XXCIssueFOUR by Michael Cleveland

[introduction]

W elco m e to X XC #4. I think this m ay be m y favo rite issu e so far! N o t o nly are there so m e am azing repo rts and pho to s fro m the U .S., the race co verage w ent tru ly glo balw ith great sto ries fro m the Salzkam m ergu t Tro phy in A u stria, The K ielder 100 in the U .K .and the epic 47th A nnu al 3 Peaks C yclo cro ss race in N o rth Yo rkshire, England.It w as aw eso m e fo r m e to w o rk o n these sto ries. The Salzkam m ergu t has captu red m y interest fo r years and w as o ne o f the first races to piqu e m y interest in the M aratho n and X XC race fo rm at. It w as also great to w o rk w ith the su per repo rt and im ages that Jo o lze D ym o nd shared fro m the U .K .’s FIRST 100 m ile race- The M o ntane K ielder 100. A lo ng w ith the race repo rts w e have an am azing W ilderness 101 pho to gallery by A bram L andes, an interview w ith 2009 N .U .E. Single Speed D ivisio n C ham pio n G erry Pflu g,pro du ctreview s, and m u ch,m u ch m o re. W hile this m ay be the m o st race heavy editio n o f X XC yet, I think yo u w ill find that sto ries and pho to s co ntinu e to tellso m u ch m o re than thato f ju st “co m peting.” W hen yo u read the w o rds and see the pho to s fro m A ndrew C arney’s 2009 C o lo rado Trail Race o r M ichael L o ranty’s So ggy Bo tto m 100, yo u see that despite racing, there rem ains a sense o f adventu re and the desire to experiences new places. There rem ains an adm iratio n and respect fo r the beau ty natu re o ffers u s as w e race.Yo u w illbe rem inded to no t take fo r granted the “arena” in w hich w e co m pete, to take the tim e to lo o k u p fro m yo u r heart rate m o nito r.To no t ju st lo o k at the w heelin fro nt o f yo u o r o ver yo u r sho u lder, bu t to lo o k aro u nd yo u ,and tru ly take in w hat racing can o ffer:The chance to spend ho u rs, so m etim es days in the saddle o f a m o u ntain bike,aw ay fro m w o rk,aw ay fro m the stresses o f life, to go new places, m eet new peo ple,and EX PERIEN C E life. Jaso n M aho key xxcm ag.co m

“Experiencing” the mud of the mountains. Photo by Jason Mahokey

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[contributors] Than ksto allthe gen erou scon tribu torsofXXC #4. W ithou tthem ,XXC w ou ld n otbe possible. Please visitstheir blogsan d w eb sitesby clickin g below .

[contents] Salzkam m ergutTrophy by Pau lErrin gton Tw in Six/X X C ContestW inn ers M y K in d ofTow n

by C hrisStrou t

TheLastFrontier,TheSoggy Bottom 100 by M ichaelLoran ty TheColorado TrailRace by An drew 2009 N U E OverallResu lts

C arn ey

Interview :Gerry Pflug-On eGear& A SeriesTitle by Jason M ahokey W ildern ess101 Gallery by Abram

Lan des

100 M ileHistory,TheM ontan eK ielder100 by Joolze D ym on d 18 HoursOn TheFarm ,ScoutsHon or by Travis“M etro” W illiam s U CIM ountain BikeM arathon W orld Cham pion ship W inn ers TheRam blingsOfA ThreePeaksObsessive by PhilIn ham 2009 ThreePeaksPhoto Gallery by Ian M cVety En duroN utCorn er by N am rita O ’D ea Dealing W ith A Training A ddiction

by Jesse Steven s

Produ ctReview s by Jason M ahokey FastEn ergy On TheCheap by Jason M ahokey Com ing Clean W ith a N ew Love...by Jason M ahokey Finish

by Jason M ahokey

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3 9 12 19 24 33 34 38 49 58 63 65 71 77 78 80 82 83 84 PAGE 2

Abram Lan des-aelan desphotography.com Ian M cVety -ilm -photography.co.u k C hrisStrou t-cstrou t.blogspot.com An drew C arn ey -an drew -carn ey.blogspot.com Jason M ahokey -thesoiledcham ois.com Pau lErrin gton -shoestrin g-racin g.blogspot.com Joolze D ym on d -w w w .joolzedym on d.com w w w .sportograf.com N am rita O ’D ea -n am ritaodea.com M ichaelH erm an PhilIn gham Eddie Allen Jack K u n n en -jhku n n en photo.com M ichaelLoran ty Bob Popovich -bobs-photogallery.com G ary Sm its-xtrphoto.com D avid Story -m om bok.com Travis“M etro” W illiam -tsw im ba.blogspot.com G erry Pflu g -spkgoaters.blogspot.com Tom D oyle Jam esO lsen ,M an u elTen orio,M ark Schin de an d Brittan y N igh for addition alphoto con tribu tion s

Specialthan ksto JoErin “W ifey” O ’Leary, an d Bren n an “B-M an ” M ahokey for love an d su pport. Fam ily,frien ds,team m atesan d 2009 spon sorsfor their gen erosity an d help. Ian K ilm ister for a kick in the ju n k an d M ozzer for keepin g m e hon est. C over im age by Abram Lan des,aelan desphotography.com

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SALZKAMMERGUT TROPHY

one gear and no suspension in a world of carbon fiber pervery

by Paul Errington

Photo by sportograf.com

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This year for me has been pretty disjointed. With the advent of the new Genesis Bikes/Alpkit team coming late last year this year has been all about sorting the little details: Getting new riders, deciding how the team will operate and what our goals are. In all this although I have been following my normal training as laid down by Mark Forgy in Colorado I have struggled to get a race calendar together that really fit with my new goals on the bike of going as big as possible. I had a cool 2 week cycling tour planned which I had to shelve due to finances and my 24 hour race goal was cancelled. I tried to get racing as much as possible but I felt like I was a little lost. Then I remembered Salzkammergut Trophy!

“Almost a single 208km lap race with 7000m of climbing. Single speed rideable? I had to find out.” I had a set time booked off work and it just so happened that this race fell on the first weekend of this time. My friend Matt Barton had done Salzkammergut a year or so previous and it took him 15 hours and he is a good rider! The basis of this event is almost a single 208km lap race with 7000m of climbing. Single speed rideable? I had to find out. I mentioned the possibility to James Olsen at Genesis Bikes of hitting this race road trip style. Driving out to Austria, doing the race then trucking to France to catch the Tour and bag some big road climbs and cheeky single track. Luckily he was instantly sold on the idea and convinced the gods at Madison to provide a van for the trip and generously contribute fuel and ferry costs to the cause. With the trip loosely planned we still had to find another passenger to share the driving and luckily my brother, Guy, decided that it was a trip he couldn’t miss and joined the now 3 of us bound for Austria and big climbs! The Euro-road trip race van. XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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My Brother and I left Manchester on Thursday morning and en route called in at Alpkit for some supplies for the trip. Namely Excellent T’s and a sleeping bag for my bro. The guys also sorted some stickers for some guerilla marketing on the trip. Leaving there we drove to Madison at Milton Keynes to meet James and load the van up, and load up we did. With a good supply of spares and now 2 bikes each we were set. Only one more stop to meet Paul West to collect a couple of jerseys and new shorts for the race. Then all that was left was to catch our ferry which we did with about 20 minutes to spare. Arriving in France it was my turn to drive and the idea being to drive for a few hours then park up and camp but being the endurance type I decided I could drive straight through to Bad Goisern, Austria from Calais in one hit only stopping to refuel, a drive of around 10 hours. To say I was a little tired would be an understatement but my bro kept me entertained during the small hours and we arrived at the race campsite on the Friday morning leaving all day to relax in the sun and eat and drink. Drink I did! The weather was scorching. I sunk bottle after bottle of SIS electrolyte drink fearing dehydration before such a massive effort. In the sun we set my bike up with an 18t sprocket on the back instead of usual 16t. 32x18 I hoped would be just low enough to muscle the long climbs but not so small I lost a ton of time on the fast open descents. We then fit a fresh set of Continental Race Kings (2.2 on front and 2.0 on back). The bike was looking real fast. Out of nowhere you could hear thunder in the distance and black clouds were rolling in fast. In no time we were forced to take refuge in the back of the van as the rain hammered down. This didn’t look good. After an hour it stopped and seemed to be moving further down the valley.

