Single Track Sunday- Christmas Cross, Carlisle, PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: New Frontiers YMCA Camp, Carlisle, PA
Ridden: December 2013

The video is brought to you this week by Frosty...OK, it's really Joël dressed as Frosty.


This is the second edition of the combined Christmas Cross and Trail Doggie World Championships Single Track Sundays. Last week showcased the Trail Doggie World Championships. This week is Christmas Cross. Both races were produced by Fast Forward Racing Productions (Zach Adams); held on the same day, at the same place, and follow the same course.

Costumes were encouraged for this race.  Joël represented Frosty the Snowman; Jess was dressed in various Christmas inspired apparel. The goal of Christmas Cross is to have fun, and if you can go fast that is an added bonus.  Presents were hidden along the course, of which Jess collected quite a few.

The course was not your typical mountain biking course; no rocks gardens or mountainous climbs. Instead there were short, steep ups and downs (some which required walking), a sand pit, a huge log that required heaving one's bike over, and weaving through S-turns while negotiating hoping over a downed telephone pole. The aid-station consisted of beer and bacon.  Oh, and all of this was in inches and inches of mud.

The race format consisted of the winner being the person who could do the most laps in 50 minutes. Each lap was 0.6 miles, which meant A LOT of laps, about nine to 10 for most people.

It was a festive atmosphere both during and after the race. Despite the rainy conditions, most people stayed to enjoy homemade chili and heckle other racers.

As for results, Joël was 4th open men, Jess 1st open women, and friend and fellow SVB racer Matty K 2nd masters men.


Direct video link below

(Note: if you want the video to look less grainy; after you have the video full screen go to the bottom right corner and click on the options icon (looks like a gear wheel) and choose a higher quality setting, i.e. a higher number. It may take some time to load but the picture quality will be better.)


For additional Christmas Cross action, check out the Fast Forward Racing/Smoking Rabbit Productions/Zach Adams video at:



Single Track Sunday- Trail Doggie World Championships, Carlisle, PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: New Frontiers YMCA Camp, Carlisle, PA
Ridden: December 2013

The video this week goes to the dogs.

The Trail Doggie World Championships and Christmas Cross was a fun, relaxed race held by Zach Adams/Fast Forward Racing on a YMCA camp grounds in Carlisle, PA.  The event was held more for the fun of it than actual racing.

For the World Championships, dogs and handlers completed the course together. Dogs had to cross the line with their owners, who could be either riding or running (no runners took part, only cyclists)  The course consisted of two 0.6 mile loops.  There were bridges to cross, logs to climb over, and obstacles to avoid.

Cliff and his friend Barnaby traveled down from the Lehigh Valley to race. Cliff also caught up with his old friend Lona and made some new friends at the race.

In a nutshell, it was chaos.  Even the best trail dog was diverted by fans, scared by large foam animals (archery range target animals where one of the obstacle areas), and the fact that dogs will be dogs- they just wanted to play.

First place was taken by Lona, Cliff second, and Barnaby third.

After the trail doggie race there were races for humans only; Christmas Cross. For this race costumes were encouraged and presents were hidden along the course.  Stay tuned for footage from this next week.


Video below, just click on it to watch



Single Track Sunday- Snow-filled Walking Purchase Park, PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: A snow-filled Walking Purchase Park (aka Sals), Fountain Hill, PA
Ridden: December 2013

We know that Sals was a previous Single Track Sunday location, but this time it is completely different than the previous edition due to the fact that now there are many inches of snow on the ground.

Walking Purchase Park, aka Sals, is a trail system located in Salisbury Township, PA. It is open to hikers, runners, mountain bikers, and hunters.  Overall there is about 12 miles of trails.

So far this winter (wait, it's not even winter yet, that doesn't start until December 21st) we have already received more than the normal amount of snow. This means we will probably be riding in the snow until spring comes along.  Riding in these conditions brings along a whole new skill set- slipping and sliding around, unseen rocks and roots, and the drag created by the snow it's self.  It is fun and challenging in its own special way.

There are special snow bikes with big wide tires and our regular bikes can be outfitted with studded snow tires if needed...but so far we are riding along with the regular equipment. Who knows what the rest of the winter will bring; will our bikes be enough, will we need these special winter products, or will we just end up on the home trainer (stationary bike)?


Since nobody objected to this new video format, we are keeping it this way.


Single Track Sunday- Ray's Indoor, Cleveland, OH

Single Track Sunday
Ray's MTB Indoor Park, Cleveland, OH
Ridden: January 2011

It's Throw-Back Single Track Sunday this week. This video was filmed in 2011.

