Favorite Mountain Biking Area, Fort Ord, Designated National Monument

The former Fort Ord in Monterey, California, has been designated as a national monument. The 14,000-acre surprise came on April 20, 2012 with a resounding "yes" from the White House. 

The announcement came just three days after area officials made their latest rounds in Washington, D.C. to tout the former military base and open space in Monterey County as worthy of the designation. 

The president’s statement (see below) about the former base highlights exactly what area officials see as its value, calling it “a world-class destination for hikers, mountain bikers and outdoor enthusiasts who come to enjoy the area’s history and scenic landscapes.”

So proud of Henrietta Stern, my friend and former 24-hour mountain bike race team member, pictured here shaking hands with President Obama in March 2012.

Six locals, led by Henrietta Stern and Gordon Smith, were offered a few moments to make their pitch to the chief executive at a Department of Interior conference in Washington D.C. on Friday. Stern said the locals were offered a five-minute meet-and-greet, including the requisite handshakes and photos, with Obama and a few moments to put in a word on their project's behalf during the White House Conference on Conservation, dubbed "Growing America's Outdoor Heritage and Economy.

The new status and improvements to the land that are in store will undoubtedly be a boost to the region’s tourism and recreation economies. Tourists already flock to this area to sample the many recreational opportunities — and when doing so leave a few of their dollars behind. Fort Ord presents myriad opportunities!

Excerpted from: http://www.fortordsoldiersnationalmonument.org.

Henrietta Stern is also a talented mountain biker and loyal friend!

Posted on April 24, 2012 

From the San Jose Mercury News

Obama to designate Fort Ord as a new national monument

Posted on April 20, 2012 by Meghan

According to the San Jose Mercury News, Fort Ord will become America’s newest national monument on Friday!

President Barack Obama is scheduled to establish the new designation on Friday, April 20, making the sweeping former military base only the second national monument he has created since becoming president in 2009.

“Fort Ord’s dramatic landscape lives in the memories of thousands of veterans as their first taste of Army life, as a final stop before deploying to war, or as a home base during their military career,” Obama said in a statement late Thursday.

“This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California’s coast, but will honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century,” Obama said.


MORE INFO:
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_20438035/obama-designate-fort-ord-new-national-monument

Join me at Sea Otter Classic's Women Outreach - Sunday, April 22 in Monterey

Women's Outreach Expanded this Year at Sea Otter Classic to Get More Women Riding Bicycles! 

Here's the FULL four-day list of Women's Outreach Events

JOIN ME on SUNDAY at Sea Otter! 

I'm volunteering to emcee the event that has amazing cycling women AND wine and chocolate!

Men are invited, too!

Karen Kefauver, left, and Lorri Lee Lown, right (foreground) pictured at Sea Otter Classic 2011 at Women's Outreach Industry Panel. Karen, a cycling and sports writer, moderated the panel of industry experts (seated) and Lorri Lee Lown organized and launched the Women's Outreach Program at Sea Otter Classic and has expanded the 2012 Women's Outreach Program. 

I'm volunteering to emcee the event that has amazing cycling women AND wine and chocolate!

 I'll be moderating the “Fierce, Fabulous, and Over Forty” panel discussion featuring:

 • Rebecca Rusch 3x Leadville Trail 100 Women's Champion, 3x 24 Hr Solo Mountain Biking World Champion

 • Susan Otcenas Founder and President of TeamEstrogen.com

 • Beverly Chaney Elite level cyclist, avid backpacker, flyfishing, rock climbing, travel, mom

 • RaeLynn Milley Contributing Editor at Road Bike Action Magazine, USA Cycling Level 2Coach at  WomenCyclist.com 

COME ON DOWN! 

Panel Talk, Sunday, April 22

1-2 p.m. at Sea Otter Meeting Hall

FOLLOWED BY

2-3 p.m.

Wine + Chocolate Reception 

sponsored by 

Clif Family Winery and 

Driscoll's Berries

Sea Otter Classic 2011 - 3 photos of cycling studs off their bikes!

• Ben Jacques-Maynes, road pro – Team Bissell
• Cam McCaul, freeride pro - Trek Bicycles
• Lorri Lee Lown – Sea Otter Ladies Activities Coordinator
• Katie Compton, XC pro – Giant/Rabobank 
• Jeff Frost, Sea Otter Classic – Director of Athlete Services
• Eric Carter, athlete ambassador and former World Champion, GT Bicycles
• Matt Thompson, Momentum Trail Concepts – DH course upgrade contractor
• Jasen Thorpe, press conference moderator, Thorpe Media (Not pictured)

Ben Jacques-Maynes of Team Bissell had just crossed the finish line of his criterium road race, Thursday, April 14, right before attending this press conference to answer our questions.

Cam McCaul, left, is world famous for his bicycle stunts and lives in my town, Santa Cruz. I told his girlfriend, right,  it would make me nervous to see him flying into the air, but she said she's gotten used to it!

Speaking of Cam McCaul here's a story about him in the Santa Cruz Sentinel newspaper:

Sea Otter Classic: Aptos pro rider McCaul places second in new, speed and style driven race

By JULIE JAG - jjag@santacruzsetinel.com

Posted: 04/17/2011 01:30:04 AM PDT

Inspired by the Olympics, I pushed hard in my first mountain bike race of the season

To justify gobbling sweet treats on Valentine's Day, I jumped into my first mountain bike race of the year, competing in the women's sport (intermediate) class race today, Sunday, February 14 at Fort Ord in Monterey, California. It was the opening event of the seven-race CCCX series, nearly all of which will take place at Fort Ord, an hour's drive south from my Santa Cruz home.

Signing up for the race was a bold move, considering I can't even recall the last bike race I did. I haven't been on my mountain bike on weeks because it's been so rainy - the trails have been too wet to ride. But at Fort Ord, there's lots of sand, so no danger of destroying delicate trail eco-systems there.

My race consisted of 4 laps - beginners did 3 and pros did 5. Seemed like I could manage four. Little did I know how brutal those sandy laps would be! I estimate each loop was about 5 miles, but I swear as I huffed and puffed up the numerous climbs that they were 10 miles each.

I considered dropping out after the first lap, seriously thought about it again after the second lap, then decided to stick it out. I thought about the Olympic athletes, in particular the tragic death of the luger on Friday and felt the need to press on, despite my discomfort. My strategy was to make the third lap  a "rest" lap in order to banish lingering fantasies of bailing out. Then, for the 4th lap, I would go for it!

I did indeed ramp up the speed in a grand finale and dug deep to get there. I made it to the finish and got a second place medal in my age division! The medal was nice, but what really mattered was how hard I pushed myself and how I persevered despite wanting to quit more than once.

Race Highlights:

* Felt stronger than expected, given all the rainy weather time off the mt. bike.

* Enjoyed pushing the pace with my friend Henri Stern, of Pacific Grove. She inspires me!

* Teammate Andrew Murray's support - he cheered at every lap when I needed it most. And provided water, and later a bar, when I was near bonking.

* Loved racing my new Specialized full suspension bike for first time.

To sum it up, by the fourth lap, I was too tired to talk during the race - for those of you who know me and my laid-back racing style, that's saying a lot!

The results will be hosted on CCCX's new website:
http://www.cccxcycling.com