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INTERVIEWS
An
Ironmaster Story
by
Sami Fournier
SHAWN
WITHERS
MARK
WILLIAMS
NICOLE
WILLIAMS
WHAT
CAN WE SAY BUT THANK YOU FOR AN
INCREDIBLE
10 YEARS OF EXCELLENCE!
Mountain
Biking in Bolivia?
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April 16, 2000
Pine Grove State Forest
Carlisle, PA
Some would call it "poetic
justice" as the sun burst through the clouds and shined down on the
10th and final Michaux Ironmasters Classic XC - theeee mountain
bike race in the region.
The weather forecast didn't look good and
it was still raining while driving to the race as mother nature grieved
the fact that this was the last Michaux Ironmasters Classic. After all
of the rain it was amazing that so many racers showed up (over 600). Those
numbers in these circumstances proved that serious mountain bikers still
exist and love Michaux.
Shawn Withers, and Mark &
Nichole Williams, are mountain biker's dream come true promoters who
give EVERYTHING back to the racers! The Williams actually cut the ATV
trails through rugged forest terrain! What these folks have done for thousands
of mountain bikers warms our hearts. Words cannot express the gratitude
I'm sure we all have for these folks. A sincere thank you to them and
all of their volunteers that have given of themselves for the last ten
years or more.....
Many thanks to sponsor
Bushey's Cyclery & Fitness.
An incomplete list of long time volunteers
for this classic event:
Greg Geibel
Scott Stewart
Ed Slagel
Tom Joseph
Barry Lee
Steve Deibler
Many thanks to Turk and Scott Shaver and
all of the volunteers who have helped out over the years too numerous
to mention.
The promoters created a true mountain biker's
course for their 10th and Final 2000 race:
One 25 mile loop (not counting the close to two mile road climb at the
start) consisting of VERY difficult technical sections, lung busting climbs,
smoking downhills (some that should be part of a downhill event), big
rocks, sharp rocks, small rocks and even a whole ridge (grave ridge) of
rocks with a drop off on each side and of course some tree roots thrown
in for good measure.
Many racers were hoping for a little rain as
they climbed "Dead Women's Hollow" whose name has been changed
to "Dead Racer's Holler" - a fire-road climb after crossing
over Rt. 233 that seemed to go on forever thanks to the sun beating down
on you the whole time at 70 degrees. Length - 2 1/2 miles - Elevation
gain - 780 ft but thanks to the sun and a thin layer of sand it felt more
like 2000 ft. This by the way is where Jeremiah
Bishop - K2/New Sun winner of the Pro Men's race decided to
attack.
After the hot and grueling fire road climb
came the fast and highly technical "Three Mile Trail" which
could be labeled the toughest single-track in the course. The longest
three miles I have ever ridden. Then, after a short run on a smooth and
very fast dirt road it was left onto one of the most spectacular downhill
type sections of the course:
"The Rattlesnake Trail". No
one was worried about the rattlesnakes cause they were busy hanging on
for dear life on the downhill - that included logs and giant rocks - at
one point you
had to weave carefully in between two trees on a narrow slightly off-camber
40 degree descent consisting of a one foot wide trail. This was approved
by the Forest Department? Then you wound your way through the forest and
crossed back over Rt. 233.
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The final
climb up "The Log Sled Trail" separated the men from the boys
and the women from the girls - or at least the hill climbers from the
downhillers. Many racers ran out of water before this final climb and
were cramping up but still attacked all the way up (about 2 miles) heading
in towards the finish.
There was a turn to the left at the top
of the Log Sled that consisted of a slightly down hill and windy 75 to
150 yard rocky section that made for great spectating. Just finishing
this race in one piece was an accomplishment.
Pro/Experts
After being 6 seconds off
of Mark McCormack at the Wye Mills AMBC and getting sprayed with champagne
in Florida the day after winning the short track at the Gainesville AMBC
last month - Jeremiah Bishop
- K2/New Sun was not about to give up a number one spot at
this classic event. Mr. Bishop completed the course in 2:09:17 finishing
4 minutes faster than anyone else. This was after being kept up all night
the night before the race by a loud party.
Sue
Haywood - Trek / WV Div. of
Tourism represented her team and State very well winning the Women's
Pro race in 2:46:46. She is a true mountain woman who is cool as ice running
over the most abusive of trails. She pulled away after coming into the
single track at the beginning of the race and there was no looking back.
Sue is a true inspiration and incredible mountain biker. Check out her
profile and interview.
It was indeed a sunny day for the K2/New
Sun team as they came close to sweeping the podium. Eric
Keim - K2/New Sun
placed second in the Pro class. This young man had just recently moved
to Maryland from Florida which is known for it's faster, flatter courses.
He had also won the Wye Mills Expert race two years in a row which is
more of a "roadie" course without much climbing. Let there be
no doubt - he is a true mountain man. Eric too was kept up all night the
night before the race by a loud party.
James Futty - The Red Glare showed off
his mountain biking skills placing third. James has almost all of the
Michaux T-shirts since he has raced this race about 8 times! He has now
placed 3rd twice and last year placed fifth.
One of the most incredible performances of the
day was by Justin Thompson
- DEVO. It is enough for any age man to place 4th in
the Pro race. To do it at age 16 is phenomenal. Justin has been racing,
almost every week for the past year and was one of only five Expert Juniors
to represent the United States at the Worlds Cyclo-cross Championships
in the Netherlands in January.
He has been on the cover of "The Ride"
magazine and is becoming an all around bicycle racer with a very promising
future. To come within striking distance of the top Pros in this race
is awe inspiring. Keep your eyes on this young man.
Thais
Silva - DEVO won the Junior Expert Women's race. Thais
is not your average 14 year old. She won 1st place Junior Women at the
First Union TT in Phila., PA in 1999 and her favorite place to ride is
Michaux. Nice job Thais - you are an inspiration.
Shawn Hinkel was the fastest Sport rider
OVERALL completing 27 miles in 2:43:09 with an incredible 4 minute gap
on the second fastest overall Sport rider- Joe Garramone.
Joe
Garramone - Wooden Wheels won the Sport Men 19-26 race in 2:47:25
proving that he is definitely one of the most powerful Sport riders in
the region.
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Jeremiah Bishop 
Sue Haywood