Photos from Hilly Billy Roubaix

Betsy wins Women open and Gunnar place second in Single speed.. More to come soon!

GR2 Leichtbau !

Thanks to Jeff at Ergon for sending us the New GR2 Leichtbau.
Gunnar looks happy about it and I know his hands are!


Want to learn more about our be grip? See the spec's - Click here.

$1000 and a Ton of Fun at the Big Bear 2x12

The Big Bear 2x12 mountain bike and bluegrass extravaganza took place this past weekend at Big Bear Lake Camplands in Hazelton WV. This event was organized by Dynamic PT Cycling's good friend Mark Schooley on short notice after the 24 Hours of Big Bear event was cancelled just a couple months prior by 24 hour race promoter, Laird Knight.

And boy oh boy what a job Mark did. He came up with a race format that was taxing physically, mentally, and tactically while still being a ton of fun and leaving the competitors fresh enough to celebrate properly afterwards.

Here is how it works: Duo teams compete on 12 miles laps. Sport classes do 2 laps a piece, Expert classes do 3. Short enough to really let the competitors give it their all while long enough to require balancing aggression with endurance.

The prizes for expert classes was $1000 cash, winner take all. That payout attracted some of the top talent in the region vying for overall honors and the big paycheck.

Dynamic Physical Therapy Cycling had two teams registered in the event. Gunnar and Betsy were favorites in the coed category, though they faced tough competition from Joey and Mandi Riddle as well as Brad and Heidi and Justin and Suzy.

Taking on the super-stacked singlespeed class for the good guys was the team of myself (Robbie) and Chris McGill. On paper we looked good with three state championship and two WVMBA series overall wins in the category to our credit. However, the singlespeed class was packed to the gills with fast folks and we knew it would be a tough battle the whole way.

My girlfriend, Laura who was racing in the sport women category with her friend Tricia, and I arrived at the venue morning of. There we joined the rest of the team as well as our friends of the PathfinderWV.com contingent with tents and camp supplies aplenty already set up. We only had an hour before the start so we quickly registered, put on our kits and got as much warm up as we could. We were all sporting our Cannondale Flash 29'er alloy's. Gunnar and Betsy with a combined 36 gears, Chris and I with a combined 2.

The race started up a quarter mile of gravel hill then right to the singletrack. I scoped the start out on the way from registration. I figured I'd want to be on the edges of the road to avoid getting bogged down in the deep gravel patches in the center. All the first lappers lined up and waited for the start signal. Except one.

Gunnar came into sight flying directly towards us as Mark started the 10 second countdown. We got the GO signal and Gunnar had manged to cross the start line at the same time as the leaders! ....just in the wrong direction. While he was busy turning his bike around I was busy sucking wheel and sucking air as we rocketed up the road. The plan of staying on the periphery worked perfectly as I saw the group in the middle hit a section of deep gravel and slide back, allowing me to cross to the far side on clear section of road to be 5th overall and 2nd singlespeed into the woods. I had my target set firmly on whom I thought would be our biggest competition, Wes Schempf who was racing with Gerry Pflug on team "funny last names" or at least that's what it should have been. Unfortunately for me, my target was slowly getting further and further away. Trail conditions were mostly good, but had some large wet areas that were slick and tricky to find a line through.

As Wes disappeared up the trail with Cannondale rider and employee Brandon Draugalis, I started to feel the effects of such a "good" start. "Wow it is hot out here," I thought. The day was heating up rapidly but it was also incredibly humid and it was starting to take its toll on me. I let one rider by, then two more, then three more. At mile three Gunnar had worked his way up to me and passed with a small group. I tried to jump on for a bit, but the legs and lungs just weren't having it. I'd dug myself into a hole in the first few miles and it was going to be tough to get out of it. I went into damage prevention mode, sprayed myself down with my water bottle to try to cool off and keep the pace manageable. Not to be though as group after group sped past.

Before the race Chris had told me that if I came in 30 minutes down on the first lap, no big deal, pressure off. "Sure, whatever. You get your mean face on, Chris, you're gonna need it."

Whoops. I came in 13 minutes down. Pressure off. Chris put in some good laps and I managed to continue at a similar pace (slow but determined with plenty of suffering) as my first lap. We had a good time at least, with hugs at each hand-off and plenty of saddle time on awesome trails.

Betsy and Gunnar, however, were racing their butts off as each lap had a new leader in their race. Gdaddy wasn't on his best day and was riding hard, but losing time to Justin, Brad and Joey. He fought hard to keep it close though and Betsy came back every lap with a solid lead in hand only to have to chase it back. After 7 hours of racing Betsy came into the tent first, bringing home the $1000 dollar prize to the Shogren residence. WooHoo! Look how happy they are!

