Ouachita Challenge Gravel
and Mountain Bike Races Double Weekend
Tastiest oatmeal ever along with spectacular gravel and single track racing.
60 mile gravel race Saturday March 20th
60 mile mountain bike race Sunday March 21st
Oden, Arkansas
Jess 5th
female gravel race, 3rd female mountain bike race; 2nd for
those that did both races
Joël 16th male gravel, 28th mountain bike (mens field of almost 100 for gravel and over 100 for mtb); 12th combined
So first off, many are probably wondering why and how Joël and I came about traveling from
Pennsylvania for this event. Riding in North West Arkansas has always been on
our to do list and we wanted to go there during a time of the year that would
be conducive to good camping and riding in Arkansas but would also allow us to
escape the still snowy and chilly Eastern Pennsylvania. End of March fit that description. When traveling to new places Joël and I find it conducive to enter
a race; racing is an easy way to learn the area, experience the trails, and
talk with local riders. Racing easily gives
us inside knowledge about the area; riding, camping, eateries, etc. Searching the internet for riding locations
we were interested in along with races happening in the area and along came the
Ouachita Challenge. The plan was to start off the trip with a gravel and
mountain bike race, move onward to a few days of riding in Ouachita National
Forest, and then finish up in Bentonville (stay tuned for a blog coming soon
about camping and riding adventures in Ouachita and Bentonville).
Event location
All riding and everything having to do with the race was based out of the school complex in Oden. This was the absolutely perfect hub. Registration, parking, and the race start/finish were all right there. A rider could pretty much see and hear the announcer at all times, no wondering what was going on. As noted in the following paragraphs, other amazing amenities were also offered at the school such as camping and food and you can read on to know more.
Camping, bathrooms, showers
WOW! Sums it up in this category. Camping
Friday and Saturday night was allowed directly on the school campus, with racers
parking their vans and setting up their tents at various locations around the
grounds. The school gym was even open
for sleeping if needed (and being it was below freezing both mornings people
who slept in the gym were warm and cozy).
Flush toilets were available at various sites on the campus and the
showers in the gym were open for racers to use. There is nothing better that
having a hot shower after a race, especially important when Joël and I are going to
boondock in the van for the rest of the week. We sometimes never know where our
next real shower is going to be. The school complex is condense, so it was an
easy walk to all of these things. Dogs were allowed which is a must for the
Nankmans, no traveling without Clifford.
Food
Oh my, this was just top notch. In my opinion, for any type of long distance event it should be customary that races offer some sort of post race food included with entry. Anything above and beyond that is an added bonus. The Ouachita Challenge rose above and beyond in the food category. There was post race food on Sunday of personal pizzas for each racer which hit the spot perfectly after 60 miles of tough mountain biking. In addition, there was a hot breakfast for racers on Saturday and Sunday of pancakes, oatmeal, eggs, fruit, coffee and more along with and a pasta dinner on Saturday night. All the food was cooked on site in the school cafeteria and it was quite tasty. Honestly the best oatmeal I have ever had. I always asked for an extra scoop.
Courses
60 miles of gravel racing on my Devote Advanced Saturday and 60 miles of
mountain biking on some amazing single track on my Piqued Advanced Pro 29
Sunday. Both days of racing started and
ended at the school so it did mean a few miles of pavement on both ends of the
ride. The gravel day included many
beautiful rural and forest roads with amazing views of the surrounding Ouachita
National Forest and rural farm country. According to Joël, on a ranch he saw a “bull
with balls as big as my head”. The
mountain bike day had some pavement and gravel but the highlight of the course
was the Ouachita Trail and other local single track which were all fairly
technical; challenging yet fun. Courses both days were well marked with
volunteers at road crossings and trail intersections directing racers. Both
days had ample aid stations that offered both nutrition and hydration.
Typically drop bags were allowed but this year due to COVID restrictions no
drop bags but riders could have friends/family/helpers present at some of the
aid stations to supply personal items. With the races being no more than three to six hours for us we easily carried all we needed including all out Honey Stinger nutrition in our back pockets. Some notes for riders. Get your climbing
legs ready, both days have significant climbing; they make your legs hurt but are
worth the effort. Creek crossings were numerous at both races, be ready for wet
feet. Temperature swings are quite
possible. For this year racers woke to frost
on the ground both days and with an 8am start it was still quite cold in the mornings
but warmed up to the 60s/70s by the end of the race. Make sure your tire sealant is fresh and you
carry flat fixing items; flat tires were numerous both days including Joel who did get two flats on the gravel day. Luckily Saucon Valley Bikes supplied us with lots of tubes and sealant to take along on this trip so flats could be fixed.
Volunteers
They were all so amazing. Every person involved with this race was just so
nice, caring, involved, and friendly. One could tell they all just want to race
to be a success. From registration to
aid station volunteers and course/traffic directors to the people serving meals
there was never a lack of a smile and genuine concern for how racers were doing
and if they were having a good time. A
local fire company along the course had volunteers helping racers and cheering
them on. Some locals along the course had water bottles for racers. Race
volunteers were even moping the showers and refilling toilet paper. That’s
dedication. Thank you to all the wonderful volunteers who made this race
possible!
Race swag and awards
Just a few goodies from sponsors at registration but that’s all that was
really needed. There was a drawing for some really nice prizes at dinner on
Saturday night. Race T-shirts were
available for purchase if wanted and there was a bike shop on site for repairs
and supplies. Podium awards were for the
top three each day and then the top winner overall for the combined double
event. Awards were cash; can never go
wrong with that. A race photographer was present both days taking some amazing photos for purchase.
In summary, a race that was well put together and offered racers so many extra things that just made this race the complete experience; great pedaling and a great experience. Two days of great riding, good accommodations, bellies filled with tasty food, and friendly and supportive staff. Even our dog Clifford came away with new friends so it was a weekend to remember for all the Nankmans. Thanks for a top notch event! Note: this race did adhere to COVID regulations. Masks were worn when appropriate and social distancing guidelines were followed.
- Words by Jess
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Photos by Joël
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Professional photographs by Kai Caddy