Second IMBA Epic delivers big adventure and big fun

IMBA Trail News
Volume 12, Number 3
August 1999

Penn State Trails Sedate? Not.

Thirty-two miles of singletrack and fire roads. Four thousand six hundred feet of climbing. More rocks than a Flintstones movie or a paperweight warehouse. The second IMBA Epic Celebration Ride rolled up and out of western Pennsylvania's Rothrock State Forest, June 10, for an unforgettable six-hour mountain bike ride. Among the 33 riders who pedaled away from the start at Tussey Mountain Ski Area were mountain biking's first World Downhill Champion Greg Herbold, Dirt Rag publisher Maurice Tierney, lots of local riders, IMBA staffers, and representatives of the IMBA Epic Series sponsors RockShox and Patagonia.

IMBA Epics are designed to highlight the adventure and challenge of mountain biking. This R3 Roth Rock Ride delivered plenty of both...and then some.

One mile in, it started raining. Tough under any conditions, western Pennsylvania's rocky trails became slick and treacherous. Split (by design) into three groups, the IMBA Epic contingent savored (or should we say weathered?) a repeating cycle of long climbs followed by fast descents on a mix of dirt roads, rocky doubletrack and tight, technical, forested singletrack.

By the middle of the afternoon, everyone pedaled back to the Tussey Mountain starting point for chips, pretzels, warm clothes and war stories. The rain finally stopped. IMBA board member Jim Hasenauer provided the group with an update on IMBA's progress and mountain bike luminaries offered their thoughts on the day.

Said Dirt Rag publisher Tierney: "It was IMBA, it was epic. It was little bit of everything. The rain was a big plus because it gave the ride that inclement weather epic feeling."

Herbold said, "It's really nice going to a new place to ride, and not actually to race. The route was certainly challenging. And there were only 10 or 12 guys wanting to roost me on every downhill. No one got hurt, no one got lost and everybody had fun. You can't ask for more than that.

The R3 Roth Rock Ride was the second in a series of four '99 IMBA Epics. The first was held April 28 in Fruita, Colorado. The next Epic is scheduled for August 4 in Slatyfork, West Virginia. The final '99 Epic will be held August 12 in Downieville, California. IMBA members and friends are invited to register by emailing .

All IMBA Epic selections are trails that are generally open to the public (weather conditions and seasonal considerations permitting). Thus, cyclists who aren't able to participate in this year's Epic celebrations will be able to pedal Epic loops at other times.

Epics sponsor RockShox has been IMBA's No. 1 bicycle industry supporter since '96. Patagonia, a new IMBA sponsor, recently introduced Endurance wear, a line of off-road cycling clothing.

Additional support for this IMBA Epic was provided by IMBA above-and-beyond sponsor Clif Bar and Purple Lizard Maps of Lemont, Pennsylvania (www.purplelizard.com).

photo courtesy Purple Lizard Publishing