Every year Central Arkansas Velo (CARVE) has a new season kick off party for it’s membership. CARVE, one of the older central Arkansas bike clubs has a mission based around recreational and team cycling:
– Promote all levels of competitive racing throughout Arkansas and the mid-South
– Support members interested in recreational cycling
– Provide clinics and educational events for members
– Promote a healthy lifestyle and commitment to personal fitness
– Promote community well-being through charitable and community service activities
– Promote development of junior racers
This year, the party was at Wellness Revolution, one of their newest sponsors. Other main sponsors include Aristotle, Chainwheel and Riverside Subaru among others. These events are always a great way to touch base with many of the local riders and competitors before the race season starts. This year that start will be the 2nd Annual Cross Winds Classic on February 23.
CARVE does this party up write with good food from one of our favorite local food trucks, The Southern Gourmasian, cold beverages and some friendly competition.
First off was a CompuTrainer competition. This system they had hooked up included a quick, intense ride that forced riders to feel the effects of hills and drag. Wattage and speed were easily viewed on a big screen in front of the rider. In the end, Phillip Prater won followed by Cody Rankin and Ben Stone. Phillip is a beast.
This event was followed by a CrossFit challenge, a specialty of Wellness Revolution. Somehow my name was drawn for the competition but, thinking quickly, I volunteered Frenetic Fitness Lisa to be my proxy while I took pictures. Lisa lives for this stuff and went on to own the event, as usual, declining to do “girl style” push ups.
A second tougher CrossFit Challenge went forward involving one of the instructors, Joey Lamb, and a couple of the CARVE members, the cyclists didn’t stand a chance. For more info on CrossFit (probably one of the hottest forms of workout today), contact the folks at Wellness Revolution.
The final competition of the evening was a Diet Coke/Mentos challenge that involved eating a lot of Mentos and drinking a lot of Diet Coke. We learned that a well placed belch kept the stomach from exploding…and that’s all I’m saying about that.
Now it’s time to go check out the CARVE Team in their natural environment at the Cross Winds Classic followed by the Scott-Tucker-Scott Classic and before you know it…Mountain Bike Season.
More photos available on our Facebook Page…
