The morning began with coffee and bagels at Rothrock Outfitters. Then a drive out to Allegrippis, where fat bikes just kept pouring into the parking lot as we suited up for the second day of Frozen Fat: Sunday Funday. Sunday's ride focuses much more on silliness than endurance. It's a rolling party. Costumes are generally …
Frozen Fat 2016, Part 1: Fire & Rain
This year was my thirdĀ Frozen Fat, and it was definitely my favorite one ever. More fun, less "race-like," and at this point, I know most of the people who keep returning year after year, so the event has the feeling of a reunion. The "frozen" part was missingĀ more most of the weekend, so it was …
Dirt Fest 2015.
Another Dirt Fest has come and gone, and, as usual, it was a big blur punctuated by highlights. It was my third year helping out with the event, and it seems as though every year I become farther removed from the participation aspect and more closely intertwined with the organization and making-stuff-happen aspect of things. …
Frozen Fat, Day 3: Shoreline Shenanigans.
If Saturday's ride is at all serious, Sunday's is anything but. Rather, it's wheelies and derbies, costumes and skipping stones. It's a party on bikes, no endurance needed. There are lots of stops, laughs, and log ride attempts. And everyone wins. The venue changes from Rothrock State Forest and Martin Gap to the Allegrippis Trails …
Continue reading "Frozen Fat, Day 3: Shoreline Shenanigans."
The day(s) of Dirt Fest.
For those attending, it lasted 3 days. For those of us helping to make it happen, it was more than a week of concentrated effort, of thinking only of Dirt Fest, and of making sure that the event went as smoothly as it could possibly go. The houseboat arrived on Monday, and we had one …
The calm before the storm.
The next week of my life is going to be nuts. This coming weekend, Dirt Rag's Dirt Fest happens at the Allegrippis Trails, and a couple thousand mountain bike enthusiasts from all over the county will be traveling to our backyard. It's a truly wonderful and exciting event to see and help make happen, but …
Frozen Fat, Day 2.
After a more leisurely start on Sunday and a change of venue from Rothrock State Forest to Lake Raystown, riders gathered in the Bakers Hollow Lot, ready to begin a second day of fat-biking. Today's ride was a bit different than Saturday---more casual, but punctuated by various "stages" or mini-events that riders could compete in …
Wednesday night.
Outside the cabin, a motley crew of people gather. Some have been strangers until now, some are friends reunited after too long, some know each other all too well. Some ride every day, some a couple times a week, but for a few, this will be their first ride in months. Our ages range from …
Teens with saws.
There is nothing that makes me feel more socially awkward than standing around in a group of high school students. Though it wasnāt all that long ago that my mid-20ās self was in their shoes, I now find myself feeling like Iām unable to relate, and my usual fun-loving and personable self seems to shut …
helena kotala 