Coming to a close

It's been a month since I last posted and SO much has happened: Versailles, Super D, & Logansport. With one more race in the DINO series, how will the points stack up? We already know Coach Battin has sealed the deal with another DINO series championship--his 7th in fact! Congratulations, Matt!!!

So, Versailles proved to be a great, fast course this year. While I still had the goal to catch up to Danny, I knew early on it wouldn't happen. He went on to finish in the top 10 in his class. Big hats off to Kevin B, though, on a tremendous day with a big 'W.' Kevin beat out his rival by under a minute and earned bragging rights for a hard effort and successful day.

Speaking of wins, there were a couple more for Bicycle Station with Zane W topping the Juniors and Matt beating out rival Messer again. And let's not forget Denny, in his self-professed last year of racing, **cough, cough** coming in first in the 50+ category.

Good job, everyone! Bruce said he would be camping that weekend, but I somehow missed seeing him the entire day! Maybe b/c Mer & I parked by the pool instead of the shady spots by the campground--lesson learned there.

We had some other great finishes and efforts as well with Fett taking a podium spot and several more top 10 finishes.

Next up, came the Super D--Indiana's first Super D downhill course put on by Sub 9. Results are on the Sub 9 website and some cool videos are floating around as well. Give a shout out to Fett for placing 5th overall and top in the Cat 1 with a time of 20:22--a mere 2 seconds ahead of former teammate, John Clasen. I have to ask Fett if he ran his special seatpost for this course. I'm rather intrigued and wonder if I should get this new gadget!

Mer earned a podium spot in the women's Cat 1, and Danny placed in the top half of his category. Blake finished with a respectable time of 22:02--and didn't even have to count laps!

Logansport:

Hot? Humid? I can only imagine. This is the first DINO race I've missed in 4-5 years. Looking at the results, I see we had some more great results with 'W's from Denny, again, and Matt, again. If I'm counting correctly, it looks like Fett & Larry both achieved podium spots. Sadly, I see Danny posted a DNF. I can only assume he lacked motivation since I wasn't there to pass him. We'll leave it at that. It looks like Feske & Blake rolled in together at the finish....was it a sprint???? John W got a top 10 place on what was presumably a good course for this roadie turned mountain biker. And Mike B is consistently putting in hard efforts here as well. I don't understand the scoring in the Cat 1 field--1A & 1E & age group.....we women are all scored together making it pretty darn easy to figure out where we are.

So, these are some short recaps. I'd love to hear some stories and to ride with the team members soon. As the weather turns cooler, the rides will be a little more enjoyable.

Stay cool and stay safe.

Great job, Team! Can't wait to have an end-of-the year party. After Southwestway, of course!

Of course, there really is no "end" right? There are plenty of Fall & Winter events to keep us going with the Brown County Breakdown, Hilly Hundred, 24 Hours of DINO, etc. The fun never ends!

Out and About

WORS:
Some team members are expanding their race horizons by venturing to other states. In June, Mike B went to "America's largest state MTB race series" known as WORS - Wisconsin Off Road Series. Indeed magazines often tout the tough competition in this favorite national and regional series.

Below is a pic of Mike on the start line of the Subaru Cup. And a big congrats to him with a solid Top 10 finish in Cat 1. All that training is paying off, right Mike?



SERC/AMBC:
Taking a mini vacation, I ventured out to do the SERC/AMBC race in Chattanooga, TN on Raccoon Mountain. Here I met another teammate on a mini vacation--Meredith! She scouted out the trail with a pre ride on Saturday, and I took some cues from her Sunday morning prior to the start.

This trail is F-U-N. Rocks, Roots, hills, switchbacks, whoop de doos, awesome descents--it has everything!

I learned quite a few things on this trip with the most important: Meredith is someone you want on your team! Kudos to her for abandoning the race after coming upon a rider completely knocked out after a crash. Giving up her pursuit, she administered first aid until other medical personnel arrived. What a true team player. Congrats, Mer! And a big THANK YOU for representing the team so well.

Below are some pics from the trip courtesy of MRL.

Note that Mer showed me how to ride this prior to the race; unfortunately, the guy in the pic bobbled in front of her and didn't quite get out of the way in time.

Eating Crow

So, it's taken me so long to post after the North Vernon race b/c I just finished eating all that crow. If you recall, I sent an e-mail with the following goals:

1) Do not let Matt Battin lap me during a race.
2) I must catch Danny G at some point in the race—game on, Danny!
3) Learn Denny’s secret to success (i.e. befriend Martha).

As far as Matt NOT passing me, well......he was SMOKING FAST on that course and came away with a big "W." He went around me so fast - and early - I might add. So, goal # 1 - FAIL.

