finish and puked what seemed like gallons of water. That felt good. Everyone wanted me to lie down, but I was scared I might pass out. Thankfully I did, because I lost control of my muscles and started convulsing. My heartbeat was weak and erratic, so they put me on oxygen and thought I was going into cardiac arrest.

I felt as though I was in a tunnel and about to slip. Everyone was yelling at me to stay awake.

The ambulance driver hooked me up to a heart monitor and an IV to pump me with more fluids, at which point my chest felt as though I had a stack of encyclopedias on it, with someone on top of them. He noticed my heart rate was becoming even more erratic. He stopped the IV and asked if that felt better. “Maybe.” I responded. He asked all kinds of questions about what I took—anything with ephedra? “Nope.”

He fed me nitroglycerin tablets, had the defibrillators out and called me into the hospital as an emergency cardiac patient. I thought: “I can’t believe this is happening to me.”

Once in the hospital, I was a baffling case to the doctors. They continued with the IV. After monitoring my heart and drawing blood, they determined my electrolytes were the cause of my heart problems. They increased the electrolytes in my IV. Hours later I was able to urinate. And boy did I go. The nurses got so tired of emptying my bedpan, they finally wheeled in the throne: a portable potty. My puffy skin deflated.

It was almost midnight before I felt I could breathe normally and my head was not so fuzzy. After an evening on the monitors and long interviews with the doctors, it was determined that I had suffered hyponatremia. My electrolytes upon entering the hospital were at a level that bordered coma inducing.

Angie herself—not very thirsty here!

Strange. If only I hadn’t stopped at that aid station. I had been under their watch for two hours (including the ride down) and was slowly drowning.

My conclusion: before you take advice from others, know what your body needs and listen to it closely. More water is not necessarily better.

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Carter Lake Road Race April 18 Carter Lake, Colo.

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he obvious story at the Carter Lake Road Race was the obstinate, dry, pestering, in-your-face, 50 mph Colorado Rocky Mountain springtime wind. Despite the weather deterrent, hundreds of racers showed up because Carter Lake is one of the most scenic and exciting springtime road race courses available to the Front Range peleton.

With plenty of climbing and scary-fast descents, the Carter Lake race was a test of skill and determination. Only the strongest survived to the finish.

The pro 1,2 men roll off to a fast start.

The category 3 men’s peleton battles the wind coming in from the west.

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photos by B.P. Evanitsky

The pro 1,2,3 woman’s field split up early on the climb. Ann Trombley (Excel Sports) takes a pull for eventual winner Kori Kelly (Genesis Scuba/FFCC) and 2nd place finisher Brooke Ourada (Victory Brewing Cycling Team).

The men’s pro 1,2,3 peleton reaches the top of the climb. Andrew Bajadali (OFOTO/Lambardi Sports), on his way to winning the men’s Pro 1,2 race, sits comfortably in third place on Mike Janelle’s (Tokyo Joe’s) wheel.

Racers were engulfed each time they crossed the south dam. The dust storm was so bad that course marshals used push brooms (seriously) to keep the road clear of sand blowing off the beach.

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Tour of Canyonlands Mountain States Cup #1 April 25 Moab, Utah

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his year’s Mountain States Cup Opener had a typically large turnout. The weather was perfect but the 2004 Tour of Canyonlands will forever be remembered for a tragic accident that took the life of Benjamin Hall.

It seems unfair to say that anybody was clearly at fault for the accident.

A combination of circumstances led to Benjamin’s collision with an oncoming truck. The race course was open to traffic and it was a particularly busy weekend on Kane Creek Road.

We have yet to see what policy changes may stem from the accident but one thing is certain: everyone who ever crossed his path will sorely miss the colorful character and smiling, bearded face of Benjamin Hall.

Len Zanni #103 (Honey Stinger), who later finished second to Brian Lugers, takes a flyer at the start of the expert men’s 30-34 age class. Paige Miller photo

Brian Smith (Trek/Volkswagen), giving it 180% as usual, puts the rest of the pro men’s field on the ropes at the top of the first climb. Showing no respect for his head cold, Brian won the race with a definitive 1:13 lead over second place finisher Carl Swenson (RLX). B.P. Evanitsky photo

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Jennifer Smith #32 (WV/Bon Jovi/Cannondale) and Chantal Thompson #21 push each other to an early lead while Heather Irmiger leads the chase.

Jennifer went on to win the race making it a weekend ruled by the Smith family. B.P. Evanitsky photo

Heather Irmiger (Tokyo Joe’s) focuses on some typical Moab terrain while descending the Amasa Back trail. Heather eventually flatted minutes from the finish but got back on in time to finish second.

Paige Miller photo

Jim Reed splashes through the refreshment of Kane Creek on his way to finishing 2nd to the aging but not slowing Dawes Wilson in the expert 50+ age class.

B.P. Evanitsky photo

Mike West (Giant/OSO Energy) drools a little at the thought of getting back on his bike after hiking up (from the valley floor in the background) the infamous Jacob’s Latter. Mike hammered the Amasa Back descent to finish 6th in the Pro class.

B.P. Evanitsky photo

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Iron Horse Bicycle Classic May 28–30 Durango, Colo.

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he Iron Horse is true to its name, a classic. It started back in the day when Jim and Tom Mayer dreamt up the idea of racing the train to Silverton.

Jim worked as an engineer for the D&RGW railroad, which had run the steam locomotive to Silverton since the 1880s. Tom was a cycling enthusiast, so one day he challenged older brother Jim to a race.

Tom saddled up on his steel 10-speed bicycle while Jim was given the easier job of riding the Iron Horse. This became a tradition and eventually Tom became fit enough to beat the train.

Today, the road race still starts with the train and is one of the very few high mountain road races in the Rocky Mountains that boasts the luxury of having the road completely closed to traffic during the race.

What makes the Iron Horse a true classic event is the number of high quality events offered over the threeday Memorial Day weekend. This year the events included the road race, a high-paced criterium in downtown Durango, and of course, the mountain bike cross-country.

If you’re gonna suffer like a beast of burden, you might as well do it in paradise. Ben Duke (JDR-Trek/VW) puts it behind him with the beautiful San Juan’s in the background.

Scott Moninger (Health Net) and Drew Miller (Landis/Trek/VW) punishing each other near the top of the pass. The race ended in a sprint. Moninger took it by 1 second winning the race in 2:17:23.

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photos by Dean Howard

Frank Mapel (Specialized/Coka-Cola) digging deep and perhaps wishing he could find just a little bit more.

Eszter Horanyi (University of Colorado) put in a good effort to finish 3rd in the Expert Woman 19-34 Cross-Country.

Somehow-always-in-form Ned Overend (Specialized) leads the pro men’s race up Chapman Hill at the start of the Cross-Country as Travis Brown (Trek/VW), Eric Jones (Biogen-Idec), and Brian Smith (Trek/VW) follow their elder. After it was all said and done, Jones won the race, Brown was a close 2nd, and Overend was 4th.

The Pro Womans Race was very competitive, especially among the locals. Here, Marisa Asplund from Durango sees the white ghost on her way to a 4th place finish in the Senior Womans I,II,III race. Another Durango local, Irene Merier won the race in 2:41:55.

Jimi Mortinson (Specialized) stealing 3rd from teammate Ned Overend (Specialized).

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Teva Mountain Games June 3–6 Vail, Colo.

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he Teva Mountain Games, promoted by Untraditional Marketing, LLC of Vail, is an exemplary event. Every race promoter out there should take a close look at this affair.

The Teva Mountain Games offers a full weekend of entertainment with seemingly endless competitions. The Vail Village was so crowded with spectators and athletes waiting to compete, you may have thought it was anything but off-season in a Colorado ski town.

Throughout the weekend, top athletes faced off in kayaking, climbing, adventure racing, trail running, mountain biking, road biking, and speed trials. With a two-hour Jurassic Five concert and a huge party in one of Vail’s hippest clubs, the nightlife rivaled homecoming weekend at CU. Of course, as far as the athletes were concerned, the best thing about this event was the presence of Mr. Greenbacks. There is nothing like the chances of winning actual prize money to stiffen up the competition. Every event boasted a prize list three deep with the winner taking home $1,000 to $1,500.

The mountain bike event was short, sweet, and steep. With only three laps on a 5-mile racecourse, and 1,000 bucks on the line, you may have deduced that the pace was fast from the gun.

In the women’s race, Jennifer Smith and Melissa Thomas battled it out with Smith pulling away on the climb and Thomas reeling her back in on the slightly sketchy descent. On the last lap,

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Mike Janelle pulled his best time trial suit out of the closet and earned himself a 4th place finish.

Note the name LeMond scribed on the pavement—a remnant from the days of the Coors Classic.

Smith maxed out on the climb and held Thomas off with 40 seconds to spare.

The men’s race was pretty stacked.

The lure of cash enticed the likes of Travis Brown, Jay Henry, Jimi Mortenson, and Alex Hagman. The attacks started right from the gun and kept coming through the mid-point of the climb.

By the time the leaders reached the top, Brown, Mortenson, Henry, and Hagman had created a 30-second gap over the next riders. Hagman flatted on the first descent and never quite got back in it. After 51 minutes of racing at or above lactate threshold, Brown rolled

in first for the big check with Mortenson and Henry following.

The cycling continued Sunday with the 1st Bank Vail Hill Climb. Held on the Old Vail Pass Road (parallel to I-70), this time trial was a novelty because it is the same course used during the original Coors Classic back in the early 80’s. It’s a narrow and steep road that’s closed to motor vehicles, and best of all, you can still find the names LeMond and Riis painted on the pavement from the Coors Classic.

Jimi Mortenson and Melissa Thomas posted the best times of the day.

The Speed Trials made for a great show and kept the crowd entertained. Chris Clark won the event by staying smooth and not getting injured.

Here’s proof that prize money is good for the industry; Travis Sheafer took home $750 for winning the expert cross-country race at the Teva Mountain Games. He went home to Gunnison and put the money down on a shiny new Tomac mountain bike. He was still smiling three weeks later.

If you made it onto the podium at the Teva Mountain Games, it meant you took home some money. Travis Brown, left, and Jennifer Smith, above, received big checks to match their big smiles.

photos by B.P. Evanitsky

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Wild Flower Rush Mountain States Cup #5

June 26–27 Crested Butte, Colo.

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at Tire Bike Week is one of the longest standing mountain bike festivals in the country. Hall of Famer Kay Peterson-Cooke created it back in the early 80s.

In the past, the mountain bike race was known for being an epic adventure traversing some of the sickest singletrack trails in the area. The course varied from year to year, sometimes using the legendary combination of Snodgrass trail to Trail 403 to Trail 401 back over the ski area to the Town of Mount Crested Butte.

In other years, racers would be subjected to the Ferris Creek/Deer Creek to Gothic route. Regardless of the course, it was always epic, mostly singletrack (waste-deep in wildflowers and skunk cabbage), and you were guaranteed to experience scenic overload during the race.

The Crested Butte Chamber of Commerce now manages Fat Tire Bike Week and the race has been aptly dubbed the Wild Flower Rush, stop No. 5 of the Mountain States Cup. The race course has been moved to a network of trails within the boundary Crested Butte Mountain ski resort. Huge elevation gains and a lengthy system of tight weaving singletrack make it one of the cruelest races on the circuit.

This year, the weather was typical Rocky Mountain summer weather, meaning it changed every 10 minutes.

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In the subtle but competitive single speed race, past Colorado Off Road Point Series Champion Mike Skellion (#175) came out of the single speed closet and crushed the rest of the onies.

Colorado, wait five minutes. By the end of the race, the sun was out again and the trails were tacky and fast.

