Ashland 12 Mile Super-D Race: In Pictures And On Video
Having just returned from the Ashland 12 Mile Super D race I'm a little disappointed that everyday regular life has to resume. For four days we lived the charmed life, eating great food and riding even greater trails. I'm going to let the amazing photos tell the story of the past days as I don't think that I could really do it justice with words.
Inside you find loads of pictures and two videos from Taylor Sage showing you what you missed so you know to come next year! Read on...Bikes, beer, and fun at the Ashland 12 Mile Super D - Race Video Recap!
The game plan was simple: four days in Ashland to get the lowdown on the shiny new 2X10 X.O. component group from SRAM, lay down some Canadian tracks on the Super D trail, and possibly even let myself be convinced to race against the clock on the 12 mile long course. All of the above ended up going down, but there was so much more to our time there than a bunch of bike parts and race times. From descending in the snow and changing flat tires with fingers that could only be described as frozen sausages, to two wheel drifts through dry and dusty sweeping singletrack corners, from amazing home cooked food and too many post ride wobbly pops, to late nights in Ashland pubs and early morning blueberry pancakes and bacon, to pretty girls in costumes handing out beers on the trail and doing the roadie tuck at 40 mph down a greasy fireroad. I feel like I could easily write a long book simply based on the last four days, but I'll spare you that torture and let the pictures and video tell you the story instead. I think they do a great job...
![photo]()
Want to feel jealous? Watch the video for a recap of our first day in Ashland
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
The Race. Oh boy, Unprepared and under conditioned turned out to be the perfect combination of conditions to allow me to enjoy the race. I knew that I was severely out lunged and out legged on the fast, but non-technical race course, and that I was going to be loosing minutes, not seconds in a lot of the sections. And by "sections" I am referring to any part of the trail that wasn't pointing directly down. Also, my trusty race steed left a bit to be desired in the gearing department... loads of torque with my low geared HammerSchmidt, but zero top end speed while descending the fireroad bits that made up a percentage of the track. Because I knew this long before I entered the start hut I approached the race a bit differently than I would have if I thought I actually had a chance at not being humiliated. The result was possibly the most fun race that I've ever done and the realization that all those years spent as a junior racer trying to climb the ranks were in vain. I should have spent those times yelling at other racers and trying to spray the spectators with dirt at every corner!
Kirt Voreis going mach chicken on his Specialized Stumpjumper "XC" bike
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
![photo]()
Pro mens times
1 - 3 Mark Weir WTB/Santa Cruz/Fox Shox 34:40.00
2 - 2 Jason Moeschler WTB/Santa Cruz/Fox Shox 34:41.00
3 - 1 Adam Craig Giant Mtb. Team 35:01.00
4 - 33 Carl Decker Giant Factory Team 35:02.00
5 - 23 Nathan Riddle SRAM/Fluidride/Evil 35:16.00
6 - 37 Aaron Bradford Specialized Bicycles 35:19.00
7 - 10 Ross Schnell Trek Bicycles 35:28.00
8 - 66 Scott Chapin Rock Lobster 35:33.00
9 - 4 Mike West Maverick 35:55.00
10 - 14 Jeff Kendal 36:05.00
11 - 7 Timmy Evans Rebound Physical Therapy 36:05.00
12 - 12 Ben Cruz WTB/MRP 36:07.00
13 - 5 Kenny Burt WTB/Ibis 36:21.00
14 - 6 Nate Byron Northstar/Giant/WTB 36:26.00
15 - 34 Ariel Lindsey UC Santa Cruz Cycling 36:28.00
16 - 56 Harlan Price Team CF 36:31.00
17 - 8 Matthew Slaven Kona/Dakine/Easton 36:57.00
18 - 15 Scott Fellers Thunderbringers 36:59.00
19 - 29 Jared Rando Giant Factory Team 37:11.00
20 - 77 Matt Ryan 37:12.00
You can find full results for all categories right here.
![photo]()
Here are more Ashland pics from norcobum123.pinkbike.com.
Inside you find loads of pictures and two videos from Taylor Sage showing you what you missed so you know to come next year! Read on...
The game plan was simple: four days in Ashland to get the lowdown on the shiny new 2X10 X.O. component group from SRAM, lay down some Canadian tracks on the Super D trail, and possibly even let myself be convinced to race against the clock on the 12 mile long course. All of the above ended up going down, but there was so much more to our time there than a bunch of bike parts and race times. From descending in the snow and changing flat tires with fingers that could only be described as frozen sausages, to two wheel drifts through dry and dusty sweeping singletrack corners, from amazing home cooked food and too many post ride wobbly pops, to late nights in Ashland pubs and early morning blueberry pancakes and bacon, to pretty girls in costumes handing out beers on the trail and doing the roadie tuck at 40 mph down a greasy fireroad. I feel like I could easily write a long book simply based on the last four days, but I'll spare you that torture and let the pictures and video tell you the story instead. I think they do a great job...
Our rental house was situated in a beautiful valley with 360 degree views of some of the greenest
hillside I've ever seen. There were a lot of these flags throughout the valley, as well as a
Buddhist temple just down the road
hillside I've ever seen. There were a lot of these flags throughout the valley, as well as a
Buddhist temple just down the road
The fine people from Western Spirit made sure that I ate a lot better on this trip than I would have at home
Homemade pizza getting ready to go into the outdoor wood burning stove
A bright start to a sunny day
Not only do the lovely ladies from Western Spirit know how to cook and shred, they also have
ideal riding attire. Bad Ass!
ideal riding attire. Bad Ass!
