About 40 muddied, aching and sweaty mountain bikers turned out Sunday for the debut of the Livermore Challenge, a race that will become an annual event over challenging old school backcountry terrain and more forgiving modern trails.
With a mix of gravel, singletrack and pavement, the course gave riders 25-mile Half Send and 40-mile Full Send options.
kAm“xE H2D AC6EEJ DH66E E@ 86E @77 E96 362E6? EC24< 2?5 5@ D@>6E9:?8 x H@F=5?’E 92G6 E9@F89E E@ 5@ @? >J @H?[” D2:5 s6C6< $49H2CEK[ be[ @7 !@CE6C[ |2:?6 2? 6?5FC@\DEJ=6 C:56C 2E E96 4@?4=FD:@? @7 E96 w2=7 $6?5] “xE H2D ?:46 E@ 92G6 2 =:EE=6 3:E @7 8F:52?46 2?5 2:5 DE2E:@?D E@ 86E >6 @FE :?E@ E96 H@@5D E@ 86E @77 >J 766E 2?5 @? E96 3:<6 >@C6]”k^Am
kAm|6?VD @G6C2== uF== $6?5 H:??6C H2D w2CC:D@? v:==[ bd[ @7 $62EE=6[ 2E bibdiae 2?5 H@>6?VD @G6C2== uF== $6?5 H:??6C H2D y@DJ #2J4C@7E[ ce @7 r2>3C:586[ |2DD] 2E cichi_`] |6?VD @G6C2== w2=7 $6?5 H:??6C H2D v6:C |28?FDD6? yC] @7 (:=E@?[ r@??] 2E aiahiae 2?5 H@>6?VD @G6C2== w2=7 $6?5 H:?E6C H2D x=@?2 |:==6C[ ce[ 2E aidai`f]k^Am
kAm%96 C@FE6’D C@@ED H6C6 A=2?E65 :? E96 >:5\`hh_D 5FC:?8 E96 @C:8:?2= %@FC 56 '2==6J C:56D H96? =@42= >@F?E2:? 3:<:?8 H2D 8C@H:?8 2?5 C:56CD D@F89E @=5 C2:=C@25 365D 7@C E96:C 86?E=6 8C256D 2?5 D@=:5 DFC7246D =:<6 E96 @?6 7C@> E96 {:G6C>@C6 =@88:?8 @A6C2E:@?] p5G6?EFC6 2?5 6IA=@C2E:@? CF=65 E96 52J 367@C6 565:42E65 >@F?E2:? 3:<6 EC2:=D 6I:DE65[ 244@C5:?8 E@ (9:E6 |@F?E2:?D }6H t?8=2?5 |@F?E2:? q:<6 pDD@4:2E:@? AC6D:56?E y6C6>:29 q6249]k^Am
kAm“%9:D C@FE6 :D @?6 @7 E9@D6 62C=J 7:?5D 4@>3:?65 H:E9 D@>6 ?6H6C AFCA@D6 3F:=E >@F?E2:? 3:<6 EC2:=D :? E96 |@2ED[” D2:5 E96 D62D@?65 >@F?E2:? 3:<6C]k^Am
kAm%96 4@FCD6D 3@E9 DE2CE65 7C@> E96 3@EE@> @7 $2HJ6C #:G6C #@25 :? w2CE’D {@42E:@? H:E9 2 8C2G6= C@25 4=:>3 3J E96 @=5 =@88:?8 E@H? H9:49 925 :ED 96J52JD 7C@> E96 =2E6 `g__D E@ E96 62C=J `h__D] (:E9 :ED 324<4@F?ECJ 766= @? EC2:=D E92E >256 FA >@DE E96 G2==6J’D @C:8:?2= “=682=” >@F?E2:? 3:<6 =2?6D[ E96 w2=7 $6?5 925 23@FE a`__ 766E @7 6=6G2E:@? 82:?] #:56CD H6?E @G6C 5@H?65 EC66D 2?5 232?5@?65 3C:586D :? 2? 2C62 ?@E <?@H? 7@C 46== D6CG:46] (:E9 2 q2CE=6EE 2:5 DE2E:@? @? q62C }@E49 #@25 2E E96 `e\>:=6 >2C<[ w2=7 $6?5 C:56CD 7:?:D965 2E E96 p=32?J r@G6C65 qC:586 3J !2DD24@?2H2J #@25 H9:49 2=D@ 925 2? 2:5 DE2E:@?]k^Am
kAm%96 uF== $6?5 4@?E:?F65 @? A2G6>6?E 7@C 2 3:E :?E@ E96 |@2E 2C62 @? E96 ?6H6C ~=5 $49@@= %C2:= 2?5 4=2DD:4 EC2:=D =:<6 %6?E q@F=56C[ $E@?6J #:586 2?5 E96 t=64EC:4 {@@A 7@C 2 E@E2= @7 b`__ 766E :? 6=6G2E:@? 82:? 7:?:D9:?8 2E w:89 $EC66E]k^Am
