Bloggage following 2011 TSEpic
Coverage of our 2011 event:
Dirt Rag’s Karen Brooks and Josh Patterson write about their experience at TSEpic ’11
Cyclingnews.com November 2010
Cyclingnews.com January 2011
Press releases and articles on our 2010 event:
FEBRUARY 22, 2010 BETHLEHEM, PA FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Trans-Sylvania Epic and Chris Eatough Coaching Announce Strategic Partnership, Training Camps and Plans for Trans-Sylvania! Chris Eatough and promoters of the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic are pleased to announce two great ways to help athletes prepare for the incredible seven-day event, scheduled May 30-June 5, 2010, in State College, PA. Chris Eatough, the World’s most accomplished endurance cyclist, has created the Trans-Sylvania Epic Training Plan at ChrisEatough.com. It is a custom built training plan designed specifically around the demands of this incredible event and will bring participants to peak form in time to race. Whether you are preparing for an all-out solo assault on Trans-Sylvania or choosing your own stage race adventure on a Trans-Sylvania Team, this custom plan will prepare you perfectly. Says Eatough, “Mountain bike stage racing is such a great format, but there is a lot to know if you want to maximize your performance and fun. I have packaged all my knowledge, tips, and experience into the Trans-Sylvania Epic Training Plan so that participants can arrive at the race, ready to perform at their peak”. Chris worked closely with Trans-Sylvania Director and renowned endurance coach Mike Kuhn to delve into the demands of each and every stage of the race and integrated these considerations into the 12-week plan available for download on ChrisEatough.com. In addition, Eatough will be attending several days of the event though not as a racer. Eatough will be on hand to advise racers on how to best prepare for the rigors of upcoming stages – physically, strategically, and mechanically. Eatough plans to ride along with racers, providing technical tips and advice while enjoying the sweet central PA singletrack. “Since I’ve known Chris he has always been the consummate professional and he is now using his attention to detail in creating the Trans-Sylvania Epic Training Plan. We’re very excited to offer our participants the opportunity to take advantage of Chris’ knowledge and experience through this plan designed specifically for our race. Combined with our training camp and the opportunity for fully personalized training through yours truly, we have the full spectrum of options for endurance mountain bikers.” said Kuhn. To further prepare participants for Trans-Sylvania and offer a way for all athletes to ready themselves for the summer season, TSE is offering the Endurance MTB Training Camp/Trans-Sylvania Epic Preview. The Endurance MTB Camp/TSE Preview will run May 13-16 in State College, PA and will be led by Mike with assistance from two-time US National 24-Hour series champion and fellow PAValleys.com racing team member, “Vegan Rob” Lichtenwalner. Training rides on the Trans-Sylvania Epic courses will ready participants for the exact demands of the race. The TSE Camp offers all endurance mountain bike racers the opportunity to lift their fitness to a new high as they prepare for the summer schedule of cross country racing, 50 to 100+ milers, and 12- and 24-hour mountain bike races. Evening discussions will explore all aspects and nuances of endurance MTB racing. Participants will leave the camp more ready than ever to go the distance! More information about the camp, plans and this incredible event may be found on www.TransSylvaniaEpic.com.
Preview articles on our 2010 event:
- Fit Chick’s article on the event.
- Sue George’s article on Cyclingnews.com
- Shannon Mominee’s article on the Dirt Rag Blog
Press Release: Trans-Sylvania Epic Press Camp Report State College, PA 11/20/09
Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic race promoters Mike Kuhn and Ray Adams led a press camp event in central Pennsylvania’s Huntingdon and Center counties this weekend, showing off some of the trails and facilities which are to be a of the week-long 2010 event. In an effort to build excitement for this inaugural event, journalists were invited to ride portions of several of the race’s stages and tour the base camp facility where the stage race will take place.
A group anxious to preview some of Trans-Sylvania’s trails On Friday, reporters with Bicycling and Dirt Rag magazines were treated to a beautiful day of riding the relatively new Allegrippis trail system at Raystown Lake. “Allegrippis is a fast and fun roller coaster ride. We are excited to show off this trail system to Trans-Sylvania competitors, especially since it is so different from the majority of the other trails you’ll find here,” says Kuhn. The faster paced riding and distinct lack of rocks sets this stage apart from what many regional cyclists are accustomed to. Allegrippis was developed and built by the International Mountain Bike Association and opened in spring of 2009. Saturday and Sunday were spent riding some prime central PA singletrack out of the race’s headquarters, Seven Mountains Boy Scout Camp. These trails, located in Rothrock and Bald Eagle state forests, are punctuated with rock gardens, challenging climbs, and technical descents. Bicycling Magazine’s Fit Chick, Selene Yeager, commented, “It’s just amazing here. I was so psyched to ride the ridge trail on Tussey Mountain I remember from Single Speed Worlds. There’s nothing like it. I just never wanted it to end. I also loved going back to my favorite hang outs from my days in Penn State. State College is simply an awesome town. Too much fun.”
