Thursday, March 4, 2010
Hum-ding-a-ling
This weekend is the first race in River Towns Race Series and for our PAValleys.com Race Team - well it will be the first time many of us have run this far in a race ever. Should be a hoot. I may just ask my team mates to beat my legs with baseball bats. I'll probably recover from that more quickly than I will from the run and then I don't have to do the work. Mostly what I'm looking forward to is the format - 7.1 miles of scrambling up and down the mountain on things that will apparently resemble trails but may or may not be. It will be muddy. There will be snow. I will laugh at Rob. The Humdinger. Danville, PA. And, if you're looking to keep up with the goings on of the new team check out our new blog!
Monday, January 25, 2010
So long, farewell, and a huge THANK YOU
On behalf of the entire team , a thank you is in order to all who made the 2009 visitpa.com mountain team possible. It was a huge success but all good thing must end. Check out the new team blog at http://blog.pavalleys.com/blog.aspx !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The past few years it was one of our duties to promote outdoor activities and help with tourism in the beautiful state of PA to humans of all over. I believe it worked. With the team doing events widespread it was not uncommon for random people to approach me and say " hey i've seen you and your teammates around, what exactly is visitpa?" That same person may have visited the website then go to maybe poconos, or even a trail system i told them about next time through PA after i got done with them. Or camp at some of my favorite parks, like promised land or french creek. With the diverse landscape and tons of outdoor activities it was an easy sell to these interested folk. And with seven racers on the team, stories like this were not uncommon. We've had some showing in major publications which sprung some widespread interest too. We had and still do have a great relationship with visitpa.com and hope we made them proud. Thanks you again!!!!!! Visit our 2010 efforts at http://blog.pavalleys.com/blog.aspx
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Happy New Year
Welcome to 2010!
It is that time when resolutions are made, goals are set and we look forward to another great year. With that being said 2010 brings lots of great racing to the horizon. Some of which you can find here, http://web.me.com/earthscapes66/RTRS_2009/RTRS_home.html and some of which you can find here http://www.masuperseries.com/2009/. The you throw in these incredible productions:
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9843
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9330
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9330
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9840
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9840
Holy Dang! More racin' than you can shake a stick at. Seriously folks, with all the great, unique events that are surrounding us 2010 should easily meet your racing goals.
I look forward to seeing my MASS friends at some events this year, and challenge you to challenge yourself and look into the RiverTowns race series.
Have a great year!
Hebe
It is that time when resolutions are made, goals are set and we look forward to another great year. With that being said 2010 brings lots of great racing to the horizon. Some of which you can find here, http://web.me.com/earthscapes66/RTRS_2009/RTRS_home.html and some of which you can find here http://www.masuperseries.com/2009/. The you throw in these incredible productions:
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9843
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9330
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9330
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9840
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=9840
Holy Dang! More racin' than you can shake a stick at. Seriously folks, with all the great, unique events that are surrounding us 2010 should easily meet your racing goals.
I look forward to seeing my MASS friends at some events this year, and challenge you to challenge yourself and look into the RiverTowns race series.
Have a great year!
Hebe
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Happy Holidays
Dakota (our team mascot), and the rest of our human team would like to wish our family, friends, and mostly our sponsors a happy and safe holiday. And a big thanks for all of our support this past season. http://www.visitpa.com/ , http://www.cannondale.com/ , http://www.cadencecycling.com/ , http://www.suunto.com/ , http://www.northwave.com/, http://www.deuterusa.com/ , http://www.ergon-bike.com/ , and http://www.gretnabikes.com/. And on a personal note, a thanks is in order to http://www.wtb.com/ who advised me on all tire selections this season which gave me a flat free season. and happy new year!!!!!!Friday, December 4, 2009
In the words of the fat red guy, "OH YEEAAHH!"
Yea, not Santy Clause. This guy.
