Upcoming Events In The XXC Mag Area

Just a reminder about some endurance races that are coming up close to home here in the WV, Ohio, PA area in the coming month..

Starting May 30th is the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic. A week of racing on some of the most kick ass trails in Pennsylvania. If you didn't see the preview in XXC #6, I first ask you WHY THE HELL NOT? Then I once again give you a preview of the race, right here....

Open publication - Free publishing - More endurance

Registration is closed, but if you click here you can get a look at the list of racers who will be throwing down at this amazing event. Including the media trash talking, jersey pimping, single speed racing head Dick/lone Dick, of Team Dicky- Rich Dillen. Check out his blog for what will surely be a month to 3 months of hilarious obsessing, lamenting, and regretting about the race. ;)

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The Kenda Mohican 100 is on June 5th. XXC will have a few racers there, including myself doing the 100K course this year. Mohican is always a good time with some great trails. Of course if it rains it could suck. Buy hey, that will just make it more epic, right?

The Big Bear 2 x 12 is coming up on June 12. By no means a replacement for the 24 Hours of Big Bear, but Mark Schooley of Bib Bear Campland still has a cool way for us to get out on the bike for a day. Free camping, music and micro beer tasting is included for all racers. Not to mention a kick ass $1,000 first prize for the first place male, female, co-ed, and single speed open class Duo teams. My math skills aren't great, but that looks a lot like $4K is prize cash-eesh. Yikes!

To download a PDF entry form CLICK HERE.
To download a PDF with more info and schedule, CLICK HERE.

There surely will be some discussions going down about the future of the 24 Hours of Big Bear, so while you're there let the folks know what needs to happen for the 24oBB to return next year. My thoughts (as if you care)? I think the cost needs cut dramatically. Don't try to make money off of it. Just try to make it a killer event and I think the money will come in time. Not 5 or 6 figures, retire to Florida come, but it will come. Ditch the "real time scoring" go with the killer electronic timing you get at events like The Leesburg Bakers Dozen. Maybe charge a small fee for camping at the venue, to help with clean up and port-O-potties and invite food vendors in to sell. Focus marketing dollars on the North East, Mid Atlantic region. There are wayyyyy too many great events to pump money into advertising it world wide. Racers are NOT going to drive thousands of miles to do a 24 Hour event when they can do one in their back yard. The trails at Big Bear are great! The event could be huge. But it will NEVER be huge so long as it costs over $300 to race Solo. The max cost for an individual shoudn't get over $150 for sure. The racers will come, just not without change. Oh and lastly, ditch that damn baton! What a pain in the ass. LOL!

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Then the VERY next day, kick ass endurance race promoter Chris Scott is putting on the Stoopid 50 out in State College, PA. 50 miles of rocks and single track to put a smile on your face, and surely a rattle snake or two to scare the bajeeezus out of you. For more info and to register head over to Bikereg.com.

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June 26 brings the Appalachian Bicycle Racing Association's Hilly Billy Roubaix in Morgantown. This one is gonna be a tough one. Sort of like Iron Cross but in June. In West Virginia, on 61 miles of gravel, muddy, dirty, pot holed filled, nasty, let's just call them plain shitty roads. Leave your road bike at home, and bring your cross rig. Or if you're like me, bring your mountain bike 'cause you don't have a damn 'cross bike and would probably just crash it anyway. Check out bikereg.com to register and for more information.

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Also coming up on June 27 is WVMBA Ultra #2- The Wayne Ultra 45 mile backcountry epic put on by the River Vally Mountain Bike Association over in Marietta, OH. You DID see the ad in the eMag right? You clicked on it, right? You're going to race it, right? This a great race on some killer trails. I did this race last year, and it hurt. But in a good way. Like the Mohican 100, you will leave muttering "I thought Ohio was supposed to be flat???"

XXC plans to be at least a few of these events in some form or another. Whether it be getting stomped on the race course or slinging t shirts and mags. So look for the black and gray team kits of XXC or the black and white banner. Stop by an say hello. Unless you're going to hurl and insult or chuck a beer can at me. Then please don't.

Good luck to the folks racin'!!

Jason Mahokey
xxcmag.com