Bicycling Resources: Check Answers.com Biking Answers

Looking for resources on bicycling? Check out Biking.Answers.com! There are articles on topics ranging from commuter bikes to proper safety gear and cycling training. 

Photo Courtesy of Dave Moulton's Blog.

According to Jake Niehaus of Answers.com, the biking data is constantly updated by the in-house content creators and nationally recognized expert Dave Moulton. 

Dave started racing in England in the early 1950's and competed in road races throughout the 1960's and 1970's and had a full time bicycle frame-building business. His bikes were used in the Tour de France, Olympics, and World Championships. 

He know shares his vast knowledge of bicycles on Biking.Answers.com. 
Check out the site and tell me what you think!

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

10 Best Bicycling Blogs List 2011 from Outside Magazine - What's Missing?

Karen Kefauver's Outdoor Blogging Office (One Warm Afternoon)

"The Top 10 Biking Blogs — The best sites for expert race commentary, gear reviews, and bike porn," compiled by Aaron Gulley and published November 28, 2011, has made me wonder:

What are your picks for the best blogs for cyclists? (And unlike this list, please DO include ones like Velo News, Pink Bike, etc.)

* In my previous blog post, I summarized Outside Magazine's Top 10 Adventure Blog Websites.

Despite Gulley's disclaimer: "Before you get your chamois in a knot over all the killer pages I neglected and start sending hate mail about how out of touch I am, let me say this: These picks are personal, somewhat arbitrary, and based on the frequency I visit the blogs and the regularity that I ride away with something useful" there are plenty of heated comments. 

In the 30+ comments generated on this post, many were dismayed that these 2 blogs were not on the list: Drunk Cyclist and All Hail the Black Market. As for me, I am partial to Richard Masoner's Cyclicious.

Typing and biking go together, just not at the same time. 

"There are tons of great sites out there that provide detailed, ongoing bike news and coverage (e.g. CyclingNews, Velo News, PinkBike, etc.)," said Gulley. "These aren't them. What I look for in a blog is analysis and opinion beyond the headlines and quirky bits that make me scratch my head or laugh out loud. These sites do that, so go check them out."

10. Rapha Blog
9. Bike Snob NYC (Tie)
9. Boulder Report (Tie)
8. Vital MTB
7. The Inner Ring
6. BikeHacks
5. Fat Cyclist
4. Bangable Dudes in Pro Cycling
3. Rouleur Magazine Blog
2. Adventure Journal
1. Red Kite Prayer

Fabulous Fat Tire Fun & Sweet Singletrack @ Ride Sun Valley Mountain Bike Festival in Idaho

I want to go check out this new Ride Sun Valley Mountain Bike Festival in Idaho in July!

Here's more info:

Websites:

http://www.ridesunvalley.com/

http://www.visitsunvalley.com/

Facebook Pages:

http://www.facebook.com/sunvalley

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ride-Sun-Valley/212199422145732

Downieville Classic 2010 - My race report, photos & videos from mountain bike festival!

The cuts on my shin and elbow are starting to fade, but the memories of my mountain bike debut at Downieville Classic 2010 are still fresh! The epic mountain bike festival was held Friday, July 9, through Sunday,  July 11, in the historic, Gold Rush town of Downieville, California, about 3 hours northeast of Sacramento.

 Here I am ready to roll out at the very crowded start line

Photo Credit: Hank Coffin

The premiere events at the Downieville Classic are the cross country race, a grueling, 29-mile doozy of a course (on Saturday) that attracted 800 racers, and the downhill race (on Sunday). Plus, there are 200 people who are eligible to do BOTH events (on the same bike!) Those nuts are called "All Mountain" competitors.

One mountain climb on Saturday was enough for me! My race was a point-to-point event, starting in Sierra City and ending in Downieville, including a 4,413' ascent and  5,692' descent. Having never ridden in the hot, steep, rocky terrain of Downieville, I was quite nervous that my first time riding there would be for a RACE! In fact, writing my monthly bike column, Spin City, for the Santa Cruz Sentinel, made me even more anxious! Here's my story that appeared in the paper the day before the race: Spin City: The low-down on Downieville, cycling columnist aims to stay upright on technical mountain bike course - Santa Cruz Sentinel

I SURVIVED! READ MY RACE REPORT (below)
For the quick visual tour, check out the links to my photos, two videos (taken by my friend Hank Coffin) and race results.

I tried to keep a Cool Head while racing 29 tough miles

Photo Credit: Kind Aid Station Volunteer

PHOTOS
Karen's Downieville Classic 2010 photos on Flickr

VIDEO
1. A Taste of the Festival and Talk with Karen @ 2010 Downieville Classic
By Hank Coffin on Vimeo - 2 minutes
http://vimeo.com/13281362

2. A Huge Splash: Downieville 2010 Bike Jump Contest 
By Hank Coffin on Vimeo - 2 minutes
http://vimeo.com/13339201

RACE RESULTS
Race results and event info here!