I didn't see him the weekend before Tgiving at Allegrippis, Bald Eagle or Rothrock, but he musta been there 'cause there was a heck of a lot of "Oh Yeeaahh!'s" being shouted and hollered as we careened through the woods around State College doing some more Trans-Sylvania Epic course previews.
Friday was Allegrippis. That place is just a massive dirt roller coaster. The trails just keep egging you on. No rocks. No logs. Just pure unadulterated speed. You think, "Man, I'm freakin' moving! I'm going to pay for this later," but the grin factor is just way too big to slow down. So you go bat outta hell fast and a few hours later you're feeling it but good. Still doesn't wipe the grin off your face though.
Saturday was the Trans-Sylvania Prologue. We think we have it dialed. We rode out of the Seven Mountain Scout Camp through Bald Eagle State Forest to the east. Four miles of dirt roads to set you up. Next is the most tech part of the day with a single track rewarding an ability to pick a line through rocks and a very cool very rideable rock drop. Back on the dirt road for a mile or so and then into some swoopy singletrack fun where speed rules. A forest road and some twisties through laurel, dirt road, and a last single track leading you right back into and through the camp bring you home.
Lunch followed where we waxed poetically about all things Trans-Sylvania and toured the expansive camp to show off all the amenities awaiting participants. We're lucky to be able to provide a whole raft of lodging options from BYO tent to permanent tents to RV parking to small and large cabins - some offering kitchens and showers even with hotels as close at 10 minutes away in Milroy. Then there's the large nice mess hall where we can feed 200 or more at a shot and the camp store and offices where we're told we'll be able offer wifi services so everyone can tweet and update their Facebook status between stages. We know, if you didn't facebook it, it didn't happen. At least we have it for that chick that tried to run Ray off the road yesterday. A pool offers swimming though it admittedly could be chilly water in early June and the pond offers up boating and fishing - maybe not for the racer, but for the fam. All this stuff and the fact that the camp is all about kids most of the year allows us to pull together child care throughout the week as well.
Saturday afternoon took us to the Coopers Gap trails where we sampled bits a pieces of more goodyness with our buddies Rich and Bill from BikeFlights.com giving us the tour of trails like Deer Tick, Beautiful and Lewistown Contingent. These trails are constructed and ride differently than either Allegrippis or the Bald Eagle side of RT322 and, as g'ma was fond of saying, "variety is the spice of life." We kept of the variety end of things by making sure to take in Elk Creek Cafe, Bill Pickle's Tap Room, Genos, the Skellar, and more while visiting State College. Besides helping us map out the courses, the boys from BikeFlights.com are going to be helping us get folks into town for the week. If you know someone from outta town who might want to make the trip we'll hook 'em up with some killer service.
Sunday wrapped things up with trails from behind Tussey ski hill and may have been the best day yet. The Longberger to Tuxedo to Tussey Mountain to Camp Trail loop is almost too much fun for words. Our words anyway. Luckily some other folks who are much better at that sort of medium have chimed in:
Truck on over to see what Bicycling's Ms. Fit Chick has to say: Trans-Sylvania Rocks or head over to CyclingNews.com and check out the feature article on Racing the Trans-Sylvania Epic by our friend Sue George.
Heck, even Braden has started training. Lamby is his co-pilot. They're thinking of entering the Tandem category. Rob doesn't have a chance, no matter how much he's not listening to his coach.
I didn't see him the weekend before Tgiving at Allegrippis, Bald Eagle or Rothrock, but he musta been there 'cause there was a heck of a lot of "Oh Yeeaahh!'s" being shouted and hollered as we careened through the woods around State College doing some more Trans-Sylvania Epic course previews.
Friday was Allegrippis. That place is just a massive dirt roller coaster. The trails just keep egging you on. No rocks. No logs. Just pure unadulterated speed. You think, "Man, I'm freakin' moving! I'm going to pay for this later," but the grin factor is just way too big to slow down. So you go bat outta hell fast and a few hours later you're feeling it but good. Still doesn't wipe the grin off your face though.