In the pro men’s race, Brian Smith (Trek/VW), true to form, took off like a wailing banshee, creating a 25-meter gap in the first three minutes. As the race unfolded, Mitchell Moreman (Hassle Free Sports), Nick Gould (Santa Cruz), and Cody Peterson (3D Racing) took up the chase. Three laps and over 6,000 feet of climbing later Smith had created another decent gap over Peterson, seemingly with the race in the bag.

Things can change quickly in a mountain bike race. In the final few miles of the descent, Smith took one corner a hair too anxiously, slid out, and got himself all wrapped up the course marking ribbon. As Smith fumbled with the ribbon stuck in his derailleur, Peterson slipped by to set a

new course record winning the race in 2 hours, 29 minutes, and 15 seconds.

The pro woman started extremely fast up the initial steep climb. Susan DeMattei, past Olympian and current full time mother of three, surprised a lot of people by showing up on the starting line. Proving that she still has it in her, DeMattei rode aggressively from the start along with Monique Merrill (Tokyo Joes), Sarah Tescher (3D Racing), and series leader Sandra Bloomer (MtbChicks.com). Fast and smooth as always, DeMattei ripped the descent and eventually took the lead.

Everything changed on the second lap with DeMattei fading and Merrill taking control of the race. Merrill held on to the lead until the end, winning by over 1 minute and setting a new course record at 2 hours, 1 minute, and 48 seconds. Tescher followed in second, Bloomer third, and DeMattei in fourth.

Cody Peterson (3D Racing) pushes through typical Crested Butte singletrack. Peterson rode a smart race, beating the rest of the pro men by over a minute and setting a new course record in 2:29:15.

Always a great competitor, Monique Merrill (Tokyo Joes) took the lead late in the pro women’s race and set a new course record in 2:01:48.

photos by B.P. Evanitsky

Sarah Tescher (3D Racing) finishing a strong 2nd in the pro women’s race.

Tad Elliot, #480 (Durango Cyclery) controlled the junior expert race, winning in 1:48:12, more than 4 minutes over 2nd place finisher Kevin Rice.

Sam Carlson having a little fun and showing some class in the Junior Expert race.

Julie Emmerman, #28 (Epic Roots), Susan DeMattei, #210 and Sandra Bloomer, #1 (Mtb Chicks.com) test each other on the first climb at the Wild Flower Rush. next page

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continued from Page 14

Pro women’s downhill winner Lisa Myklak (Velocity Racing) controlled her speed just enough to survive the upcoming compression. Myklak won in 5:29, an impressive 20 seconds over 2nd place rider Joanna Peterson (RPM/Yeti).

Matt Shirley riding a very smooth line through one of the few technical sections on the downhill course. In the extremely close junior expert downhill race, Shirley finished 3rd, 2.5 seconds behind Billy Delacroix (In Da House Racing).

Local favorite and series leader Ryan Sutton (Astrix) “rolls over” the kicker near the end of the course. Sutton won the pro men’s downhill in 4:41, 2.5 seconds over teammate Kain Leonard (Astrix).

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Four Finish Great Divide Race Curiak wins, shatters course record Text and photo by John Weirath

July 18, 2004

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he inaugural Great Divide Race (GDR) ended July 18 with four of seven starters finishing.

In 30 days, 4 hours, and 28 minutes after starting, competitor Matthew Lee arrived at Antelope Wells, N.M., to claim fourth place.

While three racers were unable to complete the race because of injury or mechanical failure, the other four racers fought through what can only be described as the most brutally difficult mountain bike race on the planet. Paralleling and repeatedly crossing the Continental Divide, the route climbs more than 225,000 feet as it traverses Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Total race mileage stretches 2,465 miles, traveling primarily on on dirt and gravel jeep roads, with occasional stretches of pavement and singletrack.

Compounding the almost unthinkable difficulty of the event is the selfsupported manner in which it is raced.

Racers carry everything they need from survival gear, food, water, tools, spare parts, clothing, maps, and anything else they deem necessary to safely traverse the American Rocky Mountains. Support crews are not allowed.

All racers were treated to spectacular alpine and sub-alpine scenery, with temperatures ranging from a chilly 29 to a stupefying 107 degrees, not to mention typical mountain weather: rain, sleet, hail, snow, incessant light-

ning, punishing headwinds, miles of soft sand and unrideable mud, as well as innumerable encounters with deer, elk, moose, black bear, grizzly bear, pronghorn, bighorn, coyote, porcupine, wild horses, fox, and skunk.

Curiak, somewhere between Canada and Mexico

Mechanical difficulties frustrated all racers. You name the problem, they had it: malfunctioning odometers, seized bottom brackets, non-shifting derailleurs, broken pedals, frayed cables, broken racks, shredded tires, countless flats, and even a cracked frame.

Despite the inconceivable distances covered, with 10 miles to go Mike Curiak and Peter Basinger found themselves riding together. Incredibly, after 16 days and 2,465 miles, the two racers were never more than 5 hours apart.

“Spending that much time chasing or attacking the same person is exhausting mentally because you’re constantly running through all of the potential outcomes,” Curiak later recounted.

“I was unwilling to sprint against Pete, knowing I stood little chance of overcoming his 23-year-old legs. So with 10 miles to go, I started a nearmaximal time trial.”

Near maximal indeed—in those last miles Curiak put 24 minutes of insurance between himself and Basinger, winning the race and knocking a whopping 52 hours off the course record.

1.

Mike Curiak, 16 days, 57 minutes

2.

Peter Basinger, 16 days, 1 hour, 21 minutes

3.

Jan Kopka, 20 days, 21 hours

4.

Matthew Lee, 30 days, 4 hours, 30 minutes

DNF: Trish Stevenson, Gary Dye, Steve Fassbinder

More details can be found at: http://www.mtbr.com/gdr/

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Here’s a great new guidebook for the Salida area trail network Salida Singletrack Mountain biking in Colorado’s Upper Arkansas Valley

by Nathan Ward If you’ve ever ridden the Crest trail you know that Salida has some of the best riding anywhere. Well, there’s plenty more where that came from.

Nathan Ward’s writing and photography has appeared in Life, Outside, Paddler, and Adventure Cyclist. His experience is evident in the design of this excellent guidebook that includes mileby-mile descriptions, elevation profiles, elevation gain and loss, maps, and photographs. To get a signed copy of the guidebook check out www.nathanward.com/guidebooks.htm.

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Wheel Riders

Acli-Mate Physician Formulated Dietary Supplement Doing some riding or racing at high elevations? You may want to check out this new supplement developed by Dr. Roanne Rouse, Naturopathic physician. Dr. Rouse has developed this formula from natural ingredients that support the biological and physiological pathways involved in acclimatization. Acli-mate is the product of considerable research and experimentation in the promotion of accelerated acclimatization, enhancement of physical performance, and reduction of symptoms associated with altitude sickness. For more information check out www.Acli-Mate.com or call 970-641-1791.

Have you ever watched your $400 Crossmax front wheel bouncing down the highway behind your car? I have. Those flimsy fork mounts that came with your roof rack just aren’t all that reliable. Besides, they take up valuable rack space.

Wheel Riders, a new company based out of Denver has a solution: A full product line of high quality dependable front wheel mounts that are secure, protect your wheel from damage, and don’t take up additional rack space. The product line includes two different fork style mounts and a really nice heavyduty wheel bag. All three styles are designed to be strapped directly to your bike. Prices range from $29 to $39. For more information check out www.WheelRidersProducts.com

New OPEN ROAD TI Stem from Moots Being the first to bring you a removable face titanium road stem wasn't good enough for us—we wanted to make it better. Combining our designing, machining and welding skills we bring you the OPEN ROAD TI stem. Elegant and lightweight for the road, this stem optimizes the material making it strong, stiff, lightweight and beautiful.

We showed this stem at Interbike last fall and after some final tweaking we have them ready to ship. The faceplate has been changed to a 7075 aluminum one-piece design to have better contact with the bar. Carbon handle bar friendly, 4-bolt faceplate design takes this stem to the next level. We are using a smaller diameter extension than the TI Beam stem for a sleeker, lighter design.

Stock stems Price: $ 325.00 Customs: $ 375.00 (50% deposit required)

• • • • • •

10 stock sizes Customs always available 1 1/8'' steerer Shim for 1'' 26.0mm clamp diameter 31.8mm clamp diameter (coming winter 2004)

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by Paige Miller

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Danielson Sets New Mt. Evans Record Moninger Claims State and National Titles July 24, 2004 Mt. Evans, Colo.

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om Danielson (Fassa Bortolo) said he intended to break a 12-year-old course record during his first race up Mt. Evans, and despite some early hesitations he did exactly that.

With the help of Durango rider Cody Peterson (AST Cycling), Danielson beat Mike Engleman’s 1992 course record by 4 minutes and 10 seconds with a final time of 1:41:20 during the 39th edition of the Bob Cook Memorial Hill Climb.

When Danielson arrived on race day, he questioned the feasibility of his own goal: “With the weather, I decided the record would be difficult.”

The night before the race, the last several miles of road leading to the summit were slush-covered and slick, but by morning the snow had cleared.

At 8:20 a.m. on race morning, the Clear Creek Ranger District recorded a temperature of 31 degrees, 17 degrees with the wind chill, at the summit. They also reported clear skies, but during the next few hours clouds and fog rolled in and out, decreasing visibility.

While riders pedaled almost 28 miles to the 14,120-foot high summit of Mt. Evans, gaining a net elevation of over 6,500 feet, spectators at the top donned hats, winter gloves, blankets, and sleeping bags to stay warm.

Danielson said Mt. Evans is long and windy, unlike Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, which is “just straight up.”

(In August 2002 on Mt. Washington, Danielson became the first person to ride the 7.6-mile course in under 50 minutes, surpassing Tyler Hamilton’s record.)

“Cody pulled, I attacked, and (Scott) Moninger (Health Net) came with me,” he said, noting that no other riders 42

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Tom Danielson (Fassa Bortolo), back in Colorado for a short visit before heading back to Europe for the Vuelta a Espania, showed up with a tentative plan: to break the record set in 1992 by Mike Engleman.

Danielson rode the 28 mile course, with over 6500 feet of climbing, in 1 hour, 41 minute,s and 20 seconds, obliterating the 12-year-old record by 4 minutes and 10 seconds.

attacked. “I might as well try for the record,” he thought.

Shivering at the summit under a hooded sweatshirt after the race, Peterson said he pulled only once, but Danielson was quick to correct him: “You had three good pulls.” Peterson remained modest, “I never felt like I could go hard.” When the race course split and riders headed toward the summit, he was thinking, “I can’t breathe. I can’t go hard. This is it,” he said.

Danielson said he knew his goal was

about to become reality when he looked at the GPS system Joe Friel had installed on his bike and saw that he was at 1 hour 38 minutes with 1,000 meters to go.

“I feel like my form is very good” he said, and that this race is a good indicator of how he will perform in Europe when he competes in the Vuelta a Espana in September.

Scott Moninger (Health Net) came in 8 minutes and 40 seconds behind Danielson placing second in the race but earned the Colorado State Hill Climb

Photos by Paige Miller

Scott Moninger (Health Net) finished second to Danielson at Mt. Evans but due to licensing details was named the Colorado State and FIAC National Hill Climb Champion.

Championship and the FIAC National titles because of the licensing rules.

Drew Miller placed third, 9 minutes and 35 seconds behind the leader.

In the women’s open category with nearly 30 racers, Ann Trombley (Excel Sports) stamped out the best ride of the day finishing in 2 hours, 19 seconds.

Susan Williams (Merlin) and Katrina Grove (Equipe Rona) followed at 37 seconds and 1 minute, 39 seconds back, respectively.

The Mt. Evans Hill Climb is one of Colorado’s classic events. It was raced officially for the first time in 1962 and has now been held 39 times. In 1981, the race

was renamed after five-time race winner Bob Cook, who died of cancer at the age of 23. Cook held the course record from 1975–1980. Prior to this year’s event, Mike Engleman held the course record of 1 hour, 45 minutes. The senior women’s record still stands at 1 hour, 59 minutes, set by Jeannie Longo of France.

