IMBA Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day

Next Saturday, October 1, is the IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association) Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day. Make plans now to bring your kids out to Buck Creek Trails from 9:00 am till noon. Come for the whole time or just a bit of it. Just make sure you join in for part of it! Many thanks to Bill and Beth Shelton for heading this up here in Abilene. It should be fun! If you have any questions about it, feel free to give us a call.

Bent Wheel Bash Results

Wow. Bent Wheel Bash 2010 is in the record books. We had a great time! The racers were awesome, the location was terrific, and the weather was perfect! Many, many thanks to everyone who came out and raced, helped, cheered,....we could not have done it without all of you! We're really excited that we were able to raise a good bit of money for the APD. We don't know the exact amount yet, but we'll post the amount on the Bent Wheel Bash site as soon as we know.

For results from yesterday's event, head over to our site and check them out. Here's the link: http://bentwheelbash.wordpress.com

Bent Wheel Bash 2010

Bent Wheel Bash 2010 is this weekend! Come on out to Buck Creek Trails and join us in raising money for the APD. There will be a whole slew of things to do throughout the weekend, culminating in the races on Sunday.

Check out the Bent Wheel Bash website for all the info you need.

http://bentwheelbash.wordpress.org

Hope to see ya there!

Buck Creek Time Trial Is On!

Thankfully, the rain has held off, so the time trial scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at Buck Creek Trails will take place. Come join us for a fun event, some music, and hot dogs. If you have any questions about it, feel free to give us a call. Hope to see ya there!

Buck Creek Time Trial

The Abilene Bicycling Club is having an off-road time trial at 4 p.m. this Saturday, May 22nd, at Buck Creeks Trails. The course will be 5 to 6 miles long, and marked for pre-riding by 2 p.m. After the time trial there will be hot dogs on the grill for anyone there who wants to eat. Everyone is welcome! Even if you don't ride, come on out and cheer the riders on! There is no charge for the event.

Obviously, the weather will determine if the time trial happens. Let's hope the trails are good and dry by Saturday. Check back here or on our website's forum to see if it's a go on Saturday. Hope to see everyone out there!

Steam-N-Wheels 2010 Packet Pick-up

Due to the furlough today of some city employees, packet pick-up for Steam-N-Wheels is happening at BikeTown. You can also register for the ride at the store today. It is looking like the weather for the ride will be less than ideal. Plan on dressing quite warmly. It's going to be cold. The race director said that unless it snows, the ride is on. But it never snows in Abilene, right? So come on by and get ready for the ride tomorrow! And if you need some last-minute cold weather gear, come see what we have in stock. All warmers, headgear, tights, long-sleeve jerseys, and jackets are 25% off, so it is definitely worth a trip. A new piece of gear might be just what you need to get through the ride tomorrow!

Steam-N-Wheels 2010

Steam-N-Wheels is this Saturday, March 20. Make sure and show up at Nelson Park by the zoo entrance and be ready to ride in one of the first rides of the 2010 season. It looks like it will be a cool morning (weather is forecasting a high of 50 for the day), so wear those layers! If you haven't registered yet, no worries. They'll have on-site registration from 8 to 9:45 that morning. The ride will start at 10:00 am. As usual, BikeTown will have a spot set up to provide wrenching for those who need it. Look for Jim if you need any last-minute bike adjustments.
If you need more info about the ride, go to www.abilenetx.com/Recreation/documents/2010BikeRaceEntryForm.pdf

Hope to see you there!

Time Trial at the Trails this Saturday

WooHoo! It's time to start the fall events out at Buck Creek Trails! This Saturday will be the first event: a time trial followed by a cookout. Here is the info you need:

When: Saturday, September 12, 2009
Registration at 3:30 pm
First rider takes off at 4:00 pm

Where: Buck Creek Trails
Register and start in the main parking area

What: Time Trial
Riders will be started about a minute apart and the route will take about 30 minutes to complete.

Who: Anyone who wants to come and give it a try!

Cost: nada - Only one event in this Buck Creek series will have a cost (the Bent Wheel Bash that is part of the West Texas Series). All the other ones are free and a great chance to just come out and have fun at the trails!

After the time trial there will be a cookout. Hot dogs, chips, drinks, etc. are on the menu. After the cookout there will be a trail ride for anyone who wants to see what the trails are like. This is for anyone who wants to give it a try. There will be a few loaner bikes available if you want to give one a try.

Anyone participating in the time trial or trail ride MUST wear a helmet. No helmet - no ride.

