Vermont Sports June, 2018

VERMONT'S RETAIL REVOLUTION | ENCOUNTERS WITH A BOBCAT | CYCLING ESSENTIALS

VERMONT

FREE

SPORTS

New England’s Outdoor Magazine

JUNE 2018

SIGN UP AT VTSPORTS.COM

HOW TO BREAK BAD HABITS:

A NEW APPROACH to FITNESS

EXPLORING

200 MILES Meet Sam Noel, VT’s Next Top Cyclist

of RAIL TRAIL THE ULTRA

PIONEER EPIC MOUNTAIN RUNS

Be first down the mountain again.

BE YOU AGAIN. THE RIGHT SPORTS MEDICINE PHYSICIAN CAN HELP. Our physicians provide comprehensive sports medicine care, no matter how complex the injury. Patients receive a course of treatment that’s ideally suited for them, built around the most advanced options available—whether operative, non-operative or a combination of both. So, if you live in the Burlington area, make an appointment with The University of Vermont Health Network’s sports medicine specialists at The UVM Medical Center. To make an appointment, call (802) 448-5445.

UVMHealth.org/MedCenterSportsMed

VERMONT

SPORTS

NEW ENGLAND’S OUTDOOR MAGAZINE ON THE COVER: Shelburne's Sam Noel, 18, and already sponsored.

Photo by Phillip Fusco

PUBLISHER

Angelo Lynn - publisher@vtsports.com

EDITOR/CO-PUBLISHER

Lisa Lynn - editor@vtsports.com

ASSISTANT EDITORS

Emma Cotton, Abagael Giles abagael@vtsports.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION Shawn Braley

MEDICAL ADVISORY BOARD

Dr. Nathan Endres, Dr. David Lisle, Dr. James Slauterbeck —University of Vermont Robert Larner College of Medicine; Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation; Jamie Sheahan, M.S., R.D.

CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Mohr, Phyl Newbeck

ADVERTISING MANAGER

Christy Lynn | (802) 388-4944 ads@vtsports.com

ADVERTISING SALES

Sue Minter rides by one of the many lakes you pass on the 200-kilometer P'tit Train du Nord rail trail. For more on the ride, see p 18. Photo by David Goodman

Greg Meulemans | (802) 366-0689 greg@vtsports.com Dave Honeywell | (802) 583-4653 dave_golfhouse@madriver.com

SUBSCRIPTIONS, PRINTING & DISTRIBUTION Lisa Razo - lisar@addisonindependent.com

EDITORIAL AND PRODUCTION OFFICE Vermont Sports | 58 Maple Street Middlebury, Vt. 05753 | 802-388-4944

Vermont Sports is independently owned and operated by Addison Press Inc., 58 Maple Street, Middlebury, Vt. 05753. It is published 9 times per year. Established in 1990. Vermont Sports subscriptions in the U.S.: one year $25. Canada: (US funds), please add $5 per year postage.

Email lisar@addisonindependent.com

BE SOCIAL! www.facebook.com/VermontSportsMagazine Twitter: @Vermont_Sports www.instagram.com/vtsportsmag

5 The Start

13 Health

22

These outdoor retailers are thriving in Vermont.

Take this test to identify where

At just 18, this kid is already world-class.

The New Shops on the Block

6 Great Outdoors The Dope on Mt. Washington

The iconic race has a new twist this year. Plus, 14 more epic mountain runs.

10 News Briefs

New huts and campsites on canoe trails, a Guinness World Record, grants for recreation and a Colchester Causeway update.

How Well Does Your Body Function? your imbalances are.

17 Gear

Summer Innovations

These four pieces of gear are changing their games.

18

Feature

Rolling Through Quebec

A four-day, 200-kilometer, innto-inn ride on this gorgeous rail trail.

Featured Athlete

The Next Cyclocross Racer

22

Featured Athlete

The New (Catamount) Trail Blazer

Meet Matt Williams, the new head of the Catamount Trail Association.

28

Calendar

Race & Event Guide

34 Endgame

The Encounter

What do you see when you see a bobcat? And what does it see?

VERMONT SPORTS IS A PROUD MEMBER OF

ADVERTISERS! The deadline for the July issue of Vermont Sports is June 18. Contact ads@vtsports.com today to reserve your space!

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 3

REGISTER ONLINE TODAY www.thepointtopoint.org

RIDE

OR

RUN

TO HELP FIGHT HUNGER

Register today for the Point to Point, powered by VSECU, an iconic event created in 2002 to raise funds and awareness for the Vermont Foodbank’s mission to end the growing problem of hunger in Vermont.

The Point to Point includes 100-, 50-, and 25-mile road ride distances, 20- and 10-mile trail ride distances and, NEW this year, a half-marathon trail run. Attendees, volunteers, and participants are welcome to join the P2P Festival, which includes food trucks, live music, a Family Fun Zone, and plenty of Harpoon Beer!

August 11, 2018, Mount Ascutney in Brownsville, Vermont Register by June 12 for early bird pricing. www.thepointtopoint.org

THE START

THE NEW SHOPS ON THE BLOCK

IT’S TIME FOR SUMMER ADVENTURES!

T

ake this, interweb shoppers: brickand-mortar outdoor shops are thriving in Vermont.

In January, Vermont TrailWear (a sibling to Burlington’s Ski Rack and Patagonia) moved to Waterbury Center on Route 100.

In March, Governor Phil Scott cut the ribbon for Bicycle Express’s clean new space on Route 2 in Waterbury, not far from the growing Perry Hill network of mountain bike trails. Later that month, Outdoor Gear Exchange put the finishing touches on its 4,000-sq.-ft. expansion into the space formerly occupied by Panera.

It is a sign of good times that a shop that got its start selling used outdoor gear on consignment now owns one of the prime pieces of real estate on Church Street— and replaced a chain restaurant.

“This let us move bikes upstairs and display a lot of the new lines we’ve picked up, such as North Face” said OGE’s Ethan Garceau as he helped steer people through the doors of an event OGE hosted in April, a talk by Conrad Anker, at Main Street Landing, to benefit CRAG-VT. That event sold out. And an event OGE held earlier in the year, a talk on backcountry skiing and Vermont huts, drew more than 150 people to the store.

Outdoor retailers are more than just places to buy things. Thanks to local shops such as OGE, SkiRack and Umiak, we’ve ridden Tuesday night rides, gone to running shoe fit clinics, tested SUPS and come to know and trust our local shop experts.

Who else truly knows how we ski and what kinds of running shoes will fit our gnarly, bunioned feet? These are nuts that online retail has yet to fully crack.

Even more importantly, these shops are hubs in our communities. As part of its commitment to the Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative, OGE is donating loaner camping gear that will be available at five state parks this summer.

Stop by for hooch before you go.

Brewery opens every day at 11:30AM for LUNCH + SUPPER

Top: Outdoor Gear Exchange's expanded store and Stowe's newest bikeshop/cafe. Photo by Sam Davies, Ryan Thibault

And since 2013, it has also given away annual grants to organizations to help improve outdoor recreation (see p. 10).

Last fall, when Onion River Sports and its sister store, The Shoe Horn announced they were closing, it sent a shockwave through the central Vermont sports community. The good news, Onion River and The Shoe Horn are now back and managed respectively by former manager Kip Roberts and his wife Jen, and Bobbie Roehm (formerly of The Skier Shop in Stowe).

In June, Ranch Camp opens in Stowe, the project of Nate Freund, owner of Sushi Yoshi (with restaurants in Stowe and Killington) and Ryan Thibault, of MBTVT. Yes, it’s a bike shop. But it’s also a hangout. Located just off the Cady Hill trails, it’s a place where you can true your wheels and quench your thirst. The shop doubles as a bike-up beer and burrito joint, serving local craft brews and healthy burritos via a take-out window with tables and chairs on the patio outside. “We’re essentially building a base lodge for cyclists, an all-inclusive, one-stop-shop to visit before and after your rides. This is a place where everyone can feel welcome,” says general manager Evan Chismark.

And that’s reason enough to shop local.

—Lisa Lynn, Editor

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 5

GREAT OUTDOORS

THE DOPE ON

MT. WASHINGTON FOR THE FIRST TIME, THIS ICONIC ROAD RACE UP MT. WASHINGTON WILL BE DRUG TESTING COMPETITORS. HERE’S WHY.

6 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

BY LISA LYNN

World Mountain Running Champ Joe Gray, on his way to winning the 2017 race. He won't be back to defend his title but supports the new drug testing policy. Photo Joe Viger Photography

O

n June 16, more than 1,300

"It's not that we think we have a problem now, but we don't want to have one."

runners will gather at the base of the Mt. Washington

Toll Road to run the 7.6 miles to the top, gaining nearly a mile of elevation (4,727 feet, to be exact) over an average 12 percent grade. It’s a route that has challenged runners since 1904 when George Foster, a medical student, ran it in 1 hour, 42 minutes. Thirty-two years later, a race was organized in Foster’s honor with 12 entrants. And other than a three-year hiatus, the race has been run

the clean athletes in our sport. Thanks to

continuously ever since.

Mount Washington Road Race for taking

this important step. I'll be proud to toe

But this year, entrants who won the

lottery will have a new challenge to face:

the starting line there this June.”

at the top, they may have to pee in a cup.

For the first time, the race, a local favorite

Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington

for New England’s amateur runners, will

Road Race is meager by professional

drug test. “It’s not that we think we have a

running

problem now” says John Stifler, the race

and $400 go to the top three men and

communications director, “but we don’t

women), the race has an iconic status

want to have one.”

and has spawned a number of other

mountain runs in Vermont.

As the race has grown in popularity,

Though the prize money for the 2018

standards

($1,000,

$600

it has instituted a policy of not allowing

“We modeled Stowe’s Northeast

anyone

tested

Delta Dental Race to the Top of Vermont

positive in any race to compete. “About

after Mt. Washington,” says Catamount

12 years ago, Ethiopian runner Alene

Trail

Reta asked if he could compete,” Stifler

director Greg Maino. Both that race

recalls. Reta had been suspended from

and the North Face Race to the Summit

racing in 2002 when he tested positive

in Stratton have corporate sponsorship

for nandrolene, the steroid baseball

and prize money and have attracted elite

player Roger Clemens was caught using.

athletes. Olympic mountain bike silver

The Mt. Washington Auto Road race

medalist Lea Davison holds the women’s

denied Reta entry.

biking record for the Mt. Mansfield race

In 2010, Reta’s sister Shewarge

and three-time Olympic Nordic skier Liz

Alena Amare, then 21, asked to race.

Stephen, the record for the run. However,

The Ethiopian woman had no history

neither of those races have considered

of performance-enhancing drugs and

drug testing.

was accepted. She set the course record,

which still stands, at 1:08:21. The only

race, the Mt. Washington Auto Road

woman to come close to that is Colorado’s

Bicycle Hill Climb has yet to announce if

Kim Dobson who ran it in 1:09:25. In

it will drug test. “And that’s despite the

2012. Jonathan Wyatt of Wellington,

fact that drugs have been prevalent in

New Zealand, set the men’s record in

cycling,” says Stifler.

2002 at 56:41.

Kasie Enman of Huntington, Vt.,

race is former Tour de France rider Tom

has finished second at Mt. Washington

Danielson. Danielson set the record for

twice and is entered in the 2018 race.

the Mt. Washington bike race in 2002 at

The former Women’s World Mountain

49 minutes, 24 seconds. Tyler Hamilton

Running champion (she also finished

also set a record in 2006 but both he

second in 2017) is happy to see the move

and women’s record holder Genevieve

toward testing, “There is a perception

Jensen were stripped of their titles

out there about some MUT races that

after admitting to doping. In 2016, Tom

testing isn't as stringent, that the door is

Danielson was also banned from cycling

a little bit open for cheating athletes who

for four years after failing a drug test for

want to sneak under the radar,” she said

the second time.

in a statement published in The Conway

The arrival of a drug test may

Daily Sun, referring to the category of

introduce a new era to regional mountain

mountain, ultra and trail (MUT) races.

races and recalibrate what records will

“It's important that we remove that

stand. But a Mt. Washington Road race

perception and ensure a fair race for all

record that is undisputed is the one

who

has

previously

Association’s

communications

Meanwhile, Mt. Washington’s sister

The current record holder for the bike

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 7

set by George Etzweiler of State College, George Etzweiler, running strong in 2017 at 97.

Photo by Joe Viger Photography

Pennsylvania.

Etzweiler holds the record for men age

85-90 (which he set in 2005 at 2:33:30) and for men age 90-94 (2:48:25 ) and for men age 95-99 (3:28:41). In 2017, at age 97, he also set the record for the oldest competitor ever, a record he may try to break this June.

Etzweiler, who never ran a mile before he was 49, ran his first race up the mountain in 1989 at age 69 and has raced with both his son, Larry (now 72) and grandson Robert, now 42.

His secret to speed? He became a vegetarian five years ago.

Summer Events June 23rd July 27th-29th Aug 18th Sept 16th Sept 23rd Oct 13th

Catamount Ultra 25K & 50K Trail Run Kids Adventure Games 100 on 100 Relay Start at the Bierhall Chris' Run 5K & 10K Trapp Cabin Run with Stowe Adaptive 5K & 10K Trapp Lodge Mountain Marathon & Half Marathon

Join us this summer for any events or to explore our diverse trail system and take advantage of the best trailhead on Vermont at the Bierhall at Trapp Family Lodge!

For more information, visit trappfamily.com or call the Outdoor Center at 802.253.5719.

