Tag Archives: Snowshoe Mountain Resort

by

The Massacre at Tea Creek

The Tea Creek Trail Head
The Tea Creek Team

We all kind of laughed at the potential title to this post but in some ways, it was kind of true. Syed Hyder, Mark” the Shark” Sauers, John Casuccio and his daughter Haley, Pete Hilton and I all made the trek to Snowshoe, West Virginia to take in the UCI World Cup Mountain Bike Races and do some riding in the always challenging trails of West Virginia. Little did we know that our ride in the Tea Creek area would turn into probably one of the most challenging rides we have ever done all due to a navigational error. But we will get into that in a bit. First things first. We started out with a nice ride at the Baker’s Ridge trails near the WVU campus with our good friend Roger Evans. He led us around these beautifully created trails as a first stop on our way south.

Roger- upper left. Gave us a good tour around Morgantown.

Moving towards Slaty Fork and Marlinton after the ride, we made our way to a wonderful cabin at the Jerico Bed and Breakfast complex. The cabins there are restored pre-Civil War structures that are truly spectacular. If you ever want a nice place to stay- look no further than the Jerico and rent one of those beautifully restored cabins. https://jericobb.com

The Lee Cabin- named after the famous Confederate general. Right near Marlinton, WVA.

After settling into the Lee Cabin, we awoke the next morning to a spectacularly sunny day with the changing leaves all holding court for our visual enjoyment. John and I had discussed the route on the Tea Creek ride prior to the trip and had agreed on a plan to take us down the Gauley Mountain Trail, making a right turn on the Bear Pen Trail which would eventually end up on a fire road which we could take back to the lot, or we could add a few miles by rerouting on some of the trails generally around the parking area. John and Haley had downloaded the map on their Garmin devices and I went old school with my map of the area from the old Wild 100 days. I have had a lot of experience riding in that region and had a pretty good idea of the good routes versus the tough routes. John suggested that we make a right turn on the way down the Gauley Mountain trail which deviated from our plan. But we were all cool with it as we were challenged on the rocky, rooty, always slimy terrain. As Shark would say, ” it gets West Virginia in a hurry” once you begin riding anything in that region and the Gauley Mountain Trail and the Red Trail were no different. You always have to keep your speed up because momentum is your friend. As soon as you slow down and think too hard about what is in front of you, trouble ensues.

Pondering the crossing
John and Syed slogging through

Had we decided to go all the way down, we could have hit the Tea Creek Mountain Trail which several of us had ridden before. That would have led us to the Tea Creek campground with an easy out on the Bannock Shoals trail to the fire road to the finish. But what could have been a nice “Gilligan’s Island” three hour tour turned into a true backcountry slogfest when our only route out was the Tea Creek Trail which was clearly marked on my map as ” not recommended”. I knew when we were headed there that it would be a very challenging route out. Most of it was unrideable and it even would be challenging as a hiking trail with multiple stream crossings before the trail ended.

We all tried to keep our shoes dry by handing each other our bikes and gingerly crossing the slimy rocks in the Tea Creek. But by the time we hit the 6th stream crossing, we all basically were trying to get across the best way we could which included hip deep wading and steep banks on the other side where we once again pushed our bikes up the steep inclines out of the creek and passing the bikes up the bank when needed. Our shoes were soaked and the going got tougher when we tried to ride some sections out. Shark fell and banged his noggin and had some blood on his lip which caused his Confederate general, snowwhite beard to sport some red. Doc Hyder made sure he was ok and we plodded on primarily pushing our bikes over four miles of steep, rocky, unrideable terrain. Along with the usual annoyances of stepping on ground bees nests and getting multiple stings, falling in the creek, getting pounded by the relentless uphill rocks, roots, and mud bogs, we finally escaped the Tea Creek Trail and made our way back to the fire road and ultimately to the parking lot……………..5+1/2 hours after we began. Including a half hour lunch break of pre-packed peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Always a winner and a life saver on long rides.

West Virginians are tough as we saw several of them on the rides plowing their way through everything. They are used to this challenging terrain, but our crew held our own in what was truly a backcountry adventure leading me to the conclusion that any deviations from the mapped plans can lead to more than we would bargain for. Haley, the mother of two young kids, was undaunted by it all and showed that once again, youth is wasted on the young. She was amazing.