“I am sure by no accident the organizers played AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’ track as the start gun went. What had I let myself in for?” After a trip to the race village, which was full of trade, stands, a big area to eat and generally a great atmosphere it was decided a reasonably early night were needed as race start was 5am. I woke up with my alarm at 4am. At first I didn’t register the sound all around the tent but quickly I became aware that this sound was rain, and lots of it! My brother told me I was mental for going out in this and I had to agree although you don’t drive over 1000 miles to cry off racing for fear of getting wet. I had already laid all my gear out in the van so I quickly got ready, adding to the layer a waterproof jacket. Forcing food down my throat trying to cram in as many calories as possible James joined me in the van, I was expecting no one to be up at this hour but he said he was going to come down to start and take some pics. Welcome company.

Soaked at the start. Photo James Olsen trip race van courtesy of the “gods at Madison.” Theby Euro-road XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

The ride down to the start was in the dark and by the time I got there I was already soaked. Reassuringly a lot of people were already there and the big crowd eagerly awaited the start. While I am sure by no accident the organizers played AC/DC’s ‘Highway to Hell’ track as the start gun went. What had I let myself in for? PAGE 5

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As everyone shifted up the gears on the flat road I had to jump wheel to wheel spinning like a mad man trying to get up the field although this flat didn’t last too long. After about 2km we started what I knew was the first climb of 10km and 800m gain. I soon started to make my way up the field as everyone eased into a steady pace and I had to turn my gear of choice.

Wet but warm enough. Photo by sportograf.com

The weather showed no signs of letting up with lightening and claps of thunder nerve rackingly close, especially when I realised all these Euro boys riding their exotic carbon machines and me riding the biggest piece of steel on the mountain!!! The riding was good, the climbing although relentless was pretty much manageable in gear I had chosen. The descending was a mix of fast fire road with some tech stuff thrown in. Although I was running technically a dry tyre I still had an acre of grip and passed a lot of the guys that seemed to be struggling in the technical stuff. The great thing about riding rigid is usually the only way to get away with it is ride everything full on so you can “glide” over as much as possible without getting bogged down which means you can be as fast, if not faster than guys on suspension. And in the mud rigid singlespeeds are king!!

“...you can only get so wet, and as I was warm enough I was happy. This was until the raindrops started to get bigger, and come down slower, and settle! SNOW!!!” At well placed intervals on the course were feed stations stocked with locks of good things to eat and isotonic drink to restock bottles. On advice I had ditched the hydration pack and gone for water bottles instead, a good move as it would have driven me mad. The number of people manning the stations was amazing! The weather was horrendous but still people were out there marshalling and manning the stations, not to mention the spectators on the course. I had no watch, GPS or computer so just had to guestimate my position. This wasn’t an issue as I felt super comfortable on the bike. Stacks of power and was following a well laid down feeding plan which kept me feeling good, and although it never stopped raining, you can only get so wet, and as I was warm enough I was happy. This was until the raindrops started to get bigger, and come down slower, and settle! SNOW!!! The Euro-road trip race van courtesy of the “gods at Madison.” XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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Moving fast, numb hands and all. Photo by sportograf.com

At the tops of the climbs the temperature really started to drop and the feed stations took on more of the appearance of POW camps with riders huddling for warmth and shelter. Luckily this weather is standard fair for any British rider so it was not felt so bad. My hands went numb and I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t brake, so descending was tricky, but as soon as I got lower I warmed up and were good again. Some of the feed stations had warmed some drinks up which was most welcome. At one feed station I drew a small crowd of disbelievers at a single speed bike competing in this distance race. I had one guy poking my chain and another trying to shift an imaginary gear with my brake lever. Ielt like I had just wandered into a different world in which its inhabitants although may have read fantastical tales on these one geared beasts they had never actually experienced one first hand. I also discovered that single speed is called single speed in all languages. As time passed I worked out that I was over the half way point. We had had the 100km leading race guys pass us now, and I was mixed up in the much shorter race entrants. At a feed station I was listening to a marshal explain to a racer where he was a gesticulating a cut off at around 150km. Unfortunately no one spoke English and I have no experience of Austrian or German so I guessed that we were maybe a little off the pace and were going to come close to missing a time cut off. How had this happened?? I had felt good the whole time out on the bike. I really pressed on after this point out of the saddle on the gas on all the climbs and not stopping for anything. When I got to a railway crossing the barriers were down and I was told to stop. I assumed that we would be going over crossing when we could and as I waited a marshal cut off my transponder. I was a little lost and the same happened to a fellow competitor that had also stopped. My heart sunk. I had missed a time cut off. Devastated I rode back to the campsite. How could I have felt so good and been so slow??

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Photo by sportograf.com

“Apparently the race, due to the snow and severe weather conditions, had been stopped.”

How was I going to explain to James, my brother and sponsors that they had backed me to complete this epic race on a singlespeed and I had had come up short?? I was a little angry too as glancing at the marshal’s watch while he cut off my transponder I noticed I had 6 hours till race end and only I guessed 60km to do it. I could easily do it! My toys came out the pram and I tore off the race number from the front of my bike. As I got to the campsite ready for the disappointing looks of James and Guy I saw James coming towards me relieved he had found me. Apparently the race, due to the snow and severe weather conditions, had been stopped. I was immediately relieved that I hadn’t XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

failed but then just as quickly very angry that I hadn’t been able to finish. I had ridden the worst and been out on the bike for 10 hours! This was the first race that I had ever ridden that had been stopped. Nothing left to say or do, a well earned shower was taken and plans discussed about next year and how we would come back and do it again. Bikes and kit packed we drove towards France. Results were posted and although I’m not sure what they are based on, or when they called it a day I was 31st. Not too shabby for a man with one gear and no suspension in a world of carbon fiber pervery.

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Twin Six Night Ride Photo Contest Winner 24 Hours of Nine Mile, Wausau, WI by Mark Schindel XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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Twin Six Night Ride Photo Contest Winner The 12:12 TORQ, Yateley, Hampshire, UK by Joolze Dymond XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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Chicago is known for many things: awesome pizza, super-tall skyscrapers, Wrigley Field. But the “land of the stinking onion” – as the Potawatomi Tribe called it – is hardly the first place mountain bikers and erstwhile XXC racers think of when they’re looking for dirt; in fact, the Windy City may be one of the last. So it’s with no small amount of civic pride that the Chicago dirt community has produced some pretty impressive XXC results in recent years: podium spots at 24-hour Nationals, podiums and top-5s and 10s at other 24-hour events, top-20 results at NUE 100-milers. In fact, even as this is written, Brad Majors – a downtown Chicago resident and die-hard Cubs fan – is in the running for a top spot in the season-long Granny Gear 24 Hour National Points Series. So how has a city with zero elevation gain, one that produced Al Capone and Ferris Bueller, become such a hotbed for long-distance mountain biking? Continued > The author at the 2009 24 Hours of Big Bear Photo by Theresa Svoboda, iPlayoutside.com Background photo by Chris Strout

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Single track is illegal within the Chicago city limits, but there are a few local options for Chicagoans looking to get their fix. Most are in far-flung suburbs, like Rock Cut State Park in Rockford and Deer Grove in Palatine, and perhaps none is better known than “Palos,” an island of green in the Cook County Forest Preserve system situated about 25 miles southwest of the city in the suburb of Western Springs. Palos is like so many things in Chicago: engineered. It’s not so much that the 50 miles of trail have been carefully crafted, although the local IMBA-affiliated club, Chicago Area Mountain Bikers (CAMBR), have been working hard for years to improve the trail system. Rather, it’s the land itself, as what started out as an earlycentury golf course catering to the rich and famous was taken over by the U.S. government and turned into the graveyard for the Manhattan Project. That’s right: Chicago mountain bikers cut their teeth riding trails built on top of the remains of the first functioning nuclear reactors. There are granite markers noting this dubious distinction, and many of the riders who were around in the early days of mountain biking remember when a portion of the preserve was fenced off as a containment area during a largescale cleanup operation. Tests and monitoring by the government continue to show that the park is safe, but there are running streams and now-vacant groundwater pumps, and rumors abound about the cancer cluster that has formed in the homes near Archer Avenue. For the XXC crowd based in Chicago, though, Palos seems to be more of an afterthought. “I don’t go to Palos because the trails are two-way,” Evanston resident and endurance racer Brittany Barran-Stanley said. “I go to Kettle instead.” Photo by Chris Strout.

