50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #40

#40 - Gentleman's Pace. Some days on the trail everyone feels like going hard. Some days a few folks want to go hard but no one wants to be the person to speak up and say they're going slow. Some days everyone comes to a consensus and goes slow. This doesn't happen often but when it does I cherish every moment. Thank you to whoever invented the Gentleman's Pace. Below Matt Firebaugh demonstrates the proper Gentleman's Pace attire and attitude. Photo by Phil Grove.

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #41

#41 - Epic rides. In Montana we're fortunate to have lots of 50 mile + rides. Whether your up in the Flathead or riding in the Tobacco Roots there's plenty of open space to let your mind and tires wander. Long rides give you the opportunity to take in your surroundings and get out of the daily clutter. This is a picture of Lisa Curry riding by Blackmore Mountain. Photo taken by John Curry.

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #42

#42 - Bikes. There are so many choices nowadays. From single speeds to dual suspension cross country bikes, there is something for everyone. What bike will you be riding for 2011?
Check out "Thatswhatshesaidaboutyourbike" for his opinion on mountain bikes.

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #43

#43 - Early Morning Rides. It feels like you are the only person in the world. You get to wake up with the forest as the sun slowly rises. Your senses are heightened. You can hear your breathing and any little noise on your bike. One of Missoula's early morning riders is also the engine behind the Missoula XC. If you like coffee, good food, and trail visit Cafe Dolce.
Here's a picture of Toby Meierbachtol the morning before setting out on one of the toughest rides of 2010 (Butte 100). Photo by Hammer Nutrition

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #44

#44 - Wildlife Viewing. I know my friend Jeff would disagree, but I love seeing animals while I'm riding. In the Rattlesnake it's common to ride past a Black Bear in Spring Gulch. I'm sure the Missoula running crowd can a test to a couple Mountain Lion sitings as well.
Below is a picture from an adventurous ride this past summer in the Rattlesnake. Surprisingly no wildlife sightings were reported. Photo by Adam Jensen.

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #45

#45 - The after work ride. There is nothing like working the grind with a mountain bike ride on the mind. You try to plan out each minute after work so that you don't waste any ride time. Usually you forget a tube or something like that, but the satisfaction of getting a sweet ride in after work is unbeatable. Here's a picture of Phil Grove on a ride near Whitefish. He's part of a mean week day warrior crew from the Flathead.

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #46

#46 - Dress Code. There is no appropriate attire for mountain biking. Below is a photo from casual Thursdays and Doug Shryock's best.

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #47

#47 - Beer. Ripping trail and the apre brew go hand in hand. Here's a picture of the Hammer Crew after Ben Parsons won the Butte 100.

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #48

#48 - Exploration. Some folks call it a "Moses Ride." I like to call it a good time. These rides really get the juices going. This is a picture from a "Moses Ride" last summer close to the XC course.

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #49

#49 - It's appropriate at the top of climb to stop rest and shoot the breeze with your buddies. Also, you get rewarded for climbing with a sweet descent.

50 GREAT THINGS ABOUT MOUNTAIN BIKING - #50

#50 - Your on a descent by yourself and the trees start to fly by. All you can think about is the next turn. It's often referred to as something out of Star Wars. The Ewok trail in Missoula is the perfect example of this feeling.

Here's a video from Medium Core Productions: Ewok Trail

Kettle House becomes titles sponsor of Beer League

We're proud to announce that the Kettle House will be the sponsor of the Beer Leagues this summer. The name of the series is, "Kettle House Beer League." The first event is June 16th. It's a four week series, with three categories. The primary objectives of the series is to A.) Have fun B.) Drink Beer C.) Preview the course for the Missoula XC

Thank you Kettle House!

Running Series

Yes, running races on a mountain bike circuit. Momentum is going to put on a weekly running series on the XC course. It will coincide with the Beer Leagues Mountain Bike Series, just on a different day of the week. Details on the series will be announced in the coming weeks. Awesome.

Racing for all

The Missoula XC is two days of racing on July 23rd and 24th. There will be a race for all riders; Beginners, Masters, Cat 1, 2, 3, and single speed.

Cross Training

While many road bikers have been hitting the base miles already it seems like the mountain bikers are enjoying their ski seasons.

Schultz put in 25 days of skiing before traveling south. Adam Craig swung through Montana for some backcountry skiing with Parsons, Dale, and others.

With a snow year like this, I don't know how you could stay away from the slopes.

I think we should have a skin up the XC course!