He was a great friend, son, athlete, and teammate who joined our team last August after we spoke to him and his dad at the DORBA LB Houston race. You could instantly tell what kind of guy he was, and that he would be a perfect fit for our new team. We were over joyed to have someone as fast, and as young on the team, especially since Jacob had won the only two races he’d ever entered! He was just that talented. We saw him moving up to Cat 2 this year and probably Cat 1 in another year after that. Jacob finished third overall in last year’s DORBA Fall Series for the Cat 3 19 -29. He was also a fiercely competitive, but humble athlete. He often trained with the very same guys who he beat or finished behind for a podium spot in order to be a better athlete.
Jacob passed away on Thursday, January 16, 2014 at the age of 20 years old. This season is dedicated to our teammate Jacob, and we’ll be memorializing him on our new 2014 kits using his favorite race #116, sadly the same day he passed away. We’ve printed memorial stickers for anyone to have to put on their bicycles and “Race for Jake”! Stop by our tent at future races to pick one up.
Jacob grew up and lived in Grand Prairie, TX and had many friends. He was a hard worker at the landscaping job he had building private golfing greens, in lavish backyards for clients. He is survived by his parents Phil and Debbie Hollings, brother Matthew Hollings.
Early this month, the team celebrated completing it’s first inaugural racing season at the Bearded Lady on South Magnolia in Ft. Worth. It’s a must go kind of place that has one of the most comprehensive craft beer selections in North Texas!
2013 Board Officers with Geoff
At the party, the team had the pleasure of having pro racer, Geoff Godsey, from Team Giant Southwest and DFW Active Life as a guest speaker, and assisting us in giving out our team performance awards.
Geoff turned PRO in 2000 at the age of 23, and has raced for several teams including TREK-Volkswagen Pro Cycling (Off-road & On-road), Ranch London (On-road), Specialized Factory Team (On-Road), Team Hotel San Jose (On-Road), Kenda-5hr Energy Pro Cycling (On-Road), GIANT Factory ON-ROAD Team (formerly GIANT Bicycles-SOUTH). His career includes both domestic and international experience (primarily Central / South American Tours). He’s had 25 + Career Victories, Multiple Texas State Championship titles (includes current 2-time Masters State Criterium Championship). Some highlights – (3) Stages wins at the International Cycling Classic, (4) Stage wins at the Ciclismo Internationale de Brazil, Top 20 Performance at the US National Championship ITT – PR 51min 37sec (40K)
Team Performance Award Winners
Our team supports two types of members, racing and riding. Our racing members have the opportunity to compete for annual team awards to act as an incentive and motivation to perform well during the season. We track races completed and placings, and assign a points system to them. Based on the data, we have a pretty good objective way to award performance without any kind of subjective opinion. Here are the 2013 winners:
2013 Best Overall Performance, Bradon Schrader
2013 Overall Points Leader, Brandon Schrader
2013 Most Improved Rider, Braden Barnett
2013 Best Spring Racing Placing, Minh Nyugen
2013 Most Races Completed, James Henson
2013 Best Endurance Race Placing, Randy Davis
2013 Team Awards made by ReGeared
Along with individual performances, we feel our team fared pretty well as a whole. Here is a breakdown of our team performance from this past year:
Racing by the Numbers
The inaugural racing season saw 23 members compete in 8 USAC sanctioned, sprint and endurance mountain bike races for a total of 85 individual race entries completed. 20 members in Category 3 age group, and 3 in Category 2 single speed classifications. Total team membership reached 29 for the season and consisted of 23 adult males, 3 adult females, and 3 junior racers.
Racing Performance
Several of our racing members placed in the top ten and reached the podium in multiple races. Here is the breakdown of our best results for the season:
MTB Sprint
MTB Team Endurance
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th – 10th
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
5th – 10th
5
3
5
1
6
1
1
1
8
The team also had several top DORBA Fall Total Series placing’s, including 1st and 4th place for Cat 2 SS, 1st and a tie for 2nd place in the Cat 3 20 -29, and 1st place in Clydesdale
In addition to our racing performances, Bearded Women Racing is 100% focused on community outreach as well. Here is a summary of what our team accomplished this past season:
Carry the Load is a non-profit organization helping people celebrate a meaningful Memorial Day by conducting a 20-hour event that honors veterans and active duty service members, law enforcement officers, firefighters and their families.