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“Kettle,” as its known, is a local favorite, despite the fact that Palos is free, and much closer. Because it’s a Wisconsin State Park, Kettle requires riders to purchase a trail pass (annual passes are available) and pay for parking, two minor inconveniences Chicago riders are willing to put up with. Perhaps most importantly, the trails are one-way, meaning the risk of a collision is almost none, and riders can just cut loose. The John Muir and Emma Carlin trails at the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Park in La Grange, Wisconsin, is nearly a 2-hour drive from Chicago, but has become the go-to trail system for many a Chicago mountain biker. “I used to ride Kettle when it was across the street at the Nordic [running, horse] trails,” said Amy Dykema, also of Evanston. “They tried to get rid of us, filmed us to show how dangerous mountain biking was. There were petitions circulating, and I was passionate about Kettle, so I brought some back to Chicago bike shops to help keep open the trails. “I call it ‘green therapy,’” Dykema said, “or ‘Wisconsin therapy.’ If you don’t go, you definitely miss something – there’s just something about being out up there in the fresh air.” Kettle boasts miles of trails from beginner to expert, with improvements made to the system each spring. Just this year, the final touches were made on the “connector” trail between Muir and Carlin, and now putting together the largest loop means 26 miles of 100% single track. Some riders mix it up. “An ideal week for me includes a long ride at Kettle, and a shorter ride at Palos during the week,” said Johnny Sprockets shop manager Sean Palmer. (No, not that Shaun Palmer.) “But that’s ideal – some weeks it doesn’t happen. This season has been kind of horrendous for Palos riding” because the trails become ribbons of mud as soon as it rains. Continued > XXCMAG.COM

Paolo Urizar at the 12 Hours of Northern Kettles Photo by Brittany Nigh

So what about staying in the metro area, or riders looking to reduce their carbon footprint? Driving for four hours roundtrip just to ride trail seems sort of crazy, but Chicagoan Paolo Urizar summed up the attitude of most XXC folks in the concrete jungle: “All roads eventually lead to dirt,” he said. “I met Dave Norton in 2005,” Urizar noted. “That was sort of a turning point in my endurance riding. We hit it off, and he knew every single backroad, backwoods, everything around the metro area of Chicago. He couldn’t tell you where he rode, but he had it so engrained that he could connect La Baugh Woods to Cicero then ride a connector back to Devon, then to another woods, on and on eventually up to Wisconsin – all on dirt.” Norton seems to have a nose for dirt. “I have my routes,” Norton said. “Especially during the winter, I train on the Lakefront Path, or I’ll ride on Damen or Montrose (streets), sometimes Lawrence, out to Elston. Resist SuperDawg, and get on the path out at Devon. Then it’s a dreamland.” Even better, Norton said, getting out of the city on an exactly 3-hour ride would be “out Lawrence to River Road. Then singletrack up to Algonquin Road, maybe do a loop or two, then back on streets. Pancake flat, just a steady hard ride. Of course, you can’t do it during rush hour.” Because of the extensive forest preserve system within Cook County and the surrounding collar counties, and because of a legacy of equestrianism, there are hundreds of miles of crushed-gravel and dirt bridle paths in the metro area. The longest of these, the Des Plaines River Trail, runs almost uninterrupted from near Chicago’s O’Hare Airport to the Wisconsin state line. And although it’s not legal, as

with many of the preserves in the area, the DPRT has thin ribbons of single track shooting off every so often deeper into the woods. Even the 18-mile, paved Lakefront Path along the Lake Michigan shore has illegal single track, with a half-mile of sandy walking path right up against the barriers of Lake Shore Drive just south of Fullerton, another mile or so on the South Side, and more next to the lake near the crushedlimestone running paths around Montrose Harbor. Long-time racer D.J. Burns has perhaps been racing XXC longer than anyone in the Chicago area, and counts three Leadville finishes among his many wins and accomplishments. “I’m a sick individual,” he said. “I ride more miles in the winter than I do in the summer! Come summer, I don’t even want to see the Des Plaines River Trail.” Because he lives nearby, he rides the DPRT extensively when it is frozen hardpack, doing tempo rides to train for races like Leadville. “By February, you’re up to maybe 6 hours out there,” he said. “But it’s flat. Leadville is challenging, with the altitude and the climbs. But I trained on all that flat stuff for years.” Although he has used indoor training time in the winter months, Burns said he prefers to be outside, especially for the longer rides. “You have to have the mindset for it,” he said, “and the clothing. You can’t ride through the winter unless you’re prepared. But we are fortunate to have a lot of trails in this area – I used to ride up to the state line, make dinner on a burner, then ride home. Or I’d ride from my home up the Des Plaines River Trail to Wilmot [Wisconsin], race the XC there, and then ride home. I would even do quite well in the race!”

“All roads eventually lead to dirt.” - Paolo Urizar Continued >

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Chicago resident Brad Majors at the 2009 24 Hours of Big Bear Photo by Theresa Svoboda, iPlayoutside.com

So there are at least a few options for riders looking for their time on dirt, but what is it about long-distance mountain biking – and XXC racing in particular – that draws the Chicago crowd? It seems there’s a progression: First, a rider gets into mountain biking, either from a roadie background or on dirt. The rider tries out XC racing in the Wisconsin Off-Road Series (WORS), the largest state-wide mountain bike race series in the country; or participates in the “Midwest World Championships” at the 40-mile, point-to-point Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. Finally, there’s just something about going long – and when you mix it all together, a passion for XXC is born. “If I’m going to do 3 hours on my own, it’s a lot more time in my head,” Barran-Stanley said. “I’m better at the longer stuff. There’s more solitude, less stress.” Like Barran-Stanley, many Chicagoans plan their summer racing around the Wisconsin Endurance Mountain Bike Series (WEMS), which features races at trail systems all over the state, offering different challenges at each venue. The 9-race series incorporates 3, 6 and 12-hour races (or 25, 50 and 100-mile distances) at each event, offering even novice racers the chance to challenge themselves against the course and the clock to finish as many laps as they can before time expires. “I like the WORS scene, and seeing everyone; it’s like a big circus,” Barran-Stanley said. She started racing the longer-distance WEMS races just this season, after road racing and XC. “I love WEMS races a lot more than the WORS races. When you’re out there by yourself, it’s just you against the clock. Even when I’m passed by a 12-hour guy, we’ll just start chatting. And it’s thrilling to have 15 minutes left to finish your lap.” Furthermore, Barran-Stanley said XXC poses its own challenges. “There’s a science to it. It’s about you, pacing your body. Whereas with WORS, you can feel like shit but you know it’s only going to be for an hour.” However, being based in Chicago poses difficulties. “I spent 18 years trying to get out of Wisconsin,” she said, “and now I’m up there every weekend. “Chicago’s a great city, but as far as outdoors, not so much,” she said. “The lake is great for kayaking, but riding? Sheridan Road, again? Really?” She and her husband, who also rides and races, have vacationed out West, and are interested in moving to the Pacific Northwest. “There’s great people here [in Chicago], but that’s why you have a guest room. I mean, what’s it like to not ride the same trail every week?” Urizar, a life-long Chicagoan who started in BMX and eventually took up road cycling and then XC racing at WORS events, cites riding with Norton as his inspiration for XXC. “It sort of combined the two things I loved,” he said, “riding long, and exploring, all on dirt. He kind of had it all in his head, this general sense of direction. I learned early on that ‘going for a little ride up north’ meant a 4-hour sufferfest.” He said that exploration makes Chicago a fun place to train. For Dykema, another life-long Chicagoan, it’s a manifestation of a lifetime of bike love. “I grew up in the city, and only got to ride bikes when we visited my grandmother,” she said. “We were between Old Town and Near North [neighborhoods], and my parents were afraid of letting me have a bike – gangs would steal bikes from kids in the park at that time. But I grew up reading the Schwinn catalog, and at some point took a repair class from Turin bikes, and learned about bike culture. It was wonderful, and I wanted to know more!”

