1st Place OVERALL
Pro/Expert Men
CHRIS EATOUGH
TREK / VW / JBL

Jason Friendy - Manny Mo Racing

The First of the Season -
A Picture Perfect Day
June 2, 2002
by Jill Wiest

Picture it - a perfect Mid-Atlantic Series Mountain Bike race: 81 degrees, low humidity, sunny skies, a nice breeze, a dry course and a snaky, swervy piece of 5-mile single-track that was nothing short of "a riot!" The perfect day finally came in Sewell, New Jersey at the No Cents Summer Sizzler and racers and race fans came out in numbers to enjoy the spectacular conditions.

On just a couple of acres at Gloucester County College, a superb course was laid out with bunches of short, quick ups, twisty fast turns, heart-stopping down hills, log piles, water bars, and only a little climbing that momentum did its job on most of the time. A racer's dream course, right? The promise was, this course would beat you up - and they lived up to that promise. During the course pre-ride, some folks said, "How could this beat you up…there are no rock gardens, no difficult log jumps, drop-offs, or long, steep, climbs to endure? I don't get it?" That was the pre-ride. At race pace, the single-track beast came out with whip in hand. It was way too easy to be Tinker and push those big gears, only to find the old quads a hurting and the beating starting. And while the whipping was going on, you couldn't let your guard down for a moment - the competition was tight in all classes and divisions. Short, fast courses make for fierce contests, battling for top spots throughout the entire race. Passing? The 25 ft section of flat logs was a good spot - especially if you had your fill of mud at Blue Marsh and Hershey and refused to replace yet another set of brake pads while going through the muddy section next to the logs. Inside/outside turns, short climbs where some lost their momentum, and a couple split trail sections gave you several options to put the hammer down and pass. And if you didn't take your chance there, the organizers cleared just enough brush from the sides that passing on the single-track was not impossible. Tree roots were minor at race pace.

Mud, rain, and cold weather won't keep us away; but sunshine, fun courses and warm temps certainly psyche the racing spirit and keep us coming back for more. Thanks to Don, Bill, and Danzeisen & Quigley for yet another memorable race.

EMAIL A RACE REPORT
(BY NOON THE DAY AFTER THE RACE)
AND WE'LL POST THE BEST ONE ON THE HOMEPAGE AND YOUR ENTRY FEE WILL BE COVERED.

IF WE HAVE ROOM WE WILL LINK ALL QUALITY REPORTS FROM THE HOMEPAGE AND POST THEM ALSO
(You don't have to be a racer to do a report......... in fact we're looking for more objective reports rather than just one individual's experience.................Only the best report will win $25.00)

FELL MTN SINGLETRACK CHALLENGE
Carbondale, PA
Merli Sarnoski Park
SUNDAY JUNE 9, 2002
RAIN OR SHINE
(CLICK HERE FOR LAST YEAR'S PICS)