By the time Matt passed me, I was giving up on goal #2 as my chain had already come off 5 times. That's too bad b/c the legs felt good. After the 6th time, I called it a day as my mental frustration exceeded my limits. Better racers would have stuck it out in one gear. Admittedly, I like my gears; in fact, I want more. My 1x9 is truly testing my legs on some courses. I have no shame announcing I want my granny back. (Or a 2x9 as in Meredith's new setup? Note to self: ask her how she likes it.) So, #2 = FAIL.

Number 3 proved to be a lot easier than I thought. I took the direct approach with Martha and asked about the secret of Denny's success. I know this blog can be accessed by anyone in the world, but I'm going to tell anyway.

"Never grow old."

It's that easy.

The team suffered some injuries prior to the big race: broken fingers, knee strains, ankle recoveries, etc. But everyone waltzed up to the start line to give it his/her best. Additionally, Larry did the Stoopid run the day before.

So, I left early and didn't get everyone's stories, but I'm pretty sure I missed out on Lindsay's peanut butter & chocolate bars. DRAT. Perhaps next time when I meet more than 1 of my goals.


Great job team on overcome obstacles and finishing strong!

French Lick-DINO

What a day! Can you guess the overall mood of the day from these pics?




That's right--JUBILATION!

And why is everyone so happy? Because French Lick fosters fun! (say 3x fast)

Yes, it was hilly.

Yes, it rained the night before. (Ask Dave McComb about tent camping in low lying areas.)

Yes, it was HOT. (could that be why I blew up on my first lap?)

Yes, it was hilly. Did I mention that already?

Yes, it smelled like farts again b/c of the sulfur water--not b/c of our teammates.

But it's true. All the hills, pain, and temperature were trumped by the ever-so-sweet downhill just before the finish. What a blast!

BCSP pics

What a great looking team!

Denny shows JL how to race.

Meredith is flying down the hill!

Kevin prepares to finish despite some earlier trouble.



Is that a smile or a grimace?

Let's start already!

Need more air.

Matt at the start---there was no one around him at the finish either.

Danny looks calm and focused.

Blake prepares to get wet.

DINO race - BCSP

By Ange:


With trail conditions questionable, some of us were checking the HMBA forum and DINO website for a possible cancellation. Lo and behold, the gods of thunder and inclimate weather smiled upon us as major storm systems missed our beloved park, for the most part.


Conditions were tacky with a few slick spots in between. Team Bicycle Station had a tremendous showing with 13 adults and 5 kids (Noah, Sierra representing the girls, and Teddy--or was it the other one? and Mike B's little ones) participating in different categories of racing. Wearing a helmet and a skin suit, Master Battin schooled all of us in how to race fast. I saw him twice, as a matter of fact: once on the start line and once when he lapped me. (Starting 14-18 minutes behind the Pro/Cat 1 men, my goal this year was to NOT get lapped by them. Fail.)


There may have been a couple of crashes as I saw some blood on not one, but 2 team members with Kevin taking the trophy for what I presume was the most painful. With adrenaline pumping, Kevin had a strong finish in the Cat 2 race.


Results are here. You can read Angela's race report here.


Our own Larry Wasson pulled double duty by racing the 5k DINO Trail Run on Saturday followed by a lap on the mountain bike Sunday. Great job, Larry!


Following our hard work, we enjoyed chicken brats, brownies, beer, and other delicious picnic items. Team pic will be distributed soon. Happy 10th Anniversary to Matt & Melissa for their ownership of the shop. Well done!


CONGRATULATIONS to Matt B, Meredith, Angela, Mike B, Dave M, Jeff, Denny, Blake, Sean, Kevin, Danny, John, and Larry on the great day.

French Lick Report

Do you know what sulfur water smells like? Several Bicycle Station team members are especially aware after last Sunday's DRT tune-up race at the French Lick Resort. We pulled in to the parking lot and camped right by the creek. Ahhhh.

The venue gave us a preview of what the DINO US Cup qualifier race will be all about on June 19. Specifically, we learned that there is over 1,000 feet of climbing per 9-mile lap. Additionally, the sweet, new trail is quite bumpy as riders have not yet smoothed it over. With that in mind, bring your full suspension rigs as you and your back will be thankful you did.

Approaching 90 degrees, the hilly race was challenging and fun. Congrats to the team on some great finishes. Results are here. Also, THANKS to our supporters as well. It's great to see spouses, family members, and friends.

I should also point out that Meredith and I (Angela) helped raise some money for HMBA by representing Bicycle Station at Saturday's Time Trial presented by Planet Adventure. On the shortened course of Town Run Trail Park, we tore up the corners and followed it up with a Trader Joe's run.