This past week we rode places that have already been seen on previous videos. Additionally, nothing spectacular happened on the rides this week so we really felt we had nothing worth highlighting and sharing. Thus, a throw-back to a pre-GoPro video. This video was made with an entry-level camera.  It did a good job but it is not quite the same as the GoPro.

Ray's MTB Indoor Park is an indoor mountain biking park located in Cleveland, OH. It is a huge warehouse filled with man-made obstacles that challenge the skills used on the trail. There is everything from skinnies and rock gardens to a pump track, jump lines, and a huge foam pit to jump into.

It's a great place to ride- super fun and a good place to work on skills.  Many hotels and places to eat located in the vicinity, thus easy to make a multiple-day trip.  Despite being quite the drive, Ray's is well worth the travel.

Trying something different for video playback this time.













Single Track Sunday- Bear Creek, Macungie, PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: Bear Creek Mountain Resort, Macungie, PA
Ridden: November 2013

This ride was at Bear Creek Mountain Resort in Macungie, PA. Being that it is a resort, there is a hotel, along with the trail system, frisbee golf, a pond, and skiing in the winter.  It was the venue for the 2013 Mountain Bike National Championships, and will be hosting this event again in 2014.  No Jess for this ride, just Joël and some friends.  Clifford had a new friend named Lucy for this ride.

The hiking/ mountain bike trail system at Bear Creek is a perimeter loop of the ski resort and is approximately 7 miles. There are some alternate trail options. If all of them are taken, there is about 10 miles of trail. Don't be fooled by the length of the trails even after the trails were "dumbed down" for Nationals, this is still some of the most technical/challenging riding the Lehigh Valley has to offer.

After the ride some people have been known to take a dip in the pond to cool off (but beware, goose poop is plentiful). There are also a few restaurants in the hotel that have great post-ride food and beverages.

Vimeo link for best quality video.


Direct video for quick viewing

Due to video editing problems no direct link right now.  Try the Vimeo link, it may take some time to load but it is much better quality video.






Single Track Sunday- Wissahickon (Philadelphia), PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: Wissahickon Valley Park, (The Wiss), Philadelphia, PA
Ridden: November 2013

This week we traveled to somewhere new to us, Wissahickon Valley Park, known to locals as the "The Wiss".  Despite being only about an hour drive away, we have yet to really ride there. Joël has been there a few times before.  Jess was there one time about 10-11 years ago when a friend said "hey, I'll loan you a bike, come mountain biking with me". (her triathlon days, pre-mountain biking.)  After coming home bruised and bloody holding ice packs on both knees, Jess waited 7 years to try mountain biking again and 10 years to return to the Wiss. But she still thanks Nicole for those early memories of her first mountain bike ride.

Wissahickon is an urban trail system, it travels through the city of Philadelphia.  It's a stone's throw from places like Route 76 and the Art Museum.  The trails weave their way along both sides of the Wissahickon Creek. There is a mix of technical rocky sections and fast flowing sections.  Not a lot of sustained climbing, but many shorter, punchy climbs and descents.  Along the creek is Forbidden Drive, a gravel road now closed to traffic that the trails connect to at many places.

The main purpose of this ride was to work on skills.  We rode with Harlan Price (TakeAim Cycling) for part of our time for some on the trail skills training. As the video shows, "do it again" was the phrase of the day, as Harlan had Jess practice the same spots over and over and over.  To get better and faster, skills training is an important part of mountain biking, and both of us took away important things to work on.

Vimeo link for best quality video.


Direct video for quick viewing.



Single Track Sunday- Nockamixon State Park, PA


Single Track Sunday
Place: Nockamixon State Park, PA (NOX)
Ridden: November 2013

First off, sorry for the lapse in Single Track Sunday last week.  We were visiting family for the week in a cold, snowy place, so not much riding was done.

This week's highlighted riding spot is Nockamixon State Park, located in Bucks County, PA. Lake Nockamixon is a 1,450 acre man-made lake. The park it's self has hiking/running and mountain biking trails, equestrian trails, areas for picnics, disc golf, hunting, and boating. The mountain biking trails (which are also open to hiking/running, hunting, but not horses) are in a separate area of the park, away from most of the other activity areas.

Not many rocks or roots; this place is filled with fast corners, short and steep ups and downs that have a pump-track feel; all nestled between rows and rows of cedar trees. It's like riding a roller coaster between the trees and you are never sure when you may hit one.  Sure, there are not many "technical sections" comprised or rocks and such, but testing the limits of your cornering skills and seeing how fast you can go is a skill-set to work on here.

