12 Hours of Tsali Video

What were you doing over Memorial Day Weekend? You and three of your friends could have been orbiting right loop at Tsali Recreation Area in Gone Riding's 12 Hours of Tsali race.

To me it's a perfect event: you get to enjoy a fun tailgating atmosphere at your pit (while your other friends are riding the course), and you get to race. For the more hardcore folks, there's a six-hour and even a twelve-hour solo option.

Thanks to Dave, Terri and Austin Berger at Gone Riding for putting this, and a whole slew of other cool events, together. They'll be back for the Tsali Challenge Triathlon August 29-30 (another fantastic relay event).

Here's a video. Not much trail action, but it shows the scene:

The Trainwreks Booked for The Pourover Pub's Grand Opening Celebration

The Asheville-based Trainwreks are booked for The Pourover Pub's Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, June 20th. The band, known for its unique "dirty-tonk" style of music consisting of rock, country and pyschobilly elements has been voted "Number One Alt-Country Band in western North Carolina" by Mountain Xpress readers two years in a row. Check out some of their rollicking tunes at the band's Myspace site:

http://www.myspace.com/thetrainwreks

It's gonna be an awesome evening!

Flint Ridge Five Miler Start Pictures

And they're off! The first-ever Flint Ridge Five Miler has begun, and by now most runners have probably finished the race's difficult first mile, which climbs over 1,000 feet. From there they'll enjoy the rolling single track of our Flint Ridge trail and a nice downhill coast.


By the way, we'd like to thank our friends at VO2 sports for organizing the event. Those folks rock.


Here are some pictures from the (chilly) start. Up on the mountain the sun has been on the hills for a couple of hours, so hopefully it's warmer up there!

NOC Nantahala guide Becky Huncilman (right) and her roomate (I'm terrible with names). Check out #22's presenting pose in the background.

NOC Nantahala Head Guide Phil Hart is on hand, just in case someone takes a spill on the trail. I think he's got over 4,000 different medical certifications.