When: May 25-29, 2017
Where: State College area, PA
This was our fifth installment of the Trans-sylvania Mountain Bike Epic (TSE) stage race for Joël and I. This is always a highlight of our year; not only for the racing but also for the comradery. This is our big vacation for the year. Most people use their vacation days at work to go to the beach or a relaxing location, we use ours for this.First off, a quick review of what TSE is. It's a 5 day mountain bike stage race. Each day consists of anywhere from 30ish to 40ish miles of riding highlighting the best single track trails in the State College, PA area. There is an enduro specific day and also an enduro competition within each division. Fastest overall time at the end of the five days are the winners.
After four years of riding as a duo team, Joël and I decided to race as individuals this year. We just wanted to test ourselves and see what we could do on our own. Loving his XTC Advanced Joël decided to race single speed; joining the ranks of the rather rambunctious and somewhat unruly group of single speeders at TSE. I raced open women, a field filled with some of the fastest pro and amateur women from across North America. I rode my Pique Advanced for everything, including the enduro day.
Homebase for TSE week is a boy scout camp. This gives it a summer camp feel because racers can stay in lodges or camp out on the property for the week. Nightly awards, video and picture shows recapping the day, and preview for the next day's stage are all done at a lodge directly on the property. Joël and I camp with friends in an area that we have all named "van city". An entire group of us sleep in our vans for the week. We complete our little city with pop-up tents, tables, chairs, etc; it becomes a central area for hanging out and sharing a beer post ride. Of course Cliff comes along for the week. He essentially becomes a free-roaming Cliff for the week, entirely off-leash for the time at camp with the van and camping tent open to go in and out as he opts. Having everyone together for the week is great; TSE is just as much about catching-up with friends and making new friends as it is about riding.
Single track summer camp is the nickname TSE has developed. The riding each day showcases some of the best trails Rothrock and Bald Eagle State Forest have to offer. However, this year the weather threw a wrench in things. Rain pretty much everyday meant the rain courses would be used; this meant taking out a slew of single track and replacing it with gravel roads. Joël and I didn't really come to TSE to ride gravel roads, we came to ride single track, but we understood why the changes had to be made and embraced them. Favorite trails such as Tussey, Beautiful, Three Bridges, and the dreaded but loved Wildcat were still ridden during the week which made things OK.
All the formalities complete, now for the personal aspect of it. Joël and I each went into the race with the main goal of racing as hard as we could. We knew we each had a division with super fast people in it, and it certainly would be five days of hard racing.
Joël certainly enjoyed his week and raced hard. The single speeders are a unique group, often they are out there to have fun and suffer together. Antics such as somewhat inappropriate podium attire, hydration packs with beer, and stopping to heckle other racers are what the group of single speeders do. Joël, who became named a "part time single speeder" took part in some of these antics, but he also was racing for a podium spot so he couldn't goof off too much. He held on to third place for a good portion of the race but by the end of the five days had to settle for 4th.
I had a tough week but still raced hard to a good placing of 7th GC open women. Physically I felt fine (or as fine as I could for five days back to back of hard racing) but mentally I had a challenging time. The dreary cool and rainy days and the loss of single track every day made it tough to get motivated. Almost all of our races in 2017 thus far had been cold and muddy, and I just couldn't take anymore of it. Waking up on a regular basis at TSE to the sound of rain hitting the roof and sitting around at night hanging out while wearing my winter puffy jacket was just not what I wanted for TSE. And as for the riding, I was a bit dismayed at the changes from single track to gravel road. I'm a big fan of single track and it what I excel at. But once again it was weather that dictated this, something that there is no control over (and it was the best decision for the health of the trails). So what can you do about the weather? Just suck it up and deal with it which is what I did. There were some dark moments during the race but I was able to keep it all together and put in the best race I could. With all the pro women racing I was happy with this spot.
So another TSE over and done. It was a fun time with friends and a good time in the saddle. Here's looking forward to the next one.How will we recover? Find out here: dirtwire.tv video in big blue chair
Photo credit to race photographer Bruce and our friend Karen; many of these photos are from them. Also huge thanks goes out to everyone who made this race possible- race organizers, volunteers (our favorite aid stations ever!!!), media crew, and the support crew at Saucon Valley Bikes and Liv Cycling.
And side note: you may be wondering what is with the pinwheels and tiaras? Since the race was held over Memorial Day weekend, the van city residents decided to all race during with a little Memorial Day flare. A way to recognize the day while racing.
-Jess