MY RACE REPORT
My goal for this race in women's sport category, was to treat it like an adventure expedition, rather than a race. I planned to explore new land and enjoy the journey, ideally, building my strength and confidence, and emerging uninjured. With that in mind, I abandoned some traditional race tactics such as riding as light as I could! Most racers pare down their bikes, bodies and clothes to eliminate unncessary weight that might slow them down. Instead, this is what I brought with me on my race:

1. My Dakine hydration backpack filled with two liters of water
2. Camera (not a digital SLR, small Panasonic Lumix)
3. Cell phone (in case I felt chatty)
4. 1 baseball cap (handy for naps in the shade)
5. 1 pair nylon pants (it's all about fashion)
6. Cloth to clean camera lens
7. 1 water bottle filled with Cytomax
8. 2 Gus (energy gel)
9. 1 Clif Bar
10. 1 peanut butter and jelly sandwich

Sadly, there was no room to bring a pump or extra tubes.
Ok, half kidding: I only noticed at the last minute I was missing these essentials.


RACE START:
I looked at the hard-body women, my competition, and tried to restrain myself from comparison of our fitness differences.  Why was their body fat so low? :) Many of the gals weren't even wearing hydration packs on their backs; instead they opted to refuel at the aid stations on the course. The start was a chaotic jumble of 800 cross country racers squeezed in tiny channel. When they called my group, we could barely ride because it was so crowded in the start area. 


LOW POINT
The low point came soon after the 9:30 a.m. start. The start of the cross country race is a notorious 8-mile uphill grind. About 30 minutes into it, in the hot sun, I felt nauseous. Wanting to hold down my nutritious, whole grain cereal breakfast, I got off my bike and walked. For a long time. Slowly, uphill. It was not the last time I walked during the race, but it was the most challenging. I thought I was gonna be sick and took a while to regroup. It was a big mental struggle to stay positive while feeling so sick. By walking, drinking more water and forcing down a Gu, I stayed in the game.

I wasn't alone in suffering on the uphill grind at the start of the cross country race.

Photo Credit: Karen Kefauver, Playing Race Photographer

SCARIEST POINT
When I got to the top of the massive climb, what stretched before me was miles of downhill! The part that many racers love best. But when I saw the size of the rocks on the trail I felt terrified. I was kicking myself that I had not worn protective knee and elbow pads. Before cautiously going down,  I said my new mantra, aloud:  "STAY ON THE BIKE!"

The good news is, I never fell off my bike in a crash. The bad news is, I needed to adjust the mantra to say: "STAY ON THE BIKE AND KEEP IT UPRIGHT." The second scariest moment (following the introduction to the hella sized rocks on the trail) was when I panicked with a racer close behind me, looked back, lost my balance, and fell hard - essentially tipping over on my bike -onto my left side, scraping against the rocky side of the trail. That's where I earned my shin and elbow bloody badges. But my adrenalin surged and no real harm done. So I kept charging!

HIGH POINT
Without an odometer on my bike to measure miles, I imagine it was the final 10 miles of the 29-mile course where I experienced a wonderful second wind. By that time, I had seen the ugly impact of the race; clumps of people off their bikes, huddled in the shade, working out leg cramps, other riders off the trail fixing flats; folks walking their bikes... Even after the initial hard climb, there were more climbs, in the woods. I felt good and rode those sections when many others were walking. I felt proud I had paced myself well.

Closer to the end, when the last downhill sections were upon me, something clicked: I was on FIRE! I was flying by a gal who had passed me ages ago (felt good!) At last,  I was racing. Didn't want her to catch me. I was UNSTOPPABLE, Olympic caliber, HIGH, ecstatic. You racers know that glorious feeling. A combo of caffeinated Gu, and taking good care of my hydration needs - drinking lots of water and putting it on my head, too, all helped fuel this grand finale.

RACE FINISH
I felt strong and happy heading towards the finish.
Highlight was coming down the finishing shoot and seeing my friend Hank with his video camera pointed my direction (See his video!). Was great to have a good friend there to welcome me. With his camera rolling, I felt like a celebrity racer. I was happy and proud of my strong finish especially given it was my first time riding such rugged terrain. After the race, I sought out shade from the scorching heat, food and drink.

Woohoo! Race over! Let the eating, napping, celebrating - and showering - begin!

Photo Credit: Kris Suta Pederson

SOCIAL HOUR
As I slowly recovered from the race effort, I got to hear bits about friend's races as I chatted with Kris Suta Pederson, Meredith Obendorfer, Anastasia Flores, Alex Anderson and others. Also was a nice treat to bump into Brian Vernor, filmmaker and cyclist.

