Riding high : TWO DECADES AFTER ITS GENESIS IN THE AREA, MOUNTAIN BIKES ROLLING ON FASTER THAN EVER
Posted on Sunday, March 23, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Living/63433/
He can be heard before he is seen. The whizzing of his machine and the clicking buzz of the gears gives him away. Now, here he comes into full view, a blur of bright clothing and fast-moving legs. Down the slope he comes, touching the brakes, dodging a bit right, then dipping left. Leon Lee’s sport is one of balance, stamina and subtle technique. Lee, from Fayetteville, is, like thousands of Northwest Arkansas residents, a mountain bike rider. With an increasing number of trails, riders and networking opportunities, local mountain bike enthusiasts say, Arkansas is one of the best states in the country for the activity. Mountain biking is well-established in Northwest Arkansas, and one of the major outdoor destinations in the area, Devil’s Den State Park near West Fork, is celebrating the 20 th year of biking in the park. The park will host a weekend celebration April 5-6 designed to give both novices and experts a challenge.
The activity certainly isn’t new, but technology and fresh trails keep the sport from spinning its wheels. And now is as good a times as any to get active and get outdoors, mountain bikers say. On the pedals According to the Mountain Bike Hall of Fame, located in Crested Butte, Colo., the history of mountain biking is hard to trace. It might own its roots to the Buffalo Soldiers, who in 1896 rode 800 miles on bicycles through rugged terrain to test the use of the machines as military craft. Another American, John Finley Scott, may have created one of the first modern bikes in California in the early ’ 50 s. Mountain biking as a sport, the museum contends, began to flourish in the hills of Marin County, Calif., in the ’ 70 s.
Tim Scott, assistant superintendent of Devil’s Den, has been mountain biking for about 20 years. He was employed at the park when the first Ozark Mountain Bike Festival took place some 20 years ago. At the time, he said, the park was looking for a way to make money, hoping it could lure mountain bikers to use the park’s facilities.
He has seen the festival — and mountain biking culture in general — grow ever since. But he can still recall the days when mountain biking wasn’t seen in such a positive light, especially from a professional park management perspective.
“ There was always a little opposition to mountain biking and mountain biking trails. … There was a lot of consideration that it was too hard on the resource, and about user conflicts between different trail users, ” he said.
What turned the tide, Scott believes, is the efforts of local and national biking advocacy groups and the collective efforts of enthusiasts to maintain the environment.
“ They are really willing to volunteer to build trails, work on trails, and maintain trails. As people see this, they are really embracing mountain biking, ” Scott said.
Joel McCloud, an employee at Lewis & Clark Outfitters in Springdale, has also noticed the increase in local and regional opportunities.
He said that two or three local trails have been created in the past five years.
“ It’s just getting better and better, ” he said. ‘ Undiscovered ’ treasures Branton Moore, an employee at Highroller Cyclery in Fayetteville, also believes the area offers strong opportunities. Moore has been riding mountain bikes for about 15 years, although he has been riding road machines more frequently in recent years.
The benefit to local riders, as one might guess, is the varied terrain. The Ozarks’ hills, and the national forests to the south, make for great rides, Moore said.
“ Arkansas, I would say, is one of the undiscovered locations for mountain biking, ” he said. “[Riders ] aren’t going to be bored with the trails around here. ”
In addition to the trails at Devil’s Den, there are several other local draws. The Lake Fayetteville Trail offers many options. Riders can in Washington County also find trails at Lake Wedington.
Many local bikers also travel to Slaughter Pen Hollow Mountain Bike Trail in north Bentonville, Hobbs State Park-Conservation Area near Rogers or the Lake Leatherwood Trail near Eureka Springs.
