ADK 80K, Lake Placid, New York

ADK 80K Race
Mt. Van Hoevenberg Race Village, Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex
Lake Placid, NY
August 27, 2017
Jess 1st overall female; Joël 2nd overall male

This race really was just an alternate reason to visit Lake Placid for the weekend. I have spent time in Lake Placid; training to and competing in the Ironman triathlon there.  But Joël and I together have never ridden in the Adirondacks; and never visited Lake Placid.  We figured by taking part in a race there we would have an excuse to spend some time there seeing the sights, ride some of the trails, and meet locals who could tell us about other riding opportunities in the area (for the possibility of another trip up there).


After getting off the highway and driving through the areas surrounding Lake Placid Joël and I immediately got the idea that this area is an outdoor enthusists mecha.  Parking area and trailheads lined the roads.  Vehicles were carrying kayaks and canoes along with road and mountain bikes.  Ski, climbing, and bike shops dotted the roadside.  Quaint shops and restuarants toting mountain themes were plentiful.  All of this meant finding "lodging" for the night would not be too tough, many of the trailheads allowed overnight parking.  We found ourselves a good parking spot and climbed into the back of the van for some sleep.

Saturday morning was planned as a Lake Plaic tourist day.  We started our day by scoping out the race site for the ADK 80K on Sunday and taking Cliff for a hike.  Then it was off to the olympic sites using our Olympic Passport. The Passport is one-time purchase that allows access into many local tourist sites and olympic-related venues.  The Olympic Sports Complex, home to bobsled, luge, and skeleton competitions offers a tour of the tracks and about the olympic history.  One can also ride in a bobsled.  A bit of a drive outside of Lake Placid is Whiteface Mountain.  Here there is a gondola ride up one side of the mountain (the ski slope and downhill mountain biking side) and then the other side is the drive up the Memorial Highway. Many cyclists make it goal to ride up this road which as 2,300 feet of elevation in five miles.  The highway ends at a parking area wth a hike to the peak of the mountain at an elevation of 4,867 feet.  The Olympic Jumping Complex has the ski jumps (where people are usually practicing) and aerial competitions into a big pool.  The pass also allows access into the Olympic Museum, but we just didn't have enough time to do that.  During the day while playing tourist we also spent some time in Lake Placid; shopping and having lunch there.  For cycling friends, the local bike shop High Peaks Cyclery, is top notch. Friendly and helpful staff and a side note I am happy about is they are a Liv and Giant dealer.  After a busy day seeing the sights we headed back to the race site where some locals filled us in on good, quiet places to park for night.  Movie time in the van and another hike for Cliff rounded out the evening prior to bedtime.



As for sleeping...thank goodness we checked the weather forecast before leaving home. The temperature when we woke up race morning was 32 degrees farenheit. Yup, there was frost on the grass.  Luckily we both packed our winter clothing, winter sleeping bags, and jackets for Cliff.  Luckily once the sun came out the temps climbed quickly and were quite pleasant for the race.


The race was held at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg Race Village near the Lake Placid Olympic Sports Complex. In the summer the trails are part of a mountain biking complex managed by High Peaks Cyclery which has races, rides, camps, and lessons. In the winter, they are cross-country ski trails; in fact, the same trails that the olympics and many internation compeitions are on. Pretty cool to be riding at an olympic site.

The course consisted of two 40K (about 25 miles) loops beginning with a short run for a "lemans start".  The course doubled back through the pit area twice during each loop which was great for spectators and nice to know in case of mechanicals or other issues.  The course consisted of double track and single track, which were nicely mixed.  The double track was grassy trails, the occasional sand or gravel portion, and mowed fields.  The single track was tight and twisty with root after root.  At times I felt like I was standing still while trying to navigate the tight turns and off-camber roots.  Some neat features included riding through tunnels, crossing under the finishing arch used during the international ski competitions, and riding near the biathlon shooting course.


It was deceptively hard course; this course hurt, every part of it every second of the race. It probably didn't help that the second place finisher and I battled it out during the beginning of the race and even after I pulled away I knew she would be close on my heels the entire time.  I could not let up at any point.  Joël had quite the race also. Since there wasn't a single speed class he opted to ride gears using a borrowed bike.  He and the leader went back and forth the entire race and Joël ended up second place.