CONCLUSION
I was happy that I finished the race a shade under 4 hours; in 3:57:25 in the women "veteran" sport category (ages 35-44).  Though I had vowed not to be attached to the final time, since that was not part of my goal, the competitive athlete in me was proud of breaking four hours. I had looked at the race results for the women's sport category in 2009 and noted that out of the 10 women in that group, half had finished in four hours or more! So that was a good measuring stick for me.


THE ICING ON THE CAKE: For me, the most rewarding aspect of my Downiville race debut was maintaining a positive attitude, stoking my joy of adventure and coping with challenges. I also am pleased that I was taking really good care of myself with food and water along the way. Those are lessons I can always apply to my daily life! See you on the trails soon!

The Yuba River runs right through Downieville, making it a great spot for hot bikers to cool off!

Photo Credit: Karen Kefauver

Turning Badass in the Badlands: Mountain Bike Trip on the Maah Daah Hey with Western Spirit

I was inspired to mountain bike in North Dakota after a random encounter with a woman with hot pink hair, a pierced tongue and great attitude. I bumped into Gnat Harris, an acquaintance I hadn't seen for a year, at Sea Otter Classic in Monterey, California in May. She told me she was going on a guided fat tire trip in North Dakota with Western Spirit in June and suggested I sign up too. So I did.

Karen Kefauver is ready to ride!

Photo credit: Jereme Rauckman

  Western Spirit guide Emily leads the way on the Maah Daah Hey Trail; Jereme follows.

Photo credit: Karen Kefauver

Three other factors inspired my North Dakota trip this summer:

1. Western Spirit - The 5-day, 4-night camping and mountain bike tour in North Dakota was organized and led by Western Spirit, a Moab-Utah based company I like and trust. I had toured with them once before on Colorado Trail singletrack. (Here's the story I wrote on that epic trip for Singletrack Magazine). The only drawback, potentially, of rejoining this company was pigging out; the guides are famous for being fantastic cooks and this trip was no exception!
2. Badlands - I loved the name "Badlands" so I had to see for myself what the terrain was like. I was pleasantly surprised: it was more beautiful than I had expected. I loved the lush green grass of the flat meadows *but not the mud* and the rock formations were colorful and spectacular. With five full days of riding, I felt like I was doing interval training: there were short, steep uphills frequently. Maybe just one day with a significant sustained climb. Rolling terrain is the best way to describe it!
3. Good story potential: I had never visited North Dakota, and was curious to see what I would find in America's "friendliest state." It is also one of the least populated states. I often write about my sports and travel adventures (here is my website) and was further inspired to go on this trip because it's off the beaten track for many mountain bikers - and travelers in general.

My North Dakota Photos: Here are my shots from the Maah Daah Hey Trail, which is more than 100 miles long and connects the northern and southern units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Part of the Missouri River Plateau, the Badlands of North Dakota were formed by thousands of small streams working their way through hundreds of feet of sediment over millions of years. The trail travels through the grasslands, on top of the mesas and then dips in and out of the canyons. 

 Western Spirit Guide Simon Stewart points out the trail to cyclists Kathy of New York City, Rich of Chicago, Illinois, Nate of Eau Claire, Wisconsin and Gnat of Redwood City, California. 

Photo Credit, above, and below: Karen Kefauver

North Dakota Here I Come: Mountain Biking the Maah Daah Hey Trail with Western Spirit!

I launch my five-day mountain bike and camping tour with Western Spirit in North Dakota on Monday. I'm here in Bismarck, North Dakota's capital, thanks to a gal named Gnat. Yes, gnat, like the fly.  I will ask her why she chose that name while our group of 8 guests and three guides pedals our fat tires along the Maah Daah Hey trail. If you are headed to North Dakota, here's the office of tourism contact!

It was Gnat's hot pink hair that I noticed in the expo area of the Sea Otter Classic, a bike festival held in Monterey (an hour south of me in Santa Cruz) in April. With that stand-out hair, I assumed it was the same cyclist I had met briefly at a women's mountain bike skills clinic, the Dirt Series, in Santa Cruz, a year ago. I went to say hi.

Gnat learns about bicycle fit during the 2009 Dirt Series, a mountain bike clinic for women.

Turned out neither of us planned to return to the two-day mountain bike skills camp in 2010 though it had been excellent. Instead, Gnat told me about a bike tour she had signed up for in North Dakota.  Mountain biking in North Dakota had never crossed my mind.  I was intrigued. When she said the tour outfitter, Western Spirit, was the host of the trip, it sounded like a good match for me.

I had gone on a Colorado mountain bike tour (Colorado Singletrack) with Western Spirit several years ago and it had been a great experience - and an incredible challenge to mountain bike at high altitude. Here's the story I wrote about that trip for Singletrack Magazine.

