Photo by Mike BittonThe south-slope of Mt. Hood is home to the famous Timberline ski resort, where I snowboarded Feb. 19, 2006.Apparently, I arrived late at Timberline for the USASA Halfpipe competition on Sunday, Feb. 19, because when I got there, it was already over. Very few participants showed up, and the runs down Stormin' Norman were over in less than 30 minutes. Sharp contrast to the USASA's slope style events I shot at Timberline a few weeks back, which went on all day long. Not one to waste an opportunity, I asked for and got a lift ticket from Mountain Services (thanks, Jill!), and bravely made for the bunny hill with my demo gear from Next Adventure. It would be my third time on a snowboard.
I slummed around the top of Bruno, the bunny hill named after one of Timberline's mascot dogs, hoping to overhear a few free pointers from the Timberline snowboard teaching staff. "Just strap in your downhill foot and skate around a bit on this flat stuff," was the first tip, which I tried. It worked for me! Another tip: "When you need to stand up, flip over onto your belly and push yourself up," which I thought sounded a little loco, but I tried it. It worked! Instantly up and out of control! I was so pleased to see many-a-30-something there on Bruno, struggling to get into their bindings; trying to figure out how to stand up; and slipping around once they got upright. I was truly among peers. Next week I'm scheduled to shoot the USASA halfpipe competition again. I will arrive a few hours early, just in case.
Photo by my brother, David Bitton
As the sun sets during the 24 Hours of Sunlight ski race at Sunlight Mountain Resort in Glenwood Springs, Colo., Matt Hart of Seattle, Wash., climbs toward the top of Compass Mountain.
Matt Hart of the DART adventure racing team invited me to be his support crew at the 24 Hours of Sunlight ski race in Glenwood Springs, Colo. The race began at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 11, and ended at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 12. Matt's showing was impressive. He completed 17 laps for a total elevation gain of well over 26,000 feet. He took eighth place out of 18 in the men's solo division. The course required participants to climb more than 1,500 feet to a ridge on Compass Mountain at the Sunlight ski resort, then ski, snowboard or simply hike back down. As his only support crew, my job was to meet Matt at the bottom of the hill each time he skied down, and get him ready to head immediately back up the hill. I'd hand him vitamins, coffee, energy drinks and food, put the climbing skins back on his skis and send him on his way. Forty-five minutes or an hour later, I'd do it again. Then again. And again. My brother, David Bitton, staff photographer for the Gazette newspaper in Colorado Springs, Colo., joined us at the race. Because he sent his photos to the Associated Press, his coverage of the 24 Hours of Sunlight ran in newspapers all over Colorado. What an awesome trip! I got in some great brother time, and was able to support one of the best endurance athletes I know. The more time I spend with Matt, the more impressed I become. Congrats, Matt! You are super-human in my book!
Photo by Mike Bitton
Erik Nachtrieb, manager of Seattle area adventure racing team D.A.R.T., introduces himself to a crowd of more than 70 during a lecture at the R.E.I. flagship store in Seattle, Wash.Seattle area adventure racing team D.A.R.T. packed the house at the flagship R.E.I. store in downtown Seattle, Wash. for a lecture about multi-sport endurance racing. The presentation included videos and still photographs of the team in action. Most of the still photographs were shot by me during the 2005 racing season. The first slide of the team's presentation, shown in the photo above, is one I took of team member Matt Hart during the Wicked Gorge adventure race in 2005. I love hanging out with D.A.R.T. and trying to capture the team's intensity. Seeing so many of my photographs on R.E.I.'s gigantic screen made me feel like a bit of a rock star. I'm stoked to go shoot more racing in 2006! Special thanks to Ryan and Jennifer for letting me sleep at their West Seattle home.
Photo by Mike Bitton
A competitor in the USASA Timberline Classic Series Sloopestyle competition catches air off the third jump in a snowpark spnosored by Next Adventure.I love being associated with Next Adventure, "Portland's Alternative Sporting Goods Store." I shoot a lot of the events the store sponsors. This year, Next Adventure is sponsoring the snow parks at the famed Timberline Lodge ski resort on Mt. Hood, Ore. The USASA series will have events at Timberline every weekend through the end of February, so I'd wager I'm about to become very familiar with the drive from my house to Timberline Lodge! The banner in the bottom left corner of the shot is from the store. Owners Deke and Bryan will be elated!
Photo by Mike Bitton
Riverboarders Ice (left) and Docta P hike upstream along Fish Creek in the Upper Clackamas River drainage near Estacada, Ore.I photographed Portland, Ore., riverboarders Ice and Docta P back in August 2005 for a New Orleans fitness magazine. Hurricane Katrina soon put the magazine out of business.
But these adrenaline junkies have successfully pitched an article on their addiction to a new magazine in Portland called Wend (as in "wend your way," or find your own way in the world). Hopefully, some of the shots from September's shoot can accompany some of the new winter shots I got today.
How cold was the water? The Ice Man and Docta P were both double-wrapped in neoprene wetsuits, and still squealed like babies in a chilly bathtub.
Photo by Mike Bitton
Members of Team Mergeo.com approach Transition Area 3 during the TRIOBA 24-Hour adventure race near Ellensburg, Wash.I spent the weekend in and around Ellensburg, Wash. (North of Yakima) photographing the third and final race of the 2005 TRIOBA adventure racing season. Seeing my friends on various teams has become just as much fun as taking pictures, as we spend hours before and after the race finding out what everyone has been up to.
This final race was billed as a 24-hour event, but the fastest teams surprised everyone and finished in just over 10 hours. Team Mergeo.com came in first, with Team DART just two minutes behind. DART had won the first two races in the 2005 TRIOBA series, and were the series chapmions in 2004. But a subtle error in navigation during the trekking section of the course cost DART nearly an hour, which allowed Mergeo.com to take the lead late in the race. DART left the final transition area about 15 minutes behind Mergeo.com. DART nearly caught up in the end, but could not beat Mergeo.com.
Photo by Mike Bitton
Seattle endurance athlete Matt Hart takes a 10-minute break between laps 14 and 15 during the 24 Hours of Adrenalin mountain bike race in Whistler, B.C., Canada. After this photo was taken, Hart completed two more laps.An invitation to join Matt Hart in Canada for the world championship 24-hour mountain bike race was too tempting to refuse. He'd pre-arranged to write race reports for some publications and needed photos to accompany them. I'm so glad he thought of me! I'd never been to Canada, and had always wanted to see British Columbia. I met up with Matt and his girlfriend, Tina, in Seattle, then rode with them in Matt's V.W. Westfalia van all the way to Whistler, B.C. Joining Tina as Matt's pit crew was Canadian Jennifer Segger, who often competes alongside Matt with the DART adventure racing team. Also on board for the event as Matt's bike mechanic was Duncan Sailors, an adventure racer from North Bend, Wash. Jennifer's friend, Jo, hooked us up with a room at the Fairmont Hotel in Whistler Village so we wouldn't have to camp out Friday night before the race. Thanks, Jo! The race began at noon on Saturday, Sept. 5, and ended at noon on Sunday, Sept. 6. The course was a 10-mile loop in and around Whistler Village. For much of that time, rain poured down. As the event wore on and the weather did not let up, Matt suffered imensely, as did his bikes. With carefully selected food and hydration, Tina and Jen kept Matt in the competition. With resourcefulness I'd thought only thieves posessed, Duncan kept the bikes functioning just well enough that Matt could stay in the race. When the competition ended, Matt took third place in his age category of 30-35 by completing 16 laps. Conisdering it was only the second 24-hour mountain bike race Matt had entered, I believe he did astonishingly well.
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