Cody Peterson (Bike Source) put in a good hard effort, suffered a little bit at the top, and finished 6th in 1 hour, 54 minutes, and 2 seconds.

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Andrew Hamilton – 6th place. 122 miles, 25,926 feet of climbing, 22 hours and 27 minutes

Mark Ridenour photos

Mark Thompson on his way to a 4th place finish — 128 miles, 25,926 feet of climbing, 23 hours and 21minutes

Jon Brown—downhill—radical corner

Jon Brown—5th place, 122 miles, 25,926 feet of climbing, 21 hours and 35 minutes Paige Miller photo

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“The world’s worst race”

by Paige Miller, Mark Ridenour, and Brian Riepe

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The race description on the web site calls it an ultra mountain biking event.

In an era of “extreme this” and “ultra that”, Montezuma’s Revenge created a new and unique way to punish the human body and spirit.

Montezuma Colo.

Friday July 30, 2004

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og onto montezumasrevenge.com and you’ll find that this distinctively Rocky Mountain event has been voted “The World’s Worst Race”. If you saw this intro would you say “sounds great dude, sign me up”?

If yes, then you are one of a small but slowly growing population of hyperadventurous compulsive risk takers. It takes an especially hardened individual to get excited about paying 300 bucks for the kind of tortured delirium experienced during an event like this.

The race description on the web site calls it an ultra mountain biking event. In an era of “extreme this” and “ultra that” Montezuma’s Revenge created a new and unique way to punish the human body and spirit. It was way back in 1986 that Sam Orez won the first running of Montezuma’s Revenge, surely making it one of the original and best ultra events around.

The basic description is this: “24 hours, over 200 miles, 10 times on the Continental Divide, over 35,000 feet of climbing, with the lowest elevation down at 9,000 feet, the highest elevation at 14,270 feet.” This is, of course, assuming that you can finish it. No one has yet completed the entire course. The format is such that you ride as much of the course as you can in 24 hours. Oh yeah, to top it off, the course is not marked (can’t blame the promoters for making that decision).

You have to find your own way based on some very simple written directions: making preparation crucial, and familiarity with the course a huge advantage.

This year’s course took riders to the top of two 14,000-foot peaks. What the heck, once you’re on top of Gray’s Peak at 1 a.m., you may as well scamper up Torres for a different perspective.

It takes true grit just to line up at the Montezuma’s Revenge start line and tell yourself that you intend to finish.

Rob Ilves originally promoted the race

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The start – 24 hours and a potential 140 miles to go. Photo by Paige Miller.

Jon Brown finishing loop 4 at 3:30 a.m. Photo by Mark Ridenour.

in 1986 but now Byron Swezy and Andrew Bielecki organize, direct, and promote the event through a joint venture. These guys have taken what started out as an obscure event and nurtured it into one of the only televised mountain bike races in the United States.

OLN (you know, that crazy bass fishing channel that occasionally works as a pub-

licity outlet for Lance Armstrong— the one that used to have good coverage of the Vuelta) was on site filming the 2004 Montezuma’s Revenge and will air it several times this year.

Promoting this event is an impressive feat, but what really defines it are the athletes who get out on course and grind it out, racing each other and competing

Anything can happen out there and each year, new heroes emerge from the night; beleaguered, delirious, and euphoric at finding themselves in the lead and in the spotlight of the camera crew.

against their own minds and sensibilities.

There are no categories other than Mr. or Ms. No relay teams, age groups, pros, or beginners. The range in ability and support runs the whole gamut from seasoned pros to never before racers. That’s the beauty of it.

The Montezuma’s Revenge course can crack the best of them. Being an experienced pro means nothing at the Revenge. Often times, the “favorites” go too hard at the beginning and experience meltdown halfway through the race, leaving room for the underdogs to carefully, methodically, move past. Anything can happen out there and each year, new heroes emerge from the night, beleaguered, delirious, and euphoric at finding themselves in the lead and in the spotlight of the camera crew.

Forty racers finished the 2004 Montezuma’s Revenge. To be part Cindy Burkhart—2nd place 113 miles, 22,532 feet of climbing, 23 hours and 4 minutes.

Photo by Paige Miller.

Colleen Ihnken picking up her Moots frame for her fast time between Grays and Torres.

Photo by Paige Miller.

Chris Cosentino’s tandem tattoo, Paige Miller photo

of that group is an indication of one’s tenacity and super fitness but to win Montezuma’s Revenge, well, that puts you on a different planet.

In the Ms. Category, Jari Kirkland (Edge Cycles/Squadra) put in an impressive effort, winning the race by riding 122 miles, climbing 25,926 feet, in 23 hours and 46 minutes. Second to Kirkland was Cindy Burkhart who rode 113 miles and climbed 22,532 feet, in 23 hours, 4 minutes. Colleen Ihnken was third, also riding 113 miles, 47 minutes behind Burkhart.

The Mr.’s race, stacked with veteran riders, kept all the pit crews on the edge.

Josh Tostado took the lead immediately but moderate riding in the first loops kept the top 15 riders close together.

Tostado held on, winning the race by riding 140 miles, climbing 30,895 feet in 23 hours and 59 minutes. Nathan Post and Thane Wright followed in second and third, respectively, both riding 134 miles, climbing 29,374 feet and finishing 44 minutes apart.

To make things a little more interest-

Eric Sullivan finds a nice spot for a power nap after riding his way to a 7th place finish – 122 miles, 25,926 feet of climbing, 22 hours and 56 minutes.

Photo by Paige Miller.

ing, Moots generously tossed in three $2,500 Smoothie Blend frames, one went to a race volunteer, and two as a preem’s to the fastest rider going from Gray’s Peak to Torres and back to Gray’s.

Nathan Post and Colleen Ihnken took home the booty.

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The roughest part is going down hill. Mostly there aren’t any trails and the footing is hard.

It was really windy and my bike was like a sail, just tossing me around.

Rider Interview Jari Kirkland First place female 122 Miles, 25,926 feet of climbing, 23 hours and 46 minutes

by Brian Riepe

Jari Kirkland pushing up Teller Mountain at 5:45 a.m. Photos of Jari by Paige Miller.

Mountain Flyer: Montezuma’s Revenge is such a long crazy race. How did the race unfold between you and the other ladies?

Jari Kirkland: Well, it started off with me in first, and then I missed the second turn.

So when I figured it out I found myself in second place. I then concentrated on catching Cindy (Burkhart) and within four miles, I had put myself back in first place.

This whole time I was having trouble with my rear wheel. The hub was shot and when I coasted down-hill it made the worst whirring sound and sucked my chain back up into my rear derailleur.

Also, when the race started I had not seen either one of my support people. By the time the second lap was over I saw the man who was going to hike with me and I asked him to try to find some one to drive my car so I would have food and lights (which are mandatory) for the third loop.

Luckily he was able to do this.

Montezuma’s it was the longest/hardest race I had done. Since then I have done several multi-day races and a few 24-hour races. This, I think, has prepared me for the intensity that I wanted to put in this race. I went and scouted Gray’s and Torres for the hike. I think this prepared me for the fastest route.

MF: You raced a steel hardtail frame.

Do you think that was the best tool for the job? Would you do it the same way next time?

JK: In this race, I think that a lightweight full suspension bike would be the best choice. Since you have to hike with your bike on your backpack for about five

It was great to finish and learn that I had set the new course record. Overall, this was a great race for me.

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MF: What was it like climbing Gray’s and Torres in the middle of the night?

JK: It was crazy because you can see the lights of the people in front of you and how high they are and knowing where you have to go. Once you start you have to think, one step, one step, one step. If you start thinking too much about where you are going it gets a little overwhelming.

And then, once you get to the top it is amazing to see the lights of Denver and the Front Range. It is so beautiful. Then you realize that you have to go to Torres and come back. The roughest part is going down hill. Mostly there aren’t any trails and the footing is hard. It was really windy and my bike was like a sail, just tossing me around.

MF: Now that you’ve won Montezuma’s Revenge, what are your next ambitions?

MF: What is your experience with adventure racing and what did you do to specifically prepare for this event?

JK: Last year at the time I was doing

hours you need something light but the down-hills are so rough that you need a little bit more cushion. I would love to use a full suspension bike but I just don’t own one.

Jari Kirkland “You can never have too much (chamois) butter”

JK: I am going to do Subaru Primal Quest in September and try to do another couple of 24-hour solo races next year to see how a normal 24-hour race goes. I will see what comes up.

I don’t really like doing 24-hour racecourses that have you do the same lap over and over. You sometimes feel like a hamster on a wheel in those events! This is epic Colorado—an amazing course!

Rider Interview Josh Tostado First place male 140 miles, 30,895 feet of climbing, 23 hours and 59 minutes

by Mark Ridenour of www.markridenour.com Josh Tostado in the spotlight of the television camera crew. Photo by Paige Miller.

Mark Ridenour: How many times have you finished this race?

Josh Tostado: 2004 was my second time at Montezuma’s Revenge. The first time was 2002 and I finished 4th place.

MR: What is it about this race that makes you want to do it?

JT: I’d say the format of the race. The course is set up so every loop is different,

with every loop getting harder also. I like doing long epic rides in Summit County, Colorado, so this race is the quintessential 24-hour hard-core race, and it’s in our backyard, I had to do it.

MR: With the course covering approximately 140 miles, and 31,000 feet of climbing in 24 hours, you guys raced all over Summit County. How does this format compare to a typical 24-hour bike race?

JT: Yeah, that’s what’s so cool about this race. You’re covering so much ground, getting to ride all these epic rides linked together all in one 24-hour race.

I don’t really like doing 24-hour race courses that have you do the same lap over and over, you feel like a hamster on a wheel sometimes in those events! This is epic Colorado, an amazing course!

Josh Tostado – Still focused after many hours in the saddle. Photo by Paige Miller.

Josh Tostado heading out for loop 5 at 3:20 a.m.

Photo by Mark Ridenour.

MR: What was the hardest part of the race for you?

peak and seeing a huge line of light from all the racer’s lights was a pump-up!

JT: The hardest part was loop 4.

Climbing Grays and Torres in the dark.

I had been pushing at race pace for about 10+ hours. My eyes were heavy, I was stumbling (luckily forward) and it seemed like I was lurching and stumbling all the way up to the top. Once on top I got my second wind. Looking down from the

MR: What does it take, training wise, to get you on the podium in Montezuma?

JT: I put in tons of miles, all mountain biking, usually 200 miles/25 hours a week. I try to put in 3 or 4 rides a week that are about 5-6 hours on my bike at a time!

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. . . the week before the race, he broke the rear wheel so he had to get one replaced and decided to replace both wheels, but he did not replace the old tubes.The rear inner tube had 6 patches on it and the front tube had a slow leak. Both lasted the entire 24 hours.

Rider Profile Nathan Post Second place male 134 miles, 29,374 feet of climbing, 23 hours and 12 minutes

by Paige Miller

Nathan Post near the top of loop 5, 5:30 a.m. Photo by Mark Ridenour.

Nathan Post, from Montezma, Colorado, embarked on his first 24-hour mountain bike race and surprised everyone when he claimed 2nd place in what has been billed as one of the most difficult races on the planet.

This come-from-nowhere rider, who has no competitive cycling experience to speak of, credits his success to his support crew and a lack of mishaps and mechanical problems.

“I definitely couldn’t have gotten this far without these guys,” he said of his friends

Nathan Post being filmed by Don Garcia of Garceworks.com. Photo by Paige Miller

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and supporters, noting that the race went smoother than he expected.

“I don’t have any backup anything, so if something (had broken), that’s it,” he said.

