Wild, Wonderful and Warm West Virginia

By Martin • April 13th, 2010

Check out the pictures above. Point out two differences. Easy, right? Different kits, different weather. That’s pretty much the story of our 2010 Training Camp at the Lost River State Park in Mathias, West Virginia.

Unlike our inaugural camp in 2009, our trip to the mountains of West Virginia from April 2-4 saw nothing but sun and 70-degree days, a world apart from the drizzle and 40-degree slogs we experienced the year prior. We also had the chance to model our new, snazzy kits for the locals.

Over the course of the training camp, we rode hundreds of miles and climbed thousands of feet on roads that varied between pavement, loose gravel and full on Poolesville-like off-roading. With directions provided by the Raw Talent Ranch’s Jay Moglia (who told us that in West Virginia, no matter where you go you’ll climb 1,000 feet for every 10 miles you ride; he was dead on) and the guidance of Cycling Camp San Diego’s Rob Panzera, we climbed, practiced lead-outs and hairy descents, fixed an untold number of flats and otherwise got in a ton of solid, uninterrupted riding. Some guys fine-tuned their form (you’ll know who at the coming races) while others — OK, fine, I’ll point at myself here — realized how much form there was left to gain. Oh yeah, and we ate. A lot.

Riding in West Virginia is always a great mental and physical getaway from the usual roads we frequent, but even more so when you’re blessed with good weather. (An Easter miracle?) And though this year we couldn’t use the weather to claim that we’re all Belgian hardmen, I doubt anyone was too concerned about that.