There is a UFO research facility called Area 53. It was formed by a team of researchers with backgrounds in astrophysics, geology, aerospace, and investigative reporting. Area 53 is NOT a government facility. It is used strictly for research purposes (interviews, photo analysis, data collecting, etc.). I’ll have more info later…
Archive for July, 2009
As many of you know, Miles and I are working on a DVD called Women Of Dirt. We came down to Solvista Bike Park to cover the women of mountain biking going after the national jersey for our movie. We are also shooting a scene in Boulder, CO. with the Operations Manager of IMBA Tammy Donahugh. She’s a great dirt jumper. We’ll get this scene for the DVD and a Quickshot video from PUSH before heading back to the NW.
I had a great time at Solvista. The Bike Park staff were the best and helped us have a great experience whenever they could. There were a ton of great riding stories. Many of the racers I ride and race with back home in the Northwest came down to Colorado and killed it. Chelsey Stevens, Darrell Jamieson, Chase Jamieson, and Colin Tobin all took home the National Champion title and jersey.
Jill Kintner got Milissa Buhl back for her Sea Otter win at Dual Slalom and beat her at National Championships at 4x. You’ll see all of this in the Women Of Dirt DVD. Melissa Buhl edged out Kathy Pruitt by .07 in USNC Pro Women downhill. Lisa Myklak in third, then Jacqueline Harmony and Katie Holden. Aaron Gwin got a flat at last year’s National Championships, but this year he won.
This event will be in the same place next year. Put it on your calendar. If you qualify for National Championships you need to go. There were over 1800 race starts. If you were not here, you should have been. Ride On!
Pro Men DH Race and Lifestyle Stuff
Pro Men Results
1 Aaron Gwin 02:11.7 Yeti Fox Factory
2 Duncan Riffle 02:13.9 DRR / Giantnerd
3 John Swanguen 02:15.7 Intnese/Troy Lee Designs/ODI/Fox Racing
4 Cody Warren 02:16.9 Specialized Team America
5 Joey Schusler 02:16.9 Yeti Fox National
6 Geritt Beytagh 02:16.9 Morewood Bikes USA
7 Luke Strobel 02:17.6 Maxxis / Rocky Mountain
8 Kyle Strait 02:18.0 Specialized Team America
9 Michael Sylvestri 02:18.0 Santa Cruz Allride Academy
10 Curtis Keene 02:18.5 Specialized / Sram
11 Scott Papola 02:19.0
12 Shaun Palmer 02:19.9 Intense/SRAM/Monster
13 Cole Bangert 02:21.6 Sram / Specialized
14 Mark Clemens 02:22.3
15 Jason Memmelaar 02:22.7
16 Will Collins 02:23.0 Jett MTB
17 Kain Leonard 02:23.5 Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team/TLD
18 Mike Kreger 02:24.0 Sol Vista Bike Park
19 Ryan Sutton 02:24.1 Me
20 Sean McClendon 02:24.1 X-Fusion/Intense
Pro Women Results:
1 Melissa Buhl 02:41.1 KHS Bicycles
2 Kathy Pruitt 02:41.2 Jamis
3 Lisa Myklak 02:47.8 Fox Racing Shox
4 Jacqueline Harmony 02:52.6 Vixen Racing/Loeka/All Mountain Cyclery/
5 Katie Holden 02:55.3 Specialized
6 Darian Harvey 02:59.9 Cannondale Factory Racing
7 Rachel Bauer 03:01.1 Banshee / Poison Spider Bikes
8 Jennifer Wolf 03:19.0 Vixen Racing
9 Jennifer Whalen 03:19.3 Jenxracer.com
10 Stephanie Leonard 03:21.7 Crested Butte Mountain Sports Team
11 Julie Olsen 03:53.1 Recycle Ski and Sport / Standard Process
12 Connie Misket 03:58.7 Velo Bella Ellsworth
13 C Michelle Rivera 04:11.9 Steven K Sports and Design
Gallery By Mark Brent
Video OF DH Course by Matt Patterson of Dirt Corps
The mood at Sol Vista has been one of camaraderie and sun. Carnage is the word of the day. The 3 Amigos are clamming their victims and bikes. They are the most moto type of jump I have seen on a DH course. The 4x course is like a Supercross course with moto woops, channels and deep dirt. Watch this video of Mike Kreger running the Pro DH course.
The Skibowl track at Mt Hood, Oregon is by far the gnarliest track I have both raced and covered. This weekend we all saw this track at its best. Best for a DH racer meaning worse for the rest. It was blown out, chunky, and constantly changing. My bike cursed me and yet carried me on. On Sunday the heavy clouds pushed in and closed up around the mountain. The rain wasn’t heavy, but moisture did collect on the rock and when it got through the trees on the roots. This made for a fast, yet variable course. While traction was good, a tire tracked wrong across a barely wet root would cause the bike to dart onto a new and often undesirable track. A rock turned under tread would propel bike and rider off the course. The result, those who stayed up, won.
I saw more crashes than I have ever seen at a race and heard about many many more. This was true for Pros and Joes alike. But there were three Pros that stood out from the rest. Bryn Atkinson, Luke Strobel and Mikey Sylvestri all showed why they are World Cup Athletes. They were 22 to 16 seconds in front of the fourth place pro. This doesn’t mean that the other Pros were not capable, but most didn’t stay on their bikes. I watched at least six pros crash in one 20 yard section in the woods.
Every rider I talked to had a tale of how the mountain beat them. They retold their story with delight, not as an excuse. We had come to best the mountain, knowing full well that this track at the Skibowl was one of the toughest. If we lost the fight, at least we were one to have fought. Those who stayed home, or chose to race elsewhere lost out.
- words by Mark Brent
Photos By Carl Warren
Video By Andy Tran
Last weekend we attended two events. I got to Mt Hood early so I could run the DH course for Sunday on Friday. This freed me up to help Miles shoot the Super D in Post Canyon on Saturday. The national Super D champion Adam Craig won this event. However, from my observations there was something more important than who won. For the more than 100 racers, It was how much fun were people having. Unlike most DH competitions that I have been too, the Super D crowd seemed excited to just be out on their bikes having fun. Continue reading ‘Hood River Super D’
This weekend under sunny sky and with the last patches of melting snow we raced for the first time since 2007 from the top of Ski Bowl at Mt Hood, OR. This is an epic course with 6 distinct zones. JD Swanguen won with a 4:02. There were 270 racers at the start line making this the largest racer count at Ski Bowl according to Greg Aldrich of Ski Bowl.
Continue reading ‘Fluidride Cup # 3 Results’
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