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.

2012 Team BGB/MK Windham GES Report

Why would Team BGB-Mountain Khakis drive 15 hours to the state of New York? Let’s see.... Thursday/Friday ride your bike in the woods, Saturday race on a closed course,  Sunday a free day to watch the best Downhill Racers in the world. Sold yet? No sales pitch required here..... WE ARE THERE! 

But what would we see after that long haul? The town of Windham had a rough closing to 2011 with Tropical Storm Irene leaving the town in total devastation. With challenge comes strength, the UCI World Cup and sister Gravity East Series race were back for yet another year. We all have to thank the race organizers and towns people for their efforts, bouncing back to make it all happen in 2012. Pulling into town, really the only visible reminisce of what took place in late August was the creek bed is now 3X wider than it used to be. Most importantly, at least to the team (quick shout out), “The Country Store” still stands!..... the best darn breakfast in all of New York State. A MUST stop if you ever decide to make the trip yourself! Trust us! 

Hotel still there – Check! Unload – Check! Some badly needed sleep – Check! Time to head up to the resort for the start of the 4 day event and first the course walk. Expecting to see some major water damage to the trail, but to no avail, for the most part there wasn’t much of any significance. Yeh, there were a few spots were you could tell that a Kayak would be in order on a wet and rainy day, but the flood really only resulted in a few course changes from the previous year. Props to the trail crew! 

With the weather/temps on our side and having to mix in with the UCI schedule, race day was late Saturday evening with the last rider heading down the course at almost 7:00 p.m. With the light diminishing fast and forcing some riders to question, “Should I have brought my night riding gear?” Team BGB-MK Pro Max Morgan was able come across the line with a time that put him into 13th spot. Considering that 80% of the riders that finishing just in front of him were World Cup Riders that failed to make one of the 80 spots in the WC field, you can’t argue with that result! Congrats Max! All other Team BGB-MK results are listed below. Congrats All Around Guys! 

Overall, as it was in 2011, GREAT TIME! Congrats to Aaron Gwin (USA) for his win in the UCI World Cup at Windham. Independence Day came early for the good ole US of A! We are glad to see the town as had such a great comeback and can’t wait to see you all again next year! Thanks to Daniel McDonald and the whole crew at the GES Series for a great event. 

Next up on the Team’s schedule.... we just love July! Just two weeks and it’s the second biggest event of the year, 

the 2012 US Gravity National Championships at Beech Mountain Resort.  

Team BGB-MK Results: 

Men’s Pro:   

13th – Max Morgan 

Men’s Cat 2 30 -39:   

16th – Nick Frantz (Flat Rear Tire) 

Men’s Cat 2 18 and Under:   

9th – Nich Ifkovits 6:33.66 

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.