1987 Championnat Du Monde VTT

by Ned


In June I will be travelling to France for the 25th anniversary of the "Championnat Du Monde VTT". In 1987, there were two World Mountain Bike Championships, one in the USA in Mammoth, California and one in Europe at Villard de Lans, France. That French race was my first experience bike racing in Europe. The promoter of the event paid for me, Joe Murray, Jacquie Phelan and Mary Lee Atkins to travel to Villard de Lans, and he put us up in a small house complete with a chef and a spectacular view of the French Alps.

The course was one big loop, with long stretches of narrow, rocky single track. I remember one exposed single track section had netting rigged up below the trail to keep riders from falling down a cliff, if they should happen to ride off the trail on the downhill side. One thing that was a little unnerving was the start, which was on a futbol field in the center of town. The Start Line stretched all the way across the center of the field and virtually everyone was on the front row, 200 in the Senior Men's class. It was a mad dash to get out of the stadium, through town, and onto the single track. I won the race, Joe Murray was second and Jacques Devi was third. Mary Lee Atkins won the women's race. Mary Lee and I both rode for the Schwinn team that year, and I started with Specialized in 1988.

Here is a classic podium shot

(I'm the one not wearing "hot pants")

Here is an example of the vintage iron I was riding that day

More Bike Photos

I was recently reading through the results and I noticed Silvia Furst was 7th in the Women's race. Silvia was on the Specialized team for several years and won the 1993 World Championships in Bromont, Canada.

The day after the race the promoter arranged for me to be on a morning news show in Paris. He had chartered a flight for the journalists and I joined them on the flight back to Paris. It was an old propeller plane with poor ventilation and about 40 passengers. As soon as the plane was in the air every single passenger, except me, fired up a cigarette. The smoke was  so thick you couldn't see down the aisle to the front of the plane. I tried to roll down my window.

In 1987, I was fortunate to win the USA Worlds in Mammoth, California along with the European Worlds in France. Then in 1989 I won the US Worlds in Mammoth and was second to Mike Kloser at the Euro Worlds in Switzerland, so it was hard for either of us to truly be considered World Champion. In 1990, the UCI sanctioned the sport of Mountain Bike racing and took over the scheduling of a unified World Championships, which were held in my hometown of Durango and which I won.

Durango Clean Commute Week

Register for Clean Commute Week!

Durango's Clean Commute Week is June 16th - June 22nd. Please be sure to REGISTER for your Commuter Benefits Card and be added to our email list so you stay up to date on the schedule of events. We've added many new events you won't want to miss - the Pedometer Challenge, Love Your Commute Party, a Bike Maintenance Clinic, and much more...stay tuned!!

Even if you can't participate, we still encourage you to register. That show of support is what creates momentum and new opportunities for the future of alternative transportation in Durango.

Durango Gets Gold

The City of Durango is proud to announce we have achieved Gold Level status as a Bicycle Friendly Community as designated by the League of American Bicyclists. Previously rated a Silver Level community, the past 3 years of hard work in expanding bicycle infrastructure, pro-bicycle policies, and education boosted our status to the elite Gold Level. Way to go Durango!

In honor of achieving Gold Level status, we'd like to list a partial chronology of events and people that have made this achievement possible:

1895 - The Durango Wheel Club is formed.

1971 - Tom Mayer, a young bicycle enthusiast, challenges his older brother Jim Mayer, a brakeman on the Narrow Gauge railroad, to a race to Silverton - him on his bike, Jim on the train. Tom wins, and the rest is history.
1972 - The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic is first held, organized by Ed Zink and won by local legend Mike Elliot.

1976 - The first segment of the Animas River Trail is completed.

1982 - Durango City Planner Greg Hoch creates the first Bicycle Route Map for Durango streets.

1990 - Durango hosts the first-ever UCI World Mountain Bike Championships.

1990 - Ned Overend of Durango wins the first-ever Mountain Bike World Championships Cross Country title, while Greg Herbold of Durango wins the Downhill title.

1990 - Trails 2000 is formed and names Bill Manning as Director.

