Red Bull, Mud and Montezuma’s Revenge - one story of La Ruta

As I reflected on the week long trip to Costa Rica during the final flight in to Columbus, I was quite surprised, even amazed how well everything had worked out. I would certainly have expected at least one or two major glitches, with a minor catastrophe thrown in to mix it up. However, the trip had gone almost too easily. That was until I could no longer ignore the grumblings, cramps and pains coming from my abdomen, followed by the first of many trips to the bathroom in the rear of the plane, but more on that later.

This year marked the 15th anniversary of La Ruta de los Conquistadores, a now legendary mountain bike race that traces the route of the conquistadors across Costa Rica from the Pacific to the Caribbean Ocean. La Ruta is widely known as the toughest mountain bike race in the world, and this year was the first year it would be a 4 day race instead of 3. The extra day was an additional stage, not just the original distance now spread over 4 days. The additional stage ended up being the 2nd hardest day.

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2007 Swank 65 Mountain Bike Race

145 late season mtn bike junkies staged at the 9th Annual Swank 65 Mountain Bike Journey on November 11th, 2007. In the mix, 9 BioWheels racers took on the amazing 40 mile course. The racers crunched through the leaves for the majority of the day on some of Pisgah’s most scenic trails. From Cove Creek campground, we went up daniel connector, down & across to Long Branch, thorough Gloucester Gap once, around the back of Pilot Mountain on Kissee Creek Trail, returned back to Gloucester, then way up to Farlow Gap. The gloves came off on the descent where downhill skills can cut save an hour. Down to Daniel Ridge’s rocky descent to the Davidson River Trail, up 475-B, then a raging finish down Caney Bottom Trail to the finish. The crisp autumn day gave way to a cool evening and some tasty ales. Todd offered out great prizes, way deep into the field. Awesome post race party with burgers for all. BWR’s Johnson & Irey battled between 3rd & 10th during the entire race, with Johnson climbing into 4th at the finish. Irey rolled in 7th place, Poss in 12th and the bulk of the BWR team finishing way up in the top 25% of the field. All of the 100-ish finishers had nothing but respect for the course and wide smiles (of pain).

We’ll have results up soon. For now enjoy some video and pics from Kris Kjellquist (one the days volunteers);

Looking down the barrel of a gun…

….OK, maybe a tad dramatic on the title, but I did recently discover the best trail riding album of all time!

On Saturday, November 27th two BioWheels racers, Jeremy Hargroves & Kris Kjellquist, took on the 9th annual 12 Hours of the Hill of Truth in Oak Ridge, TN. Jeremy had gone out Friday night and secured the best camping/pit area on the course so we were in good shape from the start. The Kjellquist clan arrived early Saturday morning, popped up the BioWheels tent, and assembled the compound. Thankfully we wouldn’t need the work stand or tools all day and night!

The race started of with the firing of a cannon and a big paved road mass start. Being solo riders Jeremy and I both were not overly concerned with sprinting from the start. We both settled in to a good pace for the first three or four laps.

Jeremy’s main challenge for the win broke his frame on the first lap, so Jeremy was off to an early big lead. Unfortunately, this guy battled back, whittled away the lead for lap after lap, and would eventually take first and the solo victory. Jeremy kicked some serious butt and worked hard for 13 laps in a bit over 12 hrs!

I busted out some fast early laps, settled into a mid race pace, and eventually found out I was in 6th! I came into the race hoping for a top ten, but somehow thinking at a small race a top 5 finish might happen. Knowing I was in the hunt I stepped up the pace thanks to my iPod and The Beastie Boys’ ‘Paul’s Boutique’…..the greatest trail album of all time! Anyway, after 10 laps my wife & support, Ariane, informed me I was in 6th, but 5th was only 1 minute ahead! I dropped the iPod, hammered like it was Lap 1 and caught 5th at the top of a small climb. I finished the lap & prayed my nemesis wouldn’t go out for a 12th lap. He didn’t! I bit later I checked the results and found I had taken 4th!

My daughter Greta also raced in the ‘12 Minutes of the Hill of Truth’. Greta did two laps of single track on her Skuut bike, and won a pint glass for her efforts! Only milk or juice in that glass of course. She would also later entertain the campground in her Winnie the Pooh costume!

All in all, a great day for BioWheels who took 2nd and 4th, but more importantly had a ton of fun!

Ride Down The Dead End Road

The captain raised the steel two-car wide gang plank.  Before it clanked and locked shut we were already on our way to Ohio, bike via ferry.  I’ve lived in the Cincinnati area for nearly seven years, and this was the first time I’ve ever been on the Ohio River.  Rachel, Ann, Phil and I laughed like little kids as the Anderson Ferry’s Detroit diesel muscled its way across the current.  It was a blue sky beautiful Ohio Valley day and we decided, spur of the moment to turn off Route 8 in Boone County Kentucky, and take the ferry across the river.  It was only a buck a piece for cyclists.  We pointed at the weathered logs floating by.  How silly for four so-called Cincinnatians to never have been on the river before.  Seven years in Cincinnati without being on a boat on the Ohio River?  It’s not quite living in Hawaii and never going swimming, but its close.

I’ve always thought you should never take your town for granted.  No matter where you live.  When we lived in Milwaukee, I couldn’t believe the number of people I knew that had never been on Lake Michigan.  It’s like a freaking sea for Pete’s sake.  Not to mention the slogan is “a great place on a Great Lake.”  How many people in Chicago have never been to the top of the Sears Tower or Hancock buildings, top of the cock?  You know there are people in Buffalo who’ve never been to Niagara Falls and people in Asheville, NC who’ve never seen Bridal Veil Falls near Brevard, just 30 minutes away.  Wherever you live, you need to take advantage of the things that make those places so wonderful.  Otherwise, I think you’re kind of a braggart, telling people you live here or there without actually LIVING there.

That got me to thinking of the other wonderful things I’ve seen in Cincinnati that my bike and passion for cycling has allowed me to see that other so-called Cincinnatians have never seen: the sunrise over the steaming Ohio river from the Monastery in Mount Adams, the Cincinnati Skyline in motion on a decent from Northern Kentucky’s Devou Park, and the rolling green vistas on either side of the no name ridgeline roads in rural Kentucky. 

On a bike, every ride is a little adventure.  A few months back, Tony, a buddy and Bio Wheels teammate of mind took us down a dead end road.  “What!  Where are you going?  It says no outlet!”  All he said was, you gotta check out the twisty descent back here.  He was right; a dead end road was worth riding down.  Now, I ride down that road nearly every time I’m out in rural Boone County, Kentucky and I’ve started to keep an eye out for the things that others just pass by.  Just the other day on a short little poke through the neighborhood at dusk I discovered cherub like gargoyle faces on the façade of a church on Eastern Avenue in Columbia Tusculum.  It’s less than eight blocks from my house.

It’s easy to get wrapped up in training or the regular group ride scene.  Do yourself a favor, next time you head out for a ride, go up the dead end road and see where it goes, make a right where you usually make a left, don’t put your head down and hammer, sit up and take a look around, hop a ferry ride…see what you’ve been missing. 

Joe Bellante

read more from Joe here: http://journals.aol.com/joejoebiker/joebiker/