Continued >

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She remembers a “goofy” mountain bike race in Lincoln Park, where the promoters hosed down part of the park for racing around in circles in the muddy grass. The Specialized pro team attended the event, introducing Chicagoans to mountain bike racing. That, plus a grassy event later in the far northwestern suburbs on a horse farm, were the two closest, nontechnical races accessible to city dwellers new to the sport. “To this day, I imagine some people in Chicago think that’s what mountain biking is all about,” she said. There were other events in the area as well, such as the Pumpkin Smash at Palos, the Northern Illinois Off-Road Series (NIORS), the DORC series in suburban Naperville, and the 12 Hours of Palos. There were more “local” races then than there are today.

Although other shops sell mountain bikes in the city, perhaps none is better known for its support of XXC than Johnny Sprockets, with two locations in Chicago. As Palmer noted, they are fighting a bit of an uphill battle: “People come into the shop and say, ‘I used to mountain bike, but then I moved to Chicago,’ he said. “I think it’s something we’ve subconsciously developed in the past,” he said. “We’re all mountain bikers. We brought in brands like Niner, Pivot, specifically because they weren’t being represented in Chicago. That helps set us apart.” Because the shop staff rides, “we really want to try to show people that this is something you can do,” he said. “It’s almost more fun because it’s not so obvious, it doesn’t immediately pop up. It’s been this thing that’s been this passion in the shop, and we sort of infect each new generation of employees. We just keep finding the right people until they buy a mountain bike -- I’ve harassed 3 different people this year alone!” That said, “it’s not just a job, there’s a passion,” he continued. “If you talk to any of us about mountain biking, you have to be prepared for a long conversation. We have that passion and we want to instill that in other people, share it.” Palmer and other shop employees are XXC racers themselves, taking part in 24-hour races and select WEMS events, when the retail schedule will allow it. He has his own take on the urban “single track” along the lakefront: “At a certain point you know every square centimeter of those 18 miles,” he said. “My favorite little section is the gravel that runs behind the outhouse. I look forward to that. Something that isn’t pavement makes my tires feel a little skittish, just to get my body used to the beating is stay on the gravel as much as possible. Pump up my tires, lock out my fork, pass people on the right -- they just hear that crushing gravel. Anything that’s not pavement is a welcome relief.”

Amy Dykema Photo by Gary Smit, xtrphoto.com

For her part, Dykema began traveling to far-flung races, and credits early NORBA Nationals in Michigan and later in Minnesota, in addition to Chequamegon and the Cactus Cup in Galena, IL with helping to legitimize the sport in the minds of Midwesterners. She eventually took up 3-hour racing, and still competes at WORS XC events too. “I like the people, I like being a part of a community, you can go to a race anywhere and become a part of that community,” she said. “And I really like what happens out on the course. I’m a future-focused person, but instead of obsessing about the future, racing makes you be present in the moment, sharpens your mental skills.” Plus, it’s a good escape, she said. “It’s like all the stuff you’ve been worried about all week, once the race starts it all goes away and you’re totally focused on what you’re doing,” she said. “And then you come home, and you spent all that time not thinking about it.” XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

And being in Chicago? It’s a source of pride. “Not to be too much of a fan boy, but seeing what other guys from Chicago do – you see it’s possible. It’s a symbol of something,” he said. “I could see it in how well Dan [Brennan, a friend and fellow XXCer] did at La Ruta in 2006. We were talking to all these guys from Crested Butte, Aspen – they had two questions: Where are you from, and what place are you in? The look of astonishment on their face when he said ‘Chicago’ was worth the suffering.” “We used to joke: What’s the best training for hot tropical jungle? Cold, flat Midwest,” he continued. “But you’re only limited by your perception. For me, the success of Chicago racers negates excuses -- it’s been done. For the future, the thing I hope the most for is that there’s more of a community. Some sort of critical threshold – in tri it’s happening, and there’s no reason Chicago can’t shake off its meat and potatoes image, can coexist with guys running around in spandex.” PAGE 16

Sean Palmer of Johnny Sprockets Photo by Manuel Tenorio

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Urizar has been giving that community a lot of thought in the past couple of years. He and Norton, along with fellow “Dirtbag” Brian Parker, began evangelizing getting dirty to the powerhouse XXXAthletiCo team several years ago. Born from that was the annual “T.A.R.O.R.D.” (Take A Roadie OffRoad Day) at Palos, and trips to the 24 Hours of 9 Mile in Wausau, Wisconsin, with groups of riders who might otherwise never have ridden a mountain bike.

So while it may never rival the destinations of Moab or Pisgah, Chicago does have its allure for mountain bikers going for the long haul. From the die-hards at Johnny Sprockets; to the community-building efforts of the Bonebell, CAMBR and others; to the racers burning up the roads and trails and heading across the Cheddar Curtain each weekend, mountain biking is alive and well in the Windy City, and poised to make its own unique mark on the world of XXC. Norton said one single moment he experienced summed up Chicago riding perfectly. “There I was, on beautiful single track. Out there all alone, with a lot of deer. I stopped, and there, all within my sight, was a blue heron, a homeless person and a buck with antlers. At that moment, a 747 flew overhead. The expressway was right there. I mean, where else are you going to get that?”

To continue the love, the trio conceived and built “The Bonebell” – thebonebell.com – an online Photo by Chris Strout. clearinghouse of information and community, centered around the Chicago dirt scene. “We realized very few teams from Chicago were going to these races, and it would be nice if we could help spread the word,” Urizar said. “We needed to help people rethink mountain bike riding – what you saw in a freeride video is what people thought mountain biking was like.”

by Chris Strout. Click here or visit the XXCmag.com blog post titled “XXCPhoto Xtras” for more on how these Chicagoans train for XXC racing.

They got together in late 2007, and decided that what they wanted to create is a place where people can find information, and discover for themselves how accessible mountain biking can be. “There are people out there doing it, it’s not just one or two whack jobs,” he said. “There’s an entire contingent from Chicago showing up for these long races. Where are they coming from? We know them, we wanted to create something that highlights them, distilling the information – it’s not just a fad or a passing item, this is something that can endure. We’d like to cultivate that.” Urizar said information is key to breaking down barriers. “It’s not just racing, it’s also cycling advocacy, just getting people off-road,” he said. “When we mean off-road cycling, it’s more than the freeride mentality, it’s the entire concept of getting off-road, period -where are the best places to get off-road, whether it be with your family or in preparation for a multi-hour endurance race.” Ultimately, the vision is that The Bonebell will help create more opportunities. “Chicago has a stigma – but you can actually train very well,” he said. “You obviously have to ride a lot of road, but the off-road opportunities are there, you just need to use them in your training regimen. One of the things we’re trying to do with The Bonebell is work with local land managers to help CAMBR, highlighting access issues. On-line it’s easier to get the word out, get the attention to it.” To that end, The Bonebell supports IMBA and CAMBR, along with World Bicycle Relief, with a portion of its proceeds of sales of branded merchandise. “That’s the epitome of mountain bike community,” he said. “We want to give that back to the rest of the cycling community, so they can peak in and learn about it.” XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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Photo by Chris Strout.

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Photo by Chris Strout.

