Terror of Teaberry wraps up Michaux Series

The 95,000 acres of The Michaux State Forest in Pennsylvania live a tenuous existence. Technically, the forest is set aside to provide natural resources such as lumber, minerals and water. If you are a mountain biker, that land adds up to hundreds of miles of unprotected trail. It is not uncommon for local riders to have their trail disappear into a clear-cut, left with nothing but a vague idea where the trail might continue on the other side of the harvested tree farm. The curse and blessing of such an arrangement is the fact that forest managers are reluctant to establish permanent trail systems. Therefore what you end up with is a network of unmarked and lightly ridden trails that often need to be cleared or created before a race can be run through it.

Last year, racers at the Terror of Teaberry came out to one of these cuts and found themselves following a short reroute through the woods, without a trail to follow. In its place, there were arrows posted to the trees, and riders were free to choose their line between the red and white pointers. Instead of irritating racers, the detour only heightened the sense of adventure participants come to expect from the forest and promoters.

That is the stage to which the East coast's elite endurance racers will flock this weekend, for a chance to tackle some of the most technical and demanding courses in the racing world. Nearly half of Trek/VW's Factory team will be there for The Terror of Teaberry on Sunday, September 16 for the final race of the Michaux Endurance series. Trek / VW's Jeremiah Bishop, Chris Eatough, Jeff Schalk and Sue Haywood are slated to tackle the 50 mile loop. Harlan Price (Independent Fabrication) and Eatough will continue their heated battle for the series title. Only three minutes separate them after the first two races. Since taking second to Eatough in the National Ultra Endurance Series (NUE), which concluded earlier this month at the Shenandoah Mountain 100, Price is looking for a little payback and to defend his 2006 Michaux series title.

In the women's field, regional Trek/VW rider Cheryl Sorenson intends to use her local knowledge to edge out Shenandoah Mountain 100 winner Sue Haywood. Other women riders to challenge them including Carolyn Popovic (Trek/VW), who was second to Haywood at the Shenandoah 100, and Michelle Schnieder (Visit PA).

Gettysburg Bicycle puts on the three-race series with the intention of giving riders an epic day of supported riding. This year they have teamed up with the Mid-Atlantic Series in promoting the Terror of Teaberry. For more information, visit www.racemichaux.com.