Fat Tire Challenge
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29″ wheels and full carbon made for a comfortable day on two wheels in the forests of Clear Creek State Park PA. With quit a few other guys showing up to push the pace I would have my work ahead of me if I wished to podium. Ok so I had excepted the fact that I wasn’t the fastest guy there for the day but riding smart once again paid off for me this year. Since pre riding with the group responsible for this event I had made the choice of ACX tires. Soft soil thru the Mountain Laurel littered with rocks made for a course requiring a tire with positive traction hence the ACX. With the start of the race I quickly realized at least 2 other riders were wishing to punish it from the start. I didn’t want to fall back but I also didn’t want to be going this hard from the start knowing what the rest of the course held for us. What could I do except to stay with the leaders & hope that they settle into a more realistic pace. As it goes they started making mistakes quickly as we entered some of the rocks which told me they we’re riding well above their limits. This was promising. With 2 climbs averaging almost a full 2 miles each I knew there were better places to attack. Both of these climbs had great flow and plenty of width to pass. As we continued picking our way thru the rocks the leader lost a bottle as he slipped up. I passed but slowed up to allow him to stay with me. As we rolled out to cross the road before the first real climb he tries to pass me on the bridge. The same bridge that the race promoter notified us to use caution on because it was slippery. Yes that bridge and only 3 miles into the course he passes (well attempts to). I slide across around his carnage and again find myself leading since he piled it up. He manages to get back on my rear wheel and we start the climb. Somewhere during that climb he stopped to air up his tire and that was the last I saw of him. When I crested the top of the climb and made my way around the road and back into the single-track I looked back but didn’t see anyone. 
I settled into a steady pace and rode responsibility through the remainder of the course to finish up the victor for this day.
So the Fat Tire Challenge has come & gone over a week ago and only a few changes have came to the event. The addition of the Fat Tire Cup which is a cool trophy Michael will have engraved with the winners names and placed in the YMCA in Brookville. Again the DCNR was out supporting and helping at the race. In addition there was a group of ladies selling snacks to raise money for a charity walk they would be doing (I loved this idea to allow another group to raise money). The local timber & Gas Companies again gave permission to tread on their properties. The race itself grew a little in its 3rd year which is a good thing. The course also grew this year with the additional mileage of new single track built over the last month. The new trail added some twisting single-track thru the ferns and rocks and offered another nice climb. Micheal White along with all his family and friends deserve a big hand for putting the trails and this event together. I really enjoy the course and the local draw of riders this events brings. Micheal had a great prize table from all of his sponsors & even I donated a set of Bontrager tires to the Sport division on behalf of the 29er Crew. I had a great time meeting all the riders and actually enjoyed getting to know them more than getting the overall win for the day.
Michelle Johnson also made a podium spot for the sister company Trek on her half breed 69er.
Read her take here.
A big thanks to the Fisher Superfly 29er & all my sponsors for their support.
stork
