Spring on the Mountain...
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| this isn't the photo from the story, but is totally relevant, and pretty rad.... thanks KillTrail.com ! |
What follows is an excerpt from the Mail Tribune - Ashland, Oregon...
By Daniel Newberry
A low-snow winter has meant that mountain bikers, not skiers, have been getting all the downhill action. "The snow level is higher this year," says Sue Roussel, co-owner of Ashland Mountain Adventures. "I pretty much have not missed one day of riding."
Other than a brief snowstorm in December that snarled traffic on the valley floor, bicyclists have had their pick of mountain trails much of the time, including the high-elevation, adrenaline-soaked Time Warp Trail that drops from the slopes of Mount Ashland. "It's been a great year, a great winter for riding, which means the competition for the Spring Thaw (race) will really be amazing," Roussel theorizes. "Because I'm sure people will have been training all winter long."
The 23rd annual Spring Thaw — directed by Sue and Bill Roussel — will be held on May 17-18. In the past, they've had to plow parts of the course for downhill riders. This year, by contrast, they are negotiating with the U.S. Forest Service to add the little-used, higher-elevation Eastview Trail to the course, one that is currently snow-free. Ashland Mountain Adventures will soon begin its shuttle service — from Ashland to the Mt. Ashland Ski Area parking lot — for riders eager to prepare for the Spring Thaw.
Lack of snow also means less mud. Trails will be less slick early in the year, which is good news for riders hoping to attend a women's mountain bike clinic to be taught Saturday, April 12, by Andrea Napoli, a pro cyclist who recently moved to Ashland. Napoli, the 2011 National Downhill Collegiate Women's Champion, will teach downhill riding skills at the intermediate level.
"Sometimes a lot of women think — especially for the descending part — that you have to be really aggressive, it's dangerous ... that's not necessarily the case," Napoli explains. "I think that's what's really great about taking a clinic — it gives you the skills to be confident and relaxed. Those are the best things you can have when you're riding and mountain biking."
The 23rd annual Spring Thaw — directed by Sue and Bill Roussel — will be held on May 17-18. In the past, they've had to plow parts of the course for downhill riders. This year, by contrast, they are negotiating with the U.S. Forest Service to add the little-used, higher-elevation Eastview Trail to the course, one that is currently snow-free. Ashland Mountain Adventures will soon begin its shuttle service — from Ashland to the Mt. Ashland Ski Area parking lot — for riders eager to prepare for the Spring Thaw.
Lack of snow also means less mud. Trails will be less slick early in the year, which is good news for riders hoping to attend a women's mountain bike clinic to be taught Saturday, April 12, by Andrea Napoli, a pro cyclist who recently moved to Ashland. Napoli, the 2011 National Downhill Collegiate Women's Champion, will teach downhill riding skills at the intermediate level.
"Sometimes a lot of women think — especially for the descending part — that you have to be really aggressive, it's dangerous ... that's not necessarily the case," Napoli explains. "I think that's what's really great about taking a clinic — it gives you the skills to be confident and relaxed. Those are the best things you can have when you're riding and mountain biking."
