Attention Dark Mountain Trail Users:
Due to construction activity along the W Kerr Scott Dam, the Dark Mountain Trail System, including Fish Dam Creek, will be closed through Thursday, August 18th. However, you will be able to access the trails on Saturday August 13th. The trails will re-open on Friday August 19th. We know there’s a race coming up and you probably want to pre-ride the course but please be respectful of property management during the construction period. If you’re really itching to get a dose of Dark Mountain, you’re going to need a boat. Otherwise, spend some quality time on the OVT or sweet goodness of Warrior Creek.
This trail closure will not impact the Maxxis Southern Classic Series Finale and Super D on August 20 & 21.
The USACE and BMCC appreciate your patience!
Rolling Round the River Ride
September 17. 2011
a bike tour for Millers Creek Cristian School
Family Oriented Ride for all levels of cycling
from beginners to advanced
Come join us for the BMCC event that has a distance to suit all riders in the family. Everything from a Greenway stroll to a rolling 50 mile out and back course. Click on the logo to find out more.
The
2011 cycling season is underway, and it's time to join BMCC or renew
your BMCC membership. All existing memberships will expire March
31,2011. Please renew.
BMCC
membership benefits include discounts at twelve area bike shops, 20%
off Lynskey titanium frames, big discounts on Rudy Project items, monthly
e-newsletters and free listings on our members-only Trading Post page.
But
the biggest benefit is being part of a club that gets so much done.
In 2011, BMCC will stage or support six mountain and road cycling events
for riders of all abilities. These events will draw hundreds of visitors
to the community and generate money for deserving charities like the
American Cancer Society.
And
at Kerr Scott Lake, mountain bikers can revel in over 30 miles of sweet
singletrack, thanks
to the dedication of BMCC trail builders, with more of the good stuff
on the way.
So
don't just sit there...join BMCC and let the good times roll! Go here
to get more info.
BMCC,
partners to develop amenities
at
Dark Mountain, OVT trail heads
Partners
in the trail head development project at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir
Pictured
left to right: Jim Horton, BMCC trail boss, Teresa Ford of the Friends
of W. Kerr Scott Lake, R.G. Absher of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
Col. Jefferson Ryscavage of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Jason
Bumgarner, BMCC president
The
Friends of W. Kerr Scott Lake, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and BMCC
were recently awarded an $8,000 grant from the Wilkesboro Tourism Development
Authority to aid in the development of a formal trail head at Dark Mountain.
Improvements will include:
Additional
parkingChanging
blindsA
bike washPotable
waterInformation
kioskThe
OVT trail head at the Visitor’s Center will get a bike wash and potable
water. BMCC has donated $2,000 to the Friends of W. Kerr Scott Lake for
the project. Construction should start by the end of the year.
New maps, signage help riders navigateextensive
trail system at Kerr Scott
It's
easier than ever to find your way through the amazing variety of mountain
biking trails at W. Kerr Scott Reservoir, thanks to recently completed
map and signage projects.
Dark
Mountain, Overmountain Victory Trail, Warrior Creek mapsBMCC
trail designer Jim Horton has produced some handsome maps of all the mountain
biking areas at Kerr Scott. Click the links below to download the maps
(pdf files).
BMCC
has been awarded a grant from the Wilkesboro Tourism Development Authority
to print and distribute 5,000 maps. They'll be available at the Wilkes
Chamber of Commerce, Wilkesboro TDA and bike shops across the region soon.
Dark
Mountain signage
Directional
signs are now posted on all eight singletrack trails at W. Kerr
Scott Reservoir's Dark Mountain recreation area. Trails are numbered using
a new, simplified numbering system, and two color-coded routes are posted:
Scott Reservoir's Dark Mountain recreation area. Trails are numbered using
a new, simplified numbering system, and two color-coded routes are posted:
The
red route is shorter and easier...perfect
for new mountain bikers.The
blue route includes the entire 6.5-mile
BURN 24-Hour Challenge route. The
signs coordinate with the new
Dark Mountain Trails map
. If you're new to the trails, download the map, print it, and carry it
with you so you won't miss any of the fun at Dark Mountain.