The World Cup Races were fun to watch especially the downhill on Saturday. The fitness displayed by the XC racers on Sunday was amazing to see as well as they are all the best in the world and we had the good fortune to see them up close. Snowshoe does a great job putting on these races every year and hopefully the UCI schedule will permit another wild, wonderful event in the premier showcase resort in the area.

East Coast Legend Jeremiah Bishop. The always smiling Pete Hilton in background.
Defending Olympic Gold medalist and current World Champion Tom Pidcock. So cool to see him in person.
The very personable Brit Evie Richards -always a contender for the women’s XC crown. Our doc Syed on right.

I am getting a little long in the tooth for 5+1/2 hour rides, slogs, hikes or whatever you want to call it. But sometimes age and treachery survives ,and I will be back to try the new 30 mile trail system currently being developed near Marlinton. This system we are told, will be an IMBA Gold Trail System- the first on the East Coast. This will bring Marlinton well into the game of being a top- rated destination spot for mountain bike riding. But I will be using my maps for sure and not deviating from the plan. However, if it were not for the deviation, we would not have had the adventure we had. So, no problem, John. A fun adventure. Sometimes you have to deviate. Thanks for reading.

by

The Moon Rocks

The Moon Rocks- Davis, West Virginia

Well, the old dudes are about to make a return to West Virginia late September to take in the UCI World Cup Mountain Bike Races at Snowshoe Mountain Resort. Lots of fun watching the pro men and women in cross country and downhill. Their skill is amazing and the atmosphere is electric with all the fans. But part of the fun is riding the uber challenging trails of West Virginia. I am currently plotting out our rides for the long weekend and the ride routes in Davis, West Virginia are etched in my mind. This would include the famous Moon Rocks as seen above. This interesting sandstone formation is very old and the pockmarked water spots make riding this section very challenging. This is an ancient rock formation that has surfaced over the years. Supposedly it is 480 million years old. Knowing that, it kind of commands your respect as you make your way onto it’s pockmarked surface. It is unlike any other area on the trail system in Davis but certainly a most interesting feature of the technical riding there.

The first time I ever saw the Moon Rocks was in the 24 Hours of Canaan years ago in Davis. I was warned about them as I slogged my way out of a portage in the river at the start of the race. I was totally soaked and the marshal said, “wait until you get to the Moon Rocks.” I was kind of taken back when I first came up on them and worked my way through them slowly but surely, so as not to crash on the sandstone/bedrock surface. Three laps later at about 3:00 AM, I came on them in the pitch dark of night. My lights illuminated the marshal who was standing there with a long coat looking like the grim reaper. It was kind of eerie making my way in and out of the rocks with no one else around at that particular time in the race. It is sometimes tough to make your way up and through the rocks, stay upright and exit without incident.

My posse back in the day at Davis, West Virginia

The race days are over for me but we still like riding down in West Virginia. We are staying at the Jerico in Marlinton where we used to stay years ago. We are utilizing their Lee Cabin which is a restored Civil War cabin. When we first went to the Jerico, the proprietor’s father asked us where we were from. We told him and he said, ” Yankee boys.” ” We have four of you buried on the hillside behind us from the war.” We laughed about that one, but I slept with one eye open. LOL!! The Lee Cabin is named after the famous Civil War general and the history of the Jerico will be on full display there. I will also drag out all of my old maps from the area and compare them with the Trail Forks app to come up with a good itinerary of rides before we get cleaned up to take in the races at Snowshoe. But the riding there is no joke and you have to be prepared for wet roots, slimy rocks, and generally difficult conditions. Just the way the West Virginians like it. We will have our doc with us to patch things up if anything goes sideways. That is if he doesn’t need patched up himself which is more likely the case.

We are also hoping for some dry weather. More often than not, we have experienced torrential rains when we headed to West Virginia. The Wild 100 days, the NORBA races at Snowshoe, the West Virginia Fat Tire Festival were often plagued with heavy rain which made the riding conditions even more challenging. Last year, the UCI race at Snowshoe had biblical rains and it was interesting to see the men and the women pros handle the really slick, muddy descents.

