DH climbs through the flowers on his way to the TOP!

What a great surprise to go all the way down to Yreka, thinking there’s no possible way to see any one you Know let alone another teammate–hello EP! The race was a 42 mile test of fortitude, willpower, and how much my little legs could climb. Would i be like Icarus–get too high and they would melt in the hot summer sun? Well, that seemed like climbing mount Everest twice without oxygen. i survived a truly epic ride up my first Hors Categorie climb! Then came what seemed like 20 miles of downhill with a couple 90 degree turns, at 50 plus MPH. Another big climb and fast descent then we finished with 12 miles of single track which included climbing to the top of Humbug Pass before and the beautiful ride back down through the trees. Three and a half hours later, I crossed the finish line in the park “WARD OUT” but with still enough energy to talk about what just happened! Read more »

Before the rain–Brian Leddy, Mountain Flyer

As I have alluded previously, my race schedule is becoming less and less a relentless chase for results but rather a random “bucket list” of events I’ve never attended or have unfinished business with. My history of 24 hour solo racing is concise but fairly successful. I won the overall at 24 Hours in the Old Pueblo in 2009 then failed to finish National Championships in Moab that same year. In 2011, I won the single speed solo National title in Colorado Springs so that rekindled my desire to take one more shot at the solo title this year near Gallup, NM. Read more »

Last weekend, my teammate Ryan Eisele and I headed to the Alsea Falls switchback XC/Oregon State Championship mtb race. We both raced single speed but were also were scored in our age category as well. Ryan had ridden the course before so I took his advice on gearing for the day. The course was about eight miles long and we were to three laps. After a short warm up, we lined up buried in the back because of a mass start. After the gun fired we both put in a hard effort to try and get close to the front. I followed Ryan for as long as I could up the first three mile paved climb. He began pulling away from me pretty fast and seemed to be riding well. Once at the top we hit a fast gravel downhill with small water bars then onto the first single track where I caught and passed two SS riders. I held the two riders off for 2 miles of single track and then began a climb in the middle of the race that hadn’t been included previous years. It was about a mile long, steep and the gravel was really loose. About half way up I began wishing I had a lower gear. I came through the start/finish and started my second lap but before long the two SS riders I’d passed closed the gap and then returned the favor. I was able to pass them back, but worried I was in trouble with two more trips up the steep gravel climb remaining. I managed to hold my pace for another lap finishing in 8th in the SS and 9th in my age category. Ryan finished 5th in SS and 3rd in his age category. This was the toughest races of the year for me so far! it was a great course and Mike Ripley (Mudslinger Events) always puts on a solid event so I will be back for more next year!

JW

Julia stomps the Stampede!

It was a great race, one of my best, both in effort and tactics. I really love the course, it’s perfect for me because it doesn’t start with a big climb. It’s a great equalizing course, not a huge time difference between the fastest and middle/slower riders. There is only so fast you can go on a course with lots of twisty-turny singletrack and rock gardens. A fast climber can climb twice as fast as me, but he isn’t going to ride that singletrack a whole lot faster than I can. I think one of my REALL teammates, Luke, was trying to do that and hit a tree with his face. My time was just under 2:08, pretty close to the same as last year, I thought I was faster and pretty sure the course was the same. But my placing was a lot better, so I guess the competition was just different. But I was 3rd of 17 in the largest women’s field, Cat 2 age 40-49. For the narrowest age group (outside of juniors), it’s a lot of riders, always the largest women’s field. Read more »

Sisters Stampede 2013

The Reall Racing team had it’s biggest showing of the early season over Memorial Day weekend. Six team members made the trip over the Cascade mountains to Sisters Oregon for the 4th annual Sisters Stampede mountain bike race. After leaving the wet and chilly valley early in the morning we were greeted to partially sunny skies and a cool breeze. An overnight rain left the typically dry dusty trails damp and fast for the start of the race. Read more »

Too Bonzai!

Ashland, Oregon.
The Spring Thaw in Ashland was another great race for me. The weather was not very cooperative and it was kinda cold then on the second lap it began to rain. The race started in a different place then usual so right off the get go im going wide open for about a half mile! The climb should have eased up– well, too late now! Thank goodness I had two bottles of GU Brew, I think it saved me on the second climb I was feeling pretty good heading into the second lap with (former teammate) James Shingleton. Made it to the top and it was time for my Kenda tires with the Orange Seal to earn the money. Boy did they ever–I made some fantastic corners except one switch back that i came into way too fast and went down leaving a little flesh! While I lost a second or two, I flew the rest of the way to the finish line in 1:53 not bad for a 50 year old and took home the GOLD for Team REALL!

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