snowtime
I have been using the snow blower nonstop since I got home, the timing could not be better. It has been raining in the valley but the mtns are getting it. Skied Soldier Hollow yesterday with B Firth and had a great time other than the lack of grooming, I guess the cat was in the shop and with the new snow we got a serious workout. Makes you appreciate the fine job the volunteer groomers do at Mtn Dell. Hope to hit that up again today.
I have been catching it a little regarding my last post. By no means am I looking to drum up publicity for myself, these are just some of my thoughts on ways to help revitalize the struggling domestic pro MTB scene, have you been to NORBA recently? The pro field is solid but all the other categories are lacking. When I was a junior the pro dudes where my hero's, I used to love hanging out after my race and watching some of the lesser known guys including Martin Stenger, Glen Adams, and Todd Henniman etc. The buzz is built one guy at time and only snowballs. Only hand full of guys can make a living on the bike, what are the rest of the 100+ pro field doing? That is what the everyday mountain biker can relate to.
just some thoughts
Possibly some more skiing and snow biking on tap for the weekend!
posted by Bart G at 9:06 AM
2 Comments:
Good thoughts. More could be done to revitalize. However, know that through your efforts at least one person -- me -- is more interested in the MTB and CX scene. And you don't have to be a junior to like hanging around to watch the pros.
At some point though, you have to accept the hard fact that cycling as whole is and will likely remain a fringe sport. There are many more families who encourage want their kids to be ball players than those who want their kids to be cyclists (and there are legitimate reasons for that). And just as we don't necessarily understand what's so fun about kicking, bouncing, smacking a ball, they don't understand the fun in suiting up in lycra . . . I mean pedaling a bike through the mountains.
You have no reason to be discouraged. You've done much more than your share at promoting the sport. Your blog is linked to every local blog around. And I daresay, everyone wants to ride like Bart.
Okay, enough with the mushy stuff. Let's get on with life . . . skiing.
3:20 PM
Except for the pro field, Ed gets a far better turnout than a Norba race. USA cycling needs to figure this out.
For experts, I never understood this because I always want to race against the best. Winning by 5 minutes is OK, but trying to beat Johnny O'Meara is better. The Norba promoters need the Sport/Expert riders to make the finances work, plus it's a built in audience for the pro races.
Part of the reason you get no respect for finishing 7th on the MTB is that a lot of so-called MTB racers (sports/beginners) don't really follow the sport. They're just out doing their own thing. They whine about the cost of a Norba license when they're riding a $3000 FS bike.
Ed would do the sport a huge favor if he went with USA cycling, and thereby connected the local riders with the national scene.
Blah, Blah, Blah.
Anyway, skiing will make it all better.
11:17 AM
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