[FCLinder]

Total Acreage: 588
Vertical Drop: 1,700’
That's pretty big. I don't know if there's many DH race courses that drop more than that. Mt Snow's course goes from top to bottom.

Still today one of my favorite Mts I have ever raced on. I won National Champs there in 2001 in my age group 25 to 30 Expert by over 12secs..... Those were the days the Expert classes were stacked and it was supper hard to turn Pro. You had to race all 5 nationals back then to even get into the top 10 rankings to turn Pro.

Cecil

 

[AlmostHeaven]

never had a desire to ever go to North Carolina, but this will change that

/derail imminent

you might want to get off the computer every once in a while...

redneck jokes and southern stereotypes aside, you'd really have to be a 'tard to look past the beauty of NC and have no desire to ever go there. especially someone who considers themselves a "mountain biker", with no desire to go to North Carolina? might wanna re-think that one.

this thread is full of win:

... Beech Mountain, 830 vertical feet (of beach sand, which is assumed based on the name). American gravity racing is really stepping it up.

you can't be serious. you think a mountain 300+mi. inland NC will be comprised of nothing but sand? try again.
American geography education is really stepping it up.

*never heard of an American Beech tree?*

 

[Mulestar]

/derail imminent

you might want to get off the computer every once in a while...

redneck jokes and southern stereotypes aside, you'd really have to be a 'tard to look past the beauty of NC and have no desire to ever go there. especially someone who considers themselves a "mountain biker", with no desire to go to North Carolina? might wanna re-think that one.

Seriously. Western NC is like a whole 'nother world from the rest of the south when it comes to terrain, specifically for riding.

 

[IH8Rice]

/derail imminent

you might want to get off the computer every once in a while...

redneck jokes and southern stereotypes aside, you'd really have to be a 'tard to look past the beauty of NC and have no desire to ever go there. especially someone who considers themselves a "mountain biker", with no desire to go to North Carolina? might wanna re-think that one.

this thread is full of win:

why would i want to drive 10+ hours to go ride the trails in NC when the NY/PA/NJ area has some of the best riding around? and if i was going to drive 10+ hours, NC would still probably be the last place id go. regardless of how pretty you say it is

but hey, thanks for telling me where i want to go though

i guess im not one of those "real mountain bikers"

this thread is indeed full of win

 

[Mulestar]

why would i want to drive 10+ hours to go ride the trails in NC when the NY/PA/NJ area has some of the best riding around? and if i was going to drive 10+ hours, NC would still probably be the last place id go. regardless of how pretty you say it is

Highest, most rugged mountains in the east and a 10+ month riding season?

We can't touch ya'll in lift accessed DH but our XC is some of the best anywhere.

 

[IH8Rice]

Highest, most rugged mountains in the east and a 10+ month riding season?

We can't touch ya'll in lift accessed DH but our XC is some of the best anywhere.

if i rode and or cared about XC, maybe id have a little desire to go there. but i still doubt that.

 

[TheRiddler]

I'm sure the NY, PA, NJ area has some of the best riding around the NY, PA, NJ area. Congradulations. But the riding in North Carolina is phenominal, and I think that your ignorance of that is due to the fact that you havn't made it down here yet. Don't judge an area until you go there. I wouldnt think it would be worth it to go race a nationals in California, and if you don't think Beech mountain will be worth the drive, dont come. But I don't get on the internet and hate on California do I?

 

[Mulestar]

if i rode and or cared about XC, maybe id have a little desire to go there. but i still doubt that.

IH8yankees.


For real though, the image that the rest of the country has of the south (ESPECIALLY mountain bikers) when they've probably never even been here is ridiculous.

