As per my last post . . .

 . . . I think this has to be one of the coolest flyers out there.  Only in Cyclocross!

On The Hunt For An Exciting Off-Season

So Big Game / Deer Season is almost at an end here in the Catskill Region and with the mild temperatures over the last 4-5 weeks, you might have been on a bike.  In many ways I'm glad to say I wasn't on a bike.  Instead, I was on the hunt. 
Don't get me wrong, I wanted to be riding, but hunting is just another one of my many recreational addictions.  The fall forest and all it's splendor is seen in ways unlike any other while in camoflage and typically motionless.  The forest comes alive in ways few humans get to see.  You can cover vast distances while hiking off trail without ever really considering distance because a hunter is fully endulged in the moment.  The goal is not a destination or summit, and it's always moving and elusive.  So hours can pass without even a thought about time.
Not to mention that a successful end result while hunting can put 100% free-range / organic protein on your dinner plate.  Not a bad asset to your training diet during the riding / training months.
And for years I have been somewhat quiet about my passion for hunting while amongst the cycling community.  Granted, I have met a lot of great riders who in one way or another, I find out they hunt.  Of course we tend to form a unique bond knowing the benefits and rewards.  However, many cyclists aren't completely conserned about where there food comes from.  Rather they seem more interested in what food they eat.  As a natural born skeptic, I'm not a believer in lables or advertisments.  For the most part, I know what's in my food and I know where it came from.  I know this because between growing / storing our own vegetables, baking our own bread, making our own wine, our own jams, hunting and fishing our own protein, and a slew of other things food related, we are detached from the grocery store food-chain in many ways.  Of course we still shop at grocery stores, but you would probably chuckle at the food we need to buy.  I have to say, we are very lucky to live in the Catskill Region.
So to boot, a month ago I read in VeloNews that pro riders like Contador, Schleck Bros, Menchov, Schnell, and others hunt in the off season.  Whew, what a relief.

Too busy to ride. Too happy to officiate.

Well it's been a busy few weeks.  My wife was due for our second child in mid-October, so when I get an email from Deiter Drake asking if for officials for a Cyclocross Race in Union Vale, NY on Nov. 1st, I gladly signed up.  I figured I probably wouldn't be racing early November, and I couldn't stray too far from home either.  So officiating a race is the next best thing.  And it was.  The race put on by Ed  -------- was just great.  It was set up on an equestrian facility and had plenty of terrain to put to use.  Some heavy hitters showed and the Pro Mens had a exciting finish.  There were great prizes as well.
However, I was starting to get a little worried about our child's birth since the due date came and went with 1 week then close to 2 passing.  And like magic, she was here.  And she is beautiful.  But she didn't get here until the 27th, and in the day to follow I still didn't hear anything from NYSBRA regarding the event or whether I was still needed. 
The night before, I get an email saying they hope I show.  So I left early in the morning dressed in USAC Official attire and a cup of coffee in hand.  None of the girls were up and I silently slipped into the car and off into bicycle world again.  And even though I wouldn't be racing, it was still good to be back again!

Cyclocross train in your local parks.

With my wife being due with our next child any day (most likely today), I have had to stick close to home.  Venturing out for even 1-2 hours could have easily put me in the dog house.  So we waited, and waited, and waited.  Through it all, my wife had no problem with me riding, just as long as I stuck close to home incase we had to go, she'd find me.  So I thought I'd get on my CX bike and head across the road to the Big Indian Park.  We have sporatic trees, sand pits down by the creek, obstacles, and short steep climbs.  I thought it might work for an easy go around, and after settling in to a course I could live with, I started uping the tempo.  To my surprise, the course I laid was not so bad.  In fact, it's pretty good!  It was snowing the day I worked it out (roughly 2 weeks ago) and it was a blast!  Also, recovering wasn't too bad after not riding seriously for some time.  So I went out the day after next for some more intensity and decided that as long as it's rideable, Big Indian Park will be my off season cycling workout.  I've hit it 2 more times since. 
With some running, XC skiing, and weights thrown in, it's looking like it might be a rewarding winter season.  Sure beats the drudgery of a trainer. 
Check out your local public park.  It might be just what the doctor ordered.

The off-season already??

Ok, now I know the season is over (at least for me), because empty beer bottles (Ommegang among others of course) are starting to show up on my counter when I'm heading off to bed.  Also, the tortilla and potato chip bags have been dwindling a lot faster than they used to.  And my GPS is around here somewhere.
It's amazing how tired my body was and I didn't really notice.  When I finally got a chance to kick the feet up, it felt goooood.  I could almost feel the food I eat (and beer I drink) rejuvenating a summers worth of training. 
But wait a minute.  I'm not a complete slacker.  Yesterday I got out for a run, and I can usually squeeze a ride in 1-2 days a week.  So I'm doing better than the past few years at this time.  The winters are brutal here in the Catskills, and they seem to drag on forever.  However, this year I'm looking forward to hitting the gym for some weights and biometrics(?).  Also, you might see me give in to my buddy's prodding and do a few laps at the pool.  I can't wait to cover a lot of the trails we hashed out on the bike this year while on back country XC Skis.  Did I mention some great hunting right out my back door?  It's going to be a great off season.
But the best part about the off season is spending a lot of quality time with my wife, my daughter, and our new born child who should be here any day/hour/minute.  It will also be good to share some fitness time with my wife.  She's been spending time at the pool, but she's been a bit down about not being able to get out on the bike, run, or much of anything beyond waddling for that matter.  Strangely, I am looking forward to hauling the extra weight of a little person around in the trailer again with my wife, and having my daughter pedaling there with us this time.  Does life get better than that?  Maybe, but not as far as I can tell.
In the meantime, keep those running shoes handy and prepare for forecasted flurries . . which are scheduled for tomorrow!

Just another day at the Brewery Ommegang

Despite warm sun foretasted for Sunday, it was cold and cloudy for the majority of the day.  But a cloudy day doesn't stop the fun for a band of CX racers.  In fact, the muddier the better (at least for the spectating fans).  The course was broken up into two major maze sections (one right in the beginning) separated by a long hedgerow straight (through the woods in a small section).  Then up a steep climb most chose to run up.  Right back down for a short recovery to the sustained 10% climb then along another long hedgerow descent.  At the bottom was the second of the two mazes, then out to the finish.  Many bumps, holes, roots, 4 slope turns down and out.  Overall, a sweet course; not for the faint of heart. 

So with a drizzle, they were off.  Cat4 citizens went first during the coldest part of the morning and rode strong.  Tore up the course pretty good in the process, making it good and ready for the fields to follow.  Masters went after Cat4 and had one hell of a field working.  After Masters came the monster field for the 3/4 race.  Right from the start, they were snaking their way through the z's.  Some tried, some failed, others just pulled away.  I raced this one myself and finish 23rd?  Cross is crazy.  There was a guy from Battenkill United who was obviously stronger than me because the only way I got ahead of him is when he crashed.  Then he'd come up and pass me out, and crash again.  After about the third time this happened, I started to feel bad and asked what crash number that one was.  He said, "I don't even know, but I obviously have the wrong tires."  I told him he'd make it, and he did.  Then there was Jason Haight who was not far up ahead and his tire rolls off the rim on the last lap.  Dude picks his bike up and starts running.  The pits were less than 100ft from him through the tape, but he was past them and it was about a mile to the finish.  I thought he'd give up on the idea and take the DNF, but he ran all the way.  He crossed the finish line to the loudest cheers of the day.
The Elite Women took the field and showed the boys how to do it.  We were honored to have Selene Yeager show up (Fit Chick from Bicycling Magazine).  She won best kit by far and looked like she was having a blast.  But the winner of the day was a 19yr old from the Syracuse area who smoked each race she entered.  Clean lines will win the day.
The Elite Men had a great showing with a Visit PA sponsored rider taking the field by storm.  Older guy with the cleanest lines and remounts your probably ever to see.  This guy looked like he wasn't even trying.

