2012 Team BGB/Mountain Khakis Snowshoe GES Report

Though the Gravity East Series is based out of the Northeast states of this land of the US of A, we can count on one round coming far enough South for Team BGB-MK to show those Northeasters what the Southeasters are made of….. Snowshoe. Have I mentioned it just so happens to be our fav place to shred (OK, maybe I have, once…. or maybe twice). This weekend would be Team BGB-MK Pro Max Morgan’s return to the SE race scene after spending the summer up in the NE. It would also be a special weekend to remember for one Team BGB-MK rider!!!

As usual, you can’t use the word “Snowshoe” in a sentence without the word “rain”. Quite simply, it’s like peas and carrots, steak and potatoes, peanut butter and jelly, you just can’t have one without the other. The local forecasters were predicting a cold front moving in just about noon time on Saturday. Well, two hours earlier that predicted, that front turned the race course into streams. All of Saturday was a wash, no pun intended. Well, not entirely... .now for the special part of the weekend. You see, race day which just so happened to coincide with Team BGB-MK Lady Rider Heither Schultz’s 40th birthday. SURPRISE! And a surprise it was….. for almost seven months of shear secrecy the team worked to give Heither a surprise with an unexpected family visit, an event/racer surprise party and to top it off a special team jersey. Total success, as she didn’t expect a thing! Happy Birthday Heither!

On to Sunday…… with the showers all day previous, Sunday morning was a slip and slide fest. The grass covered slopes were virtual ice until riders were able to rut the corners working in conjunction with the sun to start to dry things out. As the hour clicked to noon, you really couldn’t ask for better race conditions.

The Men’s Pro class would be a battle between two guys that know each other all too well, Ethan Quehl of Chainsmoke/Judge Racing and Team BGB-MK’s own Max Morgan. These two guys have a connect ion of sorts, growing up an hour from one another in Northern Georgia, riding and racing together for years as Juniors, and most importantly developing a mutual respect of one another’s ability. Ethan got his chance before Max and posted a time of 4:24.47. Six more riders and it was Max’s turn. Max pinned a time just 1.85 seconds off the pace set by Ethan. This day belonged to Ethan… close close racing though, as Max posted the third fastest time of the day, behind Leland O’Connor in second, for the bronze prize (0.39 sec off the second position). GREAT RACING!

Up next….. seems we are in the mist of repeat of the month of July…..3 weeks, 3 races. Off to the final race at Beech Mountain this coming weekend (Sept 16), then back to WV for the final race of the Snowshoe Series (Sept 23). The season’s almost over…. already? Where does the time go?

Team BGB-MK Results:

Max Morgan – 3rd Pro Men
Nick Frantz – 4th Men Cat 2 30-39
Jay Guidry – 4th Men Cat 2 19-29
Heither Schultz – 3rd Women’s Cat 2/3 All Ages

Thanks to all our sponsors: Mountain Khakis, Billy Goat Bikes, Rocky Mountain Bicycles, Loaded Precision
Components, Black Market Bikes, Feedback Sports, Smith Optics, Zerode Bicycles, POC Sports, Suspension Experts.