Thunder Valley National

rkappes
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4/21/2008 8:53am Edited Date/Time 1/27/2012 6:42pm
Hey! I know that this has probably already been asked and I apologize if it has because I don't know how to search the archives for old topics but I was wondering how the Thunder Valley AMA National is as far as a track, the race itself, area attractions, etc... Thanks for your input, It's much appreciated!
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SteveS
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4/21/2008 9:26am
Thunder Valley is in Denver. So for area attractions, it's Denver. You can go ride on a few tracks if you bring your bikes. You can go into the mountains. You can hike. You can go to the REI store. You can shop, party, eat out, whatever.

The track is good. It's on a steep hillside, so you need good shoes for going up and down. You can see the race real well though. And there seems to be good racing on it.

We have taken bikes out with us and headed over to Grand Junction for some riding before going to the race.

Here's a picture from way up the hill that gives you an idea of the layout



Here's a shot from a trip to the Grand Junction riding area

super rat
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4/21/2008 9:33am
Colorado is a God awful place, stay away.
jtomasik
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4/21/2008 9:36am
super rat wrote:
Colorado is a God awful place, stay away.
Except Vail. It's wonderful there. Go visit rat. Invite your friends, too.
rkappes
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4/21/2008 10:34am
SteveS wrote:
Thunder Valley is in Denver. So for area attractions, it's Denver. You can go ride on a few tracks if you bring your bikes. You can...
Thunder Valley is in Denver. So for area attractions, it's Denver. You can go ride on a few tracks if you bring your bikes. You can go into the mountains. You can hike. You can go to the REI store. You can shop, party, eat out, whatever.

The track is good. It's on a steep hillside, so you need good shoes for going up and down. You can see the race real well though. And there seems to be good racing on it.

We have taken bikes out with us and headed over to Grand Junction for some riding before going to the race.

Here's a picture from way up the hill that gives you an idea of the layout



Here's a shot from a trip to the Grand Junction riding area

Thanks for the info and the pics, I appreciate it!

The Shop

jtomasik
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4/21/2008 10:38am
Bring something to dig with, if you want to sit in chairs and have good viewing from up on the hill...you'll have to dig yourself some flat area. Bring a camelback, too. Drink tons of water. If you get altitude sickness, you'll hate life. Water helps combat that.
ayearinmx
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GB
4/21/2008 12:29pm
don't forget it will be a night race this year..... so it's saturday night, rather than a sunday event

i really enjoyed it last year, except for the heat, but seeing as it's at night... guess they fixed it Smile
rkappes
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4/22/2008 2:19pm
Yeah, I'm stoked I think were going to rent an RV and road trip out from Minnesota! It should be a blast!
hidesintrees
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4/22/2008 3:14pm
ill be flyin out from oregon, stayin with my family outside denver! i usually only go to washougal so im super excited to see more than 1 race this year!
squid48
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4/22/2008 4:04pm
I wish they had it sunday... the heat was another great equilizer... aloud a lot of mistakes to be made...

Oh well... well see how the cold weather at night works out...
RiderDown
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Evergreen, CO US
4/22/2008 8:22pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:41pm
The night race is going to be cool, it'll be fun to do something different. We've had a booth up there the last several years and are planning on this year as well. David Claybaugh, the track owner and promoter is a hardworking, good guy who has been pouring his blood sweat & tears into this track for a while. It's come a long way since the street weepings and trash heap it once was, he's trucked a lot of "real" dirt onto that rocky hillside. I live about 30 up the hill from there and while I don't hit the tracks as much as I used to it's a fun layout with lot's of elevation changes, fairly fast sweepers and of course, that damn power robbing altitude to deal with.


Denver & the Rocky mountains have a lot to offer. There's some great riding close by, National League baseball, lot's of good bars (hit the world famous Little Bear Saloon up in Evergreen), golf, etc... We're doing a Pro autograph session/Charity auction benefiting RiderDown.org and injured riders up north of Denver at Sun Enterprises on Thursday night before the races. Then starting Sunday after the races we're hosting "RiderDown in the Rockies" which will base out of Rampart Range just south of the city. We'll be posting more info on this at www.RiderDown.org soon. Bring your bikes and hit some trails with us!
jtomasik
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4/22/2008 8:29pm
RiderDown wrote:
The night race is going to be cool, it'll be fun to do something different. We've had a booth up there the last several years and...
The night race is going to be cool, it'll be fun to do something different. We've had a booth up there the last several years and are planning on this year as well. David Claybaugh, the track owner and promoter is a hardworking, good guy who has been pouring his blood sweat & tears into this track for a while. It's come a long way since the street weepings and trash heap it once was, he's trucked a lot of "real" dirt onto that rocky hillside. I live about 30 up the hill from there and while I don't hit the tracks as much as I used to it's a fun layout with lot's of elevation changes, fairly fast sweepers and of course, that damn power robbing altitude to deal with.