700 Trapp Hill Road | Stowe, Vermont

14 MORE EPIC MOUNTAIN RUNS In the past few years Vermont has seen an explosion of new mountain races such as the Under Armour Mountain Running Series in Killington, Stratton’s 29029 challenge (race up Stratton Mountain 17 times, accumulating the equivalent elevation gain of running 29,029 feet up Mt. Everest) and Mad River Glen’s Sky Race up General Stark Mountain. This summer, more new races are coming online. Bolton Valley’s Enough is Enough challenges teams or individuals to see how many laps they can run up to the summit. Ragnar, a two-day mountain running festival, sends teams of 4 or 8 to run ultra distances around Mt. Ascutney over two days. And the Red Line Scramble, a grueling one-mile race up the ski slopes under the Red Line chair, launches at Magic Mountain in Londonderry. If you want the full line-up of mountain runs for the summer, here’s your agenda. For more details, see Calendar, page 27.

June 23: Catamount Ultra, Trapp Family Lodge, Stowe: 25K and 50K race on trails.

July 7: Enough is Enough Recovery Run, Bolton Valley Resort: 3-, 6- or 12-hours to run laps to the summit.

July 27: Red Line Scramble, Magic Mountain: A mile uphill race with 1,500 vertical feet.

July 29: Mansfield Double Up, Stowe: 11-mile endurance run that climbs 5,500 feet.

Aug. 3-4 Ragnar, Ascutney, teams of 8 (or 4 ultra-runners) set up camp and compete doing loops of three trail courses up Mt. Ascutney over two days.

Aug. 10-11: Mountain Race & Vertical Challenge, Smuggler’s Notch: a 25K and a vertical 1K. Aug. 25-26: Under Armour Mountain Running Series, Killington, 5K to 50K. Aug. 26: Sky Race, Mad River Glen: A 5K or 10K run to the summit hosted by The Endurance Society.

Aug. 26: Race to the Top of Vermont, Stowe: A run or a bike up the 4.3-mile Toll Road to the top of Mt. Mansfield’s ridgeline.

Sept. 1-2: Jay Peak Trail Festival, Jay Peak: 5K runs up to a 53.1 K with three 11mile loops.

Oct. 13: Circumburke, Burke: A trail or bike marathon around Burke Mountain.

Oct. 7: North Face Race to the Top, Stratton: Run 2.1 miles up Stratton Mountain.

Oct. 11-14: 29029, Stratton: Run 17 laps up Stratton, to the height of Mt. Everest.

Oct. 13: Trapp Mountain Marathon, Stowe, a marathon or half marathon.

8 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

TM

37th Annual

The Prouty™

Bike, Walk, Row or Golf to fight cancer at Dartmouth’s Norris Cotton Cancer Center

July 13 & 14, 2018 Register today at: www.TheProuty.org

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 9

NEWS BRIEFS announced the 2018 recipients. They include: Bristol Recreation Club for the construction of a pump track adjacent to Mount Abraham Union Middle and High School; Intervale Center for the installation of secure bike parking; the Middlebury Area Land Trust & Trail Around Middlebury for trail improvements along the Trail Around Middlebury; Richmond Mountain Trails for the development of two new multi-use trails in Richmond; South Hero Land Trust for the creation of an outdoor classroom behind Folsom Education and Community Center and Vermont Huts Association for the construction of an ADA-accessible ramp into their Chittenden Brook Hut.

A BREAK IN THE LINE The interior of the Vermont River Conservancy's new Nulhegan Hut along the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. Photo by Sean Beckett.

NEW CANOE CAMPSITES There’s a new hut to snuggle into along The Northern Forest Canoe Trail, thanks to a collaboration with the Vermont River Conservancy.

The Nulhegan Hut sits at the confluence of the Nulhegan River and its east branch in the Northeast Kingdom, between Wenlock and Bloomfield. The beautiful, 14- by 18-feet, timber-frame design was built by students at Waitsfield's Yestermorrow DesignBuild School in early 2018. The building is insulated and outfitted with a wood stove for winter use, as well as a small kitchen, sleeping loft, screened porch, deck and mouldering privys.

As Karrie Thomas, Executive Director of the Northern Forest Canoe Trail points out, the new hut and improved portage trail will allow whitewater boaters to lap the Class III rapids below the hut, one of the best stretches of intermediate whitewater in Northern Vermont. “It’d be a great spot for a fishing trip, too,” she adds. The hut is expected to open for reservations this summer (via vermontriverconservancy.org), and the adjacent campsite will be in full swing this paddling season.

More good news for paddlers: this summer the Timothy C. Hurteau Paddlers’ Campsite opens in Fairfax. This new campsite was built by volunteers and students from the Laraway School on property conserved in partnership with the Vermont River Conservancy. It’s part of the Lamoille River Paddlers Trail and offers camping between Fairfax and Cambridge along the Lamoille River, for the first time.

A RECORD-SETTING SKI BUM On April 28, Bridgewater, Vt. resident Scott Howard broke the Guinness World Record for the most vertical feet skied in one calendar year.

As of press time, the 65-year-old had logged more than 6.6 million vertical feet in 175 days of skiing since June 1, 2017—109 of which were at Killington.

The previous Guinness World Record was roughly 6 million vertical feet, skied by Canadian Pierre Marc Jette in 2015.

Howard meticulously documented his runs,

10 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

Scott Howard racks up his 6.6 million vert. Photo courtesy Scott Howard.

(starting on Killington’s 2017/18 opening day on Nov. 8), using the smartphone application Trace Snow.

His feat is currently undergoing rigorous review by the Guinness Book of World Records. “Doing it isn’t nearly as hard as proving it,” said Howard of the threemonth review process, during which even Killington's lift attendants are likely to be interviewed. “They’ll say, ‘oh yeah, that guy,’” said Howard.

When Howard retired three years ago from a sales job in the utility industry, he knew he wanted to ski more and keep up his passion for endurance sports.

“As you get older, you find that some people fight old age, and some people say, ‘I’m tired,’” said Howard. “I fight it.”

Trace Snow lets users see how they rank against each other, allowing people across the world to compete for most vertical feet skied in a day or year.

“It’s addicting,” said Howard of the competition.

The Burlington-based nonprofit Local Motion, which has operated the Colchester Causeway Bike Ferry since 2005, announced May 18 that the ferry will not run for the 2018 biking season.

Two weeks prior, 40-mph winds ripped across Lake Champlain Valley, building waves that crashed against the Causeway. The waves ripped apart the 4-mile-long, 10-foot-wide gravel path that let cyclists connect from the Burlington bike path, via a short bike ferry ride, to the Champlain Islands. According to Local Motion Executive Director Karen Yacos, the bike ferry serves about 16,000 cyclists annually.

Causeway repairs will cost at least $563,000 but the town is hoping the state will secure Federal Emergency Response Agency funds for repairs, which could reduce their obligation to 10 percent of that, just $56,300.

As of press time, the causeway was still accessible to bikers and pedestrians up to the Law Island Bridge, about a mile out onto Lake Champlain. The annual Colchester Causeway 5k, 10K and 15K held June 2 was forced to shorten to just a 5K. Travelers can still take in the trail’s views of the lake but will have to find another way to reach the islands by bike.

OGE GRANT WINNERS In 2013, the folks at Outdoor Gear Exchange were looking for a way to give back to the Vermont community. Since then, the Burlington retailer's Charitable Grant Fund has donated more than $38,000 in grants as large as $1,500 apiece to organizations around the state. In May, OGE Damage to the Colchester Causeway and Island Line Rail Trail following a severe wind storm in early May. Photo by Brian Costello

!

ADVENTURE ANYWHERE WITH THE NEW

OPTIC & OCTAL ULTRALIGHT REIMAGINED

OCTAL 45 = 2.3lbs OPTIC 48= 2.4lbs OCTAL 55 = 2.4lbs OPTIC 58= 2.5lbs [GREGORYPACKS.COM]

SLICES • CREATIVE ENTRÉES • GLUTEN-FREE MENU • HEALTHY KIDS MENU CRAFT BEERS • GAME ROOM • DELIVERY

ORDER ONLINE

1899 M O U NRTOAAI ND STOWE VT 05672 • 802.253.4411

PIECASSO.COM

12 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

L

HOW WELL DOES YOUR BODY FUNCTION?

HEALTH

ast month, I found myself in an exercise room, on all fours, straining to hold my body weight while I tried

to extend my left arm straight forward and my left leg straight back, then bring my knee

RUNNERS, HIKERS, PADDLERS—WE ALL PICK UP BAD HABITS AFTER AN INJURY, OR WHEN WE LEARN THE WRONG TECHNIQUE. IF THAT’S YOU (IT PROBABLY IS), THE FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT SCREEN CAN POINT OUT YOUR WEAKNESSES AND GET YOU BACK ON TRACK.

BY EMMA COTTON

and elbow together to touch, all without leaning. (Try it. I dare you. It’s hard.)

Corey Vancura, a physical trainer at Timberlane Physical Therapy in Winooski, winced while he watched. He threw me a bone. “Try opposites,” he said.

I put my left leg back on the ground and

lifted the right one instead. My insides felt slightly less like they were hanging on by a string. Vancura wrote a note on his chart.

I was in the middle of the Functional

Movement Screen, a 20-minute exam that allows the trainer to analyze the test-taker’s functional movements, which put stress on the body’s core muscle groups and systems.

Functional

movements

are

movements

based on the real-world multi-planar, multijoint motions that our bodies use on a daily basis.

This particular limb-lifting exercise was

called the Rotary Stability Test. A perfect human’s torso would have stayed perfectly stable—no

leaning—while

that

perfect

human extended half of his or her limbs and then pulled them back in. That kind of exemplary movement would have earned a perfect score of 3.

I was not a perfect human. But I did

complete

the

test—just

with

opposite

limbs—so I earned a score of 2. All seven movements, which include lunges, leg raises, hurdle steps, push-ups, a shoulder mobility test, and squats, result in a total possible score of 21.

The Functional Movement Screen puts you through seven different exercises, including lunges and deep squats, to help identify imbalances.

My score? 15. I was one measly point

above the threshold for “at risk for injury.”

some due to exercising with friends who have

caving in of our knees during a squat, or one

Needless to say, my younger-than-30-year-

bad habits—that have unnaturally altered

leg’s inability to stretch as far as the other—

performance

old body and I were not pleased.

the way their bodies move. If a runner’s left

can be problematic. We reinforce these poor

movements—interactions

But Vancura made me feel better. “In

knee hurts, she might favor her right leg.

or inefficient patterns over time, and soon

muscles, ligaments, bones and joints—aren’t

the three or so years that I’ve been doing the

Or, athletes might be stronger on their right

enough, we’re on a fast track to injury.

up to snuff. While the FMS does not claim

FMS, I’ve never seen a 21,” he said. “When I

side. “Most people favor their right side,

“Many athletes and individuals are

to improve performance—only to predict

went to the training course, they said it’s like

just because the world we live in is right-

performing high-level activities despite

and prevent injury—the authors state:

finding a unicorn.”

side dominant,” says Vancura. In fact, only

being inefficient in their fundamental

“The best equipment and programs cannot

I’m not a unicorn. I can live with that. In

10 percent of all humans are left-handed,

movements,” reads a 2014 article titled

improve fitness and health if fundamental

fact, Vancura most often sees scores ranging

according to a study by Northeastern

“Functional Movement Screening: The Use of

weaknesses are not exposed.” To become a

between 13 and 15 for athletes in their 30’s.

University, which means most things, like

Fundamental Movements as an Assessment

self-aware athlete, you need a good picture

“The score I see most often is 14, which is

door handles, are designed for right-handed

of Function,” published by the International

of your entire body.

right at injury risk,” he says.

folk.

Journal of Sports Physical Therapy.

Incorrect and inefficient movements

The article—written by Gray Cook, a

WHAT IS THE FMS?

when I do it,” Vancura says. “I go way far out

might feel better in the short term, and it’s

licensed physical therapist and orthopedic

Simply defined, the FMS is a multi-part

to the side, and I make it look like I can do it

even possible to perform well while moving

specialist who founded the Functional

screen that allows trained professionals

so other people think they can do it. The only

incorrectly.

Movement Screen*, and three others—makes

to assess the fundamental movements of

And the Rotary Stability Test? “I cheat

Plus,

it’s

difficult when

our

to

improve

biomechanical between

our

person I’ve ever seen do it was my wife. She

So, if favoring a non-injured limb doesn’t

a case for the use of FMS in preseason sports

athletes, and then predict whether those

did it for 20 minutes and was able to get the

stop you from running, what’s the problem?

testing. Gray and the authors argue that

athletes are at risk for injury. The screen is

pattern down.”

What doesn’t tear your ACL only makes it

physical therapists too-often neglect the

standardized—trainers can only become

It turns out, most adult athletes have

stronger, right? Wrong. The abnormalities

body’s bigger picture, and that the FMS can

certified after enrolling in several-day-long

developed bad habits—some due to injury,

and asymmetries of our movements—the

help prevent injury.

workshops.

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 13

model,

training regimen, the more likely that athlete

which depicts the body as a system of

is to become injured. All the more reason

linked, interdependent segments. While

to get out there every day—with some self-

independent tests by clinicians might focus

awareness about functional movement.

It

uses

the

kinetic

link

on a singular muscle or group of muscles, the FMS focuses on movement patterns.

