Young Life Mousetail Challenge Race Report

What do you get when you put the Tennessee Bellas with a great bike club like the Jackson Spokes? You get a super mountain bike race with great schwag and an awesome post-race grill!

The inaugural Young Life Mousetail Challenge took place on April 22 at Mousetail State Park in Linden, TN, co-sponsored by the Tennessee Bellas and the Jackson Spokes. The course, according to the race flyer, is mostly single track with some doubletrack sections, and 900+ feet of climbing on a 7.5 mile course.

"Bellas were well represented in all three fields," Molly Graves, fearless leader of the Tennessee Bellas said, "with Maria Pino and Angela stealing 1st and 2nd in the beginner race, Jennifer beating her own PR on her first lap in the women's Sport race, and myself and Sandy holding it together through three laps in the Expert race!"

BELLA RESULTS (full results available soon at www.jacksonspokes.com)

EXPERT WOMEN 19+
2nd place, Molly Graves
3rd place, Sandy Kern

SPORT SENIOR 19-29 WOMEN
1st place, Jennifer Moorehead

BEGINNER MASTER 30+ WOMEN
1st place, Maria Pino
2nd place, Angela Brown

This sign at the entrance to Mousetail describes the course more than words ever could. Photo by Dustin Greer.



Molly Graves shows true Bella flair on the course



Sandy Kern on the course...



R to L:
Maria Pino, Velo Bella-Kona, Beginner Women 30+ 1st place
Angela Brown, Velo Bella-Kona, Beginner Women 30+ 2nd place
Jeanie Neumeyer, Team NMB, 1st place Beginner Women 19-19
Photo by Yvonne Horn.




Beginner women's start. Photo by Yvonne Horn.

Natasha Cowie trains with the Pro Bellas, Races NMBS #1 in Arizona

Pro Southeastern Bella Natasha Cowie is one busy chick! Natasha just returned from training with the Bella Pro team and racing in the NMBS #1 in Arizona. Along with her awesomely dusty 7th place finish on March 31 in the Stage 2 race, Natasha had a blast experiencing life as a pro Bella. Below are some words from the report she posted on the Tennessee Bella Yahoo board.

“Training camp in Tucson was awesome,” Natasha beams in her report, “with TONS of wonderful food cooked by Alex's mom Judy. It's really the desert out there, with sand and cacti (we all ran into them...every single one of us was bloody at the end of every single ride). I got my bike on the first day and it is STUNNING. A Kona Kula Lisa in Velo Bella colors!!”

“I crashed pretty hard in the TT on Friday. The soil is so loose out
there, and I was coming down a washboarded hill and slid a little off
my line. I thought I'd just brush past a shrubby tree, but it was
more solid than I thought and I smacked into it and went flying
across the trail. Of COURSE my first thought was for the bike (skin
heals! bikes do not!)...but it's fine, not a scratch. I was able to
finish and it gave me a good story. My teammates and Alex took care of me and stood by taking lots of pictures while I was in the first aid tent (quote from the EMT: "WOW!! Your knee looks JUST LIKE hamburger meat!!"). Anyway, it wasn't a problem. I skipped the short track (really a fat tire crit) on Saturday night because I
didn't want to risk bashing it again, and it was fine in the race
Sunday.”

“I was thinking about the TN Bellas all week. It made me feel so good to know that I had a whole support crew back home sending me happy thoughts.”

“I had a GREAT time. I know it sounds corny, but this is a dream come true for me. The team is awesome. It felt like everyone instantly bonded.”

“I LOVE Velo Bella!! I am SO PROUD to be representing all of you on the pro team!”

And I’m sure the pro team is proud to have you, Natasha. You go girl!

Lascassas Road Race Report

The Tennessee Bellas finished well in the Lascassas Road Race on March 17th. On a chilly day, the ladies proved their road mettle. Results are below. The team also earned more BAR points than any other women’s team at the race. Go Bellas!

:: SENIOR WOMEN CATEGORY 4 ::

1 Mary Beth Chawan Team Gran Fondo - Bianchi
2 Gina Tolbert Outdoor Chattanooga / SCV
3 Andrea Creasy Smith & Nephew / Memphis Velo
4 Wendy Marin Velo Bella - Kona TN
5 Angie Vinson Velo Bella - Kona TN
6 Sandra Kern Velo Bella - Kona TN
7 Bing Bunch Team Avx Bikes
8 Molly Graves Velo Bella - Kona TN
9 Karyn Wheatley Unattached
10 Joy Denney Velo Bella - Kona TN
11 Yvonne Horn Velo Bella - Kona TN