My tour starts Monday with a drive from Bismarck to the town of  Medora and ends Friday. I am stoked to mountain bike by day and camp by night - though a bit nervous that I am renting a bike and camping gear here rather than schlep mine on the airplane.

Here are the details of our itinerary. Thankfully, other than a hefty load of water on my back, all my gear will be packed in a truck. Will be fun. Stay tuned!

I used my laptop's built-in camera to snap this photo while I was stretching in Denver Airport. I arrived in Bismarck this afternoon.

Sea Otter Classic Bike Festival: Bad News, Good News & Wise Friends

The 2010 Sea Otter Classic wrapped up its 20th anniversary one week ago today in Laguna Seca Recreation Area in Monterey, California. On Saturday, April 17, I raced the cross country mountain bike event,  a very hilly loop of 20 miles, in the women's sport class. Here's my previous post on other fun stuff at the event.

THE BAD NEWS: I came in 22nd out of 24 in my age group. That's the slowest time ever for me at that race. I struggled during the race with feeling bad about my lack of fitness. I battled, not with other racers, in this case, but with my own effort to stay positive and enjoy the strength of my body and the beauty of the spring days and wildflowers. I realized that this is my top priority - mental training! In the end, it's what really matters to me. And I have great friends whose words of wisdom help keep me focused! See below.

THE GOOD NEWS: Mental training is key, but I want a stronger body, too. So, thanks to my result at Sea Otter, I have also been inspired to build my endurance and strength.  I have enjoyed four daily rides in a row, all with friends - three mountain bike rides, Thursday through Saturday. Then today, to top it off, I got out the road bike and toodled up the scenic Highway 1 to Davenport.

On Apr 19, 2010, at 11:43 AM
Andrew Murray wrote:
"Ya know, you showed a lot of guts and heart out there on Saturday. I know how sick you were earlier and how little training you got in before SOC.  That’s a tough ride to jump into."

 
On Apr 18, 2010, at 5:20 PM
Jim Langley commented:

"It was nice seeing you down there and I'm impressed that you're such an accomplished racer. Don't take any guff from those wannabes. Keep getting out there and having fun. That's what it's all about."

On Apr 18, 2010, at 10:41 PM
Henrietta Stern wrote:
"That sense of personal pride for hanging in there and doing your best when bailing would have been so easy is "winning" just as much as coming in first place-- You rock!"

 • Henrietta Stern, right, captured FIRST PLACE in her cross country mountain bike race! 

• Andrew Murray, far left, battled to the podium finish in 5th place in cross country.

• Jim Langley both raced and stayed busy as a bike industry/media insider.

 

 

Mountain Biker Karen Shows Her Year of The Tiger Race Face

DSC_3168
Originally uploaded by Steve.Anderson

More mountain bike races, please. I had a fun time at my first cross country mountain bike race in a year, this past Sunday. I was delighted that photographer Steve Anderson caught this action shot.

Learn to mountain bike or improve your riding with skills clinics - coed and women-only mountain bike camps

I'm always on a quest to become a better cyclist, especially when it comes to riding singletrack trails on my mountain bike! For the past two years, I have signed up for the women-only Dirt Series clinic, a two-day skills intensive which has come to my town of Santa Cruz, California. The Dirt Series rolls out again in 2010, with a new title sponsor of Trek Bicycles. The Santa Cruz clinic sold out all its spots within 24 hours, but fortunately, there are Trek Dirt Series camps offered around the U.S. and Canada that still have space. They offer women-only camps as well as co-ed options. I'll write more about my great experience with them in my next blog post.

Another way to get better on the bike is to sign up for a mountain bike camp with Alison Dunlap, two-time Olympian and former national and world champion in mountain biking.

I still haven't ridden in Moab, Utah! I must change that!

 I have taken afternoon clinics with Alison Dunlap and had the opportunity to interview her as a journalist at Sea Otter Classic and other major bicycling races.  She is a great teacher - fun, patient, encouraging and of course, a master at her craft. Here's the scoop on the Moab, Utah, camps with Alison.

Alison says:
"After running skills clinics for the past five years, we have decided to take a break, and instead focus our energy on expanding our Moab Camps."

April 27-May 1, 2010   Novice/Intermediate
We are introducing a new Beginner/Interm 5-day Moab Skills Camp

"For those of you that have come before, we have a new Intermediate/Adv Ride Camp."
May 11-15, 2010   Intermediate/Advanced
Sept 28-Oct 2, 2010   Intermediate/Advanced
Cost:
$1985:  All inclusive
$1595:  Without lodging and massage

More about Alison
She's a  USA Cycling certified Level II coach, a United States Anti-Doping Association Athlete Ambassador, a member of the USA Cycling Olympic Selection Committee, and a certified Wilderness First Responder.

If you have taken one of Alison Dunlap's camps or had her coaching, please leave a comment here on this blog and let me know what you thought!