Post race food and beer, a raffle, custom awards, and a prize-table rounded out the day. Thanks to High Peaks Cyclery for a great race!

-Jess

Something new- Big Bear Ultra race and Laurel Highlands trail system

Big Bear Ultra Marathon Race
Big Bear Lake Trail system,  Bruceton Mills, WV
August 5, 2017
Jess 1st overall women, Joël 2nd single speed

Sometimes I wonder why we do these things.  The drive down consisted of one severe storm after another; bad enough to even result in a flooded interstate at one point.  Due to these conditions it was much later than expected when we pulled into our camping site at the race venue, thus sleep would be scarce the night prior to the race. Waking up race morning to the sound of rain on the van roof; ugg, another wet race.  And to top things off the temperature was in the 40s when we woke up. I had to layer in every article of clothing I had to keep warm while getting ready and huddled around the camp stove for extra warmth while making breakfast.  It was warm and sunny at home in the Lehigh Valley that morning...putting thoughts of "we should have stayed home" in my mind.  But those thoughts were fleeting, life is meant to be lived and experiences had, so here were Joël, Clifford, and I ready to undertake another adventure.

The Big Bear Ultra race and the Big Bear Lake trail system were all new to us. In fact, this was our first time even just racing in West Virginia. From what we had heard this trail system would be right up our alley; technical, lots of rocks, and pretty much all single track. And that's exactly what it was.

The course consisted of two approximately 20 mile loops. A prologue around the race venue started things off and allowed people to jockey for position. The course then went on part of the jump line that was featured at Dirt Fest which was super fun.  After that things turned technical.  Rocks, roots, mud...challenging and smile invoking.  Racers were warned about a particular feature called "The Crack Trail" which would be extremely slippery due to the rain. Well, the race director wasn't kidding. This trail consisted of a wooden bridge about handlebar width within the the "crack" of a large rock.  I sort of did a pin-ball maneuver off of the rocks while sliding my way through. The second lap I opted for the go around for this!  After this there was a little bit of everything. Lots more rocks.  Some flowy trail through pines.  A few bits on a gravel road.  A sketchy washed-out loose downhill.  Hub deep mud puddles.  This course kept one guessing the entire time about what was next and challenged every skill a rider has. But wow was it fun!


After a battle during the first few miles of the race I moved into first place women and kept that placing until the finish. Late in the race Joël was making his move into first place for the single speeders when a flat stopped him, he ended up second. Prizes consisted of cash and these really cool locally hand-crafted mugs.

But the best part of this whole event- the post race festivities. The food was amazing! It was never ending. Burgers, pasta, salads, fruit... and cupcakes and sweets made by a pastry chef.  Add to that beer and one was in post-race food heaven.  The company was great also; all racers hung around and chatted afterwards and no-one felt excluded.

This is one event Joël and I will definitely recommend to others.  Free camping at the race site, an awesome and challenging course, good prizes, and amazing post-race food with a chill race vibe all made it worth the journey.

-Jess

Laurel Highlands Trail System
Near Ohiopyle; south western PA
August 6, 2017

A post race stop for ice cream at a small rural store after the race in West Virginia and we were on our way to the Laurel Highlands trail system for a ride the next day.  Being that most of this trail system is in state forest, we found a good parking spot for the night and retreated to the back of the van for a good night's sleep.  A dark parking area within the forest, the cool mountain breeze, and listening to nothing more than the forest creatures brings about some good resting conditions.

We planned a relaxing, playful ride the next day that centered more around Clifford and picture taking than necessarily training; the perfect ride the day after a tough race.  We took time to session the trail features and play on the big rocks, enjoyed the views at overlooks, and took in the beauty nature has to offer. The trails ranged from double track gravel trails to technical rocky trails with numerous boulders and rock gardens.

The trail system is incorporated into various state forests and state parks, which means a variety of trails and natural features that are highlighted with kiosks and informational signs.  We visited a rock cropping overlook, rode a trail that skirted a small mountain stream, and the best part was the visit to the bog. The bog was filled with carnivorous plants, unique natural features, and beautiful flowers.

After lunch in the state park it was time to head home which meant back to work the next day. Oh well, we had fun for the weekend and would be dreaming about the next weekend adventure.


- Jess