Does the abbreviation "OXC" mean anything to you? It just might!

Some of have heard the rumors and while there are no guarantees, I am drawing up the plans of a new MTB race here in the West and Best Michigan. It is a gravel road race across Oceana County (named OXC for Oceana Cross County); top to bottom, county line to county line, 33 miles each way with less than 1 mile of total pavement! Total distance will be 66 miles from the start/finish area near Happy Mohawk Canoe Livery on White River.

A 2 person relay option will be available, each racer will cross Oceana one time. The Race date will be Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010 (Hey, that's my birthday..) This event is intimidating from a management and logistical perspective. After being burned out from the Cedar Creek race years, I am shaking my head, for sure, but maybe here we go again! I will be making my final proposal to the Club Board on Jan.25. I'll let them decide from there because the return on this investment may be sobering to say the least. Our fortunate partnership with Endurance Adventure, LLC could really come in handy for this one due to the heavy volunteer requirements on race day.

Some key veteran MTBr's have already voiced a lot of encouragement on this idea in principal. The success of the gravel road race, Barry-Roubaix in K-Zoo is also an inspiration. However, Oceana has no equal for total distance of gravel to grind on. I've already heard enough about the cross bike and 29'r advantages. Why not come out and show everybody what you've got regardless of what you ride?

Look for an announcement by the end of January. Please let me know what you think!

Happy Trails,

Bryan

This October I am once again happy to host the 2nd Annual  Oceana MTB Tour. This years route is the improvement on last years long and short rides. My homework has really paid off. My objective is to configure a gravel road and two track loop that keeps any paved roads to the bare minimum. This years long route is just over 42 miles with only 2.75 miles of paved sections, none over a 1/2 mile! The short loop is 23 miles with only 1 mile of total paved sections. Only in Oceana could this happen. There are rolling hills with a few steeps and overall a much better loop. Be advised that there are no facilities along the route and there is no on-road support, however there will be a Hammer Nutrition Feedzone for each route well stocked with premixed Hammer HEED Drink, Gels and plenty of Endurolyte capsules. All riders will be given a thorough map that shows all roads and shortcuts should they be needed.

The Start/Finish Area will be the Zeek Lake roadside park located on M20 about 6 miles east of US31, exit#140. Start time will be 10am. Please RSVP before midnight on Oct13.

This ride is primarily a fundraiser for the Endurance Adventure Group who privately funds the insurance premiums for public access at the Owasippe Scout Camp trails. They also do a great job of providing adventure race programs for local W.MI middle school youth. Tax exemption forms will be available at the ride start area. A $10 minimum donation is required for this ride.  Cash or Check only please.

Please pass this info along to anybody who may be interested. In the event of foul weather, an alternative plan will be announced. If the weather looks discouraging, please call me on ride day as early as 5am.

Direct all questions to my email, northsidebiker@yahoo.com or call 231-557-3396.

Happy Trails,

Bryan Myers

Bill Schouman and I drove up together on the Friday prior and was happy to find a large contingent of W.MI riders had made the long day's drive for the epic ride. I hope that I can remember everybody but it was Randy Knapp, Phil Cannon, Brent Portenga, Jim Plichta, Rick Borns, Jim Dewent and John Stoneburner. Casey from Breakaway also made a great showing. The fastest among us I believe, was Brent P. at 2:56. Most were in the mid to low 3 hour mark. It rained good and hard the night before and this was the best luck for everybody. My last race there in '07 was an infamous sandpit. I knew it would be a good day when I awoke at 4am to watch the weather radar with hopeful vigilance.

After so many health setbacks in the past 18 months, my primary goal was just to make it to the start line. This year I was much more prepared in every important way; I knew the course and it's expected hardships. I also knew that a 50 mile mtb ride was something very common to me this year. Oceana County had done a fine job in making the most of my limited training time. Due to my 4x10+hr work week, consistent training is very difficult to maintain. I relied mostly on weight lifting and indoor calastantics (lunges and jumping vertically onto a milk crate, 25x4 times, for example) to improve some core strength and agility. My typical riding schedule was only 1 long ride a week on Sundays with a 30 min interval session on the trainer at 530am on workdays. It really just barely prepares you for the constant, short, steep climbs of the O2S.

Coming into this race I also felt optimistic that a 3:30 time was an attainable goal. However at the half way point I was still only at the 2hour mark and I was nervous. Regardless, the back half of this course can be very generous if you save something in the bank and not blow up like I did 2 years ago. After a long and desperate surge (and the fear of Randy Knapp passing me!), I was at the 3 hour mark and I knew that with only 4 miles to go that my goal was soon a reasonable reality. It was at this cumulative moment that the most unexpected thing overcame me and I sobbed uncontrollably. It all hit me like a wave in the dark. The rebound from seven broken ribs after my crash at Owasippe in Oct"07 was a strong one but brief. An ear infection in June'08 blew a fuse in my head that lead to a severe case of vertigo and prevented any enjoyable singletrack ride for the entire season. The nerve damage also paralyzed my face for about 6 months giving me a gimpy, stroke victim look. The broken heart of staying home from the '08 O2S was absolutely the final stab. Now here I was, a fair shot with a final push from making a good goal come to reality. I also still knew that somehow I had to stop crying before arriving at the finish where undoubtedly Bill and company were sitting in waiting. This wasn't the Ironman, my goodness. But still the emotion and sense of achievement was something that I actually didn't want to end. I ended up crossing the line with absolutely nothing left in the tank, physically and emotionally, at 3:27! 55 minutes faster than '07 when I blew up completely! As far as I cared, I had just won the race. There's no other way to explain it. I really never expected such a release. The day was simply perfect. Now as much of a high that I felt in that moment, I certainly hope to get back next year with less eventful circumstances.