These rides vary greatly in the amount of time and expertise it takes to complete them. Several parts of the trail at Lake Fayetteville, Moore said, are flat and excellent for beginners. Some at Devil’s Den, on the other extreme, can be 15 miles or more in length and take several hours to complete. In the coming years, there will be an even larger trail, Scott said. Officials plan to build one contiguous trail that will connect Devil’s Den to Lake Fort Smith. That trail will cut through part of the Ozark Natural Forest and be for the most advanced riders.
“ Once you get out there, there isn’t much turning back, ” Scott said. There are also plenty of places to get a mountain bike. In Washington County, mountain bikes, helmets and other necessities can be found at Lewis & Clark, Highroller Cyclery, Fayetteville Bicycle Company and Springdale Bicycle.
Bike basics But before dropping several hundred dollars on a quality ride, McCourt suggests finding a friend who enjoys riding and is willing to lend a spare bike. It is a good suggestion, he said, because it also likely comes with a riding partner, someone who can show a novice a few tips and take them to a good beginner’s trail.
For those who do think they are in need of a bike, hundreds of options exist. Moore, the Highroller employee, described the first bikes made for mountain biking as rather uncomfortable. Much progress has been made since those days. He now sells bikes that retail for a $ 1, 000, sometimes several thousand dollars, that are made from lightweight, shock-resistant carbon fiber material.
“ It’s come leaps and bounds in the last few years, ” he said.
A newer model, high-end mountain bike, in fact, likely comes equipped with inertia suspension, the technology for which was copied from race cars.
There are much more economical ways to enjoy the sport, but Moore cautions buying a bike that is too cheap. Discount retailers might sell something with two wheels called a mountain bike, he said, but those may lack critical components for ensuring a smooth ride.
A reasonable starter cycle can be purchased for around $ 400. In terms of gear, many choose to wear sweat-wicking material, gloves and pedal-gripping shoes. And while one can spend an infinite amount on such accessories, there are a few necessities, according to Moore: food or an energy supplement and water, in case the rider becomes fatigued; a flat tire kit, enabling someone to ride out instead of walking long distances; and a helmet, for obvious safety reasons. Other bike shops can offer similar packages and prices, depending on the bike and its condition. Many even allow for test rides before the purchase is completed.
On the trail Someone equipped with proper gear and looking for opportunities might want to check out the Ozark Mountain Bike Festival, the annual event at Devil’s Den which this year takes place April 5-6.
The event is free, and between 150 and 200 riders will participate, Scott said. Guides will escort riders of all skill levels around the various trails of the park. The rides begin at 9 a. m. each day. Saturday’s rides — which will include a guided night trip — will continue throughout the day. Sunday’s rides will conclude around noon, Scott said.
Novice bikers will have a great chance to meet fellow enthusiasts who might be willing to team up for rides, Scott said. From there, caution several of those active in mountain biking, it might soon turn into something more than casual strolls through local parks.
Take Lee, who has taken a road trip to Utah just to ride bikes. He tries to ride three or four times per week. Or McCourt, who expanded his love of mountain biking into a love for competitive adventure racing, which combines biking with running and paddling and other outdoor disciplines. The pursuit of that sport has taken him to Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, South Carolina and the Yukon wilderness in British Columbia, Canada.
It started simply enough for McCourt, a self-described “ fat kid” when he was younger. He wanted to be physically active, but not in conventional sports, and biking, an activity he pursued with his father, seemed like a good outlet.
His current appearance yields no resemblance to his former self, as McCourt has spent hours, years even, willing himself into hard, but rewarding, rides.
“ The endorphins [a body chemical responsible for pleasant feelings ] you get from pushing yourself, I really enjoy that. It’s like getting high without drugs, ” he said.
Moore also acknowledges the benefits of a good, hard ride. He encourages riders of all levels to put effort into what they do, but within reason.
“ Have an ability to ride within your limits, and then push it a little, ” he said.
Although fitness is clearly a benefit of the activity, it isn’t the only reason to hop on a bike.
Moore knows of a couple more reasons, ones that might help summarize the activity.
“ You get to see a lot of miles and see a lot of great country with good friends, ” he said.