If there is rain, there will be no riding so let's hope it holds off until after the time trial!

Buck Creek Race Series

There is something new out at the trails for the fall - our very own Buck Creek Race Series! Starting in September there will be an event out at Buck Creek Trails every other weekend, finishing off with the Bent Wheel Bash on November 1. Here is the list of dates and events:

Saturday, September 12, 2009: Time Trial followed by a cookout
Saturday, September 26, 2009: Short Track Race
Saturday, October 3, 2009: XC Race
Saturday, October 17, 2009: Time Trial and trail maintenance
Sunday, November 1, 2009: Bent Wheel Bash (part of the West Texas Championship Mountain Bike Series)

We'll post the times, entry fees, and other information soon. We just wanted to go ahead and let you know about it so you can make plans to join us. We would love to see everyone out there - kids, beginners, experts - everyone! Just come on out and have fun!

Police/Fire Challenge

The police/fire challenge and race benefiting the police unity tour was held this past Sunday and, man was it fun! It started with a 10.5 mile XC race, which our own Gary Fraser won. There was also a 2 mile race which Trent MacDonald won. Good job, guys!

The riders getting lined up before the race:

Travis Crisman just made it to the line in front of his competitor for 4th place.

Following the race was the police/fire challenge. Basically, several firemen and police officers squared off against each other to see who could complete a set of fire skills, police skills, and mountain biking first.

After being briefed on how things would go, the fun began. First came the sledgehammer challenge. Each participant had to use the hammer to move a heavy metal block the length of the boards they were standing on.

Then came the body drag. Each participant had to pick up a 175 lb. "body" and drag it around some cones and back.

Then there was the fire hose challenge. Just snake the hose through the cones...

...and knock the orange cone off the barrel. Of course, all this was being timed.

As soon as the cone was knocked over and the hose turned off, it was time to run to the bikes and head out for 2 miles of trail riding.

After the nice bike ride that got the heart rate good and going (as if all the other stuff hadn't already done that), it was time to pick up the gun and calmly fire 5 shots at a target. Getting the shots on the black circle earned the participant some time taken off their final score. Likewise, missing the target got them a penalty.

When all was said and done, the winner this time was Aaron Barr, firefighter.

Enjoy the bragging rights till next time, Aaron! And thanks to all the men and women from the police and fire departments who participated!

For those who missed it this go around, the next challenge will be in November in conjunction with the Bent Wheel Bash. We'll let you know as soon as the date is set.

Police Unity Tour Benefit Race

Attention All Mountain Bikers
(And anyone willing to give off-road racing a try)

Come join us for a great mountain bike event at Buck Creek Trails benefiting the Police Unity Tour.

Sunday, April 26, 2009
12:00 - 4:00 pm
Buck Creek Trails - Police Academy entrance

Schedule of Events:
12:00 to 1:00 - Rider registration
1:15 - XC Race (Open to all) - 10.5 mile loop
1:30 - First-timer’s Race - 2 mile loop
3:00 - Police/Fireman Challenge
Two-person teams of police and firemen will compete against each other in a bike race/skills course - the rest of us get to watch and cheer them on as they show just how talented they are at being emergency responders

Entry Fee
$10
Police and firemen - no charge

All proceeds will benefit the Police Unity Tour
Several members of our police force will be going to the Police Unity Tour in Washington DC to honor police officers killed in the line of duty. Let’s help them get there!

All racers will be entered in a swag raffle
There will be a variety of BikeTown shirts for sale at the event. Race-day profits will be donated to the Police Unity Tour.

Even if you’ve never raced before, come give it a try. It will be a very relaxed, laid-back atmosphere - Perfect for a
first-time racer!

Steam-N-Wheels 2009

It must be spring! Steam-N-Wheels is right around the corner - this Saturday, in fact. If you haven't already registered, make plans to be at Nelson Park by the zoo entrance on Saturday morning, March 21. The ride starts at 10 am and will have three routes: a 48 mile, 32 mile, and 21 mile. The entry fee is $25. Registration the morning of the ride will be open from 8:00-9:45 am. After all the riders take off, there will be a children's bicycle rodeo and tour from 10:00-12:00 in the park and zoo area. It is for ages 3-12 and costs $5 per child. Each child will get a free ticket to the zoo for that day as well. Everyone come on out and join the fun!

Just a reminder...

...that tomorrow is the next time for the Short Track XC Race at Buck Creek Trails.