Afternoon rains came to make the course extra slick for the last few laps and added a little sandy mud to the chamois. Luckily, I was sporting merino wool Swiftwick socks, which kept my feet comfortable all day. And, our apparel provider, Pyro Apparel out of Ohio, has enough bang for your buck that we all had fresh shorts for each lap. I was running Kenda Small Block 8s, which are touted as a dry conditions tire, but hooked up remarkably well in the varied conditions that we encountered, though when the mud started to thicken a bit once the rain passed Chris and Betsy were looking quicker on their Karmas.

After the race, beer from the Morgantown Brewing Company and food from Monroe's Deli were on hand to satisfy the racers' hunger and thirst. Awards were handed out and the bands started playing! Mark had brought in a big stage and sound system and some really good bands. East Run Band started things off with some nice bluegrass tunes. The Woodticks followed up with a long set of good 'ol string band fun. Finally, the Staggering Cardoons got the masses up and dancing with a cool blend of Rockabilly/Celtic/Bluegrass music with fun songs and a high energy performance.

All in all this was a great weekend. Mark came up with a new kind of endurance racing that proved to be popular and fun. And I didn't meet a single person who was sad that it didn't go on for 16 more hours.

Props:

Mark for pulling off an awesome race with awesome prizes and awesome competition followed by awesome beer and an awesome concert. It was really, uh, awesome start to finish.

The weather for being mostly excellent, despite the afternoon showers.

Betsy for bringing home the facon.

LauraK and JamesB for finding their mountain biking mojo.

All of the great people that make this sport so much more than it would otherwise be.

Thanks to Dynamic Physical Therapy, Cannondale, Kenda Tires, Camelbak, Swftwik, Ergon, I9, Mike Miller DDS, Edward Jones, Performance Coaching Services, Pro Gold Lube and Pathfinder for letting us race on the best equipment in the business.

Elvis singing Karaoke in the middle of the woods (for real).

The Staggering Cardoons for a great show.

Slops:

Bad legs at big events

Tricia for not carrying a pump/tube on her lap

Mudhican: NUE Series round #2

Welp fan, I knew it was going to be a rough weekend as JR and I made our way through Ohio when Mother Nature opened up the skies to show her might. This was just a warm up for what she had in store for us race day.

Bright and early we headed out of Loundonville toward the KOM. A group of 40 or so, those that were in it to win it, which included Gunnar and I had a gap on the main field. I looked backed a few times to the impressive sight of wall to wall riders stretching for a ½ a mile so back. It was pretty darn neat.


Chris turning over single speed in the mud

We got up over the first climb hammering away as if we were in a short track race. These are the moments at the start of a 100 that scare me as we go so stinking fast in that first hour it can be a bit intimating. But I was up with the mover and shakers so that was good. We hooked left onto the farm road. I jumped on Gunnar’s wheel and we made our way through the geared guys as the single track was approaching. Gunnar and I hit the woods far enough ahead that the single track traffic jam was minimal, however, we got a taste of thick sticky mud we would have to contend with for the next 98 miles.


Gunnar looking good early

I was feeling pretty good through the first miles of single track. I was doing a lot of passing keeping the grumpy ds in sight or at least I could hear as he smack talked ever person he was passing in front of me. If I had to guess at that point I was some where between 5-10 SS and top 40 overall, a good place to be this early in the day. The single track was full of a thick-gooey mud 1 to 4 inches deep. Most of it was rideable but slow. I caught up to fast friend Cheryl S. (TeamCF) and the other women’s leader. We had some laughs and paced off each other for a bit until I felt I needed to step it up a bit. Miles 10-20 in the woods went well but man the those muddy upward short pitches started to hit my legs. The purty ladies caught back up to me, flirted, and dropped me…bye bye Cheryl.


Bunny dirty but still going strong

A little over thirty miles in we finally exit the woods and began to hit some rollers on our way to aid station 2. I was in a bad place in those few miles heading to aid station #2. The mud had taken its toll and I was getting worried as it was a little early to be feeling this bad. Stupid mud! I took my time at the aid station as I knew I needed to fill the tank and rest for a few minutes when that handsome devil Roger M. caught me. Ugh, back to racing. He got out before me but he would be a fast carrot to chase. Vvvrrrrooommm as I pass Roger on the back of a geared freight train.


MUD!

