Oskar Blues Will be Around

Welcome to our Living Room.

Jon Bailey by T. Herb Belrose SSWC09

The air is crispy on this fine southwest Colorado day. Tinted clouds hang over the San Juan Mountains. The SSWC09 race organizers are running in and out of the Durango Cyclery; hands full of flyers and cell phones, minds full of untethered excitement and paranoia.

For the past year, these fine gentlemen and ladyfolk have been shredding the dark days and grinding away the bright nights preparing for the apex of the Passion Productions’ race opus.

SS Riders from all over the world have made an exodus to Durango. This town means a lot of things to the world of cycling. I’d make you a list, but that is not why we have come here this weekend.

We are here because cycling is not all about riding bikes, it is about making a community: our beloved town welcomes you, the world, to our trails and our living rooms.

Please take a step back and appreciate all of the hard work that has gone into this event. Some of the finest artists, craftsman, photographers, musicians, designers, film producers, tattoo artists, brewers, mechanics, trail builders, businesspeople and all around bike haunches have put in 110% to make this thing fly sky high.

Forget about the race on Saturday and absorb all the culture and beauty that we have prepared for you in Durango. We love this town. Thank you all for coming to the wild west to hang out with us.

This is going to be one of the best weeks of our lives.

–Herb Belrose Media Coordinator/Rad Padder/Disgraced Derby Champion

Rides Start Today

There will be a Hermosa Tours shuttle leaving from Buckley park today from 3-4pm. They will be doing the Champion down shuttle, which is a drive up Junction creek road to the Champions Venture Mine Road, just below Slide Rock. The ride is basically epic dh on the Colorado Trail. There is an hour long climb in the middle of the ride, but it is mainly the raddest dh around. Killer high country singletrack. Total time is 2.5-4 hours from top to downtown.

Then at 5-6pm, more like 6pm from the Durango Recreation Center, we will be doing a town shred fest. Kinda a tour of the town singletrack, to end at a sweet bbq at Seans house. Cant wait to ride.

Then live music at the Derail may or may not happen due to serious stuff.

schedule

This Guy Cant Come

So far like 87 people have contacted us and said they cant come anymore. Here is Chris’s story.

Q: When did you register and how did the coloring go?
A: I sent the entry form off with about a week to go until the cut-off date. The colouring was something i’d not done for a long time and was a bit of a laugh. I should have got some better colouring equipment and being more imaginative with the execution after seeing some of the other entries!

Q: Did any of your friends get in?
A: No, all but one had big pre-planned things (weddings and other such stuff) that stopped them from entering. So that left me and my one remaining friend who were free to go. . This ended up just being me as he didn’t get his sh!t together and sort out the entry form. There was 8 of us at SSWC 09. This year’s preparations weren’t going well…

Q: Why arent you coming anymore? Describe the incident?
A: I went to Boston on a week’s holiday in April this year. Had a great time and didn’t want to leave. Got a phone call on the way back  from a workmate saying that i’d been made redundant and had 4 weeks of work left. Not what I wanted to hear, especially after having a such good time in Boston. I was working as a contract aerospace engineer on a rolling 6 month contract at the time. There were rumours that some of us were going. The company actually made the decision the day after I went to Boston and didn’t tell me until I got back cos they didn’t want to ruin my holiday. I’m glad they didn’t, but maybe i’d have spent less cash if I knew! I looked at it on the positive side – I didn’t really enjoy my job that much and it was a kick up the backside to sort myself out and find something better. Unfortunately, the big, bad recession was doing its big, bad thing – that and the fact that it was just myself going finished off my SSWC 09.

Q: What place do you think you would have gotten, between 1 and 1000?
A: Well I finished 160th last year, so at least that!

Q: Will you go if its in Hungary 2010? How about Italy, Canada or New Zealand?
A: Ive been to Italy and Canada, but none of the other places. NZ or Hungary would be cool! Ive got a long term plan in place on the job front, so SSWC 2010 is looking like its on…  

Thanks Chris and Bummer

sswc09 Final Course Map

Chris Wherry’s Last Pro Road Race this Thursday

Local professional road cyclist, Chris Wherry will be racing in Dallas Texas this thursday for his last road race of his career. Then he’s shooting back to Durango to race SSWC09. Chris won the National Championships in Philadelphia in 2005 and had a super solid career with high powered teams, Toyota-United and Saturn. 

the mountain bike awaits

Q: How many years have you been racing road bikes? How many mountain  

bike races have you done?

A: I’ve been racing for 25 years on the road. I’ve done only about 15  

mt. bike races in my career but one was winning the inaugural Vail 100.

 

Q: What’s the lowdown on this last race of yours?

A: The last official race I’m doing for my road racing career is the  

Texas Tough USA Crit Series race in Dallas TX. It’s the biggest crit  

in TX but I wish it was in Boulder CO where I started racing. I’m  

still planning on racing local races and anything that looks like  

it’s gonna be a ton of fun. I’m just not gonna race full time  

anymore. Let the fun rides begin!

 

Q: What gear are you running for sswc09?

A: I have no idea. Probably whatever is on my bike now. Which I also  

don’t know the answer to. Is a 53X12 too big?

 

Q: What is your best mtb trick? Road bike trick?

A: I’m pretty low on the trick totem pole but I like to flick small  

rocks and sticks off the trail when I’m riding. I can only do it to  

the left though. Pretty lame I know. My best road bike trick is being  

able to adjust my barrel adjuster on my rear derailer while riding  

the bike. I’ve had to do it in quit a few races over the years.

