Yellow Creek SP Monthly Mountain Bike Race, March 2013

The first mountain bike race of our season WOOHOO!

(For all the pics GO HERE - sorry, my batteries died so I only managed the flag-off pics!)

The Yellow Creek race series returned this year with some key upgrades:

1. The addition of a sweet 18 mile Expert loop, while retaining the usual 10 mile out-and-back Sport course. 
2. MONEY prizes for the Expert riders in top 6 (starting at $60 for the Champ), while the top Sport rider gets the usual delish Pie.

After flagging off the 30 plus riders - most of whom opted for Expert - I had a chance to run a little of the course and oh my oh wow what a delightful job the YC trail maintenance crew have done with an already awesome route. 

Pulling all stops in pre-race trail prep, generous application of leaf-blowing apparatus-es ensured nary a leaf in sight. One result was a drier, faster ride with only a few slick mud spots. Another result - the cleanest post-race riders and bikes I've seen in a while. 

First Expert was Kevin Campbell while First Sport was Michelle Bietko, who narrowly beat out Brad Transue on a single speed (dude what were you thinking :p) by a mere nine seconds. For the rest of the results GO HERE. 

For next month's (April 21st) race, I think the warmer weather might be conducive to me providing some free sports massages (just in case riders weren't hurting enough after the race). And should I bring along some post-race nutrition (fried rice, watermelon, etc) also? :)

See y'all soon!

Yellow Creek SP Monthly Race: June

We were anticipating a 100 degree F scorcher of a race this time, but conditions ended up cool with a short refreshing drizzle instead.

I photographed the bikers and runners as they partook of the immaculately groomed race course (thanks to the wonderful efforts of the Friends of YC trail maintenance crew).  Having ridden most of the race course last month (where I DNFed - and I say this with my head held high hee hee), I had in mind a couple of spots that might make for good pics. Before the 10.30 am race start, I had skulked away and made haste towards the first choice spot in the Pine Forest where I crouched silently, waiting to shoot unsuspecting athletes as they came by.

The Yellow Creek Grassroots Mountain Bike Race #3

This was gonna be my first mtb race but I DNFed! And Dave on a unicycle, completed the entire twelve bumpy, rock-studded, root-riddled miles. On a unicycle. :o

Dave Krack on his unicycle, towers over me

Still, I had a whale of a time! The organizers - Friends of Yellow Creek State Park - have been putting up these monthly races for several years now and the rides just keep getting better! ( from what Spencer says anyway). For a total noob such as myself, some sections were a lot of fun - gentle little mounds on single track. And I managed to make it up a couple of hills too! But I walked my bike down a few, and I walked over all the narrow bridges. And the baby creeks. And whenever I felt scared (which was a lot hehe). *hangs head in pretend shame*

There was this CRAZY drop into the raging river. I barely made it across alive!

Yellow Creek SP Mountain Bike Race Series: #3 May 2010

In the biggest turn out so far, 27 racers blasted out of the starting blocks for the third race of the season for the bad@ss 10.5 mile YC Grassroots Racing Series 2010.  The sun was shining, the birds were chirping...

Yellow Creek State Park Monthly Mountain Bike Race Series 2010

The ubiquitous Buffalo Riders were out in full G-4 Force at the Inaugural Yellow Creek State Park Mountain Bike Race, on the morning of 27 March 2010. 


The temperature was a cringe-inducing 30 degrees F... Registration at was at 9.30 am, and 10.30 am saw 16 brave riders at the start line. Among the ranks of these stout-hearted were Anthony C., Pat K., Ben E. and Spencer Clark, supported by Lindsey C. the Buffalo Riders photog. I on the other hand was sound asleep in my nice warm bed :).


The Shotgun Start 10.30 am was the beginning of a kick-@ass 10.5 mile loop wasting no time setting the pace for the race with a dizzifying 100 foot climb. 

At the top, the trail opens up into a grassy plateau that all too quickly channels into a tight single track with zig-zaggy switchbacks in a gorgeous pine forest setting. Then there are some