Eds. note: Gray Cook and Lee Burton, two

During the screen, the trainer places the

of the four authors of the two-part article

athlete in seven “extreme” positions, like

titled “Functional Movement Screening:

squats and lunges, to analyze how the body’s

The Use of Fundamental Movements As

muscles and joints work together. They

An Assessment Of Function,” published

watch closely for imbalances, weaknesses

in the International Journal of Sports

and asymmetry, and rate the athlete on a

Physical Therapy, are associated with

scale from 0 to 3.

functionalmovement.com and profit from

Zero means the athlete felt pain during

the sale of functional movement products. A

a movement, one means the athlete could

note within the article reads: “The Editors of

not complete the movement, two means the

IJSPT emphasize (and the authors concur)

athlete could complete the movement with

that the use of fundamental movement

some modification, and three is a perfect score.

is the important concept to be taken from

The screen’s structure means that the

Part I and Part II of this series and such

FMS can identify weaknesses that other

the National Football League, National

fitness tests can’t. Take this example from

Hockey League, Major League Baseball

the IJSPT’s 2014 article:

and several European soccer teams use it

during pre-season.

“(A person may have) an above average

score on the number of sit-ups performed

during a test, but is performing very

FMS, called “Can Serious Injury in

inefficiently by compensating and initiating

Professional Football be Predicted by a

the movement with the upper body and

Preseason Functional Movement Screen?”

cervical spine (neck) as compared to the

was not published until 10 years after the

trunk. Compare this person to an individual

screen was developed, in 2007. The answer

who scores above average on the number of

was ‘yes’—it found that professional

sit-ups, but is performing very efficiently and

football players who had dysfunctional

does not utilize compensatory movements

fundamental movement patterns (which

to achieve the sit-up. These two individuals

were measured using the FMS before the

would each be deemed ‘above average’

season started) were more likely to suffer

without noting their individual movement

an injury than those with a high score.

differences.”

The objective of the FMS is to categorize

the screen with a better understanding

these two movements as different—and

of their weaknesses, they also learn how

ultimately, to help the under-performing

to improve. When the screen is complete,

athlete gain self-awareness and understand

the results are entered in a system called

how to correct weaknesses.

“Move 2 Perform,” which provides three

The screen was designed by Gray Cook

simple exercises tailored for the athlete’s

in 1997 in Danville, Virginia. He started

weaknesses. The program also provides a

to screen kids in public high schools near

detailed run-down of how you did on each

his clinic, and realized that many of them

test, and churns up statistics like how you

had chronic pain. So, with fellow physical

compare against other people in your age

therapist Lee Burton, he started trying

group.

The first study conducted with the

Not only do athletes come away from

determine the source of the pain with a

Vancura told me my weakest areas

series of tests. Out of that emerged a pre-

were core and hip strength, so I walked

participation physical they used on hundreds

away from Timberlane with a regimen of

of athletes.

shoulder taps (plank position, touch one

“Gray had a very unique way of evaluating

hand to the opposite shoulder, count to

people—how to look at the parts of the body,

three, then switch); quadrupled diagonals

and not just how to look at how the parts

(all fours, extend the left arm and right leg,

worked, but how the parts affected areas,”

hold for 5, then switch); and the push up

Burton says. “He was looking at movement

walk out (a forward bend walked out to a

patterns during his evaluation of something

plank—hold, and walk it back).

as simple as an ankle sprain.”

Often,

the

physical

therapist

or

Gray

clinician who administers the screen can

and Burton presented the information

schedule sessions to work on weaknesses,

everywhere they could—at conferences and

too. At Timberlane, the screen is free.

lectures all around the country. Soon, FMS

(See "Where to Get Screened" for other

was picked up by Division I universities,

member clinicians in Vermont.)

screening as an assessment of function

To score a perfect "3" on the Rotary Stability Test, you have to perform this movement without leaning.

For

the

first

several

years,

professional teams and hospitals. Now,

14 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

screening can be performed without the use

WHO SHOULD TAKE THE FMS? For most athletes, getting screened is a good

of any trademarked equipment.”

idea. The FMS can identify deficits in the movements involved in most sports, and can promote self-awareness for all athletes.

But the trainer can pay extra-close attention

to the movements that are particularly important to your sport. For example, one of the seven moves, called the hurdle step, gives a good picture of what a runner might look like in action. It requires athletes to step over a line suspended between two wooden posts at the height of their knee.

“That’s the height where you should be

able to pick your foot up in a dead-out sprint,” Vancura says. “If you can’t do that, and you have to be moving over to the side to put your leg over, that means you don’t have enough hip strength in that one leg.”

The

in-line

lunge

simulates

stress

during rotational, decelerating and lateral movements, along with hip and ankle mobility and stability. It requires the athlete to balance on a balance-beam type support, so as to resist rotating. That one helps Vancura identify problems that hikers might have.

“That mimics walking up the hill and stepping onto a rock as you push yourself up,” he says. “If you don’t have that balance on that other leg, you’re more likely to fall. Or, you could rely on trekking poles and overuse your shoulders, rather than actually using your hip

WHERE TO GET SCREENED Fit 2 Function VT Bennington, VT Trainer: Julie Horst (802) 384-3423 Green Mountain Orthotic Lab Bondville, VT Trainer: Bill Haight (802) 875-1122 Move Fitness Waitsfield and Randolph, VT Trainer: Sarah Larmie (802) 558-8481

and finding other ways to get yourself up the hill.”

Vancura

Parisi Speed School says

weekend

warriors

are

Williston, VT

particularly good candidates for the FMS.

Trainers: Casey Lee and Joe Grunwald

“They might be at a desk job Monday through

(802) 488-3278

Friday, and then Saturday and Sunday they want to ski, or they want to snowshoe, they

Timberlane Physical Therapy

want to run or bike,” he says. “They want

Winooski, VT

to stay active, but they don’t know how to

Trainer: Corey Vancura

integrate exercises in their work day without

(802) 864-3785

having to go to the gym.”

In other words, the less consistent the

PaddleSurf Champlain Vermont’s Paddleboard Outfitter

l Guided adventures l Flexible rentals

l Experienced instruction

Oakledge Park Beach 1 Flynn Ave, Burlington

(802) 881-4905 paddlesurfchamplain.com

AUGUST 2017 | VTSPORTS.COM 15

Stage race the NEK way.

AUGUST 10-12

3 day stage race on the Kingdom’s hidden gems | theVT3.com/VTS © Chris Williams

[ MANSFIELD

O R T H O PA E D I C S

]

Getting you back to the trails you love.

Sports Medicine at Copley Hospital.

Don’t let injuries or chronic knee, hip, shoulder, or ankle pain keep you from getting back on the trails you love. The experts at Mansfield Orthopaedics can help with state-of-the-art treatments designed specifically for you.

Match that with the warm, personalized care Copley is known for.

Top medical care to help you get back to the activities you love.

Our physicians: Nicholas Antell, MD; Brian Aros, MD; Bryan Huber, MD; John Macy, MD; Joseph McLaughlin, MD; Bryan Monier, MD and Saul Trevino, MD.

To make an appointment with a Mansfield Orthopaedic Specialist at Copley Hospital, call 802.888.8405 ORTHOPEDICS | OBSTETRICS & GYNECOLOGY | CARDIOLOGY EMERGENCY SERVICES | GENERAL SURGERY | ONCOLOGY UROLOGY | REHABILITATION SERVICES | DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING

528 Washington Highway, Morrisville, VT 6 North Main Street, Waterbury, VT EXCEPTIONAL CARE. COMMUNITY FOCUSED.

copleyvt.org

SUMMER INNOVATIONS

GEAR

WHAT’S NEW IN SUMMER GEAR? THESE FOUR PRODUCTS ARE CHANGING THEIR GAMES.

UnTapped Ginger Mapleaid

NanoPress

Xero Terraflex

Sena X1 Pro

A SMART HELMET More and more helmet companies are incorporating high tech smart gadgets into their helmets. In 2016, Sena, a company known for its Bluetooth technology and smart motorcycle helmets, moved into the bicycle space.

Now it’s releasing the Sena X1 ($199) and the X1 Pro ($349), which can do just about everything except mix a martini. The X1 connects remotely with your phone so you can answer calls or listen to music just by tapping the buttons located on the rim of the helmet.

You can even tune into FM stations and connect via intercom with other riders.

And it comes with the usual safety MIPS and safety features. The X1 Pro integrates a camera that can store up to two hours of high-definition (1,440 pixels) video and has a Smart Audio Mix that can integrate music from your phone and your voice into the video.

Sena also makes a slightly sleeker RI road helmet, which reminds us to add this caution: don’t let all this technology distract you from safe riding.

VT-BREWED RECOVERY Imagine a band of World Cup ski racers, a pro bike racer and some maple-sugar tapping cousins all got together to make a sports recovery mix. That’s what pro cyclist Ted King, several of the Cochran cousins (of World Cup ski racing and Cochran’s Ski Area) and Middlebury’s Andrew Gardner did. Their first UnTapped product was single-serve packages of 100-percent pure maple syrup (which they sugar right off the slopes). Now, the team has produced two drink mixes. UnTapped’s Ginger Mapleaid ($24.95) combines stomach-soothing ginger with sea salt (for electrolytes) and, of course, some maple syrup to sweeten it and provide

some calories. There’s also a Lemon Tea Mapelaid that has the added caffeine boost from organic black tea. The mix comes in one-pound bags. Stir it up, drink it down.

A MINIMALIST TRAIL SHOE If you love the feel of running or hiking barefoot but can’t take the wear and tear that can come with it, you might just love Xero’s Terraflex ($99.99) minimalist trail shoes. There’s no chunky-cushioned sole, no superstabilizing arch support or big-tread lugs. But by the same token, these shoes are strong enough and have enough protection (including the Tough Tek toe bumper) to get you up not-too-technical trails without saying “ouch.” A heel strap and insert V straps give the shoe an even snugger fit and the toe box is blissfully roomy, without allowing for toe-bang. With a Xero-drop sole (there’s

no heel elevation) and light weight (just 8.2 oz for a women’s size 7), the shoe feels like a snug slipper. Best yet, they come with a 5,000-mile sole guarantee.

ESPRESSO, ON THE GO Vermont has no shortage of great coffee companies (organic, local, Vermont Coffee Company is our favorite.)

But the state is (thankfully) short of Starbucks. If you’re on the go, here’s a great solution to getting a great cup of espresso. At just .74 lbs. and small enough to fit into what looks like a glasses case, the NanoPress ($64.95) is going everywhere we are this summer. Unscrew the bottom and pack in ground coffee (there’s even a tiny scoop enclosed). Unscrew the top and pour in hot water. Pop-out the “pump” button, give it a few pumps and boom, you’ve got a cup ‘o joe to go.

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 17

ROLLING THROUGH IN THE HILLS NORTH OF MONTREAL, YOU CAN RIDE A 200-KILOMETER RAIL TRAIL THROUGH SMALL VILLAGES, PAST LARGE LAKES AND OVERNIGHT IN SMALL B&BS—WHILE A BUS CARRIES YOUR LUGGAGE. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DAVID GOODMAN

Sue Minter cycles past Lake Nominingue (km 145) on Le P'tit Train du Nord.

“B

onjour!” The woman cycling past

us

direction

in

the

called

carried its last passengers in 1981.

opposite out

In 1996, Le P’tit Train came back to

her

life­—sans train. The steel tracks were

greeting and was gone before we could

removed and a 200 km (124 mile) linear

respond. It was an abrupt orientation:

trail opened where the trains once rolled.

we were just a three-hour drive from our

Le P’tit Train du Nord is now the longest

home in Vermont, but my wife Sue and I

rail trail in Canada and a year-round

felt as if we just traveled to Paris or Geneva.

multi-function path: the northern 100

Sue, a fluent French speaker, adjusted

km of the trail are paved; in winter, it is

effortlessly; me, not so much. My broken

reserved for snowmobilers. Most of the

high school French elicited patient smiles.

southern 100 km has a firm crushed gravel

We had come to Quebec to follow

surface suitable for road or hybrid bikes;

in the tracks plied for over a century by

it is groomed for classic and skate Nordic

travelers to the Laurentian Mountains.

Built between 1891 and 1909, Le P’tit

skiing starting in December.

Le P'tit Train du Nord route, marked in red, with the Park Corridor Aerobique shown just south, in purple.

Train du Nord (Little Train of the North)

Last summer, Sue and I embarked on a four-day inn-to-inn cycling journey on

carried lumber, freight and tourists who

America’s first ski lift opened at Mont

bucolic mountains an hour or so north of

Le P’tit Train du Nord. We rode about 35

were eager to visit Quebec’s Switzerland-

Tremblant in 1931, snow trains began

the city. But by the 1940s, as the automobile

miles per day for three days, and a final day

like mountain playground. After North

ferrying thousands of Montrealers to the

took over, this little train’s glory faded. It

of about 20 miles. Our gear was shuttled

18 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

Clockwise from top left: The adventure begins: Sue at km 200 in Mont Laurier, the northern terminus of Le P'tit Train du Nord. A busy crossroads in Mont Tremblant at km 81. Passing through the village of Val David at km 42. An artistic entryway greets riders alongside the trail. surrounded by woods and rivers. Every so

ahead each day, and we carried only a

often, we’d come across historical placards

cycling jacket, water, some tools and

(all written in French) that revealed stories

snacks. The popular self-guided inn-to-

from a century ago. We stopped to admire

inn itineraries can be organized through

a beautiful valley and learned from the

Cyclo-Gites.

sign that pink granite had been quarried

After leaving our car at km 0 in St.

from this area and sent to Barre, Vermont

Jérôme at the southern end of the trail,

for finishing.

we boarded a shuttle bus with our bikes

On we rolled through the endless

that ferried us to km 200 in Mont Laurier.

corridor. As suddenly as we vanished into

We chatted with our fellow passengers, all

deep forest, we emerged into civilization:

of whom we would see on the trail and at

the village of Nominingue, where a festival

the inns during the next four days. There

was underway, the first of several that we

was a couple from Buffalo, she a physical

encountered en route.

therapist, he a contractor; a family of five

We took a welcome break from the

from Baltimore (“Our parents are making us do this, but I think it will probably be fun anyway,” nine-year-old Maddie told me). There was a math professor and his partner from Vermont; and a couple from Quebec.