Saturday was the Trans-Sylvania Prologue. We think we have it dialed. We rode out of the Seven Mountain Scout Camp through Bald Eagle State Forest to the east. Four miles of dirt roads to set you up. Next is the most tech part of the day with a single track rewarding an ability to pick a line through rocks and a very cool very rideable rock drop. Back on the dirt road for a mile or so and then into some swoopy singletrack fun where speed rules. A forest road and some twisties through laurel, dirt road, and a last single track leading you right back into and through the camp bring you home.
Lunch followed where we waxed poetically about all things Trans-Sylvania and toured the expansive camp to show off all the amenities awaiting participants. We're lucky to be able to provide a whole raft of lodging options from BYO tent to permanent tents to RV parking to small and large cabins - some offering kitchens and showers even with hotels as close at 10 minutes away in Milroy. Then there's the large nice mess hall where we can feed 200 or more at a shot and the camp store and offices where we're told we'll be able offer wifi services so everyone can tweet and update their Facebook status between stages. We know, if you didn't facebook it, it didn't happen. At least we have it for that chick that tried to run Ray off the road yesterday. A pool offers swimming though it admittedly could be chilly water in early June and the pond offers up boating and fishing - maybe not for the racer, but for the fam. All this stuff and the fact that the camp is all about kids most of the year allows us to pull together child care throughout the week as well.
Saturday afternoon took us to the Coopers Gap trails where we sampled bits a pieces of more goodyness with our buddies Rich and Bill from BikeFlights.com giving us the tour of trails like Deer Tick, Beautiful and Lewistown Contingent. These trails are constructed and ride differently than either Allegrippis or the Bald Eagle side of RT322 and, as g'ma was fond of saying, "variety is the spice of life." We kept of the variety end of things by making sure to take in Elk Creek Cafe, Bill Pickle's Tap Room, Genos, the Skellar, and more while visiting State College. Besides helping us map out the courses, the boys from BikeFlights.com are going to be helping us get folks into town for the week. If you know someone from outta town who might want to make the trip we'll hook 'em up with some killer service.
Sunday wrapped things up with trails from behind Tussey ski hill and may have been the best day yet. The Longberger to Tuxedo to Tussey Mountain to Camp Trail loop is almost too much fun for words. Our words anyway. Luckily some other folks who are much better at that sort of medium have chimed in:
Truck on over to see what Bicycling's Ms. Fit Chick has to say: Trans-Sylvania Rocks or head over to CyclingNews.com and check out the feature article on Racing the Trans-Sylvania Epic by our friend Sue George.
Heck, even Braden has started training. Lamby is his co-pilot. They're thinking of entering the Tandem category. Rob doesn't have a chance, no matter how much he's not listening to his coach.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Linglestown to Mount Gretna Tandem Ride
Well I certainly can't step to Rob's Mexico post (see below), but we did have a sweet ride today. Nancy and I rode the tandem on some back roads from our house in Linglestown (just outside of Harrisburg) and made our way to Mt. Gretna. Gretna is an artsy little village, the site of one of the first MTB races I've ever done. Anyone remember the "Pinch Pond Classic" or "Pinch Pond MTB Race" or something like that? I think that Bill Gentile may have been involved in it's promotion.
Gretna actually has some sweet trails. Stop by if you are in the neighborhood. There is one that is pretty new and really rocky / challenging. Super fun.
Anyway, we got to Gretna, rode some rail trail, and back home. About 50 miles. Awesome weather, nice roads. Only hitch was some moron teenage driver who was in a hurry to get home and catch up on Facebook, Vampire novels, or whatever it is that she does. If you are behind a cyclist and want to pass, keep in mind that you should view the bicycle as another vehicle, just like you'd treat a car.
Preaching to the choir, I'm sure.Bye.
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