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Written by Kenny Davis
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Saturday, 19 December 2009 14:43 |
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Mountain Bike Arkansas will be moving to a new server over the next few days. I plan on starting the move Saturday evening 12/19/09 and hopefully have it fully completed by Tuesday 12/22/09. I will move the website on Monday but DNS changes will not go into effect until the following day, this way the site move should be unnoticeable and hopefully there will be no down time. Wishing you all a wonderful and joyous Christmas.
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Written by Kenny Davis
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Saturday, 14 November 2009 08:38 |
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Well it took a little longer then I had expected but I finally got the updates added to the site. - Added Slaughter Pen Hollow Trail Complex
- Updated topo, maps, and added video to Hidden Diversity
- Added video's for Fossil Flats
- Added new poll, "My Bike Is". Looks like Womble won the favorite trail with Camp coming in a close second. To me they are all great trails.
For those of you who have not been on the trails here in Arkansas lately let me tell you that Fall is sure enough here. Crisp cool mornings, short but awesome sunsets. Leaves now lay where dirt trails use to be, the crunching of leaves as your bike tires shape them into some kind of leaf trail. The sound of a small stroke motor in the woods, someone has captured a leave between their tire and frame this always reminds me of when we were kids and put playing cards on our bikes so they would rattle against the spokes. The lack of traction due to all the leaves on the ground add to the frustration and exhilaration of fall riding. The short days which bring darkness on way to quick forces one to mount the lights and start riding with nocturnal creatures. That is mountain biking in Arkansas in fall, come on out and try it for yourself.
Since I am on the subject of night riding let me tell you about a set of lights that I purchased. When the days started growing short I busted out the light set that I have had for about 9 years now. I knew they were starting to wear down but I thought I could get one more season out of them. I proceeded to get them all charged up and ready to go, so I let them set for about 12 hours sucking in all the electrons they needed. I hooked them all up and they came to life with a wonderful glow of illumination that quickly dwindled to an amber and then nothing. I knew then that these old batteries that had seen some really great times would see no more. I also realized that there would be no riding on the weekdays if I did not act fast, so off I went to the internet to see what I could find for lighting. After reading a few articles and reviews and such I came across this one review about Magicshine lights. What caught my attention was the fact that they were 900 lumen and the fact that they were only $89.00. I was skeptical but they had gotten some really good reviews. After doing a little research on them I decided I would give them a shot. I placed my order and waited and waited, these lights are in such a demand that the retailer can not get them fast enough. I finally got the lights in and gave them a good charge. The following night I took them out for the first time. I have to admit I was really impressed with them. They are probably not the best on the market but they do the job and do it well and for the price it's hard to go wrong. If you are looking for some lights check out the Magicshine. I have used them about four times now and they remain bright and the battery is holding up to almost three hours. I was not real crazy about the mount but I simply cut off the velcro straps and used tie wraps.
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Last Updated on Saturday, 14 November 2009 09:37 |
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Written by Kenny Davis
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Thursday, 10 December 2009 20:33 |
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Just got this in from some of the folks in Dallas. I have participated in a some of their events and DORBA always puts on a first class event. Check it out if you can. (Dallas, TX) Dec, 2009 – Dallas mountain bike racing continues this winter with the world renowned DORBA Endurance Series. The running of the DORBA Endurance Series presented by the Dallas Off-Road Bicycling Association (DORBA) will have a record number of riders again this year. 250 amateur and professional riders from across Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas will be headed to Dallas for the biggest endurance series in the region. The 4 and 6 hour races are slated for the Saturdays of January 9th, February 13th, and March 6th, 2010. A Le Mans start (wherein bicyclists run to their bikes rather than starting on them) will be used to spread the racers before entering the single track trails. The DORBA Trails consists of epic singletrack dirt trails, designed by DORBA trail stewards which include technically challenging roots, logs, and boulders in the heart of Dallas and other North Texas locations. The finish line comes 6 hours later where the average lap times will be sub 1 hour. The Endurance Series racing classes are broken into, 2 man team, co-ed 2 person team, men’s and women’s solo class, and a single speed solo class, with 4 hour options for the solo clases. Teams may include younger cyclists who may enjoy racing this series with limits on back to back laps, and must be teamed with an adult. Now in its fourth year, the Endurance Series will get underway with the kickoff announcement at the Annual DORBA Awards Party at 7:00pm on Saturday, December 5th. Pre-Registration is encouraged and will open December 8th. When each of the races in the Endurance Series are over, top finishers will be rewarded with cash payouts and awards, after each race. World recognized cyclist, musician and local artisan, Davis Bickston, will be donating custom trophies to be awarded to the winner of each solo class. The Dallas Off Road Bicycle Association (DORBA) is recognized as the largest Mountain Bike club in the Texas, and is a registered Texas 501©3 organization. DORBA seeks to be at the forefront of promoting the sport of mountain biking, land access, and trail advocacy for the North Texas area, and serve as a model of leadership for other cycling organizations. DORBA encourages cycling education programs that advance a cyclists knowledge and skill level in a fun and encouraging atmosphere; non-competitive cycling events that foster a sense of fellowship and camaraderie that appeals to the diversity that is found within mountain biking community; competitive cycling events catering to XC, endurance, and racers of all racing skill levels; adherence to national IMBA guidelines for trail development and other insurance requirements; open, direct, and legal partnerships with land managers that can serve as models for new trails. For more information on the 4th Annual DORBA Frozen Endurance Series, contact Dylan Holt at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
, and please visit http://www.Dorba.org We welcome any cross promotional race opportunities with your club and look forward to seeing you in North Texas!
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Last Updated on Thursday, 10 December 2009 20:40 |
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Slaughter Pen Jam Dynasty of Dirt |
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Written by Kenny Davis
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Sunday, 01 November 2009 17:49 |
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Looks like the folks up in NW Arkansas are going to be putting on one really great event next weekend. They are working really hard to make this one really big blowout for mountain biking in the state. Below is a little blurb from John Lamparski, one of the good folks working to make this a great event. So if you have not planned anything for next weekend, why not help yourself out and the Slaughter Pen trails by going to this great blowout. "The Event is: Slaughter Pen Jam Dynasty of Dirt Championship November 6, 7, 8 Bentonville, Arkansas Cross Country, Slopestyle and Short Track Kid's Race, and Short Track Race All ages are welcome Party with live bands as well as film and food festivals. For complete info: www.fasttrails.org " These trails are really awesome trails and some of the best ridding in the NW Arkansas area. Don't let this one pass you by. Click here for the event flyer.
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Last Updated on Sunday, 01 November 2009 19:05 |
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