SSCW05
Just got back from the Single Speed World Championship in State College. What a blast! The 25mile course was amazing. I'd have to say the best terrain I've ridden outside of Crested Butte CO. The race was set up as a 25mile mountain bike course and then a go-kart race afterwards. There were upwards of around 400 to 500 racers. The top 20 men finishing where automatically in the go-kart race. Then 10 random racers were picked and the winner of a 3 heat (8laps / heat) go-kart race was the overall winner.
The start of the mountain bike race was a 1/2mile run through the woods, all Le-Mans style. Then we hoped on our bikes and took off into some amazing singletrack. Tim and I were estimating the course had about 3500 total vertical feet of climbing. He rode about 99f the course and I about 90f the course. Check out the map. The Tussey Mountain Trail was a 3 to 4 mile ridge line that was full of rocks, trees and amazing views. The Detwieler Run downhill was mild doubletrack for about 3 miles. It felt like forever. I kept my fingers as far from the brake levers as possible, tucked and just flew down that hill. It was so much fun.... Until 3/4 down I flatted the rear tire. Couple minutes later I was back in the game and continued up the remaining climbs (which were very difficult with that 16 tooth rear cog). It actually hurt more to walk than to ride so I forced myself to keep turning the pedals no matter how slow they were rotating. Wildcat Trail and Old Laurel Trail were so steep and rocky that my weight was so far back that my chin was on the saddle. All you could do was hope you pointed the front tire in the right direction and hold on. Halfway down each were huge rock gardens that swallowed bikes hole.
Lots of big names out there. Adam Craig & his teammate Carl, Travis Brown, Gary Fisher, Skip Brown, Marla Strebb etc... Tim was top 10 for about the first 10 to 15 miles and then hit a wall. He got very dehydrated and lost all his energy. Sat on the side of the trail for a while. Then the top female rider passed him and he couldn't have that. So he took off, passed her, and wound up finishing in the mid 30s. I came in probably around 70th/75th in the bike race. Neither of us got into the go-karts. But it was tons of fun watching that part. People hitting each other, people spinning around, people driving with mugs of beer in their hands. It was a lot of fun. Legs feel pretty good today all things considered.
The start of the mountain bike race was a 1/2mile run through the woods, all Le-Mans style. Then we hoped on our bikes and took off into some amazing singletrack. Tim and I were estimating the course had about 3500 total vertical feet of climbing. He rode about 99f the course and I about 90f the course. Check out the map. The Tussey Mountain Trail was a 3 to 4 mile ridge line that was full of rocks, trees and amazing views. The Detwieler Run downhill was mild doubletrack for about 3 miles. It felt like forever. I kept my fingers as far from the brake levers as possible, tucked and just flew down that hill. It was so much fun.... Until 3/4 down I flatted the rear tire. Couple minutes later I was back in the game and continued up the remaining climbs (which were very difficult with that 16 tooth rear cog). It actually hurt more to walk than to ride so I forced myself to keep turning the pedals no matter how slow they were rotating. Wildcat Trail and Old Laurel Trail were so steep and rocky that my weight was so far back that my chin was on the saddle. All you could do was hope you pointed the front tire in the right direction and hold on. Halfway down each were huge rock gardens that swallowed bikes hole.
Lots of big names out there. Adam Craig & his teammate Carl, Travis Brown, Gary Fisher, Skip Brown, Marla Strebb etc... Tim was top 10 for about the first 10 to 15 miles and then hit a wall. He got very dehydrated and lost all his energy. Sat on the side of the trail for a while. Then the top female rider passed him and he couldn't have that. So he took off, passed her, and wound up finishing in the mid 30s. I came in probably around 70th/75th in the bike race. Neither of us got into the go-karts. But it was tons of fun watching that part. People hitting each other, people spinning around, people driving with mugs of beer in their hands. It was a lot of fun. Legs feel pretty good today all things considered.
posted by dougyfresh at 12:42 AM
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