Post, who turned 27 a few weeks after the race, rode a Jamis Never Summer hardtail that he paid $600 for three years ago. “It’s pretty ghetto,” he said smiling with beer in hand and surrounded by enthusiastic friends during the awards ceremony held the day after the race at Kickapoo Tavern in Keystone, Colo.

Nathan explained that the week before the race, he broke the rear wheel so he had to get one replaced and decided to replace both wheels, but he did not replace the old tubes. The rear inner tube had 6 patches on it and the front tube had a slow leak.

Both lasted the entire 24 hours.

Post’s support crew was spearheaded by a woman her friends call “The Italian Fireball”—Stefanie Marchesan.

“I wouldn’t even have to pick up food,” said Post, demonstrating how his girlfriend of 4 years would eagerly push handfuls of food towards his mouth to feed him.

He also started the race wearing a good luck cycling jersey, —one he’d found “3 Montezuma’s ago” when the race organizers loaded a porta potty with t-shirts and other stuff, and threw a stick of dynamite in it. He said he found the jersey on the ground and was impressed that it was still intact, so he kept it.

Nathan Post enjoying the awards ceremony and an impressive second place finish in his first Montezuma’s Revenge. Photo by Paige Miller.

Post finished the race in a green Bolivia soccer shirt. Why? He had visited Bolivia last year. When asked if that shirt had special significance or was in some way lucky he said, “It was the only other shirt I had that wasn’t cotton.”

He had hoped to get a jersey with a P-4 Window Washing logo on it but that didn’t pan out. P-4 is where Post works, and Damon Pascual, the owner of the company, is his coach.

During the awards ceremony Post was not only recognized for placing 2nd overall but also for his effort on Gray’s Peak, which earned him a $2,500 Moots Smoothie Blend frame, a “preem” offered by the race organizers and sponsors.

Montezuma’s Revenge 2004 Outdoor Life Network Schedule (all times EST)

DATE 09/04/04

TIME 4 p.m.

09/09/04

9 p.m.

09/10/04 12 a.m.

09/13/04

8 p.m.

09/13/04 11 p.m.

09/16/04

8 p.m.

09/16/04 11 p.m.

09/20/04 12 p.m.

Subscribe Now! 2 Years—4 Issues $25 Send name and address with a check to: Mountain Flyer P.O. Box 272 Gunnison, CO 81230 or Email subscriptions@mountainflyer.com

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Getting to the Cape Epic Magical and Untamed Mountain Bike Race

by Chad Oleson

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very Thanksgiving I make the long trip to Denver to visit the parents and see old friends. Unless there’s snow, I take the road bike along for the relative warmth of the Front Range. I can usually sneak in a ride while the turkey’s cooking.

This is also the time of year to catch up with my team sponsor, HandleBar & Grill, since they are a Denver based team.

One of my visits was to Cherry Creek Physical Therapy to see Don and Christina. Don is an avid rider and a strong supporter of the team. Christina is the current 24 hour solo world champion and former national champion. During my visit, Don told me that Christina was registered for the Cape Epic (a BIG mountain bike race) and that he hoped to travel (to South Africa!) with her to race if he could find a race partner. Then the conversation went something like this: Chad: Umm, Don? How about me?

Don: Only if you promise to go slow and not yell at me when I bonk.

Chad: Dude, this race is in February.

There is no reason to go fast. I’ll tow you if you bonk.

Don: I had better start training now.

As I drove back to my parents’ house for a yummy turkey dinner, it began to sink in. I was going to South Africa. In my mind, Africa was open grasslands full 52

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of giraffes and gazelles being chased by lions and tigers. The reality of the race would be more like this– it’s the 2nd biggest mountain bike stage race in the world!

The Cape Epic Magical and Untamed Mountain Bike race ran from Saturday to Saturday, February 28th - March 6th, 2004. The field of athletes was made up of 273 teams, each with two riders. That’s 546 racers representing 25 countries! In the end, only 463 racers would cross the finish line. The logistics behind the scenes were impressive. A team of over 220 crew and volunteers worked in the background to put up and dismantle the entire race village with over 700 one-person tents, 20 mobile showers, basins, water containers, 700 mattresses, 100 tables, 40 toilets, 800 chairs, 300 meters of fencing as well as banners and start/finish equipment every single day.

On the drive back to Crested Butte I devised a training plan. The race was 10 weeks away. It was 8 stages and covered 500 miles. Don is a mid-pack expert rider, so some training was required. My approach was to get into good enough riding shape to enjoy the scenery and not suffer. I had just finished a long season as a semi-pro that included 28 races. Four of those were 24-hour solo races, so I had a

good base. During the winter months, I stayed fit by Nordic skiing twice a week and doing a 3-4 hour ride. All my riding was at a moderate pace. My intention was to build endurance, not speed.

Most of my rides were on snow packed roads and were darn cold. On one ride, just to keep my feet warm, I had on two pairs of socks, two pairs of neoprene booties, and some of those air-activated heat packets between my shoes and the booties. The temperature was in the single digits that day. But all the while I was riding, I thought of the warm African heat. Per my RideAnalyzer records, (www.rideanalyzer.com) I rode 500 miles and 40 hours. Not bad for a person living in a ski town at 9,000 feet, a town that gets 400+ inches of snow a year.

The 20-hour plane flight How do you pack for an eight-stage mountain bike race in a foreign country on another continent? Good question.

First, get a really good bike case. No matter how many fragile stickers you put on a cardboard box, some airport gorilla is gonna throw it or drop it. You do not want to open your bike case in a foreign coun-

On one ride, just to keep my feet warm, I had on two pairs of socks, two pairs of neoprene booties, and some of those air-activated heat packets between my shoes and the booties.

try and find something broken. I used a hard plastic case with generous internal padding and wheels.

The hardest part of packing was deciding what tools and spare parts to bring. I finally decided on the following: Tools Swiss army knife Set of Allen keys Spoke wrench Chain tool Shock pump Mini pump 3 bottles of lube Chain brush Parachute cord Duct tape Shop rag Spares 2 tires 4 tubes 4 patch kits Brake pads Chain Cable housing Grips Shift & brake cables Pedal cleats Rear shock Zip ties I left Denver at 10 a.m. on Feb. 23.

After a plane change in Atlanta, Ga., I flew on a newer model Airbus. Maybe I live in a cave, but this aircraft was sweet.

There were LCD screens in the back of each seat’s headrest and every passenger had his own remote control. You could choose from about 20 movies and TV shows, making the flight fly by. When I arrived at my lodging in Knynsa, South Africa, it was 4 p.m. on Feb. 24.

That’s 26 hours of traveling with a 9-hour time difference. I was wrecked and in bed by 5 p.m.

The next morning was spectacular.

Knynsa, the starting point of the Cape Epic, is a small town on the Indian Ocean.

It’s part fishing village, part tourist town and the mountain bike capital of South

Africa. Every local I met was friendly, with a big smile. The English spoken in South Africa is very proper. It’s a mixture of Dutch and British accents. I sounded like John Wayne whenever I spoke.

I put my bike together and found nothing missing or broken. To celebrate my good fortune, I couldn’t resist a quick ride along the coast before I met up with my race partner, Don. That first day I didn’t experience the dry, open African grasslands I was expecting. Not one lion or tiger chased me. Actually, it was very humid and jungle-like with a temp of about 90 degrees.

My race partner, Don, is a pretty fit fellow and one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. When I caught up with him, he looked just as jet lagged and excited as I was. We spent the rest of that first day dealing with registration and talking with other competitors. There were a few other American teams, but most were from South Africa and Europe. For the South African teams, it was the middle of their cycling season. They were all tan and fit.

Don and I, on the other hand, were prime for a good sunburn, and we knew it was February.

The next morning at 7 a.m. stage 1 of eight would begin. In the next eight days, we would average 62 miles and six hours a day on the bike. In the same eight days, we would also climb a total of 36,000 feet. Much of the route is on private land and is opened to mountain bikers only once a year for The Cape Epic. There’s a lot of single track and dusty jeep tracks.

The official race description for stage 1 was impressive: “Forest single track, jeep track, fire-break descents, gravel mountain passes (and) technical riding.”

We hoped we were ready. We would soon find out.

The Race

The race was upon us at last. The planning, hard training and endless travelling were things of the past. It was now time to ride eight stages over 500 miles of South Africa.

It might seem strange to you that I talk about the food before the racing, but I am tall, skinny, ride my bike too much and love to eat. The food on this trip was great. Next time I may skip the racing and just go for the eight-day buffet.

The morning of the race Don and I awoke excited and hungry. Breakfast each day was at 5 a.m. and the race started at 7 a.m. There was always something hot— eggs, hash browns, pancakes, French toast, etc. Then there were the breakfast basics like fruit, yogurt, oatmeal, juice and cereal.

This first morning we noticed a table dedicated to lunch type items. Paper bags sat on this table. We took this as a strong hint to pack something for that day’s stage. Would four sandwiches apiece be enough? Our approach: it was better to have an extra one at the end of the day than wish for one more later. Dinners always comprised a meat dish, rice or pasta and lots of salad. My favorite part was the bottomless pile of chocolate and carrot cake on the desert table. If you left hungry, it was your own fault!

Now that we have the food description out of the way, we can talk about the race.

546 racers ready to start the day

Stage 1 Nuts! All 546 racers lined up in a mass start. Half the racers speak another language. Some, like me, are still getting used to riding on the left side of the road.

The announcer has a thick German accent.

Sometimes you wonder if he is speaking English. “Rock you like a hurricane” by Mountain Flyer

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Never ridden more than four days in a row. Wonder what my body is going to do? Did I train enough? Is Don gonna drop me? I think I am the only guy here without a tan. Am I in the right gear? No time to think about these things now. This is complete chaos. The gun goes off. is complete chaos. The gun goes off.

Ever been in a pace line with 500 other riders going down the left side of the road at 30 mph on your mountain bike? You do not have to pedal much. But do you have to pay attention. We cruised along for a few miles until we came to the first steep hill, then all hell broke loose. I looked down at my heart rate monitor and it read 193. Looked around, no Don. The race organizers told us there would be random checkpoints out on the course to make sure you are within two minutes of your partner. If you and you teammate are further apart than that, you would be assessed a one-hour time penalty. With this in mind, I eased back a few gears and Don was soon on my wheel.

After the first steep climb, I guessed us to be mid-pack. Not too surprising considering it was February, we were jet lagged and for the South African riders it was late in the season. But something funny happened on the first long descent. We were flying by everybody. Maybe it was years of riding Colorado single track, or maybe these foreigners just like to use their brakes. Throughout the race this would be a constant theme. We were dropped on the climbs and wondered what the other riders were using their brakes for on the descents. Strange.

After eight hours in the saddle and 75 miles, we finished our first day. Each stage ended near a rugby field. They had to have somewhere to put more than 600 tents.

700 tents in perfect rows. Which one is mine?

A road from the early days of the Tour de France?

the Scorpions is playing way too loud.

My bike is ready to go. I am amped.

Don looks fast. No need for a warm-up when you are about to ride for eight days.

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row. Wonder what my body is going to do? Did I train enough? Is Don gonna drop me? I think I am the only guy here without a tan. Am I in the right gear? No time to think about these things now. This

Stage 2 It rained all night. We awoke to mist and more rain. We were freezing. This was supposed to be Africa not Alaska. We put on all our warm gear.

The stage started out in the same crazy way each day. But today was the first time we had a police escort. I guess day one was too chaotic.

The first climb was unreal. The road was wet and muddy and looked like something out of the 1950s Tour de France. Once again we were dropped on the climb.

After each stage there was a bike wash area. For about three dollars, a local kid would clean your bike. Our bikes were covered in mud. It was the best three dollars we ever spent.

and 70 percent humidity.