Overall about 11 miles of trails. Multiple smaller loops that come together to make on large loop, so there is opportunity to weave around and get in a longer ride.



Vimeo link for best quality video.

https://vimeo.com/79643549

Direct video for quick viewing.


Single Track Sunday- Michaux State Forest, PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: Michaux State Forest, PA
Ridden: November 2013

The video for this week was taken during the Michaux Double Down Enduro, a Fast Forward Racing Productions/Zach Adams race.

What an awesome course.  Moss and Vista were the two trails used; both challenging and fun.  There was a little bit of everything- tight and twisty flowing sections, rock gardens, boulders to ride up and over, steep uphills, tight switchbacks, and fast descents. Besides great riding, the weather was perfect for racing (cool and sunny), we were able to catch-up with racing friends we haven't seen all year, and there was an amazing taco bar for post-race refueling.

Saucon Valley Bikes racers represented well:  Joël and Kerry second in their divisions and Jess fourth open women.



Video link for best quality.



Direct video for quick viewing.













Single Track Sunday- South Mountain Emmaus, PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: South Mountain Emmaus (Alpine), PA
Ridden: October 2013

Ride over logs and rocks and boulders...and keep repeating and you have South Mountain Emmaus, aka Alpine Street.

Most of this trail system is on Nature Conservancy land. The trails weave their way along the side of the mountain until reaching the top. For those who like to practice their skills while riding, this is a great place to ride. Many boulders, rock gardens, and logs to session.

If you are feeling adventurous, one can exit the main trail system and explore many side trails.  The power line is accessible from the main trails system, if ridden from bottom to top can be a nice climb.

Staying on just Nature Conservancy trails there is about 5 miles of trails, but venturing off onto many of the side trails (and maybe getting lost at time) can total around 15 miles.

Definitely another great trail system within the Lehigh Valley.

Video link for best quality video.


Direct video for quick viewing.





Single Track Sunday-Undisclosed location

Single Track Sunday
Place: UndisclosedRidden: October 2013

 The video this week is from a recent night ride. What, we ride at night?  Well, yes we do. As the daylight gets less and the temperatures drop, we are forced to bring out the lights.  

 A typical set-up for mountain biking includes two lights- one on the handle bars and one on the helmet.  Total between the two lights is usually 1000-2000 lumen, which is about as bright as car headlights.  Winter clothing most often has reflective materials on it and often we have red rear lights, thus safe for when on the roads.

 Even Cliff has his night riding gear, a reflective jacket.


 For security purposes, the location of this ride needs to stay unknown. See, we really aren't allowed to be there after dark.

 Night riding certainly is a challenge but it is fun. It's a unique experience to see a line of lights traveling through the forest.  Even the most familiar trails look a little different in the dark.

Video link for better quality video

 https://vimeo.com/77367423


 Direct video, fast loading but not the best quality. 








Single Track Sunday- Allegrippis Trails, PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: Allegrippis Trails, Raystown Lake, PA
Ridden: October 2013

This week we traveled to Central PA to ride and camp at Raystown Lake Recreation Area. Riding there is unlike many other places; it's a unique destination.

Allegrippis trail system is 30+ miles of machine-built single track.  A bulldozer was used to build all the trails. It's like riding a roller coaster; smooth, flowing, twisty, and those occasional times where you feel you defy gravity and are airborne.  There are a few rocks scattered here and there, but nothing like most of the riding here in Pennsylvania.

If you feel like a picnic, you can bring your basket and stop along the way.  Picnic benches are scattered along the trails at some of the nicer viewpoints overlooking the lake.

Raystown Lake is Army Corps of Engineers managed.  There are many campgrounds within the recreation area, all within riding distance of the trails.  The campgrounds range from primitive to RV compatible sites.  Hot showers and flush toilets are the norm.

If you have never ridden at Allegrippis, it is definitely somewhere worth visiting.

Vimeo link for better quality video

https://vimeo.com/76837632

Direct video link, but not the best quality














Single Track Sunday- Walking Purchase Park (aka Sals), PA

Single Track Sunday
Place: Walking Purchase Park, Fountain Hill, PA
Ridden: September, 2013

This past week's #1 ride was one of our local trail systems Walking Purchase Park, known to the locals as "Sals".

The trails fall on public and private land in Salisbury Township, located near Fountain Hill. Valley Mountain Bikers have built and are responsible for maintaining these trails. On any given day, hikers, hunters, runners, dogs, and mountain bikers will all be enjoying time in the woods.

