Sunday, September 24, 2000 -- Canaan Valley Resort State Park - Canaan Valley, WV
Mountain Dew Revenge of the Rattlesnake
Story by Sue Haywood, photos by Marty Lamp
[Details]
[Coverage]
[Overall Results]
[Results by Class]
Pictures:
[Set 1]
[Set 2]
[Set 3]
[Set 4]
[Set 5]
[Set 6]
[1998 Coverage]
[1999 Coverage]
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Getting ready for a little ride
It was officially autumn this week and racers were treated to an early
peek at the changing leaves in the Canaan Valley area. Weather for
the kid's race was especially beautiful and warm on Saturday. However,
it rained overnight and left the trails saturated and very technical
for the conclusion of the
WVMBA point series. It
did truly prove to be a "championship course", with all the extreme
terrain, mind-boggling mud bogs, numerous rocky creek crossings and
the infamous "baby head" section. Racers barely even noticed the mist
of a rain that fell all day, concentrating so hard on the piece of
trail that lay just ahead. These wet and muddy riding conditions, as
well as the longer than normal distances, tested the true tenacity of
all the racers. Overall toughness seems to be a common trait in West
Virginia Mountain bikers and they ate up the challenge of the course
and many of us commented on how much of Canaan we literally did eat.
The Canaan Valley Resort hosted this year's finals called Revenge
of the Rattlesnake 50K, continuing the long tradition of mountain
bike racing in and around the mountain town of Davis. Race director
Matt Marcus said that this was the 18th year of racing in
Davis, originally started by Laird
Knight who was there on hand to race the long course. While
mountain biking might have been first "discovered" out in Marin
County, California, I think hardcore mountain bike racing was invented
in Davis.
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How 'bout a little mud?
The race started at Pendleton Point Overlook in Blackwater Falls State
Park. Many took the free shuttle from Canaan State Park, leaving warm
and dry clothes, where the finish would eventually be. Even though it
was a mass start, racers lined up according to their class so they
could see whom they were racing against. This was a very important
race for many that were competing for the series, since this race was
worth double points. Everybody was saying "anything can happen in
this kind of race", no titles had been decided yet. There was a
definite buzz in the peleton as Matt yelled, "go"!
The course proceeded on the park road for a mile before it turned off
and took an old county road to Davis. In the bend before the bridge
over the Blackwater, a racer went down hard and slid across the
pavement. He was ok, but I knew it was going to be a day of crash and
burn and bouts of frustration for everybody. I immediately started my
dilemma for the day... ride through the mudpuddle or ride around the
mudpuddle...through or around...around or through?
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Cassie Smith still smiling
The pack then started the 2-mile pavement climb up to the plantation
trailhead. Even though the leaders started out fairly conservative,
the climb was selective enough to cause a stringing out of the
field. Three racers already changing flat tires greeted my arrival at
the trailhead. I know the spot well. I flatted there in my preride
and I've seen dozens of racers get flats there over the years. It is
the first small ledge on the trail that hides a small pyramid shaped
rock in the landing. The Plantation trail is a rock and roll section
of technical singletrack with a couple run-ups on some tricky creek
crossings. This stretch from Rt. 32 to Lindy Run is what I would
consider the "easiest" of the day. One because it is a little drier
than the rest and mostly all rideable.
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A tropical rain forest?
The course turned off of "technical, yet rideable" Plantation, to
lower Lindy Run. Lindy Run is what I would call "extreme" riding.
I've ridden this trail many times willingly and with exhilaration but
today I rode it with fear, debating in my mind whether or not I was
going to ride "the cliff". The "cliff" is a steep extended drop with
three line choices that are all hairball. I road it well in my
pre-ride, but today I was feeling like a chicken in the wet
conditions. It was way too early in the race to get hurt and there
were a couple of spectators that made me nervous. Lindy is 1.3 miles
of non-stop line picking, wet pointy rocks, power moves and
hair-raising drops. Not to mention bogs that could eat a race bike.
Beginners did not do lower Lindy. They were routed to upper Lindy,
which is a long grind back to Loop Road. They proceed on to the 3 mile
Allegheny trail that begins with the longest, deepest bog of the day
and then turns into solid rock beds and eventually a nice downhill
into Canaan State Park thus completing their 15 mile race. Joseph
Stone(2:12:11) was the Men's Beginner winner and winner of the 30k
overall. Danny Wilson (2:25:36) got second overall and won the Junior
14 and under class by a mere three minutes over Brandon Elkins
(2:28:20). Lori Alechnewith (4:16:05) won the Women's Master's Class
battling soley against the course.
