Meet MT Alpha: Sarah Castle

Photo: 2012 Tom Robertson Photography

Sarah Castle is rad. I met Sarah about one and a half years ago. I instantly liked her. Sarah provides a demure presence and yet can provide a quick, witty retort to any worthy comment.  Further, she is crazy ripped (I have a crush on her strong climber arms). If that’s not enough, she is also incredibly intelligent. In fact, her presence in Missoula is a result of her seeking her PhD in Forestry with an emphasis on studying something along the line of microorganisms in the soil (……that’s a very generalized interpretation, so if you want to learn more about it, please feel free to ask Sarah).

So, with Sarah’s busy work schedule, we are lucky to have snagged her for the MT Alpha’s. And believe me, we are very lucky! This past summer Sarah took part in RATPOD, a 130 mile road tour through the Big Hole Valley and up through the Pioneer Mountains. The distance and the hilly terrain it covers assure that it is no easy feat to complete this ride. Add into it the notorious headwind that often greats riders as they complete the last fifth of the ride and you have an epic event! Now, I have a number of other friends who took part in the ride this past year. Two of these folks include fit, seasoned riders Owen Gue and Anya Wechsler.  Highlights of the ride from Anya and Owen included the amazing scenery, the crazy headwind in the final miles, Owen scarfing down three slices of pie; two cokes; and one frozen snickers bar at the pie stop, and Sarah Castle’s strength. Honest, they were so impressed with what a strong rider Sarah proved to be. She hooked up with them at the start and rode the entire 130 miles with them.  In this ride, Sarah proved her stamina on the bike.

Photo: 2012 Tom Robertson Photography

Not only did Sarah conquer RATPOD this year, but she also had her debut in mountain bike racing.  Her first and second encounters were on the Missoula XC course. First in the Wednesday night beer league races and second in the Hammer NutritionMissoula XC race. Riding this course for fun is no easy task, let alone racing this course. And racing it as your first mountain bike race is an even bigger deal as courses don’t get much more challenging than the steep uphill climbs and technical descents on this course which leave little chance for rest. Despite the challenge, Sarah managed to get on the podium during the Missoula XC race.

So, while Sarah will be the last to celebrate her accomplishments, as she is more eager to applaud others first, I am happy to have had the chance to share some of them with you. I am excited to ride with Sarah on the MT Alpha’s and I am eager to see where her riding, her academics, and contagious personality will take her.

-Heidi "Killer" Gaskill

Wizbang Hats + MT Alpha = Greatness

Ok... We know it's still almost 100 degrees every afternoon and the last thing you're thinking about is buying a hat for winter.... BUT!

Wizbang Hats are THE PERFECT under-your-helmet hat for late autumn mtb and cross. They're super light weight, so if you get too hot, it can easily be stuffed into your jersey pocket. AND they're great for cold weather running too. If you're into that.

Why are we promoting Wizbang Hats?  Because 1) they're super great.  we love them and want everyone to experience they're greatness; and 2) They're made locally (bonus) and 3) for every hat sold on this site (the hats on the right hand side of that site's page), Wizbang is giving MT Alpha a cut! Sweet.

So ladies (and gentlemen, maybe) order yourself one of these sick hats.  You won't regret!

Buy one. 

Also-  Heidi KILLED this weekend at Annadel XC in California, her new home turf!  She brought home a 3rd place win! Nice work Heids!  We miss you already!

Photo: Tom Robertson Photography

Jay Rutherford and Linsday Campbell Series Winner!

Results here. 

Thanks to everyone who came out and raced the MT Alpha Super D Series!

And a HUGE thanks to the best Real Estate Co. in town: ZILLA STATE! omg, without your help we'd still be up at Marshall trying to set the course.

And thanks to all the MT Alpha girls who came out every week to help set up! You girls are golden ;)

and thank you to MTXC and MSLAXC for your unwavering support!

And thank you to Betty's Divine, Black Diamond and Caffe Dolce for your sponsorship and providing SUPER SICK prizes.  We love you!

Super D Week 2!

Nice work last week girls and boys!

Results here.

See you this Wednesday for the FINAL SUPER D!

Blake (3rd) Ben (1st) and Rober (2nd)

Jen B (2nd); LC (1st); Cheyenne (3rd)

Jen B. and her quest for the Butte 50 finish line

MT Alphas Jamie Terry, Sarah Castle, Heidi Gaskill, Julie Kubik and Jen Bardsley  are racing "THE most difficult 100 mile mountain bike race in the country" this Saturday at the Butte 100.  This race is some of these girls top tier event and MT Alpha is so stoked that they'll be flying our colors!  Good luck ladies!  Remember: Pai Mei... KILL!

