Event: Steel City Enduro
Place: Walking Purchase Park, Bethlehem, PA
Ridden: June 2015
Click on video to play
This week we stayed close to home for the Steel City Enduro, put on by the local organization Valley Mountain Bikers (VMB). It was so nice to know that we could sleep in a bit, roll out of bed, and be at the race site in only about 15 minutes of driving time.
The race site was one of our favorite local riding locations, Salisbury Township's Walking Purchase Park, know to locals as "Sals". This network of multi-use trails was petitioned for, procured, designed, constructed, and is maintained by VMB. The trail system at Sals is a network of technically advanced single track. There are rocky sections interspersed with smooth and flowy sections. There are some climbs and descents, but nothing overwhelming.
The enduro was proceeded by a day of hard rain, so one would expect wet conditions out there on race day. Luckily Sals handles the rain well; the course was definitely a little sketchy and there were a few muddy spots but overall it rode very well for the amount of rain we had gotten the day before.
At the end of the day Joël and I both felt good about our rides; we felt smooth, confident in our skills, and we rode the best that we could. And it paid off for us; I was 1st Pro/Cat 1 female and Joël was 3rd Pro/Cat 1 male. It was great to see other Giant Co-Factory team members out there
racing also; this race definitely helped keep the team in the top spot in the MASS overall enduro series standings.
Post race food consisting of hot dogs, hamburgers, and chips was perfect for after a day on the bike. Most racers hung around sharing stories of the day, while enjoying food and beverages. Awards were custom made using bike parts and winners could choose items from a prize table. So overall a well done race; you can bet we will be back in the future.
- words by Jess
- video by Joël