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John Munhall wins the Sport class
After the grueling Lindy Run trail, a left on Canaan Loop road seemed
a welcome change. A fast and muddy 3 miles on this gravel forest
service road led to the separation of the next classes at the
mountainside trailhead. Sport or 40k riders continued on the Loop
road to the "backside" of Plantation.
Expert riders ventured down the most remote section of the course and
wouldn't return to the Loop road for 6 more miles. Mountainside Trail
is an old railroad grade that winds around the back of Canaan
Mountain. We observed a large pile of Bear scat on our pre-ride and
many have seen rattlesnakes on the sunny lower stretch. It has a
hardly discernable downhill grade to it where racers battle against
"planet of the babyheads". A long stretch of moving rocks that
requires the smoothest of pedaling and a fluid relaxed body position.
A slow suspension set up is useful, too. The trail babies relented
and merged with 244 and became soft and swampy. The next trail marked
the start of the most significant climb of the day. The 244A climb
ran parallel to the Red Run canyon for about two miles before the
course marshals turned us back on the Loop road for a big ring climb
back up to the "backside" of Plantation.
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Mike Boyes after Lindy
I ate and drank and started passing all those guys who dropped me on
Lindy. I knew exactly where I was and knew the hardest parts of the
race were yet to come. I continued munching power foods and was
mentally prepared for the cruelty of the backside. I knew a bonk would
hurt badly. The backside of Plantation doesn't get ridden very much.
It is a sustained gentle uphill grade with long mud pits and constant
line choosing. The rhododendrons line the trail grabbing at
handlebars. It can break you down mentally. I've seen many people
lose their race face here. I knew when one racer asked how much
longer to the finish that he was hurting. " Only seven more miles of
this tough singletrack!" I said.
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Chris Eatough off the front
Men's sport series winner
John Munhall (3:12:52) won the 40k
group over the consistent
Joey Riddle (3:15:58). The
enthusiastic racer
Louise Finger(4:07:50) edging out eventual
series winner
Laurie Johnston(4:26:12), won Women's Sport.
Pittsburgh's
Scott Root(3:28:06) won the Masters securing the
title.
Barnes Nugent(3:33:35) held off a hard charging
Rick
Elkins (3:34:13) to win the Sport Vet class. The Sport Junior
winner was
Darin Shriver(3:36:52) and second place was
Matt
McDonald(3:40:25). Also doing the 40k course were the
Clydesdales, as
Mark Sebben(4:55:18) won over eventual series
winner
Dannie " Wojo" Hillery(5:08:48), who by the way did the
long course.
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Just another day for Sue Haywood
There was a very fast expert group containing NORBA pros,
Chris
Eatough (Trek),
Ryan O'Connor (Mongoose) and
Jeremiah
Bishop (K2/Newsunn) with the latter two being in a hot chase for
the series title. Bishop(3:30:37) flatted on "the rock" at the
beginning of Plantation and suffered two more later to finish
third. O'Connor(3:26:58) shined under the pressure finishing a strong
second. Undisputedly the toughest guy out there was race winner,
Chris Eatough(3:19:39) of Baldwin, Md. Even though he got lost on
Saturday out on the course and rode for an extra 2 hours, he had the
endurance to win on Sunday in a convincing style.
The Junior Expert class was won by local young wonder, Nick
Waite(3:55:33) who beat out Brady Campbell(4:31:29).
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Matt Ross on Lindy
In the very competitive expert vet class, the lead changed hands many
times, but winner
Bob Vernon(3:59:38) even came back from a
flat on "the rock" also.
Matt Ross(4:00:12) was riding like a
demon trying for the win, after some mechanical trouble left him a
little behind, but to no avail. Homegirl
Sue Haywood(3:55:45)
won and got 9th overall, not-to-mention receiving her
sixth series
title. Practically a homegirl local also,
Cassie
Smith(4:45:26) cruised to second and
Mandi
Williams(5:28:00) persevered for third.
As people waited in line for the bike wash, they smiled and told tales
of the mud Olympics, relieved that it is over, yet never regretting
for a minute that they did the Revenge of the Rattlesnake. I have a
feeling many a bike that did the race will need a complete overhaul
and bodies were beat up, too. I see the chain on my bike has rusted
over and my hamstrings are so tight. Only in Canaan can you get this
muddy as an adult and not get in trouble for it. As I look outside
today it is pouring rain and only 45 degrees and I know I am glad the
race wasn't today.
Many kudos go to both Blackwater State Park and, Canaan State Park,
especially John Northheimer, Matt Marcus, and also the
U.S. Forest Service. Thanks to all the spectators and the race
volunteers who stood out in the wet weather and gave cheers, water and
direction. Thanks to WVMBA executive director, Dave McKain for a
great banquet and a great race season.