Get ready for a fast and furious time at the trails!
When: Sat Feb 7th
Sun Feb 22nd
Sun March 8th
Sun March 22nd
Time: 3pm
Classes: Open beginner men/women combined
Sport/Expert combined men/women
Course length: approx. 3/4 mile
Duration: 30 min. plus 1 lap
MTB, SS and cyclocross bikes welcome. Think of it as a criterium on dirt! No entry fee. No awards. Just a lot of fun to be had by everyone. For more info email: Steve@anson4@att.net

Short Track XC Races at Buck Creek Trails

Get ready for a fast and furious time at the trails!
When: Sat Feb 7th
Sun Feb 22nd
Sun March 8th
Sun March 22nd
Time: 3pm
Classes: Open beginner men/women combined
Sport/Expert combined men/women
Course length: approx. 3/4 mile
Duration: 30 min. plus 1 lap
MTB, SS and cyclocross bikes welcome.
Think of it as a criterium on dirt! No entry fee. No awards. Just a lot of fun to be had by everyone. For more info email: Steve@anson4@att.net

Bent Wheel Bash Results

The first Bent Wheel Bash at Buck Creek this past weekend was a lot of fun. There was a good turn-out and, hopefully, everyone enjoyed the course. Here are the results:

Beginner - 1 lap
Junior Boys under 10
1. Daniel Ramon - 1:29:44

Junior Boys under 18
1. Tanner OBrien - 40:27
2. Caleb Schnatz - 42:38
3. Bryce Prescott - 47:05
4. Austin Prescott - 1:04:14
5. Connor Shoughnessy - 1:29:13

Junior Girls
1. Claire Allen - 51:38

Women 19+
1. Donna Dorsett - 1:31:39

Men 19-29
1. Brandon Annen - 38:29
2. Steven Riley - 44:06
3. Phillip Miller - 46:00
4. Adam Labrie - 47:01
Travis Crisman - DNF

Men 30-39
1. Brandon Rogers - 36:27
2. Lupe Vargas - 1:28:19

Top Five Overall Beginners
1. Brandon Rogers
2. Brandon Annen
3. Tanner OBrien
4. Caleb Schnatz
5. Steven Riley

Sport - 2 laps
Juniors under 18
1. Luke Allen - 1:33:30
2. Devin Prater - 1:42:57
3. Austin OBrien - 1:48:30
4. Cale Maupin - 1:57:28

Men 19-29
1. Josh Brown - 1:28:14
2. Baylor Blessing - 1:37:38
3. Chester Blessing - 1:39:38
4. Russel Kollaja - 1:41:33

Men 30-39
1. Jesus Ramon - 1:40:07
2. Bobby Prescott - 1:49:11
3. Justin Low - 2:00:37

Men 40-49
1. Greg Allen - 1:34:59

Men 50+
1. Harold Brigance - 1:41:22
2. Thomas Harris - 2:03:20

Top Five Overall Sport
1. Josh Brown
2. Luke Allen
3. Greg Allen
4. Baylor Blessing
5. Chester Blessing

Expert - 3 laps
Junior under 18 (2 laps)
1. Teel Atkinson - 1:46:35

Women (2 laps)
1. Karie Mueller - 2:05:53
2. Kay Maddox - 2:31:56

Men 19-29
1. Simon Gonzalez - 2:28:18
2. Jonathon Kiley - 2:30:49

Men 30-39
1. Jason Frazee - 2:16:19
2. Keevin Sharp - 2:19:58
3. Wiley Mosley - 2:22:18
4. Chris Podzemy - 2:33:00

Men 40+ (2 laps)
1. Lance Slack - 1:39:44

Top Three Overall Expert
1. Jason Frazee
2. Keevin Sharp
3. Wiley Mosley

Great job, everyone! We do want to say a special thanks to the sponsors of Bent Wheel Bash. First, thanks so much to the Abilene Police Department for letting us use the academy parking area and for providing so many volunteers. We appreciate it! Thanks to the city, too, for letting us develop and have access to Buck Creek Trails. Our other Bent Wheel Bash sponsors were McMurry, HSU, Abilene Bicycling Club, and BikeTown.

Of course, we have to give a huge shout-out to Steve Stovall, Gary Fraser, and Richard Valdez for organizing the event and getting the trails ready. It wouldn't have happened without you guys!

Thanks again to everyone who rode or helped out. Check back in a few days for some pictures.