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Photos by David Story, mombok.com

info on the course. After a thorough description of the course, Carlos revealed an elegant glass trophy for the winner and a $100 prize for the first person to break the course record. My plan flew out the window. The course for the Soggy Bottom was rather unique in that it was an out-and-back that had riders traveling both directions on the same trails. Because of this participation was limited to roughly 50 riders. From Hope the course covers 5 miles on mostly dirt road to the Resurrection Creek Trail. After a gradual 25-mile climb to Resurrection Pass, the trail descends for 12 miles to checkpoint 1 at the Coopers Landing trailhead. From here the course climbs back to Resurrection Pass on the same trail, and then descends for approximately 10 miles on the Devil’s Creek trail to the trailhead and checkpoint 2. From here it is back up to Resurrection Pass, and then continuing down the Resurrection Creek Trail to finish at the bar in Hope.

Experiencing someplace new is one of the most alluring aspects of mountain biking, and racing is an easy way to find otherwise unknown rides in unfamiliar places. Of course soaking up the sights and sounds are often an afterthought when you tread the fine line between the ability to see straight and anaerobic implosion. The same holds true for ultra endurance events. After all, a 100-mile race is still that, a race. And while the pace is slower and there is more time, it is often difficult to focus on anything other than the fact that you are racing and it hurts. As a grad student-turned-scientist I’ve been fortunate enough lug my bike along on work trips to Italy, New Zealand, and all over the US. And most often I end up racing, usually some place stunning, and then having to go back and take it all in the next day because I was too busy drooling all over my stem during the race. This summer brought a trip to Alaska, and as luck would have it there

just so happened to be a 100-miler going on. The plan was to race, spend a week on vacation with my family, and then get to work. I decided send to my bike home after the race, and was determined to use the race as a chance to experience Alaska’s backcountry, racing be damned. The night before the start of the Soggy Bottom 100 I pedaled down to the Seaview Bar in Hope, Alaska looking for signs of a bike race. Self described as a grassroots gathering, with timing, but no prizes, the event seemed to suit my needs exactly. I could simultaneously satiate my competitive nature and enjoy the scenery. The requisite site of bike-laden cars, and a small cardboard sign posted on the railing of the bar gave me the all too familiar pre-race jitters. After some inquiry, I met Carlos Lozano, the organizer of the Soggy Bottom. An eager host, Carlos invited me into his sweet camper-van to escape the rain and get

Early morning mist was nearly gone for the 9:00 am start. A sizable crowd of supporters and curious fisherman witnessed the departure of nearly 40 riders from the Sea View Bar. In lieu of a warm up I went to the front of the race and set a stiff, but not blistering, pace that saw a group of six emerge a few miles up the road. Not long after we hit the trail a lone rider started to creep away, and after some initial hesitation I made my way across to him and away we went. Evan, the eventual winner, and current course record holder, is an Anchorage ex-pat, chasing the pro cycling dream in Utah. We rode upstream weaving through willow filled floodplains – an ideal place for a bear to take a rest from fishing - at a conversational pace. I learned that Evan had just come from elite road national and undoubtedly carried along good form too. His form, and the fact that he was between any unsuspecting bear, and me made me happy to be on his wheel. Continued >

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Cruising sweet Soggy Bottom trails. Photo by David Story, mombok.com

Before long we climbed into forests of black and white spruce, the valley walls closed in and pushed us upwards. The steady rhythm of gradual climbing was intermittently interrupted by small drainages flowing into the main stem of Resurrection Creek. Evan’s chain broke as we ascended one of said drainages and I found myself in the lead. After assuring me he had everything necessary for the repair, Evan promised he’d be coming for me. Given the seriousness of his threat, I upped the pace. Soon thereafter the grade decreased, and the tree cover became less dense. Treeless peaks made themselves visible as I neared the alpine valley that constitutes Resurrection Pass. XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

A weathered wooden sign marked Resurrection Pass. I wanted to stop and soak it up. But, I was feeling pretty good, and in the lead. The morning’s climb had been comprised mostly of double track, not to be derogatory; it had roots, technical bits, and lines. Double track is good, and this double track was great. Single track is better. Near Resurrection Pass the trail narrowed to single track. It was tight, and a little twisty, dry, and a little loose. This section of trail is the kind of trail that you wish would never end. It meandered back and forth across the valley, circumnavigating azure lakes.

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Some of the “soggy” in the Soggy Bottom. Photos by David Story, mombok.com

Descending towards the Coopers Landing trailhead, a large black head popped up above the brush to witness my approach, alerted no doubt by the bells on my bag, the only piece of equipment required. Unable to see ahead on the trail, I stopped and yelled, challenging the bear to a death match. It ran away. Just then Evan caught up to me, and we high-tailed it out of there. After a bit of steep stuff the trail flattened out and I found myself chasing, in second place. After one last steep section I was at the first checkpoint, refueling with a peanut butter and Nutella sandwich, and in no particular hurry to leave. Right away I knew the climb out wasn’t going to be fun. There are worse climbs than the one leading from Coopers Landing to Resurrection pass. It has two steep sections that are several miles in length apiece, punctuated by a longer rolling flat stretch in between. My legs weren’t interested in riding fast at all, so I maintained a steady pace and thought about the sweet riding awaiting me at the top of the climb. When I arrived there over an hour later my chances of catching the leader had greatly diminished. Since the race was not much more than half over, and there were only two checkpoints, I took the opportunity to grab some food and even snap a few photos. There were a few spectators and even a photographer and I chatted with them for a moment. The view back down the valley was great, and I was truly enjoying it. Before long Chuck DiMarzio and Pete Basinger came into view, and my racer instinct said time to go. The Devils Creek trail was unquestionably the highlight of my race. Devils Pass itself was slightly higher and flatter than nearby Resurrection Pass. As such tussock tundra was the dominant vegetation and the trail stretched endlessly to the horizon. As a rider from the east coast accustomed to riding in temperate forests this was completely different. The landscape was expansive, and this made me acutely aware of my diminutive stature in the grand scheme of things. Eventually the trail, like Devils Creek, plummeted into the valley below. The descent was treacherously fast with a false flat at the bottom. Continued > XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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Photo by David Story, mombok.com

With two riders not far behind, I wasted little time at checkpoint two. The out-and-back nature of the course made it easy to know where your competitors were. I had passed the leader early on in the descent and knew that he was at least 30 minutes ahead of me. However I soon found out just how close behind me the third place rider was. The climb up Devils Creek did not go well for me, at all. I cursed my 30t little ring and choked down a gel. If I could just make it back to Resurrection Pass I thought, I should be able to hold onto second place. Near the top of the climb Chuck DiMarzio passed me like I was pretty much standing still. Back in the pass I was actually able to pick up the pace and keep second place in sight. It was easy to make myself go fast when the trail was so fun. I yo-yoed back and forth, at times coming within 10 meters of second, only to have him open up a big gap again. As we neared Resurrection Pass, and the beginning of the final descent back to Hope, the gap began to steadily grow. I began plotting my comeback, and even considering the possibility of a tactical finish, when it dawned on me that I was about to blow right by the place I had wanted to stop at early in the morning. And why, so that I could, maybe, get second place? As I dug through my pack for the camera and some food the urgency of bike racing melted away. I was enjoying the moment, and it was great. XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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The Soggy Bottom 100 is a no-frills affair, organized by the Alaska Endurance Association. The route is reportedly just over 109 miles in length. Like many events riders are, for legal purposes, on a self-supported solo excursion. Given the remote nature and inaccessibility of most of the course there are only two checkpoints, and these are minimally stocked. Riders are advised to have their own support, although as an out of towner I was treated very well, and Carlos, the organizer, went out of his way to make sure all my needs were met. Like any good 100, the after party is great. Most racers camp at the start/ finish, directly across the street from the bar. The town of Hope is less than two hours from Anchorage, on the Kenai Peninsula. Everyone I met was more than eager to offer advice on where to ride, and I suspect it would be easy to spend a week riding in the area. Alaska is a hard place to get to, but if you ever go you need to do the Soggy Bottom 100. Check the Alaska Endurance Association section of the AKspokes.com forums for more info. Vistit www.mombok.com to see more of David Storyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s photography. XXCMAG.COM

