Midwest MTB Report
"Cross is coming" is buzzing on the social media airwaves but there is way too much mountain biking going on to cross the line yet (ha!). This weeks report includes recaps from the Great Deer Chase, the Seeley Pre-Fat, an on mountain bike access in National Wilderness areas along with other news, and the look ahead.
Great Deer Chase
Semi-retired pro racer Kyia Anderson from St Cloud, MN has found herself back in the racing mix this season and done went back to back races the past two weekends, hitting up the Great Deer Chase in Calumet, MI. after racing the Ore to Shore the weekend before. Kyia was in the UP for a week after a competing in the Ore to Shore the previous weekend, having some bad luck in the form of a flat but still finished to a solid 6th place finish. After the racing Saturday, Kyia was in Duluth leading a four hour clinic with with the Duluth Composite Cycling team and files a report on all of it:
I learned of the Great Deer Chase while helping out with the 906 NICA Team practice last Monday night, just two day's after racing the Ore To Shore in Marquette, MI. We've been making a vacation of the Ore To Shore for years and it usually includes several day's of riding the amazing single track around Marquette, Ishpeming and Negaunee. We've now added a few days of riding up in Copper Harbor since we're in the area and we all agree that it's a great tradition! So, ton's of single track slaying and climbing was the theme for the week! So why not add another race into the equation?
I was excited to check out the Sweedetown singletrack in Calumet, MI. We've Cross Country skied there a few times over the years so I had a good idea of the lay of the land and heard it was a mix of ski trail and tight singletrack. It rained a little the night before and then at 8 a.m. the morning of the event it started to rain again, this time a bit heavier. Knowing it was going to be a slick and muddy race I let out a little tire pressure and applied a bit more lube. The start was a controlled roll out as a part of the annual Calumet parade and when we hit mile 3 the race was on. I was quick to jump on Evan Simula's wheel and when the course turned down an old railroad bed Drew Wilson threw the hammer down and went, soon another rider went with him (the eventual UP SingleSpeed champ), I surged around a few more turns and then we were rolling on the ski trail. I traded positions with a group of 3-4 riders at the front of the race and just before the first section of single track I was able to get in front of a few of them. Soon I didn't hear any other riders behind me and I was in a solid 3rd place overall.
The single track was rough and slick and I was feeling my way around a bit at the start since my lock out lever failed earlier in the week and my full suspension mtb was now a fully rigid mtb. Back out on the ski trail I was joined by 2-3 Single Speeders and they were setting a good pace. Eventually I broke away with one of those riders and rode most of the race with him. At about 7 miles to go Evan and Scott Anderson caught back up to us in the single track and were really making some good time slaying the rooty trail with on and off rain falling. We kept it upright for the rest of the race and I finished up in 5th overall in the men and took the women's win! While a bit like my first race in 96-97 on the rigid bike it was fun to take the win especially after blowing up my tire while feeling really good at the Ore to Shore the weekend before. Was great to meet some new people up in Calumet and would definitely race it again in the future. I guess a theme of riding hard and pushing the equipment to the limit in the U.P. is evident! I capped off the weekend by doing a Women's clinic for the Duluth Composite Team on Sunday. Was a busy week but great fun riding the trails and spreading the MTB vibe around the shores of Lake Superior.
Seeley Pre Fat
The Seeley Lions Club was host to the 21st annual Pre-Fat this past Saturday. The PreFat Event is the largest annual fundraiser for the Seeley Lions. All race proceeds are used to fund the many community projects conducted by the Seeley Lions Club. An Alternate "wet" course was used for the 2016 PreFat race based on rain leading up to race day and rain forecasted day of. This course ran mostly on forest roads, many of which will be used for the upcoming Chequamegon Fat Tire races. The alternate course included about 3 1/2 miles of single track near the end of the courses for all three of the races. This course change decision was based on the potential for damage to both the Birkie Trail and the Makwa single track trails due to rain saturated soils in those portions of the original race course.
After completing my first Pre-Fat last year and having a complete blast on a old school cross country course and, one of the highlights of the race season last year, I decided to head over again since it worked on the schedule. I rarely pre-register for races but did for the Pre-fat based on the pricing schedule. I was hopeful the new full course was going to be used which locals reported as being " a real killer" The new course was to be CAMBA singletrack broken up by the relentless hills of the Birkie trail. Unfortunately rainy weather dictated the decision to use the alternate course. The wet conditions in no way altered my decision to go as I enjoy racing in wet and muddy conditions.
When I pulled up into the parking lot at "OO" off the Birkie trail, there was a light rain falling as the Sport racers were getting ready to head out. I got registered and talked to a few other riders before a short warm up checking out a very small section of the Birkie trail before sticking to the pavement to avoid getting the bike sandy which was really pointless considering the conditions I would be racing on to come.
At the start there was a smaller field due to the weather but a very strong one with the Lalonde brothers and Jeff Hall ready to do battle to name a few. At the start I found myself at the front and somehow leading the rollout which resulted in probably one of the slower rollouts in recent years. I knew once the pace car peeled off it would be a mad assault as I kept looking over to Jeff Hall on my right. Once we turned off the pavement of OO, the Lalonde brothers attacked with Hall hot on their wheels and a select group including Ryan Fitzgerald, Aaron Swanson and Chris Fischer to name a few. I wasn't ready to red line so I rode my pace and settled in with a group of 10-12 riders.