We left the km 200 sign and rolled briefly through the busy small city of

saddle

The Auberge de lar Gare in St. Adele (km 33), a train station hotel built in 1891.

to

stroll

among

craftspeople,

artisans and musicians, and enjoyed a

Mont Laurier, then rounded a bend, and

walkers, or people rolling on bicycles,

local beer. The Nominingue train station

suddenly found ourselves on a car-less

inline skates, roller skis, or the occasional

had been converted into an art gallery

ribbon of asphalt. That is the beautiful

motorized wheelchair.

and café, the pleasant fate shared by many

thing about rail trails: the only people we saw from this point on were runners and

We

rolled

through

a

beautiful

forested landscape, isolated from towns,

former stations along the rail trail.

A handful of cyclists strolled through

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 19

Clockwise from top: A paved northern section of Le P'tit Train du Nord. Cycling across a bridge high over the Rivière Rouge at km 122 . An ice cream vendor at an outdoor arts festival in Nominingue at km 145 .

Near journey's end: admiring Wilson Falls, near St. Jerome at km 14 . the crowds in town, barely noticed. A few

in the sun.

minutes away, we rolled into Chez Ignace,

We noticed that the scene around us

our stop for the night. This quiet inn is

was changing. Casual riders on hybrid bikes

bounded by Le P’tit Train on one side and

were typical on the northern section of the

the large Lake Nominingue on the other.

trail, but now serious road cyclists were

With a glass of wine, in hand, we watched

rolling in from Mont Tremblant, including

the sunset from the dock.

one orange-clad group of 10 riders who

Evenings in Quebec are an attraction

were doing a 400 km out-and-back ride of

unto themselves. Like Europeans, the

the entire P’tit Train in just 20 hours. As

Quebecois take food very seriously. Dinner

they hammered by us, I felt momentarily

overlooking the lake at Chez Ignace was

guilty about relaxing to enjoy the views.

memorable. It began with smoked salmon,

Twenty

minutes

later,

we

found

followed by a refreshing gazpacho, a main

ourselves repairing a flat tire. We had just

course of a delicious grilled Quebec walleye,

put the wheel back on Sue’s bike when

capped off by chocolate mousse. After a full

Kim, a trail patroller, rolled up to offer

day on the bike trail, we adapted well.

We were blessed with perfect weather

assistance. “This is the most exciting thing Halfway: a welcome café break at a bustling train station converted to a museum in Labelle (km 107).

as we set out on our second day, a 37-mile

that’s happened to me today,” she confessed as she handed us wipes to remove the

ride to Mont-Tremblant, the famous ski

cadence spin through the countryside, we

Canoeists negotiated rapids far below, and

dirt from our hands. She urged us to stop

resort town. After a blood-pumping high-

came to a bridge high over Rivière Rouge.

bathers waded out to a sandbar to lounge

for lunch at the café at the Labelle train

20 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

station 15 minutes ahead. The station, which has been converted into a railroad and ski museum and restaurant, was a busy crossroads where families and riders both serious and casual mingled. We were about to pull out a lunch of a baguette and cheese at a picnic table when we stopped to consider the lively café scene. Sue and I had the same thought: “When in Quebec, do like the Quebecois.” We sat at a table on the terrace, took in the sunshine and enjoyed an excellent Greek salad with quinoa and a local beer at our leisure.

Here at km 107, the trail changed from asphalt to fine crushed stone. The surface was fine for our road bikes with 700 x 28cm tires.

We soon found ourselves winding through a beautiful lakes region, and finally arrived at the town of Mont Tremblant, the halfway point of Le P’tit Train. The old railroad station had once again been colonized by a clutch of artists who milled about and happily discussed their paintings. A busy public beach lay 50 yards away.

We couldn’t resist a detour to ride up to the ski area. We experienced some culture shock: from the relative solitude of the trail, we were startled to encounter a bustling and diverse Montreal neighborhood at play in the mountains. City and village were one here.

We spent the night at the comfortable and modern B&B, Le Voyageur, where 17-year owner Jean Claude told me that cyclists, once just a small part of his clientele, now comprise over half his business. He underscored his point by motioning to the newly paved section of trail in front of his inn that was teeming with runners and riders.

On our third day of riding, we stopped at Val David, a storied artist community along the former railroad line. We followed some music and pulled up stools at Le Baril Roulant, the local microbrewery, to sample some very tasty Quebec beer and listen to a jazz trio.

After staying the night at the rustic Auberge de la Gare, we enjoyed a dip in a cascading waterfall, followed by a highspeed final ride out to St. Jérôme. In the city plaza, a jazz pianist tickled the keys at an outdoor café, giving it the feel of an intimate European neighborhood. Sue raised a happy thumbs up as she passed through an orange arch that signified km 0.

Le P’tit Train du Nord had transported us. “Bonjour!” we instinctively greeted

A cyclist passes through a rock cut near St. Adele.

Photo by David Goodman

PLANNING A TRIP

cyclo-gites.html).

that TripAdvisor users named one of the 25

Le P’tit Train du Nord rail trail stretches 200

You can also organize a trip on

best B&Bs in Canada (lelupin.com.en). Built

kilometers from St. Jerome, just outside

Le P'tit Train Du Nord on your own.

in St. Adele in 1891 when the railway was

Montreal, northwest of Mont Laurier in the

Buses (with bike racks) depart from

in full swing, Auberge de La Gare is a cozy

Laurentian mountains. The rail trail has

St.

along

clapboard inn which offers a room, breakfast

also recently been extended another 32

the route. They can also transport your bags

and dinner starting at $81 per person, double

km south of St. Jerome. The trail is part

from stop to stop (autobuslepetittraindunord.

occupancy (aubergedelagare.com). You can

of Quebec’s 5,000 km Route Verte biking

com). There is also train service from Montreal

also try Auberge & Spa Nordique, right on the

network (routeverte.com).

to St. Jerome.

river with a pool lined by natural stones.

Jerome

and

make

stops

website

For those organizing their own trips,

Several spur trails have been built near

laurentides.com is the best resource for

there are numerous inns and places to stay

or just off Le P’tit Train du Nord, including

planning a trip, with an interactive map with

along Le P'tit Train du Nord, and many work

the more rural “Park du Corridor Aerobique.”

inns, parks and bus stops along the trail.

together to provide three-night packages in

This 58-km route runs roughly east-west

the $300-per person range.

from Morin Heights to Amherst through a

The

Laurentian

Tourism

Cyclo-Gites can arrange the entire trip,

fellow riders who were just starting out.

with three nights’ lodging, dinners and

On the shores of Great Nominingue

breakfasts, starting at $235 (US dollars) per

lake, Chez Ignace (ignace.qc.ca) has a hot

trail is primarily crushed gravel and sand,

Author David Goodman of Waterbury

person, double occupancy. A one-way bus

tub, whirlpool baths and excellent dinners

geared more toward hybrids or mountain

trip to the start is $47 and bag transport is

(a room for two with dinner and breakfast

bikes, with singletrack offshoots. You can

$13.50 per bag. The company also offers

starts at US $140). Auberge le Lupin is a

camp out or stay at one of several inns along

shorter and longer trips (bbvoyageur.com/

log cabin-style chalet near Lac Tremblant

the way. Check Corridoraerobique.ca/en.

Center wrote about five of Vermont's longest rail trails in the July, 2017 issue of Vermont Sports.

countryside of lakes, woods and farms. The

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 21

Sta only

rtin

g at

12lb

s

YOU WON’T BELIVE THESE ULTRA LIGHT WEIGHT BOATS

RENTALS SALES TOURS WWW.UMIAK.COM

www.metallakrace.com

Camping, Food & Friends 4 & 8 Hour Divisions Solo Racers, 2 Person Teams & Team Relay

Saturday September 15, 2018

A TRUE MULTI-SPORT ADVENTURE

REGISTER NOW:

kellybrushfoundation.org/kellybrushride

FEATURED ATHLETE

THE NEXT CYCLOCROSS RACER Name: Sam Noel Age: 18 Family: Father, Tim Noel; mother, Tina Noel; sister, Cate Noel Lives in: Shelburne Primary sports: Cycling

A

recent grad of Champlain Valley Union High School, Sam Noel represented the U.S. at the Cyclocross World Championships in Luxembourg in 2017 and in Noel, at age 18 already sponsored by Cannondale. the Netherlands in 2018. He is a Photo Phillip Fusco Category 2 racer with the Burlingtonbased 1K2GO team and is a member of go to Valkenburg, Netherlands. That was the Cannondale p/b Cyclocross World exciting!

Junior Development team.

VS: How was it racing in Europe?

SN: It was such a cool experience. We VS: When did you start racing? raced the Hoogerhide World Cup the SN: I started with cyclocross in 2010 week before to get the cobwebs out of our at the Catamount Family Center legs since it had been a few weeks since Wednesday night races. My father Nationals. We were there for almost brought me there and I did the fun races two weeks prior to Worlds which was on my mountain bike. In 2013, I began good because it helped me to get used doing some road races and in 2016 I to the weather, the environment and the added legit mountain bike racing. competition. On the day of the Worlds'

race it was really rainy which made the VS: What’s your favorite course super fun. I’m a big fan of the discipline on a bike? mud. I finished 22​nd​ out of 80 junior SN: Definitely cyclocross. There are so racers and I was super happy with that. many reasons why I like it including all It was my best European race result to the variables. The weather is a factor date and I felt super strong. I was also in how the race plays out, making the happy with how the rest of the team course muddy, snowy, icy or dusty. did. With all the support we had it went Not only is every course different, really smoothly. but individual courses change as the

race progresses so you always have to VS: Is there a big difference be on your toes and be focused. Another between racing in Europe vs. reason is that I enjoy the social nature cyclocross in the U.S. ? of the race weekends and the venues.

SN: The only discipline I have raced in Everything is condensed into one Europe is cyclocross. I took part in the park and everyone sticks around and Namur World Cup, a Soudal Classic watches the other races. That’s unique and the Zolder World Cup cylcocross to cyclocross. races in Belgium last fall and there is a

huge difference. The racers there are VS: How did you get picked for on a whole other level. The courses are the 2018 U.S. Cyclocross Team? harder and they’re muddier because it SN: The coaches look at your entire rains during the winter, but the big thing season and see how you compare to is that there are so many spectators. others in your category. I finished It’s pretty crazy. It would be great to fourth at the 2018 U.S. National have cyclocross become as popular here Championships in Reno, Nevada and as it is in Europe. I think for that to after that I got an email telling me that happen there needs to continue to be a I had been one of 6 juniors selected to

strong focus on getting more kids racing in the U.S. because that is the future of the sport. The two Cyclocross World Cup races that happen at the beginning of the season in the Midwest help bring a lot of attention to the sport. I think having more high caliber events in the U.S. to gain attention from local and maybe even national press is very beneficial to growing the sport here.

VS: You finished 14​th​ overall out of 468 racers at the 2016 Vermont Overland gravel race. Do you enjoy that kind of riding?

SN: I really like gravel racing. It combines road racing with all the different pavé sections so you get some technical riding. That keeps it interesting. I always break the race up by each pavé section so I can position myself at the front of the group at the start because that’s when people hit it hard.

VS: Let’s talk a bit about your road racing and the local courses.

SN: I have fun doing the local stage races.

I’ve been doing the Killington Stage Race for three years and the Green Mountain Stage Race for four. The GMSR is probably my favorite and I really like the criterium at the end. Last year was my best finish in every stage along with the GC [General Classification]. At this point I haven’t figured out what my road specialty is. Of all the disciplines, I think I like the road race the best, but I really enjoy the Burlington Crit because everyone gets together for the day. When my race is done I can hang out and watch the others and relax.

VS: How hard is it to be a competitive cyclist in Vermont?

SN: Vermont has a much shorter season than other parts of the country and I compete against kids from the south and the west so it is a challenge, but I make it work. My coach, Jake Hollenbach, has lived here most of his life so he knows how to prepare me to compete against riders with longer seasons. I crosstrain during the winter and when it’s too cold to ride.

VS: What's your training like?

SN: During the cyclocross season, I’ll do a lot of hiking, running and crosscountry skiing. After cyclocross ends, I take a few weeks off to reset and then I do cross-country and downhill skiing.

I continue with some cross-country in the spring when I’m able to start riding

again. I think it helps because it forces me not to ride all year round. I get to do other things that help me with my riding and not burn out. I really enjoy doing other activities, including paddle boarding on Lake Champlain and surfing off the coast of Maine. I’ve done a little bit of fat biking which was a lot of fun and next winter I’d like to try some backcountry skiing.

VS: What are your plans for the summer?

SN: This summer I want to add more mountain bike racing. I plan to go to two junior UCI races in Canada and then the mountain bike nationals in West Virginia and the road nationals in Maryland. I also want to take part in the New England Crit Week races and some other regional events. I want to do the Overland Race again, as well as the GMSR.

VS: How do you find time to train?

SN: Cycling has become part of my life now. It involves a lot of planning and scheduling and a lot of communication with my teachers, especially when I miss days for racing. I missed 35 days of school this year and communication is really key to make sure I’m caught up.

VS: What’s next?

SN: I’m going to UVM next year to study business. I chose that because I’ll be able to continue to train and race in an area that I’m familiar with. I’m not certain what I’ll do with the degree but perhaps it will be something entrepreneurial.

VS: Who are your sponsors?