O ver the past w eeks I’ve been stru g g ling to find the tim e,energ y,and the creative ju ices to w rite som ething abou t m y experience on the C olorado Trail. I’m beg inning to realize w hy folks don’t w rite m u ch abou t big events su ch as these.It’s ju st so difficu lt to pu t su ch an im m ense experience into w ords on paper.D ays spent in the su n, evening s spent in the rain,nig hts spent in the cold on u nfam iliar g rou nd, and m orning s spent in the cold pre-daw n g low allw hile plodding slow ly (at tim es very slow ly) tow ards a g oal that seem s so far aw ay. Su re, I’ve spent a lot of tim e ou t of doors in m y life pu rsu ing different ou tdoor and athletic pu rsu its; how ever the w orld of m u lti-day m ou ntain bike “racing ” w as and still is V E RY new to m e. So, m y larg est g oal for the event w as pou r the eg o ou t of m y cu p and fill it w ith experience and know ledg e for events su ch as this.I w as at the start line w ith rou g hly 6 w eeks of prep tim e,g ood fitness,and open eyes. W hat I experienced over the next w eek is near im possible to convey on paper or even in pictu res, and anyone w ho w as ou t there know s this. H ow ever, here are som e w ords on paper... C on tin u ed > XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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T he story starts in Ju ne w hen a g ood friend and m y brother convinced m e to su ck it u p and try C T R this season. I ju st w asn’t g etting the experiences I craved from the races I did this spring , (not m u ch adventu re or com m itm ent needed for an X C race) so I w as in search of som e g ood old fashioned adventu ring . Fast forw ard 6 w eeks and I’m su ddenly at W aterton C anyon trailhead w ith packed bag s and a g iddy m ood. I say hi to the folks I know , adm ire D ave N ice and his plentifu l booze su pply for the jou rney ahead, eat som e m ore Poptarts, drink som e m ore coffee, and before I knew it w e w ere riding .C hatter on the rollou t w as plentifu land I w as fu llof anticipation to pu t som e m iles u nder the tires.T he first few sections flew by and I w as settling into a g roove fast. I stopped in B ailey for som e liqu ids and som e ice cream before

heading ou t on hig hw ay 285. Tw ice on the hig hw ay I saw am bu lances ru shing u p the road and tw ice I feared it w as for a racer, bu t tu rns ou t everyone m ade it to K enosha Pass ju st fine. Ju st after K enosha Pass I cam e u pon Scott M orris, Stefan G riebel, Jason Shelm an, and E than Passant, w e w aited ou t a briefrain storm below G eorg ia Pass before continu ing on.O nce over G eorg ia I knew the trail and m ade qu ick tim e to G old H ill w here I stopped to m ake som e dinner and w as soon joined by Scott M orris and Stefan G reibelag ain.A fter dark,Scott and I m ade ou r w ay partly u p 10 m ile before stopping for the nig ht.W e both didn’t w ant to pu sh too hard the first day know ing that there w as still 370+ m iles to g o. I w as still fu ll of adrenaline so sleep w as...so-so.

Rolling out for CTR09

Georgia Pass XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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D ay tw o started w ith m u ch anticipation and w e w ere m oving a shade before 4:30.B eing above tree line for su nrise is an incredible experience,even if I w as pu shing m y bike.T he pictu res I took u p on 10 M ile don’t do it ju stice,and the m ental stoke batteries w ere fu lly recharg ed by abou t 6am . T he sig n of a g ood day to com e. Scott and I stopped for a qu ick breakfast at C opper m ou ntain before heading u p to Searl and K okom o Pass.I hit a w all on the w ay u p,bu t a brief rest ju st below tree line perked m e u p. B etw een the tw o passes w e cam e u pon D ave H arris w ho w as ju st chipper as can be (ok so he w as chipper(ish) bu t the altitu de w as g iving him a rou g h g o of thing s). A fter K okom o Pass, bom bing dow n to C am p H ale throu g h fields of w ildflow ers w as a hig hlig ht of the trip and doing it w ith D ave H arris and Scott M orris (tw o g u ys w ho have

been to the rodeo a few tim es) w as even better.O nce back below 10K or so, D ave’s eng ine starts to fire on m ore than one cylinder so he w as off like a cheetah on speed.Scott and I rolled into L eadville and prom ptly fou nd the first bu rrito stand in tow n. D ave’s Spot show ed him at a u ber-shady hotel, bu t tu rns ou t he cashed in at the su per ocho, so w e scooted ou tta tow n. D arkness fou nd Scott and I arou nd Tw in L akes u nder a fu llm oon.T he trail w as fast and m y m ental clou d had cleared so I w as having a g reat tim e floating along along side the lake u nder a fu llm oon w hile thinking to m yself “T his is w hy I ride bikes”. It’s am azing how even w hen you r body is exhau sted,all it takes is som e beau ty to clear the m ental haze and instantly charg e the stoke batteries.

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Ju st as I opened m y eyeballs the next m orning ,D ave rode past (he had left the hotelat 2 am ) w e allexchang ed a few w ords and I m ade a com m ent as I slow ly stood u p from m y bivy - “Is this w hat it feels like to be old?”.W ell, a w ord to the w ise,don’t m ention old m an in the presence of D ave H arris - he m ay take it personally - H A . A s I saddled u p, I noticed that I felt better than the day before - g ood stu ff.L ater that m orning w e m ade it to B u ena V ista and Scott and I once ag ain headed to the first bu rrito shop w e saw ,bu t this tim e I packed an extra one in m y bag .2lbs of beans and sou r cream is som e seriou s fu el!T hen off to C ity M arket w here w e fou nd D ave H arris hu nkered dow n on a picnic table su rrou nded by food.A fu llbox of C hex anyone? I filled every nook and cranny w ith food and crossed m y fing ers that it w ou ld last the 200+ m iles of hellish trail to Silverton, the next su pply point.In hindsig ht,I shou ld have cou nted m ore carefu lly,bu t hey, I’m not su re I cou ld of fit m u ch m ore in anyw ay. L ater in the afternoon ju st after Princeton H ot Spring s,m y bike su ddenly g roaned and then I w as su ddenly pedaling air. W hat the? A closer look revealed a shattered g ranny g ear.C rap!

Downhill into Buena Vista

A shattered granny.

So,I pu shed u p the steep hike-a-bike w ith Scott and rode to the first jeep road that headed dow n tow ards Salida. W e parted w ays, and I bom bed nearly 20 m iles and 2000 feet into Salida hoping to g et there before the shop closed.A llof a su dden I w as riding alone for really the first tim e in 3 days.It w as a bit odd.Scott and I had a nice rhythm g oing and being solo so abru ptly w as a bit strang e.I m ade qu ick tim e in tow n and w as back to w here I left the trail ju st a few m in after dark. A t this point m y m ind clicked back on and I pou nded ou t the m iles u ntil 2 am . I passed a few people stopped on the trail and spoke w ith a few w ho later said I w as talking so fast they cou ld hardly u nderstand w hat I w as saying … .I w as O N !I stopped not becau se I w as tired,bu t becau se I knew I needed to g et sleep for the days to com e. In fact, m y m ind w as racing and it took m e aw hile to fallasleep....m aybe I shou ld have ridden allnig ht? XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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D ay 4 started ou t w ell, and by this point m y rear had hardened and the leg s had pu shed ou t som e fatig u e.I cou ld fallinto a rhythm easily and ju st let the hou rs slip by.Fooses C reek,M arshallPass,and M onarch C rest,all g one in a haze. A t som e point at the start of Sarg ents M esa, I ran in to C hu ck R ay from N ederland as he w as patching a tire. I stopped to chat and before I knew it w e w ere riding tog ether and riding w ell.H ig h alpine m eadow s w ere passing u nder ou r tread and I w as lovin’life.T hen arou nd dark, the w ind picked u p and it beg an to rain. First, straig ht rain, then diag onalrain,then com pletely sidew ays rain.W e qu ickly pu t on ou r shells and then beg an to bom b throu g h the m eadow s in search of som e thicker trees to take shelter in.E ver fly (w ay too fast) on narrow sing le track in a m eadow at 11K ,in com plete darkness,in cold sidew ays rain? W ell,tru th be told,it’s kinda fu n actu ally.C hu ck and I fou nd som e trees and to the best of C hu cks know ledg e,the next section w as su per slow so w e decided to hu nker dow n early, eat som e food and try to stay dry.....it kinda w orked...K inda.

