Mazama Fun Run was all that and more

Wow! What a day. Thank you everyone for coming out to the Mazama Fun Run and Pancake Extravaganza. Enjoy the photos.

There are a lot of photos. If you click on the slideshow you can then choose by viewing the thumbnails.

Trail Karma

One of the priorities of Spring at MVSTA is getting our trails in shape for summer activities. James along with dedicated MVSTA volunteers work on trail projects each week but with so many trails, more work needs to be done. Unfortunately there are a couple of great trails in the valley that are currently closed due to fallen timber and neglect. It is our goal to get these back open again! Methow Cycle and Sport is helping by hosting three important trail work parties this summer.
This Saturday May 16th is the first trail clearing outing at Pearrygin Creek. Meet at the Winthrop Barn at 7:30am to carpool to the trailhead. On June 6th the focus will be on the West Fork of the Methow Trail; one of the best hiking and biking trails in the valley that is severely overgrown with vegetation. July 11th work continues on the Golden Staircase/Starvation Mountain Trail.
By pitching in to help we can get these trails cleared for an incredible summer of hiking and biking. For more information give Methow Cycle and Sport a call at 509-996-3645.

Methow Valley Tour Hill Climb Preview

If you are passionate about bike racing and riding bikes then you will love the change of Stage Two of the Methow Valley Tour from a criterium to a mass start hill climb. The stage is over beautiful terrain that will confront riders with strategy of personal effort balanced with strategy versus opponents. You know you have visions of battles of rider on rider when you ride your local training hill. Now those visions will play out for six miles up Forest Road 5140.



Now for a little bit about the climb. The stage will roll out flat from the 8 Mile Sno Park for 1.3 miles on good pavement to Road 5140. It is a left hand turn onto the climb with a bit a chicane.


The climb starts straight off from here and travels a little more then a mile on one of its steepest pitches. Big question here - go for it or moderate your effort. As you cross the cattle grate at the top of this section the road goes flat. Big ring time? Work with the riders around you or try to hold any gap gained?

Cross the one lane bridge and the climbing gets serious again. Did you work to hard on the flats? Its going to grind from here until mile four of the climb. Then you get a short flat section before the constant finishing grade up to finish around mile six of the climb.

Non-climber, not fit Terry Buchanan did the climb is just over 38 minutes. The first mile was my slowest mile. I manage to get up with a 39 x 25. The pavement is good. Its going to be very interesting to see how this stage plays out. Points will go 50 deep. Catch the rider in front of you, hold off the rider behind you. Hope to see you out there.

One Sunny Success

Congratulations to the over 300 participants that competed in the 29th Annual Methow Valley Sunflower Relay and Iron Competition. Stan Holman of Carson was the overall men's winner, Marlene Farrell of Leavenworth the overall women's winner and Eric and the Pauls of Winthrop captured the team title. Complete results can be found here. Enjoy the photos and we look forward to seeing you again May 23rd for the Mazama 5 & 10K.