Of course the best part of the day was when the brew started to flow.  This was right after the Mens 3/4 event.  I couldn't help but notice that the heckling and cheering from the crowds were growing ever louder past the 12noon mark.  Was it the Ommegang?  We may never know.  But what we do know is that CX@Brewery Ommegang is a great course, in a beautiful place, with some good people, and excellent beer!  Get yourself a cyclocross rig and get out there next year.  You're sure to have a dirty good time.

Lark in the Park - Oct 3rd-13th

Ever heard of it? Maybe so, maybe not. It's an annual event put on by The Catskill Center for Conservation & Development (you should join!), and The Catskill Mountain Club. Just look at all that's going on in the next 2 weeks!

Whether this is your first time to the Catskill Mountains, or if you would like to get to know them in a depth unparalleled, this is probably the best one stop shop for finding out about this wonderful park by people who know it well and love it deeply.

But the most exciting part (for me at least), is the Rails to Trails ride (literally) on Oct. 10th @ 10:45am. Here is the summery from the listing:
Ride the Rails and the Trails! Back by popular demand, you are once again invited to partake in a "multi-modal" excursion of the Delaware and Ulster Railroad and Catskill Scenic Trail. Beginning in Arkville, we will board the historic rail-ride with our bicycles and set out for Roxbury. At Roxbury Station, we will pause for lunch in historic Kirkside Park and then begin our cycle on the newest section of the Catskill Scenic Trail, taking the trail to the headwaters of the East Branch of the Delaware near Grand Gorge. Returning to Roxbury for a 3PM departure, we will sit back and enjoy the scenic return trip. "Mountain" or "hybrid" bicycles and helmets required. Bike rental options include Arkville-Bikeville in Arkville (845-586-5637) or Catskill Outback Adventures in Big Indian (845-254-9888). (Please rent bicycles and purchase tickets early - we must be ready to depart at 10:45 AM). Please bring lunch; Train ride is $12; Bicycle and helmet rental, as applicable; pre-registration by 10/9 (4pm); 20 miles on train, 10 on bike; Moderate; bring a lunch; no dogs please

For More Information, contact Peter Manning at (845) 586-2611 ext. 104, pmanning@catskillcenter.org
Directions: The Delaware and Ulster Railroad is located on State Route 28 in Arkville, forty-three miles west of Kingston. The Depot is on the left. You really can’t miss it. From Albany: Interstate 88 to the Schoharie exit is the best route. Take Route 30 south to Margaretville. Make two left turns following the signs for Route 28. Take Route 28 east approximately 3 miles to Arkville. The Depot is on the right. You really can’t miss it.

Get out there before you have the overwhelming feeling of being stuck in!

Also, not found on the Lark list:

Mountain Bike Ride through Bluestone Wild Forest and Jockey Hill
Fun and educational with local history and other information about the area
October 11, 11:00
5 miles, 1.5 hrs, Easy-Moderate
Registration required by 10/9 via info@fatsinthecats.com
Max group size is 20
Bring lunch; no dogs
Directions: Rt. 75/ Sawkill Rd. in Town of Kingston to Jockey Hill Rd. Meet at top of Jockey Hill Rd.

Lance will host a group ride in NYC Central Park

Lance has been doing group rides around the country and around the world. Now, this coming Friday, he'll be right down the road in Central Park.
From Twitter this morning:
lancearmstrongIn ATX all week til NYC on Friday. Anyone up for a ride in the park in celebration of Livestrong Day?about 7 hours ago from UberTwitter

Depending on the turnout (and NYC should be substantial), this is an opportunity to make a donation to the LiveStrong Foundation, as well as maybe share a few words with the champ.

Maybe we can ask him to scratch his flat land plan, and head up to the mountains for a healing mission for cancer patients and riders alike!

A Plattekill Epic Adventure . . On Cross Bikes

Man did we cover some ground on Saturday. Pete and I have been talking about putting in some miles on the cross bikes for some time, and with his road bike being out of commission from the Tour of the Catskills race, it was about time. Then I get an email from Jack (from NYC), who I met at the Big Indian Epic Road Race, hoping to get out on cross bikes up here before it gets too cold. I tell him about Saturday. He came up, and we all meet at Pete's at 10am in Bovina Center.

It was a beautiful morning. Crisp and clean. Pete was leading this event, so I had a feeling we would be doing a lot of dirt road with a lot of Catskill Scenic Rail Trail mixed in. We did ride a lot of dirt (Reagan Rd) out of Bovina Center. At the end of Reagan, we cut through an awesome mud-rutted wagon path that linked us up with Scutt Mountain Rd. Jack (being an awesome MTBer) showed the best skills and was waiting for Pete and I at the end. This was getting fun.

Down Scutt Mt. Rd. (dirt/ long descent), we linked up with Delhi-South Kortright Rd (pavement). We were heading to the Rail Trail over in Bloomville, and cut through to it on River St.

Once on the trail, we were cruising. Pete was pushing the pace and Jack and I were just trying to hang on tight. We were going . . well, FAST! On the road, riding road bikes, this sort of pace line would be no problem. But I couldn't help but keep thinking that if Pete went down, Jack and I would be going down right over him. Luckily none of that happened. We put in a few miles there, got to the farm field link up with Delhi-S. Kortwright Rd. Took a quick twist and proceeded up Pink St. (heading back toward Bovina Center).

At this point, to Pete I asked, "Is this it? We're not heading back already are we?" He didn't answer. I tried another way, "Where to now Pete?". "More dirt" he replies and more dirt it was. But not before climbing Pink St.

If you don't know Pink St., it's a nice 1.5 mile climb that hangs tight at around 16% grade. Most cyclists brag about how fast they come down it. Pete brags about how fast he goes up it. Knowing this, I didn't even try to hang and spent the climb grunting it out with Jack.

At the top we hung a left up New Rd., then onto Wilkins Rd (warning, private) and proceeded up some seriously steep climbs. Holding mini climbing competitions, Jack was the all-terrain winner again! Pete second.

At the end is an old hunting lodge and then an ATV/ Snowmobile trail heads off into the wild of Plattekill Mountain. Most cyclists would consider the trail to be MTB only, but our cross bikes were plenty adequate and a lot of fun too. The trail was technical and holding a steady climb with some steep thrown in for some quick spinning.

I top out at a small grassy patch which I found was a trail intersection and wait for Pete and Jack. There were signs pointing 3 different ways. We follow the sign for Plattekill. From that point we hiked our bikes until we started seeing ribbon tape for course marking at the mountain. We pop out onto a ski slope and Pete proceeds upward. I've always had the notion to downhill slopes at a ski center, but here we were climbing a slope. And we climbed. And we climbed. Eventually we topped out at a chair lift dump, but it wasn't running. The views from up there were staggering. We dreamed of having some bad-ass downhill MTBikes and hitting the trails one of these days. After some visual fill, we proceed onward and upward to the next chairlift which was running. Again, killer views. MTBikers heading down for some wild rides. We decided this was where we should start looking for the link to that old logging trail we where eyeing on the aerials. Pete has come up from the logging road before, but with a spider web of single track trails for the bikes at Plattekill, this was proving to be not so easy.