On each day’s stage there were three aid stations. Each had a refrigerated truck.

I do not think I have consumed more water in a single day. We wanted to crawl inside the trucks but they would not let us.

Don was completely worked. I think he dehydrated a few brain cells.

The day’s miles: 73 miles in 6.5 hours.

Don curls up with a water bottle after the hottest day of the race.

Africa's tropical beauty on full display.

Today’s stats: 76 miles and just over six hours in the saddle.

Stage 3 This stage was one we were dreading.

The race organizers kept going on about how hot this day was going to be. They weren’t lying. I do not do well in the heat. Add humidity and I wilt.

I guess the temp to be 105 degrees

Stage 4 The mud day. It poured all night.

We awoke to wet everything.

The paved roads were wet, the dirt roads were damp. Then we got back in the farm country, and the roads turned into what you would see in a monster truck rally. For a good 10 miles we had to walk up each hill and surf each downhill. Good thing we had disc brakes. Forget shifting gears, just pick your favorite. Luckily there were a few river crossings. Racers were submerging their bikes. Picture 100 people trying to clean their bikes in a river. This was pure comedy.

To make matters worse, the rivers around the area were at flood stage. The course had to be rerouted. This added another 20 miles to the day’s stage. Don and I had prepared enough food for seven hours on the bike. We were out there for just under 10 hours. The last three hours we were out of food and yelling obscenities at the race organizers. I think onethird of the racers did not finish this stage.

After each stage there was a bike wash area. For about three dollars, a local kid would clean your bike. Our bikes were covered in mud. It was the best three dollars we ever spent.

Day’s total: 75 miles in 10 hours.

Stage 5 This morning was rough. We were really feeling the 10 hours from the previous day. Luckily for us this was the first day we were riding less than 70 miles. The terrain was flat and it did not rain.

We encountered our first section of single track. Up till now we had been on rough jeep road, farm roads and small Mountain Flyer

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As we rode by, the field workers tossed us apples. I took a few bites, tossed it to Don, and he took a few bites. I think we agreed it was best apple we ever had.

sections of pavement. Each night over dinner you would overhear people complaining that there was no single track.

Have you ever tried to funnel 546 riders into a single track?

The three-mile section of single track was about 20 miles into the stage. What a flippin’ mess. We walked most of it because that many people caused a clog. We never heard another complaint around the dinner table about not enough single track.

Total for the day: 6 hours in the saddle for 66 miles.

A local spectator cheers us on.

Stage 6 This day we rode through farm country with lots of apple orchards. February in South Africa is like our September, harvest time. A big cartful of apples sat tempting us along the side of the road. As we rode by, the field workers tossed us apples. I took a few bites, tossed it to Don, and he took a few bites. I think we agreed it was best apple we ever had.

Toward the end of this stage, we climbed a paved mountain pass. We came around the corner and in the middle of the road stood a family of baboons. They look just like us.

Today’s stats: 3.5 hours in the saddle and 55 miles.

Stage 7 This was the first of two short days.

We wondered why the race organizers did not combine the last two days. The time and distance would have made more sense. Not that we were complaining. The legs and the sit bones complained by themselves plenty.

I don’t remember much about this day.

Don and I were in a state of delirium and being complete goofballs. Some of our pictures remind me of the feeling. Try not to laugh.

Stage stats: 3 hours and 38 miles.

Who cares about the race. Check out the view!

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Stage 8 Wow, the final day. No crashes and we did not get lost till now.

We were an hour from the finish. I was behind Don on this fast descent. The soil

Then an eighth of a mile from the finish, I was in front and thought for sure the road turned left. Well, I was the only one who thought that.

The delirium sets in on a cold morning (Chad left, Don right)

was loose, decomposing granite. Don tried to take a corner at an insane speed.

I grabbed my brakes just in time to watch Don’s front wheel wash out and see him go rolling into a ditch. I thought he snapped a collarbone for sure. But luckily, I only saw some blood and a bewildered look on Don’s face asking himself what happened. He was all right and we continued on.

Then an eighth of a mile from the finish, I was in front and thought for sure the road turned left. Well, I was the only one who thought that. Next thing I know I am in the middle of this parking lot. Don looked at me like I was from another planet, and I followed him to the finish.

The day’s miles: 37 miles in 3 hours.

Our total race time was just under 49 hours. We finished 141st out of 273 teams. Not bad for two guys from Colorado in February.

If you ever need an excuse to travel to South Africa and have an extra eight days, I would highly recommend this event. I can’t wait for next year.

See you there?

A 9-year resident of Crested Butte, Colo., Chad Oleson operates a small software company from home but somehow finds the time to ride his bike about a million miles a month and competes in way too many solo 24-hour races each year. He is currently the president of the Crested Butte Mountain Bike Association and is a dedicated cycling advocate. Oh yeah, he’s 33 years old, 6 foot 4 inches tall, weighs about 170 pounds (that makes him pretty dang tall and skinny in case you can’t picture that), single, and lovin’ it.

The view into the distant plains. Are those lions? Tigers? Giraffes?

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by Terrell Mac

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“On these steep and twisty descents, we would get as close as a foot or two behind the rider, feathering the brake and gas to keep the rider’s path illuminated as they barreled into the darkness at 45 mph. We would approach a corner, taking it wide to cut into the curve literally a second before the rider would drop his shoulder into the darkness.�

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ntense is the only word to describe this roads and two-lane highways. However, race—intense emotion, intense physical this year the larger turnout brought fierce demands, and an intense dedication to competition including professional cyclists continue. It dropped in my lap really, like and some international teams. a Gump feather: the opportunity to crew While two of the riders on Team for Team Vail-Go Fast in one of the hardVail-Go Fast, Jim Mortensen and Mike est races in existence, the Race Across Janelle, are category one cyclists, all America (RAAM).

The RAAM 2004 has been touted as the most exciting and highly covered race since the race began in 1981. This year hosted the largest turnout in its 23-year history with seasoned veterans and professional cyclists.

The two topplacing four-man relay teams, VailGo Fast and Action Sports, battled across the country exchanging the lead more than six times Team Vail minutes from the start of five crazy days of nonstop racing. over 2,959 miles.

Witnessing firstfour, including Zach Bingham and Adam hand every heartbreak and triumph from California to the New Jersey beaches, Palmer, are professional Colorado I saw that to finish is a huge accomplishmountain bikers. The race climbed the ment but to do what the team of Southern Rockies, the Ozark Plateau and hometown Colorado mountain bikers did the Appalachian Mountains where Team was amazing.

Vail would have a definite advantage.

The thought of four teammates relayAll Team Vail riders had raced at night ing across America in five days floored in events like the 24 Hours of Moab. me. How is that fathomable? Easy enough Most road cyclists do not compete at for a car, but what kind of engine exists night, so unless a rider competed in the inside these individuals that drives them to RAAM before, the advantage lay with this feat? Was it in remembrance of their Team Vail at night. friend and teammate, Brett Malin, killed What about the other teams that had the year before in this same race? Was it racks of aerodynamic equipment, the idea that a group of mountain bikers doctors, and computer-aided navigation turned roadies could decimate a wellto steer them through the tricky roads? heeled field? Whatever it was, This carefree team of Colorado boys had I wanted to find out. no fear because like true champions Team Vail won the race in 2001 so defeat never entered their minds. the experience of crossing the States was Here is how the race works: four team nothing new, neither were the dangers that members relay across the country, with lurked around each corner of the back one person on a bike 24 hours a day from

start to finish, with the team deciding when the cyclists ride.

Team Vail had two groups of two. The riders alternated four day-shifts for three hours and two 5-hour night shifts. One group spent a shift sleeping and working with the nutritionist in the Go Fast bus, while the other team rode, taking “pulls” as they leapfrog back and forth.

Each cyclist would sprint for 20 to 40 minutes, pace car behind him, while the other cyclist would ride in the leap vehicle down the road and wait for the cyclist to relay off to him. In the leap vehicle, riders ate, drank and re-energized.

Team Vail would be traveling 580 miles per day 23 miles every hour, 24 hours a day for five days to break the race record. That’s roughly the distance from Glenwood Springs to Las Vegas every day.

I arrived in San Diego a day before the race. Zach Bingham introduced me to the crew: Wayne (Adam’s Dad), Angus (Zach’s Brother and team videographer), Mark Ridenour, team photographer, Jim Malin (Brett’s Father), Jamie Malin (Brett’s brother and team crew chief), Kenny (team mechanic), Heather (nutritionist) and Troy and Jake from Go Fast! energy drink company.

Obviously the team and crew were more friends and family on a vacation than a cycling team and crew racing for the purse. Of the teams gearing up, one in particular had nine bikes on their pace vehicles with disk wheels, time trial bikes, and lightweight hill climbing bikes; we would know this team well by the race’s end.

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Jimi Mortenson. early morning, Day 2—Arizona—Jimi in the office.

After I arrived, Zach left to pick up Jim Mortensen from the airport.

Electricity flared once Jim was on the way. He was blowing away the competition in mountain biking and picking up road cycling with the same vigor. Jim had an intense stature with a subdued, calm demeanor. I could tell the rest of the team was looking to him for a big showing for the race.

That night we all tried to get a full night’s sleep, likely our last for a week.

On race morning, Zach gathered everyone for a team meeting to talk about upcoming race stresses: the extreme highs and lows and the sleep deprivation and strain everyone would face. He finished with a poignant statement: “It takes only one man and one vehicle to cross the finish line, the race will continue no matter what occurs, no matter what conflicts or setbacks, we will finish.” The whole team was poised to give everything they had.

Starting Line, 0.0 Miles At 5 p.m. EST, the 2004 RAAM began with a field of 4-man, 8-man, and 2-man teams and even one Recumbent class team from an overcast San Diego Bay.

Zak Bingham, morning hillclimb, day 2——Arizona.

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Time Station 2, 124.2 Miles In between time station one (Pine Valley) and time station two (El Centro),

the indescribable heat stretched into the night. Why or how could anyone consistently blast out 23 mph under an absolutely unforgiving sun? The first two teams began to separate themselves from the pack, Team Action Sports and Team Vail. Action Sports held a five-minute lead over Team Vail by the second time station.

The closest team to the front was Team Royal Air Force, behind by half an hour.

This was where the Colorado team had their first unexpected event. The Go Fast bus, where the riders spent their “off” shift, broke down. What Zach said about “one man, one vehicle,” was happening. Even race official and RAAM legend Lon Haldeman lent us a hand. We decided the best course of action was to leave the bus; hopefully they would catch us the next day. So most of the food, recovery supplements, the nutritionist, and of course the riders and their equipment jumped into the crew RV and away we went. It was a bit tight but we weren’t fazed, we were stoked, this was damn exciting!

Time Station 7, 383.4 Miles After a couple of hours of sleep, I was roused with the words, “The riders are coming. Seven minutes until you’re in the pace car.” The roadway to Prescott, Ariz., had curves like Dolly Parton with Jim Malin driving the RV like Big Daddy Don Garletts. A head plunge in the toilet and a smooch to the ground all sounded good about now.

A bit hazy, I heard that last night’s 20-minute gap from time station 6 had been closed significantly. Adam and Mike rode great in the early hours— the hardest time to ride, between 2 a.m. and sunrise, with little sound and a desolate road. We blasted AC/DC and Metallica through the roof mounted pace vehicle speakers.

Now in the Southern Rockies, the hardest climbs approached in Camp Verde.

Mortensen took the climb, averaging 17 mph on something I would have a hard time walking up. I yelled out the window in a bullhorn about how he was closing the gap.

Adam Palmer ripp’n through a town in pursuit of the first place team.

Palm heading into swim break.

After 10 miles and 2,000 feet, Jim descended out of sight for eight miles at 40 mph.

