OWLS do Bruster's

After a nice sunny day, a group of 10 OWLS riders gathered for a final scheduled ride of the season, just as the predicted clouds were coming in. After a bit of discussion about the wisdom of riding on an evening like this, we all set out on our short, only slightly round-about, jaunt to Bruster's for ice cream. So it was over to Snoddy, down Moore's Creek, up Swartz Ridge, and straight up 446 to Bruster's. It was nice that we had perhaps the warmest day of the week for our end-of-season social. Bye and bye it was time to head home. Only then did it start to sprinkle. We all got home only slightly damp. I had over 13 miles, with on OWLish average of 13.6 mph, which probably didn't justify a waffle cone of pumpkin ice cream.

Note to OWLS riders: Gather as desired at 5:30 (note change of time!) on Tuesdays and Thursdays for short informal rides with no designated route or leader.

-Allan Edmonds

FOWLS Foul Weather Finale

Seven (fool?)hardy FOWLS met for the final ride of this season under threatening rain clouds.  After consulting our smart phone weather radars we decided to alter the planned Double Creek route to the east and instead ride west in hopes of avoiding or at least minimizing the rain.  We rode to Ellettsville via Vernal-Woodyard and returned via Maple Grove-Bottom Road.  We reached Ellettsville dry and a bit smug at having outwitted the storms.  Unfortunately, Tlaloc had his revenge on the ride back as we slogged through rain varying from light sprinkles to heavy drops for the final ten miles.  Although wet we all survived the ride having gone 23 miles at an average speed of 15.5 mph arriving back at Bryan Park right at sunset.  It has been a fun season of rides with good companionship and sometimes adventurous routes.  Thanks to all who participated in the F/OWLS rides this year.

Tom Reynolds

The Privileges of the Bicyclist

As the season winds down our Tuesday-Thursday training rides are getting shorter. The Original OWLS group did a little over 20 miles, doing a variation of the standard BBC Fluck Mill Ride, adapted to start and end at our church parking lot starting site.

We had 9 people out for a nice ride. (Well, 10. But one rider got there early and went out into the neighborhoods nearby and didn't get back in time. We do start on time!)

We were a little worried because our route had us going and coming through the intersection of Harrell and Rohrer, which supposedly was blocked to through traffic until Thursday. We initially planned to alter our route. But  one rider had passed through and said a bicyclist can get through.

So that's what we did! We carefully walked our bikes under or around the yellow tape that extended well into neighboring property and were on our way.

We were a bit worried about running into showers. But none caught us. And we got back to the start at least 20 minutes before official sunset.

B-Line Trail ride

By Kathy Cummins

The combined T/Th training group, the FOWLS, and the OWLS met at Butler Park near the north end of the B-Line trail and rode together down to Grimes St. for the official opening of the B-Line trail. Because of the gloomy weather, unfortunately, we didn't have the mass of BBC riders that we had been hoping to have representing the club at the ceremony. The Bloomington band was entertaining a sizeable crowd at the Grimes St. area, and it began the proceedings with the Star Spangled Banner. At least two speakers (one being the mayor) followed, extending thanks to all those who worked on the trail. At the back of the crowd where we bikers were standing, however, it was hard to concentrate on the speeches, as we instead watched the dogs and kids and the rest of the crowd, which included the Andersons and other BBC members both on and off the bike, some also wearing a BBC jersey.

At about 6:15, we riders (I counted just 10) decided to leave the ceremony (which was supposed to be over by then anyway), and as a rarity, representatives from each of the three groups (T/Th training group, FOWLS, OWLS) rode together: first south on the B-Line, then south on Rogers to Old 37, where, fittingly, we rode "our" section of the local roads (the part of Old 37 that is our Adopt-a-Road), performing in a way our own celebration of the great riding in Bloomington.

Soon the different groups went their separate ways. Before long Bill and I turned around at the Starlight and headed back toward home, hitting some sprinkles along the way.

Sub-9 Super D, August 22, 2011

Club member Dan Hickey shares the following report on his experiences at a recent mountain bike race in Brown County. Read and enjoy!