Trail report: fun!  This is one of Jess's favorite places.  Rocks, log overs, flowy single track, and views of the Lehigh River are all encountered during a ride at Sals. The trails weave up and down the side of South Mountain, so be prepared for some climbing and descending.  Total mileage is around 12.

The direct blog video is pretty low quality; for better quality video click on the Vimeo link below.





Singletrack Sunday- Moosic Mountain, PA

Singletrack Sunday
Place: Moosic Mountain, PA
Ridden: September 2013

Here is our first installment of Singletrack Sunday. Every Sunday we will be highlighting the most interesting and/or favorite trail system from the previous week via a video.

This week we traveled up to the Dick and Nancy Eales Preserve at Moosic Mountain, near Scranton, PA.  It was an area once slated to become a business park, but is now a preserve maintained by the Nature Conservancy.  The area undergoes controlled burns regularly.

Trail report, well, it was rocky. Areas of chattery baby-heads mixed with large, flat rock formations to ride over. The trails were well maintained and it was obvious many hours went into the building of these trails based on the abundant rock armoring, rock bridges, and bermed corners.  Not too much climbing, most of the trail system in on the ridge top. 

All in all about 11 miles of trails; lots of little side loops need to be taken to get in this many miles.

Below are two videos. If you watch the one directly from the blog the quality is not the greatest, it's a bit grainy.  The Vimeo link has a better quality video but may take longer to download.  Also, not changing the videos to full screen helps keep them more clear.

Direct from blog version


Vimeo link

Pisgah Stage Race Recap and Final Dirtwire.tv Videos

So it's all over.  Five days of awesome racing in Pisgah National Forest. The days were tough, the courses gnarly, and at times I think we did more walking with our bikes than we did riding.  Times were spent catching up with old friends and making new friends, all the while enjoying the beautiful trails and mountain views.

Of course events like this are not possible without the people that make is happen.  Blue Ridge Adventures puts on great races.  Thumbs up to the race organizer, volunteers, and town of Brevard for hosting such a wonderful event. Lori and the Sunset Inn made racers feel at home and catered to what was needed. Blue Indigo Catering, New Belgium Brewing, and Shannon Ridge Winery kept us fueled all week long.  Thom Parsons and Land of Sky Media made some awesome race highlight videos to showcase the week's riding and racers efforts.

Joël and I look forward to returning to Brevard in the future.

Now, time to sit on the couch and recover.

Thom Parsons/Dirtwire.tv Interview
http://dirtwire.tv/2013/09/pisgah-stage-5-jess-and-joel-farlow-in-a-word/

Stage 5 Highlights- check out all the SVB  jersey coverage
http://dirtwire.tv/2013/09/pisgah-stage-5-gopro-highlights/



Pisgah Stage Race Day 5- Endless Rain and Mud

Pisgah Stage Race- Day 5
Land of Waterfalls Loop
September 21, 2013
25 miles, 3186 feet climbing
Written by Jess
Video and photos by Joël

Transylvania County is called the Land of Waterfalls. There are over 250 falls of varying size throughout the county, and during the ride today we passed a few and were around water for most of the route. And not only was there water from the rivers we rode by there was water from the sky all day- it rained the entire time we were riding. At times we were surrounded by fog, guess that is the side effect of riding in a rainforest at a high elevation.

Today’s stage was a point to point- meaning we started at a different spot that we ended. As riders gathered in the morning to load our bikes onto the trailers for transport and load ourselves into the school bus the mood was jovial; everyone seemed in good spirits and happy that today was the last day of racing.

The ride on the bus was an interesting one. A school bus seemed much roomier and more fun when in elementary school.  It was a tight squeeze for most people, especially the taller guys.  Joël and I were sitting over the back wheel; which as a kid was the best spot; as an adult riding a bus up a bumpy, gravel forest service road it’s not the best spot.  By the time we arrived at the race start all the racers were ready to get off the bus- our legs were cramped and butts hurt from the bumping and tight quarters.

The race started with a four mile gravel climb that then turned into about a mile of single track before the top.  Joël and I pushed hard up the climb.  We only had about 20 minutes over the 6th place duo and we wanted to make sure we solidified our spot.  20 minutes may seem like enough but with our history of making wrong turns we didn’t want to take any chances.

The major downhill of today’s route was called Farlow Gap. It’s known to the locals as the scariest downhill in Pisgah.  At the racer meeting the director told us that everyone would have to walk sections of this descent- and he was right.  Joël and I attempted to ride as much of it as possible, but we spent a good portion running with our bikes. On our way down we stopped to check in on our friends from Curacao- Hans had broken his nose! (FYI- he did finish today). 