GREAT JOB, EVERYONE! Brown County here we come!

2010 DINO #1

From Angela:

After a week of gorgeous weather, the Winona Lake trail was hammered with thunderstorms making for a greasy, muddy race track. For some, this is welcomed. For me, it produces a fear and dread I cannot describe.

On the start line, I changed my tune. After entering the single-track, I realized it really wasn't as bad as I thought. While I couldn't corner as fast as I wanted to, riding and racing was actually rather fun--especially when the racers had screaming spectators ringing cow bells at the top of the short, steep climb just before the field. Weren't those people awesome?

Since the first lap went OK, I knew I could punch it during the second lap. Ten minutes into the lap, I abruptly hit the ground after sliding out on a slick root. To my dismay, it was witnessed by 2 men across the creek.

I jumped up and shouted, "So, what's my score?"

One guy's reply, "25!"

25?!?!? I was expecting something along the lines of gymnastic scoring like a 6.2 or 7.8. For the next 40 minutes I contemplated the scale he was using to warrant a score of 25. Oh yeah, I was racing too.

As it turns out Luther Prater was one of those guys who witnessed my ungraceful fall. (I guess it didn't help that I let out a low scream that sounded like an agonizing grunt.) He explained that I was actually the 25th person to crash in that very spot; it wasn't scoring at all. Whew--perhaps I'm not a total klutz after all.

I saw several teammates on Saturday but didn't get to say Hi to everyone. I hope your racing went well and you have some words of wisdom to share. Congrats to all the hard efforts out there on a tough day!

And here's some pics for the blog.......

Here's one for the record.......

Let the fun begin!

Last Sunday marked a season opener with the DRT time trial at Brown County State Park. Starting at the North parking lot, the riders left in groups of 4 riding the Pine Loop, North Tower Loop, Aynes Loop, then up the Hesitation Point trail for the uphill battle.

Team Bicycle Station showed their colors with 7 riders blazing through the now dense forest. The DRT website shows the results, although it's not broken down by divisions. Nevertheless, it looks like these are superb times that will only get better as the season progresses.

Congrats to Matt, Art, Jeff, Mike B, Denny, Blake, & Meredith!

Thanks to Matt L for the pics below.

It's Here! It's Here!

While we were sloshing through snow, Mother Nature decided to sneak some Spring into the mix bringing in some pretty fine weather for bicycle racing. Team Bicycle Station was well represented last weekend in Indiana & North Carolina.

Weight Weenie, Mike Blanz, sent some great pics from the DINO Spring Tune-Up in Avon. The short course has a little bit of everything--hills, technical spots, and some smooth paths to enable racers to test out their legs. The Bicycle Station team comprised new member, Kevin Burnett, Denny Barber, and Mike B.

Welcome, Kevin!

And it sure is nice to see Denny's name on the results after last year's threats of no racing; we sure would have missed Martha.

Mike took the top spot on the podium in the 1A race while Kevin & Denny proved they will be major threats this year as well. Great job, guys! Results are here.

Here are some pics...

This sled weighs in at 18.4 lbs. Is this a new record????

Mike B is determined!

Mike B rounding the corner while being cheered on by his #1 fan, Benjamin.

Meanwhile, I (Angela) was fortunate enough to have a chauffer, my husband, to drive me to North Carolina for the Knobscorcher race in the Tsali Recreation Area. Also sporting the new Bicycle Station kit (see Mike's photo above), Dave McComb joined Matt B & myself for this venue.

I should point out that Noah had the best finish for the Team in the kids race with a 4th place finish. Great job, Noah!!!! Great job, especially when he had the earliest start with temps will in the 30s.

The weather was perfect as we set out for one of the longest XC events I've ever done. At just over 30.5 miles, this course is tough. In addition to the pine branches that hit the riders' faces periodically--they weren't trimmed back--total climbing for the race was around 2500 feet according to my GPS. My legs were burning. Of course, all that climbing also provided some sweet descents with bermed corners. The course is truly remarkable and worthy of a road trip.

Course map--1 outer loop followed by 1 lap of the right.

With temptations strong and trails calling our names, our gang--including Jason & Melissa--rode many miles in the days leading up to the race. This made for some sore legs at the start, but with the weather and trails in super condition, it really couldn't be helped. Next year's plan is to race first then spend a few days riding! Any takers??

