If you haven’t already seen it, check out our Tan Line Contest. Voting opened today so jump over there and vote for your favorite tan line. The winner gets a $150 gift card for Arkansas Cycling & Fitness.

http://arkansascycling.com/tan-line-contest.asp

Being relatively new in cycling and having only a year of recreational mountain biking I thought I would look for ways to improve my very limited skills. New to the Central Arkansas area I stopped by the AC&F shop for trails to ride and riding tips. The guys (and ladies) were more than helpful with any questions I threw at them and they set me up with the Thursday night MTB ride guys. Just riding with Andy, Trevor, Trevor, Zach, Travis, Efran, Chad and Dan has made me a better rider and has taught me to ride longer and be more effective in my riding. The support from these guys was top notch and prompted me to challenge myself to become better and join the AC&F MTB team. While I’m still very much a beginner, just three MTB races into the season I couldn’t be happier that I joined the AC&F team.
If you need a challenge, want to get better or just need some people to ride with I encourage you to do so even if it’s just coming out for the Thursday night ride. It will not only make you better but it is just a lot of freakin fun! Just the way mountain biking should be.
Thanks again to all of the AC&F staff and riders for your continued help and support.

Josh

It has been a while since I posted anything (about a month actually). So, what has been happening? A lot actually:

Chad related news

Lets start with the thing about which I am most excited. I am now a CAT1 mountain biker! Wohoo!!! I have even completed my first CAT1 race! This is the part where the excitement level drops a bit…I got WHOOPED in my first race. I had an OK time when compared to everyone who raced CAT1, but I was a pretty long way behind the others in my age group. I have plans to improve by the next race, the Eureka Springs Fat-Tire Festive. I think these plans will be good enough to get me up a couple spots in the standings (although probably not back on the podium). I hope to be in contention for podium finishes after I have had a bit of time to close to gap between myself and my competition.

I finally had a Crit race that I was really happy with. I didn’t win or anything like that, but I felt like I was a factor in the race. Before, I always felt like I was just along for the ride. I think I may have finally started to figure these things out! Unfortunately, the series is over… I heard the final race was really cool. I missed it  as I was out of town visiting my parents and enjoying the calm of my small home-town. I am looking forward to the next time I get to line-up on skinny tires

General cool happenings

There are SOOOO many cool things happening right now! It is hard for me to keep track of everything I am keeping track of… Lets start with the thing that most of you will likely care about: Le Tour de France! This year has already been so freaking awesome! I can’t decide if Contador is out of the race or not. He has a huge time gap between himself and the others who will be fighting for yellow. Also, the team time-trial was very exciting! I am glad to see American teams and riders doing well so far, not because I really want Americans to win, but because I would like to see cycling grow here and people care more when they have champions to watch and cheer.

More locally related news includes the completion (?) of the new trails in Burns Park. They are really great (although very difficult). If you are of a single track mind and haven’t checked them out yet, I highly recommend it.

For those of you who prefer skinny tires (or maybe just exploring), you will want to be ready to roll when the new Two-Rivers Bridge opens! I have been watching the construction from the Little Rock side. I really have no idea what is on the other side (although based on the level of awesome that the River Trail usually exhibits, I am expecting a field of unicorns). There is going to be a ribbon cutting dedication type thing this Friday the 8th. From what I hear, Judge Villines and the US Secretary of Transportation are suppose to the there. Everyone is hopping to get a good turnout so that we can show our support appreciation for projects like this. It is suppose to be at 11:30. If you can make it, you might enjoy going to check it out. I don’t think you’ll be able to ride across the bridge yet though

Finally, for those of you who prefer skinny tires with knobs, I have heard that there is going to be a fully formed cyclocross series this Fall! I don’t know many details about this just yet, but I am very excited! I am looking for a ‘cross bike to get myself into these things. Although, if I can’t find something for the right price, it won’t be a problem to just ride my mountain bike. Either way, I am looking forward to a really cool new racing discipline.

cheer

Well, I now have 3 criterium races under my belt. I raced both the “C” and “B” races last week. This week I wasn’t able to make it in time for the “C” race, so I only raced “B”. From what I hear, the number of riders lining up for each race is more than in past years. If you have never seen a crit, I highly recommend going and checking it out. The whole thing is very high energy and exciting. Sprinting, cornering and just generally riding in a pack at high speed is pretty cool.