For
more information on the BMCC-built trail network at Kerr Scott, check
out our Kerr
Scott Trail Guide.
152
survive Hurt, Pain & Agony
benefit
ride July 26th in Traphill
A
rider grinds his way up Mahogany Rock, one of the steepest spots on the
course.
Photo
by Jason Bumgarner
Over
150 riders took on the tough terrain of the Hurt, Pain & Agony Metric
Century and Half Century Saturday, July 26th in Traphill. Eric Austin
was the first rider to the finish the 66-mile course, rolling back to
Traphill School just ahead of Rodney Simpson. Austin and Simpson both
finished in 3:12, averaging almost 21 mph on the hilly course. The last
rider on the 66-mile course finished almost three hours later. Proceeds
from the ride benefitted the American Cancer Society. Riders heaped praise
on ride director Matt Daye and his small army of volunteers, calling the
'08 HP&A the best ever.
Racing,
weather are sizzling in July
King
of the Lake races at Kerr Scott
The
second installment of the Tifosi Optics King of the Lake N.C. State Championship
Series brought hot racing action to the trails of W. Kerr Scott Reservoir
near Wilkesboro July 12th and 13th.
Saturday
morning's Rock
n Road Bicycles Time Trial followed the much of the same course
used during BURN 24 Hour Challenge. And riders felt the burn, taking on
the most challenging climbs in the series as temperatures soared past
90 degrees. There was barely a breeze to break the heat.
Boone's
Eric Marland blistered the course in 32:18, followed by May's King of
the Lake time trial winner, Wes Dickson. The fastest Junior was
Ben Calhoun of Pittsboro, N.C. with a time of 43:16. Johanne Tuttle
of Carrboro was the fastest of four females competing, finishing in 40:10.
Pee Wee participation was up. Levi Marland, son of Eric, followed
in dad's footsteps, winning his age class with a time of 17:07.
The
Luna
Cycles dual slalom race proved to be just as exciting as the DS
race in May. BMX Pro Brandon Hopkins from Raleigh took the title
in the Expert Men's class followed by fastest male qualifier, Andy DeVault
of Martinsville, Va. The female class was close, with less than a half
a second separating the two qualifying times. BMCC's Ellen Adams took
the top spot, edging out Johanne Tuttle, the early morning time trial
champion. The fastest Juniors for the day were Ben Calhoun with
a 29:32 time and Will O'Brien with a 29:53. Barber and O'Brien were
in different age groups and secured victory in their respective classes.
The Pee Wee class drew four racers with the honor going to Kernersville's
Noah Barber.
Park
Baker of Hendersonville posted the top male time in the Magic
Cycles Super D on Sunday. Baker was the only rider to break
the three minute mark. His 2:58 run secured the top spot in the
Expert Men's class. The fastest Junior was Austin Park from Roxboro with
a time of 3:21. Levi Marland capped off his weekend in the Pee Wee
ranks with a time of 5:18. The closest race of the day was in the Expert
Women's class. Ellen Adams and Johanne Tuttle battled it out, posting
near identical times for both runs. Their first run was only separated
by two seconds. Both stepped it up for the second and final run, driving
their times down. Johanne turned in a 3:32 with Ellen posting a 3:31 to
bag the win for the day.
Photos
for all three races can be found at www.kinetic-images.com
courtesy of series photographer Robert Seth. Race #3 is scheduled
for September 13-14.
King
of the Lake series opener May 3-4
packed
with mountain biking action
Rider
takes flight in the dual slalom competition at Warrior Creek May 3rd.