Leaving aid station #3 I found myself in my darkest hour. I was over 5 hours in and only half way home. Mother Natures mud was winning. I was no longer in it to win it but just to finish. After seeing some very fast guys lying in the field at aid station #3 waiting for a truck ride back home just finishing would be a victory on this day.


JR not "feeling it" at one of the aid stations

The rest of the day was a bit of a blur. I was riding pretty well but the mud had taken its toll on my legs. I did almost get hit by lightening too which was exciting and I am pretty sure I cried some.

In the end it was an extremely hard day and I was just happy to finish. Around mile 50 podiums and NUE series points were no longer my motivation. It the was longest race time I have ever had at 10:15. An epic indeed!!!!!!

Gunnar showing of a broken saddle. He earned tough guy points!

Big ole thanks to Ryan O’Dell and all his awesome aid volunteers- washing bikes, lubing chains and generally keeping the morale up-THANKS!!!

Our sweet sponsors that make us feel “oh so pro”- Dynamic Physical Therapy, Cannondale, Kenda Tires, Camelbak, Swftwik, Ergon, I9, Mike Miller DDS, Edward Jones, Performance Coaching Services, Pro Gold Lube and Pathfinder! Thanks!

Check Cyclingnews for coverage too.

As always "May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face" and may your wheels always find it safely back to the ground.
PEACE Chrissy

Tweeting the 100 miler.

We are going to tweet our way through the Mohican 100. Follow the adventure @ByBc on twitter.

The Billy is coming!

Shogren, Schalk return to defend past Mohican 100 titles

See original story here - CyclingNews.com

By: Sue George, Mountain Bike Editor
Published: June 1, by Cycling News.
National Ultra Endurance (NUE) Series #2: Mohican 100

Jeff Schalk (Trek Co-op) in the Wilderness 101
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Round two of National Ultra Endurance (NUE) series heads to Ohio

The eighth annual Mohican Mountain Bike 100, round two of the National Ultra Endurance (NUE) series, will roll into Mohican County, Ohio, on Saturday, June 5. It begins in downtown Loudonville, near Liberty Park.

Jeff Schalk (Team Trek Co-op), winner of the 2008 edition of the race and reigning NUE series champion, is one of the favorites, especially after he won round one of the series in Cohutta in late April. Last year's winner, Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale), will be absent; he is currently racing the Trans-Sylvania Epic.

However, Schalk will be challenged by Josh Tostada (Bach Builders / Santa Cruz), a three-time winner of the Leadville 100 in Colorado. Last year, he was 13th at the Mohican and fifth overall. Tostada is also undefeated at the Breckenridge 100, the fourth stop on this year's NUE.

Others to watch include Michael Simonson (Gary Fisher/SRAM XX/NoTubes), who was fourth in the series and at the Mohican last year and Greg Kuhn (Team Fraser), seventh overall in the NUE and 12th at the Mohican last year.

After back-to-back wins at the Mohican in 2008 and 2009, Betsy Shogren (Cannondale) will be back to try to make it three in a row. She is also the reigning NUE series champion. This year's Cohutta 100 winner Amanda Carey (Kenda / Felt) will be on hand to defend her lead in this year's series.

Look out also for Cheryl Sornson (Team CF), a former NUE series champion in 2008 and previous third and fourth place finisher at the Mohican. Laureen Coffelt (Velosoul/The Natural Way) and Emily Brock (Bike29.com) are other regulars at the front of the end race who could surprise the favorites.

In the singlespeed race, Harlan Price a former geared men's open NUE Series Champion, will be back in action at the Mohican, which he won in 2006. He'll take on Gerald Pflug (Salsa/SPK/Pro Bikes), who also made the move from the geared to the singlespeed division, but he did so earlier and is therefore the reigning NUE singlespeed series champion. Others to watch are Roger Masse (Gary Fisher 29er Crew), Gunner Shogren (Dynamic Physical Therapy) and Gabe Rainwater, a recordholder in the 24 hours of Mohican.

In the Masters 50+ division, John Williams will race as reigning masters NUE champion and defending Mohican 100 winner. he'll be challenged by Team CF founder, James Wilson. Finally, Chris McGill (Cannondale) should not be underestimated with a 12th place NUE Series finish and an 11th place at Mohican last year.

NUE racers will race a full 100-mile loop with over 11,000 feet of climbing, but others will have a shorter, 100km (62-mile) option. The course spans four counties and including plenty of trails in the Mohican Memorial State Forest. The races connect both private and public lands in a single-loop offering.

The action usually gets off to a speedy start with a $200 prime going to the first racer to reach the city limits on the way out of town after the start.

500 racers are expected this year at the race, which has doubled in size nearly every year since its inception.