Registration is now open, Illinois Homegrown Series stop #2
https://www.usacycling.org/myusac/in...1307&year=2012
Matthiessen Mounatain Madness 5/6/12
Registration is now open, Illinois Homegrown Series stop #2
https://www.usacycling.org/myusac/in...1307&year=2012
Supporting Member
Who's going? Forecast is looking good for Sunday.
I am in for sure, unless they get some unexpected rain later this week.
"Start and end at a brewery, and a very cool snow and Ice urban/cross country, lake ride in between with flasks ful of Krakin... YAH MON!!!!" - Vibrato
"Every one of you should ride a bike and be yourself. I really and truly believe that bikes make the world better, and that anyone who spends some time getting used to life on the saddle will find that it makes their life and the world that their life is locked to, better; in almost every way." -Gern Blanston, Surly Bikes
Poser
yupOriginally Posted by badfish41
"ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."
Supporting Member
Yup yup
just a member
I'm in.
I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.
Supporting Member
In. Anyone have a scouting report? I've not been there before.
"Coach says I've got the heart of a champion and legs of a spectator"
FORC'n Newbie
Fun race- enough climbing to make you wish you'd trained more, but not enough to make you upchuck.
A couple years ago they ran you from the tippy top of the ridge all the way down to a rock garden on the rivers edge- and back up- it was friggin cool as all get out, but I haven't been there in a couple years so i don't know if they still do that.
Good trails though!!
Believe in yourself? Well sure, of course. But be aware that "believing in myself" has been the root cause of most of my injuries.
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"I feel sorry for people who don't do this." -Badfish41- after bombing the Hermosa's at Levis Trow.
Supporting Member
Augie and I are going to head over, weather permitting.
just a member
not looking good.
http://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick...2=-89.0645&e=0
I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.
Board Member
I have no plans to go, but what do you think the forecast for the Stampede looked like the Friday b4 the race? Just something to ponder! :)
A Value Oriented Cyclist
just a member
true. I haven't ruled it out. I'm waiting till the morning of to make the call.
I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.
Poser
forecast isn't looking too shabby.
anybody have an idea of the trail conditions?
"ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."
Supporting Member
Let's race!
"Start and end at a brewery, and a very cool snow and Ice urban/cross country, lake ride in between with flasks ful of Krakin... YAH MON!!!!" - Vibrato
"Every one of you should ride a bike and be yourself. I really and truly believe that bikes make the world better, and that anyone who spends some time getting used to life on the saddle will find that it makes their life and the world that their life is locked to, better; in almost every way." -Gern Blanston, Surly Bikes
Supporting Member
According to their website on Thursday - Trails are wet but still firm. No plans yet to cancel or reschedule.
According to their website on Friday - Yes, we did get some rain last night but we are still optimistic trails will be race ready for Sunday.
"Coach says I've got the heart of a champion and legs of a spectator"
Supporting Member
Latest update:
"Course is ready to go. Don't know what happened to all the rain trails are excellent. Sport/expert loop is a little slimy along river."
Let's do this.
"Coach says I've got the heart of a champion and legs of a spectator"
FORC'n Newbie
Jeff and I will be heading up! Looking forward to my second race ever.
Supporting Member
Does anybody know if you can register the day of the race at course?
Poser
Yup
"ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."
FORC'n Newbie
Mud.
Administrator
Holy crap!
Supporting Member
they should rename it.... Matthiessen MUD Madness ... that was 3 of the hardest laps I have done....
just a member
Yeah it sucked.
I may have to grow old, but I'll never have to grow up.
Supporting Member
Why Russ, Why! The new paint job the new drive train, why???????? Good god man don't you have any respect for that thing? And where are the pictures of you after the race?
JB
"I've spent half of my life riding a bike, the other half I wasted!"
Poser
really...I don't know what else to say about that race.
as a paid racer, I didn't want to waste my registration fee (selfish thinking), but once on the course I felt I put myself in a situation that could easily lead to a freak injury. To me, it just wasn't worth it. Scoff all you want, but until you're laying in a hospital bed with a pan between your legs and a nurse checking on you every three hours to see if you've finally become flatulent so you can be discharged, you look at injuries, and the possibility/risk of injury much differently.
as a Steward, it pained me to ride the trails in those horrible, horrible conditions. those trails got TORE UP. TORE UP
and, as a member of a club that advocates and promotes responsible Mountain Biking, I've gotta feel for the IVAC Race Director. He had a difficult decision to make. The trails, according to IVAC's twitter feed, were in excellent condition pre-race. The skies opened up and began pouring literally 10 minutes before the Novice class began. What was he to do?
I could go all judgmental and say the dude shoulda called it due to rider safety and trail sustainability....but I will hold that judgment in light of IVAC's young age and lack of experience in such situations as well as the pressure and subsequent criticism if he were to tell all those racers (there was a pretty good turnout) to go home.
You think the '09 Stampede was muddy? That was nothing, NOTHING compared to what we went through today. I was only able to run ONE lap! Granted, the "mud" at Sylvan wreaked more havoc on the racer's components - chains, cassettes, and brake pads, but the Sylvan "mud" didn't cake up and convert a bike into a sled. A 50lb sled. It was more of a challenge walking then riding. The mud caked up so bad in my fork crown and drivetrain, my bike was rendered completely useless and it became a death march to walk the trail up from the river and out. I have crazy respect for the dudes who finished, including Mr. Paul Struck.
I hope those IVAC dudes get to work soon on those trails. I wouldn't be surprised if it took them all summer to rehab back to an acceptable riding condition. Such a shame cuz while I was riding...err, I mean, walking...the trails I could see they would be a ton of fun in favorable riding conditions.
I'm gonna chalk it up to the club's/Race Director's inexperience, which isn't their fault, and what else could the guys do? Live and learn. Lots of learnin' gonna need to be done from one day of livin'
Tough day for everyone.
Last edited by jimithng23; 05-06-2012 at 08:55 PM.
"ya, well...that's like...your...opinion. man."
Supporting Member
It sucked big donkey package!
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