The amount of times I've heard "wow, you guys have mountains there??" (yeah, the highest ones east of the rockies retards)

 

[IH8Rice]

I'm sure the NY, PA, NJ area has some of the best riding around the NY, PA, NJ area. Congradulations. But the riding in North Carolina is phenominal, and I think that your ignorance of that is due to the fact that you havn't made it down here yet. Don't judge an area until you go there. I wouldnt think it would be worth it to go race a nationals in California, and if you don't think Beech mountain will be worth the drive, dont come. But I don't get on the internet and hate on California do I?

who said anything about judging anything about the area. great you have totally rad and awesome XC riding. good for you. youve proven your point there nothing else better in the world.
i still have ZERO desire to go to NC if the Nat. Champs werent there.

but hey, keep telling me how awesome it is and how im missing out on your riding.

IH8yankees.


For real though, the image that the rest of the country has of the south (ESPECIALLY mountain bikers) when they've probably never even been here is ridiculous.

The amount of times I've heard "wow, you guys have mountains there??" (yeah, the highest ones east of the rockies retards)

see above comment

 

[Banshee Rider]

Wow, what an exhausting lifestyle - constantly complaining.

 

[fortenndu]

Ido the Angry Guido, you want to come to NC to ride bikes, trust me.

 

[IH8Rice]

Ido the Angry Guido, you want to come to NC to ride bikes, trust me.

if youre there, i definitely dont want to go


anyone else?

 

[haromtnbiker]

You got 17 minute fully pinned dh runs? We do.

But don't expect us to tell you where they are.

High Country DH on Vimeo

 

[Mulestar]

if youre there, i definitely dont want to go


anyone else?

All you're doing is enforcing the ignorant image I now have of you that caused me to respond in the first place. I bet you feel the same way about WV and TN...which both have incredible DH riding. I don't care if you come here, in fact I hope you don't, but you don't have to be such a prick about it. Types like you are the reason people think nationals is gonna suck just because its in NC.

 

[fortenndu]

You got 17 minute fully pinned dh runs? We do.

But don't expect us to tell you where they are.

High Country DH on Vimeo

Craig iron horse isn't in business anymore change your avatar.

 

[mattmatt86]

We complain about USAC not taking gravity racing seriously? Hmmm I wonder why?

How about rather than complaining about the venue/state/region we actually act a little grateful (on Christmas of all days) that we actually still have a national championship. With attitudes like this it's no wonder more venues don't want to step up to bid for the National Championship. If we actually wanted to make a statement to USAC we would want as many people as possible show up to the event to show that DH isn't dead in the US. Showing support regardless of the location would be the best thing we could do for the sport, bitching about places we've never been to from behind our keyboards isn't helping anyone and certainly isn't helping the sport.

 

[IH8Rice]

All you're doing is enforcing the ignorant image I now have of you that caused me to respond in the first place. I bet you feel the same way about WV and TN...which both have incredible DH riding. I don't care if you come here, in fact I hope you don't, but you don't have to be such a prick about it. Types like you are the reason people think nationals is gonna suck just because its in NC.

maybe if i didnt know fortenndu, your comment would make sense. but since i do know him and are friends with him, your comment just makes you look like a ass.
and no i dont feel the same way about WV and or TN. infact i didnt say anything of the like.
and types like you arent going to help make people come to NC. we get it, your sh!t dont stink. we get it, NC is the only place the Nationals should be at.


my original comment was that i have never had a inkling to go to NC before this announcement. you could defend your state as much as you want. if the Nationals werent there, Iwould have NO desire to go. why cant you accept that fact that I have never wanted to go there??
Where did i say that your state didnt have good riding? i said, since the Nationals are there, i would be going. its "types like me" that are keeping Nationals alive since im traveling to a place I would have never went before and helping support USAC.


..or maybe santa didnt bring you what you wanted and have to act like a douche and stand up for how great you say NC is.