SN: I’ve been racing for the Cannondale Cyclocrossworld Junior Development team for the past four years and they have been instrumental in my development and in helping me achieve my goals. For road racing, I’ve been locally sponsored by 1K2GO from the start. It’s great to see the program grow over the years and to see what team manager Bobby Bailey is doing for the local cycling community.

VS: Do you see a time when you might have to choose just one cycling discipline?

SN: For now, I’d like to continue doing all three with more of a focus on cyclocross. At some point I probably will have to choose, but it’s more fun to mix things up.

—Phyl Newbeck

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 23

r u o R Y i d e n a . l . .

P

Check out our NEW website showing where to ride at all of VMBA’s 27 chapters!

Don’t miss! VMBAFest 2018

July 27-29, Sport Trails of Ascutney Basin vmba.org/event/festival

trail maps • conditions • events

being there. We are at a place where we have a history of collaborating with the Vermont Mountain Bike Association, Vermont Huts, and the Green Mountain Club. The “X factor” in the long run is climate change as it is for any ski- based group. Any ski organization looking out 20 to 30 years has to consider this.

FEATURED ATHLETE

THE NEW (CATAMOUNT) TRAIL BLAZER

Biggest challenges?

At CTA we work with a lot of private landowners and I’m looking forward to getting to know those folks. This drives a lot of thoughtful processes around building trails and as a result the end product is really sustainable, ecologically and socially. But it’s also a challenge as there’s more demand locally and more people who are using the trails. As we try to connect networks, getting landowners on board will be one of our biggest goals.

Name: Matt Williams Age: 30 Family: Wife, Nina Hometown: Building a home in Moretown Occupation: Executive Director of the Catamount Trail Association Primary sports: Backcountry skiing, mountain bike racing

I

n April, Matt Williams took over from Amy Kelsey, who stepped down after nine years, as the new executive director of the Catamount Trail Association, the non-profit that oversees the length-of-Vermont backcountry ski trail and which has been instrumental in promoting backcountry skiing. A Vermont native, Williams returns after spending five years as head coach at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina. During his tenure, the cycling team developed national caliber road and cyclocross teams, added cycling scholarships, and expanded its oncampus facilities. Under his leadership, the program saw competitive success in all disciplines. During the 20172018 academic year, Williams served as the Director of Strategic Initiatives, Athletics, and oversaw all athletic programs for the college.

What brings a 30-year-old from North Carolina to Vermont?

My wife and I were in Asheville, North Carolina for a number of years where I was coaching mountain biking, but I’m from Sharon and she grew up in Montpelier. I grew up skiing, mountain biking and backpacking and worked at Onion River Sports. There, I did a lot of events for the community that got me really excited about connecting towns with backcountry infrastructure. When the opportunity opened up to be the new executive director of the Catamount Trail Association, it felt like everything I wanted to do.

What was life like growing up?

My mom is from Waterbury and is a seventh generation Vermonter.

Matt Williams is the new executive director of the Catamount Trail Association. The former collegiate mountain biking coach grew up skiing out his back door in Sharon. Photos courtesy Matt Williams.

My granddad was a dairy farmer in Waterbury and my dad grew up skiing in the Mad River Valley. Both of my parents were ski bums in Stowe in the 1980s and then worked at the Hulbert Outdoor Center in Fairlee leading backcountry canoe trips. We had a little sheep farm and I could go skiing and mountain biking out my back door.

So you learned to ski on your sheep farm?

I learned to ski as part of the school program, but on our farm we had those galvanized aluminum spotlights for lambing season and I’d run those lights behind my house and herringbone up and ski down. I had some waxless Karhus or something. When I was in sixth or seventh grade I got some actual tele boots and some old-school skis.

How did you start mountain bike racing?

I started bike racing in elementary school. There was a weekly training race at the Three Stallion Inn in Randolph and we’d also drive up to the Catamount Outdoor Center in Williston for the Wednesday night training races. Mount Snow was huge in the mountain bike world then and we’d drive down and watch the pro races. By high school, I was racing on teams and traveling.

What led to coaching?

I went to Warren Wilson College in North Carolina and got on some national championship podiums my senior year.

In the 2008 Mountain Bike Collegiate National Championship I was fourth in the cross-country race and fifth in the short track and second for best allaround. I got to the pro level and raced on the road for a fairly high level junior team. When Warren Wilson decided to invest in its cycling program and was looking for a coach the pieces fell into place and I took the job.

Why the Catamount Trail Association?

I grew up backcountry and cross-country skiing and what I’ve always appreciated about the Catamount Trail is how it weaves its way through ski centers and villages and connects you to places you didn’t know you could ski to. The big project in the next 10 to 20 years is to connect all these ski centers we have to towns and villages. It’s already started, and we want to be a part of that.

Do you see the Catamount Trail becoming a mountain bike trail too?

I don’t know at this point. We’re a ski organization and there are a lot of landowner relationships that are sensitive, and we are a long way from

How else do you see CTA evolving?

The organization is 30 years old but continuing to look for new ways to grow.

The chapter model is still fairly new, and we now have five chapters, including the most recent one, in the Montgomery/ Jay Peak area. There has been some talk with Vermont Huts Association about rebuilding the South Pond Cabin near Chittenden and we’ve talked about having the CTA pass through there or connect via overnight loops and multi day tours. It’s a dynamic moment for the backcountry community whether it’s using fat bikes or alpine touring gear or Mad River Rockets, and all those activities will certainly change the way the CTA will evolve. The trail has always been and will be central. That core mission won’t change.

You had some great events this winter. Will those continue?

Amy (Kelsey), Greg (Maino) and Scott (Berkley) did a great job and the ski mountaineering events were really well received and we offered more tours on the CTA than we have before. I’m excited to look for opportunities to add events where we can, especially winter events that work with changing weather patterns.

Best part of coming back to Vermont?

I love going for a ride or a ski with a friend on a trail I’ve never been on before. I love those moments when I’m in the middle of nowhere and discovering new places.

There’s so much in Vermont that’s still not marked or mapped.

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 25

ie – P o t y

Kingdom Mara tho

n

Fl

HALF MARATHON SEPT. 23

10K 5K R U N

Sunday, September 30, 2018 26.2, 17, 13.5, and 6-mile

RUN – BIKE – HIKE Coventry to West Glover, Vermont Hosted by Kingdom Games, Lakeview Aviation and Parker Pie – Supporting The Halo Foundation Vermont Sun Triathlon

Lake Dunmore Triathlon

600 yd. swim, 14 mi. bike, 3.1 mi. run June 23, July 15 & Aug. 12

1600 yd. swim, 28 mi. bike, 6.2 mi. run June 23 & Aug. 12

run & triathlon series

NEW EVENT 2018: BRANBURY CLASSIC – JULY 15

Perfect for the non-swimmer!

1.5 MILE PADDLE

14 MILE BIKE

Pizza by Parker Pie Beer by Hill Farmstead Music by Beg, Steal or Borrow

www.kingdomgames.co

3.1 MILE RUN

...and when the outside is just too buggy and hot, humid or sticky, come indoors to the always comfortable, temperature-controlled Vermont Sun Fitness Center.

VERMONTSUN.COM • 802-388-6888

Introducing new Turkey Dinner!

Enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving Dinner anywhere, anytime.

www.MountainHouse.com

26 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

VERMONT

SPORTS

RACE & EVENT GUIDE

LISTING YOUR EVENT IN THIS CALENDAR IS FREE AND EASY. VISIT VTSPORTS.COM/ SUBMIT-AN-EVENT OR E-MAIL EDITOR@ VTSPORTS.COM. ALL AREA CODES ARE 802.

ALL LOCATIONS ARE IN VERMONT, UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED. FEATURED EVENTS, IN YELLOW, PAY A NOMINAL FEE.

RUNNING & HIKING JUNE 1-3 | Coyote Scramble Ultras, East Burke Kingdom Trails hosts three days of trail running with suggested distances for each day. Runners rack up miles before joining in the post-run activities, which include bowling and live music. coyotemoonultras.com 2 | XTrail, Sutton, Quebec Runners negotiate roots, rocksand streams on marked hiking trails of Mont Sutton. Choices of 20K, 11.8K, 6.5K, and 1K mountain circuits are available. montsutton.com 2 | West River Trail Run, South Londonderry The 11 mile trail run starts at the South Londonderry Depot and ends at Jamaica State Park. There’s also a relay option, a walk and a 5K run. thecollaborative.us/westrivertrailrun/ 2 | Girls On The Run 5K—Northern VT, Essex Junction Head to the Champlain Valley Expo to celebrate girl power with this 5K. gotrvt.org 3 | Covered Bridges Half Marathon, Suicide Six Ski Area Experience some of the most beautiful covered bridges in Vermont and support local charities while running one of the most stunning 13.1 mile stretches in New England. cbhalfmarathon.blogspot.com 10 | Capital City Stampede 10K, Montpelier Runners race a flat and fast out-and-back course, half of which is on dirt roads. Course is USATF-certified. Top three winners receive gift certificates. cvrunners.org 16 | NH–VT Covered Bridge Half Marathon and Relay, Colebrook, NH The race route features a mostly flat, loop route that starts and finishes in Colebrook, NH. Runners enter Vermont for 6.3 miles, then cross back ove the border on the historic Columbia Covered Bridge to cover the last 6.8 mi in NH. colebrook-kiwanis.org 16 | West Windsor 5 & Dime, West Windsor Opt for a hilly 10K trail run on single- and doubletrack through the woods, or for the 5K run and walk, presented

by Ascutney Outdoors. ascutneyoutdoors.org 16 | Northeast Delta Dental Mt. Washington Road Race, Gorham, NH At 9 a.m. runners will race a grueling 7.6-mile route up the Mt. Washington Auto Road, from the base to the summit of New England's highest peak. mtwashingtonautoroad.com

17 | Skip Matthews Memorial Run, Lebanon, NH This four-mile race features a loop that begins at Colburn Park and follows the Northern Rail Trail. skipsrun.org

17 | 8th Equinox Trail Race 5K & 10K, Charlotte The Green Mountain Athletic Association hosts runs on trails through fields, singletrack and old sugar roads. gmaa.net 22 | Sine Nomine, Mendon The Endurance Society hosts a secretive endurance race of unspecified length. The race will be held in rural Vermont at a location disclosed only to the entrants. endurancesociety.org 23 | Catamount Ultra 25/50k Trail Race, Trapp Family Lodge/Stowe This race features 25K and 50K courses that circumnavigate the Trapp Family Lodge trail system on wide, hard-packed dirt trails. catamountultra.com 23 | 17th Annual Basin Harbor Club 5K and 10K A free fun run for children will be followed by this 5K run/ walk or, new this year a 10K. All proceeds go to Lacey’s Fund, an organization that benefits retired police dogs.

Leashed dogs are welcome. racevermont.com

JULY 4 | Harry Corrow Freedom Run, Newport Kingdom Games hosts this 10-mile classic on the Newport-Derby Bike Path and Memphremagog Ski Touring Foundation Trails, with 10K, 5K, and 1-mile routes. Celebrate freedom from British tyranny, freedom from asphalt, and freedom to choose your distance, even mid-run. Bed races, music and fireworks to follow. kingdomgames.co 4 | Clarence DeMar 5K, South Hero Run this flat out (south) and back (north) 5K on South Street, with a free ¼ mile race for kids. gmaa.net 7 | Enough is Enough Recovery Run, Bolton Valley Participants run as many laps from the base lodge to the summit of the Wilderness chairlift as they can in this fixedtime event with 3-, 6-, and 12-hour solo options, 6- and 12-hour relay options. Proceeds will be donated to Enough is Enough, a campaign for addiction recovery services in Vermont. vermontrunningcompany.com 8 | Stowe 8-Miler/5K, Stowe Mountain Resort Stowe hosts the classic 8-mile run along with a 5K on roads. cvrunners.org 8 | Mad Marathon, Mad Half and Relays, Waitsfield The Mad River Valley is the site of a weekend of races on dirt roads with tough climbs, and great views of the Green Mountains. madmarathon.com 14 | Bear Swamp Run, Middlesex This 5.7 loop course, runs over mostly dirt roads and climbs 450 feet before gradually descending to the finish.