The finish line for the pros at Snowshoe after an incredibly muddy race.

Hopefully we will have a dry shot at the Moon Rocks in Davis on the way down. Perhaps a slice of whole wheat pizza at Sirianni’s or a burrito at Hellbenders then head south to Marlinton. It is always a great time in the Mountain State and we are all looking forward to a visit to the Moon. Thanks for reading.

Cheering on the racers with ………..more cowbell.
by

Ya Gadda Have a Laugh

I try to make Jan laugh every day. Usually, I am successful. LOL!!

Have you noticed how serious some people are today? Politics, the economy, and other daily stressors tend to make some people very agitated when really there is not much we can do about it other than try to be kind to each other daily. Part of that kindness is to get a laugh out of people and for a brief moment, they forget their troubles and laugh at the situation. In my case, I self- deprecate to elicit that laugh. Take last week for example. It was my nephew’s birthday. He was not happy about turning 31, but I told him I have socks older than him. That got a good laugh from him even though Richard tends to be fairly serious. For a brief moment, he realized that his Uncle Pat made him feel better. I enjoyed hearing him laugh.

In the last blog post, I talked about getting hit in the head with a chipped ham sandwich while riding my road bike. Not too funny at the time especially with what the driver had to say to me, but funny today thinking about it. And the best part- funny to all of you . Admit it. A chipped ham sandwich……..whack……right in the back of the helmet. With mayo!!!

Speaking of road riding- have any of you riders noticed how serious some road riders tend to be? I happen to be friendly on rides and when we pass a group of road riders, oftentimes they don’t say hello and kind of give you a scowl like they are in the Tour de France or something? I chuckle and think to myself, nobody is going to the Olympics on your ride…….lighten up.

Making Pete laugh is a daily occurrence.

I think the main reason a lot of people like to ride or ski with me is I make them laugh. We jokingly talk about mishaps on the ride or on the slopes. And I bring up some inane conversation that has nothing to do with the ride. I just try to make them laugh while we are killing each other up some hill. My friend Porter always laughs when he reminds me that I took out a whole PSIA clinic group one time on the ski slopes. They were all serious involved in a conversation about technique when I skied down to talk to them, crossed my tips, and took out the whole group like bowling pins including the examiner conducting the clinic. I was embarrassed at the time. But now……..it is one of the funny things Porter remembers. He always says” a level III certified guy cleans out the whole group!” You would think I would know better, but it gets a laugh every time Porter and Tim bring it up.

The makeshift meet and greet table at the World Cup in Snowshoe

I also like to create things to get a laugh. Like when Bob Anderson and the Shark and I visited Snowshoe, West Virginia for the World Cup Mountain Bike Races. Shark is a character and Bob and I saw a free table in the expo area. We set up a makeshift meet and greet so that the UCI mountain bike community could meet the Shark. People didn’t quite know what to make of it, but you would be amazed at the riders and their entourage who came over to meet the Shark. We had a lot of laughs about that. Especially since Bob A tends to be on the serious side……………until you get a big belly laugh from him. Doesn’t take much. LOL!!!

Specialized rider Haley Batten. She was anxious to meet the Shark. LOL!!!
Specialized rider Sina Frei didn’t quite know what to make of the Shark. LOL!!

I have a lot of fun riding mountain bikes and skiing because I don’t take things too seriously and a laugh on the chairlift or on the trail is well worth my effort. I like to brighten people’s day and getting a laugh out of them is always a fun pursuit.

There are so many funny things that occur during the day and if you take the time to capture them, have fun with them, and get a smile out of someone, you have done a good thing for people. I make my wife Janet laugh every day and even though my son Jack often doesn’t appreciate my humor, I like to get a laugh from him as well. Remember- dads are dorks and it is a challenge to overcome that. But oftentimes I relish my role as ………………the dork.

My buddy Dixon always gets me to laugh. He is a character. I have a lot of characters in my life.