Time Station 9, 485.8 Miles Arizona is no place for a man on a bike in June during the hours of 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. But the team had ridden in Moab’s hot sun. Mike was from Arizona. I would pull up beside Jim and offer to douse him with water, he would just say something like, “Nah, could you play some Marley

or something mellow, this is a great view isn’t it? Great stretch at the office.”

Time Station 12, 646.7 Miles At 7:30 p.m. on June 22, I witnessed a fateful experience on the high desert outside Springerville, Ariz. At first there was silence, then all of a sudden Mortensen was screaming “GO, GO, GO!” to teammate Adam Palmer waiting on the shoulder. For these brief few moments, this quiet town filled with energy. Jim crossed the line of Mountain Flyer

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ill and may have strep throat. He coughed a lot and said his throat was sore. I would never have known because every time he got on the bike, he was like a rock, no matter what terrain, steep, flat, curvy, it didn’t matter.

Adam Palmer gives Mike Janelle a push for the transition, Day 4

Brett’s memorial in Pie Town.

the 12th time station with a gap of six minutes in front of Team Action Sports.

This occurred after a heated 24-hour pursuit. Jim relayed to Adam who blazed out of time station 12. Team Vail’s pursuit was ignited by the emotional furnace of a team dedicated to their fallen teammate whose life was ended one year earlier down that same road. As the gap was continually widened, a rainbow formed over the roadway where Brett Malin’s father laid a candle and an inscribed goodbye placard where his son had died.

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Time station 20, 1,119.7 Miles The gap was steadily widening. Our team rode at an average speed of 23 mph, although Jim expressed some concern that the other riders were not getting enough rest.

Time Station 30, 1,714.9 Miles In the Missouri hills, Adam and Mike were killing it, taking the hills like madmen. They gained a gap of 50 minutes. This came at a cost. Heather, the nutritionist, said Mike was feeling

Time Stations 35-36 In the Illinois and Indiana flatlands, Action Sports closed the 50-minute gap. A headwind drew up and blew consistently through the morning of June 25. The Vail riders had light hill climbing bikes and wheel sets used for Colorado climbing. But Team Action Sports had aerodynamic gear in its $800,000 gear pile. The aerodynamic wheel and bike set-ups proved to be superior and the gap was closed to within minutes.

Mike’s health was not improving.

Time Station 40, 2,275.0 Miles The race now in a dead heat, the Action Sports crew drivers were cutting our riders off, the battle becoming frenzied. Both sides would later complain about this portion of the race, but no officials were around. In Troy, Ohio, Team Vail’s lead was only two minutes.

We came into the next time station, Laurelville, Ohio, ahead by only two minutes again. The next leg was nutty. The road between Laurelville and Athens had short, steep hills, just what Team Vail loves. In the pitch black, the riders approached 45 mph, diving into corners blindly, with visibility only a few feet in front of the pace car lights. On these steep and twisty descents, we would get as close as just a foot or two behind the rider, feathering the brake and gas to keep the rider’s path illuminated as they barreled into the darkness at 45 mph.

We would approach a corner taking it wide to then cut into the curve literally a second before the rider would drop his shoulder into the darkness, hoping that the direction he chose was correct. He would power into the unknown for a split second, just before the reflective markers in the center of the road would illuminate his path.We went to sleep that night thinking that the race was in the bag. Team Vail

all photos courtesy markridenour.com

wanted it more, the lead they fought for, in the memory of Brett.

Time Station 47, 2,598.6 Miles This morning Team Vail received a devastating blow. Mike Jannelle had to be pulled from the rotation. His strep throat kept him off his bike. It would prove fatal to Team Vail’s record bid. After holding the lead for 34 of 47 time stations, Team Action Sports took the lead for what would be the remainder of the Race Across America. The three-man rotation that remained was not enough to regain the lead, and although Mike returned to the rotation in Pennsylvania, it was too late with less than 200 miles to go.

Finish Line, 2,958 Miles At 3:26 a.m., Team Vail-Go Fast crossed the finish line to a cheering crowd of crewmen and family members on the Atlantic City boardwalk. They finished two hours behind Team Action Sports and over 11 hours ahead of the Royal Air Force, beating their own previous race time (2001) by more than six hours. I believe that in this race, as in all races luck has a big part, that had Mike Jannelle not fallen ill, the race could have easily gone the other way. In the end, it wasn’t about the win nor was it about disappointment with not fulfilling what they set out to do with Brett the year before. It was about celebrating a rider’s lifestyle by doing something great with friends, in the spirit of competition, just another week at the office.

Cloud break in mid-America.

Palmer in Maryland.

Terrell Mac Born in Seattle, Wash. Currently residing in Littleton, Colo. Colorado State University graduate. Outdoor enthusiast. Pursuing a career in medicine as a physician. I took time out to participate in the RAAM to see just how far the human body can go to further my knowledge with sports medicine. Also, it sounded crazy enough to be a load of fun.

The finish line with time banner.

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Cyclocross

Get Yourself Fired Up CycloCross Season Is Almost Upon Us

by Marc Gullicson

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yclocross is one of the most hotly I was hooked immediately. I had shape but also for keeping me occupied. contested cycling disciplines in the spent the last six years immersed in There’s no time to feel sorry for yourRocky Mountain Region. Its fast, mountain bike racing and when this new self when you are trying to figure out how furious, down and dirty nature makes it bicycle showed up at my door, I was much glue you really need to make tubular great for spectators and it’s certainly the forced to learn. Not only did I have to cross tires stay on a rim or what brakes best lactate training session on the market. figure out how to put the thing together, offer the best mud clearance. I soon So, if you’re in need of stopped thinking in terms a little extra suffering of preparation for next in your life, just to year’s mountain bike searemind you that you’re son and started thinking alive, read on for a little about how I was going inspiration. to get through the cross When I joined Team season.

GT at the beginning of I spent that fall and 1996, cyclocross was not early winter doing local on my radar screen. I had cyclocross races throughambitions of making the out Colorado, and by the Olympic Mountain Bike time I headed up to Team and going on to Seattle for the National dominate the NORBA Championships, I thought circuit.

I was getting pretty good.

Unfortunately, things It rained so hard that didn’t go my way that weekend that it seemed year. I was nowhere near like half the course was the podium and found underwater. I remember myself struggling just to riding for long stretches finish races. I never did with no idea of what figure out what went obstacles may lie beneath. wrong. Maybe my winter When I crossed the line preparation was off or I was so cold, wet, beat the pressure of being the up and tired that I barely newest member of the made it back to the world’s most prominent hotel room. mountain bike team was That night while I lay had to learn how to get off and on the bike at speed, throw it on my shoulder, jump over getting to me. Whatever Istuff awake in bed and thought and run up hills it was, I am pretty sure I of all I had learned in know what got me going again. That fall I had to learn how to get off and on it the past three months, I allowed myself to of my lowest year, I was determined to at speed, throw it on my shoulder, jump fantasize about maybe someday winning stay fit through the “off season” so I over stuff and run up hills. It was a very Nationals or racing in the World Cyclocross ordered a cyclocross bike. successful tool not only for staying in Championships in Europe. I knew I still 66

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The basics of cross technique boil down to getting off the bike, carrying the bike and getting back on it. The better you get at these skills, the faster you will be able ride.

Through the years, I have been lucky enough to get to know a unique breed of cycling enthusiasts that approach cyclocross as if it were their own modern day crusade.

had a lot to learn but with better equipment choices, improved technique and more focused training maybe I had a shot at turning cross into something more than just a way to stay fit in the off season.

As it turned out, I did end up going to the World Championships in Denmark the following year and was able to finish in 28th place, the best an American had done in the elite category to date. I took as much information and knowledge away from that race as I did the year before at Nationals and realized that my learning curve was only getting steeper.

As the years passed, I spent more and more time and energy preparing for the fall and putting all I was learning to use.

I traveled throughout Europe and raced in numerous World Cup races as well as four more World Championships and every time I was able to glean a little more pertinent information. Now, at the ripe old age of 36, I have banked enough cyclocross wisdom that on occasion I am able to tip the scales back in my favor when up against the young cross talent of today.

Through the years, I have been lucky enough to get to know a unique breed of

cycling enthusiasts that approach cyclocross as if it were their own modern day crusade.

This crowd is willing to donate hard-earned money, volunteer countless hours, drive great distances and embrace foul weather in the interest of cyclocross. Our almost fanatical following is like sticky mud that holds us all together and even when I cross paths with “cross people” in the dead of summer our conversation always drifts ahead to the coming autumn.

Cyclocross did save my mountain bike career but more importantly it renewed my love of riding and racing. If you are looking for a new challenge that might give you a renewed passion for cycling, you might want to give cyclocross a try this fall. It’s not just for off-season training anymore.

If you’ve never given it a try, here are the Basics: Cyclocross is one of the most diverse disciplines of cycling. To be successful you need to be very fit, able to read a race from a tactical standpoint and master the technical aspects associated with this unique sport. Below I will give you the basic building blocks of good cyclocross technique. Keep in mind that there are many successful variations of the basics and the best way to find your unique variation is trial and error.

The basics of cross technique boil down to getting off the bike, carrying the bike and getting back on it. The better you get at these skills, the faster you will be able ride. It is best to start out at slower speeds and work your way up to race speed as you become more comfortable.

Dismounting (Getting Off) As you are approaching a running section, coast and with your left foot and crank arm in the down position, clip out of your right pedal and swing your right leg around behind you while you support most of your weight with your left foot.

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Now, at the ripe old age of 36, I have banked enough cyclocross wisdom that on occasion I am able to tip the scales back in my favor when up against the young cross talent of today. land with your right foot behind your left.

Where you grab the bike with your right hand while you are swinging your right leg off depends on whether you are coming into a run in which you need to get the bike over your shoulder or whether you only need to carry it over a couple barriers. If you need to shoulder the bike, grab the down tube, reaching around the left side of the top tube and when you hit the ground just hoist the bike onto your shoulder with your right arm through the triangle of the frame.

Your left hand will still be on the bars

so when you get the bike on your shoulder your right hand will let go of the down tube and grab the left drop of your handlebar to steady the bars. Your left hand will let go of the bars and be used for balance and to maintain a natural running motion.

If you are just getting over some barriers on the flats and don’t need to shoulder the bike, just grab the top tube of the bike with your right hand as you are getting ready to dismount. And when you get off, pick the bike up with your left hand on the bars and right hand on the top tube.

Cyclocross renewed my love of riding and racing.

Remounting (Getting Back On) When you have come to the top of the run up a hill or have gotten over the barriers, you will need to get back on the bike as quickly as possible and regain your pedaling momentum.

First you need to put the bike down.

Try to do this as lightly as possible so the bike is not still bouncing around on the ground when you try to jump back on. If you are taking your bike off your shoulder, just grab the down tube again with your right hand and shrug it off placing it on the ground with your right hand.

It is very important to work on a fluid and forward moving remount that gets you on your bike with a bit of forward momentum so you don’t have to start pedaling from a dead stop.

You basically want to leap back on your bike with both hands on the bars (or as you are reaching toward the bars with your right hand, remember you will have just put the bike down with this hand and will need to get it back on the bars). Try to take as few steps as possible between putting your bike down and jumping on.

When jumping back on, try not to take a stutter step with your left leg—a very common instinct to try to lessen the impact. Try to jump on so that your right inner thigh makes contact with the seat first and then slide into position. The better you get at this, the closer you will be able to land in the spot so you’re ready to ride.

It’s that simple. Good Luck!

To be successful you need to be very fit, able to read a race from a tactical standpoint and master the technical aspects associated with this unique sport.