kAm“%9:D EJA6 @7 6G6?E 2EEC24ED 4J4=:DED 7C@> 3@E9 6?5D @7 E96 DA64ECF>[” D2:5 q6249] “$@>6 2C6 92C5 4@C6 6?5FC2?46 C246CD E92E H2?E 2 492==6?8:?8 C246[ @E96CD D66 :E 2D 2 A6CD@?2= 492==6?86 E@ 4@>A=6E6 2?5 D@>6 ;FDE =:<6 E96 D64FC:EJ @7 2 >2C<65 2?5 DFAA@CE65 C:56 E96J AC@323=J H@F=5?VE ECJ @? E96:C @H?]”k^Am
kAmq6C=:?’D r=2C< wFDE65[ be[ 2 r@@D rJ4=:?8 r=F3 >6>36C[ H2D E2=<65 :?E@ C68:DE6C:?8 3J 9:D 72E96C\:?\=2H s2? !2=>6C @7 sF>>6C]k^Am
kAm“%9:D H2D ?@E D@>6E9:?8 x 6IA64E65 E@ 5@[” 96 D2:5 27E6C E96 w2=7 $6?5] “x 925?’E C:556? 2?J @7 E96D6 EC2:=D 367@C6 D@ :E H2D 4@>A=6E6=J 7C6D9 2?5 6I4:E:?8] {@ED @7 G2C:65 E6CC2:? H:E9 6G6CJE9:?8 =:<6 8C2G6= C@25D 2?5 D:?8=6EC24<] *@F 8@E >F5] *@F H6C6 8@:?8 @G6C =@8D[ 4C2H=:?8 E9C@F89 C:G6CD] %96C6 2C6?’E 3C:586D :? A=246D] %96C6’D H@?<J 3C:586D :? @E96CD] *@F’C6 @FE E96C6] xE’D 2 AC6EEJ F?:BF6 6G6?E]”k^Am
kAm|28?FDD@?[ yC][ E96 w2=7 $6?5 H:??6C[ :D 2? 6I\CF??6C ?6H E@ 4J4=:?8 H9@ H2D 2EEC24E65 E@ E96 r92==6?86 3642FD6 :E H2D E96 @?=J >@F?E2:? 3:<6 C246 96 7@F?5 :? }6H w2>AD9:C6[ '6C>@?E @C r@??64E:4FE @?=:?6 =2DE H66<6?5]k^Am
kAm“%92E H2D 2 C@F89 4@FCD6[” 96 D2:5] “x H2D?’E 6IA64E:?8 EC2:= E92E ?6H 2?5 :E H2D 7F?] xE H2D 2 =@E @7 7F?] xE H2D 92C5]”k^Am
kAm|28?FDD@? D2:5 96 =@G6D 492==6?86D =:<6 E9:D C246]k^Am
kAm“x’> 8@:?8 E@ 7:?5 E9:?8D =:<6 E9:D[ AC24E:46 2?5 ;FDE 86E 36EE6C[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm':?46 ~’r@??6==[ eh[ @7 %CFC@[ |2DD] 2=D@ 5:5 E96 w2=7 $6?5] w6’D 366? 3:<6 C24:?8 7@C 23@FE d_ J62CD]k^Am
kAm“xE H2D C62==J 4@@= DEC:?8:?8 E@86E96C E96D6 5:DA2C2E6 6=6>6?ED[” 96 D2:5] “xE H2D 2 C62= 25G6?EFC6] s67:?:E6=J 492==6?8:?8 E649?:42==J 7@C >6] &D65 E@ D>@@E96C C:5:?8]”k^Am
kAm%96 {:G6C>@C6 r92==6?86 :D 2? 2??F2= 7F?5C2:D:?8 6G6?E 7@C (9:E6 |@F?E2:?D }t|qp 2?5 H2D E96 D64@?5 4@>A6E:E:@? :? E96 E9C66\C246 $F>>6C #246 $6C:6D] xE H:== 96=A 7F?5 >2:?E6?2?46[ J@FE9 AC@8C2>D[ 72E 3:<6 8C@@>:?8 2?5 ?6H EC2:=D =:<6 E96 AF>A EC24< AC@;64E]k^Am
(1) comment
Mountain Biking and Trail-Building Destroy Wildlife Habitat!
The major harm that mountain biking does is that it greatly extends the human footprint (distance that one can travel) in wildlife habitat. E-bikes multiply that footprint even more. Neither should be allowed on any unpaved trail. Wildlife, if they are to survive, MUST receive top priority!
What were you thinking??? Mountain biking and trail-building destroy wildlife habitat! Mountain biking is environmentally, socially, and medically destructive! There is no good reason to allow bicycles on any unpaved trail!
Bicycles should not be allowed in any natural area. They are inanimate objects and have no rights. There is also no right to mountain bike. That was settled in federal court in 1996.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.