Team Fezzari Bicycles

If you’ve grown tired of the same old mountain biking trails, we’ve got a treat for you. We’ve scoured the world (via the world wide web) and found what appears to be the 8 most gut-wrenching, eye-opening and “I want my mommy” mountain biking trails on the planet. You can try them if you dare, but we abstain from all legal responsibility here if you do. Without further adieu, here’s the top 10 in no particular order…

8 ) Bootleg Canyon Mountain Bike Trail, Boulder City, Nevada

These trails can seem almost unrideable, so extra precaution is very much needed. Advanced skills are required with some of the downhill trips, and it has steep sections and drops not advisable for the weak of heart.

7) Black Mountain, Brevard, N.C.

Black Mountain in Pisgah National Forest, Brevard North Carolina has one of the most scenic trails complete with beautiful waterfalls. But this ride isn’t for the weak of heart (and skills). Insane jumps, crazy switchbacks, and downhill drops that require some serious ability to control your bike.

6) Baseline Mountain, Canada Cup

It’s steep and rocky downhill can make less experienced riders lose control. Not to mention insanely steep sections and obstacles such as small trees on the way, which require adequate training to master. Take a trip to Rocky Mountain House in Alberta, Canada if you’re in for this type of challenge.

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5) Comfortably Numb , Whistler, British Columbia

The sign at the entrance “use at own risk” says it all. Comfortably Numb in British Columbia demands a great amount of skill and physical fitness. Very technical, and lots of steep descents and climbs make it not suitable for novices and even some intermediate bikers.

4) Porcupine Rim Mountain Bike Trail, Moab, Utah

As many mountain bikers could attest to, Porcupine Rim Trail in Moab, Utah is one of the most challenging and surely satisfying trails in the world. Its fast technical downhill runs make it hard to concentrate on turns and obstacles. The views and the scenery are a big bonus for riders.

3) Pasubio, Vicenza, Northern Italy

An ancient road in Vicenza, Italy, Pasubio has been rehabilitated into a hiking and mountain biking trail. The unique series of tunnels, the amazing scenic views, and the thrill of having  conquered one of the most dangerous roads in the world attract many bikers this trail. Take note however, that even just a small error could mean death.

2) Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

These copyrighted images taken of the  Cliffs of Moher in Emerald, Isle Ireland have been spreading over the Internet like wild fire. But seriously, this is one insane trail. Got milk? Right. You’re gonna need more than milk to ride this trail. One small tweak in your balance, and you’re taking a 600-foot plunge to the Atlantic ocean below.

1) Yungas Road, Bolivia

Considered by many as the world’s most dangerous road or “The Death Road”, Yungas Road in Bolivia takes up number one spot on the list. This dirt road contains no safety barriers and has a number of twisty turns that have killed 13 cyclists since 1998. The trail is so dangerous that biking on rainy season is strongly discouraged. A single mistake could result into a 1600 foot plunge.

(photo credits Jarrod, Japedi, SingleTracks, Shayne Kaye, WikiPedia, Pretty/Ugly Design)

Vancouver 2010 Inukshuk Rock Statue Ilanaaq

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"Ilanaaq", the mascot logo of the 2010 Winter Olympics, located on Whistler Mountain

Check out Fezzari’s Downhill Mountain Bikes.

This was like riding through a slushy.

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I was very excited to race the Frozen Hog this year, especially since the last time I raced it was in 2007. I didn’t have a chance to pre-ride the course, but I knew it wouldn’t matter too much with the increasingly warm conditions, the snow was bound to be different the day of the race.

The morning of the race as I walked up to get my number, the snow was just like a big slushy. I knew it was going to be a difficult year at the frozen hog. I had a really hard time deciding what pressure to run my tires so finally I decided to ride them with what seemed like 5 lbs PSI. We started the race off in a LeMans start, which if you don’t know, you run a short loop to your bike, hop on, and continue the race.

The short loop had snow that was up to my knees, which if you know me at all, you’ll know that is means it was about 4 feet deep in snow. I wasn’t super excited to start the race out with snow in my shoes, but that was just a pre-curser of what was to come. The trail was bogged down with a string of riders running the course, which made it impossible to try and ride. I was in second position for the expert women.

About 1/4 the way through the first lap I passed the lady who was in first and took the lead. I just kept running, that was my internal dialog…’just keep running!’ As the course started to switchback I looked for the other expert women riders and they were no were to be seen. The course became ridable on the down-hill (very exhilerating on snow!) and back up to the start line where we would turn off to do our second lap. My pressure was waaaaay too low, but you live and learn and you race and learn. By the end of my second lap I was 7 minutes ahead of the second place women…it was pretty sweet. (Bike Pumps).

The race was provided with tons of great raffle prizes, including 2 bikes, hotel stays, and more. I was a little bummed out that my prize for winning was just a ribbon. Overall the race was super fun, very organized and most importantly CHALLENGING!

Above Photos: Erin Collins riding a Fezzari Solitude Hard Tail Carbon Mountain Bike.

Check out the Fezzari FXE Fixed Gear Bike (Fixie)

Heath Thurston grew up swimming. He earned great accolades during his High School years. After his first blissful year of marriage, Heath had gained 50 pounds and in 2001 started doing triathlons as a way to get back in shape.