The slog out of Fooses Creek.

T he next m orning w e pou nded ou t the next bit of trail,w hich tu rned ou t to not be bad at all, and as w e noticed, it didn’t hardly rain another few m iles u p the trail....fig u res.W e finished of another section before starting the L a G arita W ilderness detou r. It started fast, bu t soon w e fou nd ou rselves battling a severe headw ind.“W e” by the w ay,w as a trio at this point as w e joined u p w ith B rian Taylor from B ou lder earlier that day. T he road w ent fast bu t the riding w as tiring .A s w e neared the end of the detou r the w ind really picked u p and it even started to rain a bit.E arlier in the day I had started to take seriou s note of m y food su pply, I knew sections 22 & 23 w ere g oing to be ag onizing ly slow bu t I w as starting to have serou s dou bts abou t w hat I had.A t the end of the detou r w e started tow ards Spring C reek Pass and to m ake a long story short I stopped and laid ou t m y food and options ju st to be su re.R ou g hly 900 calories w as all I had, and that w as for dinner and all of sections 22 & 23 and into Silverton.I had already been skim ping and that w as less that I cou ld have easily eaten for dinner.C hu ck w as in a sim ilar situ ation so w e decided to do the sm art thing and bail to L ake C ity. Su re w e cou ld have m aybe hu nted a M arm ot, eaten rocks or som ething , bu t starting those sections ju st w as not a sm art m ove. C on tin u ed > XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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W e g ave B rian som e of the food w e had since he w as continu ing on and started riding dow n into L ake C ity in the dark. It w as a very difficu lt choice to m ake since I have never not finished a race I’ve started in 10 years ofracing bikes in som e capacity.H ow ever,it w as the sm art m ove and in m y head I’m happy know ing that I w as capable of m aking the sm art callinstead ofbeing stu bborn abou t it.

Bored waiting for dinnner.

O nce in tow n C hu ck and I fou nd the only open restau rant and (tru e to ou r lu ck) ju st as w e w alked inside they said the kitchen w as closed...fig u res. So w e ate the cold pizza they had on display and w hatever else w as in ou t eyesig ht w hile standing at the cou nter and that they w ou ld sell u s. C old nachos, dry cake, cold pizza, heck yeah w e’ll take it all! C hu ck and I then attem pted to find a hotel for the nig ht,bu t they w ere allbooked u p by Texans,so w e did the only log ical thing ,w ent to the bar,had som e PB R ,and then rolled ou t of tow n and cam ped in som e bu shes next to the river.It rained on u s ag ain.

T he next day w e ate breakfast in tow n and fou nd a local w ho w as w illing to g ive u s a ride u p to the top of C innam on Pass (the old C T R rou te).A ctu ally he fou nd u s,bu t that’s a com pletely different story for a different day.So w e ju m ped in his janky tru ck and he 4 w heeled u s to the top.It w as a bit sketchy at tim es,bu t w e g ot to the top in one piece. C hu ck and I then rode dow n into Silverton stopping at several old m ining sig hts to do the tou rist thing . O nce in Silverton, I ate lu nch w ith C hu ck and his fam ily before w e split paths.I loaded u p on food and starting riding u p to M olas Pass solo. O nce there I stopped early and enjoyed a nice su nset and a big cam p dinner.I had fou nd a sw eet cam p spot w ith a nice view of a lake and it w as m ade even better w hen arou nd du sk som ew here back in the w oods som eone beg an picking aw ay at a banjo...perfect. XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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I w oke before su nrise and frozen.Sleeping in a w et bag for the 3rd nig ht in a row w as a tad u ncom fortable,bu t the last nig ht I w as arou nd 12K so it g ot darn cold.So cold in fact that m y w ater bottles had frozen.I w asnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t horribly cold bu t cold enou g h to not sleep. So,I g ot u p,started som e coffee and m u nched on som e frozen bars for breakfast.T he rest ofthe day I m ade m y w ay dow n into D u rang o.I even ran into a friend at a g as station,w hich I w as not expecting bu t it did pick m e u p a bit.O nce in tow n I crashed in a park,let m y ride know w here I w as,and passed ou t for a few hou rs u ntilshe fou nd m e sleeping in a su nny patch ofg rass. So in the end,Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m content know ing that I m ade the w ise calland that physically I cou ld ofeasily continu ed on.A lso keeping it tog ether m entally after breaking m y chainring w as a little victory in m y m ind.I learned a lot,saw som e am azing thing s,m ade som e new friends,and g ot to ride m y bike throu g h the m ou ntains for a w eek.So can I really com plain ? C ong rats to everyone w ho finished!

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Photo by Tom Doyle

WOMEN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Betsy Shogren (Cannondale Factory Racing) Karen Potter (www.bikect.com/Danielson) Danielle Musto (Kenda/Tomac/Hayes) Brenda Simril (Motor Mile Racing) Laureen Coffelt (RB’s cyclery) Denelle Grant (Bike Factory Racing/Gary Fisher 29er) Emily Brock (Faster Mustache)

NUE’09

MEN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Jeff Schalk (Trek Racing Co-Op) Christian Tanguy (Team Fraser/Cannondale) Chris Eatough (Trek Racing Co-Op) Michael Simonson (Gary Fisher 29er Crew) Josh Tostado (Bach Builders) Rob Lichtenwalner (visitpa.com) Greg Kuhn (Team Fraser) Garth Prosser (Cannondale) Andrew Gorski (Speedgoat/SPK/Salsa) Aaron Oakes (Bulldog/Cyclecraft) Andy Applegate (Champion Systems/Cannondale) Ryan Heerschap (Team Bulldog/Cycle Craft) Justin Farmer (JF2R/Bicycle World Rgv/Clif Bar) Kristofer Karwisch (Biowheels/Reece-Campbell) Bradley Schmalzer (Team Bikeman.Com/Twin Six/Kenda) Lee Simril (Motor Mile Racing) Christian Baks (Pawling Cycles) Doug Milliken (Team Latitude/ARBT) Mac Johansen (Blue Sky Velo) Martin Kozera Vincent Schultz Jason Mahokey (XXCMAG.COM/Pro Bikes) Jeff Plassman (Margaret) Timothy Koch (Gripped Racing) John Griffiths (NYCMTB-Peak Bikes)

results

SINGLE SPEED 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Gerald Pflug (Speedgoat/SPK) Roger Masse (Tiek Racing Coop) Matthew Ferrari (Freeze Thaw Cycles) Gunnar Shogren (Cannondale Factory Racing) Mark Elsasser (Independent Fabrication) Ronald Sanborn (Mclaw’s Cycle & Fitness) Russel Henderson (NCCX /Industry Nine) Jason Morgan (I9) Nathan Kraxberger (Sid’s-Cannondale) Dave Holmes (Gary Fisher 29er Crew) Brad Wagner (Team Afd)

< Karen Potter (2nd Women’s overall) and Betsy Shogren (1st Women’s overall) celebrate with Pua Sawicki on the Wilderness 101 podium. > Jeff Schalk took his second Men’s NUE title in 2009.

MASTERS MEN 1 2 3 4 5 6

John Williams (Bike Line of Newark, Delaware) David Kelnberger (Fisher 29er Crew) James Wilson (Human Zoom) John Wyrick (Bio Wheels) Ed McCalley (Bike Zoo /Team Ed) Mathew Davies (Hudson Valley Velo Club)

Photos by Michael Hermann

*Final results listed are that of racers finishing four or more races and qualifying for the overall series. For more information on the NUE series visit usmtb100.com.

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Photo by Jack Kunnen

Interview:

G erryPflug onegearand a seriestitle

XXC talks with 2009 NUE Single Speed Series winner Gerry Pflug > XXC SEASON ONE: ISSUE FOUR

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XXC: You raced the NUE series geared in 2008? What made you decide to go single speed in 2009?