Bent Wheel Bash

Bent Wheel Bash is just around the corner! This Sunday, head on out to Buck Creek Trails for event #6 of the West Texas Championship Series. The entrance for this event will be the Police Academy entrance just north of the normal trail entrance. For all the entry details, prices, distances, etc. head on over to www.americancycling.org and click on Bent Wheel Bash web page.

For those of you interested in pre-riding the course, the gate to the police academy will be open on Saturday from noon till 6 pm. The gate will be locked at 6, so give yourself enough time to ride and get out of the academy parking lot by 6. There will be no pre-riding the morning of the race, but the gate will open at 7:30am for those needing to register. Registration will take place under an awning in front of the Academy building. If it's cold, registration will be inside the building.

Since the race will be going on all Sunday morning, the normal entrance to Buck Creek Trails will be locked until the race is over. It should be opened back up around two that afternoon.

If you have any questions feel free to contact us!

Buck Creek Time Trial Today!

It's time trial time! Come on out to the trails this afternoon and test your speed on the 7 mile route. Remember, go to the police academy parking lot this time. It is just north of the normal entrance to Buck Creek Trails. The next entrance on the right to be exact. Sign-up for the time trial will begin at 3:30 with the first rider taking off at 4:00. There is no fee to participate. Just come on out and have fun!

Upcoming Events at Buck Creek Trails

There are a couple events just around the corner for those who like to ride off-road.

First, there will be a time trial at Buck Creek this Saturday, October 25. It will start at 4:00 pm. There is no fee to enter. Just come on out, see how you do on the trail, and have fun! There will be water and Gatorade provided for you. ***The start area will be different than usual!*** Instead of entering the trails at the normal entrance, keep driving on East Lake Road and take the next entrance on your right (north of Buck Creek Trails). This will take you into the police academy parking lot. They are letting us use the parking lot for this time trial as well as for the next event. The time trial will start from their parking area - not from where past time trials have begun. This time trial will be about 7 miles long. We do have to be out of the parking area by 6, so you'll still have plenty of your Saturday night left after the time trial finishes. Come on out and give it a whirl!

Second, the West Texas Mountain Bike Series will have the Bent Wheel Bash at Buck Creek on Sunday, November 2. There are three different categories to race in: beginner, sport, and expert. Beginner men/women race 7 miles, sport men/women race 18 miles, and expert men/women race 27 miles. There is an entry fee of $15 for beginner, $25 for sport, and $30 for expert. Also, you have to have an ACA license to race. A one-day license can be purchased at registration for $10. Beginners 18 and under race free except for their license. Registration the day of the event will begin at 8 am and close 30 minutes prior to the event. Experts will race at 9:30 am. Sports will race at 9:35 am. Beginners will race at 9:40 am. There are awards for this event. The beginners will get medals 3 deep. The sports will get 33% payback 3 deep. The experts will get 100% payback 3 deep. We know there are a lot of you who ride Buck Creek. Come on out and see how you stack up against the competition!

Just a reminder...

...that there is a benefit ride this Saturday to help support Christian Homes of Abilene. Meet at the Cisco Junior College parking lot for registration. Registration will begin at 7 am and the ride will start at 8:45. There is a 58 mile route as well as a 5 mile family route. For those riding in the 58 mile ride, the entry fee is $20. For the 5 mile ride, the entry fee is $10 per bike. So, if you have little ones in a trailer, there is no charge for them. The entry fee for both routes covers the ride, lunch, a t-shirt, and a concert at Prime Time. There will also be a kiddie crit of sorts at the Prime Time go-cart track. So, come on out on Saturday, bring the kids, and support a great cause. Hope to see ya there!

Wheels for Life

Hey, everyone - there is a fun event coming up in just two weeks. Wheels for Life is an event for everyone on wheels - bicycles, tricycles, motorcycles, cars, trucks - if it has wheels, it can take part! Wheels for Life will benefit Christian Homes & Family Services. Christian Homes is an adoption agency here in town that has provided adoption services and foster care for over 40 years now.

Wheels for Life will start at Prime Time. There will be routes for cyclists and vehicles to follow. Cyclists will have two routes to choose from. One is 50+ miles and the other is 6-8 miles (a good one for the whole family). There will also be a fun bike ride for the kids - on the go-cart track at Prime Time. Think criterium for kiddoes.

Meet out at Prime Time on Saturday, October 18 at 7 am for bicycle registration. The entry fee is $20 which includes lunch, a concert, and a t-shirt. For more information check out their website at www.christianhomes.com .