Part of the CVR/ORS Race Series. cvrunners.org

14 | Boot Camp: Race to the Peak, Killington Run or hike to the summit of Killington Peak from the Snowshed Base Lodge for the hardest 5k you’ll ever run. killingtonbootcamp.com

21 | Goshen Gallop, Goshen The Blueberry Hill Inn hosts a 5K and 10.2K trail race in the Moosalamoo National Recreation Area, billed as the “toughest 10K in the East.” blueberryhillinn.com 21-22 | Vermont 100 Endurance Race, West Windsor An ultra-marathon starting at Silver Hill Meadow is one of the four 100-mile races that comprise the Grand Slam of ultra-running. A 100 km race is also offered. vermont100endurancerun.blogspot.com 28 | Round Church Women’s Run, Richmond A 5K and 10K, both out and back on Cochran Road, starting and finishing at Farr Rd.. The roads are all paved with a few rolling hills. cvrunners.org 28 | Red Line Scramble, Magic Mountain An “extremely difficult,” one-mile, point-to-point foot race up the Red Line ski trail. The course will be technical, with 1,500 feet of vertical climbing. magicmtn.com 29 | Mansfield Double-Up, Stowe This 11-mile endurance race climbs 5,500 feet and might have you encountering ladders, no-fall traverses and alpine tundra. nativeendurance.com 29 | Barre Heritage 5K, Barre Check out this scenic 5K trail run through the Barre Town Forest. The route passes through historic granite quarries on wooded single track trails. runvermont.org

AUGUST 4 | Moosalamoo Ultra, Goshen Head to the Moosalamoo for 14- and 36-mile trail races, which run primarily through the Green Mountain National Forest. This race is dog-friendly. moosalamooultra.com 3-4 | Ragnar Trail Vermont, Ascutney Mountain Sports Trails of the Ascutney Basin hosts this three-day camping and running adventure. Teams of 8 (or 4 ultrarunners) will conquer a series of three trails that start and end at “Ragnar Village.” runragnar.com 11-12 | Mountain Race and Vertical Challenge, Smugglers’ Notch Trail runners test themselves against the rugged terrain of Madonna Mountain in the Vertical challenge and 25k Smuggs Mountain Race up to the summit. smuggs.com 11 | Kingdom Run, Irasburg This 10K or 5K run is an out-and-back race on scenic dirt roads in the NEK. All runners get a complimentary brunch and blueberry sundae. kingdomrun.org 16 | Berlin Pond 5-Miler, Berlin This certified 5-mile loop course runs counter-clockwise around Berlin Pond on dirt roads with one water stop. cvrunners.org

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 27

SEPTEMBER

18 | 100 on 100 Relay, Stowe Teams complete a 100-mile relay on Route 100 from the Trapp Family Lodge to Okemo Resort. 100on100.org 25 | Under Armour Mountain Marathon, Killington Run between Killington and Pico peaks. The race, which is the second in a three-part running series, features a marathon, half marathon and relay, a vertical mile and distances down to a 5K. killington.com 25 | Sky Run, Mad River Glen The Endurance Society’s Sky Race features a series of climbs to the summit of the mountain. The 5k has over 2,000 feet of vertical climbing and the 10K, 3,700 feet. madriverglen.com 25 | Best Dam Run & Walk In Vermont, Whitingham This out-and-back half-marathon starts out at the Harriman Dam and follows the west side of Harriman Reservoir, whose shores are undeveloped. Catch amazing views from the 215-foot-high, 1,250-foot-long dam. bestdamwalk.com 26 | Race To The Top Of Vermont, Stowe Catamount Trail Association challenges runners and mountain bikers to race up Stowe’s Toll Road, gaining 2,564 vertical feet over 4.3 miles. catamounttrail.org 26 | Howard Center’s Zoe’s Race, Burlington Support local children and families in this 1K fun run and 5K walk/run, whose funds support making local homes accessible. zoesrun.org

Nordic Skiers !

(Age 14 and up)

Train with the Ethan Allen Biathlon Club this summer. Learn shooting & biathlon skills. Compete in local, National ! ! ! & North American ! ! ! ! race cups!!

Rifles & Coaching Provided Ethan Allen Firing Range Jericho, VT Interested? Contact:

eabiathlon@gmail.com

1 | Mount Ascutney Rainbow Run, Mount Ascutney Run, walk or hike the Ascutney Trails during peak foliage for this 5K or 10K outting for all ages. ascutneyoutdoors.org

30 | Fly to Pie Kingdom Marathon, West Glover Choose between 6-, 13.5-, 17-, and 26.2-mile bike rides, runs or hikes through the Northeast Kingdom during peak foliage.

All races end at Parker Pie with live music and Hillfarmstead beer. kingdomgames.co

2 | 50th Archie Post 5-Miler, Burlington This certified point-to-point course follows the South Burlington Bike Path and offers sweeping views of the Green Mountains and finishes at Gutterson Field House. gmaa.net

30 | Leaf Peepers Half Marathon and 5K, Waterbury Both courses run through Waterbury and up Perry Hill for spectacular views of fall foliage, and occasional forays onto dirt trails. leafpeepersmarathon.org

1-2 | 7th Annual Trail Running Festival, Jay Peak Resort From 5Ks to 53.1Ks, this day of trail running has a distance for everyone. jaypeakresort.com

30 | 26th Annual Vermont 50, Mt. Ascutney This 50-mile ultra run, relay race, 50K run and kids fun run make for one event that is not to be missed. Two-thirds of the 50-mile race is on trails that gain almost 9,000 feet of elevation. vermont50.org

8 | Make-A-Wish Vermont Maple Leaf Half Marathon, Stratton Run from downtown to picturesque villages and back to the finish during the early stages of fall. stratton.com 8 | Groton Forest Trail Run, Groton Choose a 26.2-mile course or a 15.2-mile course on Groton State Forest’s technical singletrack trails. runvermont.org 15 | Common to Common 30K, Essex This 30K winds through scenic farm country between Essex Center and Westford Common. gmaa.net 16 | TAM Trek, Middlebury This 2-mile fun run and 19-mile and 10K races benefit the Middlebury Land Trust's Trail Around Middlebury project. maltvt.org 23 | Vermont Sun Half Marathon, Branbury State Park This beautiful trail run winds around streams and lakes in the Green Mountains and offers 5K, 10K, and half marathon courses. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com 29 | Vermont Craft Beer Half Marathon, St. Albans This half marathon winds through St. Albans along the beautiful Missisquoi Valley Rail Trail and is followed by a harvest festival and craft beer tasting complete with farmers market vendors, food trucks, and representatives from more than ten Vermont breweries. runvermont.org.

BIKING JUNE 1 | Whiteface Mountain Uphill Bike Race, Lake Placid, NY This race includes 11 miles of uphill pedaling as the course climbs 3,500 feet up the scenic Whiteface Mountain Veterans Memorial Highway, to New York’s 5th highest peak. bikereg.com 1-3 | The Strolling of the Heifers, Brattleboro Watch calves parade through downtown Brattleboro, the goat Olympics, or compete in a pie baking contest–but save some energy for the 60-, 30- or 15-mile Tour de Heifer bike ride on Sunday. strollingoftheheifers.com 4 | Women’s Bike Night, Burlington Learn about new places to ride, meet people and learn about bike safety and equipment at SkiRack. Riders of all ages and levels are welcome. vmba.org 8-10 | Tour De Kingdom: The June Tour, Newport Five days of supported long-distance road rides through the Northeast Kingdom, totaling nearly 300 miles and thousands of feet of climbing. tourdekingdom.com

Caring for you... when spring fever leaves you aching When warmer weather hits, we often jump too quickly into spring activities. If the transition from cold to warm weather has left your joints aching, our Orthopedics and Sports Medicine teams are here to help.

Call today to schedule an appointment!

Sharon Health Center ..................763-8000 Gifford Orthopedics ......................728-2430 Gifford Health Center at Berlin ..229-2325

Learn more: www.GiffordHealthCare.org

Gifford Health Care Caring for you... for life.

Ride with abandon.

We’ve got Giant, Salsa and Cannondale gravel bikes...and the roads to ride em.

49 Brickyard Lane, Putney Vermont

28 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

n

westhillshop.com

n

802-387-5718

9 | The Moose Century Ride, East Burke Ride or race 103 miles of paved road in the NEK for the chance to win Burke Mountain passes, beef jerky, maple syrup and more. kingdomgames.com 9 | The Vermont Epic, Okemo Mountain Resort Cyclists gather for a series of three events. The Vermont Monster is a 73-mile gravel grinder with 9,000 feet of climbing. The B2VT ride is 132 miles long and has over 8,400 feet of climbing as it travels from Bedford, Mass. to Okemo Mountain. Forty-mile recreational rides are also available. vtepic.com

30 | RAS Gravel Adventure Ride, Peru Cyclists and runners gather for the third event in support of RASopathies research. The ride will cover 41 miles of Class IV dirt roads. Post-ride party follows with live music and local food. support4shane.com

21 | Raid Lamoille, Stowe Cyclists ride approximately 100K (60+ miles) on mostly gravel roads through the stunning Vermont countryside.

The route will include nearly 6,000 feet of climbing. A 50K option will also be available. raidlamoille.com

30 | Vermont Gran Fondo, Middlebury Starting and finishing at Middlebury’s Woodchuck Cider, the Vermont Gran Fondo is a non-competitive ride that will test your fitness with its challenging climbs across Appalachian Gap, Lincoln Gap and Middlebury Gap and Brandon Gap. vermontgranfondo.com

22 | Glacier Grinder, Killington The Endurance Society hosts a 40-mile ride, with up to 4,400 feet of elevation gain, that follows scenic gravel and unmaintained town roads. endurancesociety.org

15-17 | Vermont Bike & Brew, Killington Mountain Resort Killington hosts one of the largest downhill-oriented bike festivals in the east, with a skinny bridge challenge, whipoff and onsite camping. killington.com

JULY

16 | Switchback Bike for the Lake, North Hero Cyclists ride loops of 100, 80, 60 and 30 miles on the shores of Lake Champlain, raising funds to support the work of Friends of Northern Lake Champlain. northernlakechamplain.org

8 | Clif Kingdom Enduro Lite, Burke Mountain Try your hand at enduro mountain bike racing. Pro riders will be on hand to offer tips to beginners while they try a course designed for first-timers. skiburke.com

22-24 | NEMBAfest at Kingdom Trails, East Burke East Burke hosts the annual festival celebrating New England mountain biking with demos, camping, live music, competitions and exhibitions. nembafest.com 23 | Route 100 – 200 Miles, North Troy The 100/200 is a one-day road ride that stretches from the Canadian border to the Massachusetts state line on one of Vermont’s most scenic highways. The 200-mile ride is routed to minimize automobile traffic. 100-200.org 23 | Long Trail Century Ride to Benefit Vermont Adaptive, Bridgewater Corners 100, 60, 40, or 20 mile and 5K routes with a festival and party in the afternoon with BBQ, live music, farmers market vendors, kids activities and more. Mountain bikers ride at Killington. longtrailcenturyride.com 24 | Central Vermont Cycling Tour, Montpelier This classic boasts unbroken scenery, well-marked courses, great food sand three options, from the 13-mile loop to the 59-mile ride with 6,000 feet of elevation. crossvermont.org

7 | Tour De Grace, Stratton Stratton serves as the starting point for a scenic, 17.5-mile road ride to benefit Grace Cottage Hospital. stratton.com

13-14 | The Prouty, Hanover, N.H. Join in for two days of 100-mile “century” road bike rides supporting patient services and research at the Norris Cotton Cancer Center. Friday’s ride starts in Hanover and goes through quintessential Vermont. On Saturday, ride the Prouty Century or the new a 64-mile metric century hybrid gravel route. theprouty.org 15 | Eastern States Cup Showdown, Sugarbush Race with the pros in these enduro and downhill mountain bike races. sugarbush.com 15 | Champ’s Challenge, Vergennes Join the Basin Harbor Club in supporting research for Cystic Fibrosis by entering a 43 or 8-mile bike ride on rolling, challenging terrain. basinharbor.com 16-19 | The Vermont Challenge, Stratton Mountain Resort Manchester and Stratton Resort serve as the home bases for four days of long-distance rides. The challenge also includes gran, medio or piccolo fondo options for Saturday. New this year: a 56-mile route on Sunday that finishes atop Mount Equinox. vtchallenge.com

27-29 | Vermont Mountain Bike Association Fest, West Windsor The Vermont Mountain Bike Association hosts its annual festival at Ascutney Basin, with everything from daylong epics to pump track sessions with the kiddies. vmba.org

AUGUST 1-5 | Fox Mountain Biking US Open, Killington Resort Pros and amateurs race in downhill, enduro, best whip, US Kids Open classes and more in the most challenging and competitive racing in the nation. Don’t miss the after-party with Long Trail Brewing and a free concert. killington.com

Ethan Allen Biathlon Club 2018 Summer Race Series

DATES July 12, 19, 26, August 9,16, 23 TIMES 5:00 pm - Registration 5:30 to 6:00 pm - Zeroing 6:15 pm - Race Start WHERE Ethan Allen Biathlon Club Ethan Allen Rd., Jericho, VT

NEW: See our website for mandatory

Safety Clinic information Info: www.eabiathlon.org

42ND ANNUAL

R U N A G R O U N D T R I AT H L O N

Village Bicycle // Richmond, VT Custom Bikes // Full Service

Sunday, September 16

#JoshBillingsTri

THROUGH 5 TOWNS IN THE BEAUTIFUL BERKSHIRES Bike • Canoe/Kayak/SUP • Run Triathlon Team & Iron Categories

active.com and trireg.com joshbillings.com

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 29

4 | Tour de Slate, Middletown Springs Choose between a 63.4-mile ride, a 36-mile ride and a 22-mile ride or a family ride off the road. Don’t miss the chicken curry, served hot on the green after the race. Ride to support addiction resources at Teen Challenge, VT. tourdeslate.org 11 | VSECU Point-to-Point, Ascutney Tackle 100, 50 or 25 miles on the road, do a 10- or 20-mile trail ride or run a half marathon . Food trucks, live music and Harpoon beer after. pointtopoint.org 11 | Burke’s Bike ’N Brew, Burke Mountain Resort Listen to live music, ride Burke’s mountain bike park and sample local brews. skiburke.com 11 | The Victory Hill Enduro, Victory Top east coast riders challenge the trails and each other, hoping for a berth in the the Enduro World Series NorAm Continental Finals, to be held in Victory and at Burke one month later. easternstatescup.com/ victoryhill 11-13 | The VT3, Craftsbury Common This three-day mountain bike stage races showcase some of the most fun riding that the NEK has to offer. From the rocky, granite slopes of Hardwick to the sculpted enduro tracks of Victory, the VT3 promises fun courses, time trials, fast racing, and camaraderie. thevt3.com

18 | Mt. Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb The original bicycle race up the Mt. Washington Auto Road, deemed the toughest hillclimb in the world. mtwashingtonautoroad.com 18-19 | The Vermont Challenge, Stratton Cyclists hit the road for four days of epic, scenic riding through central and southern Vermont. Sunday’s ride ends at the summit of Mount Equinox. vtchallenge.com 26 | The Vermont Overland, Reading The Overland is a 45-mile dirt road bicycle race with 6,000 feet of climbing, eight sections of unmaintained ancient public roads, two sag stops, a scenic route and a party afterwards. vermontoverland.com 27 | Del’s Ride and Trail Run, Huntington This mountain bike and trail run raises money to benefit Cure AHC: Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood racevermont.com Aug. 31-Sept 3 | Green Mountain Stage Race, Mad River Valley and Burlington Four days of challenging time trials, circuit races and criteriums. gmsr.info.