As Farlow Gap came to an end, the next few miles included single track with loose, chattery rocks and rooty drops, gravel roads, and even some pavement which took us by the Pisgah Fish Hatchery.  These fast sections soon came to an end when the next climb began.

Miles 13 to 20 were the last climb of the Pisgah Stage Race. Whoo-hoo! Up until mile 19 was on an old logging road, some gravel but mostly grassy or dirt trail.  At mile 19 the route turned into single track that meandered to the top of the mountain.

This is where the fun began.  Six miles to the finish- pretty much all downhill.  This section of trail is all newly made machine built trails.  These trails were built with a mini-bulldozer and resemble a roller coaster in their shape- quick, punchy little hills with swoopy banked turns.   For those of you that know Allegrippis Trails- very much like this. Time to go fast.  Joël and I, along with Thom Parsons, hooted and hollered all the way down. Because of the rain the trail as a bit slick at places, so we had to use some caution, especially in the corners.  Even with our reduced speed, it was still an awesome descent.

The trail ended directly at the Brevard Music Center.  A quick loop of the center grounds and through the finish chute we went.

Joël and I put in a time of 3:24  putting us 5th for the day and solidifying our 5th overall team placing.

And so that's it. A few mishaps here and there but we made it through. Both Joël and I feel good about our race and will be back again.

Finishers mugs and T-shirt



Stage 5 video recap











  

Pisgah Stage Race Day 4- Yellow Jackets and Missing Four Miles

Pisgah Stage Race- Day 4
Raw Revolution’s Promised Land Loop
September 20, 2013
25 miles (or 20 for some), 5970 feet climbing
Written by Jess
Video and photos by Joël

This stage has been described as the race staff’s favorite loop.  The entire course took place around Mt. Pisgah, which is why the route has been named “The Promised Land”; a reference to the peak in which Moses is said to have seen the Promised Land.

Day four was a rude awakening.  Waking up the in the morning Joël and I were moving slow and both of us commented that everything hurt.  Not only were we tired; muscles were sore and achy and we were mentally spent also.  Neither of us really wanted to even get on our bikes, let alone do a race.  In talking to other racers around the hotel, everyone felt the same.  Three days of racing was catching up to everyone.

Today's stage started and ended at Wash Creek Campgound.  A nice little area for a race venue but the bathroom was less than desirable; a single-toilet outhouse that was filled just about to capacity. It was clean but stinky!  For those of you that race (or have family that does) you know how important a bathroom can be on race morning.   Most racers ended up using a tree or bush over the outhouse.

The race started off fast with a two mile gravel road climb. Wow, did it hurt, my legs did not want to turn the pedals. Joël and I had been starting off just behind the lead group the past few days, I told him that would not be happening today. We kept a good pace but didn’t push too hard. The course soon turned onto single track that meandered its way up the mountain for another two miles.   By the time we hit the single track I had worked the kinks out and was feeling good. We were riding with two other duo teams so I picked up the pace and told Joël that I wanted to drop them.  The trail was a nice mix of packed dirt with areas of loose, chunky rocks and roots, something Joël and I are good at riding on so we used it to our advantage.  Pushing the pace the other teams were soon out of sight.

After climbing we were rewarded with a fast, steep, technical descent.  Once again thank goodness for my dropper seatpost.  Joël and I hooted and hollered the whole way down, enjoying every minute of it.  I love it when I get to say “rider back” to multiple men who are all off and walking.

Once at the bottom the single track twisted and turned through mountain laurel, ferns, and crossed many creeks. It was beautiful and fun riding.  Joël and I (along with a few other racers) got stuck in a swarm of yellow jackets.  Each of us got stung, which for Joël can be an issue due to insect bite allergies.  He carries an epi-pen but thank goodness didn’t need it. After a stop to take some antihistamines we were on our way again. 

As we recovered from the bee incident, we realized something was not quite right.  Joël and I, along with another racer, were riding on a gravel road. There were course markings on the road indicating it was part of the course. But we weren’t supposed to be on a gravel road until mile 12.  We questioned a spectator, who told us yes, we were in fact on the race course and would be getting to the aid station soon.  What!? The aid station was at mile 12, our cycling computers indicated we were at mile seven. 

Upon arriving at the aid station we found out there were multiple people (by the end of the day about 15-20) who went the wrong way. The course had a four mile extra loop that came off of the main loop.  Course marshalls were not there yet to direct racers early in the race so many people went straight by the extra loop.  A group of us waited around at the aid station for 15 minutes or so to wait to be told what to do.  It was decided that anyone who went wrong could continue and would just be given a time penalty later.  So off we went.

