VisitPA.com Mountain Bike Stage Race and Festival Weekend

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Neshaminy MASS XC Report

VisitPA.com Race Report
Guy's Neshaminy Super Series Race
June 17, 2007
By Ray Adams

Langhorne, PA was the site for Mid-Atlantic Super Series race #7, Guy's Neshaminy Classic. The weather was hot and the course was tough, featuring relentlessly rolling hills, tons of logs, and winding singletrack.
The visitPA.com mountain bike team fielded racers in four categories: X-Ray in the Elite men, Mike Yozell in Expert Masters 35-59, Mike "The Legend" Hebe in Masters 40-44, and Nancy in Elite Women.
As the four laps counted down, it became a race of attrition in the heat and never-ending twisty trail. Hebe and Yozell rode extremely well, winning their respective categories. Nancy finished 9th in the Elite women and Ray riding in for a fourth place finish amongst the Elite men. It was another excellent weekend for the team!
The the visitPA.com mountain bike team will be promoting the team stage race in Marysville, June 29-July 1. Come out and race, get rowdy, and enjoy!

Thanks to our sponsors:

VisitPA.com
SRAM Bicycle Components
Gary Fisher Bicycles

Please support our charity:

The Blue Butterfly Fund

Lumberjack 100 Race Report

Lumberjack 100, Michigan
by Michelle Schneider

Just a few miles away from the shores of Lake Michigan, Michelle Schneider and Mike Kuhn raced in the 2007 Founders Lumberjack 100 Mountain Bike race. It was a long haul to the race, but well worth the 12-hour trip to race against the seasoned elite racers of the mid-west.
The course was four laps of a 25 mile loop which was filled with short climbs and tight twisty wooded sections, all being singletrack. Although the climbs were not long or steep, the ground was very sandy, making it challenging to find and hold a good line.
All riders started at the same time, gaining speed on one mile of pavement before hitting a sandy singletrack climb. From there, the course wound up and down through the woods, crossing many dirt roads, but never riding on them. Good lines became harder and harder to find as racers wore the trail and exposed the soft sandy ground, similar to a beach. Luckily for the racers, it was not sunny that day and even spat a few raindrops, or maybe that was the spray from the nearby Lake Michigan.
In the Men’s race Mike Kuhn started with a fast pace in the top ten men. Eating and drinking was hard enough on the twisty path, harder yet when these men were pulling under 2 hour lap times consistently over the entire race. Mike placed a very respectable 15th, with a time of 7:51. He had time to clean up, eat, chat with Chris Eatough, the overall race winner, and cheer Michelle on as she rolled in.
In the women’s race, Michelle started in 3rd place and hung onto her place until the 3rd lap, when she was passed by Erika Tieszen. Thinking she was in 4th place and needing to get some speed on, she pushed harder and swung over the finish line only to find out that the gal in front of here took an unexpected break from racing. Michelle Schneider placed 3rd, with a time of 9:31.
This weekend Michelle plans to attack the 12 Hours of Roundtop, at Athens, PA. Also, the visitPA.com mountain bike team will be promoting the team stage race in Marysville, June 29-July 1.

Thanks to our sponsors:

VisitPA.com
SRAM Bicycle Components
Gary Fisher Bicycles

Please support our charity:

The Blue Butterfly Fund

Stoopid 50 Mountain Bike Marathon Race Report

VisitPA.com Race Report

Stoopid 50 Endurance Mountain Bike Race

June 10, 2007

Rothrock State Forest, PA

By Wes Schempf

Last Sunday was the inaugural Stoopid 50, a fifty-mile single loop marathon race held near State College in beautiful Rothrock State Forest. Presented by Mt. Nittany Wheelworks and Shenandoah Mountain Touring, the 50 was the first race of the newly revamped Mid-Atlantic Super Series endurance series.

Approximately 120 riders lined up for the start early Sunday morning in Penn Roosevelt State Park. Team visitPA.com was represented by Ray Adams and Wes Schempf in the open single speed category on their Fisher Rigs, and Mike Kuhn in the open men category riding his Fisher Paragon. Due to an unfortunate moving incident on Saturday, resident local Ryan “too much rock, and not enough roll” Leech was forced into a support role and wasn’t able to contest the race.

With beautiful sunny skies and low humidity, racers rolled onto the course for a neutral start on the first mile and half of the fifty-mile loop. Competition in the single speed category was fierce, as some legendary characters were present including Gunnar Shogren, Buck Keich, and Topher Valenti. Shogren, a fixture on the east coast mountain bike scene from the early 90’s on and all around great rider was someone to be watched.

The course was tough and demanding due to the technical nature of the singletrack and the preponderance of climbing. Once in the first section of singletrack there would be no opportunity for getting past other racers so this section was critical. Ray and Wes were able to get into the singletrack in decent position and shadow Gunnar, who was just ahead. Since this was Ray’s first race on a single speed, it took him some time to get used to one gear. Sections that he would be able to ride easily on his geared bike took on new challenge, as was racing the course for the first time.

Wes and Gunnar rode easily to the first aid station about 1/3 of the way into the course. At this point, Wes continued on to the steep and brutal hike-a-bike up Sassafras Trail knowing that the support crew of Ryan and Pat Leech and Nancy Nowicki were waiting with energy drinks and water. Having no idea what position he was in, Wes continued to push ahead while trying to keep enough gas in the tank for the rest of the race.

