Women’s Cat 2/3 Podium from the Gravity East Series: Launch Bike Park @ Spring Mountain, PA

The end of the Gravity East Series came and went with a mighty, muddy splash. I am happy to report that I finished up the season healthy and fully recovered from my mid-season broken digit. I did not suffer any additional injuries beyond the expected bumps and bruises, for that I am very grateful. Unfortunately, many of my friends did not have the same experience and I’m wishing a speedy recovery to full health for each of them. What an amazing experience it has been! I have learned many new skills, overcome deep seated fears, made many new friends and stood at the peak of many beautiful places. One of my favorite parts about downhill mountain biking are the amazing views you get from the lift and occasionally, in the starting gate just before your race run, the view can be awe-inspiring and an excellent reminder of the natural beauty that is possible in the world. By the end of the season I had learned to gaze out about the trees, peak and valleys and sometimes even the clouds, take in long, slow, deep breaths and feel comfortable with my place in the world. When I began to let go of my anxiety, my fear of heights, my terror of hurtling downhill at ever increasing speeds, whizzing past trees and rocks and really just enjoying the experience of moving through space I was able to feel the wonder, the sense of empowerment and the amazingly good fortune that I have. I spent my summer traveling to some of the most beautiful places along the East Coast and spent my time with friends enjoying a sport that few people in the world will ever try; how wonderful! My husband and I travelled together to many of these events and I even had the opportunity to exercise my independence and strike out on my own to prove my mettle as well. We started at Snowshoe Bike Park in the beautiful, steep and rocky West Virginia in the beautiful Allegheny mountains. We raced in Western Maryland, and traveled north to race at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup Festival alongside the best professional racers in the world at Windham, New York.

We watched history in the making as Aaron Gwin was the first American to win a DH world cup on American soil in more than a decade. My husband had his photo taken with his favorite rider, Steve Peat and we experienced the thrill of watching the professional riders blast past us as we walked down the course. After a rocky start to the season I worked my way up near the top of the podium to a respectable second place against the largest field of girls I would race this season. I missed first place by seconds as I fell near the bottom of the course breaking my finger and fumbling with my bike in the rocky trench that caught me. The last race that I participated in before budgetary concerns began to cast a dark shadow over the rest of the season was at Seven Springs bike park in Pennsylvania. A fun course with a tricky drop off in the middle caused a bit of consternation among the ladies racing in my class. I left the resort without ever taking the plunge and vowed to practice the skills required to allow me to begin facing these with more confidence in the future.

 Unable to fund the very long trips north I skipped the races at Sugarbush and Killington, while the Highland race was rescheduled due to flooding and devastation left by Hurricane Irene. We rejoined the circuit as they headed south again to Launch Bike Park in Spring Mountain, PA where I took my first and only win of the season. The course was short, steep and rocky with no ability to make up time if you put out a foot, bobbled the rock garden or crashed. After many disastrous practice runs through the treacherous rock garden, that claimed several riders and their bikes in those two days of practice, it all came together in my race run. I was able to keep it together and pilot my bicycle over the slippery boulders while keeping the rubber side down. My confidence was short-lived however as I trekked off on my own to attend the 2011 USA Cycling Mountain Bike Gravity National Championships in Beech Mountain, N.C.  The long drive, the unfamiliar terrain, the constant drenching rain and a touch of the flu left me feeling unsettled and out of sorts. Thick, deep, slippery mud covering the course made conditions an absolute nightmare and I struggled to ride my bike down the challenging terrain. On several of my practice runs I managed to hug many trees and spend a fair amount of time getting to know the grass as I rolled around in the mud trying to mount my bike, which felt as if it had been covered with olive oil. It was exhausting, exhilarating, humbling and entertaining all at the same time. My very good friend and best in our class rider made it look easy and became the new national champion, while I was truly happy to just finish the race. I may have been the first loser on the podium, but I felt encouraged by the strength, determination and stubborn will I was able to summon just to cross the finish line with my bicycle and I uninjured.

The final race was slated for a somewhat local mountain that I had the opportunity to race once the year prior. Local legend Neko Mullaly was charged with building the course and his vision was to create a world cup feel to the run. The course was steep, with enormous jumps that even the pros struggled with. Slick and steep rooty sections winding through the woods with yet another rock drop to challenge the less skilled riders like myself. Wet and slippery traverses across the open, grassy mountain slopes combined with loose, chattery shale steeps and a final slalom of nerve-racking, steep, grassy switchbacks prior to the final plunge to end the course. My goal was to take the leap and ride the drop in the middle of the top loamy woods section near the middle of the course. It was pitched downward and 3-4 feet high and about a bike length of distancebetween the drop off and the transition. I ride a freeride bike with a steeper head tube angle and only 6 inches of travel on my single crown fork as opposed to the preferred downhill race bike with a dual crown fork and 8-10 inches of travel to make up for any lack of skill and absorb the force of any nose-heavy landings. Unfortunately I didn’t have enough speed on my first attempt and I “stacked it up” a bit landing on my front tire at a very steep pitch that was prepared to toss me over my handlebars. The rebound was set incorrectly on my fork and my front suspension compressed and did not return as expected. In an unusual gymnastic maneuver that I hope never to repeat and wish I had on film, I was able to throw my body backwards and literally sit on my rear tire. I “rode it out” and as the tire buzzed my shorts I was able to bring my bike to a gentle stop off to the side and take a minute to breathe. That was a good scare. I don’t yet own a Leatt brace due to the cost and a friend and fellow mountain biker experienced a severe neck injury earlier in the season in a similar accident. I was lucky. The second time that I decided to try the drop my friends and husband accompanied me. My husband went first, but experienced some difficulty and landed awkwardly from the drop. He pulled off to the side and rather than focusing on the upcoming feature I looked over at him and grabbed the brakes. By the time I pulled my consciousness back to the danger ahead I was moving too slow to safely land and I screamed like a girl, and hugged a tree just at the drop off and my bike sailed over the edge catching my shin guard and dangling precariously. My friends and husband watched me in an equal mix of horror and amusement as I disintegrated into full girl and had to be helped down from the ledge. I was shaken. If nothing else though I am determined, or stubborn. I returned the drop later that day and executed the timing perfectly with the help of the local winning female pro rider, Anne Galyean, who gave me the confidence to give it another whirl. I can’t thank her enough for the kindness, patience and support that she showed in helping me overcome my fear. I was so excited that I literally turned cartwheels through the parking lot, shouting “I did it!” to my friends and fellow mountain bikers to many high fives and a chorus of congratulations. To tell the truth, it was a small drop and from what I hear possibly the easiest on the East Coast, but for me it was a huge accomplishment and a great way to end my season. Ultimately, I finished last on the course, despite taking the drop and riding it clean, but apparently I just need to learn to let go of the brakes. I felt like I had a strong run and I was happy with my finish, even if it was last. I finished third in the series overall and was so happy for my friends; we’ve all come such a long way. Congrats to all of the Gravity East Riders and I can’t wait to see my friends out on the mountain again next year.

An extra special thanks to my sponsors, who were very generous in sending me goodies to keep my energy and my spirits up out there on the hill. Thanks to Raw Revolution (organic live food bars) and Monster Energy who supported the sport of downhill mountain biking this season.