I was pretty pumped that it was a bit drier than this on race day
As a meat man, I was salivating when the chuck wagon fired up its grill. Chicken, ribs,
and sausage, but I declined the salad.
and sausage, but I declined the salad.
These guys look after bikes and riders for 12 hours a day and then party hard for the remaining 12 hours
There are a lot of mechanics out there who owe their skills to the United Bicycle Institute. UBI was the location for our SRAM tech sessions and the classroom oozes pro. Clean and tidy and with every tool under the sun
A UBI students titanium frame nearing completion
United Bicycle Institute also offers frame building classes. These students were putting together their first titanium frames
The Race. Oh boy, Unprepared and under conditioned turned out to be the perfect combination of conditions to allow me to enjoy the race. I knew that I was severely out lunged and out legged on the fast, but non-technical race course, and that I was going to be loosing minutes, not seconds in a lot of the sections. And by "sections" I am referring to any part of the trail that wasn't pointing directly down. Also, my trusty race steed left a bit to be desired in the gearing department... loads of torque with my low geared HammerSchmidt, but zero top end speed while descending the fireroad bits that made up a percentage of the track. Because I knew this long before I entered the start hut I approached the race a bit differently than I would have if I thought I actually had a chance at not being humiliated. The result was possibly the most fun race that I've ever done and the realization that all those years spent as a junior racer trying to climb the ranks were in vain. I should have spent those times yelling at other racers and trying to spray the spectators with dirt at every corner!
The race started near the summit of the 7,500 foot Mt. Ashland
The view from one mountain to another: Mt. Shasta looking good
Pre race beer with Mt. Shasta looming in the distance.
Jordan visualizing his race run, but it wasn't meant to be. A flat tire meant that he was looking pretty in a dress after his run
Some were more prepared than others
No sausage suit for Adam Craig, just fun and casual as it should be
Thanks for the pre race beers, ladies! I may have been slow, but I had a shit ton of fun!
It's go time. I was a bit like a overloaded tractor trailer with poor brakes: holding up
traffic on the climbs and fast and loose on the downhills.
traffic on the climbs and fast and loose on the downhills.
Ross Schnell on his race run
Carl Decker used his 29'er to bring home 4th place. The course was smooth and mega fast
This racer was looking especially quick as he flew by us
Mountain bike racing can be a lot of fun!
Sometimes it's faster to stay on the ground than in the air. Ron lost what was left of his Oakleys when things went bad over a double jump
Post race beer and shit talking
Race over, let the festivities begin!
Pro mens times
1 - 3 Mark Weir WTB/Santa Cruz/Fox Shox 34:40.00
2 - 2 Jason Moeschler WTB/Santa Cruz/Fox Shox 34:41.00
3 - 1 Adam Craig Giant Mtb. Team 35:01.00
4 - 33 Carl Decker Giant Factory Team 35:02.00
5 - 23 Nathan Riddle SRAM/Fluidride/Evil 35:16.00
6 - 37 Aaron Bradford Specialized Bicycles 35:19.00
7 - 10 Ross Schnell Trek Bicycles 35:28.00
8 - 66 Scott Chapin Rock Lobster 35:33.00
9 - 4 Mike West Maverick 35:55.00
10 - 14 Jeff Kendal 36:05.00
11 - 7 Timmy Evans Rebound Physical Therapy 36:05.00
12 - 12 Ben Cruz WTB/MRP 36:07.00
13 - 5 Kenny Burt WTB/Ibis 36:21.00
14 - 6 Nate Byron Northstar/Giant/WTB 36:26.00
15 - 34 Ariel Lindsey UC Santa Cruz Cycling 36:28.00
16 - 56 Harlan Price Team CF 36:31.00
17 - 8 Matthew Slaven Kona/Dakine/Easton 36:57.00
18 - 15 Scott Fellers Thunderbringers 36:59.00
19 - 29 Jared Rando Giant Factory Team 37:11.00
20 - 77 Matt Ryan 37:12.00
You can find full results for all categories right here.
Who would have thought that having your name on your toptube doesn't make you faster
Here are more Ashland pics from norcobum123.pinkbike.com.
Author Info:
Must Read This Week
[UPDATED] Final Elite XC Results & Overall Standings from the Mairiporã XC World Cup 2024
42288 views
42288 views
Sign Up for the Pinkbike Newsletter - All the Biggest, Most Interesting Stories in your Inbox
PB Newsletter Signup
6 Comments
- 2 0
richierocket
(Jun 16, 2010 at 2:55)
Thanks man! A truly great write up, pictures and an outstanding looking race! Hope you had fun for all of us who could not make it! Have a great summer, cheers!
- 2 0
OllyJ
(Jun 16, 2010 at 3:34)
Ditto. I have nothing to add! 
- 2 0
UncleCliffy
(Jun 16, 2010 at 8:23)
Next year will be even more amazing with Bill and Sue running the show. Can't wait! Training begins NOW!!!
- 3 0
demobiker12
(Jun 16, 2010 at 17:09)
nice job Ben and Mark rep it for novato
- 1 0
oldparts
(Jun 16, 2010 at 21:56)
Such a sick time, I'll be back next year for sure. I need bigger legs and lungs!
- 1 0
jesusrendon
(Jun 16, 2010 at 13:52)
the last 3 videos werent that good, the rest was pretty awesome 
Login or Sign Up