After decending into Greenwood Furnace State Park, racers had to climb back up to the second aid station about 2/3 into the loop. The aid station was a welcome relief from the miles of grueling rollers that racers faced. Coming into the aid station, Wes was surprised to hear that he was in the top 5 overall. A quick refill of the Camelbak, and one too many cold glasses of coke resulted in seeing competitors Gunnar and Ray roll into the checkpoint. YIKES!

Wanting to keep his position in front of Gunnar, Wes took off and punched it for the finish. However, the course wasn’t done with its namesake. Plenty more climbing and technical riding were on the menu. Up the twisty Long Cut Trail and along Beautiful Trail, Wes was constantly checking for any sign of Gunnar or Ray. Fortunately for Wes and Ray, Gunnar was forced to stop and change his wheel due to a flat. Ray attacked and was able to gain a nice gap over Gunnar.

Once, over Chestnut Springs, it was almost all downhill except for the three miles of gradual climbing to the finish at Penn Roosevelt. Rolling across the line, Wes was greeted with the news that he was third overall and the first single speed. Ray finished several minutes back as fourth overall and second single speed.

The winning time posted by Brandon Draugelis was 4:16, in second was Aaron Snyder with a time of 4:29. Third, on a single speed, was Wes Schempf at 4:31, and Ray Adams in fourth, on a single speed, with a time of 4:37. Not bad for guys with one gear.

Mike Kuhn, who raced the Mohican 100 the weekend before, cruised into 14^th in the open. Mike is planning on racing the Lumberjack 100 this coming weekend. Best of luck to you, Kuhndog!

Special thanks to:

The promoters: Frank, Jim, Harry, and Cathy at Mt. Nittany Wheelworks, and

Chris Scott at Shenandoah Mountain Touring for organizing and running the race.

Teammates: Ryan Leech, Nancy Nowicki, and Ryan’s mom, Pat, for the support and feeds.

Sponsors:

VisitPA.com

SRAM Bicycle Components

Gary Fisher Bicycles

Please support our charity:

The Blue Butterfly Fund

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Tour De Tykes Race Report, Danville, PA

visitPA.com Race Report

Tour De Tykes Mountain Bike Race

Danville, PA

June 2-3, 2007

by Mike Hebe

The VisitPA.com squad was well represented this weekend at the 5th annual Tour De Tykes race weekend. Representing for the squad in the Elite category was series leader Ryan Leech, Wes Schempf, who was sitting third before the event, team leader Ray Adams, who is fresh off a win from the prior MASS event, and Mike Yozell, looking to show some good form. Arguably the hardest XC race of the season with 4,700 feet of climbing in just 18 miles, the Tour De Tykes course could not hold down the VisitPA.com elite juggernaut. With the race leaders suffering mechanicals, Wes & Ryan bided their time and rode to the front when it mattered most. Wes Schempf scored his first MASS Elite victory, rolling in on a flat tire! Ryan Leech rode to a strong 4th place and Ray Adams stormed back after a mid-race flat tire to finish 7th.

In the Elite Women's event Nancy Nowicki battled a cold and still managed to ride to a very impressive 2nd place finish.

Holding down the fort in the 40+ Expert field, Mike Hebe again went wire to wire for his 3rd consecutive series win.

In Sunday’s short track event, Ryan, Ray, and Mike tested their mettle again. After a blistering opening three laps Ray Adams went off the front with a solo attack which almost stuck for the next five laps. The tiring field reeled Ray in with about 1/2 a lap to go. Ryan then put the hammer down and attacked, with Ray in his draft. Ryan and Ray finished 1-2 for the day, with a great display of strength and teamwork. Mike suffered a flat while riding with Ryan & Ray's group and ended up running back to his car to get a spare bike to finish the event. While well out of contention, he still went on to catch a few riders and remind everyone that the VisitPA.com team will always race to the end.

All in all, it was a great weekend for the team – taking victories both days in the Elite men’s category! The team looks forward to the Stoopid 50 Mountain Bike Marathon this weekend and the Guy's XC event on June 17.

Thanks to our sponsors:

VisitPA.com

SRAM Bicycle Components

Gary Fisher Bicycles

Please support our charity:

The Blue Butterfly Fund

Women's MTB Clinics by VisitPA.com's Michelle Schneider

Our team's baker of yummy bars (btw Michelle, I'm going to need some of those for the Lumberjack 100) is going to host a series of women's mountain bike clinics and rides this fall in the Williamsport area. The first clinic will be next Tuesday evening, June 12, with more to follow...check 'em out here.

Tour De Tykes and Mohican 100

Most of the team headed to the MASS affiliated Tour De Tykes in Danville, PA where on Saturday Wes won the XC, Ry took 4th, Ray finished 7th, Nancy got 2nd, and Hebe won his age group!
On Sunday the brand new STXC saw Ray off the front most of the day softening it up for his teammates and in the end Ry brought home the win and Ray held on for 2nd!

Kuhn took a drive west to Ohio and rode around the woods for about 8 hours to finish 9th in the Mohican 100, the second race in the National Ultra Endurance series. You can read his race report (the way too long version) at http://kuhndogrides.blogspot.com/