I questioned Pete's call on every trail he turned down because we went down some steep head walls that were pretty grown in. I thought maybe bikers at the mountain would have a trail well used to link up, but no such trail exists as far as we could tell. So down we went.

After fully sacrificing ourselves to the briers (see pictures), we came upon the logging road. And it was fun. Now we were on the backside of the mountain and OUT THERE. This is not where you would want to get hurt or break your bike, or some other sort of bad luck. I kept saying I can't believe none of us flatted yet considering all the briers we rolled over an the "Mountain Bike" terrain.

Pete yells to me, "We lost Jack". So we wait. And wait. Finally I turn around to see what's up and he's walking his bike up the trail. I thought this was finally the first flat. He tells us no flat. Instead, he's starting to cramp up, bad. Pete and I proceed to share what we can of our sports drinks and I give him a Cliff gel. Seems to help and we keep moving.

By this point we have been through some serious terrain together with some required team work and consensus decisions. Many people are not equipped physically or mentally to handle a true epic. But with each hurdle came a clearer picture at the positive attitude the group kept. It's always assuring knowing your with a good team, and it makes the while even that much more worth it.

So with fun smiles, we rode out along the logging road, which eventually spit us out on Mountain Brook Road. Mountain Brook provided one last blast of a high speed dirt downhill. We knew the worst was behind us and the pavement at the bottom offered a smooth final few miles back to Pete's. Pete took an alternate dirt route, and Jack and I took turns at some up-tempo pulls into some STRONG headwinds.

When we got back, Jack's wife was there waiting for us with a camera to capture our moment. To bad we didn't have a camera for all our back country adventures. I didn't think to much about how much of an adventure we were on while out there. But rehashing the day with everyone let it sink in how much of an adventure it really was. And like a fine wine, that day just keeps getting better with every day that passes. Viva la Catskills!

Totals: 31.87 miles, 3:18:39 hours, 9.6 Avg Speed, 6842 ft Total Climbing

Think Different. Think Harder

For all you rebels out there, this ones for you!

Tear'n it @ Plattekill Bike Park

It's fall. It's going to get cold. The critters are working hard to stockpile their winter storehouses, and you should be working hard at getting your sorry ass over to Plattekill Bike Park in Roxbury, NY before the snow covers up their bad ass singletrack.

Check out this chest cam shoot from the last race this past weekend.

Don't be shy. Call them up (607.326.3500) or email them with any questions and get out there!

And if you're not an extreme Mountain Biker, you will be after they set you up in no time with a bike, gear, and a few lessons so you can shred some trails with other newbies.

Finally, when they kick you out, you can do it all over again on your snowboard or skis. Also, keep your eye out for some spring time road races and charity rides in the Roxbury / Margaretville area this coming spring!

Tour of the Catskills Post Race - Day 3

Ok, NOW the road season is officially over. It's been looong, but a lot of fun! Can't think of a better Grand Finale than an event like the Tour of the Catskills. Like a true tour, racers had to complete each stage and also do it in 40% of the leaders time, before moving on to the next.

Saturday was a strong day for me. I put a lot out there, but with back-to-back training during the later half of the summer, I knew what was possible for me on Sunday. So my plan was to push the pace yet again and see who could keep up. After watching the Cat5 ("Not me up front")shenanigans, I decided I might just sit in and see what type of tactics NY Velo City's captain worked out. This guy was barking orders at everyone all day on Saturday, and was quick to do the same thing on Sunday. He really pissed me off when he was telling me, "You might not want to do that tuck you do". I ask why, he tells me, "It's unstable, and you don't gain much from it". At that point I had some choice words for him and wrote him off as a clown. So I decided to suck his particular wheel for the next 25 miles.

The pace was relatively easy all day. There were only two major climbs; one in the beginning and the last monster (23A) at the end. Keeping pace with the pack was easy. There were a lot of unattached/novice riders who wanted nothing to do with the BS tactics a lot of racers were dealing with in the pack. They kept creeping off the front no matter what happened behind. They even put some real gaps on.

On the descent down 23 out of Tannersville, I used my "unstable" tuck and bridged a half mile gap to 4 guys with barely any pedaling, solo. Seeing this as a possible threat, the pack put on the heat to catch us. They did and we all rode together along Game Farm Rd. The unattached still kept going at their own pace. Strong riders were getting fidgety in the pack, and there was one big guy (#503) who basically pulled and never looked back. He picked up the pace and another guy ("Red" #522) and I hopped on. Because of all the obnoxious tactics they were dealing with each other, the pack let us go and we developed some real distance. On Bogart Rd, we picked up "Capo". He was riding strong up ahead all day and between the four of us, we had a real breakaway group that could put some hurt on. And we did.

We entered Palenville and rounding the bend, we saw a NY Velo City guy who broke way early for a solo win, sitting on the corner wrapping up a tire. He flatted. He was a cool guy and a good racer, but my first thought was "Karma, dude" for being on that team.

It was "Red" and I who started up the climb. There may have been 1-2 riders up ahead of us because there was no pace car. We cranked together. It was good having a wheel to keep with and visa verse. Just before the hairpin at the waterfalls, we were passed by maybe 6 riders. They shot up that hill like they were on EPO. The day before I was passed by a guy who rode up 23 super fast only to cramp up at the top. At this point, I was hoping for a repeat of that for all six. Didn't happen.

I climbed well and consistently. Eventually being overtaken by a real strong older guy in a helmet w/ a visor. He had a red rear tire and I repeated a mantra not to loose that red tire. In Haines Falls he got up to sprint a few times, and I lost him.

Now I was out there alone. The worst place to be. Particularly with a strong headwind from the West. At the end of Tannersville, there is a nice hill. At the top, there was a great guy (spectator) yelling to me I'm 1:30 minute behind "visor". My current position was 10th. I was hoping I could hold it, but I knew the few rollers ahead, and if I had to do it solo, I would probably be caught. Which I was, by 3 guys heading down to the Rt 214 junction. Then 2 more. I was expecting to be dropped on the final two hills up and over into Hunter, and then they all slowed. So I was still on! I knew if I could get over this hill, I could do some damage.

We topped out and rotated quickly to try and catch "visor" up ahead. I was doing the math on the rotations and it was working out perfectly for me for a sprint finish. Then suddenly, all rotating stopped and it got a little chaotic. We were zooming down Main St. Hunter and I can now see the finish ahead. There was a cross walk about 100m back from the line, and I thought that would be a good place to go. But seeing everyone getting jumpy, I went for it about another 50m from there. Power to the pedals baby! I didn't have a challenger, winning by 100ft or so.

My final placement was 10th. Right were I was when that guy was yelling at me on the Tannersville hill. I was 5 minutes back from 1st. Can't complain.

After it's all over, it's clear that this race is the real deal. It's a matter of survival and a lot of luck. I can't wait for next year!

Tour of the Catskills Post Race - Day 2

Even after a friends visiting and a few sips of Ommegang Abbey Ale, I got to bed at a reasonable hour. Didn't feel like waking at 7am, but felt better after a bowl of cereal and cup of green tea. Took the ritual supplements and headed out the door into a 34 degree morning and drove up to Windham Ski Mt. for registration. Once there, getting ready was tenuous. My body kept telling me, "get back in the warm car!". Finally put it all together and headed out for a warm up.

