EFTA Forum

[Morz]

Good race. Keep it on the list for next year! This was one of the hardest races this year. The ups are steep, the downs are technical, and the level areas are rock farm infested. A pleasant surprise I must say...once I caught my breath after the race.

Thanks also to all the volunteers that I saw on the trail. I think we had more volunteers than riders! Very cool!

Only change, don't combine classes for prizes. Just give smaller prizes.

[icycle]

Thanks for the feedback Morz, it's hard to please everyone with the course so we did the best we could in our first year by putting in a mix of everything in a true. Granted there were a few who thought it too hard. I'm glad so many people, including you, liked it.

Your feedback about the prizes is my #1 thing to change next year--I felt the same way when everyone was coming up and asking why they didn't receive prizes when they were 1, 2, or 3 in their class. Great job to all those riders and I apologize for not awarding each class. I was following the EFTA promoter's guide which offers the promoter the choice to collapse classes of 4 or less into the next more difficult age group.

I've heard a lot of positive feedback. I'm interested to hear what the majority opinion is.

Thanks,
Brett

[steves]

Super fun race yesterday. It was a great course and a well organized event for the first time promoters. I hope the scouts get enough out it so we can do this one again next year. Thanks to all the volunteers and everyone out on the course yesterday. The swim in the pond afterwards was extra nice.

[Raineman]

Thanks to the promoter and Team Bums for getting the course in excellent shape for the race. You could tell a lot of work had been done - new trails and removing the vegetation grown that naturally grows into the trail. The flowy pond-side singletrack was extra fun/fast as were the downhills - once I got to know them. With all those rocks gardens, the course screams "NINERS WELCOME!"
The swim afterward was a joy.

[sportvet]

Just wanted to say I had a great time yesterday. The course was tough but it was well marked and marshalled. Volunteers everywhere. As tired as I got never felt lost. Little arrows were there to guide my weakened mind along. Plus the mile markers were nice.
The stretch along the water at the end was real sweet.
Can't wait until next year when I give it a go on a single speed. 32 x 20 ? 22 ?
Any recommendations out there from someone who did it on a ss?

[xcmtnbykr]

I raced in a 32x16 on 26" wheels. Was ok but a slightly larger cog (18T) would have made some of the technical climbs and fireroad climbs on the second lap less painful.

Collin

[sportvet]

thanks for gettin' back.
Wow, 32x16. And you did it in ~2:03 - sick.

I usually ride with 34x18 but never on anything as hilly as this course nor at any 'race pace'.
Well, glad I am just a sport. :-)
Pete Dunn

[mtbgraig]

the course was challenging, especially the beginning climb with the rock gardens attached to it. Other than that it was an absolute blast.

One thing that irks me about the venue is it is not open to biking, ever. If the venue is not open to biking why have a race, besides to take our money. Had i known this I would not have come.

Great job by the promoters and anyone involved in the race.

[davmaz]

[quote="mtbgraig"]the course was challenging, especially the beginning climb with the rock gardens attached to it. Other than that it was an absolute blast.

One thing that irks me about the venue is it is not open to biking, ever. If the venue is not open to biking why have a race, besides to take our money. Had i known this I would not have come.

Great job by the promoters and anyone involved in the race.[/quote]

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As you know this is a brand new venue, run by seasoned veterans and a 1st time promoter.

As of late we have lost a few venues and are thankful that new venues such as TVR have come forward to pick up the slack.

If your complaint is that our 100% volunteer effort has helped a non-bike area than I will be glad to refund your entry fee from my on funds. I was not at the event, in Bristol Tenn, so I could contribute to the cause. Part of all entry monies go to the NECS points fund, timing, insurance and other race related costs. I figure at least half goes to the charity of (promoters) choice. Do let me know if you would like a refund of any sort.

Dave Mazalauski (EFTA e-board member and racer advocate)

[icycle]

[quote="mtbgraig"]One thing that irks me about the venue is it is not open to biking, ever. If the venue is not open to biking why have a race, besides to take our money. Had i known this I would not have come.[/quote]

Ouch. Actually, the message I was trying to relay at the starting line was that the venue is a private property area focused on Scouting and therefore no one should enter the property via the entrance used for the race. There are public access points for the Midstate trail at the northern and southern ends of the property on East Hill Rd and Browning Pond Rd respectively. However, if you leave the Midstate trail right of way, you are in a Scout camp and should stay away from any areas with buildings and especially areas with people. Doing this requires some knowledge about where you are as well as awareness about who/what you are approaching.

So it's not that biking is not allowed ever, it's that the venue does not want to have mountain bikers interfering with their primary purposes. Please be mindful of that if you decide to enter their property. Basically any interference caused by mountain bikers there result in me receiving an angry phone call from the people in charge at Treasure Valley, thus my words of caution.

There are several EFTA races held on private property venues. And all EFTA races are held for charitable organizations, in this case the charity was the local Boy Scout council. I'm sorry you did not like how the land use and charity proceeds were structured, but glad you liked the race itself. Hopefully this posting helps clear things up for you.

-Brett