 

[doc gravity]

I love how these threads always end up as east vs. west, or venue vs. venue.
That's not the point, the point is our national body picked a crappy date. The date they selected for this championship is not consistent with even the other "half" of the mountain bike community (i.e Sun Valley is before the world championship). As the father of 2 junior riders, this makes life a whole lot more difficult just do to the timing of the event. I understand that you can't please everyone, but even the Southeast riders can understand that the timing of the event isn't any good. Why not use the same venue during the summer months?
It put's all of us in a difficult position, I want to see racing succeed in the south the same as every other region. I've seen first hand how passionate some of their juniors are about their riding. I want to support them and see racing grow in their region, it's just made more difficult by when the race is scheduled. Should we all just blindly show up, show our support for good people, and have USAC cycling continue to treat us differently than they do their other constituents? They've got us over a barrel, because they know that most of us will choose to support the people that put on gravity racing.

If I was the USAC official that proposed this, I'd be loving life about now. We're arguing amonst ourselves about all sorts of trivial crap, when USAC are the ones that created this mess, and they're scarcely part of the discussion. If we vote with our pocketbooks by not attending, the only people we hurt are the ones putting on the event. The people receiving part of their salary from our USAC dues aren't affected in the least by what we do, or don't do.

 

[jackalope]

maybe if i didnt know fortenndu, your comment would make sense. but since i do know him and are friends with him, your comment just makes you look like a ass.
and no i dont feel the same way about WV and or TN. infact i didnt say anything of the like.
and types like you arent going to help make people come to NC. we get it, your sh!t dont stink. we get it, NC is the only place the Nationals should be at.


my original comment was that i have never had a inkling to go to NC before this announcement. you could defend your state as much as you want. if the Nationals werent there, Iwould have NO desire to go. why cant you accept that fact that I have never wanted to go there??
Where did i say that your state didnt have good riding? i said, since the Nationals are there, i would be going. its "types like me" that are keeping Nationals alive since im traveling to a place I would have never went before and helping support USAC.


..or maybe santa didnt bring you what you wanted and have to act like a douche and stand up for how great you say NC is.

Curious, were you (really) drunk when you typed that?

Regardless, Doc hit it squarely on the head methinks. Timing for the juniors could certainlt be better, but its the hand we've been dealt, and I hope we make a good showing.

 

[gemini2k]

You got 17 minute fully pinned dh runs? We do.

But don't expect us to tell you where they are.

That's probably the most legitimate east coast DH I've seen. Pretty sick. Just out of curiosity how much vert are the 17' runs? Full shuttle?

 

[fortenndu]

I think we're missing the major issue here....craigs avatar.

 

[IH8Rice]

Curious, are you (really) drunk right now?

sotally tober.

if i was drunk, id realize that NC is the best place in the world. despite the fact that i never said otherwise.

 

[TheRiddler]

A. you did say that if you were going to drive 10+ hours to ride, NC would be the last place on your list...
B. Mulestar isn't even an NC local, but as he and most people who have been here will tell you, our sh!t smells like roses.
C. OK, you don't want to come here, but if youre going to hate on the location, please, keep it to yourself. because those of us down here need this event to be a success in order for our sport to grow in this area.
D. Some people could look at this thread and think "Hmmm, a lot of people are saying this location's going to suck, I guess I won't go." Therefore, people like you (none of who have even seen the potential this mountain has)are HURTING the race support.

I'd rather you and the rest of the haters just keep your mouths shut because nothing you say will change the fact that if you plan on racing nationals this year, you WILL be racing at Beech. The things you say will only hurt the race attendance, the chance of a new lift accessed area opening, and US downhill in general. Be stoked, or at least act like it if you want this to be a big race, and if you want USAC to give us more respect.

 

[jackalope]

Sober? OK, if you say so.

And FWIW, no one ever claimed NC was DH nirvana - we're just saying it doesn't suck. I mean lets face it, the best DH in the world, nay the solar system, is in upstate NY.

 

[mattmatt86]

That's probably the most legitimate east coast DH I've seen. Pretty sick. Just out of curiosity how much vert are the 17' runs? Full shuttle?

One of my favorite runs in NC was a trail called Pilot Rock, fully pinned on a DH bike it took about 12+ minutes and was a little over 2100' of elevation drop.

 

[IH8Rice]

OK, if you say so.