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All photos courtesy of Gork/Redline

Upcoming Cyclocross Events 8Fort Collins , Colo., Lee’s Cyclery Premier Cyclocross FCCC 970-226-6006 September 25-26 8Smow Mountain Ranch Cyclocross ACA 303-458-5538 September 19

October 2 October 3 October 9 October 6 October 17 October 23 October 24 October 31

November 1 November 6 November 7 November 13 November 20 November 21 November 27 November 28 December 4 December 5

8Lakewood Schwab Boss of Cross TOR 303-238-0243 SchwabBike@rm.incc.net 8Boulder Boulder Cyclocross Series BR 303-440-4824 Bhlud@yahoo.com 8Lakewood Schwab Boss of Cross TOR 303-238-0243 SchwabBike@rm.incc.net 8Morrison Red Rocks Velo Cyclocross RRV 303-697-8833 8Littleton Foothills Cross Series TIAA-CREF 303-972-0944 rkappius@digitrail.com 8Denver VeloCross CSP 303-589-1220 Clark@wednesdayworlds.com 8Boulder Boulder Cyclocross Series BR 303-440-4824 Bhlud@yahoo.com 8Littleton Foothills Cross Series TIAA-CREF 303-972-0944 rkappius@digitrail.com 8Littleton Foothills Cross Series TIAA-CREF 303-972-0944 rkappius@digitrail.com 8Boulder Boulder Cyclocross Series BR 303-440-4824 Bhlud@yahoo.com 8Denver Green Mountain Sports ‘Cross at the Federal Center GMSV 303-262-0707 8Morrison Red Rocks Velo Cyclocross RRV 303-697-8833 redrockscyclry@cs.com 8Colorado Springs Cody Cross CODY 719-594-9287 cyclocrossrider@adelphia.net 8Boulder Boulder Cyclocross Series BR 303-440-4824 Bhlud@yahoo.com 8Littleton Foothills Cross Series TIAA-CREF 303-972-0944 rkappius@digitrail.com 8Boulder Boulder Cyclocross Series BR 303-440-4824 Bhlud@yahoo.com 8Lakewood Colo., Cross Championships (1) 303-238-0243 SchwabBikes@rm.incc.net 8Lakewood, Colo., Cross Championships (2) 303-238-0243 SchwabBikes@rm.incc.net

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January to February 8It ain’t over till the fat lady of Shavano sings. Absolute Bikes of Salida hosts a great cross race series starting in January (they don’t call it the banana belt for nothing). So if you get your hide tanned in the first round of races, get some redemption in January. The race dates are yet to be officially announced, but generally they will be every Sunday in January and the first Sunday in February. For more information, contact Andrew Mesesan at 719-539-9295 or info@absolutebikes.com.

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by Caroline Spaeth

ver a million years ago, a monstrous volcano exploded in central New Mexico, blasting a gaping hole in a mountain range that today is filled with lush mountain meadows, clear streams, and forested domes.

Until recently, mountain bikers thought they’d have to wait another million years before they’d ever be allowed in the Valles Caldera National Preserve.

But thanks to the persistent tremors of local cyclists and a new federal landlord, the 89,000 acres opened its gates for the first time ever to cyclists.

Photo by Debbi Maez

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This is no ordinary caldera. Named for its expansive grassland valles (valle, pronounced vi-yay, is Spanish for a valley with fewer trees and more open meadows), the Valles Caldera has only been open to the public for three years and has never allowed two-wheelers to roll across its 89,000 acres.

“I’ve been waiting my whole life to ride here,” one rider said as he cruised down the lone dirt road, snaking across a mile-long meadow rimmed by big peaks.

Another rider echoed that sentiment as he dropped down the rough logging road from the southern caldera rim: “I’ve been riding around and around this place for 10 years waiting to get in.”

This is no ordinary caldera. Named for its expansive grassland valles (valle, pronounced vi-yay, is Spanish for a valley with fewer trees and more open meadows), the Preserve stretches across 89,000 acres, surrounded by a hazy blue volcanic rim that is the Jemez Mountains.

Adding to its mystique is the fact that it has only been open to the public for three years—and barely open at that.

For more than 150 years, the land has been a private ranch, a time that seemed like forever to the locals in nearby Los Alamos and Santa Fe. Barbed wire and aggressive ranch hands kept trespassers up on the rim and out of the caldera during that time.

In 2000 the federal government purchased the land from the Dunigan family before developers could snatch it up and litter it with condos. Price tag? $96 million.

Like cooling lava, recreational opportunities progressed slowly. Hiking wasn’t allowed for 2 years, as the Preserve staff figured out how to meet its federal mandate of first operating as a self-sufficient working ranch, second as a preserve to protect the land, and third as a multiple-use recreational area.

So local mountain bikers were lucky at all to get permission to allow 400 Lycralovers into the land.

But with a tentative blessing from the Preserve staff, local mountain bikers sat down in May and hammered out a plan for three rides during the Los Alamos Fat Tire Festival, held annually in August.

Attracting riders up there was no problem.

“There’s quite an appeal to ride somewhere new,” said Ken Kisiel, the Festival’s race promoter. “Biking there is attractive because of the amount of 72

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Four bike patrollers make the descent into the caldera at the crack of dawn on Aug. 15 as the mist rises from the dewy grasslands of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. The caldera provided cyclists with spectacular views and an awesome sense of solitude and connection to the natural world. Photo by James Rickman

Two riders make their way through Valle Santa Rosa, one of the many valles that form the entire Valles Caldera. A massive volcanic explosion 1.2-million years ago formed the caldera. Subsequent eruptions over thousands of years sculpted the caldera's interior with small mountains. Photo by Caroline Spaeth

distance you can cover out there and see so much of the terrain. It’s a spectacular area.”

Not surprisingly, the response was explosive. With only a couple of small stories in local newspapers, no advertising, and old-fashioned word-of-mouth marketing, registration hit the 400-rider limit in less than three weeks.

“The numbers are so much larger than

anything we’ve done,” said Julie Grey, the Preserve communications manager.

“With moderate publicity, we got a huge response.”

Nothing came easy in the planning.

Sensitive cultural sites populated by Native Americans in the 1400s still need to be catalogued before the public can come barreling through large sections of the Preserve.

Bike patroller Marshall Maez pauses to watch part of a herd of elk cows move across the Valles Caldera National Preserve in the early morning on Aug. 14. The Preserve is home to some of the largest elk herds in North America. More than 400 mountain bike riders had a chance to experience the Preserve during the weekend fun rides — the first time access has been granted to cyclists. Photo by James Rickman

Elk herds, some of the largest in the North America, use parts of the Preserve for breeding and as a nursery.

And because solitude and wilderness experience make up a basic Preserve tenent, hikers, equestrians and fishing areas had to be avoided. Time was limited since elk hunting season runs from September to November.

“It’s never going to be a gob of people”

allowed on the Preserve, Grey said. “Part of the experience is to provide a sense of solitude. That’s why this event is not something we’ve designed into our programs at this point,” Grey added.

The rides were billed as a “special event” because the Preserve’s board was nervous, having formed their opinion of mountain bikers from the X-Games.

More than 400 well-mannered, eager

Los Alamos Fat Tire Festival The Preserve rides took place during the same weekend of the Los Alamos Fat Tire Festival.

The Festival features the grueling Pajarito Punishment race, with 25 miles of gravel road and singletrack and 4,000 feet of climbing. While the Punishment has been around since 1986, the Festival is in its second year as a three-day event of XC, downhill and kids’ races, local concerts, a rodeo and county fair. This year’s XC race was an AMBC, part of the circuit allowing racers to qualify for nationals.

The downhill course dropped down the local Pajarito ski area, which perches above the little town of Los Alamos, birthplace of the atomic bomb. The course, only two years old, drops 1,000 feet, over log bridges and table tops and weaves through thick tree stands. Last year, it even attracted Missy Giove who drove up from Santa Fe to bomb down the course for a test ride. She approved.

Again this year, racers in the Punishment kicked off the local rodeo parade for the race start. A women’s clinic was added this year and a Shimano kids’ race for under-12 riders helped recruit new enthusiasts to the sport.

Ken Kisiel, race promoter, hopes the Preserve will have mountain bike rides again next year during the Festival.

“We’ve got a lot of out-of-state riders for the race, so having something different like that was great; they could race the first day and do the ride the next,” he said.

cyclists showed up in spite of it all.

Of those, 210 chose to ride the 13-mile loop with 1,600 feet of climbing up a forested ridge and then dropping into the appropriately named Valle Grande, the biggest valle stretching five miles across.

Another 200 cyclists chose to ride on a 20-mile or 32-mile loop, both loops dropping down the southern rim into mountain meadows and climbing about 2,400 feet throughout the routes.

To keep people on designated routes, biking volunteers patrolled alongside the course. Aid stations offered Gatorade and water.

At $20 a pop, the riders did their part to contribute to the Preserve’s goal of selfsufficiency. The $15 inaugural T-shirts were snatched up quickly.

Despite the huge response from cyclists for the event, the Preserve staff isn’t sure what the future holds for mountain biking. The Preserve’s board will consider the next year’s upcoming recreational offerings this fall.

“I think they’re supportive of the idea,” Grey said. “But it’s more management issues on how to handle mountain biking in this environment with the ranching going on and the other activities.”

With any luck, mountain bikers won’t be waiting a million years for the opportunity to explode onto the scene again.

Caroline Spaeth is a technical writer and editor at Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, N.M. She is also a journalist and has written for newspapers and magazines, including the bicycle trade magazine, Bicycle Retailer & Industry News. An avid cyclist and triathlete, she gets to ride to work on the trails that surround the mountain town of Los Alamos where she resides. She jumped at the chance to ride in the Valles Caldera after years of bike rides in the Jemez Mountains overlooking the former ranch land. "It's like going back in time. No telephone poles, no buildings, no paved roads, just open, wild country. Who wouldn't want to ride there?" she said.

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by Gregg Morin

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Bicycle Trials is extremely popular in Europe, with competitions attracting hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators.

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bserved Trials is a form of competition that emphasizes precise balance and control while riding over designated sections of difficult terrain. It’s not a race, only one rider is “observed” at a time. It can be slow. So slow that the rider may even stand still or back up—as long as they don’t touch the ground, or “dab,” with their feet, or hands.

Each dab adds points to the riders’ score and the rider with the lowest total score wins the event.

Since trials is essentially a solo sport, the rider can practice just about anywhere—at home, on the neighbors’ car, or on forbidden public property (this is fun until you get busted for tresspassing). The idea is to perfect skills such as balance, turning in small areas, and hopping. Once at an event, the riders have another factor to deal with—the event organizer or Trials Master. It is the organizer’s job to discover, design, clear, and mark the sections. The terrain chosen for each section must be clearly marked with boundaries and start/finish gates in such a fashion that it is just barely possible for the skill level of each class of participants to complete the section. It’s almost as challenging and fun to set up a trials event as it is to compete in one! Putting on a trials competition is extremely difficult and there are not many Trials Masters. Past great promoters include Pedro Pi, Tom Hilliard, and Doug White.

History of Bicycle Trials Bicycle Trials started in Spain sometime during the mid 1970s. Pedro Pi, the owner of the Montesa Motorcycle Trials Company, introduced the first mass produced trials bicycle called the Monty.

Pedro’s son named Ot (which stands for Observed Trials) rode the Monty bikes to seven world championships. Bicycle Trials is extremely popular in Europe, with competitions attracting hundreds of participants and thousands of spectators.

Other top riders include Cesar Canas (Spain) and Hans Rey (Sweden) who has helped promote the sport worldwide

Bicycle trials is always entertaining for spectators.

The course should be “just barely possible” for the skill level of each class.

through clinics and demonstrations. In the United States, bicycle trials is still fairly new and definitely obscure. There are pockets of riders and competitions in California, Colorado, the Northwest, and

the Northeast. Past top U.S. competitors include Jim Trigonis, Kevin Norton, and Morgan Kavanaugh (from Colorado).

Many of these top riders compete in motorcycle trials as well.