The team was able to provide 20 adult, refurbished bicycles to those in need through this local organization located in Mansfield, TX. Their mission is to provide low cost transportation options to students, micro-businesspeople, health care workers and others in developing nations and in our local community by recycling and reusing bicycles and their component parts
The team helped to supply 480 NEW BALANCE sport t-shirts to Walnut Ridge Baptist Church for Samaritan’s Purse International Relief for Operation Christmas Child.
24 volunteers and 120 man hours later, a new super-berm was erected, miles of trail were trimmed, plant beds were managed, and hundreds of yards of grass were cut! BWR team members turned out in force alongside many other DORBA and local volunteers to make the effort a memorable one! Trail Steward Cash Lopper and game day coordinator Todd Brashear led the effort alongside sponsors Bearded Women Racing and B & B Bicycles.
Also, a few team members spent 9 man hours at another trial maintenance day at Cedar Hill State Park. A huge berm was repaired as well as a creek crossing. The team will continue to work with local trail stewards and schedule work days as a part of our membership requirements, and obligations to our community trails.
The Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association is a 501c3 non-profit and its primary mission is providing access to great local trails.
In May of 2013, Bearded Women Racing marched 91 miles in 17 hours and raised over $600 in honor of those fallen soldiers and their families at Carry the Load. The team will make this an annual fundraising event each year!
Carry the Load is a non-profit organization helping people celebrate a meaningful Memorial Day by conducting a 20-hour event that honors veterans and active duty service members, law enforcement officers, firefighters and their families.
At Bearded Women Racing, we’re always excited to hear how our sponsors are doing, and participating in building their community. Well, the ladies at Re-Geared are helping us build our racing community by offering up to our fans a “you can’t miss this” kind of deal!
Any sales that go through ReGeared.com and use the coupon code BEARDEDWOMEN2014 will receive 10% off their total purchase, and we will give an additional 10% to the club.
2013 Team Awards made by ReGeared
Rachel and Lauren from ReGeared
2013 Team with frame jersey for ReGeared!
Here’s the kind of awesome hand made furnishings and other products they make right here in North Texas:
Made the winner’s trophy for this year’s Leadville 50
2011 Specialized Hardrock Sport 29er, no frills, all factory…I call him Bruce, and I am not clipped in (yet).
2013 Felt Z85 road bike (the she-beast) purchased specifically for the 2013 HHH.
List past racing accomplishments in any sport you’ve competed in
I don’t race (yet) but I DID ride the HHH 50 miles (2013). I am very proud that in both my age group and the overall standings I ranked solidly in the middle.
What is your first memory of riding a bicycle?
I don’t remember my first bike but I have great memories of my little brother’s banana yellow “Swing Bike”; we beat the crap out of it! The other odd bike was from college. I wanted a 10-speed to get around campus but Dad bought me a Honda “People” bike. I was mortified and refused to ride it.
Why do you ride a bicycle?
It clears my head and makes me feel free. Plus I like the challenge, and the feeling of accomplishment when I have pushed myself.
What does Bearded Women mean to you?
This team is very encouraging. I feel like I am part of a family and I have a bunch of brothers (and a very pushy sister, haha) looking out for me.
The 2014 membership is now open until next Thursday, 11/21/2013 12AM. We’re taking applications for our Racing and Riding Membership.
Member Types
Click Here to be a Racing Member – must submit an annual application for review and approval. Commits to participating in the qualifying number of races per calendar year which is determined by the annual budget prior to the season start, at least one trail maintenance day event per calendar year (if racing MTB), at least one other community volunteer activity per calendar year and pay the prescribed annual membership dues of $50 at the start of the season. Racing Members must apply annually for each racing season.