Photo
by Robert Seth, Kinetic Images (336) 209-8298
The
Tifosi Optics King of the Lake N.C. State Championship Series kicked off
with a full weekend of mountain bike action May 3-4.
Wes
Dickson of Pisgah Forest, N.C. took the expert men's category in the Boone
Bike & Touring Time Trial Saturday, May 3. Dickson covered
the eight-mile course in 34:08.
“Wes
rocked the course, beating last year's record by 42 seconds on a course
that was a half mile longer,” said race director Matt Adams.
Cameron
Muir of Cary, N.C. was the top junior in the time trial. He blazed the
course in 42:21.
After
Saturday's time trial, riders pulled off the spandex and headed to the
new dual slalom course located at Warrior Creek. The Clemmons
Bicycle Dual Slalom Race provided a lot of excitement with close
handlebar-to-handlebar racing.
Top
qualifier was NORBA National Champion Chris Herndon of Asheville. Herndon
laid down a time of 24.7 seconds, just .73 seconds ahead of pro racer
Joe Haley of Raleigh. The top junior Ethan Miller of Raleigh blitzed the
course in 29.03 seconds.
After
qualifying, racers went head to head in a double elimination format, gradually
whittling the field down to the final two in each category.
“The
final race of day pitted Herndon against Haley and what a race it was,”
Adams said. “Chris took the first run but only slightly. The second and
final run was even closer with Chris prevailing again. Chris conveyed
afterwards that both he and Joe laid it all out, pedaling the entire course,
which generated some scary speed. One of Chris's concerns during the last
race was that with so much speed he was going to land uphill on the last
double!”
“A
big thanks goes out to everyone that helped in sculpting the course,”
Adams said, “especially to Mike, Moto and Steven who guided the course
design.”
Sunday's
competition combined cross country and dual slalom styles of riding in
the Cycletherapy
Super D Race. The Super D was held at the Dark Mountain Super D course.
This event was the biggest draw of the weekend, pulling in 47 racers from
three states.
Last
year's Super D champion Chris Herndon continued his domination turning
in a time of 2 minutes 57 seconds. The top junior was Austin Perkins from
Roxboro, N.C. with a time of 3:24.
Sunday's
Super D did have one casualty in the Sport Women's class. Ana Bamberger
from Greensboro endo'd coming out of the woods on her second run. Ana
was able to walk away but not without injury. “Ana, we all wish you a
speedy recovery and hope to see you back on the trail soon,” Adams said.
Photos
for all three races can be found at www.kinetic-images.com
courtesy of series photographer Robert Seth.
Riders
roast in the RAW June 7th
The
front of the pack on the Windy Gap climb
Chucking
some extra weight before the RAW's last big climb
Over
a hundred riders survived the hottest Rides Around Wilkes ever Saturday,
June 7th. Riders at the back of the pack labored up Brushy Mountain in
full sun, with temperatures reaching the mid-90s. Click
here for more photos of the 2008 RAW.
Riders
'feel the Burn' at Dark Mountain
More
than 250 adrenalin stoked, sleep deprived mountain bikers scorched the
trails at Dark Mountain recreation area May 24-25, 2008 during the
Burn 24-Hour Challenge.
Racers
vied for cash, merchandise and the right to compete in the world mountain
bike endurance championships at Canmore, Alberta in late July.
The
race, sponsored by Burn energy drink, drew top riders from across the
eastern U.S. The event also attracted weekend warriors eager to test their
physical and mental toughness against an expanded 7.5-mile course through
the hills above W. Kerr Scott Reservoir.
Chris
Johns finished first in the solo men's category, racking up about 210
miles in his first 24-hour race. Johns bested Mark Hendershot, last year's
winner, by one lap.
Denelle
Grant (right) was the fastest female solo rider in a small field, logging
about 105 miles over the 24-hour period.