I will say, I am having some trouble figuring out how to win these things though. There is no climbing to speak of, which is a bit of a problem for me as I tend to climb better than many people of equal fitness. However, my top speed on flat ground seems to be lower than that of some. There is also the matter of riding in a group. It is very advantageous to be in the peloton (HA! I finally get to talk about riding in a peloton ) because it greatly reduces the amount of work any one rider has to do. However, it is very hard to attack and not have everyone just jump on your wheel. I actually tried to attack and break away this week. There were a couple riders already off the front. They were looking pretty strong, so I figured if I could cross the gap, and we got organized, we might be able to hold out. I waited until the time seemed to be right, dropped a couple gears and sprinted out of the pack. I was hoping to only pull one or two others along. I ended up pulling everyone…

There is more than one way to win in a crit, however. You could win a prime. Basically, the prime is announced and the person who wins the lap wins a prize. They announce the prize also, so you know what you are going for. Just be careful not to put out so much energy that you get dropped after…

On the whole, I am having a pretty good time with this. If you have been thinking about doing some racing, you might enjoy this. I will ask you one favor though: please be able to control your bike. You won’t make many friends is you are shaky on your bike, don’t hold your line around turns, and just generally put yourself and others in danger. Other than that, I can’t think of any reason not to come out and give it a shot!

cheers

From what I hear, Centrl ARkansas VElo (CARVE) will once again be putting on a local criterium series. When I say “from what I hear” what I mean is: “90% of the cycling related news I’ve been hearing is…”. It seems like everyone will either be racing or coming out to watch. Several people have asked me if I will be racing. Some have asked me several times…

I don’t like to agree to something without knowing what is going on, so I did a bit of reading about criteriums (crits for short). Based on what I’ve read, it seems that a crit is a road bike race done on a small (usually less than 5km) loop. This particular crit is on a ~1.3km course. The race is usually held for a certain length of time + some number of laps. They are high intensity races that require the rider to be able to safely navigate tight corners while riding in a group. From what I can tell, they favor very strong riders who are able sprint and attack repeatedly. However, I expect a clever tactician would be able find his/her way to the podium.

I am trying to decide if I should race these or not. The course will probably be really flat, which means it will probably also be really fast. I admit that I am pretty nervous about riding in a group at high speed. I feel like I have pretty good control of my bike, and I’ve ridden fast in groups before, but always with people I knew or that I knew to be good bike handlers. I guess it is the element of unknown that is giving me pause (that and the stories people seem to like telling).

The crit does have the advantage of being fairly inexpensive race. The entry will only be $10 (the flier says $15, but I’ve heard it has been lowered thanks to some generous donations). Although, there is a $5 unattached rider fee (if you aren’t on a USA Cycling registered team or club) as well as a $10 one day license fee (if you don’t have an annual license). So, I guess it could cost you as much as $25 to race…which is still not too much. I should say, the fees for one-day license and unattached riders are not the doing of the race promoters. They have to be there so that the race is in line with USA Cycling rules.

I guess I need to hurry up and decide if I am racing or not. I bought my road license. It was half price because I already have my mountain license . Problem is, I keep shifting between “heck yeah its time to race!” and “maybe I should just pass”. In any case, they start Wednesday, June 1st, in Burns Park. I will at least be going to watch. See you there!

cheers

Dear Lady with Brown Curly Hair (who I confused for my sister),

As you know, today (5/22/11) was the Revenge of the Ridge mountain bike race in Mena, Arkansas. I was truly excited for this race as it was the first of the 2011 AMBCS season.  I had my little sister with me, and she was in charge of my bottle hand-ups. Today was her first time doing this for me. Although she did a wonderful job, there was a bit of confusion as to where the feed zone was. I thought it would be at the lap point, but it seems it was actually at one of the road crossings. When I first passed my sister, I was surprised to see her, and had no need for a bottle as I was only a few miles into the race. As I neared the end of my first lap, however, my bottle was totally empty and I was becoming concerned that I would not be getting a new one for several more miles.

I could hear the cheers of people as I approached the lap point. I was hoping more than anything that my sister would have moved and I would get a new bottle. In retrospect, this was a silly thing to have hoped for as there was absolutely no reason for her to have moved. Here is the thing: when I race, I tend to get kind of stupid. I’m not sure why, but its like everything in my brain not related to mountain biking (and breathing) just shuts down. When I came through the lap point, I became VERY excited to see who I thought was my sister, but was actually you. Alas, this identification was based solely on your proximity to the trail, and your brown curly hair. My sister also has brown curly hair, and this similarity was more than enough to convince me that you were she.

When I reached where you were standing, I fully expected to be handed my new bottle. When you didn’t give me the expected bottle I became even more confused than I already was. I stopped, addressed you as “Cortney”, and asked for my bottle. This few seconds of not riding allowed enough of my brain to reactivate and identify that you were, in fact, not my sister. At this point, I sheepishly got back on my bike and rode off.

I would just like to apologize for this incident. I was very confused and very thirsty at the time. I hope you were able to laugh at my foolishness.

cheers

P.S. If while addressing you I yelled, then I would like to apologize for this as well. I am not actually sure if I yelled or not, but I have a tendency to only use my “outside voice” when racing. I really wasn’t angry, just mono-volume.

Last weekend (May 13-15) I went to Oklahoma to visit my grandparents and to race in the Roman Nose MTB Fest. This was my first out-of-state race. It took me more than 6 hours to get there. The round trip was something like 800 miles. It was well worth the trip though.