By 2004 he won almost every race he entered and decided that he might have found what he was looking for in a career. Although it has not always been easy, Heath has stuck with his dream to pursue triathlons professionally. Heath will enter his third full season as a professional triathlete in 2010. He rides the Fezzari T5 triathlon bicycle and loves how fast and aerodynamic the bike is, but also says it is the most comfortable bike he has ever been on.

Some of his personal bests are 4:14 Austin Half Iron Man and 9:26 Florida Iron Man. He has had his share of ups and downs in races and training but he expects 2010 to be the best season yet. He loves everything about triathlon, his wife teases that once you get him talking about triathlon, you might never get him to stop!

In addition to racing as a professional he also coaches many outstanding athletes and helps businesses achieve employee wellness.

Downhill Mountain Biking on a Fezzari Widow’s Peak from Fezzari Bicycles.

2009 was a season defined but wonderful distractions.

After beginning the year with a 3rd place finish at the always competitive Desert Duathlon Classic in Phoenix, AZ my season looked to be off to a solid start.  Then came the first of three major life events (distractions that I would not change for anything).  This first distraction was graduation, as I finally finished up my Doctorate of Physical Therapy.   It was this fun filled day that should have tipped me off as, despite serious attempts on my behalf to persuade my family otherwise I was told that it was out of the question to miss my graduation in order to race the Lookout Mountain Hill Climb.

Distraction number two (a huge blessing as we look at today’s present economy) came the following Monday as I began my first steps in the real world, starting work as a Physical Therapist.  Two big distractions down one major one to go.

Knowing that we (my wife Bethanie and I)were T-minus 3 months from the expected arrival of my son it was time to race and race often before my wife grounded all out of state flights.  So I did.

While adjusting to the new schedule as a working man I raced as often as I could manage.  Among these races was the all important Apple Duathlon in Sartel, MN where I would punch my ticket as a member of Team USA  to my second World Championships in as many years.

Then 2 1/2 weeks early came my son, Ethan Myles Merrick.  With mom and baby healthy and all of us sleep deprived we spent the next three weeks trying to settle into some semblance of normalcy.

Once settled, I again set my eyes on the goal of winning a National Championship and rectifying last years tore hamstring hobble World Champs.  With the welcomed distraction of Ethan I was slightly behind the training eight ball and was now scrambling to find my fitness and form (ideally found separately) before the WC starter’s gun sounded.

The World Championships, 17th place overall, 6th fastest bike split , and second American.  This is the down a dirty.  It was good race considering my less than ideal preparations and a results that made me realize that 2010 World Champ was not a far fetched goal.  More on the WC race details in a separate post later.

So in review, while not a banner year as far as race results read I would not change it for the world.  For, finishing school, having a job that provides for my family (and attempts to pay off my monster student loans), and my wife and I being blessed with our son Ethan are gifts beyond the exhilaration that any race could provide.  In short, life is messy and messes with your plans but with each bump it becomes richer and richer.

I can’t believe that the 2009 season is already at the end. It seems that we were just scrambling to put the finishing touches on the ‘09 Fezzari Widows Peak with some new prototype suspension changes. The new frame was back from heat treat just in time to put it together for the Utah DH series opener at Sundance. The bike perfromed exactly like we knew it would from the CAD analysis and I won the opening round. The next round was held in my back yard in Bountiful, Utah. I felt pretty good with this one since I could practically ride that course with my eyes shut. Well, mother nature threw a wrench into things and I got to test that theory as I was not prepared for rain and I was blinded by mud two hundred yards into the race. I did the best I could riding by memory and still managed a second place finish.

The next race was the US National Championships in beautiful Sol Vista Colorado. This was my first time to that venue and I had heard lots of good things. Sol Vista did not disappoint. The downhill was long, fast, and scary. It had some super fast off-camber sweeper turns, a few good rock sections and more than one huge gap jump.

There was one in particular that I had to spend some time on.  I was about a 30 foot step down double in the middle of the woods with a blind landing.  This was bad enough but the entrance consisted of two log drops  and a short rock garden that you had to keep good momentum through.  If you made it, you then had to pedal with all your might and push off hard to make the landing which was lined with pine trees on both sides.  It was definately scary.  On my race run, I had a good start and came through clean and made that big step down.  I had a real clean run until about 2/3rds of the way down when I got stuck in a rut and came to a complete stop

.  I got back up to speed immediately but lost some precious time.  Through the finish – close but not fast enough, bronze medal finish.  The mountaincross course was equally as challenging with tough jumps and tricky multiple lines.  I qualified second and held that position in eliminations finishing with a silver.

We ran up to Wyoming next for two races in two days.  I showed up late on Saturday and had to race on no practice and finished 3rd.  Sunday’s race went better on another course and I won that one.  The next race in the series was Pomerelle in Idaho for another two races in two days.  This is one of my favorite venues and I went two for two on the weekend.  Flyin’ Brian was the series finale in Brian Head, Utah.  This was a fast and demanding course with slippery dirt and rocks galore.  More than one racer decided not to take their optional second run to not risk injuy.  I crashed on both of my runs but still managed to pull off a win and with that, I won the series.

Overall, I would say that it was a pretty good season.  Now we are busy designing the 2010 Widows to see if we can do even better.