Last weekend’s Silveroxx Downhill Mountain Bike Festival at Silver Mountain, ID was a blast! On tap were two days filled with enough high-speed gravity action to satisfy any adrenaline junkie. On top of that, it was a great time to hang out with friends from the other side of the state who I only get to see once or twice a year — and to meet some new folks too. Continue reading ‘Silveroxx’
News and Info
Saturday DH Update
Greg Minnaar takes the the Mont-Sainte-Anne Downhill for the men. This is his first win at MSA, even with a foot dab in the rock garden that knocked him sideways, threating to take him down. Minnaar was thrilled as he took the top box in the podium and the series lead in points. In second by 1.73 seconds was Sam Hill. Gee Atherton, Steve Peat and Fabian Barel complete the mens podium. The top USA finisher is the young upstart Aaron Gwin in ten place. He’s definitely a story to watch.
For more story and video Continue reading ‘Mont-Sainte-Anne World Cup’
Saturday and Sunday Racing
A small storm came into the area Saturday night and made the course more interesting for the expert racers. As the day went on, between pro and expert practice in the morning, the ruts began to show in the muddiest areas of the course. The flat, slightly up hill root section became even more impossible to navigate (see my comments below to learn how they messed me up in my race). But in the end, the racing was fabulous and the competition was stiff.
When the pros raced on Sunday, the rain threatened again, but held off and everyone got an equal chance at winning. Well, almost everyone. I counted at least 10 flats. Geritt Beytagh won by two seconds over Cody Warren. They were the only riders to break 5 minute mark. Geritt had a great week, coming in second to Eric Carter in the Dual Slalom. Duncan Riffle was third, Curtis Keene fourth and Ryan Condrashoff came in fifth. Everyone agreed that the course was a brutal mix of gnar and peddling. Kathy Pruitt flatted so she was unable to revenge Melissa Buhl for her loss to Melissa in the dual slalom. Marla Streb got second by only 2.9 seconds. The rest of the pack was way back and included Dawn Bourque, Darian Harvey and Allegra Burch.
I’ll follow this up in the next few days with more photos and a video. Off to Mt. Saint Anne for the World Cup.
Silveroxx, Idaho - details
July 19th, and 20th - 2 day festival
Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, BC. - details
Sunday, July 13th. They need volunteers, badly. Contact Steph Grassi
Fluidride Cup #3 - Mt Hood, Or. - details
July 12 and 13th.
If you live in the greater Pacific Northwest, you know that Stevens Pass Ski Area is planning to open a bike park in 2010. What you probably don’t know is what is the scope of the Master Development Plan or at what stage the whole process is at. There were several parties represented at the meeting held in Everett on Wednesday night. Stevens Pass was well represented, the mountain bike community had less than one would have expected, and then there was representation from the other user and advocate groups like the Mountaineers and the Sierra Club. The US Forest Service is conducting an environmental analysis as required by the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) for all proposed projects in the Stevens Pass MDP. The most pressing issue is to get feedback for the Scoping letter by July 3rd. Continue reading ‘Stevens Pass Bike Park: Update’
Last week, I opened an email to learn that the Washington State DNR (Department of Natural Resources) would be having a public hearing that evening to educate trail users about new rules in the WAC . Rumor had it that access to virtually all DNR lands would be prohibited and unsanctioned trail work would be considered criminal. The reality was not as daunting — yet there were many doubts from speakers about whether vague wording in the new rules would protect their rights to use public land — or eliminate those rights.
Among the mountain bikers who showed up were Matt Patterson and Graham Barry and several others from Dirt Corps; Justin Vander Pol from BBTC; my husband; and myself. Continue reading ‘Save Our Trails — A Conversation with the DNR’
Fortunately Ignacio Soltero from Brooklyn Bike Riders sent stellar shots of this year’s US Open of Mountain Biking that happened almost in his backyard, at Diablo, because I had the misfortune of missing that comp.
Many of the usual suspects dominated, with Steve Smith, Sam Hill and Bryn Atkinson taking spots one through three on the men’s pro DH podium, and Fionn Griffiths, Kathy Pruitt and Joanna Petterson taking those same spots on the women’s pro DH podium.
Seattle’s Pro Parks Levy was just the first income source that helped the Colonnade concept become a reality. The levy, approved by Seattle voters in November 2000, freed up $198.2 million for more than a hundred projects and programs, including $1.8 million for the project officially named I-5 Colonnade.
Other funding came from REI, Starbucks, Vulcan, Bikes Belong, King County (for a Youth Sports Facilities Grant) and the City of Seattle, as well as private donors.
Continue reading ‘Colonnade — The Money’
On Wednesday night BBTC.org held a reception out at the new Duthie Hill
mountain bike park location….
The reception was conducted by Justin Vanderpool and the new BBTC Director John Lang. King County, Various Local Bike Shops and many concerned riders were in attendance for this first look at the what will be King County’s Newiest Bike Park. Building on the ongoing success of The Colonnade, BBTC and King County have begun the work on this 120 acre park off the Issaquah-Fall City Road. King County has given a total of $150,000 in grants and further funding is being sought to complete work on this park that is scheduled to open December of 09. Continue reading ‘Duthie Hill Report’
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