Still there is a story for everybody who finishes that race. Everybody who went has earned the right to own it. For myself, my Certified Mountainbiker card has just been renewed for another year. I'm good no matter what until August 2010.

Here's what we'll need to do;

General trail maintenance and cleanup. The Scouts usually leave quite a mess just because they don't mind climbing over fallen trees. There will be several crews established for different jobs. This will be assigned during the pre-work meeting at the trailhead.

New Trail:Some of the bigger jobs may include routing a new trail to replace the part of the Blue that crosses Camp Gerber property. This was in the fine print of the new terms that Matt V had to agree to. We just didn't need to worry about it when the trails were last open prior to Scout Camp.

Ranger Al's Special Needs Crew: A very positive benefit for all trail users is keeping Al happy. This crew will be doing this most important job. Usually it's small jobs around camp.

New Sign Crew: There will be at least one new sign at the trailhead parking area. Jim Samlow is building it currently and this will need painting for a shiny, new look. This will be the main bulletin board to be used for all trail users. It will be vastly more informative and useful than the old one. It will facilitate the new waiver system that is mandatory. There will also be new signage out on the trail. All these new signs were paid for through a donation by the W.MI Coast Riders Bike Club.

Recommended Work Accessories: Bring your bike if you can. Be dressed more for a work day than a riding day. Bring any handy work tools. Small and/or folding saws, gloves, any small container for carrying paint and a small brush please. Trail crews will be asked to remark the blue or red trails as needed. I have the paint. A leaf or garden rake and hand clippers is a good idea, too. Basically, you all know what a clean trail looks like. Just consider this and bring what you've got. Also, please bring your own food and drink. the lunch budget was reallocated into the sign budget!

Your Reward: Besides a making a great trail even better, you will be credited with half off the annual $60 pass. The new trail use terms have extended our riding and hiking season. This makes it a better deal than the old days. Please call or email with any questions!

Happy Trails, Bryan Myers cell:231-557-3396

I have always believed that the measure of a good bike is, Does it make you want to ride it? When it's sitting in the stall, can you resist not saddling it up? When I'm not riding my favorite it hangs from the cieling in the basement or on the stand, wheels off,  to be cleaned and inspected, but mostly fondled and fore played, before the next ride. The wife calls down to me and I say I'm doing the laundry (well, now that secret is out..). But hey, these are the easy living days of summer. Most of the laundry can wait until winter.

If you were in the loop or knew somebody who was, then you would have heard that Owasippe reopened on Memorial Day weekend. It was really great to get back on our home country which happens to be some of the best single track in Lower Michigan. The trails were closed for almost exactly one year due to some liability issues. However, local hero, Matt VanderSys and his group at Endurance Adventures, LLC fronted the cash, grappled with the lawyers and basically never gave up hope so that we could play there once again. Everybody is indebted to Matt, period. The new terms of trail access are even an improvement over those that the Chicago owners originally established. There is still a daily fee ($6 up from 5) and the annual pass is still $60 ($30 goes to repay Matt for the insurance premium). This new pass is an all-access pass with far less limitations than before. There is no longer the reduced trail hours during hunting season and no longer the two week closure prior to rifle season. However the trails will still be closed during the Scout Camp from early June to early August, which is active now!

These improvements also require a more active sign-in process for all trail users. There will be a new bulletin board installed at the parking area along with trail map signs on the trail (Courtesy of W.MI Coast Riders). The new trailhead sign will be up prior to the trails reopening in August so that everybody can follow the new procedure. Compliance is mandatory. It is really important to clarify here that we are on one year probation with the Scouts. If everybody plays clean and fair then we will be there again next year. I have been shocked and disappointed to hear of some recent renegades that have forgotten that these trails are on private property. Rangers Al and Larry have stood on our side during this delicate negotiation period. They want us out there because bikers make excellent security cameras. Unfortunately, there were a few bikers who asserted themselves in a combatitive manner and drove off in a red Dodge pickup last March. This is inconceivable ignorance. Others have taken there own authority to come and go as they please knowing full well what was at stake out there during the closure. We cannot allow this because bikers are generally better people. Matt put his neck out when nobody else would. Being a responsible trail user is a must or we will lose it. The new waiver will be available at the trail head and online through our website. A trail day will be scheduled in late August where you can work off ½ of the $60 annual fee. Stay tuned to my blog as we get closer. Until then, happy trails and be safe.

Bryan Myers

10th Annual Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic Thank you to all the past racers, volunteers and spectators who have made the Ore to Shore one of the premier mountain bike races in the Midwest. This year marks the 10th running and we hope everyone who has ever participated in the past will come back this season and help us celebrate. The 28-mile Soft Rock and 48-mile Hard Rock races offers a challenge for every level of rider. The outstanding support by hundreds of volunteers makes racing and riding the course an outstanding experience. A special commemorative medallion will awarded to those racers who have participated in all 10 Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic events. To register click here E-Newsletter to Keep Racers Up-dated By publishing this e-newsletter, the O2S race committee looks to provide event news and rider preparation for the big day on August 8, 2009. As a national race of the Golden Bike Series we will also, keep you updated on the Golden Bike winner and happenings of the other races that lead up to our national event day. If you have an epic story from years past that you feel others would enjoy please email us at info@oretoshore.com. We would love to share your O2S experience with others. Visit our website at www.oretoshore.com for other race information. We will be keeping you abreast of the happenings here in Marquette Country. Cheers, Scott Tuma, Race Director

Sign up here!!

http://oretoshore.com/registration.html