Surround yourself with fun people and your life will be so enriched. Things are tough today. There is a lot of division, bitterness, and bad blood, but if you can make the best of it, look on the bright side of life, and don’t get hung up on the news, your life will be so much more fulfilling. Don’t be afraid to laugh at yourself either. So many people are insecure that they don’t like to make fun of themselves. I don’t know how secure I am, but I don’t have any trouble making fun of myself. It makes other people laugh, and for that………………I am happy. My mother always said, ” happiness is like a perfume…..you can’t sprinkle it on others without getting a little bit on yourself.” No truer words have been said and my mother was…………..a character. Thanks for reading.

I even had Greg Lemond laughing on some rides.
by

Taking a Flyer at Snowshoe

The Finish Line- Snowshoe, WVA World Cup Mountain Bike Race

” So Pete, what made us think we would escape the rain, roots and mud of riding in West Virginia?” I said this as my friend Pete Hilton and I made our way through the Backcountry Trails at Silver Creek right outside of Snowshoe Mountain Resort in West Virginia. We decided to take a flyer and go see the World Cup Cross Country Races and get a ride in too. We have a lot of experience over 30 years of riding mountain bikes in West Virginia for different events and unfortunately it rains most of the time. But somehow, that adds to the allure of the place and we kind of expect it. When we went to the Word Cup finals last year, it was a hot, sunny weekend. But that was a first. At the Wild 100s, the 24 Hour Races, the NORBA Nationals, the Fat Tire Festivals over the years- it always rained………….and that’s ok believe it or not.

Before the muddy mess.

So Pete picks me up at 4:00 AM and we take the drive to Snowshoe from Pittsburgh. About a 4 hour jaunt and when we get there, we get our tickets for the races and then head to Silver Creek. The long and the short of that is we got lost because I started out on the wrong trail. We had a long, rocky, climb and eventually ended up in the woods on a trail system that we had ridden before. Rooty, muddy , slimy and all around West Virginia treacherous snot fest. But we survived as usual and got back to the van and changed clothes and headed to the races. We met up with our Pittsburgh contingent and took in the expo area and saw a lot of the new bikes and equipment and also saw some of the racers who were warming up for the respective women’s and men’s cross country events.

U.S. Rider Kate Courtney warming up for the Scott Team

As we made our way to the start line and then to the course, it began to sprinkle and then about halfway through the women’s race, the skies opened up in true West Virginia fashion. We were positioned at this amazingly muddy and steep downhill and witnessed some of the most skillful bike handling you will ever see. Take the time to watch the races on Red Bull TV and you will see how difficult the course became and how well the women rode. My MVP for the day was Jolanda Neff of Switzerland who bombed down the muddy, slimy, rock infested descent and bridged to the lead group to finish on the podium. An amazing feat of fitness and skill was on display for all of us to see in a truly biblical, torrential downpour.

The first lap for the men .

The men were next and it seemed to be raining even harder as Hank, Samra, Pete and I hung out in the North Face Store just to stay a little dry although we were totally soaked. We welcomed people into the North Face Store jokingly hoping not to get thrown out. But eventually we made our way to the wicked fast start and eventually back to that treacherous downhill to see how the men handled it. Well, not only are the speeds higher than the women, but the fearless attacks in the torrent both on the climbs and on the descents were impressive.

Thomas Frischknecht- Former Olympic medalist and World Champion- manager of the Scott Team and a nicer guy you will not meet.

Although the weather was really foul, the amazing thing about the whole event is the people. First off, the fans are truly enthusiastic and no matter how badly they were soaked, their cheerful attitude and encouraging voices and cowbell rings, buoyed the riders on. The Red Bull TV people all comment on the enthusiastic fans at Snowshoe and it was on display even in the raging rainstorm.

The athletes, managers, and employees of the manufacturers at the booths are amazingly approachable and always happy to oblige with a picture or a discussion. There is something in the air at Snowshoe that makes it a great venue for mountain biking and mountain bike racing. People are friendly, and the visiting athletes from all over the world are always glad to come here. Even though it is quite remote, it is like a gem in the wilderness of West Virginia and the people of mountain biking make the venue even more special.

Don’ miss this bar b que – bottom of the mountain on the way out.

