The Dirt In Vermont

Time To Ride 2013

As I sit here listening to the rain fall, I think about the year 2013.  The last few years have been full to say the least but when I think about this past Spring, into Summer and then into Fall, I start to feel something  and I smile....

Last winter, while out skiing, I started thinking about the upcoming riding season. I decided I would ride and photographically capture, edit and share the entire riding season, then go out on a limb, put it all together and raise money for our local MTB clubs. Now when I think back on this I can honestly say I had no idea what I was really getting myself into.  I am by no means a professional photographer, I simply like the feel of a camera in my hand and like to share what I see. I also like to ride *a lot*.

In the end we raised over $800 for our local mountain bike chapters. This helps pay for tools, advocacy, legislation, beer....(after trail work of course), and helps chapters reach out to new avenues. I cannot thank all the folks enough who rode with me, spoke with me, laughed, let me share their moments on a bike with me. Thanks also to all the sponsors who supported the show with raffle prizes, who did not even hesitate to support my project and donated their products and time so that we could make TTR (Time To Ride) positively the best time we possibly could. Here's to VMBA (Vermont Mountain Bike Association), Vermont Peanut Butter (Chris Kaiser), Darn Tough socks, Forsake shoes, Vasque, MTBVT crew, The Alchemist, the good folks at Jackson's Lodge (Mark, Gloria, and Lu) who took us in, Onion River Sports, Muscles Not Motors, Dirt Rag Magazine, Cannondale, Specialized,, SRAM and the Savoy Theater.  You all made a night possible where you could literally feel the energy and spirit of the VT MTB community.

When we moved here we knew we wanted to live in the mountains with mountain people. In Vermont mountain biking has come along way, from riding class four roads, VAST snowmobile trails in the Summer on private land, illegal or hand shake stashes of single-track, that either got discovered and destroyed or legitimized and solidified a community. As double-track turned into single-track, techy met flow, you could feel there was something there, it was good, REALLY good! It was the mountain bike culture in VT. That was over eight years ago and MTB'ing in VT  hasn't looked back.  I could ramble on and name names but you all know who you are, we all know who you are and if you don't, I only have two words for you: get involved. I like to joke that some folks think single track just simply grows on trees....well it doesn't.  It takes blood, sweat, some elbow grease, a couple of shovels, and a community, and yeah sometimes tears..wait I think I meant beers...But in the end its the people and together with those shovels, a smile, advocacy and some time we can make mountain biking in Vermont even stronger. I like to quote a good friend of mine: "you have to pay to play" and this doesn't  necessarily mean money but of yourself. So get out there and get involved.

Now stop listening to the rain, wax some skis and get outside...the snow is coming

 I promise....so is the singletrack. 

T.

A time to ride..

Riders Chris Lee- Dylan Covington

Rider Kevin Jacques

With such an unusual dry Spring followed by some wet and interesting weather it's been a good time here in VT to ride some of the best singletrack around.  I get to ride with some real fun folks and this is what they've been up to lately in the Green mountains of VT....

Rider C. Lee

Rider Brian Stevenson

Rider C. Lee- Rodney Nobrega

Rider KJ

A pleasure to ride and share cold beer with the Millstone Hill Trail crew.

 There's always a time and place to ride in VT. It's just a matter of finding it.

T.

VT Sports magazine at the Nor'easter

Sarah, Odin and I spent the last four days in Burlington enjoying the sun, music, gear and good folks at the EMS Nor'easter festival.  It was people like Sam Hayden a young climber pictured above that was featured in one of our latest issues and his family that truly made it a wonderful weekend.  It was great to talk with Sam about getting outside and sharing climbing as a family.  This is why Sarah and I find ourselves outside and in the mountains because it is all to often that we encounter others who enjoy just the same as there were many who shared this sentiment during the weekend.  With pedal powered smoothies and a Power tap contest, our booth was full of stories, laughter and good humor as we talked abut the mountains and enjoyed the scenery on beautiful lake Champlain, a great venue for such an event.  We were so busy and tired in fact that we missed out on all the late night music but  found ourselves enjoying the relative serenity at our camp site at beautiful Mt. Philo the last two nights.  In fact I believe we even managed to hear G love and special sauce reverberating off the Adirondacks Saturday night even thought we were twenty minutes south a top Philo. All in all we look forward to more great events where we get to share our love for the outdoors with many others.  Thanks to all  the many new faces from as far away as Texas to Boston, that shared our tent ,we look forward to seeing some of you soon!

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Oh and go figure our own Lea Davison placed second on a muddy and challenging Cross course at North beach. Maybe thats why we put her on the cover of our latest issue.....Huh not to shabby Lea, congrats!

                                                                    Now get outside.

                                                                

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                                                             Beautful Lake Champlain

Odin taking a nap

                                           The UBC championships will blow your mind.

Sarah blending up a smoothy Cycle Ops style.

Kip takes the top!!

Kip took the win in the race to the top of Vermont in true Kip Roberts fashion on his unique single speed winning by over 20 seconds! We knew you had it in you!! It's too bad I broke my wrist I would have liked to be there with you!! Till next year!

Heres to Kip!!

cheers.

Saturdaynight single speed smackdown- Three penny shinnanigans.

No one ever knows where a Saturdy singlespeed smackdown night ride will lead you, just so happens we ended up at our favorite bar; the Three penny taproom.

Cheers

ORS Specialized demo day.

Back at it

Somehow I managed to have some good friends invite me on a ride up county Rd to Morse farm for a road slash mountain ride. The climb was great but found my cast too awkward for the descents. That being said I still had a great time and found the time I put on the trainer was well spent! I think this plaster of paris comes off in one to two weeks? Cant wait! Here's to a great time thanks everyone.

Tagged

Close encounters with the tree kind?