Click Here to be a Riding Member – purchase a team kit, participate in at least one trail maintenance day per calendar year, and participate in at least one team community activity per calendar
Membership Benefits
All Members
i. Private, online group to communicate with members of the team, providing helpful training tips, trade opportunities, encouragement, group training rides, and much more.
ii. A personal racing profile on the Bearded Women Racing website.
iii. Team racing calendar and supported races throughout the season. Support includes onsite bicycle racks, bicycle stand and tools for mechanical issues, beverages and snacks for most races, team hotel bookings when needed, and race encouragement and camaraderie.
iv. Sponsorship support throughout the season, including sponsor donations and in-kind donations for team member’s use.
Racing Members
i. Full kit, racing socks, and other apparel for the season
ii. Race fee reimbursements will be given to all qualifying Racing Members at the end of the season. The amount of reimbursement will be determined based on the team’s annual budget.
iii. A team points competition throughout the season with end of year awards and prizes
Riding Members
i. Full kit for purchase by the member, racing socks, and other apparel for the season
What a spectacular inaugural season we’ve had! The last race in what became a make up race ended our 2013 season with a bang. We brought 10 racers and all did a great job finishing this fast course.
A couple of highlights include Braden Barnett ending his season with his first 1st place showing!
Nathan and his son Michael
Wes
Braden’s first 1st place!
Brandon Schrader finished his year with 2 5th place, 2 4th place, and 2 3rd place finishes and the lead in the team overall points competition. In addition, Nathan Delahoussaye and Wes Salas both finished in the top ten of the normally packed and competitive Cat 3 30 -39 category
With the majority of our racing members agreeing to comeback for the 2014 season, and the team looking to expand it’s racing roster, we can hope to see more successes in the future! If you’re interested in applying for 2014 racing membership, we will open up the application process on November 11th. For more information on team membership, read here! *We have a limited number of spots available
Here’s a wrap up of a recent event called Ride the NETT 4 of our team members on Saturday, November 2nd. Two of them raced the DORBA race the following day and the other two completed the ride back for a total round trip of 130 miles!
I love rail corridors that are no longer in service, have been rail banked, or abandoned for private purchase. They have layers of history that end up over lapping with new ones when rail trails are developed, like a palimpsest does. They provide a glimpse into our past when this form of transportation dominated our country’s landscapes, our industries, and was the most often used form of transportation. In our area of the nation’s prairie land, we have a fair share of these rail corridors. However, one in particular is special and provides a unique adventure unlike no other can in North Texas.
Last Saturday, I rode 50 miles of the 130 mile long, North East Texas Trail, starting at the western trail head in Farmersville, TX. Located approximately one hour from Dallas’ city center, it’s a complete escape and contrast to our…
2011 Orbea Alma 29″. Sun Ringle black flag pro wheels, Ikon tires and mainly sram xo components
List past racing accomplishments in any sport you’ve competed in
I never raced any one on a wrestling mat and as a running back I raced past a number of offensive lineman before being destroyed by a defensive lineman
What is your first memory of riding a bicycle?
my dad letting go of my bike and me falling down
Why do you ride a bicycle?
There is a moment during every ride where I feel completely free, its all about a search for complete freedom and being present in the moment
List past racing accomplishments in any sport you’ve competed in
I raced motocross from 6-14 years old. Made it up to 125cc Expert, then got interested in other things. Have been racing Mtn Bikes off and on for several years.
What is your first memory of riding a bicycle?
It was exciting and scary at the same time. It felt like pure freedom and flying! Oh,, the bike was a huffy with a cool sparkly colored seat.
Why do you ride a bicycle?
I ride to keep from getting overweight (I like to eat) and for the challenge. I find when I’m riding the stresses of everyday life seem to melt away, it clears my head.
What does Bearded Women mean to you?
Making new friends, Riding and Racing. A quote from Aristotle comes to mind…
” The whole is greater than the sum of its parts”
Bearded Women Racing 