And FWIW, no one ever claimed NC was DH nirvana - we're just saying it doesn't suck. I mean lets face it, the best DH in the world in upstate NY.

and i never said it sucked did i ?
i guess you southerners take it to heart if someone says that have no desire to visit your state if the Nats werent there.

im sorry you all got butt-hurt over that

 

[gemini2k]

One of my favorite runs in NC was a trail called Pilot Rock, fully pinned on a DH bike it took about 12+ minutes and was a little over 2100' of elevation drop.

Hmmm, yes, that is a totally legitimate DH run in that case. Very interesting.

 

[jackalope]

and i never said it sucked did i ?
i guess you southerners take it to heart if someone says that have no desire to visit your state if the Nats werent there.

^^

Fair enough, but can you at least understand that if someone says "I would never go there unless there was a race of national importance", it could be interpreted as "your state sucks, and the only reason I would grace it with my presence is if there is a Natty there"?

 

[Bog Dogs]

I love how these threads always end up as east vs. west, or venue vs. venue.
That's not the point, the point is our national body picked a crappy date. The date they selected for this championship is not consistent with even the other "half" of the mountain bike community (i.e Sun Valley is before the world championship). As the father of 2 junior riders, this makes life a whole lot more difficult just do to the timing of the event. I understand that you can't please everyone, but even the Southeast riders can understand that the timing of the event isn't any good. Why not use the same venue during the summer months?
It put's all of us in a difficult position, I want to see racing succeed in the south the same as every other region. I've seen first hand how passionate some of their juniors are about their riding. I want to support them and see racing grow in their region, it's just made more difficult by when the race is scheduled. Should we all just blindly show up, show our support for good people, and have USAC cycling continue to treat us differently than they do their other constituents? They've got us over a barrel, because they know that most of us will choose to support the people that put on gravity racing.

If I was the USAC official that proposed this, I'd be loving life about now. We're arguing amonst ourselves about all sorts of trivial crap, when USAC are the ones that created this mess, and they're scarcely part of the discussion. If we vote with our pocketbooks by not attending, the only people we hurt are the ones putting on the event. The people receiving part of their salary from our USAC dues aren't affected in the least by what we do, or don't do.

* So we can either talk to USAC about changing the date or we play the hand dealt to us and make the most of it.

* I personally don't have a problem with the date but it would make it hard for anyone with kids.

* I also don't have a problem with the location. Truth is that I didn't have a reason to visit NC until this came up but now I'll be happy to see what they have to offer. If this succeeds then it will grow the sport in a region where development is still inexpensive.

* Last thought - I was at a meeting where Gary Fisher was asked what part of the country has the most potential for growth in Mountain biking? His answer - The southeast. He said there is lots of lush land, lots of good ole boys (His words not mine) who are into dirt sports and lots of people who know how to excavate. Beech Mountain could be an expansion bridge for a sport that needs every bridge it can build.

 

[mattmatt86]

Hmmm, yes, that is a totally legitimate DH run in that case. Very interesting.

On a side note... one winter during college I was riding a nearby trail called Bennet Gap and ran into Richie Schley. I talked to him for a little while and he said he comes down to Pisgah (NC) every winter when BC is frozen over because "Pisgah has some of the best singletrack in North America."

True story.

 

[chillindrdude]

if i qualify, i'm SO gonna bring my guns. anyone going wanna get some triggertime? i'm thinking about making a pitstop at the US Training Center (formerly Xe, formerly Blackwater) range.

 

[NY_Star]

Guns and Fireworks!!!! That is what Colorado nationals was missing. Them people just don't know how to have fun i think.

 

[Mulestar]

maybe if i didnt know fortenndu, your comment would make sense. but since i do know him and are friends with him...

.

Correction, fortenndu has no friends. I hope you didn't think I was defending him. My post was in response to "anyone else?".

your comment just makes you look like a ass.

Could be worse...you could be arguing with Butch.

Done with this.