After leaving the aid station, the trail descended for about a mile. It was extremely washed out, thus some more walking with our bikes. Rumor has it no one rode this section.  Following this was a short section on road and then the climbing began again.

The first few miles of the climb were on a gravel road.  We were passing people but also getting passed. It was tough to figure out what was going on due to so many people missing a turn. Who did the correct course versus who did not?  We still were trying to race but it was mentally difficult and frustrating to know who to worry about and how much time was there between us and the other duos. This manifested in some tension between Joël and I, each of us calling the other grumpy and miserable at times.

After the gravel road we turned onto Trace Ridge Trail. It pretty much went straight up the mountain.  Using even the granny gear did not work at some places…time for more walking.  Luckily the steepest parts, ie the walking parts, were over shortly and we began riding again soon.

After reaching the top, the downhill was a repeat of what we rode up in the beginning. Much more fun going down than going up. This trail took us all the way down the mountain and then onto a gravel road.  After a short grassy double track climb we descended a technical, fun, rocky trail to the finish line.

So after talking to the race director, the decision was made to add time to everyone who missed out on the extra loop.  The race staff would get our minute per mile time, and add on the time it would have taken us to ride the four miles we missed.  Sure, not the most accurate but fair enough.

Joël and I finished with a “corrected” time of 3:34 for 8th in the duos and keeping us 5th overall.  The mistake today really cost us.  Only one more day of racing tomorrow. Due to loosing time for a wrong turn on day 2 and the mishap of today it really is going to come down to racing on the last day. We can't move up in the placings but the 6th place team is only 20 minutes behind us; so anything is still possible for tomorrow.


Finish line

Waterfall along the course

Stickers of each stage profile with mileage, aid stations, and type of riding (road, gravel, trail, etc).  Useful to put on the bike top tube or handle bars to know what to expect when riding.  I added some extra motivation and hints to mine.



Video recap of stage 4, not the best video quality due to Internet difficulty.



Dirtwire.tv collaboration with Land of Sky media highlights Stage 3- Joël makes a tough water crossing look easy

  

Pisgah Stage Race Day 3- The Longest Day

Pisgah Stage Race- Day 3 
Sycamore Cycles Carl Schenck Loop
September 19, 2013
34miles, 5178 feet climbing
Written by Jess with some input from Joël

Sorry, no video today, technical problems with the camera

Today’s stage was in the Cradle of Forestry, which is the location of the first forestry school in America- The Biltmore Forest School. The grounds contained a forestry museum, original school houses, church, and historic sites. Not only a nice place to ride but historic and educational also.

After about a mile or two on pavement and gravel road to help spread people out, the single track started with a steep climb.  Joël and I pushed hard while on the road section to get a good position heading into the single track, this worked well, we were positioned in the front half of the race.  In fact, we were directly behind the first place duo team.  After some joking with them that we were coming for them, they slowly pulled away on the climb.  Joël and I soon noticed that two of the duo teams that were just behind us in the overall rankings were close on our heels. No rest for the weary, we needed to keep a good pace.

The climb went on for about five miles after which we were rewarded with an awesome descent for approximately four miles.  The first part of the descent was technical with some decent drops but then it soon turned into a fast, flowy trail nestled within the rhododendron.  Without risking a crash, I tried to occasionally take my eyes of the trail to look around, it was beautiful!

After the fun of the downhill, we hit Squirrel Gap Trail. This trail was like a bumpy rollercoaster ride, tons of short steep ups and downs with rocks and roots thrown in.  It also happened to be all along the side of the mountain, so going off the trail meant tumbling down for quite some time through brush and trees.  No looking around here, my eyes were glued to the trail. Which was good, because at one point in the middle of the trail was a grouse.  The first wildlife we have seen the entire race.

Soon time for another climb, which seemed never ending.  All in all the next climb lasted for just over ten miles.  It started out on a grassy trail, which looked to be an old logging road now grown over.  It then turned into single track which got steeper, and steeper, and steeper.  The rocks and roots were plentiful.  As the inclined became steeper, the riding decreased and the walking increased.  In fact at times I can’t even call what I was doing walking, it was more like shuffling. I did everything from push, to pull, to carry my bike; Joël carried it at times for me so I could climb up drops and over boulders.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, we made it to the top.  We were warned by the course marshall that the downhill had some “switchbacks from hell”. Wow, he was right. We descended 1600 feet in two miles, all of which included steep drops, boulders, logs, and tight switchbacks.  By the end both Joël and I hurt all over- hand cramps from gripping the bars, backs from the bouncing, and quads from standing with our butts behind the saddle. All I can say is I am so glad I have a dropper seat post and a full suspension bike.