Saw my buddy Pete pull up (slightly late in my opinion). Met up with him for the roll out and talked about tactics we decided on after pre-riding the course. All relatively well and slow until we pulled into Prattsville where the turn onto Rt10 was, and the 14 mile climb began. We knew this was were the race could be won or lost, so we decided we would turn on the heat for the whole climb and see who could keep up.

We made the turn onto Rt 10 and the hill is looking right at you. We proceed up the hill in a nice pack and Pete and I start moving out left as to not get blocked in on the climb. About 2/3rds way up the main head wall, Pete's gears start clicking an clacking. I look down to see his chain starting to come off his small chain ring. He pedals backward about 1/3 of a revolution and saves it. I cheer for his success and proceed to work on the climb, when all of a sudden, CRUNCH! Sounded like his chain went off into his spokes. I kept climbing figuring as long as he didn't break or bend any spokes, he'd be back with me in short order.

At the top of the climb I'm at the front of the pack. I keep looking back for his bright yellow jersey. I look way back and see one, so I thought he was back with the pack. With Pete's skill, he'd be back with me in the climbs ahead, so I hammer consistently. Hill after hill. After hill. I look back now and then; pack drifting back. I see no Pete. Look back later. No Pete. Figured he might have broke some spokes and would have a wheel replacement at some point.

In the interim, I was working to keep my 2 minute lead over the pack. I've never been leading a race, particularly on a gruesome 14 mile climb. Having the pace car ahead of me was the best target a racer can ask for. I passed a bunch of spectators who looked astonished (considering the task) and cheered me on. Coming up on the feed zone, I knew my wife was waiting for me. It felt great to be the first one there and lots of cheers never hurts either.

Shortly after the feed zone, there are two final steep climbs. When it leveled out up top, I was busted. They caught me. Luckily it's a Wiley descent from there with beautiful views of the mountains to your right. I hung on for the intense pace when we reached the bottom and thought I might loose the pack at one point.

Finally we reached 23 where we climb back up into Windham. There was a large group that started the climb. Maybe 20-25 racers. The pace was mellow at first but was growing steadily faster. The winds were strong and I could only hold on so long. The group started to split up and I eventually fell off. There are some great climber out there, and a route like 23 lets them shine. Kudos to the kids up front. I was working hard out in no man's land with those ahead of me about 100-150 yards ahead. I lost them when I topped out and time trialed with strong head winds to the finish. Looking back on the climb and the flats to the finish, there was no one.

In the end, I placed 15th; 7 minutes back from 1st.

My buddy Pete was cheering me on one of the final turns. I knew then he didn't finish. Come to find out, his chain broke. Worse yet, when it did, it splayed the links wide open, so the chain couldn't get through the pulleys on the derailleur. His power bent the derailleur up and over the frame cracking it in the process.

If we could have raced according to plan, we could have put some serious hurt on people. And ourselves.

Tour of the Catskills Post Race - Day 1

Last year I missed out on the tour, but this year, these would be my last races as a Cat5, and it was just great. Like a true multi-day tour, you had to complete each stage to proceed to the next. And, you had to finish within 40% of the leaders time. Here's a little recap from the seat of number 540 in the 5A group.

Day 1 - Prologue Time Trial - Friday, Sept 18th

Cloudy and cold. Drizzle here and there with a lot of wind. Time Trial start was a little precarious because it was set up on Main Street in Tannersville. 3pm with buses, hwy trucks, and folks getting home. The traffic was well controlled, but a bit tricky for warm-up.

Waiting for my number to be called, I noticed a LOT of racers missing. Either they were scared off by the weather, bit off more than they thought they could handle, or couldn't get off work on Friday. Who knows, but I was up quicker than I thought. Kudos to one of Teany's (Tea-NY) owners. He was offering seat hold for the start.
So there I was, cued up and ready to go. Because of missing riders, there was a gap between me and the previous dude who left. The Ref said to me, "well, you can go really fast and still not catch someone. So listening to the seconds count down, I was off. Good start, fast acceleration, clicking up gears two at a time. I round the corner to climb a short but wicked steep hill. I'm cranking up it, and my right shoe violently un clips. Mother f*%er I yell. I try to re clip, no luck. Again, no luck. I tried keeping it together just stepping on the pedal, but my shoe kept slipping because of the hard gear I was in from my rocket start. I actually had to stop, shift to a lower gear, and re clip.
By now it felt like an eternity, but in reality, it was probably 15-20 seconds lost.
Angry, I was hammering up the remain 450ft of elevation. At that point I didn't event care if I blew the engine. Surprisingly, I didn't. I saw a guy way up ahead and worked hard to close the gap. I closed it about half way by the finish.
Finished in the middle of the pack (15th with 9:19 - link to be posted here). I then went and tightened my cleats.

CX season has arrived in style at Brewery Ommegang! OCTOBER 4th

The wind has officially started blowing the falling leaves around. The mornings make you thank god for hot coffee. And sooner than we expect, we'll be rolling our eyes about when spring will be back. But before we get carried away, we need to remember that some of the best cycling is still to be had. This year once again, Team SCARR/Ommegang is putting on their Cyclocross event at the Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY. Belgium is where CX was created, and this will be as close as you'll ever get this side of the pond! Not to mention Cooperstown is one of the coolest places upstate.

Click on the flyer to get a blow-up view, and go here to register!

This is going to be a great day of fun. There's something for everyone, and if you play your cards right, you can race in at least 2 races or more! No video games here, just junior fields. So bring'em out and get'em hooked while you can!

There will be excellent Belgian Beer of course. But the first 90 to sign up get a "CX@Brewery Ommegang" pint glass. We'll also have The Herbs showing up so you can enjoy some good tunes with your frothy brew.

Check it out! And sign up!

Also, don't forget, Critz Farms Kermis this coming Saturday for all you Central NY kids. Sign up!

For info, contact: Greg Drumm (the one and only) gwdgo2@aol.com

Ready as I'll ever be

Ok, if you've been reading, I've been riding. Not as much as I would like to be, but I've been out there turnin-um-ova. I even competed in a small race out in Montrose, PA this past weekend as a gauge on where I am (Apple Fest Race). If you haven't done it, sign up next year. It's a great little event in a cozy little PA farm town. Finally, I finished with a half decent placement coming in 7th.

What strikes me though is how I'm able to climb lately. I've been working on shedding pounds all summer, so that has something to do with it. But I think the best advances come from a steady dose of intense miles and having friends that enjoy a good torturing up some serious mountain passes. But I have no illusions about it. I still have a long way to go.

During the event I was able to set a mindful pace and pass 3-4 riders on the long climb back into town. This was a good feeling for me as I'm usually the one getting passed. After the event my teammate Corey was up for another 20+ mile ride. He wanted to take me along some back-woods dirt farm roads. I've never been afraid of dirt on my road bike, so we tacked on another 32 miles of hill after hill, and view after view, of beautiful Susquehanna County, PA.

The real bummer about this coming weekend is that my team is hosting a CX event (Critz Farms Kermis CX) up in Cazanovia, NY this weekend. I want to be there for the race and to show support, but instead I'll be pushing the limits of my existence for 3 days here in my back yard.

If I survive, maybe I'll have enough energy left to write about it.

Hump'n it!

So the great Tour of the Catskills is the weekend after next, and I'm anxious about the moment of truth. Anxious because I know there will be a load of riders who will make me look like a marshmallow, and anxious because I've been lucky enough to ride the miles of the courses over the past two weekends.

