Riding mountain bikes in PA is incredible!

Name:
Wes Schempf

Date of birth:
3/10/1977

Where you grew up and live now:
I grew up in a military household. Both my parents are from the State College area, so we would go back on holidays to visit family. Currently, I reside in Sinking Spring, a town just west of Reading, PA.

College:
Graduated from Penn State University in '00 with a B.S. in Forest Biology

How long have you been riding / racing mountain bikes / road?
I started racing mountain bikes during my senior year of high school and into college. I quit for several years and then rediscovered the excitement of racing by going to the US Cyclocross Nationals in Baltimore, MD. After experiencing that as a spectator, I had to get a cross bike and I haven't looked back since.

Your biggest accomplishments in cycling:
2004 - US Cyclocross National Champion (B Men)
2004 - Mid Atlantic Cyclocross Series Champion (B Men)
2004 - PA State Cyclocross Champion (B Men)
2004 - PA State Cyclocross Championship 2nd Elite Men
2004 - Laurel Classic 1st Sport Men
2005 - DQ Scorcher (M.A.S.S) 1st Elite Singlespeed
2005 - NORBA National, Sandpointe, ID 5th Elite Men
2005 - Marysville Stage Race (M.A.S.S) 1st Elite Singlespeed
2005 - Danville (M.A.S.S) 1st Elite Singlespeed

Why you like to ride in PA:
Riding mountain bikes in PA is incredible! There is just so much variety in terrain and skill level. I do most of my riding in the mountains surrounding State College, where you can go out and ride singletrack for miles or do some serious climbs as well as very technical and steep descents. As riders we are blessed with a great resource in our state forests and gamelands.

Your connection to the visitPA.com team:
My connection with the team goes back to high school when I met Ryan at a Shaver's Creek Environmental Center summer camp. He was integral to me getting my first mountain bike. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) We were college roommates and housemates during our years at Penn State. Through Ryan, I met Ray at various races.

Bikes:
Gary Fisher Rig—single speed always, rigid sometimes
Gary Fisher Paragon—race ready hardtail
FORT Frames SLC Road bike—so nice
FORT Frames Carbon Max cross bike [quantity 2]

Worst Crash:

• Last July, full speed, BIG AIR over a huge log roll over. Resulted in a broken right clavicle needing to be surgically repaired with a titanium plate and seven ti screws. Time off the bike: four weeks. Time off work: eight weeks.
• Full speed into a 16-inch wooden barrier early December '06. resulted in breaking the barrier and a nice scar on my left leg.

Best Ride:

• Any soul ride with some of the state college locals in Rothrock State Forest. Absolutely beautiful.
• Ripping another trail in Nelson after riding our "cross country" 6 inch full suspension bikes uphill for 2 hours and then hiking with them for another 45 minutes. 4000' of vertical and the best part was checking out the transitions on the ENORMOUS rock slabs, some of which were 25 feet high. we rode them.
• Railing the Paperbag Trail in Nelson, BC with Flyin' Ryan. A classic "cross country" trail in Nelson with log bridges, steeps, rock rollovers, etc.
• Any ride with my friends in Newark, DE or Fairhill, MD. Swoopy trails and smack talkin.'

Things I do besides cycling:

• Telemark skiing
• macrame
• racquet ball
• sudoku
• rock/ice climbing