So, I could tell you about the race…but I have something much more fun to tell you about: the trail. I didn’t know what to expect from a race in central(ish) Oklahoma. What I found was a mix of desert and forest valley. I think some pictures are in order. Click on them to get a better look.

As you enter the park, you are greeted by this sign.

The race took place in a valley. In the middle of the valley was this lake. During the race, you could see racers at various points as they made their way across the ridge on the other side.

This was the top of the ridge I just mentioned. You can see the single track as it crosses the dam in the valley floor

The trail was constantly moving from desert like plateaus, into the tree filled valley, and back. If you look closely, you can almost see the curvature of the Earth

The valley floor was cool and shady. The trail was very smooth and fast here.

Everything outside the valley was hot and dry. Oh yeah, there were cacti EVERYWHERE! Hold your line, because there is no room for error!

I loved this trail. If you are ever going to be around Watonga, Oklahoma, you should bring your bike and head out to Roman Nose State Park.

cheers

This weekend will be the end of the 2011 Arkansas Mountain Bike Marathon Series. The last race is Syllamo’s Revenge in Mountain View. I was originally registered for this race, but sold my spot when another race, which is also this weekend, caught my attention. I will now be racing in the Roman Nose MTB Festival in Watonga Oklahoma. This race is part of the Oklahoma mountain bike series, called the Tour de Dirt. Roman Nose is an XC race, and I think the CAT2 distance is going to be 14 miles. Not very far. So, why did I give up the chance to race a 50 epic for a 14 mile XC? Simple, my grandparents live in Watonga. I am really excited to go visit them, and to have them come watch me race!

This will be my first out of Arkansas race, and I am very interested to see how fast riders are in Oklahoma. I’ll do my best to make Arkansas proud! I am also looking forward to seeing what the trails are like in the flat lands of Oklahoma. I have done some virtual recon of the trail. From what I can tell, there will be lots of short steep climbs as the trail moves in and out of gullies. It also looks like the trail has very few trees surrounding it. I am expecting wind might be an issue. Finally, based on the pictures I have seen, there are cacti EVERYWHERE! I might add a little extra Stan’s to my tires….

Next weekend (5/22) is Revenge of the Ridge in Mena Arkansas. This is the first race of the Arkansas Mountain Bike Championship Series, and is being put on by the Ouachita Cycling Club. These are the same people who organized the coolest race in which I have ever ridden. It may be a long drive, but this race is going to be well worth the trip. If you have been considering racing your mountain bike, 2011 is going to be a great year to start!

cheers

The recent huge amount of rain and resulting flooding has been a problem for many cyclist. Without the river trail,the open roads are the only choice for roadies. Mountain bikers, however, are in a much worse position. All the rain has left most trails very sloppy. Mountain biking during really wet conditions is a bad idea for two reasons: 1)it is bad for the trails and 2)it is bad for your bike.

So, last Friday, when I heard someone say that the Jackfork trails were dry enough to ride, I was pretty excited to end my single track deprivation. I loaded up the bike and took off. As I drove out, however, I began to become a bit apprehensive. You see, I road this trail back when it was first opened, and had no intention to go back. Basically, I hated it. I hated it so much that I avoided talking about it for fear of offending someone.

The stick of the lolliepop shaped trail brings you to this junction wherein you either think: thats a funny sign; or: I bet the guy who made that sign thought he was pretty funny...

When I arrived, there were a few cars with bike racks in the parking lot. I got the bike off the car, went through my pre-ride routine and set off. I was happy to find that the trail was actually fairly dry. I continued on while still thinking about my last experience on this trail. After a couple miles, however, I realized that I was actually having fun! I started thinking about what had changed. One obvious difference was me. I have gained a lot of bike handling since the last time I had ridden this trail. This was not everything though, the trail seemed to flow a bit better. Indeed, the trail seems to have matured a bit. Don’t get me wrong, it still needs a lot my riding to get really good, but it is at least improving. In terms of maturity, the trail no longer makes fart jokes, but it still thinks Dane Cook is funny… For example:

Does anything eat momentum more than a stream with a steep, hooking bank one one side and a pile of logs for a bridge?

Answer to above question: yes, this does

So, what is my opinion of this trail as of now? I actually kinda liked riding it. I would NEVER even consider brining a beginner here. They might be able to ride it, but they won’t have fun. The trail is just too rocky and you almost never get to keep momentum. On the other hand, an intermediate or advanced rider would probably enjoy the difficulties of this trail.

cheers

HA! Looks like I beat JBar (the best source of River Trail news) to this one!

I went out riding yesterday with two other brave cyclists. I call them brave because the wind had to have been gusting about 30mph, and the sky was seriously threatening rain. Given the last couple days, it probably wasn’t a good idea to set out for a ride…

When we started from the submarine lot we were pretty amazed by the height of the river. When we reached Burns Park, we found the roads closed off with barriers and gates. We did what any self-respecting teenage males would have done: jump the gate! This is what we found:

This was taken from the far west side of Burns, looking south-east into the park

Looking directly south, toward the river

Looking south-west

cheers