2015 in Review- adventures, podiums, and the creeper van

2015 In Review

A year of adventures, podiums, and lots of time in the creeper van.

What a year 2015 was.  Representing the Giant/Liv Co-Factory Off-Road team in over 20 races spanning six states and two countries sums up the year.  Races included a seven day stage race and a two day stage race, a solo 24 hour race, and many races done back to back on the same weekend.  Not only were the races numerous, but so were the adventures.  Many winter weekends escaping the snow and traveling to epic ride locations. And who can forget the weekend driving to Ray's Indoor...the snow storm, the never-ending drive, and sleeping in the van in sub-freezing temperatures at a highway rest stop.  There were many miles driven and many nights sleeping in the Nankvan; Cliff included of course!

But what fun it was!  Traveling to different places, riding new locations and old favorites, hanging out with old friends and making new friends. Sure, doing this many races and adventures keeps us busy, but we just plain enjoy riding our bikes and wouldn't want life any other way.

Competition highlights include each of us wining a 24 hour solo race, both of us finishing on the podium for the overall MASS Endurance and Enduro standings, and another awesome year riding together at TSE. Jess finished on the podium in EVERY race, including 11 first place finishes.  Joël was consistently in the top ten with numerous podium finishes.

Thanks to Liv and Giant Bikes, the Giant and Liv Co-Factory Off-Road Team, and Saucon Valley Bikes for keeping us going.  Here's too looking forward to a great 2016!

Results for Jess
2nd place, Michaux Off-Road Weekend Super D, Shippensburg, PA
3rd place, Michaux Off-Road Weekend 4hr Marathon, Shippensburg, PA 
73rd place (after handicapping) IIGO MASS (Mid-Atlantic Super Series) Team Relay- Team name Giant Superheroes, Marysville, PA
5th place, Rattling Creek 50 Mile Marathon, Elizabethville, PA
2nd place, Rattling Creek Enduro, Elizabethville, PA
1st place, Tuscarora Off-Road Weekend Enduro, Blain, PA
2nd place, Tuscarora 50K Endurance, Blain, PA
2nd place, Middle Mountain Momma, Millboro, VA
1st place, French Creek 4hr Endurance, Elverson, PA
1st place, Greenbriar 4hr Endurance, Boonsboro, MD
9th place team, Trans-sylvania Mountain Bike Epic 7 Day Stage Race, State College, PA
2nd place, Bearscat 50 Mile Endurance, Hewitt, NJ
2nd place, Rothrock Trail Mix, Boalsburg, PA
1st place, Steel City Enduro, Bethlehem, PA
4th place, Stewart 45, Montgomery, NY
1st place, Hardcore 24, Naples, NY
1st place, Iron Hill Marathon, Wilmington, DE
2nd PA Rocks Enduro, State College, PA
2nd place, Fairhill Marathon, Fair Hill, PA
1st place, Kingston Trophy Marathon Championships, Kingston, ON, Canada
1st place, Tidewater Challenge 5hr Marathon, Williamsburg, VA
2nd place, Tidewater Challenge Pro/Elite XC, Williamsburg, VA
1st place Tidewater Challenge Trifecta (marathon and XC combined), Williamsburg, VA
1st place, 2015 MASS (Mid Atlantic Super Series) Open Women Endurance Champion
1st place, MASS (Mid Atlantic Super Series) Overall Pro/Cat 1 Women Enduro Champion