The last few miles were on a gravel road.  A great way to spin the legs out and relax.  Final time 4:58, 5th for the day and keeping us 5th overall.  Our good ride today put in a good amount of extra time between us and the teams behind us.  After finishing we took some time to visit the forestry museum and educational and environmental exhibits in and around the Cradle of Forestry.
Joël showing off his wheelie skills for Thom Parsons and Dirtwire.tv


Museum at the Cradle of Forestry

Entrance to race start

Looking Glass waterfall 

Pisgah Stage Race Day 2- Asking Directions of Darth Vader Can Result in Trouble

Pisgah Stage Race- Day 2
White Squirrel Loop
September 18, 2013
29 (plus a few extra) miles, 5118 feet elevation gain
Written by Jess
Video by Joël

Waking up and getting going was a little more though today than yesterday, but both Joël and I felt fresh and ready to go.

As with day 1, the race started and ended at the base of Black Mountain trailhead. But the course was much different than day 1.

The race started with an immediate climb; gravel double track then rooty and twisty single track.  Everyone was huffing and puffing with legs screaming to get a good position right from the start.  After a very painful first mile, we were rewarded with a fast, flowing downhill.  There were a few roots and drops here and there but they just made the descent more fun. After coming out onto a road and riding a short stint on pavement it was time to repeat the climb that we started on. During the previous downhill and road section, Joël and I passed two of the duo teams. It felt good to be moving up in the ranks.  But this would soon change.

After the original climb, a volunteer dressed as Darth Vader was directing racers. Somehow an entire bunch of us (some people estimated as many as 20 riders) went the wrong way.  The course was marked for a turn later in the race and Darth Vader seemed to be pointing that way so that is where we all went. After a mile or two of downhill we were stopped and told of the wrong doing. We all turned around and climbed back up to reconnect with the correct trail. To add injury to insult, it was more climbing which turned into steep single track and eventually more walking sections.

As with yesterday, Joël gave me a push during some of the uphills. Today he also carried my bike on some of the walking sections. He can walk faster while pushing two bikes that I can walking and pushing my bike on my own. That is what racing as a duo is all about, helping each other out to go as fast as we can.

The rest of the race consisted of washed-out technically challenging downhills alternating with long, arduous gravel climbs with a few creek crossings thrown in just to keep things interesting.  Characters such as Spiderman, Wonderwoman, and a gorilla made sure we did not stray from the correct trail as previously.  We had no idea how we were doing in the team standings, because of the wrong turn we took early on we did not know which teams were in front and which were behind us.  But as the race went on we figured that out. We slowly caught up to and passed the teams that as of day one were sixth, seventh, and eighth. It felt good to know that despite adding on a few extra miles (and obviously extra time and effort) onto our day our overall standing would not change.

Both Joël and I finished feeling exhausted.  Was it because of the physical and mental strain of going the wrong way; a more difficult stage; or the fact that it is day two? Or a combination of all, who knows.  After the race we spent some time socializing and trading race stories with our friends from Curacao and those who we spent the day riding with.  Our final race time was 4:24 putting us 5th for the day and 5th overall.

Joël's recap video for today


Dirtwire/Thom Parsons interview with us

http://dirtwire.tv/2013/09/pisgah-stage-1-jess-and-joel-riding-as-a-couple/





Pisgah Stage Race Day 1- How to Hike With Your Bike

Pisgah Stage Race- Day 1
Sunset Motel’s Looking Glass Loop
28 miles with 6678 feet of climbing
September 17, 2013
By Jess

The alarms on our cell phones jolted both Joël and I awake. The alarms didn’t go off much earlier than normal but the pre-race urgency had us up right away, no hitting snooze and going back to sleep.  Our room at the Sunset Inn had a very tiny kitchenette, making breakfast took some improvising .  Breakfast for an endurance race is important, even more so for a stage race. Joël had waffles, sausage links, and eggs.  I had a huge bowl of oatmeal, english muffins, banana, and green tea. After filling our caloric needs, we loaded our jeep, bikes on the roofrack, and headed off the race site.

Today’s stage started and ended at Black Mountain Trailhead in Pisgah National Forest. Most racers were relaxed and talkative while getting ready, all seemed ready to have fun.  The first six miles were a gradual climb on paved road.  Joël and I joined a group to partake in some drafting, Joël even pushing me at times. That’s the great thing about racing as a duo, we can help each other.  Joël is obviously faster and stronger, so he gets to push me at times to help keep our speed up.

