More than 200 riders and Go Nuts Biking crew are in town for the Buster the Beast XC and Enduro events this weekend at Monte Sano State Park.
The XC / EMTB sessions kick off the weekend Saturday morning at the park, with the Enduro event on Sunday. Riders also will be on some of the Land Trust trails that connect with the park. Anyone riding must have a USAC license. Go Nuts crew was at the park Thursday to tape off trails, lanes and put up signs. The XC event will begin about 8 a.m. and last until about 12:30, with the Enduro riders getting their pre-ride afterward.
“We have about 200, which is a little bit less than what we would normally get here in Huntsville,” said Dave Moore with Go Nuts Biking. “There’s a lot going on. A lot of people are going to nationals this week, and there’s a couple other events going on in the South, as well.
“We love coming here because the community’s great and full of riders. They’re super supportive. The local SORBA HAMR group that handles the trails here, they always help us out and get the trails clear. Matter of fact, there’s a couple guys out here right now with chainsaws, clearing out some trees that fell in the last couple of days. There’s really nothing to interfere with our race. We went out and everything seems to be pretty clear.”
Riders from across the Southeast are in town. Some are in hotels, others at rentals. The economic boost won’t be gigantic, compared to a stick-and-ball tournament, but it’s a solid pop on the holiday weekend. The GoNuts event is one of several on the holiday calendar. Moore said riders enjoy Huntsville and Monte Sano State Park because the trails offer a solid variety of flow, technicality and gnarl.
“Overall, this course has everything a mountain biker wants,” he said. “It’s got the technical, it’s got the old school single track, it’s got the downhill, the uphill, it’s got that little bit of gnar that some of those riders look for. And then it also has those smooth sections for those who like the flow. So overall, I mean, this has a little bit of everything.”
GoNuts Growth
The Go Nuts crew and start/finish lines will be at the overlook behind the pavilion near the park playground. It’s the eighth year for Go Nuts Biking and sixth to put on USAC-sanctioned events. GoNuts has done XC (cross-country) events from the start, Enduro for four-plus years and downhill this year. This year it put on an “urban” mountain bike event in Columbus, Ga., and last weekend did an endurance ride in Auburn at Chewacla State Park. That involved a 20-mile route in which riders could do 40, 60 or 80 miles total.
“That was pretty impressive, to be honest,” Moore said. “I was getting some of those riders who are going to be competing in the September USAC marathon race down there. It’s gonna be about the same course, I think. But I know they’re looking to have a 20 mile single-track. If they’re going to do it, they’re probably going to use exactly what we use which was a very intense course.”
Moore said the Go Nuts team is glad to be back in Huntsville for the fourth year.
“Who couldn’t enjoy these views on both sides of the mountain, you know?” he said. “The community itself is beautiful. I mean, it just always feels safe and welcoming when you come to Huntsville.”