Results for Joël

4th place, Michaux Off-Road Weekend Enduro, Shippensburg, PA
7th place, Michaux Off-Road Weekend 4hr Endurance, Shippensburg, PA
73rd place, (after handicapping) IIGO MASS (Mid-Atlantic Super Series)  Team Relay- Team Giant Superheroes, Marysville, PA
12th place, Rattling Creek 50 Mile Endurance, Elizabethville, PA
4th place, Rattling Creek Enduro, Elizabethville, PA
3rd place, Tuscarora Off-Road weekend  Enduro, Blain, PA
4th place, Tuscarora Off-Road Weekend 50K, Blain, PA
9th place, Middle Mountain Momma, Millboro, VA
3rd place, French Creek 4hr Endurance, Elverson, PA
2nd place, Greenbriar 4hr Endurance, Boonsboro, MD
9th place team, Trans-sylvania Mountain Bike Epic 7 Day Stage Race, State College, PA
4th place, Bearscat 50 Mile Endurance, Hewitt, NJ
10th place, Rothrock Trail Mix, Boalsburg, PA
3rd place, Steel City Enduro, Bethlehem, PA
8th place, Stewart 45, Montgomery, NY
1st place, Hardcore 24, Naples, NY
3rd place, Ironhill Marathon, Wilmington, DE
11th PA Rocks Enduro, State College, PA
7th place, Fairhill Marathon, Fair Hill, MD
7th place, Kingston Trophy Marathon Championships, Kingston, ON, Canada
2nd place, Tidewater Challenge 5hr Marathon, Williamsburg, VA
9th place, Tidewater Challenge Pro/Elite XC, Williamsburg, VA
3rd place, Tidewater Challenge Trifecta (marathon and XC combined), Williamsburg, VA
3rd place MASS (Mid Atlantic Super Series) 2015 Open Men Endurance Championship
3rd place, MASS (Mid Atlantic Super Series) 2015 Overall Pro/Cat 1 Men Enduro Champion

Frederick City Watershed, Frederick, MD

Single Track Sunday
Place: Frederick City Watershed, Frederick, MD
Ridden: January 2016

Click on video to play

There have been quite a few weeks without a Single Track Sunday blog and/or video.  With the holidays we have been busy with family and friends; of course we have been out riding but it has all been local trails that have already been featured on the blog. So we took a little hiatus from videos; we have been out just enjoying the rides on our local trails.

But now it's back to adventures in the Nankvan. Our first journey for 2016 took us to Michaux State Forest for a ride one day and Frederick City Watershed the other day.  Our ride leader for the weekend Karen took us on some amazing trails; the maps she was using for the weekend occasionally had us turning in circles but all in all we rode some sweet single track and had a good time riding with friends.

We already have numerous blog reports and videos for Michaux, click here and here and here to see them; so we decided not to do another one on Michaux.  Really, how many more rock gardens from Michaux can we show? Thus, even though we went to two places this weekend, the blog report is only about the Frederick Watershed.

A little background about the watershed...Frederick City Cooperative Wildlife Management Area (CWMA) contains over 7,000 acres of forest land in western Frederick County. The area is popular with deer, squirrel, grouse and turkey hunters. Recent cuts to salvage timber killed by gypsy moth defoliation has enhanced the area for grouse and deer. Numerous small ponds on the area attract migrating waterfowl particularly wood ducks and mallards. Also, bass and panfish can be caught in these ponds. Two branches of Fishing Creek are available for trout fishing.

The trails are shared use by hikers/runners, mountain bikers, and maybe even equestrian use???  Trails range from singletrack to fire roads but have a high degree of technical difficulty with large logs and extended rock gardens on climbs and descents. These trails keep a rider on their toes; the rock gardens are large and extensive, but well built so that they can be ridden (but are still a challenge to even the most skilled rider).  Numerous logovers and rock-pile type features add to the technical challenge.  The climbs are short to moderate in length and at times quite steep; and thus as are the descents.  It is quite a fun place to ride but be ready to be challenged physically and mentally!  As for total miles of trails, we ride 20 and I feel like there were many more trails to ride. Add in some road (gravel and paved) and this place could be an all-day epic ride location.

We had a great time on our adventure weekend. Both Michaux and Frederick gave us our fair share of rocks and technical challenges; more than enough to fill a weekend of riding.  Both places are worth making the trip to and making an adventure out of riding there.

- words by Jess

- video by Joel

- fun times on the trail by Cliff

- map skills by Karen