Back Roads and Beaches 5K Run, Wine and Dine Registration Open

The Back Roads and Beaches, 5K registration is now open. The run is to be held Saturday, August 20, 2011. Start/Finish is at the Oberlin Inn, 7 North Main St., Oberlin, OH. Start time is 5pm (registration opens at 3:30pm). The course runs through the funky little City of Oberlin, home to Oberlin College. Oberlin is unique in its ties to the Underground Railroad. This is a bicycle friendly community that loves visitors.

Bring your bike and/or kayak and make it a multi-sport weekend. Stay at the Oberlin Inn and bike the Back Roads and Beaches Route, mountain bike the Thorn Mountain Bike Trail at Findley State Park or kayak the Vermilion to Lorain water trail.

Following the race, there will be local food and wine and entertainment outside the Oberlin Inn. Click here for details and link to online registration.

Meet Mountain Bike Racer Lindsey Prososki

photo courtesy of Lindsey Prososki

Meet Lindsey Prososki, Back Roads and Beaches’ sponsored mountain biking phenom. Now a 16 year old junior at North Ridgeville High School, Lindsey has been racing for 11 years, starting in the competitive sport of mountain biking at the ripe age of 5. By the age of 12, she was a full time mountain biker taking over racing circuits across the country. She is currently ranked number 1 in the country by USA Cycling for junior women cross country and has taken many impressive first place finishes in races including the prestigious Kenda Cup Series.

According to Lindsey, her dad was instrumental in her early start as a mountain biker. She grew up watching her father race mountain bikes competitively, but according to Lindsey’s mom “Now he can’t keep up”. With Lindsey’s talent, it’s understandable. In addition to her first place ranking in the country, Lindsey was also previously named the novice women’s state champion in the Ohio Mountain Bike Championship (OMBC) series. This class is designed for women aged 25 and up, and at the time of her win, Lindsey was merely 13 years old. This major feat sums up the drive and talent that Lindsey possesses. She also won the Iceman Cometh Challenge which is believed to be the largest single day mountain bike race in the world which boasts more than 5,000 racers.

Saturday was gorgeous at Findley State Park in Wellington where the annual NCN Racing Sprint Tri was held. Results for the triathlon can be found at the NCN Racing site here. Photos can be found at the Back Roads and Beaches Facebook page.

NEO Power Series - Thorn MTB Race Recap 2010

More photos here

Over 100 racers visited Findley State Park Sunday for the first NEO Power Series MTB Race  sponsored by 331 Racing. This was stage one of a five stage series. Posted results report overall winner was Jeff Pendlebury with a time of 39:34:45, second overall Steve Twining with a time of 39:50:48, third overall Chip Meek with a time of 40:36:90. First overall female was Nancy Desmond with a time of 48:42:62, second was Emily Benson with a time of 52:06:64. These are preliminary results. Final results can be viewed here at the 331 Racing Site. More photos from Sunday's race can be viewed here.

Thorn Mountain Bike Trail Events and Conditions

Conditions are good at Findley State Park’s Thorn Mountain Bike Trail. Some soft spots. But the folks from the North Coast Mountain Bikers club have been volunteering their time to keep the trail in great shape. (Thanks Nab!)

The Tuesday evening time trials are back! Every Tuesday evening between 5:30–7:30 through August 15, for five dollars you can be timed for two individual laps. Best four total times out of a possible seven. Prizes for series winners. For questions on the series, call Nab at 216.214.5445.

Stage one of the NEO Power Series will take place next Saturday, July 18th. Registration begins at 9:45 at Findley State Park. Check the link for details.

Brisk but enthusiastic start to kayaking season

Some views from this morning’s Keel-Haulers kayak/canoe race. The race was moved downstream where water levels were higher.

Ready, set, go