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each rider and is marked with red ribbon on the right side and blue on the left. A section should have a minimum width of one-meter boundary markers should be between four inches and 18 inches from the ground.

Gate Foul – Either not riding the sections in proper order, not following the course markings for your class, or entering or exiting through the wrong gate.

The idea is to perfect skills such as balance, turning in small areas, and hopping.

The Europeans still dominate in the BTI and UCI sanctioned competitions with the French, Spanish, and Germans fielding the top teams. The Americans use the NORBA national series as the U.S. championships and for choosing the U.S. World Championship team.

The world championships have been held in the U.S. three times in Colorado, Durango in 1991 and Vail in 1996 and 2001. The past two U.S. National Championships have been held at Durango Mountain Resort.

As in any specialized sport, Observed Trials has its own set of lingo and terms used during competition. Here are some important definitions: Round – The number of times a rider is required to compete in each section (typically 2 or 3 rounds).

Dab – Any contact that provides support for the rider.

Clean Section – A round with no dabs Section – A segment of the Observed Trials Competition. Sections can be a mix of manmade and natural obstacles. The section is designed to test the skills of 76

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Scoring For Observed Trials There are different scoring systems used for Observed Trials. Most events in the U.S. use a combination of NORBA and UCI rules.

The head “checker” or “observer” is the maximum authority in each section.

For each specific event, an event time limit is established (typically 2—4 hours).

All scorecards must be handed in by the end of the time limit. Also, there must be an established section time limit (typically 2—3 minutes). The observer advises the rider when there is 1 minute, 30 seconds, and 15 seconds remaining.

Scoring is as follows: Clean section—0 points Each dab—1 point Over the section time limit—5 points Any two points of contact at the same time (two feet, hand and elbow, etc.)

—5 points Leaning handlebar on the ground, tree, wall, etc—1 point Touching hand to any object other than the bike – 5 points Outside section limits with either tire —5 points Dab outside section limits—1 point Breaking ribbon or knocking down markers—5 points One foot crossing longitudinal line of bike while other foot is in on the ground – 5 points Resting on pedal, skid-plate, or “bash-ring”—1 point Rider modifies the section—10 points Gate foul—5 points Pre-riding course or losing scorecard – DQ

Trials Classes Stock Bike Class. This is for riders on traditional style mountain bikes with a minimum of a 40 inch wheelbase, functional rear derailleur with at least five working gears, no skid plate, no more that 10.5 inches of chain ring clearance, and a chain ring guard on drive side only.

A typical stock bike section may require the rider to negotiate tight turns, logs up to 8 inches, and hills with questionable traction. Stock sections typically require more pedaling and slightly easier obstacles than modified bike sections.

Sections for beginner and sport riders are meant to serve as an orientation to the rules and skills used in Observed Trials.

Modified Bike Class. This is for riders on bikes with a minimum of 20-inch wheels, brakes on each wheel, propelled by a pedal/crank system. Trials bike sections can have turns that are tighter than the turning radius of the bikes, unlimited logs or rock obstacles with vertical faces, drop-offs, double logs, plus any combination of surface traction.

Any bike that is determined dangerous will not be admitted into the event. A rider may repair or replace the bike during competition. If riders are competing on both stock and modified bikes, they must complete all the sections on the first bike before returning on the second bike.

Finally, Observed Trials is a great spectator sport. Get out, observe, give it a try, and enjoy the show.

Gregg Morin started competing in observed trials and setting up trials events in 1983.

Morin was one of the few pro mountain bike racers that also competed on both trials bikes at the events as well as racing. He included trials events at all of the Colorado Point Series races, and runs the Tuneup Bike shop's "Rage in the Sage" which is the Colorado State championships for trials.

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Onesville

by Jefe Branham

I

awake to the panic-producing, chiming time bomb of my cheap alarm clock. Amid the reverie of slumber, I foolishly play the game of hitting the snooze button. Teasing yourself with four more measly minutes of sleep is just plain silly. After about seven minutes of extra reclining, I have an extreme reluctance to hear those all-too-effective tones again.

I pull myself from my soft warm bed.

It used to be that I needed only a short time to get ready in the morning, yet as my adventures become more involved and I get ever so older, I have to admit to myself that I am the tortoise.

It takes me a whole hour and 20 minutes to get it all together: eat, prep food for the day, pack, get dressed, play with the dog and finally get out the door.

The pre-dawn air feels cold and I’ve gone minimalist today, sacrificing comforts for more food. So I ride off into the

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dark morning, 100 miles of riding ahead of me, with only a small LED headlamp to keep any other early travelers from running me over. Unfortunately I cannot see a damn thing and every bump jostles me without apology.

Within about 15 minutes I am entering the bottom of a long, steady climb. It’s not even five yet and the air is suddenly quite warm. It’s going to be a hot day! I also can’t help but notice that my right hand is really sore, probably from riding Sun Park the day before. I can’t quite ignore it so I keep moving my hand position and remind myself that I am committed. This is just an inconvenience.

The morning climb is going well. It’s a bit windy but otherwise quiet with no one to be seen except the half a moon that is hanging perfectly in the mid-southern sky.

I elect to walk up a tough steep section as I can visualize many of the climbs that I know are still waiting patiently out there

to crush me later. Not to mention that yesterday’s ride was also on my single speed, as it is evident by the dull ache in my legs and back.

I reach the top as the sun is cresting over Fossil Ridge to the east. The view is really beautiful. I eat and drink and snap a picture. I point my faithful partner down the fast and rocky jeep road. Soon enough we are climbing again. The next section is mostly new to me and requires a few map checks to make sure I’m on the right nondescript dirt road out of dozens that crisscross this area.

Again I find myself pushing my bike up all the steep, hard uphills. I just don’t have any power today and I can’t help to wonder if this mission is a mistake. Once again, the brutal high mountain climbs to come flash before my eyes with exquisite detail. Otherwise I feel good, the food is going down smooth and I’m drinking like a fish. I decide to trust myself and grind it

Whenever I get this high up and look around at the vast array of mountains that surround this place I call home, I get chills at the thought of how cool it is and how lucky I am to be here. out. Soon the low sage and dried out yellow grass hills have flashed behind me and I’m slowly pedaling out on the pavement. After some 30 odd miles on remote deserted dirt roads the thundering highway is a bit intimidating, semi trucks blowing diesel scented gusts of wind as they roar by at 70 mph. I begin to question my original return route already.

Next I navigate a familiar twist of dirt roads, avoiding various ranches, and begin to slowly climb towards the National Forest boundary and the beginning of the real climbing. I pass the reservoir, which is both amazingly full and also deserted, something that’s about as rare as spring rain. It is just lovely out, not too hot yet, so quiet, and the Continental Divide is towering above me, showing off its massive slopes of beauty.

I feel lucky and honored to be here this morning. Life is good. I know this section of the ride all too well; the climbs are printed in my head with the permanency of repeated torture. I’ve done it before on my SS. It was real hard but it was a big group ride. Now I am already aching and alone to my own single-minded hammering self. Luckily the path of this trail is just so breathtakingly awesome, it helps numb the pain knowing how cool it is around the next corner.

Not to discourage folks from this ride but it has been recently opened to fourwheeler traffic and well, singletrack just isn’t the same ever again after that. The place is so gorgeous and fragile that I just can’t believe the Forest Service would allow it to be so abused. Sadly though, that’s what is happening. I realize not everyone wants to grind and sweat their way up this valley. It just seems as though there are so many damned roads around already that are much more suited for vehicular use. It seems a shame.

The valley I speak of starts off going south then turns east and then finally north where it slowly gains the Continental Divide. The creek is so small and narrow in places that it disappears but I still hear the sound of rushing and gurgling cold mountain water. Dark, forest-

covered mountains dominate the landscape, forcing stream and traveler alike to bend at their feet, winding a long and twisting passage.

Once at the top, the aches disappear for the air is cool, the view incredible. The La Garita’s and the San Juan’s are to the southeast, the lower Sawatch Range to the east, Fossil Ridge and the Elk Mountain’s to the north, the West Elks to the northwest, and a unique view of Sawtooth Mountain is directly to the west.

Whenever I get this high up and look around at the vast array of mountains that surround this place I call home, I get chills at the thought of how cool it is and how lucky I am to be here.

I am a tiny speck among these massive stalwarts of nature. It really makes all the crap that fills my head and stresses me out when I’m in that little town down there seem inane and silly.

I take a good long break up top to eat, repack, apply more sunscreen, and then I’m off to face the downhill. The first section is still holding some snow but motorcycles have been riding it for a while now. There are channels cut through the lingering drifts so passage is just a bit messy. I had forgotten how rough and

rocky this part was, maybe it is the fatigue ringing throughout my whole body, or maybe it’s the lack of others to spurn me on. It is a challenge to keep momentum through the loose and jumbled trail; even the jumps look intimidating. After the first couple of miles I loosen up and start to play a bit.

Now the trail seems to open up to me and becomes the long fast joyride I always manage to remember. The creek is flowing pretty hard, making for some soaking stream crossings in places it has managed to overtake the trail completely. The shockingly cold water feels good, as the drop in altitude has made for quite a change in temperature. Now it is just plain hot.

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Now I am bonking big time, there is not much food left, the water is tasting of iodine, and the wide gravel/dirt roads are bright and hot with the intense sun overhead.

Before I know it the trail winds down to an end and becomes a dirt road and heads back up for another steep climb.

Now I feel cooked. The blood is just not flowing to my fingers very much and my head is swimming with the heat and effort to keep my simple little bike moving. Soon I am regretfully walking again.

I keep eating and drinking, determined to finish this mission strong. Or at least finish. As I reach the top I eat more and to my surprise open the map and actually contemplate a longer way home! “Am I crazy?” I ask myself. Taking the highway back to town was my plan, simple, direct, straightforward, but just not appealing to me now.

“Screw it” I hear myself say. I mean are you a sally or what? Even as I turn to climb up another dirt road heading south, not west towards home, I can’t believe what I’m doing. So onward I go, into the incredible heat. I keep spinning those pedals around and around, knowing if I can just do this I will eventually get home.

Now I am bonking big time, there is not much food left, the water now tastes of iodine and the wide gravel/dirt roads are bright and hot with the intense sun overhead. I even manage to get a bit lost, going well out of the way (amazing how only a mile or two can become a lot of extra pedaling), yet when I realize where 80

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I am, I smile and stand up on the pedals once more. Now I coast down fast smooth dirt to pavement. Unfortunately, another highway is in front of me. It’s very narrow and has very little median at that.

Winding through the twisting creek canyon, spinning out all too easily, makes the fast cars and roaring semis seem close enough to touch. Nobody said I was smart, certainly not me. Next the big highway and a straight painful shot home, made more so by the ever-present easterly spring wind.

By now my ass is on fire, my back feels like tenderized meat, and my hands ache so badly that holding even lightly to the handlebars is difficult. I eat the last of the food and suffer on into town. Oh how glorious it is to see the big red buildings of campus, the golden arches, sidewalks and super wide streets. Success, oh yes.

Always good to be home!

Holy moly, I am one baked potato!

SS power!

The route: Lost Canyon Rd. to Beaver Creek trail to Parlin Flats Rd. to County Rd. 76 to County Rd. 44 to Highway 50 to Doyleville.

Needle Creek Rd. to Razor Creek trail to Dutchman’s trail back to Needle Creek. Sagauche County Rd. PP14 to Camp Kettle Gulch (S.C. rd WW13) to Hwy 114 to Hwy 50 home. Approximately 105 miles, 10,000 vertical feet with a time of about 13:45.

Defining the Rocky Mountain Cyclist

The Greasy Thumb The Joe Breeze Story Training—Keeping it Fun Mount Evans Hill Climb Montezuma’s Revenge Valle Caldera Ride Onesville

Premier Issue Autumn 2004