fat tire

Laird Knight started it. In the early days of knobby-tired bliss ('84, I believe.), the Canaan series began all known mountain bike racing this side of Marin County's most eastern border. On that starting line, a motley wave of denim, flannel, bull-moose bars, short top tubes and long chainstays. Heck, the brakes stuck straight out instead of straight up.

Then, shortly thereafter in '85, Gil & Mary Willis hatched the WV Fat Tire Festival--one of the originals--and trails with names like Tea Creek, Prop's Run, and Gauley Moutain became legendary. At the first, maybe second Fat Tire Festival, two Roanokers struck up a conversation with Gil, describing the phenomenal, wide-open riding of the Jefferson National Forest between Roanoke and Slatyfork. Gil, in turn, encouraged these lads to create a nice race of their own.

Naturally, their own would mirror the true standard set by West Virginia: long, true cross country courses that make you glad just to be alive when the adventure's over. Thus the seed of back-country mountain bike racing, born in West Virginia, blew across state lines, and Virginia's first mountain bike race, the great Craig County ESCAPE was born in 1988. Paul and Scott dubbed themselves the Lads of Virginia. It was a brutal affair that left many a reasonable soul questioning their choice in recreational activity.

As increasing numbers of events burned like wildfire across West Virginia, the next logical step was to link them together in a series. Along about the same time, Laird and others sought an alternative to conventional sanctioning.and the West Virginia Mountain Bike Association was formed. WVMBA not only to spearhead racing, but also leads in the battle for trail access, and against the elements through maintenance. These are the important issues that preserve and protect our fledgling sport, and the WVMBA accomplishment in that arena is great.

By 1993, the planets had aligned in Virginia; a group of 3 events were strung together in the spring to form the Virginia State Championship Mountain Bike Series. Dragon's Back debuted that year, Rowdy Dawg the next week, and Thunderr In Holy Land the next. Three weekends, three victories by Gunnar Shogren, and yes, he is from WEST Virginia.

The series' on both sides of the line have evolved since then. 1999 marked a tremendous crossing of trails: the Virginia/West Virginia exchange. One Virginia State Championship Series event accounts for points in the West Virginia series. One West Virginia event applies points in the Virginia set. The respective points are scored just as they typically are, only at these two events, points count on both sides of the line at the same time..

It is our great fortune to connect the race that fathered Virginia mountain bike racing with the East Coasters Virginia State Championship Series. Plus, the Fat Tire Festival is undeniably a phenomenal race: it's a classic point-to-point adventure course, and it's the WVMBA event nearest to our border.

Kevin Wetzel, after surviving Prop's Run mere minutes before (Look! He's even wearing it!), eyes the last turn for home.

Also, when your done with Prop's Run, you're in one gorgeous slice of West Virginia at the perpetually cool Elk River Touring Center. Our contribution isn't half bad either. Middle Mountain Momma, too, is close to West Virginia. It's also an instant classic course with 99% unduplicated singletrack in a phenomenal state park.

So join with us as we join again with West Virginia with the continuation of something exciting and new. We'd like to believe it's just the next phase of an evolutionary process which began under the creative auspices of innovative folks like Laird, Gil and Mary, Matt Marcus, Jon Leyton, and a cast of thousands of race directors and racers throughout our two states.

Note: All participants in WVMBA series events are required to join that organization, or pay a nominal daily license fee.

To learn more about the Fat Tire Festival and the excellent Elk River Touring Center, follow me...