My buddy Pete did the race last year. I was turned off by the price. I later regretted it, and I was one of the first to sign up this year. He said it was incredibly hard, and he's a fairly good rider. Not much of a racer, so his strong point isn't tactics. Pete's mainly a Tri geek and is good at all three disciplines for the Triathlons. But man, on a bike, that boy put the hammer down when he needs to.

So the weekend before last he calls me up to drag me out for a pre-ride. After a bit of debating which loop we would do first, we eventually rolled out from my place here in Big Indian for a 16 mile and 2000ft elevation hook-up with the loop. We decided on the Sunday loop out of, and back into Hunter, NY. I had recently put on a bike race (Big Indian Epic Road Race) and had been sleeping little for a few nights prior with my little girl being sick; not to mention I was basically starving myself to shed those last two pounds. So I started out the 84 mile trip with a bit of trepidation. At first I felt great, but about 35-40 miles in, I could feel the slurping of the empty tank. I ate, but it didn't help. I realized I was way past the point of return. The remaining miles seemed like an eternity. Particularly the final major climb up Katerskill Clove on Rt 23A. These are extreme loops with some serious elevation laid out for this event. I never felt so empty. Ever.

Anyway, my heart was still beating at the end of the ride, and after consuming everything in sight, I was able to reasonably recover. And I did. We decided we would do the other loop the following weekend the same way, adding the 32 additional miles and the extra elevation out and back from Big Indian.

This past weekend we met nice and early. After a week of recovery riding, I was happy to have my legs back. We headed out the same way and decided we would roll a bit easier this time. And we did . . . for a while. But any rider knows the edge is where we like to dwell. So in short order we were cranking right along and covering some ground.

An odd thing happened when we were riding along, and two other riders where pulling up from behind right at the main climb on Rt 10 out of Prattsville. At the top, we waited for them to catch up and tried some small talk, but they seemed to be self-absorbed and rode on ahead. We rode behind them for a while watching them work frantically to pull away. Pete and I are fairly strong riders here in the Catskills and it was amusing to watch 2 riders burn themselves out on terrain we knew would eat them alive at the rate they were headed. After a mile or two we decided to end our entertainment and get to work. We lost them along Rt 10 not long after and didn't see them again until 45 minutes after ordering food in Windham.

The first weekend I forgot to bring my GPS along, but I guessed we did 8000+ft of elevation. This past weekend I brought it and indeed we covered 84.62 miles and climbed 8271ft of elevation. We did it all with an average speed of 17.2 mph. Not bad for a couple of marshmallows, eh?

1st Annual Big Indian Epic Road Race - August 29th 2009

Wow! Despite rain conditions left over from the hurricane scat that rolled along the East Coast last weekend, The Big Indian Epic Road Race went off without a hitch. We had a small bunch of riders who planned to show no matter what Mother Nature had in store. After all, they were prepared for an Epic. And prepared they were. Here's a post-event recap:

Steve Hoelter wins the 2009 Big Indian Epic Road Race on August 29th! Following a day of drizzle and a course that was punishing to say the least, Steve Hoelter (Hurley, NY / Hudson Valley Velodrome) scored his first year victory in the men’s field. Hoelter clocked a winning time of 1:01:38 to best second-place-finisher David Wright (Tillson, NY) by a little less than 3 minutes, while Boucher Pool (New York, NY / Bicycling Magazine) finished third. Lisa Gizzarelli was the sole woman racer and finished with a default first place and clocked a winning time of 1:18:44 The Big Indian Epic is a brutal 20.5 mile course which includes a sustained 11 mile ascent that grows gradually harder. The climb tops out onto a packed dirt road that has a gnarly 1.5 mile dirt descent. The race was made possible by the following sponsors: Team SCARR/Ommegang, The Emerson Resort & Spa, The Catskill Heritage Alliance, Ulster Savings, Bread Alone Bakery, Frost Valley YMCA, Overlook Mountain Bikes, Catskills Live, Catskill Mt. Physical Therapy, Brewery Ommegang, & The Catskill Center for Conservation & Development. Race proceeds go toward children playground equipment. The 2010 Big Indian Epic Road Race is scheduled to return to Big Indian in August 2010.
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I think a lot of racers were confused or turned off by our "no attack descent". There was a bit of bitching in the bike racing world about why we would list it that way, but in the end, those riders really missed out on a great event. No rider "attacked" on the descent because there was typically no one around to attack. Being a serious hill climb, the field is pretty well split up by that point. But for safety, especially for a first year event, we had to advertise it that way.

Also, despite the fact that some local nay-sayers were thoroughly convinced racers would be crashing and hurting themselves left and right, we didn't even have one flat. We had the course thoroughly marked with signage, paint, and marshals. We also gave out very stern warnings before the start about how dangerous a sketchy descent can be, and if one wants to finish, we advised not to take unnecessary risks on the descent.

I was a bit concerned about the wet conditions for the steep 1.5 mile descent though. But after asking racers if they had any braking difficulty, and none did, I was happy to hear it.

I'd like to thank all of our volunteers who made this event possible. They did an incredible job and many of the racers commented on how well everyone did. As any promoter knows, we couldn't do it without them. To: Heather Roberts, Tina Rice, Marty Gailes, Charlie Frazier, Becky Maning, Laurie Frazier, Vinnie Walace, David Rainbird, Steve Oles, Lynn Oles, Erin, Gene George, Shandaken Police Dept, Ulster County Sheriff Office, and of course my Super Woman wife and sweet little girl, THANK YOU!

We're really looking forward to next years fun. Keep your eyes on BikeReg.com for August 2010!
Photos courtesy of Joanne Barham: http://joannebarham.com/

Big Indian Epic Road Race - August 29th 2009

On August 29th, the Town of Shandaken Parks and Recreation Committee will be hosting it's first annual Big Indian Epic Road Race. It's Epic not for it's distance, but for the mountainous terrain. The course starts off with a 3 mile slight descent warm up, and then proceeds with an 11 mile, 1300ft of almost continuous climbing. There is a wall that begins at mile 10.5 (on Birch Creek Rd) that progresses to 8+% grade and lasts for about 1 mile.

When topped out (on Upper Birch Creek Rd), the pavement ends and the dirt section begins. This is a beautiful section of the course. It is basically back-country on a mountaintop. The forest is dense and it has a real "out there" feeling. This is a very lightly used road. There is a small 1/4 mile section that may be a bit rough. The course then comes down the back side of mountain on Gooding Road. This is where the "Epic" part comes in. Gooding Road is somewhat famous for it's looooonnng descent. And it's dirt. And it's steep in sections. We have assigned a "NO ATTACK" area to this section of the course. Many of our marshals will be located along this descent instructing riders to use caution. Those who decide to push too hard on this part of the course risk loosing the race entirely. This is not where you would want to gamble your placement.

At the bottom of Gooding Road are two quick hairpins, and you pop out onto Rt 42. This is where you will be able to make up any ground lost. It is a good descent for 3 miles and turns onto old Rt 28 for another 3 miles of gradual incline along the Esopus Creek. Those with any gas left will win the race in this last 6 miles.

This is going to be a great event for those looking for an exciting course with a real challenge. This is not a course for the occasional rider. I would have a few races under my belt before tackling the Epic. But for the racer who is ready to test their mettle, this will be a fun one.

You can register at BikeReg here: http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=8932

Course route here: http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/ny/-big-indian/807124645328035598

Hey, we need volunteers too! Call Mike at 845.688.1503 or email catskillscycling@gmail.com to volunteer. There may even be some goodies for your service!

