What's Next?

So...After a 2008 in which Bell & Co Mtn Biking shocked the world (or at least the world of Arkansas Mtn Biking) by winning the Fat Tire Fest Team Competition, laying claim to 6 individual state championships, and coming in second in the Class A team competition, how possibly could the team follow that up in 2009? Well I'll tell ya...how about co-sponsoring a race at Camp Robinson to get it back on the AMBCS schedule after a multi-year hiatus and adopting a section of the Ouachita Trail.

For those that may not know, the Ouachita Trail is a jewel smack dab in the central US of A. Go to http://www.friendsot.org/ for the full low-down, but the short story is that it is a 223 mile trail stretching from Talimena St. Park in Oklahoma east through the Ouachita Mountains and ends at Pinnacle Mtn State Park right here in Little Rock, AR. What a resource!

Well...back to the trail adoption...Anyway, Bell & Co Mtn Bike Racing has adopted part of Section 8 from Mile Marker 133.6 to 136.1. This past weekend 8 of us went out to scope the trail and conduct our first trail work day. Richard Bell, Clayton Bell, Jeff Lovelady, Greg Jeffers, Zane Jeffers, Kevin Williams, Curtis Racher and yours truly all braved 10 hours in sub-freezing weather to do our civic duty for the greater good of the hiking and biking community. It didn't feel like work one bit. I forgot just how fantastic pretty much every step of the OT is. We blew leaves, lopped most face slappers and knee slappers, weedeated, cut down trees, and built 2 jumps just for the bikers! Also on this section is the Big Branch Primitive shelter. What a great shelter in a beautiful valley. We even thought we heard a black bear, but turns out that was Kevin (don't go there). After the work was done, we devoured every crumb of food we brought, then headed to Hot Springs Village for pizza & beer. What a way to unofficially get started on the season. 2009 is gonna be great!

I forgot my camera, so pictures to come once I get some emailed to me. Till then, happy trails!