The
event's most determined rider may have been Dave Nice (below), 27, of
Denver, Colorado. Nice spent two days on a Greyhound bus heading to North
Carolina, then pedaled his gear-
laden
bike over 50 miles from Winston-Salem to Wilkes. Making things even
tougher, Nice rode a fixed gear bike to Wilkes and throughout the 24-hour
event. NIce had no gearing options and couldn't even coast on the downhills!
Nice finished thirty-fifth, riding about 82 miles.
laden
bike over 50 miles from Winston-Salem to Wilkes. Making things even
tougher, Nice rode a fixed gear bike to Wilkes and throughout the 24-hour
event. NIce had no gearing options and couldn't even coast on the downhills!
Nice finished thirty-fifth, riding about 82 miles.Local
riders excelled against tough competition.
Jim
Horton of North Wilkesboro helped pace the Middle Ring Mafia Team to a
second-consecutive first place finish in the male team category.
Wilkes
natives Charlie Pendry and Michael Lockhart helped the Inland Construction
team attain victory in the co-ed team division. Inland also boasted
the fastest lap around the tougher-than-ever course.
Round
the clock event demands endurance
The
format of the Burn 24-Hour Challenge guaranteed fatigue. Racers
ran to their bikes at noon Saturday in a furious mass start. Fifty riders
in the men's and women's solo categories kept at it around the clock,
taking only brief breaks, until noon Sunday. The rest competed in teams
of two to five, alternating riding with rest. The top teams logged
more than 285 miles of riding over the course of the 24-hour race.
The
tough terrain took its toll. Wilkes Rescue Squad reported two riders were
treated at Wilkes Regional Medical Center, one with a dislocated jaw and
another with a possible wrist fracture from separate spills Saturday.
'08
Burn boasts expanded course, one expensive victim
BMCC
volunteers added a mile to the Burn course during the off-season, adding
a tough, scenic climb on the Fish Dam Creek Trail.
The
expansion project claimed a victim, one of the club's Ditch Witch mini-bulldozers.
The rig flipped during a trail building session earlier this month
and burst into flames. Racers and spectators contributed more than
$800 toward the $17,000 cost of a new Ditch Witch, BMCC president Jason
Bumgarner said.
For
more information on the 2008 Burn, visit www.burn24hour.com.
Click
here for full results from the 2008 Burn.
Trail
building shifts to Warrior Creek
Here
we grow again!
After
building 15 miles of singletrack mountain biking trails, what do you do
for an encore? Why, build more trails, of course!
In
2008, BMCC's intrepid trail blazers will shift their focus upstream to
the Warrior Creek section of W. Kerr Scott Reservoir. This remote area
is where the Yadkin River first widens into a lake. The area's rugged
terrain will soon be home to more than ten miles of singletrack, offering
climbs beyond any currently available at Kerr Scott.
Here's
the scoop on Warrior Creek from BMCC vice president Matt Adams:
"The
new trail system at Warrior Creek will be more technical than Dark Mountain
and the Overmountain Victory Trail and will provide riders with more challenging
climbs. This will be our third trail system at W. Kerr Scott and will
round out an offering for all levels of riders.
"OVT
is very groomed and a great place for beginners, yet an adrenaline rush
for advanced riders as you blast through berm after berm and shoot up
relaxed climbs. Dark Mountain takes it up a notch from OVT with more difficult
climbs and a high speed gravity section. Warrior Creek will take things
to yet another level for the XC rider with climbs that require Mrs. Granny
Gear. Beginners and beginner/intermediate riders will find this system
extremely difficult.
"If
you enjoy riding in Pisgah, then Warrior Creek is definitely for you.
There's tons of technical sections (roots, rocks, off camber) and of course
what comes with steep climbs is steep descents. This place brings mountain
biking back to life for me...its awesome!"
Rehab
work on the Warrior Creek trails will continue during Saturday morning
work sessions throughout this winter and spring.
Wednesday, July 9th, 6:00 p.m., Chile Verde Mexican Restaurant, Wilkesboro