KICK OFF YOUR outd adventure season oor in style

SEPTEMBER 8 | 13th Annual Kelly Brush Ride, Middlebury Register to ride 20, 50 or 100 miles through the scenic Champlain Valley. Registration and fundraising done by participants in this event help people with spinal cord injuries afford adaptive athletic equipment. kellybrushfoundation.org 9 | Cabot Ride the Ridges, Cabot This fun and challenging mostly dirt gravel/ road bike ride goes through the rugged but scenic hills of Cabot and Peacham. It is fully supported and offers 10k, 30k, 60k and 100k loops. The races are followed by lunch and Kingdom Creamery ice cream. ridetheridges.net 15-16 | International Downhill Federation World Cup Tour, Killington The world’s fastest, high-speed skateboarders return to Killington to race. killington.com 15-16 | Enduro World Series North American Finals, Burke Amateur mountain bikers can race with the nation’s top pros for a chance to qualify for the Worlds. Followed by a night of beer, barbecue and music. skiburke.com 30 | Vermont 50, Mount Ascutney This race benefits Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports and offers a 50-mile mountain bike race, a 50-mile ultra run, a team relay, and a kids fun run. vermont50.com

WATERSPORTS JUNE 3 | Onion River Race & Ramble, Bolton Paddle ten miles down the Winooski River in Vermont’s largest river race. Cruise to the finish for a post-paddle party and live music. winooskiriver.org

Rafting, zipping, kayaking adventures In Southern VT and Western Mass Friendly professional staff, convenient location on the Deerfield River

only half an hour from brattleboro!

800-532-7483 ZOAROUTDOOR.COM VISIT US AT ZOAROUTDOOR.COM 800.532.7483 30 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

9-10 | Vermont Paddlers’ Club Novice Whitewater Clinic, Waterbury This two-day clinic will introduces paddlers to the basics of boat handling, river reading and techniques for driving a boat through moving water. northernforestcanoetrail.org 24 | BrattlePaddle Canoe & Kayak Races, Brattleboro This race, which begins in Brattleboro, Vt., takes place in the West and Connecticut Rivers. Race 9 miles or take a 3.5-mile leisurely paddle on a canoe, kayak or SUP on a recreational route. neckra.org

30-July 1 | Deerfield River Festival, Deerfield, Mass.

American Whitewater and Zoar Outdoor join forces to celebrate the Deerfield River with a full weekend of whitewater paddle sports. The event will raise funds for American Whitewater. americanwhitewater.org

JULY 14 | Georgeville or Bust, Newport Swim the 15 miles to cross the border. This race starts in Newport, Vermont and ends in Georgeville, Quebec. kingdomgames.co 15 | Branbury Classic, Salisbury This 1.5-mile paddle, 14-mile bike and 3.1-mile run is nestled against the Green Mountains, just below Rattlesnake Point, in Branbury State Park. Novice and advanced athletes are invited to participate. The 1.5 mile paddle portion of this event may be completed in a kayak, canoe or on a paddleboard. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com 23 | Winooski Pedal and Paddle, Winooski This new event hosted by the Friends of the Winooski River is a multi-sport affair. Participants drop their boats off in Winooski, head to the Ethan Allen Homestead where they will bike the 4 miles back to Winooski, hop in boats, and paddle back. Food and music will follow. winooskiriver.org 28 | 10th Annual Kingdom Swim, Newport Head to the Canadian Border for 25-, 10-, 6.2-, 3.1-, 1- mile swims. The event also hosts the World 10 Mile Open Water Championship sanctioned by the World Open Water Swimming Association. kingdomgames.com

AUGUST 3-4 | 10th Annual Stand Up for the Lake, Burlington A 6-mile, Worldwide Paddle Leagueaffiliated elite race, a 3-mile recreational race, and a kids' race. Don’t miss the after party at The Spot on The Dock. standupforthelake.com 4-5 | 16th Annual Fairpoint Lake Champlain Martin 16 Invitational Regatta, Colchester The Northeast Disabled Athletic Association and Malletts Bay Boat Club host the longest running regatta for sailors with disabilities in New England. disabledathletics.org 5 | Lake Champlain Dragon Boat Festival, Burlington Join 1,600 Vermonters in community teams racing 41-foot long dragon boats to raise money for cancer research. No experience necessary. ridethedragon.org

TRIATHLON/BIATHLON JUNE 12 | Lake Dunmore Triathlon, Salisbury The longest of Vermont Sun’s annual threepart triathlon series starts at Branbury State Park and includes a .9-mile swim, a 28-mile bike ride and a 6.2-mile run. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com 23 | Vermont Sun Triathlon, Salisbury Part of Vermont Sun’s annual triathlon series, this triathlon starts at Branbury State Park and includes a 600-yard swim, a 14-mile bike ride and a 3.1-mile run on the shores of Lake Dunmore. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com

JULY 7 | Basin Harbor Sprint Triathlon I, Vergennes The first of two sprint triathlons is a 500 yard swim, 12.2 mile bike and 5K run in and around the relatively flat Basin Harbor Resort. Limited to 150 racers. Teams of 2 or 3 welcome. Event repeats August 18. racevermont.com 12 | Ethan Allen Biathlon Series, Jericho A 6-race summer running biathlon series featuring a 5K run, safety clinics for novices, and an award ceremony. Beginners welcome, must be 14 to race with a .22 rifle. Repeats July 19 & 26, Aug. 9, 16, 23. eabiathlon.org 14 | Vermont’s Toughest Tri, Burke Mountain Resort Billed as the state’s most challenging triathlon. Swim 2.4 miles in Lake Willoughby, bike 112 miles (with 8,000 feet of elevation gain) and run a marathon with 5,000 more feet of climbing before landing back at Burke. skiburke.com 15| Vermont Sun Triathlon, Salisbury Part of Vermont Sun’s annual triathlon series, this triathlon starts at Branbury State Park and includes a 600-yard swim, a 14-mile bike ride and a 3.1-mile run on the shores of Lake Dunmore. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com 29 | 33rd Annual Colchester Triathlon, Colchester The Colchester Parks and Rec Department hosts a 500-meter swim (or a 1.5-mile kayak), 12-mile bike ride and 3-mile run, starting and finishing at Bayside Park in Colchester. colchestertri.com

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

JULY

12 | Lake Dunmore Triathlon, Salisbury The longest of Vermont Sun’s annual 3-part triathlon series starts at Branbury State Park and includes a .9-mile swim, a 28-mile bike ride and a 6.2-mile run. vermontsuntriathlonseries.com

15-16 | Spartan Race, Killington Test your mettle with these legendary obstacle-laden running races at Killington.

Run 30+, 12+, or 3+ miles through water, mud, and steep terrain. spartan.com

6-8 | Stoweflake Hot Air Balloon Festival, Stowe Enjoy wine, local food vendors, kids games and activities and a magnificent scene as 25 hot air balloons launch in unison against the backdrop of the Green Mountains. stoweflake.com

18 | Basin Harbor Sprint Triathlon II, Vergennes The first of two sprint triathlons is a 500 yard swim, 12.2 mile bike and 5K run in and around the relatively flat Basin Harbor Resort. Limited to 150 racers. Teams of 2 or 3 welcome. Event repeats August 18. racevermont.com

SEPTEMBER 16 | Josh Billings Triathlon, Stockbridge, Mass.

Teams and individuals complete a 27-mile bike ride, a 5-mile paddle, and 6-mile run through the Berkshires. There is also a kids race. joshbillings.com 30 | 26th Annual Vermont 50, Mt. Ascutney This 50-mile mountain bike race gains about 8,900 feet of elevation on trails and dirt roads. It offers a challenging course with good traction and great scenery. vermont50.org

OBSTACLE COURSE/ ADVENTURE RACE JULY 7-8 | Shale Hell Obstacle Course Race, Benson Choose between 24 or 8 hours of “Shale Hell” in this race to complete laps on an obstacle course. There is also a 10K race.

The event is a qualifying race for the OCR World Championships, to be held in August at Stratton Mountain. shalehilladventure.com 28 | Stowe Vermont Kids Adventure Games, Trapp Family Lodge Kids race through 3.5-5-mile obstacle courses according to their age. The course features 12-15 obstacles, including zip lines, ropes courses, mud pits, and giant slip-`nslides. kidsadventuregames.com

AUGUST 10 - 12 | North American OCR Championships, Stratton The best obstacle racers in the country come to Stratton to compete in the first North American Obstacle Course Racing Championships. stratton.com

15| Metallak Race, Colebrook, NH Paddle, mountain bike and run your way through the Mohawk Falls region in one of these 4 or 8-hour obstacle course races in New Hampshire's rugged North Country. metallakrace.com

FESTIVALS JUNE 9 | Brew-Grass Festival, Sugarbush Enjoy wood-fired pizza, a yak barbecue, and beer from 30 Vermont breweries to live bluegrass from Red Barn Hayloft and the Mad Mountain Scramblers. sugarbush.com 15-17 | Quechee Hot Air Balloon Music Festival The skies over Quechee fill with colorful hot air balloons at this event. The festival features up to 20 balloons that offer flights and tethered rides throughout the day. quecheeballoonfestival.com 21-24 | Stratton Wanderlust, Bondville Wanderlust attracts the world’s leading yoga teachers, top music acts and DJs, speakers, chefs, winemakers and more for four days of yoga, music and local food. stratton.com 24 | VT Rocks Music Festival and Barbecue, Bolton Valley Resort The lineup for this new music festival and barbecue includes eight bands, including Cookie’s Hot Club, Mountain Weekend and The Mallet Brothers Band. Proceeds will be donated to Bolton local Darlene Autery’s fight against cancer, are $40 for general admission. boltonvalley.com 28-30 | Frendly Gathering, Sugarbush Mt. Ellen is the site of this year’s Gathering, a festival organized by pro snowboarders Jack Mitrani, Danny Davis, Kevin Pearce and “frends.” Bands include Twiddle, Greensky Bluegrass, Devil Makes Three, Kat Wright, Trevor Hall and more. frendlygathering.com June 29 | B3 Festival Block Party, Stowe The Alchemist hosts this town wide celebration of bikes, beer, and live music.

The festival kicks off in Stowe Village with Stowe Vibrancy’s Block Party, featuring local food and beer samples, awesome vendors, kids activities, and a Mass Critical Ride, in which bikers take to the streets in unison to ride. vmba.org

7 | Rock The Roots, Mount Snow, This one-day festival of cider and music will feature big names such as Sublime with Rome, Dirty Heads, Lupe Fiasco, Pepper, and Matisyahu. Don’t miss the Angry Orchard Arcade, lawn games and much more. mountsnow.com 12-14 | All Come Home Music Festival, Okemo The Jackson Gore courtyard hosts local bands during the day. At night, a main stage host tribute bands honoring Neil Diamond, Talking Heads, David Bowie, Queen and more. Plus: food trucks and drinks galore. okemo.com 27-28 | Twiddle’s Tumble Down Festival, Burlington Twiddle, Matisyahu, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and others perform at this two-day, family friendly festival of yoga, disc golf, and live jams. highergroundmusic.com 28 | Jeezum Crow Festival, Jay Peak Resort Government Mule headlines the fifth year of Jay Peak’s Jeezum Crow Festival. jaypeakresort.com

AUGUST 11 | Spruce Peak Folk Festival, Stowe Josh Ritter and the Royal City Band, Anais Mitchell and Daniel Rodrigues of Elephant Revival will headline this year’s Spruce Peak Folk Festival. Don’t miss the Vermont busker acts at this family-friendly, picnic affair. stowe.com 18 | Stowe Tango Music Festival, Stowe Mountain Resort This highlight of this festival, founded by Grammy award winner Hector Del Curto and cellist Jisoo Ok, is the Stowe Tango Music Festival Orchestra. Don’t miss the show at the Spruce Peak stage at 8 PM stowemountainresort.com

SEPTEMBER 15-16 | Grand Point North Festival, Burlington Vermont rocker Grace Potter presents a full lineup of live music on the Burlington waterfront. grandpointnorth.com

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 31

IKE SHOPS

91

89 7

2

100

14

10

11 15 13

15

6 Burlington 2

AROUND VERMONT

1

ALPINE BIKE WORKS

2326 US Route 4 Killington VT 802-773-0000 alpinebikeworks.com Hours: Tues - Sat 10 - 5 We offer bicycles from Giant, Liv, Ibis and Yeti for road, gravel, mountain and gravity, plus accessories and apparel from Giro, Troy Lee, Race Face, Alpinestars and others. We stock an extensive inventory of service parts from Shimano, Sram, Fox, KS, and many others. Custom fitting with the Right Ride fit system. Our expert technicians offering everything from tune-ups to in-house suspension service. Mountain and DH rentals.