(Credit: Paul Ostrum photo)
Our group settled in to a nice pace with local rider Thomas Meyer, Erik Kowalik and fellow team mate Casey Lajois, doing nice work at the front as I traded in a few pulls as well. Around the five mile mark, we came up on Hall who unfortunately flatted. We also pulled in Nikolai Anikin who fell off the front group. Unbeknownst to us at the time, Jesse Lalonde, who broke free from the front group, got off course. Later on they would come from the back and was trying to remember if we saw them along the way dealing with a mechanical or what not. He would ride about a mile and a half more and still managed a top 5 finish, just under three minutes behind his brother Marko who took the win. As we were rolling along Meyer yelled out, "we are passing some sweet singletrack guys" I looked over to my left and saw the flowy wishing we were there. There were some forest road sections that were a bit rockier that required 100% concentration with sand and dirt covered eyewear adding to the challenge.
We rolled along as my legs were screaming for the singletrack. Eventually we came to the first section and at that point the group started to split apart. I tried to get around to the front but one rider was in front of me dictating the pace. When we were on the singletrack, the rain started to pick up making the track even greasier. We weren't pulling up mud too bad as the section we were on was firm, sandy and rocky based. We completed the first section than continued on a bit more forest roads before the last section of singletrack. I entered the last section with Kowalik who looked like he came from open gym in Haward with his basketball clothes. Great stuff. He was shredding the singletrack nicely and we put a gap on the group behind us.(Kowalik would get the Strava ride of the week but he isn't on Strava) Halfway through the last section of singletrack, I got around Kowalik. The singletrack riding was the best part of the race with rain falling and conditions extra challenging. The eyewear being covered made it hard to see and staying relaxed and loose was key. We had a short section of soupy rutted gravel before the pavement climb to the finish line. Casey was able to bridge back up to Kowalik and we worked together to drop Kowalik and continued on a drag race to the top of the hill, the legs burning. When we cut off the pavement for a short grassy ski trail segment to the finish line, I was able to get around Casey and hold him off to the finish. Thanks Casey for making it a great finish!
After the race, I rode back down the finish to check out the last singletrack again as the last finishers were coming in. The singletrack appeared to be hanging on just fine. I bumped into Rochester Nordic Ski Team coach John Ressman whom I've gotten to known from ski camps at Maplelag in the past as he exited the singletrack and rode with him to the finish catching up on summer happenings. Post race every one hovered inside the tent for brats, beers and recovery snacks as the rain came down nicely. Thanks to all the organizers, volunteers and helpers who made it another great Pre-Fat. It was a bummer not to race the new track but the best decision was made and there will be the chance next year hopefully and all proceeds went towards a good cause.
Riding in the Wild
A bill in Congress would open up biking in federally designated wilderness, where "mechanical transport" has been banned since President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wilderness Act in 1964. Conservation groups have mostly lined up in opposition to the change, fearing an erosion of land protections, and some cycling groups are opposing the bill for similar reasons. But many other riders, argue that wilderness rules must adapt to a generational shift in how young people recreate. "Wild places get saved and protected, she said, only when people love them and use them" states Char Waller in a recent New York Times article. An interesting debate for sure as mountain biking continues to grow in popularity. Read the full article.
More Mountain
The Detroit Lakes Tribune recently highlighted in an article the plans for more trail development at Detroit Mountain which was host to race #2 in the Minnesota Series. The development is contingent on a 1.6 million grant to fund a 1.9 million plan that would enhance and expand the trails at Detroit Mountain with additional land purchase. The plan also includes improved local trails in effort to be designated IMBA ride center status. Detroit Mountain will be hosting another race later this fall, the 2nd annual Kappel's Challenge.
Note: The article mentions Maplelag as one of the areas to be included in the plan. This is not accurate -- Maplelag was not consulted on the project, nor will the resort receive any development funding.
Looking Ahead
Registration is now open and best to act fast as limited spots are open for a 60 mile traverse of the Duluth singletrack. The race begins at 9 am on September 10th, 2016 with all event proceeds going to Cyclists of Gitchee Gumee Shores - COGGS to support their trail-building efforts.
New this year: Look forward to a new course; course design will continue to improve as new sections of singletrack are completed.
Vida Mountain Bikes Skills Clinic
There are still openings for the Vida Mountain Bike skills clinic to be held in Minneapolis this week. One of the clinic highlights will be former competitive mountain biker Jill Damman— an inspirational survivor, yoga teacher, VIDA and IMBA certified mountain bike instructor and advocate for brain injury and facial paralysis. Jill will follow-up with an inspiration talk about her experiences after a severe traumatic brain injury and her path to healing and exploring life through bikes. Jill will also lead a yoga class on Sunday morning.
Race #8 in the Minnesota Mountain Bike Series will head to Crosby and the most popular outstate mountain bike destination in Minnesota, Cuyuna Recreation Area. The cross country race will be held on Saturday on the fast flowing berm and flow trail that is infamous for it's "red dirt" Sunday will feature a time trial with cash payout.
Keep the wheels moving!
 | About the author... Jay Richards maintains a very active lifestyle. He somehow finds time between managing a full-time resort (Maplelag) and bringing up a family of four boys with his wife Jonell, to compete in both mountain bike and a few cross-country ski races. Jay rides for Maplelag Resort, manages the Maplelag/LaMere/Paramount/Jake's Bikes mountain bike team and enters his 26th year of racing and promoting mountain bike races. Have an event or mountain bike related information to share from the Midwest? Feel free to contact Jay at |