Beer, Bikes, and Snow

Looking for a fun camp for your kids this summer? Join us at Morristown-Beard Day Camp for mountain bike camp!  Morristown-Beard School , located in Morristown, New Jersey, offers weekly camp programs throughout the summer. Each morning, campers arrive at the campus where we head to various parks in our area. Our beginner week is for boys and girls ages 9 and up offers attentive instruction and a low camper-to-counselor ratio. Riders of all abilities will learn the basics of mountain biking and safety while making new friends and exploring great trails. Campers should have some experience riding a geared bicycle. We will introduce trail etiquette and bike maintenance and basic trail riding skills to the campers. We will be riding approximately 8-10 miles each day. This camp runs 6/29-7/3. Our regular camp weeks for boys and girls ages 10-14, will include riding approximately 10-15 miles each day at challenging off-road locations. The pace and activities will be based upon...

I had one more Enduro on my calendar for the 2019 season - the Glen Park Enduro.  It would be the last race for the 2019 MASS series.   I enjoy Glen Park - it's very flowy with some steep chutes and some small hits.  I knew the course would be mostly marked by Friday afternoon, so I headed out after school to pre-ride.  I had two stages under my belt and feeling good.  The sun glare was challenging as the light was getting low.  I started my third stage, which was Stage 3.  Going into one of the early corners, I washed out on a soft berm covered in leaves.  Luckily I was just a bit bumped but as I started my ride again, I heard rattling.  I broke the lever to my dropper post.  My saddle was stuck down - which made for any pedaling or climbing to be a challenge.  I finished out the other three stages but was stiff and feeling a bit anxious. I arrived at Halter's first thing Saturday morning to get my lever repaired....

I was just getting a taste for enduro racing when I had my bumthumb incident.  I missed out on the fall 2017 enduro and CX season.  In 2018 and most of 2019, NICA races and life conflicted with racing enduro.  So be it.  But after talking to a friend who's been racing the past two years in both the MASS and ESC series, I decided to enter a race.  While there was an enduro race somewhat local (the ESC Mountain Creek), I opted for the MASS Raven Enduro .  While not exactly close to home, it was closer to my dad - so I made a weekend of it, spending some time with him (BTW he's doing great all things considered). I have never ridden the trails where the Raven was.  I knew some of the trails were in the Transylvania Epic - and there would be plenty of rocks.  Which I love.  I was a bit nervous that I wouldn't know anyone there to pre-ride with but I managed to hook up with a friend who also raced it last year. The course was posted as 6 s...

After taking last year off from mountain bike camp ( #summerofrobin ), I am happy to announce that I will be returning for the 2019 summer. Not sure what Mo-Beard Mountain Bike Camp is? Morristown-Beard School , located in Morristown, New Jersey, offers weekly camp programs throughout the summer. Each morning, campers arrive at the campus where we head to various parks in our area. Our beginner week is for boys and girls ages 9 and up offers attentive instruction and a low camper-to-counselor ratio. Riders of all abilities will learn the basics of mountain biking and safety while making new friends and exploring great trails. Campers should have some experience riding a geared bicycle. We will introduce trail etiquette and bike maintenance and basic trail riding skills to the campers. We will be riding approximately 8-10 miles each day. This camp runs 7/1-7/5. Our regular camp weeks for boys and girls ages 10-14, will include riding approximately 10-15 miles each day at chal...

Since I am friends with the guys at Pure Energy, I decided to add Hippo CX to my small list of races for 2018. I signed up to help support the ladies Pro/Cat 1/2 field even though I knew I'd be DFL. I also offered to help with set up and registration. Nothing like a full plate. And everything I've ever done to prep for a race in the past? Didn't happen. After helping set up the course Friday and not getting home until 11:30 only to get up at 5 am Saturday to return for registration...I wasn't in the mood to race (as probably expressed by my Medium face at registration). That morning I said "I'm not racing". As a matter of fact, I gave my pit bike away for the rest of the season. But a friend registered in our race because she said she saw my name. How can you not race? I worked registration until 30 minutes before my race. Quick changed and pinned my number. I rolled up to the start realizing I still had the car keys in my pocket. I rolled up already ...

I had no plans of racing CX this year.  I have not done any training since Nationals 2017 .  Not only have I lost fitness, I've also lost the desire to race.  But a friend gave me the nudge to get out there again.  I dusted the cobwebs off my CX bike and hit a few of the Wednesday night Otto practices.  I told myself  that I would enter the CX races that mattered - the first being Lucky Charm CX.  I met Michael "Lucky" Lukowiak in 2011 at the MTBNJ 2011 Mooch Madness race. He was a complete goofball and always made me laugh. In the fall of 2017, Lucky was participating in a cross race and had a sudden massive heart attack following the race. Lucky Charm Cyclocross came about as a way to honor Lucky. So figured that if I was going to pin a number this year,  it would be for him. I  registered for the Elite - Cat 1-2 race and knew I was going to get slaughtered. But I didn't care. My goal was to put in a good effort and have ...