March 2002 Issue 3/13/02 2:49 PM Page 1 VOLUME 10 NUMBER 1 FREE APRIL 2002 cycling utah •2002 Complet Events Calendar •Riding in the Four Corners •Cyclocross Wrap-up •Rampage Results •Olympic Critical Mass •Reflections on 9-11 MOUNTAIN WEST CYCLING JOURNAL March 2002 Issue 3/13/02 2:49 PM Page 2 2 cycling utah.com APRIL 2002 TUESDAY NIGHT WORLDCHAMPIONSHIPS Idaho Retains Top Ranking in IMBA Mountain Bike Reflections on 9-11, Bike Racing, and Life Report Card By Thomas Cooke work a little early on Tuesdays? was on the roof of his office build- members of the racing community. Have a feeling of absolute dread if ing in Connecticut watching the I guess what I am trying to say The state famous for its pota- toes may need a new slogan. For I have this joke with a friend of heaven forbid Tuesday afternoon column of smoke in Manhattan here is if you wonder why some brings heavy thundershowers? I rise up in the clear blue sky. I people consider the weekly races the year 2001 and for the second mine who lives in Minnesota. We straight year, Idaho received the can think of several occasions spent the rest of the day glued to so important, it’s because they are. call our respective weekly training top grade in the International races the Tuesday Night Worlds. when bike racers from other parts the TV. There are a lot of darn good bike Mountain Bicycling My friend’s name is Tim, and of the country were passing Burke Swindlehurst showed up racers in this community and there Association's Mountain Bike much like myself, he is a thirty- through town and thought they at about three in the afternoon. We are a lot of folks who want to Access Report Card, solidifying something category 1 roadie. Tim would show up at the RMR and watched the surreal scenes for become darn good bike racers. its status as the best state for and I met in 1989 at an Olympic show the locals a thing or two hours without saying more than Above all, the local racing scene is mountain biking. Training Center camp. Back then about real bike racing, only to get two words to each other. You have a community. Maybe it’s not the Serpentine trails, expansive we called it the Over Training their asses handed to them. to remember, at that time, there actual race itself that ends up public lands and a low popula- Center, or OTC for short. It was a Haven’t seen them since. We live was not much information. About being so important to all of us, but tion are key components in three-week "base mile camp" that for Tuesday nights. I used to think all that anyone knew for sure was the lifestyle of racing. So you Idaho's success. Idaho received sticks in my memory as the one it was a strange phenomenon. some airplanes crashed into some spend your whole day looking for- the top grade in the inaugural and only three-week stage race I Going crazy over a training race. buildings and a whole lot of peo- ward to blowing out of work at 2000 IMBA Report Card, but ever did. Names of other riders Now I am one of the crazies. I ple were dead. The thought of quarter to five, barely enough time that didn't make the local that were present that might ring a think the reason for my mania was mustering up the energy to do a to get dressed and not get left cyclists complacent. Riding bell included Bobby Julich, Trent made perfectly clear one special bike race in light of what was behind at 9th and 9th. You ride out opportunities improved this year Klasna, Marc Gullickson and Tuesday evening last September. going on that day may seem silly to the RMR with fifty or sixty around Boise, Idaho's largest Tammy Jacques. Tim and I hit it Every cliché has already been in retrospect, but we both decided other cyclists. On the starting line, city, as mountain bikers played a off well with each other because put forth in the media about how to pack up and drive down to Salt Gary Bywater tells you it’s an central role in creating new we both came from winter cli- our world was changed forever on Lake. Meeting the gang at 9th and hour plus three laps around the urban fringe trails. The IMBA Report Card is mates and we kept each other Tuesday, September 11th, 2001. 9th and riding out to the race, track and then it’s all over. Seems That’s right, it was a Tuesday. I there was a somber tone to the to me there is a whole lot more to designed to help mountain bike company while getting squeezed leaders chart their accomplish- remember getting up to watch the conversations. Everyone was spec- it than that. off the roads at the tail end of the ments and inspire new efforts. echelon on those "base mile" Vuelta coverage on the Outdoor ulating about this or that, regurgi- rides. Life Network. There was a huge tating different bits of information Editor’s note: This is the first Ask any bike racer in the Salt crash in the field sprint, the most and rumors picked up from the edition of a new column by Grades and comments from regional Lake area and you will hear the horrific thing I had seen all sum- media. What I learned that night is Thomas Cooke on observa- states are listed below. mer (but only slightly more horrif- that Burke and I didn’t go to race, tions within the road racing Idaho: A same thing; it’s no joke. Tuesday Phat: Endless public land and single- night criteriums at the Rocky ic than the crash in the Boise and I am not sure that anyone else community. Thomas is a cat- track Mountain Raceway are as impor- Twilight). Then the phone rang. It did for that matter. The fact is we egory 1 road racer and sales Flat: Population growth tant as any race on the weekends, was my father calling from south- all showed up for the ritual rep. in the bike industry. Utah: B+ anywhere. I have heard of catego- ern Connecticut. "Are you watch- because that’s what we do on Phat: Slickrock and red rock Flat: Lack of MB groups ry 1 racers skipping weekend ing this?" "Yeah, it’s terrible, the Tuesday nights. It wasn’t an Cover Artwork: Nevada: B+ races so they could rest up for whole field went down and I think escape from reality or an attempt Phat: Gambling = money for trails Tuesday. How many of you pay a Leipheimer lost some time". My to ignore what was happening in “Bicycles” by Flat: Lack of riding info little extra attention to what you Dad told me to get my head out of the world, just an effort to get Deborah Hake Arizona: B my ass and turn on the news. He together with peers, friends and Phat: Urban trails, Arizona Trail eat for lunch on Tuesdays? Leave Brinckerhoff. Oil on Flat: Developers versus trails Montana: B Canvas, 40” x 40”. Phat: Progressive rec planning near cities Courtesy of the Flat: Bikers need to organize, long win- ter Phillips Gallery Wyoming: B 444 E. 200 S. Phat: Wide open for mountain biking Flat: Ranch closes key Laramie connec- Salt Lake City tor (801) 364-8284 © 2002 cycling utah Financing available cycling utah through RC Willey P.O. Box 57980 Murray, UT 84157-0980 www.cyclingutah.com You can reach us by phone: (801) 268-2652 Our Fax number: (801) 263-1010 David R. Ward, Publisher Robert L. Truelsen, Executive Editor Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Dave Iltis, Editor & Advertising (801) 268-2652 Email: [email protected] Contributors: Greg Overton, Thomas Cooke, Neal Skorpen, Gregg Bromka, Ben Simonson, Christine Iltis, Bryce Thatcher, Shawn Christiansen, Bill Harris, Quinn Pratt, Brian Price All 2001 Specialized ENDUROS & FSRXC cycling utah is published eight times a year beginning in March and continuing monthly through October. ON SALE 20–40% OFF Annual Subscription rate: $7 Postage paid in Murray, UT Salt Lake Sandy Provo 1370 S. 2100 E. 1300 E. 10510 (106th S.) 187 West Center Editorial contributions are welcome. Please included a stamped, self- 583-1940 571-4480 374-9890 addressed envelope to return unused material. 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In the counterclock- making your annual pilgrimage wise direction, your highway to southern Utah's canyon coun- miles are mostly downhill.