Blue Mountain Beer League Racing
Beer League Racing is a general term for weeknight team ski racing. All that is needed is a Ski area with lights. My introduction was Big Boulder in the early-1980s. On Tuesday evenings, the registration line started to form an hour before registration opened. By the time the race started, 150 or more racers had shown up for one run. What were the Awards? The top Team of the night won a case of Beer. Six-packs and singles for age group podiums.
At one time, local skiers raced Blue Mt on Monday night, Big Boulder on Tuesday, Camelback on Wednesday, and Montage on Thursday. Friday, we waxed our skis for the weekend series. This was our 8-week winter family.
I was the Blue Ridge race team captain when Little Gap's Monday night league started in January 1985. The format was 7-person men's teams. 5-person women's teams. The format was side-by-side dual slalom. Rosters were submitted the first week, and 5 and 3 were counted for points. The two alternate times could not be used for scoring. You needed to beat the person in the other course to score points.
The Sandbagger series 1987
The first two years were D&E Ski Shop vs. Shawnee. The rest of the teams were a distant last. Complaints from some teams prompted Little Gap to add a B division on Wednesday Nights. Blue Ridge remained in the A division, while many teams that beat us in previous years moved to the Sandbagger league. 1987 would be the high-water mark for Blue Ridge / Lost Cause with a third-place finish.
Morning Call February 1987
"The D & E Ski Shop Team won the third annual six-week Miller Lite Monday Night Ski League trophy at Little Gap Ski Area, east of Palmerton. The Team tallied 54 points in the series of six dual slalom races over a 1,300-foot course with 25 to 28 gates. The Shawnee Mountain Ski team was the runner-up with 47 points, and the Blue Ridge Ski Team was third with 31 points.
Rocco Colangelo, president of Quality Beverage Distributors, Hazleton, presented Lite beer trophies to be retained by team sponsors. Team members received gold, silver, bronze medals, Lite beer sweatshirts, caps, and scarves."
The Crazy Mixed-up Couples race
1988 would bring a new sponsor and format, a Nestors-sponsored "The Crazy Mixed-up Couples race." This race started when registered couples were greeted by a tuxedoed doorman at a cocktail party at Pete and Karen's house. Every week, there is a new format. Barbara and I raced, as did Jeff and Patti Gum. Dave Burt was part of it, and after 36 years, I don't remember other names.
1989 would see the return of the 7 and 5-person teams with a new team format. This 1989 format was tweaked a few times but would continue until 2015. The women's division would die out, and the remaining women interested in racing would join men's teams. Brian Krieble would run the Blue Ridge team for a few years before it again ended up in my lap as Lost Cause.
Weeble's Wobble, but they don't fall down.
During the last 26 years of the league, we never had a chance to place on the podium. It was never about winning. It was only about the social aspects and the Beer. On our Team, you could race without the pressure of staying upright. During the 30 years, racers would drop out, and new racers would be added. Lost Cause would be the new home of talented racers uninterested in supporting a team. They could ski into the woods on a challenging course without damaging a podium-contending team. As the series was winding down, those talented racers made Lost Cause a podium-contending team.
Who raced for Blue Ridge / Lost Cause?
The early years Gerry Fedorishon, Kevin Vough, Bud Cole, Gary Rush, Naked Ray Vogel, 2 run Larry Hutchinson, Gary Yetter, Dave Katos, John Kopchinski, Brian Kriebel, Brian Berger, Bernie Wilson, Rob Leiser.
We had two father and son members: Joe & David Stubits , Chuck & Rich Uliana.
We had two Husband and Wife members, Hans & Tina Buckley, Rob & Carol Hauspurg.
One hit wonder, Joe Maza, broke his thumb on practice night.
They were too talented to race for us, but they did. Bud Horner, Robbie Allison, Joe Mazurek, Rick Weidenhafer, Dave Austin, Randy Deitrick, James Cordello.
The list goes on and on. Kenny Walters, Rob Regan, Craig Dally, Keith Haldeman, Mark David, Hoyt Masur, Danny Holstein, Who did I miss?
Did Blue Ridge have a women's Team?
Blue Ridge women raced; however, I don't believe they raced under the Blue Ridge banner.
Names to be added.
Did Blue Ridge members race for other teams?
Yes! Most local teams had Blue Ridge Members. Many Blue Ridge members worked on the race staff.
Did the Monday night league race on Finish Line before racing moved to Razors Edge in 2012?
Unfortunately, no! "Finish line" was where fast racers got slow, and I became a champion.
Why did the series end?
The other series offered better amenities. At Big Boulder, you could get a lift ticket, race, and buffet dinner for $10.00. At Blue Mountain, they charged us holiday rates when they could. Side-by-side racing didn't work on Razorback, and teams dropped out.
Where can I team night race?
The only team series locally is at Montage. Club Members can get discounted lift tickets for NASTAR racing Tuesday and Wednesday night at Bear Creek.
When we climbed the start ramp in January of 1985, ski racing was transitioning from Bamboo to breakaway gates. It would be another dozen years before we traded our 205cm skis for 165's. The fact that we are in our 60's and 70's and still racing was unimaginable back then.
Next story: The Bizarro Finish Line course. Was it built on a cursed Indian burial Ground?
We remember the Blue Ridge / Lost Cause racers who are no longer with us:
Joe Stubits, Bud Cole, and Chuck Uliana.
