Biking in the 'Burg

To many, the Valley is a mountain biking Mecca

Almost any student would argue there’s nothing to do in Harrisonburg, as it is in the middle of nowhere. As soon as summer hits, most students leave dust in the air trying to get out of the ’Burg. But, to some, Harrisonburg is their “mini-Mecca” of the East Coast. It’s not the love of poultry or a longing to see the sites downtown that bring and keep them here — they come for events like the YEE-HA, the HOO-HA, and the Six-Pack Downhill. They, indeed, are mountain bikers, and they’re slowly taking over the ’Burg.

“[The Shenandoah Valley is] definitely a little Boulder [Colo.] of the East Coast,” said George Willetts, the assistant mountain bike director for Massanutten ski resort. This is an exciting place to be as a cyclist.”

National mountain biking champion Jeremiah Bishop actually moved to the Shenandoah Valley specifically to train for the 2004 Olympics in Athens, according to the March 9, 2004, issue of the Daily News-Record. Two other national team members — Sue Haywood and Nick Waite — also have moved to the area to train with other cyclists and, in 1997, Massanutten ski resort held the World Cup International bike race.

“There are a ton of us that have moved here to be ‘that guy’ (like Bishop) — to promote our cycling,” Willetts said.

And the numbers are rising — mountain biking in and around Harrisonburg has seen quite an increase in popularity since the early ’90s. The Shenandoah Mountain Biking Club, founded about seven years ago, now has about 60 members, according to Tim Richardson, co-owner of Shenandoah Bicycle Company, and students at JMU recently started their first Mountain Bike Club. “[The biking community] is growing all the time,” Richardson said. “It’s been awesome to see it.”

The shop, located downtown next to Dave’s Taverna, opened four years ago as the demand for equipment, bike repair and a central location for the mountain biking community rose. “It was a personal venture,” Richardson said. “But we saw the opportunity, and [we] were doing what we could to help develop cycling.”

Richardson also teaches a mountain biking class through the kinesiology department at JMU. He said he’s definitely seen a rise in the number of college students biking, and the KIN 123 class has become a “good tool to help people develop interest.”

Despite the growing number of mountain bikers in the area, many are concerned about JMU students’ lack of involvement with the biking community. “It’s disappointing how few students come [to the competitions] ... it’s such a bummer how the awareness is so little,” Willetts said.

Junior Jason Mattis agrees, “In Charlottesville you can run into 20 people on a bike ride. Here, it’s strange if you run into anyone.” Though Mattis said it’s enjoyable at times, it’s also somewhat unfortunate that students aren’t taking advantage of the mountain biking opportunities.

On the other hand, one student has ridden her way to the top of the biking scene in the area. Senior Lindsey Keller became well-known throughout the mountain biking community for her quick rise in and dedication to the sport. Keller said she began riding seriously last summer, and has become a cross country (20 miles) and double cross country (40 miles) competitor. For her third competition, she competed in a 24-hour solo race. “I seriously started to hallucinate,” she said. “The course was a six-mile loop, so riders were spread out. I was talking to myself and seeing things.”

Still, Keller finished second (the win came down to the last lap) and was invited to the World Championship 24-hour competition as a solo rider. “[Keller] can go as far as she wants to go [with mountain biking],” Richardson said, who also is one of Keller’s riding buddies.

So why has Harrisonburg become such a popular destination point for mountain bikers? Because, as Richardson said, “The trail network is huge.”

Co-worker and fellow biker Jake Thompson agreed. “Thirty minutes in any direction will get you a mountain bike trail,” he said. Thompson named the popular trails as Wolf Gap, Red Diamond, Lookout Mountain and Reddish Knob, while one of Keller’s favorites is Kaylor’s Knob.

“The only bad thing about Harrisonburg is that there aren’t really any beginner trails,” Thompson said. “You’ll go up for six miles, and down for six miles.” The level of difficulty probably is why many competitions are held in the area each year.

Shenandoah Bicycle and Shenandoah Mountain Touring coordinated the Shenandoah Mountain 100, a 100-mile race that brings in bikers from as far as Georgia and Ohio to compete.

The Massanutten HOO-HA, according to Willetts, draws in 300 to 400 people for its multiple races — the XXE (a double cross country race, sponsored by Dos Equis, a beer maker), and the main race, a 21-mile course in which many professionals ride.

The YEE-HA, which will be held May 8, consists primarily of a downhill event. The HOO-HA is part of the Virginia Point Series, which determines point wise, the mountain biking state champion. Both the HOO-HA and the Shenandoah Mountain 100 are held in August.

Although competition seems fierce around the ’Burg, Richardson and Thompson agree they want to promote more of the fun and community of mountain biking. “[Harrisonburg] has a well-developed cycling community — not an elitist one,” Richardson said. “It’s more of a ‘fun first — and everything else is a side note’ [state of mind]. That’s why we have events like the Six-Pack Downhill.”

The Six-Pack Downhill, a 10-week informal racing series held Fridays in the fall, consists of racing up and down a mountain and then downing a six-pack of beer, according to Richardson. It’s geared at gathering together the community of riders and showing them different trails in the area while having fun and racing.

“At the Six-Pack Downhill, if you’re a beginner, [the other bikers] will wait for you at the top,” senior Jamie Mackie said. “If you can pedal... if you learned how to pedal as a kid, then you can come out, and you’ll have fun,” he said.

To get started mountain biking, Richardson suggests that a potential rider should first borrow a bike instead of running out and buying one. The new biker should go out with a helmet and a friend who knows the area and have fun. If the rider likes the sport, then Richardson suggests that he or she makes sure the equipment fits properly. “If you buy the right equipment, [then] it reduces the risk of you having to walk out of the woods,” he said.

Keller suggests beginners start at Massanutten, as there are a few less difficult trails. When asked how she likes the area around Harrisonburg, Keller said, “It’s just incredible — there’s no other place like it. This is probably the best mountain biking that there is. You’re surrounded by mountains and just incredible riding.”

For more information on mountain biking, visit www.cycleva.com or www.shenandoahmountainbikeclub.com. For information on the YEE-HA, HOO-HA or the Six-Pack Downhill, contact George Willetts or Ken Hess at (540) 289-4954.