The Belleayre Mt. Hill Challenge

Wow, what a day we had at Belleayre Ski Center on May 23rd!  With the help of a few great sponsors, Belleayre was able to put together a small endourance event called the "Triple Crown".  It was a morning of Kayaking, a mid day Mountain Bike Hill Challenge Drag Race, and an afternoon of tricksters in a late season Snow Park Rail Jam. 

At first I thought this event seemed a little hokey.  But as the day went

on, I came to find out it was a pretty cool thing, and with the right

 commitment, could grow into a pretty popular event.

I only participated in the Mountain Bike Hill Climb.  I was only about a 200m climb, but it was straight up.  Talk about VO2 max!  There was a small turn out for the kayak and bike event (probably because of equipment more than anything), but there were loads of kids with family who showed for the Rail Jam.  It was very odd to see people riding rails in the snow with full green grass and leaves on the trees.  

Keep your eye out for next years event.  I would highly recomend it to anyone looking for something to do the weekend it's held.  You can rent Kayaks and Bikes from Outback Adventures in Big Indian if you don't have them.

Lastly, please know that all photos were provided by our local photographer extrordinaire, Franz Edlinger (http://gocatskills.com/).  Please contact him for all of your photo needs.  He is

 extremely tallented and fun to work with!  More photos of the day can be found here.

2nd Annual Tour of the Catskills!

Thanks to the hard work of Dieter Drake (President of NYSBRA and NYS tour promoter extraordinaire) and his dedicated team of officials and volunteers, along with the coordination of both Hunter and Windham Chambers of Commerce, the Catskill Region will be holding its second annual Tour of the Catskills http://www.tourofthecatskills.com .  

Unfortunately I did not get to participate last year, but from the many who did (over 125), almost everyone was eager to see it return this year.  Some said it needed a time trial, so the promoters added one for this year, now making the Tour a 3 day event.  I heard one person describe it as 

"up hill both ways", which is pretty much status quo for the Catskill Region.

The truth is, this event is scheduled perfectly for those looking to see what dividend

s a summer's worth of training and racing will pay.  The men's pro teams will push it for a whopping 169 miles over 3 days.  Everyone else will grind through 107 serious miles.  With a large interest throughout the cycling clubs, this event is going to fill fast.  If you would be a first time / one day racer (category 5), you may want to register today.  Category 4-5 fill will fill to the limit very quickly.  Register today here:  BikeReg.com

I'd love to see this event grow even larger by reaching out beyond Hunter and

Windham to create a true Tour of the Catskills.  Maybe a 4 or 5 day event covering a wide area of the Catskill Park. 

This event is guaranteed to be harder than you imagined it would be!

Margaretville Peak-n-Ride Event Recap

It turned out to be a great day for some great rides and help raise some funds for our Catskill Area Hospice http://cahpc.org/.  There were rides from 12 to 104 miles.  The 12 & 24 mile loops were geared mainly for families and beginner/novice riders.  However, the courses were no less beautiful than the others.  There were also 54, 75, and 104 miles loops and some serious riders showed and took the challenge of Catskill Mountain terrain with grace. 

The courses were challenging and just as rewarding.  

The views were spectacular and it was great to cover some ground

where we saw little to no traffic.  There were wide mountain

 meadows with dairy farms and hoarse stables tucked in them.   The roads were in fairly good shape and many were in prime condition.  However, We had 2 accidents on Saturday with one narrowly avoiding being serious.  One rider took a serious spill on a fast decent.  We are suspecting a loose skewer as the factor.

Luckily, medics only had to stitch up some major lacerations after being sent to the hospital for

a thorough exam.  Another rider 

took a spill crossing a sharp angled set of RR Tracks.  All other riders made it back safe with only sore muscles to nurse.

Over 100 riders showed and came from as far as Philadelphia, 

Washington DC, and NYC.  Not only did our dollars go to benefit the hospice, but thanks to the wonderful sponsorship that pitched in, we were treated to a chicken dinner meal and event t-shirts when we returned.  There was great music provided by The Blues Maneuver (local cover band).  The event had kids and families in

mind by providing a coloring contest, paper mural, along with other cycling activities planned for the tykes. 

Catskill Mountain Outback (local adventure business http://www.catskilloutback.com/) showed up with kayaks for guided trips down the East Branch of the Delaware River that runs through Margaretville.  They also showed up with a local mountain bike and trail builder legend, Tim Quilty.  He brought bike repair tools and stand and provided free main

tenance for riders who showed.  

So next year should be just as good

 and probably better.  I urge anyone who enjoys a good time on a bike to show up and meet some great people in a great place.  

Check back in with the blog often to see what's coming up this summer!

Life as an Ommegangster

For the past several years I have been considering joining a local cycling club/team, since racing is a blast and having team members to look out for during the events make it just a bit more fun.  There are several clubs out there, but many of the local ones are typically set up by varying bike shops with a few buddies and are really not looking for any new members.  There are other clubs that are downright serious about racing and results, but in many ways can be somewhat pretentious.   And then I could always keep racing "unattached" (without a club) like a lot of guys do, and be just fine.

So I looked around at all the possible options.  I got applications and made phone calls.  I wrote out checks and clipped them to applications.  But I just couldn't bring myself to mail them.  It was harder than I thought because there was no real connection besides racing.

But then I remembered seeing bike jerseys on the wall at the Ommegang Brewery in Cooperstown, NY http://www.ommegang.com/.  I could definitely form a connection to anyone who drinks Ommegang Beer!  In fact my daughter was born in Cooperstown and my child on the way will be born there in October.  

So I googled the club and found they were based out of the Syracuse region.  I thought this was a bit odd, but emailed Greg Drumm (team leader) and he was happy with letting me join.  So I did.

Now I come to find out that Team SCARR/Ommegang is comprised of riders based throughout NY.  Everywhere from Syracuse to Binghamton to Big Indian, NY.  Better yet, they are a serious motley crew that live up to their sponsorship.  So I feel sort of struck gold with choosing a team to race with.

Check us out here http://www.teamscarr.com/  and here http://www.scarr-ommegang.blogspot.com/ , and drink Ommegang Beer!

Rt 28's Economic Stimulus - Push for printed lanes!

Rt 28 (a major artery through the Catskill Park) is finally on the list for improvements thanks to the Economic Stimulus Package recently approved by congress.  The improvements are targeted for a majority of the Ulster County length.  I can not stress how important this is for our area in terms of non-motorized economic development, and for cyclists in general.  Our shoulders have been crumbling for years with little to no effort to even slow the deterioration.  Local citizens have been crying foul for years now, and our government representatives may have continued to look the other way and twiddle their thumbs had this stimulus package never happened. 

Because bike lanes do not print themselves, now is the time for the citizens of Shandaken to organize and stress how we need them printed by the NYDOT on the shoulders of our roads (pictures are examples of how simple this is to do).  This would be wonderful to happen everywhere, but there is no excuse why it should not be policy, written within the NYDOT manuals as a mandate within our Catskill and Adirondack Parks. 

Please contact me today to see how you can help NYDOT move toward transportation safety of all vehicles and not just automobiles.      catskillscycling@gmail.com

The long over-due Catskill Mountain Rail-Trail

Ulster County residents and particularly residents from the towns of Shandaken, Olive, and beyond are asking, "why is this rail line overgrown, when it would be a perfect rail-trail for the citizens to use?"  Especially since it is owned by the people of Ulster County, and leased by a small rail company doing little with it.  Well here goes on a simplified version of why . . . .