For my own race report, I'll share how ecstatic I was to catch a couple of girls in the last 2 miles. It was so painful, but knowing the last 1.5 miles was a long gravel road descent with super high speeds, I had to pass them on the hill before this. I was able to pick off one of them but lacked the gas to catch the second one. Drat! Nevertheless, it was a strong finish for me and I didn't cry this time of total relief at being finished. (True story--in the 2008 Knobscorcher race I was so happy it was over when I crossed the finish line I teared up.)

Results and some pics can be found on the Gone Riding website. Additionally, there are some links to pics and a Facebook page for the organizers.

Below are some pics from North Carolina. Great job, Team, on a fun-filled weekend!

Dave, Angela, & Matt--all smiles before the start.

Melissa at the top of the Overlook trail above Lake Fontana.

Guess who got the HOLE SHOT in the Men's Pro race--Coach Battin!

February Endurance Racing--It's HOT!

That's right, Team. At least 3 members have participated in some endurance races in February of 2010.

Coach Battin flew to Tucson, Arizona to reunite with former Bicycle Station employee, Art K, to complete a 4-man team in the 24 Hours of the Old Pueblo race. This dessert race is a classic for many superstars such as Lynda Wallenfels (more race reports and videos at her site), David Weins, and other pros. Even without the benefit of living at altitude, our Hoosier friend commanded the fastest lap for the team! Great job! You can find a short write-up here where I lifted a pic of the guys.

Matt B, Randy M, Jason P, and Art K

Also, check out the great colors at about 30 seconds into this video:

Another mass start, although not quite as massive as in the video above, greeted Meredith and me when we drove to Hot Springs Arkansas for the Spa City Extreme Weekend. A well-organized event, the 10-mile course drifted through pine forest and boasted over 1,300 feet of climbing in each lap. Within the female ranks, 3-time World 24 hr Champion, Rebecca Rusch came to defend her title at the race. Having left before final results were posted, I'm pretty sure she won as she lapped me just over half-way through the race!

Below are some pics.

Here is a Google Earth pic from the GPS tracks. Mer's Garmin provided this one!

Preparing for some saddle time!

All smiles before the start.

2010 Racing

Are you ready for 2010 racing??? There are multiple opportunities locally and in states near and far. Below is a short list of sites & dates for races in this part of the world. Many of these are tentative dates and several more have not even posted a 2010 schedule; so, this post may call for an update in another month or so. In the interim, HAPPY TRAINING!

DINO SERIES - Indiana

5/1 - Warsaw - Winona Lake Trail
6/6 - Nashville - Brown County State Park
6/19 - French Lick - French Lick Resort (US Cup Reg Qual)
7/4 - North Vernon - Muscatatuck County Park (AMBC)
7/25 - Versailles - Versailles State Park
8/15 - Logansport - France Park
8/29 - Indianapolis - Town Run Trail Park
9/11 - Versailles - 24 Hours of DINO

Kentucky Points Series - click to go to site
(Tentative)

5/9 - Butler State Resort
5/30 - Duffield Derby
6/13 - Holsclaw Hour of Power
6/20 - 12 hours of Capital View
6/27 - Waverly Park
7/11 - East Fork (KY vs Ohio Title Race)
9/5 - Cherokee Park
Tower Park TBA
England Idlewild TBA
Sal Hollow Epic Marathon TBA

OMBC - Ohio - click to go to site
(Tentative)

4/18 - Loudonville - Mohican Wilderness
5/2 - Coshocton/Conesville - Grassman
5/16 - Zanesville - The Wilds
6/27 - Mt. Perry/Zanesville - S&S Trails
7/11 - Bethel/Cincinatti - Eastfork State Park
7/25 - Deleware/Columbus - Alum Creek State Park
8/1 - Nelsonville/Athens - Lake Hope State Park
8/15 - Waynesville/Cincinatti - Caesar's Creek State Park
8/29 - Zanesville - Dillon State Park
9/26 - Ravenna - Westbrach State Park
10/10 - Loudonville - Mohican State Forest
10/24 - Loudonville - Mohican Wilderness

OMBC Ultra Events Schedule:

6/5 - Loudonville - Mohican MTB100
9/18-19 - Loudonville - 12/24 Hours of Mohican


National Championships - USA Cycling

6/12-13 - Hazelton, WV - 24 Hour MTB Nat'l Championships
7/4 - Breckenridge, CO - MTB Nat'l - Firecracker 50
7/15-18 - Granby, CO - MTB Nat'ls
8/1-7 - Louisville, KY - Masters Road Nat'ls

Gone Riding - Various states
Other events that include:
SERC - South Eastern Regional Championships
FSC - Florida State Championships
AMBC - American Mountain Bike Challenge events
GSC - Georgia State Championships

Various dates. Click on link to view as there are many popular races such as the Knobscorcher and more!

EVENTS - click to see dates!