A Weekend at
Uwharrie: Wood Run MTB race and Kings Mountain Gravel Grinder
Wood Run MTB 36
mile mountain bike race Saturday October 3, 2020
Kings Mountain
Gravel Grinder 48 mile race Sunday October 4, 2020
Uwharrie
National Forest, Troy, North Carolina
A few days off
for vacation time, an interest to learn the trails somewhere new and different,
and the urge to race brought the Nankmans to Uwharrie National Forest in North
Carolina for a weekend of Trans-Sylvania Productions racing.
Saturday was
the Wood Run Mountain Bike race based out of the Wood Run parking area in
Uwharrie National Forest. The race had three distance options; 12,24, and 36
miles.
Each distance utilized the same
12 mile loop; repeating the loop the appropriate number of times to get the
correct distance. The course started with double track, which was perfect to
allow the racers spread out a bit. Once hitting single track it was mile after
mile of fun and fast riding.
The trails
at Uwharrie are undulating, twisty, and technical.
Speed came easy, and at times the tight turns
and loose gravel made for sketchy sections.
The climbs were short and steep, leg burning and lung busting especially
during a race.
A good number of awesome
and fun rock gardens are scattered throughout the sections of single track,
adding some thought provoking and technical challenges along the way.
Mid-race the course passed thought the
start/finish and parking area which was a perfect place for racers to leave
bottles or to make use of the race supplied aid station. From here it was a
short ride on gravel and then back onto the trail to complete the lap.
Jo
ël and I each entered the long
course, the 36 mile distance.
We had
very different races, but in the end we both enjoyed the trails and got in
great rides.
My race was a challenge,
possibly even a did-not-finish, right from the get go.
A flare-up of a chronic injury made any
movement uncomfortable.
Wes at Saucon
Valley Massage did the best he could to get me race ready but I wasn’t even
sure if I could complete the ride.
Obviously I did but it was filled with moments of uncertainty and discomfort.
Shortly into the race a stick invaded my
drive train but luckily Jo
ël
was just behind me when this happened.
He fixed the twisted chain and bent derailleur but told me something
along the lines of “you will have a tough time shifting and your chain may snap
at any moment”.
The rest of race was
filled with sketchy gear changes and wondering if at any moment my pedaling
would end. Discomfort from injury and potentially race ending mechanicals…a
reason to stop?
Nope, a reason to
persevere and fight even harder, to be committed to the ride and getting to the
finish line.
And getting to the finish
line fast; winning the women's race.
Jo
ël’s race was more of a ride, not a
race.
Riding a single speed on this type of course he knew
right from the start he would not be competitive in the open men division, thus
he decided to just ride and make video of the event.
Finishing mid pack he was happy with the ride
and enjoyed his time out there.
Just as an FYI Uwharrie is also a great place to night ride. The night after the mountain bike race (thus the evening before the gravel race) after some wine and whiskey Joel and I decided that taking Cliff out for a night ride seemed like an amazing idea. Maybe not the best advice to do between two hard efforts but to do something fun and interesting it was worth is. Coyotes howling and so many amazing mushrooms (highlighted by the new Lupine Lights Piko 1900) were highlights of the ride.
Sunday was the
Kings Mountain Gravel Grinder, held at Baldin Lake Recreation Area within
Uwharrie National Forest.
It was a
double loop course, 24 miles per lap, allowing racers to choose from a one lap
or two lap event. Jo
ël and I
both were riding the 48 miler.
The
course was a mix of gravel roads, paved roads, and packed dirt roads; no double
track or trail. It was a very gentle gravel grinder, perfect for someone just
getting into gravel riding or someone who wanted a more relaxing ride. The
course wove through beautiful scenery, so many things to look at and
enjoy.
Throughout the recreation area
campers and other park users were out and about enjoying the day.
The forest was gorgeous, pine forests,
shrubby fields, beautiful blue sky. The course wove through farm land; horses,
cattle, and dogs were everywhere.
Some
adorable donkeys were out in one field.
Many farm residents were sitting on their porches, I would assume
enjoying coffee and breakfast.
They all
responded to my wave with a friendly hello.
Having a back
ground as a road racer, Joël
took a look around at the start and said it was going to be like a road race
using tactics, drafting, etc. He was in
his element. Riding a gravel bike and
knowing today would be a day for him to be competitive Joël’s race started hard right from
the start. The men's race immediately divided into a lead group of about a dozen
who took turns pulling the group while working together to create a buffer
between them and other racers. Guys
slowly dropped off the back and in the end there were six racers, Joël ending up 6th. He said it was quite the race, quite the hard
effort; he was exhausted and happy with his race.
I showed up at
the start feeling like a duck out of water.
I don’t have a gravel bike. I was riding my full suspension mountain
bike, a Liv Pique Advanced. Looking around at the other ladies at the start I
wondered how much of a disadvantage I had, what would my ride be
like? In fact, in talking to a guy who
was also riding a mountain bike I said my only goal was to not be last. Well, I didn’t have to worry about that. I earned the top podium spot of 1st
overall woman, showing that you don’t need a gravel bike to win a gravel
grinder race. Not knowing at all what to
expect, I started conservative. After a
few miles I passed other ladies and was in the lead. Well, now that I was in first
place I had to keep it. At the turn
arounds I could see the second place lady no more than a few minutes behind me
which meant I there was no letting up and no taking it easy. I had to work hard,
maybe even harder since I had a heavier bike, suspension working against me,
and big knobby tires making more resistance.
It was tough, I finished the race exhausted and with that previously
noted injury bothersome still but so happy to have kept the lead.
Accommodations
for the Nankmans for the weekend were the van.
National forests are wonderful in that they allowing camping pretty much
anywhere, which made for great vanlife living for the weekend. We had an amazing
spot directly at Saturday’s race location. We stayed there Friday through
Sunday morning, driving over to the gravel race on Sunday morning.
Trans-Sylvania
Productions did a great job of putting on a well run, smooth, competitive, and
fun weekend of racing. Trails were well marked.
Courses were challenging, a good ride, and scenic. Post race food was provided in a COVID safe
manner. Awards were unique and personal.
Next stop post
race? To Saucon Valley Bikes to get the
Liv Pique Advanced fixed up. To Honey
Stinger to restock on all the race food consumed. Back to Saucon Valley Massage and St. Lukes
Spine and Pain to get the body back to working well again.
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Words by Jess
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Photos by Nankmans and Trans-Sylvania Productionsrace
photography