After many miles on the road, the climbing really started with a little over a mile on a chunky gravel road.  The next 10 or so miles were a gradual, sometimes steep, climb on single track.  It was rooty, narrow, and had some rocks thrown in for good measure.  We pushed along at a steady pace until finally reaching the top, in which we were rewarded with a few miles of fast, flowy downhill double track on what appeared to be an old logging road.

After stopping at the aid station to grab a quick snack and fill camelbaks, Joël and I were on our way again. Now came another 10 miles of climbing. The first few miles were quite enjoyable, moderately technical single track that slowly wove its way up the mountain. Rhododendron were everywhere and we saw what seemed like hundreds of different mushroom species.

Then the fun began. About three to four miles of hike a bike. Not just the typical push your bike along. This was carry your bike, climb up boulders, lift your bike above your head hike a bike. A few times I had to ask Joël to grab my bike and pull it up a steep incline.  At the top we were rewarded with a beautiful view of all the surrounding mountains.

After walking for what seemed like forever, the last few miles were all downhill.  Washed out trail with loose rocks and steep drops that just appeared out of now where. Numerous times I slammed on the brakes at the last minute to dismount and run down a section of trail.  Joël and I both took a spill on this section, and Joël had to stop to fix a flat.  Luckily the trail finally smoothed out and the last mile or two were on a super fast double track that lead directly into the finish chute.


We finished only slightly bruised and battered but happy with the days ride. Finish time 3:54, good enough for 5th out of the 9 duos (co-ed and mens duos all combined for awards).  After finishing we spent some time talking with friends and fellow racers sharing stories of the day.

Welcome banner at check-in

Racer sign-in race morning

View from top of Black Mountain


Where are we now?


Where have our cycling adventures taken us now? After many hours of traveling we have reached our destination and are ready for some great riding and racing.

We aren't going to tell you, but are looking to see if someone knows. Tell us where you think we are based on the photos and video.














Our bikes- what we are riding and why

The bikes that have gotten us through the season so far.
Written by Joël

Both Jess and I ride the Giant Anthem frame; me in the carbon version and Jess in the aluminum. They are both awesome, but what else would you expect from Giant.      

We both still ride 26” wheels, mostly because neither of us cares for the added weight and cumbersomeness 29ers bring. That said next season we most likely will be riding 27.5”/650b wheels.

Our bikes are clad in the following parts some because they are awesome some because they came with the bike.

Sram XO triggers are bomb proof and never seem to have any issues.  Sram X9 Type2 rear derailleurs; they work well and hold up better than the XO version when constantly getting bashed into east coast rocks.

Sram PC1051 chain and PG1070 cassette; they might not be the lightest but the durability to price ratio cannot be beat.

Both of our bikes came with Avid Elixir 5 brakes, the initial turkey gobble sound was solved by installing some Jagwire blue brake pads.

We both run the same wheels, Shimano XT hubs (I am amazed by how well these hold up given the price) and DT Swiss XR400 rims with the DT Swiss tubeless kit, held together with DT Swiss revolution spokes. We both run a mix match of Continental tires depending on conditions and Jess runs a Kenda Small block 8 on the rear pretty much year round. She says it’s the most versatile tire out there, and I have to agree. We have been running tubeless this year with air pressures ranging from 18-35 psi with good results.

We both run Shimano spd pedals, really why would you even try anything else.

Now this is where things get different Jess has a Rock Shox Reverb dropper seat post (she never wants to ride without one again) and I run a Thompson Elite setback post.

Jess has a Fox fork that has been serviced multiple times but still has managed to build up so much stanchion and bushing wear that there is some play in the fork itself. To add to that it has felt rather gritty from day one, according to Fox some break in time was needed. With  just over 2000 miles of use it still feels the same (is that enough break in time?) The bike also came with a FOX rear shock that we replaced with a Rock Shox Monarch because the Fox one had nonstop issues. My bike came with a Rock Shox Reba fork which has performed flawlessly.  I decided to open it up the other day to see if it needed anything, to my surprise everything inside looked like it was brand new even the oil.  I am still amazed given the wet riding conditions so far this year. I have the same rear shock that Jess now has and it too has been great.

I run ESI chunky grips Jess has Lizard skins lock on grips. Jess has a WTB rocket v saddle, and my butt likes the Giant Contact seat.

Alright I think I got everything.

Our bikes posing for a picture in Zuni, NM




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