Race Report

Sub-9 Super D, August 22, 2011

Brown County State Park

Sub-9 Productions hosted their second annual Super-D downhill race at Brown County State Park on August 22.   The 5.5 miles from Hesitation Point to the North gate has some fast and fun downhill.  But it has some flats and plenty of uphill as well.  This friendly event was great for first time racers like me, but also competitive for the many Cat 1 and Pro riders who showed up.

 

My Kid Put Me Up to This

Thirteen-year old Luc got this ball rolling.  He returned from Palawopec  (a fabulous summer camp in Nashville, IN) a more experienced and ambitious rider.  Over several weeks we checked out new trails in O’Bannon Woods (lucky to have them), Brown County (Green Valley is fast and fun),  Wapahani (cleaned up by the city and volunteers nicely after the tornado), and French Lick (incredible).

At French Lick, we ran into Sam Preston (Bedford) who convinced Luc that we should sign up for the Super D.  After that we spent our trail time at  Brown County finding the fastest line from the North Tower to the North Gate.  This was the shorter mostly-downhill run for the juniors.  I was chagrined and delighted to find Luc consistently beating me on that stretch.  His used 1998 Trek hardtail humbled my cherished Santa Cruz Blur LT

The Real Race

We registered just a few days before the race.  We discovered that the 13-14 Juniors were racing the full 5.5 mile course.  Luc was disappointed at first.  Then he realized he might beat me there as well.  On our first practice run, I got away and Luc got lost.  On our second run he passed me on the bottom stretch.  For me, the real race was whether he could beat me.  I had been waiting years for this. 

On race day, we first headed over to the rocky hairpin near the start. We watched the first wave of Category 3 (beginners) weave the fifty-foot trench.  Tim Carson (Pittsburg PA, who set the course record 19:39 last year) was cheering everybody on.  Earlier, Tim coasted to a 46:46 with a broken chain. None of the Cat3s took Tim’s advice to pick the cheater line straight over stumps and boulders.  Three fell and one crashed hard. But everybody made it. 

I raced near the end of the Cat3 riders.  My Blur served me well on the downhills.  I found a nice inside line in the speed trap and clocked a decent 19mph.  But on the uphills I really felt the previous day’s practice runs. My imagined over-the-top scrambles were supplanted with winded grinds.   I finished with a mediocre 27:44. 

The Super-D Courses at Brown County State Park

Luc Spooking the Shooter (Courtesy of Two Pedals Photography)

Luc went later.  He did better than me on both the ups and downs.  But he took the slower outside line on the speed trap.  You can see from the photo that he took my advice to always look 10-20 feed ahead for the best line.  But you can also see how he spooked photographer Michelle Spitz out of her trailside crouch.   (Michelle and Two Pedals Photography did a great job and I was happy to purchase this and another print from their website).

When I caught video of Luc on the bottom berm, he had just passed his second Jr on his way to a solid 26:00. That put in first place in his age group and third in the Jr men.    I ended up third out of six in my Cat3 age group.  This seemed appropriate given that my overall biking goal is being in the middle of whatever group I find myself in.  And my son beat me soundly

Promising Juniors

 Red Zone Cycling from Louisville brought an impressive crew, including Katherine and Daniel Santos.  Katherine passed at least two riders (click for video) to post the top Jr Women’s time of 25:49; Daniel was second among the Junior Men 13-14 at 24:17. 

Drawing for Irony

Overall winner Chris Bowman of Indy posted 20:10, and was awarded almost an entire drive train from lead sponsor SRAM.  Dylan Elliot who came down from Ontario posted the fasted time in the speed trap of 25 mph and also got some cool stuff with his trophy.   The drawing for swag yielded the most ironic moment of the day, when Tim Carson won a new chain.  But he was also happy that he held on to the course record by a full 30 seconds. 

Overall Winner Chris Bowman (Courtesy of Two Pedals Photography)

Hitching back up to the road to the start, I ended up in a van with the Trail Patrol volunteers who had come in from Cincinnati.  They were happy for the largely uneventful day, with just one Jr crash resulting in some scrapes and bruises.  They said they were looking forward to coming back for the Brown County Breakdown on Oct 8-9. Also a Sub-D Productions, the Breakdown is the major fundraiser for the Hoosier Mountain Biking Association, who we can thank for all of our outstanding trails.