The Pittsburgh Contingent.

On our way out, Pete and I stopped at the Almost Heaven Smoke House at the bottom of the mountain on the way out to RT219. Great bar b que if you visit and the owners are hard working and friendly – typical of the locals of West Virginia who embrace the World Cup every year. I am hoping that the UCI always hosts the World Cup at Snowshoe and we can continue to see world class athletes show us all how it is done. Nothing like the races and nothing like the people of the mountain bike community.

We headed home after the men’s races were over and the four hour drive back seemed to fly by with our enthusiastic recounting of the events of the day. A long day for a couple of guys in their 60s but what the hell- go for it. Spending the weekend is the way to go, but Pete and I had other things that precluded that. But we made the effort, got a ride in, and saw some great racing in the wilds of West Virginia. It truly is ” Almost Heaven” even when it rains. Thanks for reading.

Final Images courtesy of Red Bull TV
by

Send It

UCI World Cup Snowshoe- home of the “Senders”

So I go into Trail Flo Bikes the other day to pick up my mountain bike after a minor repair and after I say “thank you” for the quick service the owner, Tom Florcik, says to me- “send it.” I kind of chuckled because I always liked this expression of devil may care bravado. He basically was saying – ” take your bike Pat and go throw caution to the wind.” “Send it”.

Women’s UCI Downhill- Snowshoe, WVA

Now when you go to a World Cup mountain bike event, and watch the downhill, you see some real senders. They absolutely have no fear and go as fast as they possibly can to win. They stand in the starting gate and you hear their coaches and team mates say “send it” right before they launch into the course. If you have any thoughts of slowing down at any point, you are out of the top ten. Similarly, if you watch any of the Red Bull Rampage out in Utah- you see some amazing scenes of guys and gals riding impossibly steep descents complete with back flips off jumps. They send it for sure, again with no fear. Well, maybe a little bit in the starting gate, but for the most part, they are amped to compete.

Corbett’s Couloir- Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

I can remember standing on the edge of Corbett’s Couloir in Jackson Hole, back in the day, and thinking of where I was going to slide in and make my first turn. Something in me said, ” send it” and I went for it in my own way. Today’s kids start roughly 100 yards above the couloir and do a back flip into the abyss in the Kings and Queens of Corbett’s much to my amazement. Their meaning of “send it” is much different than mine. Today- at my age, I like to ride to ride another day and also stay on the ground. Mountain biking is exercise for me and not hucking off some cliff or big rock outcrop. Skiing is making nice turns and staying on the ground as well. “Send it” is a relative term these days.

Looking down from the summit of Mammoth Mountain, California.

I like to think that occasionally I can rise to the occasion and be like Toby Keith when he says, ” I ain’t as good as I once was, but I am as good once as I ever was.” Nice thought but for the most part only dreaming. ” Send it” today has a much different meaning to me than what it means to today’s generation.

Attitude plays a big part too in “sending it.” Take Missy Giove here back in the day after her loss in the dual slalom at the NORBA Nationals in Snowshoe. I rode up the chairlift with her and she was quite engaging and talkative, but you could tell she was pissed that she lost. She then got off the chair and launched herself back down the course with the attitude of ” send it” in a much different meaning. Kind of funny – the crowd thought so too.

Missy the Missile

When I think of the term, ” send it”, it conjures up nerves. I think about getting out of your comfort zone and with a little bit of reckless abandon, you do something you might not ordinarily do . You have to get the negative ” what if” out of your head and think positive. That can have consequences or if you pull it off, it will have you ” smiling like a butcher’s dog.” Even though I am fairly conservative these days, there are the occasions when I will try something relatively imposing, but that is the rare occasion. Getting hurt takes a little more healing time and you have to face the reality that you are not 25 years old anymore. ” Send it” might be something relatively docile compared to the old days.