_____________________

Facts in favor of rail-trail advocates

Fact:  Catskill Mountain RaiRoad's 25 year lease is up for renewal / renegotiation in 2016, and if the People of Ulster County are not serious about making unused portions of this line a rail-trail, it will most likely succumb to a renewed leased with CMRR and is again likely continue to be undeveloped, unmaintained, and underutilized. 

Fact:  To date, CMRR (after 17 years of leasing the line) is running a train on a mere 7 miles of the 38.5 miles of track that are under lease from Ulster County.

Fact:  Rt. 28 was developed by the NYSDOT over 50 years ago to essentially bypass each hamlet along the Esopus Valley and beyond to speed the transfer of goods and services.  Since that time, and because of this fact, the local economic base of many of those hamlets has been on a steady downward spiral.  The Ulster County Rail Line is the only real link between each hamlet and has the ability to create an economic Renaissance should it be developed for recreational tourism.

Fact:  The lease from Ulster County with CMRR requires CMRR to restore 1 mile of track per year of lease.  It seems like it was written this way to have CMRR restore 25 miles of track by the time the lease was up.  This would be a noble achievement had it been done.  However, the lease says nothing about restoring the same 1 mile of track per year, so it seems like CMRR has found a loophole in their contract (I have not seen the contract specifically, but from those who have, this is what I have come to understand.  If allowable, I will post a copy here when I receive a copy first hand).  

Facts in favor of CMRR advocates:

Fact: CMRR deserves credit and respect for filing for lease and organizing in favor of revitalizing and preserving a length of the old Ulster & Delaware Railroad Line long before anyone else was interested in it.  Most cyclists and rail-trail advocates sometimes overlook this fact.

Fact:  CMRR is a for profit company.  Besides operating a tourist train excursion (the way they do now), CMRR also had plans to haul freight for the Esopus Creek Valley.  This would have been yet another noble achievement had it come to fruition.

Fact:  CMRR is now under considerable pressure regarding their rail line and with their contract up in 7 years, the future of CMRR is somewhat uncertain.  Since trail development has exploded in the US, rail advocates argue to leave this line for it's historical aspect.  They argue the cost benefit doesn't add up with removing yet another stretch of line for trail.

______________________

So these are very few of the simple facts about the Ulster County Rail Line and basically holds favor to those who would like to see a rail-trail where there is now unused rail line (hence, Central Catskills Cycling).

So with that, Ulster County has a group of people advocating for a rail-trail and a private railroad company fighting to move forward with their own ambitions, never mind the ambitions of other interests.  So what the "Feasibility Study" has come up with is developing a plan based on a current buzz word in the Rail-Trail community.  It's called "Rail-With-Trail".  So rail-with-trail is the recommendation, even if it's highly "unfeasible".  Rail-with-trail is typically found in what were once highly developed rail road areas (The Hudson Valley and areas of Kingston for example).  "Rail-with-trail" is "feasible" typically in places where there are/were two or more sets of parallel track lines.  Usually one or more of these lines became unused based on the decline of the rail industry.  Many times at least one of these sets of lines is still used by rail, but the others are a waste essentially.  So turning a line into trail is excellent because it affords alternative use with all the proper clearances, etc. 

So for our rail line along the Esopus Creek, this idea is almost laughable.  If you don't know, this area is a very mountainous region.  Our valleys are not wide and sweeping, they are very narrow.  Because of this, much of the rail line is built on "high berm" rail bed.  This means it falls off steeply on both sides of the rail.  If it's not high berm, it is usually very close to a mountain or stream with little tolerance and/or cut into the side of a mountain.  Because of this, there is very little room with adequate clearance for "Rail With Trail".  But the "Feasibility Study" has an answer for this.  It recommends building up much of the rail bed to essentially build another rail bed next to an existing one.  Now, in theory, this idea can probably make sense somehow.  But in reality, this is an incredibly stupid idea.  The costs associated with this plan would make it "UNFEASIBLE".  The idea of rail-trails is to turn unused portions of rail bed into trail, not to build a rail bed as a trail.  

So this brings us to where we are today.  Which is the eve (not literally) of the lease expiration (2016), and two separate interests vying for one rail line.  Again, advocates of the rail-trail have prodded Ulster County to use its newly designated MTA designation to develop a feasibility study for the right-of -way based on the two opposing views.  Alta Planning (the company who put the study together) came up with a plan to give everything to both sides regardless of what's actually feasible.  Essentially, they take the wish list of both groups and try mashing them together without demanding that either make some hard sacrifices.  And thus, eliminating the "feasibility" aspect of the Feasibility Study.  The final study should more appropriately be named "The Wish List Of Two Opposing Groups Study" since it gives no real examples of how each group can get from point A to point B collectively.  

Personally, I feel Catskill Mountain Railroad should be able to develop as much of the line that they "feasibly" can.  This is essentially from Kingston to Phoenicia.  Much of this section of the line is still very intact and maintained fairly well.  From Phoenicia to Highmount (Belleayre Ski Center) much of the track has trees growing between the rails that are up to 8" in diameter.  Since much of this section of line is in the steeper sections of the mountains, it runs very close to the Esopus Creek and therefore, has many places were bridges and/or tracks are seriously compromised for rail travel.  So this makes a rail line as currently pursued relatively "unfeasible" and a trail very much "feasible" for this half of the line.  But you won't find this sort of basic understanding in the "Feasibility Study" put out by Ulster County and Alta Planning.  And because of this, the "feasibility" of working together to get something real accomplished is very much "unfeasible".  

So what really needs to happen is for Ulster County Legislators to get serious about the cost benefit ratio regarding the investment we have made in purchasing this line.  When Ulster County purchased this line from the U&D railroad, and even when it signed a lease with Catskill Mountain Railroad, there was very little advocacy for Rail-Trails.  The idea was still in its infancy and the economic and quality-of-life benefits were rarely considered.  Now we have overwhelming facts on both tourist rail lines as well as rail-trails.  To blend the two would be a win/win for our communities and our county as a whole.  Ulster County needs to take all the studies and interest groups with a grain of salt, and get down to good solid decision making. 

So please contact me if you are interested in forming an alternative advocacy group regarding this rail trail project.  As you can see, I feel fresh input regarding this issue is well overdue.  

A copy of the feasibility study can be found here:  http://www.co.ulster.ny.us/planning/uctc/projects/rtrail/rail_exec.pdf

A copy of the Ulster County Non-Motorized Transportation Plan can be found here:  http://www.co.ulster.ny.us/planning/bikeped.html#doc

Notice how little representation there is for the Town of Shandaken (one of the largest towns in the county, and a huge part of Ulster County's portion of the Catskill Forest Preserve)

Hey, I'm Official!

Let me first start by saying that NYSBRA (New York State Bicycle Racing Association, link found in list to right) is an incredibly amazing organization and is doing, and has the power to do some great things for cycling here in NYS.  Kudos to those guys and their very hard work.

Today I just got back from an Officials Course offered by Alan Atwood via NYSBRA / USA Cycling.  The course is a little tough, but pretty straight forward.  The test is an open book exam and it covers Road/MTB/Track/Cyclocross (all found on USAC website).  With passing, I am licensed as Level C official, and I now have the power to help officiate cycling events (of the 4 disciplines) in and around the Catskill Region which in turn helps promote cycling in general.

If you are not a cyclist, but love the sport of cycling and would appreciate an opportunity to support the sport and be paid for it, become an official.  If you are a cyclist, become an official.  If you have children who love cycling, become an official.  If you know someone who loves cycling and you want to be as cool as them, become an official.  You'll be part of something with a long history and a very bright future.

