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More Sweet Singletrack Ahead in 'Bama

The first-ever XTERRA at Cameron Park in Waco received rave reviews from competitors as being some of the best trail riding they've ever done, and there's more to come as the XTERRA America Tour rolls on.

In just three weeks (June 13) the XTERRA Southeast Championship will unfold at Oak Mountain State Park, a venue renowned for the work done by the Birmingham Urban Mountain Pedalers in making it one of the best tracks in the U.S.

Located in Shelby County, the southernmost part of the Appalachian Chain, the Alabama course is praised by competitors as being one of the most fun, fast, scenic and difficult on the XTERRA schedule.
It starts with a swim in the warm water of Double Oak Lake - two 750-meter laps separated by a short beach shuffle in-between.

>From there the long, 20.5 mile single-loop mountain bike course starts at about 500 feet elevation, twists, turns, and rolls through the forest for seven miles then begins a gradual 700-foot climb to the summit. The descent is a fast, wild ride highlighted by the notorious "blood rock" section - a series of tricky to maneuver, uneven and jagged rocks.

Former XTERRA World Champ Jamie Whitmore said "it's the best race venue ever.  It mixes East Coast mountain biking with tight turns, roots and rocks with a fast descent and rock garden area that's totally West Coast.  It's just a blast!"

The run, however, is simply punishing, with four major climbs - each progressively steeper than the one before.  In between the climbs are a series of weaving off-road trails that meander through forested sections that provide shade, if not relief, from the heat.