Gerry Pflug on his way to the single speed victory at the 2009 Wilderness 101. Photo by Bob Popovich

Pflug: I can’t say exactly what made me switch over from the open class to racing the single speed class for sure. I think it was the combination of needing a new challenge, being sick of doing drivetrain maintenance and also the fact that I rode my single speed a lot during the off season. XXC: Was there a particular race that you thought suited a single speed perfectly? Pflug: The best course for a single speed would be the Lumberjack 100. The course is just fast and flowing single track with no major climbs or long open sections to slow the speed of a single speeder down. XXC: Was there a NUE race this year that at some point you thought “why in the hell did I go with the single speed? Pflug: The thought of why I torture myself the way I do (singlespeed or not) goes through my head at every NUE race. I seem to question my sanity every time I do a 100 mile mtb race. I think the difficulty and challenge of competing at a NUE Race is why I like doing them so much. With all of that said, though, the toughest course for me, by far, was the Breckenridge 100 this year. I think the combination of the high altitude and super long climbs there was what made the course a single speed killer.

“Basically, I just like to ride and have fun with it. If it feels like a chore or something I don’t want to do, I have learned not to do it.” XXC: Can you share a bit about your ‘09 race bike and set up? Pflug: The bike I raced at most of the NUE Series Races in 2009 was a stock 19” Kona Big Unit 29er. Up front, I ran a Rockshox Reba Race Front Suspension Fork, or a White Bros Rock Solid Carbon Fork (depending on how technical the course was). For wheels, I used either Mavic Crossmax or Fulcrum Red Metal UST Wheels. The cranks I used were made by Middleburn and they had a one piece 32T chainring mounted. The other stuff on my bike was a mix and match of other parts to complete the build. I learned over the years to not always use the lightest stuff on my bike because I have a tendency to be a bit hard on my equipment. XXC: What sorts of rides do you find yourself doing in a given week and what bike do you find yourself on the most? Pflug: During the summer, I almost exclusively ride on my single speed 29er. I use it on everything from roads to trails to fire roads. I keep the gear a little stiffer than what I would use for racing and use it as a Swiss Army Knife, do anything type of bike. If I have a road race coming up, I will ride my road bike for a few days before the race to become reacquainted with it. Now, with cross season being here, I will pretty much always ride either my single speed cross bike or my racing cross bike. I am kind of unique when it comes to training. I don’t have a coach. I don’t use a heart rate monitor or power meter. I don’t have a specific training program or really follow any type of schedule or program. Basically, I just like to ride and have fun with it. If it feels like a chore or something I don’t want to do, I have learned not to do it.

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XXC: Rich Dillen (www.teamdicky.blogspot.com) reported that you eat Lebanese Salami for breakfast and the forearms of aid station volunteers during the race, but somehow I don’t believe that, ha! What sort of nutrition do you favor during the 100 mile races?

Gerry enjoying some well earned winners champagne. Photo by Michael Hermann

Pflug: I would love to know how Rich found out about my top secret diet. He claims he learned about it on Facebook, but even my closest friends were unaware of my strange, but effective diet. I am still upset at him for disclosing my personal diet information. Seriously, though, I really don’t have any “must haves” for the NUE races. I usually pack one or two gel flasks, two energy bars of some kind and some Fig Newton cookies. I will grab some chips and other various stuff along the way if I feel like I need it. For hydration, I use about 3-4 bottles of water and 3-4 bottles of some type of energy drink like Gatorade or Heed. I also find that a swig of Coke later in a race is always nice for a quick boost of energy. XXC: How do you balance a full time job, family, and training? Pflug: I really don’t know how I do it to be honest with you. I can tell you it is hard and stressful thing to do at times, as I am sure everyone else will tell you that has to find time for all of this stuff. I can certainly say having a wife that is as understanding as mine is about riding and racing is a huge help. She has definitely been a big help and very understanding about my riding. I think most other women would have kicked me to the curb a long time ago. A lot of my ride time comes from commuting back and forth to work on my bike. I think over time I have just found a way to balance my training/racing around my family and job.

“I am really not out to conquer the world by racing my bike. I ride to have fun and racing just adds to the enjoyment of it all.” XXC: You’ve been racing for a long time. What keeps you motivated and coming back each year? Pflug: It has been a long time. I started racing BMX in 1980, switched to road racing in 1984 and then added mountain bikes to the mix in 1989. I think my motivation comes from the enjoyment I find from riding my bike. I am really not out to conquer the world by racing my bike. I ride to have fun and racing just adds to the enjoyment of it all. XXC: What’s winter training like? Just cross, or do mix in some other activities to keep fit until March or April? Pflug: From September until December, my life is almost exclusively cross riding and racing. Once cyclocross season ends, I do all kinds of things including: downhill skiing, XC skiing, snowshoeing, running, weights, cardio equipment stuff, hiking and pretty much anything else to stay active. By late January or February, I will start logging some longer miles on the bike again. XXC: While many racers slow down as they age, you seem to actually be getting faster! What do you credit that to? Do you do anything differently now then say when your were 25 or 30? Pflug: Man, you do ask some tough questions. This is a question that is hard for me to answer, since I do not keep a log of my fitness activities. I don’t feel like I am doing anything different. I have always been one to just go out and do long rides. Maybe all of that riding over time is what has given me a competitive advantage over others.

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XXC: You have had success at multiple disciplines; cross, road, xc, and xxc racing. Hell you even raced BMX! Is there one format that you find you love the most and why? Or do you find they all play a part in your fitness and motivation?

This place reserved for lowbrow comment about Gerry’s “Big Unit”. Photo by Gerry Pflug

Pflug: To give the best answer to this question, let me explain my racing history a little better. As I mentioned, my cycling life started with the BMX bike. I rode that thing like a nut everyday when I was a kid. I would take it out on long rides (20+ miles at the age of 12), build jumps, do freestyle stuff with it, and of course race it. I attribute my bike handling skills to this early BMX riding. I started racing road bikes after buying a road bike to train for BMX racing. I soon found that I enjoyed riding my road bike more than my BMX bike. Not long after buying my road bike, I gave up the BMX bike altogether and started racing road. If mountain bikes and mtb racing was as advanced back then as it is now, I bet that I would have skipped the road racing thing and gone straight to the mtb. But, since mtb racing was pretty much nonexistent back then, I pretty much became a pure roadie until the early 1990s. I did a few mtb races during college, but did not become fully absorbed into mtb racing until the mid 1990s. Since that time, I have continued to do some road racing every year along with all of my mountain bike riding. Cyclocross racing was not real big in the Pittsburgh area and even nationally until fairly recently. I have taken cross pretty seriously during the last five years, but this is the first year where I will be doing cross racing exclusively from September until December. So, basically, each bike has a purpose for me and they all still play an active role in my racing, except for BMX. XXC: Will you be back racing the NUE events in 2010 on your single speed? Pflug: I do plan to return to the NUE Series in 2010. After I did the Shenandoah 100 with gears, I decided that I definitely liked the challenge of using a single speed bike more than my geared bike for these long races.

“I definitely liked the challenge of using a single speed bike more than my geared bike for these long races.”

To read more about Gerry’s 2009 season and his coming cross season check out his blog at at spkgoaters.blogspot.com.

2009 season highlights: 2009 Cohutta 100: 1st Place Single Speed

2009 Stoopid 50: 1st Place Single Speed

2009 Wilderness 101: 1st Place Single Speed

2009 WVMBA XC #2: 1st Place Single Speed (won racing with no seat for 16 miles!)

2009 Lumberjack 100: 1st Place Single Speed

2009 Fools Gold 100: 1st Place Single Speed

2009 WVMBA Wayne Ultra: 1st Place

2009 Shenandoah 100: 9th Place (Geared)

2009 Mohican 100: DNF due to mechanical issue

2009 Breckinridge 100: 2nd Place Single Speed

2009 NUE Single Speed Series Title

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Photo by Michael Hermann

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