1999 - Warren McNaughton and Shane Baird to compile an "Inventory and Priority of Paved Roads in La Plata County for Improved Bicycling and Pedestrian Safety", which was adopted in the "La Plata County Comprehensive Traffic Study".
2004 - The Safe Roads Coalition is formed and successfully promotes Complete Streets for Durango and LaPlata County.
2004 - Durango Voters approve Ballot Question 2A which will add an additional 0.5% Local Sales Tax to directly fund Parks, Open Space and Trails.

2005 - The Main Avenue Underpass is completed to connect the Animas River Trail continuously through downtown Durango.
2007 - La Plata County Commissioners adopt a Resolution in support of the Safe Roads Coalition's "Inventory and Prioritization of Roads in La Plata County for Improved Bicycling, Pedestrian, and Motorist Safety".
2008 - Durango Voters approve Ballot Measure 2A to fund the rebuilding of Florida Road.

2009 - Bicycle Friendly Durango holds the first Bike Summit and Durango is named a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community.

2009 - The City of Durango names Amber Blake as the first-ever Multimodal Coordinator.
2009 - Durango hosts the Singlespeed World Championships

2011 - Florida Road is completely rebuilt to become the first Durango street to allow full bike and pedestrian access.
2011 - La Plata County publishes it's first ever La Plata County & Durango Area Bike Map.
2012 - Durango is awarded the opening stage of the 2012 Pro Tour Challenge Tour of Colorado.
2012 - Durango is named a Gold Level Bicycle Friendly Community.
2012 - The final missing section of the current Animas River Trail is completed behind the Durango Mall creating 7 uninterrupted miles of trail.

Feeling Fashionable?

Our new CLUB SPF-35 jerseys are in and we hope you like our latest color palette, Margarita Green with Bellflower Purple. It's our way of saying, "Hey, just because you're a cyclist doesn't mean you have to dress in last year's (or decade's) colors!"

His

Hers

• Light-weight SQ Pro® with Mynx UV fabric - rated to 35+ SPF.

• Micro-mesh construction allows air to easily pass through the fabric, keeping you dry and cool.

• Full-length zipper for variable cooling and breathability.

• Roomier fitting Club-cut design.

• 3 reinforced rear pockets, elastic waist and wrists.

Of Local Cycling Interest #2

A road of much concern for Durango cyclists and pedestrians, CR 251 from Holly Avenue to CR 250, has been long overdue for safety improvements, as in decades overdue. Well, it looks like this stretch of road is finally receiving some much-needed attention. To that we say, Huzzah! And thank you, Jim Davis.


From the office of the La Plata County Director Public Works:

Improvements Planned for CR 251

We are finishing our review of proposals for design services for 32nd/CR 251 from Holly to CR 250, and should award a contract in two to three weeks. This will include East Animas, CR 250 from the recently completed city improvements to a point about 300 feet north of 32nd. This study will also address the 32nd & CR 250 intersection, looking at conventional intersection with turn lanes as well as a possible round-about option. 

We will coordinate the design closely with the City and anticipate the design phase will take the better part of 2012. The design process will include at least two public meetings to solicit input and suggestions. The County is funding the design and it is hoped the construction cost will be funded by both Durango and the County, and that agreement will be worked out later this year or early next year and will require an Intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the City and County. The IGA will address the cost share, and hopefully Durango agreeing to annex this project upon completion. Unfortunately we don't know at this time how soon the actual construction could be scheduled as it will depend on the successful completion of the IGA, and both the City and County including this project in their future budgets, possibly 2013 or 2014, assuming revenues do not continue to decline.  

Do not hesitate to contact me should you have any questions about these projects or any other roads issues around the County.

Thanks

Jim Davis,  P.E.

Director of Public Works

La Plata County 

1060 Main Avenue, Unit 104

Durango, CO  81301

Phone: (970) 382-6372

Fax: (970) 375-7986

Email: jim.davis@co.laplata.co.us

Of Local Cycling Interest #1

One of two encouraging news stories for us Durango Cyclists this week.
From the Durango Herald: Tuesday, May 1
With Grants OK'd, City Ready to Start Trail Extension
By Jim Haug

The Durango City Council on Tuesday approved a $508,456 grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation to extend the Animas River Trail from 29th Street to 32nd Street.It also has a $200,000 grant from the Colorado State Parks and Wildlife Trails Program to spend on the trail extension, which will cost $1.05 million altogether.

