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The last couple of weeks have been pretty good, but overall, 2006 has been a crappy year for NoCal mountain bikers. From rained-out training rides to unrideable trail conditions to poorly functioning equipment, this year's record rainfall has left local mountain bikers underprepared, underconditioned, and slightly frustrated heading into the prime-time riding months.
Because of this year's early season muddown, local mountain bikers have been looking to July for salvation. In addition to the legendary Downieville Classic Mountain Bike Festival at the end of the month, this year, both the Cougar Mountain Classic at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma and the NORBA MTB National Championships in Mammoth are being held in the middle ofJuly, moved up from their traditional dates in September.
D'oh!
Last week, NORBA announced that due to a record 664 inches of snow on Mammoth Mountain this winter, it is relocating the MTB National Championships. Apparently, the extraordinarily deep snowpack is going to cause too many trail condition issues. On the one hand, it's a responsible decision by NORBA that is ultimately in the best interest of all racers. Nobody wants to compete for a national championship in muddy, dangerous slop.
On the other hand, this is a big-time downer for local racers interested in matching wheels with the nation's best riders. Having the National Championships only four hours away is huge. Locals who qualify for the Nationals actually have a chance to attend and compete. The Nationals also feature several nonqualifying events, like the super downhill, the marathon, and the mini-marathon, that are open to anybody with a mountain bike and a check for the entrance fees.
NORBA has not yet announced a new venue for the championships, but they have indicated that the dates for the event, July 20-23, will remain the same. Mammoth has hosted the championships since 2000. Previous sites include Mt. Snow, Vermont and Deer Valley, Utah. Word on the street is that NORBA wants to keep the 'ships in Cali, but possible sites are few and far between, especially on such short notice. With the NorthStar-at-Tahoe Mountain Bike Park closed for the summer, and Snow Summit in Big Bear on the run from the lawyers, we've got our money on Colorado.
That can't make the organizers of the Cougar Mountain Classic (CMC) too happy. Scheduled for July 15-16, the CMC is the last qualifying event before the Nationals. As such, organizers were expecting a large walk-up turnout from racers hoping to pick up last-minute invites to the big dance. Now, probably not so much, especially if the championships move out of state.
And just when local racers thought it was safe to hope again, officials from the Downieville Classic have started notifying riders this week that because of massive early registration this year, all available spots for it's world-famous Downieville Downhill race have been filled (except for a few spots reserved for pros). No soup for you.
It's been buzzard luck for local mountain bikers so far this year, but the sun is finally here, the trails have dried out, and hey, there's a race coming up this weekend!
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I love to see the mountain bike content... but why the focus on racing?
It would be great to read some coverage on topics/issues regarding NorCal mtn biking: what's happening at Pacifica, Shells, or Soquel? What about the new mtn bike skills area being developed in San Rafael? Will the snow melt on the TahoeRimTrail in time for summer? What new trails are opening up? Where can one volunteer for trail work or find out about trail access issues?
Mtn Biking is a popular sport here in NorCal - but mtn bike racing is a lot like ski races: it's great to see it in the Olympics every four years, but that's about it. Most "championship" courses are tamer than the trails in Golden Gate Park, and aren't up to the level of day-to-day riding in the BayArea. The focus seems to be on speed, not on riding ability.
Ok, end of rant! thanks for listening!
You make excellent points TP, and we're listening.
The local mountain bike racing schedule is heavily front-loaded for the spring, which is why we've been covering the race circuit so heavily in the first part of the year. After this weekend's 24-hour relays at Laguna Seca, there's not much in the way of local racing until July, so we hope to start tackling non-racing stories like the ones you have mentioned.
We understand that only a minority of mountain bikers actually race, but our thought is that racing is part of the mountain biking scene. Even if you don't want to race yourself, attending or volunteering at a race can really jack up your enthusiasm for riding. Also, with the exception of the easier European-like Laguna Seca courses, most of the races we've been writing about have courses that are more like Skeggs than Golden Gate park: technically tough courses with lots of hills that put a premium on bike riding ability, not just speed. And, most races allow pre-riding of the courses, so even if you're not officially racing, knowing when and where the races are gives you the opportunity to head out and ride killer, marked race courses without the pressure of racing or the pain of entrance fees.
Another reason that we like to cover the races, it that racing is mountain biking at its fastest and most effecient. While most rank-and-file MTB'ers can't even dream of keeping up with the likes of Geoff Kabush or Adam Craig, it's pretty cool to go to the races and see how the pros prepare, what their bikes look like, and even how they handle certain trail situations and obstacles. Call it part of the never-ending learning process.
All that said, we're right there with you TP: mountain biking is about the warmth of physical exertion, the exhiliration of handling the bike, and the wonder of nature -- and unfortunately also about the politics of land use. We promise more topical mountain bike pieces in the future, and less race coverage (after this weekend).
Happy trails!
Great response. One thing I forgot to write: SFist rocks -- please keep up the good work!