2

ALPINE SHOP

1184 Williston Rd. So. Burlington VT 802-862-2714

AlpineShopVT.com Hours: Mon – Sat 10 – 6; Sun 10 – 5 (Hours change seasonally)

ALPINE SHOP V

E

R

M

O

N

T

Specializing in mountain, hybrid and commuter bikes from Norco, Felt, Devine and Rossignol, Alpine Shop is a full service Bike Shop located off Exit 14E with ample parking & riding space. Rental and demo bikes available. 15,000 square feet of stylish clothing for men and women with a full inventory of gear, shoes and apparel for tennis.

Vermont’s favorite outdoor gear and apparel store since 1963.

3

4

belgencycles.com Hours: Mon – Sat 10:30 – 6:30 Closed Sundays

32 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

17

2

93

2 2

Montpelier

100

16

302

CHUCK’S BIKES

91

125

5

73 7

4

100

9

4

Rutland

12

1 103

chucksbikes802.com Hours: Mon – Fri 9 – 5:30, Sat 9 – 3, closed Sundays Putting smiles on people’s faces for over 35 years. Bikes by Jamis,Transition, Norco, KHS, Surly, Raleigh, Marin and Diamondback.

89

125

7

Manchester Center

103

91 100

6

5 5

CLAREMONT CYCLE

12 Plains Rd. Claremont NH 603.542.BIKE (2453)

Hours: Mon 8:30-5:30, Tues -

Fri 10:30 - 5:30, Sat 10:30 - 4, closed Sunday ClaremontCycle.com We are always evolving to stay current with the trends to meet our customers needs. With certain change, we always stay true to who and what we are: a true bike shop where customer satisfaction is top priority and staff is enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly.

Everyone who walks through our door is welcomed into our diverse bike community. We bring people from all walk of life and ages that share the same love and passion for cycling.

BELGEN CYCLES

24 Bridge St, Richmond VT 802-434-4876

89

15

8

45 Bridge St. Morrisville VT 802-8887642

5

3

7

sponsored content

7

5

4

Belgen Cycles offers custom and stock bicycles supported by 40 years of hands on experience.

Focused on the right bike for you covering the spectrum from road to ‘cross and mountain to fat with selections from Salsa, Xprezo, Moots, Parlee, Litespeed, Lynskey and Soma. Full service maintenance and repair as well as fitting solutions.

In business as Village Bicycle in Richmond for 19 years.

18

9

9 100

COWBELL MOBILE BIKE SHOP

25-mile radius around Burlington VT 802-373-3411 cowbellbike.com

Cowbell mobile bike shop is Vermont’s first full service bike shop in a van.

No more waiting around for weeks to get your bike tuned up. Just book an appointment and Cowbell shows up and you ride the same day. Todd the owner and operator has 23 yeas of experience and arrives with van full of parts and accessories. More then just a rolling bike shop...Cowbell also offers Corporate Visits, Ride Support and Bike Maintenance Classes.

7

EAST BURKE SPORTS

439 Route 114 East Burke VT 802-626-3215 eastburkesports.com Hours: 9 - 6 every day We are the original home to Kingdom Trails. Located in the heart of town, we pride ourselves in expert knowledge while providing friendly customer service. A full service shop awaits you and your repair needs. We have 100 rental bikes with an enormous selection of clothing, parts, and accessories.

8

FROG HOLLOW BIKES

74 Main Street Middlebury VT 802-388-6666 froghollowbikes.com Hours: Mon - Sat 9:305:30, Sun. 11–4 Take advantage of the most advanced and courteous service in our region, including a quick turn-around in our service shop downstairs. Upstairs in the sales room, we offer the best in new and used road, mountain, lifestyle, and children’s bikes and new gear. We carry brands that offer superior products that balance innovation and performance with reliability and value.

9

GREEN MOUNTAIN BIKES

105 N. Main St. Rochester VT 800-767-7882 greenmountainbikes.com Hours: 7 days a week, 10 – 6 Located in the center of Vermont, the heart of the Green Mountains, we are surrounded by terrain that calls to mountain and road bikers alike.

Whether you ride twisting trails or back to back gaps, we service, sell, and rent all styles of bicycles, featuring Kona, Jamis, Juliana, Raleigh, Santa Cruz, Transition, and Hinderyckx bikes - hand crafted by our own Rochester boy Zak Hinderyckx. So STOP READING and RIDE YOUR BIKE!

10 HIGH PEAKS CYCLERY

2733 Main St. Lake Placid NY 518-523-3764

highpeakscyclery.com Hours: Mon – Fri 9 – 6, Sun 9 – 5 Lake Placid’s source for bicycling and outdoor gear since 1983! Sales, Service, Rentals and Tours. Bikes

by Intense, BMC, Salsa, Surly, Giant and Scott. Your information headquarters for Lake Placid and the Adirondacks for gravel road, mountain biking and road riding adventures. Free maps. ADK80 and Ironman race info and course conditions. New! Basecamp Lodges

11 OLD SPOKES HOME

322 N Winooski Ave Burlington, VT 802-863-4475 oldspokeshome.com Hours: Mon - Sat 10 - 6, Sun 12 - 6

12 OMER & BOB’S 20 Hanover St. Lebanon NH 603-448-3522

omerandbobs.com Hours: Mon.–Fri. 9am–6pm, Sat. 9am–5pm Closed Sundays The Upper Valley’s bike shop since 1964. We carry road bikes, mountain bikes and kids bikes from specialty brands including Trek, Specialized and Colnago. Featuring a full service department offering bike fitting, bike rentals and a kids’ trade-in, trade-up program.

GEAR 13 OUTDOOR EXCHANGE 37 Church St. Burlington VT 802-860-0190

gearx.com Hours: Mon – Thurs 10 – 8, Fri – Sat 10 – 9, Sun 10 – 6 OGE offers Burlington riders a premier bike shop with a knowledgeable, friendly, and honest staff. We have commuters and gravel grinders from Marin and KHS, mountain bikes from Pivot, Transition, Rocky Mountain, and Yeti, and a wide consignment selection as well as demo fleet so you can try it before you buy it. Our service department is capable of everything from tuning your vintage road bike to servicing your new mountain bike and offers full Fox shock service. Come on down and see us on Church St!

14 POWER PLAY SPORTS 35 Portland St. Morrisville VT 802-888-6557

powerplaysports.com Hours: Mon – Fri 9 – 6, Sat 8:30 – 5, Sun 10 – 4 North Central Vermont’s Trek and Giant Dealer. With over 200 new and used bikes PPS has a bike for everyone. Service and rentals too!

15

SKIRACK

85 Main St. Burlington VT 802-658-3313 skirack.com Hours: Mon.–Sat. 10am–7pm, Sun. 11am–5pm Locally owned since 1969, Skirack provides gear, clothing, expert fitting and accessories for all cyclists, with full service tuning and repairs...plus complete bike suspension service on most forks and rear shocks. Designated one of America’s Best Bike Shops, Skirack is blocks from Lake Champlain. Open 8am Mon-Sat for bike service, car racks and rentals.

16 STARK MOUNTAIN BIKE WORKS

9 RTE 17 Waitsfield VT 05673 802-496-4800 Find us on Facebook Hours: Tues - Fri 9 - 6 * Close at 5 on Thursdays for Shop ride.

Sat 9 - 4, Sun 9 - 1, closed on Mon. Located at the lowest spot in the Mad River Valley so you can coast in when you break your bike on a ride! 20 years of advise, directions and fixing anything that pedals. You know you want a Yeti. Come try one of ours!

17 WATERBURY SPORTS

46 South Main St. Waterbury VT 802-882-8595

waterburysportsvt.com Hours: Mon – Thurs 10 – 6, Fri - Sat 9 – 7, Sun 10 – 4 WBS sells Trek and Giant bikes of every flavor from high-end mountain bikes to kids, hybrids and cross bikes. Our service techs are among the best in northern VT. We also rent and Demo from our downtown location right near the Perry Hill Trails.

18 WEST HILL BIKE SHOP

49 Brickyard Ln. Putney VT 802-387-5718 westhillshop.com Hours: Mon – Sat 10 – 6

Old Spokes Home offers Vermont’s best selection of professionally refurbished used bikes and new bikes for touring, bike packing, commuting, fat biking, and simply getting around town. Named one of the country’s best bike shops by Outside Online for it’s “plain-talk advice and no-nonsense service.” A non-profit as of January 2015, Old Spokes Home uses 100% of its revenue to run programs creating access to bikes in the community. And don’t miss their famous antique bicycle museum!

Since 1971, the West Hill Shop has been a low-key, friendly source for bikes ‘n gear, service and rare wisdoms. We are known regionally as the go-to place for problem-solving technicians. Our bike fitters specialize in comfort without sacrificing efficiency.

Recently, we’ve focused on stocking gravel road bikes, with awesome dirt road riding right out our door. Join us for our Annual West Hill Grinder September 23rd. It’s truly a rural adventure with loops on scenic gravel roads or wily trails.

JUNE 2018 | VTSPORTS.COM 33

ENDGAME

THE ENCOUNTER

THERE’S A MOMENT OF AWE WHEN YOU SPOT A BOBCAT IN THE WILD. BUT WHAT DOES IT SEE? BY LEATH TONINO

D

o you remember the time? I was driving, you were sitting to my right, the summer day was blurring by—birches and maples, blue jays and northern flickers, the Green Mountains’ vibrant green. Neither of us knew what the hell we were looking at, some moving thing the color of the road’s dirt and, in places, in the pattern of leaves, the color of shadow.

The windows were down, the radio off, the Jeep bumping along. I eased us to a stop and the animal stopped too, right there, fifteen feet ahead. We cursed for joy. We sang dirty words of surprise and disbelief and gratitude for our good fortune.

I’d never seen a bobcat in the wild, never looked into a bobcat’s face and felt a bobcat looking back, and neither had you. It really shut us up, that feeling, really stopped our mouths and minds. I know it sounds cheesy, but it’s true—it was the eyes.

We stared and the bobcat stared and the shared staring bonded us, everything pausing and deepening and stilling.

It’s one thing to catch a glimpse of a secretive animal, but to catch a secretive animal catching you, to feel the mirrored fascination, to see that it has a face like yours, with ears and nose, a mouth and eyes, to see that it casts its senses into the world like a soft net, as you do, as I do, and with that net retrieves the faces swimming out from the shadows and the sun…

Well, what can I say? It shut us up and shut us up fast. That seems to say it all.

But do you remember the thing that happened later, after the bobcat broke the trance, disappeared into the woods, after we drove away, talked manically, swore some more, laughed and felt blessed and went quiet? What I remember is feeling sad.

No, what I remember is feeling ashamed.

My outward gaze turned inward. So quickly I realized we’d done wrong.

That bobcat we saw, that bobcat we admired, what did it see? Bumping along again through the shadows and sun, the blur of birches and maples and woodpeckers and jays, it hit me in a painful way—it saw a Jeep. It gave us its perfect body and we gave it a jeep. It gave us its eyes and we gave it a windshield. In return for fur we offered steel. It presented itself honestly, but we did not. We took without giving. We absorbed without being absorbed. Unaware that we were doing so, we played ourselves off as a machine.

Sure, it would be easy to say that the bobcat didn’t care, only stopped in fear or surprise, that bobcats don’t discern between a Jeep and a human, that they don’t find beauty in their surroundings, that they don’t cast their senses like a soft net into the world as we do, or for the same

34 VTSPORTS.COM | JUNE 2018

Nocturnal and shy, bobcats are plentiful in the Green Mountains, but rarely seen. Until 1972, there was a $10 bounty for hunting these native cats in Vermont.

"Offer yourself from time to time, to the millions of lives that knew you and me and all of us, once long ago." reasons. But you were there. You saw the eyes. It was trying to look. It was looking. I can’t say what exactly it was looking for, but I can say with certainty that it was looking.

Beers. A jump in the pond. A bonfire that night, the flames licking up, the owls hooting and scooping overhead. We told the story and our friends were excited and since then I’ve told the story to others who also were excited. But now I’m telling a different story, the one I felt when the Jeep bumped along and we both finally went silent—the story of imbalance, of seeing but not being seen.

Old friend, it’s been years since we were last together and I know this is late in coming and I know you’re busy and all the rest. Please, though, I have something to ask of you: When you can, step out into the world as yourself—not your car, not your house, not your clothes or socks or hat or sunglasses, not your shampoo and soap, not your blaring music, not your little screens, not your machines.

Don’t steal yourself away from all the soft flung nets that would snag you, all the eyes and ears and noses and mouths that would see and hear and smell and taste you.

Offer yourself, from time to time, to the millions of lives that knew you and me and all of us once, not that long ago.

What with the many tricks we’ve pulled, it’s a wonder they still like us, but they do.

You saw the eyes. They like us and they miss us and they want us back. And we can give them that. We can take it easy, take a few deep breaths, step outside, and give them that.

Leath Tonino is the author of a forthcoming book of essays, The Animal One Thousand Miles Long, about explorations in Vermont, where he was born and raised. This is the first of several columns he will contribute.

eat, drink, listen and shred. epic food, 100 beers, 1,000 records and access to miles of world class trails* right outside our door. * thank you stowe trails partnership, stowe land trust, and town of stowe !

dinner every night and lunch friday - monday 802 760 6066 docponds.com @ docponds

WE’VE GOT YOUR BACK SO YOU CAN

GET BACK TO YOUR LIFE Dr. Kevin McGuire is a board-certified surgeon who brings 13 years of experience in spinal surgery to Dartmouth-Hitchcock. As part of the physician team for the award-winning Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (SPORT), Dr. McGuire takes care of the most complex spine needs at Dartmouth-Hitchcock, the only comprehensive joint replacement and spine surgery practice in the region.

See how our team of renowned surgeons can get you back to a pain-free life as soon as possible. Make an appointment at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon today.

LEARN MORE AT D-H.org/stepahead OR CALL (866) 429-9756