 

[Trilliamiano]

That's probably the most legitimate east coast DH I've seen. Pretty sick. Just out of curiosity how much vert are the 17' runs? Full shuttle?

Most of the extended (over 10 min. and over 2,000ft of vert) DH isn't full shuttle. Lots of the best stuff requires a little work to get in and out of but it makes for a nice point to point bro ride. However, there are a few "Hidden gems" where you can get you full shuttle days in within the borders of NC. The best I've done on a point to point was just about 3,000ft of uninterrupted DH flow.

Speaking of riding in the area, Boone NC just put in a new public mountain bike park. Check it out here if you looking for other cool spots/trails to hit up while your in the area http://rockyknob.wordpress.com/. This is an all mountain trail system but it's got allot of freeride inspired features, perfect territory for a trail bike. I know not everyone can afford to bring the extra bike but if you do (or if you can ride all mtn on your 4X rig) you won't be disappointed.

While I'm on a roll there's also an XC trail system that you can access from the top of the Ski hill at Beech. There's about 8 miles of root filled goodness in what the town calls the "Emerald Outback" and there's also a nice super D run within that trail system that drops about 1,200 ft. Just another reason to grab a house on the mountain and stay for a little while. Right off of Beech mtn (Literally right down the mtn) there's a great DS course and a really bad ass XC trail system that'll have you giggling on all the descents (if you like steeps and rock gardens that is). The slalom course and other trails are on the Campus of Lees-Mcrae college which is located in the small town of Banner Elk (another good place to stay if your not going to stay up on Beech)

Anywho, just a little bit of southern hospitality (there's more where that came from in the form of fireworks and stiff drinks during the race weekend). Hopefully I'll get to meet and ride with a bunch of great people during Natty Champs

-Trill

 

[fortenndu]

Correction, fortenndu hundreds more friends then me.



Could be worse...you could be getting gay with Butch like I do.

Done with this.

Damn dude, keep your relationship with Butch to yourself.

 

[motomike]

if i qualify, i'm SO gonna bring my guns. anyone going wanna get some triggertime? i'm thinking about making a pitstop at the US Training Center (formerly Xe, formerly Blackwater) range.

This thread really went to crap, but you are keeping it real. I bought a new gun this week, lets jam some stuff up!

 

[Lelandjt]

I was a little disappointed at first cuz I was hoping it would be closer, but you guys have convinced me to bring the AM bike along and make this a 10 day road trip. What's the likelihood of rain and what's the temperature range?
I'll be rolling in my E150 shuttle van and looking to hook up with locals for pedal and shuttle rides.

 

[freeridefool]

So word on the street is that if you dont have a rebel flag you wont be alloud to race... any truth to this? Also, if my race kit is blue will I be considered a damn yankee?

 

[motomike]

So word on the street is that if you dont have a rebel flag you wont be alloud to race... any truth to this? Also, if my race kit is blue will I be considered a damn yankee?

You can fix both those problems by racing in a rebel flag cape. Bring some other medford locals down with ya, I know "y'all" keep it real.

 

[milohead]

A. you did say that if you were going to drive 10+ hours to ride, NC would be the last place on your list...
B. Mulestar isn't even an NC local, but as he and most people who have been here will tell you, our sh!t smells like roses.
C. OK, you don't want to come here, but if youre going to hate on the location, please, keep it to yourself. because those of us down here need this event to be a success in order for our sport to grow in this area.
D. Some people could look at this thread and think "Hmmm, a lot of people are saying this location's going to suck, I guess I won't go." Therefore, people like you (none of who have even seen the potential this mountain has)are HURTING the race support.

I'd rather you and the rest of the haters just keep your mouths shut because nothing you say will change the fact that if you plan on racing nationals this year, you WILL be racing at Beech. The things you say will only hurt the race attendance, the chance of a new lift accessed area opening, and US downhill in general. Be stoked, or at least act like it if you want this to be a big race, and if you want USAC to give us more respect.

Well said.