Some press and race staff at the Seven Mountains campground A focal point of the weekend was the impressive size and scope of the property which will be utilized in hosting the event. “There are several lodging options available for race participants, ranging from camping in your own tent to staying in a fully equipped lodge with your racing buddies, friends, and family,” says race promoter Ray Adams. “Since there are so many activities available here in the campground as well as in nearby State College, we hope to appeal to families in addition to serious competitors.”
Promoter Mike Kuhn shows off the view from the camp’s amphitheater When asked to identify what makes this event unique among other off-road stage race events, promoters Adams and Kuhn agreed that convenience, value, and fun factor align to make the Trans-Sylvania Epic a winner. “We are within a 5 hour drive from just about every city in the Mid-Atlantic, including some of the biggest airports in the nation,” says Kuhn. Adams commented on the central location of the base camp, “Sleeping in the same bed every night adds a ton of comfort and convenience to the equation. You don’t have to do any packing and you can hang your clothing out every night.” The two also pointed out the cost per day is lower for Trans-Sylvania when compared to similar events or in comparison to many vacation options. “We hope that this can be viewed as an affordable family vacation. We’re doing everything possible make sure there are amenities and activities to keep friends and family content during the race week.” “The salient reason to do this race are the trails. They are World class and rival anything I’ve ridden anywhere: better than TransRockies and very close to the best at BC Bike Race. The convenient camping and proximity to the town of State College are secondary, the beautiful courses that Ray, Mike, and Frank have set up are going to be that good,” said Bicycling’s Mike Cushionbury. Kuhn concludes, “After a weekend of course previews and hanging out in State College the sentiment was clear – the trails here in central PA are absolutely as good as anything anywhere and are why people will come to the Trans-Sylvania Epic. From west coasters to locals, the unanimous conclusion was that the trails we’ve linked together serve up a perfect combination of east coast gnar and fun fast cruising. All of the rest of the amenities – family friendliness, affordability of the event, great camp set up and accommodations, ease of access and unique categories are wonderful ancillary benefits that few events can match, but the Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic is about the trails – and the trails are incredible.”
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Press Release: July 15, 2009 - Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic Brings Week Long Off-Road Stage Racing to Central Pennsylvania in May 2010
The inaugural Trans-Sylvania Mountain Bike Epic, a seven day mountain bike stage race through the beautiful mountains of central Pennsylvania, will be held from May 30 through June 5, 2010 in and around State College, PA. The seven stages will be comprised of stellar east coast singletrack interspersed with rolling mountain roads showcasing the incredible off-road riding in central Pennsylvania. The experience will include four stages starting and finishing within riding distance of the race campground and three stages within a one hour drive of the camp. The first stage is a 10 mile time trial, with remaining stages consisting of single-lap cross country courses 25-60 miles in length. Trans-Sylvania will include categories for solo competitors, two-person, open and corporate teams. Director at large Ray Adams sees the event appealing to far more than just serious racers: “The Trans-Sylvania Epic is within a day’s drive of the majority of the US and Canadian populations and makes for an affordable summer vacation. We hope to draw not just competitors, but the families and friends of race participants as well. It is very easy to get to State College and participants will find trails that are as good as anything anywhere in the world.” Executive director Mike Kuhn agrees, “Our home-base campground offers numerous amenities including lodges, a swimming pool, and a full dining facility and is a convenient drive to State College, home of Penn State University, where you’ll find all the variety the largest city in central PA can offer including a whole host of food and lodging options.” Kuhn and Adams are no strangers to mountain biking and event promotion. The two have led the visitPA.com Mountain Bike Team through five years of successful racing, promoting tourism in their home state. Having promoted some of the largest mountain bike events in the Mid-Atlantic, Kuhn brings considerable experience to organizing such happenings. “We are excited for the opportunity to bring the week-long off-road stage racing format to Pennsylvania. This is an event we’ve been working on for close to two years and we are looking forward to showcasing the incredible trails here in the Keystone State through this challenging, memorable and fun experience,” said Kuhn. “Trans-Sylvania will be the great value in well-earned racing experiences and a great vacation for participants and spectators alike.” Unique to Trans-Pennsylvania and designed to appeal to a broad variety of participants and generate interest within professional circles is the Corporate Category. Within this category the fastest three team member’s times on each stage will count toward the overall while permitting teams to start as many riders as they like on any given day. This allows riders of all abilities to participate as often as they like through the week without penalizing team members who want to ride every day. Designed with incredible riding and a fun experience in mind and with the ease of travel to get to the event, the Trans-Sylvania Epic will appeal to serious racers as well as those looking for a week-long adventure vacation in the beautiful Pennsylvania wilderness. The Trans-Sylvania Epic is a production of The Outdoor Experience Organization, a non-profit Pennsylvania organization whose mission is to build and create, improve upon, and document forest trails in the state of Pennsylvania for the use of foot traffic, bicycles, cross-country skiers, equestrians and other user groups in order to increase interest in sustainable, healthy, and enjoyable outdoor oriented activities; build outdoor recreation tourism in Pennsylvania; and contribute to improved community health and wellness by increasing availability of fitness-related outdoor recreational activities and enhancing outdoor recreational opportunities. More details at www.TransSylvaniaEpic.com; by emailing us using the form on the site; or by calling 717-350-1029.