I do think there are ways though these days where you can ” send it” under different circumstances. For instance, my friends who live in Florida volunteer for Samaritan’s Purse. They live a comfortable life in Florida but when SP calls, they are deployed to some really needy places in the world. They probably think, ” ahh, do we really want to go?” But then they “send it” and off they go to places and people who really need their help. We can ” send it” the same way when we have a friend in need, a sick neighbor, someone who needs some comfort or friendship, maybe some help with something with which you really are not familiar but you are willing to go out on the limb to help. You think, ” ahh, not now. I really don’t feel like doing that.” But as you stare into the possibilities that it might not work out, or you will be ridiculed, or you maybe can’t quite pull off the task, you ” send it” and hopefully come out smiling like that butcher’s dog.

Another sender.

My mother always said that ” Happiness is like a perfume. You can’t sprinkle it on others without getting a little on yourself” You feel good when you are able to help someone. Maybe you don’t feel like doing it or getting involved? But you pick yourself up and go for it. It is usually worth the effort.

Most of us will never be like the Red Bull athlete, or the World Cup MTB downhiller, but in our own way we can ” send it”. Look for the opportunities, think about standing in that start line of life, not sure of what will come by throwing caution to the wind, and …………………………..” send it!” Thanks for reading.

Snowshoe title picture courtesy of Steve Gurtner

by

Affirmation

Affirmation with the Cow Bell.

So the other day, I was riding my mountain bike at our local park trying to get back into some semblance of shape after a tough winter on our trails. Once the snow came and the thaws and freezes, the ice on the trails was too tough for me because I don’t have studs. So with the recent spring like weather, I figured I would go out again and start riding. I was making my way up a hill when a guy who was hiking with his wife said, ” Hey!………..good job”. I kind of chuckled at that comment and said thank you and kept riding. It kind of reminded me of the old mountain bike racing days when I would be killing myself up a hill and some kind soul observing on the side of the trail would look at me and say………..” Hey- good job.” Those kind of comments kind of spurred me on to the top of the hill and then helped me make my way enthusiastically to the finish line. It is amazing how a little positive commentary can spur you on.

I always returned the kindness at the World Cup Mountain Bike Finals in Snowshoe, West Virginia with my cowbell. When the pros would be making their way up a heinous climb, I would encourage them with my cowbell. Many of them were so focused that they they never wavered in their concentration. Others like American Haley Batten would smile and enthusiastically say “thank you” and keep riding spurred on by the pro-American spectators wishing her well.

The Shark and the affable Haley Batten

Affirmation is usually the result of the acclaim of a job well done. At Snowshoe, you can see the result of hard work of the world class athletes, and the support they got from their home team and trainers. We cheered them on- affirming their hard work. Affirmation comes after the support of someone trying to do something positive. Support them first- then affirm them.

We all have the opportunity to support people on their way up or maybe on their way back. For instance, I have a neighbor who had a severe stroke and is making his way back. He has been through a lot along with his supportive wife. The guy is a noted, retired orthopedic surgeon who has had some tough breaks with his health. I have tried to support him as well as his wife in different ways, but the other day- I saw Dr. Tim out on a walk using his walker encouraged by his ever supporting wife, Joyce. I looked at him and said, ” Good job, TIm.” You could see the smile on his face because I affirmed the hard work he has done to make it back. When I was at his house the other day, he showed me his strength by pulling me with his arms. The guy is a big strong guy and although he is in his 80s, he has made a remarkable come back. He deserves affirmation and we give it to him.

I have another friend who has had a stroke as well and he is making his comeback. Although he is younger, he has worked hard to come back. He is an avid mountain bike rider, skier, backcountry adventurer, snowmobiler, and traveler. He has his moments of despair, but I always affirm his hard work and tell him that he will be back stronger than ever. People need support when they have difficult times and we all can give that support. And when they make their way up over the hill metaphorically, we can give them the affirmation that they deserve.

Jeff on the comeback trail.

There are a lot of people today that can use our help. Friends who have had a death in the family, are having health issues, maybe are going through a divorce or other personal issues, or people that just need a boost up that hill. We can make the effort to support them and when they make progress, we can affirm that progress with a kind comment like- ” Good job- keep up the good work.” You may not need to use a cowbell to affirm them, but you can certainly recognize that people go through a lot and can use a word or support, a kindness afforded to them, and affirmation that gives them that boost that they need. To have a friend is to be a friend. Thanks for reading.