Jen B and Training for the Butte 50 Mountain Bike Race

The Butte 50!!!!!
So this is my first ever big big big bike race.
I have been racing mountain bike since 1993, but I have never trained for such a bad ass event. Sure I have ridden 50 miles before on my bike and done races that are intense, but the Butte 50 is another breed. What makes it different is the elevation gain and loss within those 50 miles. It is literally like racing up and over 6 mountain peaks. The course consists 11,459ft of elevation GAIN in a single day. The single track consists of serious technical loose granite and dense wooded single track along the Continental Divide Trail (CDT). The 50 mile race is sometimes referred as the "South Loop" because the 100-mile Race begin on mile 53 north loop before heading south on the the south loop. It is all very beautiful, however I wont be viewing the sweeping views of the Highland mountains, I will instead have my head down and keeping my breathing consistent. My goal is to not blow up. Although my husband won this race a few years ago, I just want to finish strong, ride my best ride and have fun.

The last section of the race after the notorious Basin Creek Climb is going to be my "happy place" because I know that when I make it to that point with some reserved energy, then I can rock the last 20 miles of the race. I used to live and Butte, and my fave ride of all time in Montana is the Beaver Ponds which is the last section of the race. It is a cherry ride with flowy roller-coaster single track with enormous granite boulders that erupted about 60 to 70 million years ago. (The Boulder Batholith)

       On top of the world - Jen on a training ride at 7651 feet (2332.02 meters) above Sea Level.  Near Sheep Mountain outside of Missoula Montana in the Rattlesnake Wildrness .

Jen's Training!


Starting in May

• 2 weekly rides with Women's Team MT Alpha on Tuesday and Sunday. https://www.facebook.com/MtAlphaCycling
• Start 3 hour rides on weekend

In June (my husband was in Finland for a month, so I had to be self motivated)

• 2 weekly rides with MT Alpha http://www.mtalphacycling.com/
• Race weekly series on Wednesday nights at Marshall Mountain Missoula XC on facebook
• Race Homestake Pass mountain bike race
• Weekend 4 hour rides

In July

• 2 weekly rides with MT Alpha
• Weekend 5 -6 hour rides with John. Examples for one long ride - Start from Missoula, ride up Overlook, down Ravine trail up to Snowbowl and up Beargrass highway then back down to Missoula - YUCK!
• Do the Wednesday night Super D downhill series
• Last week ride Sheep Mountain twice (26mile loop with 7mile uphill to peak).

*Also! I did not ride at all in the spring since I was consumed with finishing my BFA at UM. 

Bears - it should be noted that I encountered 8 bears this season while riding - all were "good bears and either just looked at me, kept eating huckleberries or ran away.
 I only had one Mama Bear stand up and woof at me up near Snowbowl, Mt. She had two cubs and would not budge. Luckily a worker at Snowbowl was chopping wood and heard me making a racket banging metal on old snowmobiles in an effort make the bear leave........He rescued me and put my bike in his pickup so I could get by her and back down the Mountain. She barely moved an inch off the road when we drove past.

Fast Boy! My riding partner John Bardsley

Training ride with John - mile 14 in Rattlesnake Wilderness

My women's team - MT ALPHA - Photo by Tom Robertson   http://www.tomrobertsonphoto.com/

John and Jen *pre-riding Butte 50 course (beverpond area) - Cherry ride!

Jen racing XC series at Marshall Mnt

TRAINING?????
Super D downhill Series - the 3 lone women downhill racers.
Jen, Lindsy Cambell and Cheyanne Rogers

Super D Week 1

Thanks for coming out!  We had so much fun!

If you remember your plate number you can check the results now.  If not, I'll have names up tonight!

Remember to bring these back to use next week! Thank you for these Zillastate- Voted Best Real Estate Service in the Northwest by MT Alpha

NEXT WEEK RACE: START AT 6 PM!

These three goof balls (Dillion, Doug and Ben) took 1, 2 and 3 in the men's race!  They KILLED IT this week.  Word on the street says Robert Sayler from Big Sky Bikes will be there next week... Watch out boys.

Lindsy Campbell and Jen Bardsley (MT Alpha Cycling) took 1 and 2 in the women's race. Nice work ladies!!

We got some very practical prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Check it-

Beer, food, light.  (p.s. Draught Works beer, might just be the best recovery drink available. Check out their new brewery!)

See you guys next week! 6 o'clock!

Photos: Jen Bardsley

SUPER D SUPER D SUPER D

TOMORROW!!!

Race starts at 5:30 at the top! Course opens for pre-riding at 4 pm.  HERE for more information.

PRIZES!-
Series winner:
    Men: $100 credit at Le Petite Outre 
    Women: $100 credit at Betty's Divine
Weekly winners:
   Dolce dinners; Black Diamond gear; hugs.

See you tomorrow night!