 

Q: If you had an hour and a half to ride from town, what route would you

take with the 1×1?

A: I’d probably do Sailing Hawks then over to Hidden Valley, to Star- 

wars, to roots, to the new dump trail, to Spirt trail.

 

Q: What is your current 1×1 bike setup?

A: I’m riding a full carbon Fuji, Mt fuji model. 100m Rock Shox  

Recon. It’s pretty light and stiff  which is nice for SS’n. It’s a  

bike I got from the Toyota United team and just striped the parts off  

of it. Nothing too special.

 

Q: Do you want the tattoo?

A: Got to be honest, don’t have any tats and not really lookin to get  

one anytime soon. So no.

Beer Coozies

Bike 29 has been knitting up these fine coozies for registrants of sswc09.

Live College Race Day Radio

Listen to the race live on Durango’s college radio station, KDUR, beginning at 10am saturday morning. They will be broadcasting live from the race start downtown in front of the Durango Cyclery. 91.9 and 93.9 fm are your dial options or press spacebar at kdur.org.

YESS Chain Tensioner Review by Elliott

Elliott Saslow is a member of the Durango DEVO junior development cycling team. He is all excited about his pieced together singlespeed and will be the third youngest competitor in the race at 15. We would like to wish Elliott good luck this weekend.

 

“I have been riding the YESS single speed chain tensioner and I have found it very useful and easy to use.  After setup the first time I have been able to keep my chain on without woriies.  A few strong points are that there are a few different settings depending on how loose the chain is, and how one of the cogs does not have teeth. This allows for some movement in the chain side to side.  Overall this chain tensioner works extremely well  and I would recommend it to most people.“

Stomparillaz sending DBalet to shoot photosKA

Raider Ridge

Breathtaking views and mind wrenching rock track

Friday’s Spin to Win with New Belgium

Fridays top secret party at the Ella Vita development will take place from 5-10pm on friday night. We previously announced that it was to be an over 21 event, and now we are pulling a switch-a-roonie and saying it is a all ages event until 8pm. You can pick up an information sheet at registration on friday to get directions or you can show up on the friday group ride 5pm at Buckley Park and do a little ride to get there. Please bring some money for dinner as we will have 5 local food vendors serving up grub from 5-9, and bring money for beer as we will be collecting for our 4 sweet non profit bike programs, Durango DEVO, Trails 2000, Fort Lewis College Cycling and Bicycle Lemonade. 

We are not going to just feed and drink you to stand around and talk for 5 hours, there is other stuff to do. The doors open at 5pm, 5-7 New Belgium will have their art bikes to test ride, 530 is the Hill Climb comp where you ride a short steep climb and highmark wins, 6pm Black Market Elecrtic plays, 6pm is also the foot down competition with the winner getting a sweet Republic of Doom cycling vest, 630 is the Continental Skid Contest and Bunny Hop World Championships, 7pm is the Gravity Boys freeride demo, 730pm is the Preliminary Hosting Competition with The Tunnel on the drums, guitar and vocals, 730 we will give away a New Belgium cruiser, 8pm the Soft Hands will play and 9pm French Miami will give us all sweet dreams. So Stoked.

791 men, 187 women registered to race

Controversy May Arise

Due to things that could make the race super super epic for dfl racers, course marshals and EMT’s out on course, we will be pulling riders who do not complete the Extended Raider Ridge Loop in 2.5 hours. That is roughly the first 11 miles of the race. Those who wish to continue thereafter can have their number pulled, to be retrieved later, and may continue on at their own risk.

There will be the Expectation to Commute

 

The places and the routes at SSWC09

SSWC09 Course Map

The race will be saturday morning at 11am from the Durango Cyclery, on 13th street and Main Avenue. The entire race is a stones throw from downtown and should be easy to get out and spectate. Please be cautious when out on the course prior to race day. There are a lot of trail users out there and several  sections of the course are run in reverse on race day. Course Map

It is about 22 miles we think. We are planning at a 2hour winning time with DFL being 5. The course is marked with orange fagging and can be best accessed through the Horse Gulch trailhead. The Power line trail is where the race begins once we have ridden through the town portion of the course. To practice, head to the powerline trail and head north. It is a steep up and down course and most of the locals are running 2-5 easier on a 26inch 2:1 set up. There is the highly acclaimed 2.5mile Raider Ridge Trail that will be super sweetly tough, be prepared to focus. The Raider Ride loop rides through the finish area and then heads out to the Horse Gulch trail network. You can get water before you head out for the final section. We will not have feeds. You must bring what you need. We will have course marshals at like 30 spots on course as well as 10 emergency honches. 

the whole loop

the first 4 miles

the horse gulch section

SSWC09 KickOff Radio Show Tuesday 1130-12

Cycle Squawk, KDUR Durango’s all things cycling talk show will kick off the SSWC09 week with a live remote from the Blue House. Listen live at 91.9 or 93.9 fm or listen on line at KDUR.org. We are devoting the whole show to the event. Feel free to call in at 970-247-7262 and ask Chad or Russ a question.

Durango Malletheads to Disband

Local polo squad powerhouse, Durango Malletheads have been asked by organizers of the sunday Spingle Seed Polo Champs to disband. Rumor has the teams, The Odyssey and Cleveland Browns forming as a result.

Black Market Electric

Our local band will be here

Pint Glasses

these matte white beer holders are for volunteers and people on saturday at Ska Brewing World Headquarters

Sean’s House on Wednesday