The city is responsible for covering 33 percent of the project’s cost, about $300,000, with funding from a half-cent sales tax for park and trails projects that voters approved in 1999.

The river trail expansion will parallel East Third Avenue along Memorial Park. To save the park’s grass, the trail will serve a dual purpose as a sidewalk.

Work on the design is already under way. The project is expected to go to bid for construction this summer.

The project is expected to take a year to complete, said Kevin Hall, the city’s director of natural lands, sustainability and trails.

In other work on the seven-mile trail, a bridge around a hill by the Durango Mall is on schedule to be completed by the end of the month or early June, Hall said.

“We’ll pull down the gates, and we’ll be open for business,” Hall said.

Annie Get Your Bike

Annie Oakley... Sharp Shooter, Cyclist

The Original American Cycling Biathlete

Bend Overend!

By Ned

I spent the last week riding some world class single track in Bend, Oregon. The Specialized Mountain Bike product team brought in a handful of journalists from around the globe to ride some of our 2013 trail bikes. I've been to Bend for CX racing and a winter triathlon at Mt Bachelor, but this is the first time I have had a chance to really explore their trail system. The guys at Cog Wild Tours guided us to some great single track - Lev, Russ, Seth and Ryan (who's wife gave birth last Saturday – congrats Ryan!). We rode Smith Rock, Horse Ridge, Mrazek and Whoops. It was a great mix of terrain for previewing the new bikes and the redesigned Purgatory tire.


We took a tour of the Deschutes Brewery and learned about the raw ingredients that go into making my favorite beverage.

Hop flowers that give India Pale Ale’s their flavor

At a downtown coffee shop I ran into my old (and I do mean old!) teammate Paul Thomasberg. Paul was with another member of the Central Oregon Trail Alliance and they were meeting with staff from the State Representatives office to discuss their latest trail project. The kind of quality trails Bend has does not come without a dedicated, well supported trail group and thousands of hours of trail work.

Hualapai Succulents

The Hualapai Mountains are a spectacular "Sky Island" range above the surrounding deserts of northeastern Arizona. Situated just southeast of Kingman, Arizona, they sit at the crossroads of 3 distinct desert regions - the northernmost extension of the Sonoran Desert (and the saguaro cactus), the eastern edge of the Mojave Desert, and just south of the Great Basin Desert. So, the flora from all those regions converge there, and for plant nerds like us, that means exceptional plant variety and more inspiration for our garden in Durango.

Hualapai Peak, at 8,417 feet

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus 

Echinocereus engelmannii

*This cactus grows well in our Durango yard.

Strawberry Hedgehog Cactus

Barrel Cactus 

Echinocactus wislizenii

Barrel Cacti

Utah Agave

Agave utahensis

*This agave, and a number of it's subspecies, grows well (and so far, have survived for 4-5 years) in our Durango yard.

Photography by Lisa Bourey

Leafy Evergreens

The Hualapai Mountains, and much of the Desert Southwest, feature a wonderful array of leafy evergreens. Though equally fond of the Ponderosa Pine, Single Needle Pinyons, and Firs we found in this area, we get more than our fair share of conifers Durango and the Rocky Mountains, so find them slightly less intriguing. Below are some of the more interesting specimens we found. 

Pointleaf Manzanita Grove

Arctostaphylos pungens

*This manzanita is hardy in Durango and many are flourishing in our yard.

Pointleaf Manzanita

Close-up of the beautiful Manzanita Bark

Canyon Live Oak or Golden Cup Oak

Quercus chrysolepis

*While we have Shrub Live Oak growing in the Durango area and in our yard, sadly they don't keep their leaves through winter like they do in slightly warmer climates.

Canyon Live Oak with orange undersides of the leaves

Canyon Live Oak

California Buckthorn

Rhamnus californica

Aspen Peak In the Hualapai Mountains, at 8167 feet

Photography by Lisa Bourey