Rapha passes through my home town . .

 . . and I didn't even know it until I found this link http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.rapha.cc/continental/images/dsharp_rapha_catskills_029.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.rapha.cc/continental/index.php%3Fpage%3D463&usg=__MMo21rcIKs4BSnwhGOwf6JRslm4=&h=489&w=480&sz=54&hl=en&start=15&sig2=FwTfYwnYK2u19mQ_DSVXFw&um=1&tbnid=JtvRK1tWKDGFlM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=128&ei=t1RxScA7yomZB8O40P8G&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbig%2Bindian%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

Big Indian is only part five of an eight part story / adventure by the Rapha team last year.  If you check out this ride in all 8 parts, you will get a great idea at what is possible as far as cycling here in the Catskill Mountains (minus the pretentious mentality of the article).  The photos of the Big Indian visit are a bit of a let down because this valley is one of the most beautiful in the entire park, and Rapha was only concerned with shooting its models.  Also, sounds like they got their asses kicked by our hills, and our corner store took the brunt of their dismay.

Hopefully you'll come to ride around to see for yourself.

Have you ridden the Catksill Scenic Trail?

Most likely not because you may not have known it even existed.  Thanks to the hard work of the Catskill Revitalization Corporation, Inc., based in Stamford, NY, we have this wonderful trail that truly lives up to it's name.  However, many people here in the Catskill Park are unaware of it, and almost all recreational visitors wouldn't know about it because it isn't marketed to it's potential. 

So I am hoping this blog can shed a little light on this wonderful trail to help everyone interested to get out there and enjoy it.  The Catskill Scenic Trail is a 19 mile rails-to-trails project.  It is covered nicely with a hard packed surface and has a mere 400ft elevation change from lowest to highest point (very rare for the Catskill Mountains).  And the best part is that the highest point is basically the mid-way point of the trail.

For official information, please see the wonderful website here:  http://catskillscenictrail.org/html/trail.html  

The Catskill Scenic Trail officially runs between the Hamlets of Bloomville and Grand Gorge.  However, you should know there is a section of this trail that runs between Roxbury, NY and Grand Gorge,  the views can be just as wonderful, but the trail is less maintained, can be hard to locate from the Hamlet of Roxbury, and has one small section just before Bloomville that has RR ties that you will need to walk your bike over.

Lastly, the best place to park when leaving the Hamlet of Grand Gorge for the trail head is at the BOCES School.  You can locate it by taking your first left after the ice cream place just out side of town on 23 West.  Make this left and you can't miss it.  The trail is just past the school.

Get out there!

Pine Hill Arms Triathlon 03.21.09

Just received a nice reminder from a good friend about posting some info on our annual Pine Hill Arms Triathlon event held at both Belleayre Ski Mountain and finishing within the Hamlet of Pine Hill, NY.  This is a wonderful event held every year and is very laid-back for those looking to dust off a pair of  legs from the long winter.  Typically the race has nice and sunny early spring weather, and the start time caters to warmer temps during mid day.

Spectators sipping beer is not unheard of, and racers sipping beer at the finish line isn't either.  Local yokels running along side top athletes (albeit very briefly) is what this event is all about.  In fact, for the past several years we have been blessed with the presence of some very friendly Iron Men and Iron Women in attendance.

You will be hard pressed to find a triathlon this unique.  So if you live within 4 hours of this event, you should be here!

Please see info just below, and feel free to email me with any questions . . . 

Pine Hill Arms Triathlon   http://www.belleayre.com/winter/racing/raceevt.htm
March 21, 2009
A challenging 15.5 mile triathlon of ski-bike-run! The triathlon includes a 2.5 mile ski, 10 mile bike and a 3 mile run, and there are individual and team categories. The fee is $50 per racer if you pre-register and $55 per racer if you register on race day. All racers must pick up their bibs and be registered by 11:30 am. Pre-Race meeting and Group Photo is at 12:15. Registration takes place at the Longhouse Lodge at Belleayre Mountain, and the race promptly starts at 1:30pm from the top of the Tomahawk lift. Included in registration fee: Gourmet Bayou Buffet Dinner, Triathlon T-Shirt, and an after race party with live music and dancing.
For more information call the Pine Hill Arms at 845-254-4012 or log on to their website athttp://www.pinehillarms.com/catskills-events.php to download the race application.

Big Indian Road Race 08.29.09

On a hike to Balsam Lake Fire Tower today, I met two women who reminded me that I should be writing this post about our town's possible road race this summer.  So to them, here it is . . 

The Shandaken Parks and Recreation Committee, in coordination with the Shandaken Day Committee, is interested in hosting a Bicycle Road Race the morning of the Shandaken Day Festival on the 29th of August this year.  I am working out a few routes for committee's consideration (see links @ bottom for possible routes - updated periodically).

The town of Shandaken will be looking for volunteers to help promote and manage the event.  So please email me if you would like to volunteer or if you know someone who would like to volunteer. I can forward the info to the committee and I'm sure they would be delighted to have your help.  

We are looking at a sponsor banner for the Start/Finish line.  We would also like to promote business of the town via other prize promotions throughout the day at the festival.

Please check back often for updates along the way, and feel free to drop me an email of interest.  

Possible Route 1

Possible Route 2 (portions dirt)

NYSDEC Catskill Park Master Plan Regs

Ok, so earlier this year, in mid October, Frost Valley YMCA held its annual "Government Day" where local representatives and organizations show up to discuss regional issues regarding the area. This year we were blessed by the attendance of NYDEC Commissioner, Alexander B. Grannis. It was a real pleasure to listen to his speech regarding our park, but in many ways, it seemed like the same old script.

Within the last several years, there has been a real groundswell from the mountain bike community to have the DEC start moving its ass and get legal regulations printed in their Park Master Plan booklet they are required to revise or update every few years. So, in the NY bureaucratic style, the DEC went through the motions of allowing a public comment period regarding mountain biking in the Catskill Park, and then proceeded with their normal FUBAR protocol.

So the Catskill Park State Land Master Plan booklet, dated August 2008, was passed out to the public. The DEC decided to focus mainly on mountain biking in regards the "Wilderness Forest" (there is a difference between Wilderness and Wild Forest in the Catskill Park and Wilderness has a higher demand for strict protection). What they came up with was to create designations called "Primitive Bicycle Paths". Basically all of the designated areas are old access roads, and are fairly heavily traveled by hikers. What's ironic about these designations is that it is almost impossible for the average biker or family of bicycles to ride up any of these trails.  These are pretty extreme hiking trails, never mind biking.  Worse yet, through a lack of management and funding by the DEC, a lot of these old access roads have become stream beds, essentially.

So to the common observer, it seems the DEC is trying to say this: "We will allow mountain biking where it is near impossible for anyone to mountain bike". I can think of maybe 5 other places in the park where the average rider can have a wonderful experience traveling old paths along gradual elevation lines. These are places where people from outside the state would be happy to come visit, ride, and possibly spend some money to support our local businesses.

As far as Wild Forest (less protected) is concerned, there are almost an endless maze of old logging roads that are just prime to develop mt biking on without creating any impact on the land.  But the NYDEC basically dismissed this incredibly valuable resource.

NY state needs some serious help when it comes to common sense planning. With your help we can get there. We cyclists need to join forces and offer better ideas when it comes to cycling in the Catskill Park.  Please contact me to help.  Until then, I think I'm going to do a little mt bike snow adventure a little later today!