Denver & the Rocky mountains have a lot to offer. There's some great riding close by, National League baseball, lot's of good bars (hit the world famous Little Bear Saloon up in Evergreen), golf, etc... We're doing a Pro autograph session/Charity auction benefiting RiderDown.org and injured riders up north of Denver at Sun Enterprises on Thursday night before the races. Then starting Sunday after the races we're hosting "RiderDown in the Rockies" which will base out of Rampart Range just south of the city. We'll be posting more info on this at www.RiderDown.org soon. Bring your bikes and hit some trails with us!
I used to help Dave pull old, rusty pieces of pipe and other debris out of the street sweepings they used to dump on the track. It got so bad for awhile that I'd walk the track before I rode to clear it from things that could skewer me.

You ever make it down to Cygnus's? If not, you should check it out. It's come a long way.
twizzler
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4/22/2008 8:36pm
I remember pulling out a 3ft. piece of re-rod from that track once! Also saw hypodermic needle/syringe there too. Crazy!
Slow ~ Pro
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4/22/2008 8:40pm
twizzler wrote:
I remember pulling out a 3ft. piece of re-rod from that track once! Also saw hypodermic needle/syringe there too. Crazy!
Plus...they're running the National in the dark. That alone will have everyone drunk, by 3pm
mx757
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4/22/2008 9:08pm
twizzler wrote:
I remember pulling out a 3ft. piece of re-rod from that track once! Also saw hypodermic needle/syringe there too. Crazy!
haha needles, crack spoons, rebar, used condoms, and that was all just stuff we saw looking for about 5 minutes in the sweeper after the finish line haha. we were there for a local race the year before the national came in and just standing there for 15 minutes watching my dads moto we found a lot of stuff. no bueno indeed. Luckily now its much better and has good dirt all over the track. He also brings in more new dirt before the national every year to make up for the dirt that slid down the hill over the past year since the last national.
rkappes
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4/23/2008 11:03am
Do they have camping at the track?
rkappes
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4/23/2008 12:16pm
ill be flyin out from oregon, stayin with my family outside denver! i usually only go to washougal so im super excited to see more than...
ill be flyin out from oregon, stayin with my family outside denver! i usually only go to washougal so im super excited to see more than 1 race this year!
I agree, we only make it to one national a year and that's Millville, so I'm pumped to be heading to Thunder Valley!
SteveS
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4/23/2008 12:37pm
rkappes wrote:
Do they have camping at the track?
No
rkappes
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4/23/2008 12:48pm
rkappes wrote:
Do they have camping at the track?
SteveS wrote:
No
Dang! Do most people stay in Lakewood?
SteveS
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4/23/2008 1:46pm Edited Date/Time 4/16/2016 6:42pm
For the National, they do allow motorhomes to camp on a reservations basis. It's just a parking lot.: Call 303-781-8131 after April 1st for reservations.


www.mxthundervalley.com and click the Nationals tab.
Highsider
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4/23/2008 1:49pm Edited Date/Time 4/23/2008 5:03pm
rkappes wrote:
Do they have camping at the track?
SteveS wrote:
No
rkappes wrote:
Dang! Do most people stay in Lakewood?
1. You are already spoiled by the "Millville Experience"



2. Red Bud...nfm
rkappes
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4/24/2008 8:19am
SteveS wrote:
No
rkappes wrote:
Dang! Do most people stay in Lakewood?
Highsider wrote:
1. You are already spoiled by the "Millville Experience"



2. Red Bud...nfm
Yeah, we love Millville! We were actually going to head to Red Bud this summer but we decided to check out the night race instead and then head to Red Bud in 09!
rkappes
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4/24/2008 8:22am
SteveS wrote:
For the National, they do allow motorhomes to camp on a reservations basis. It's just a parking lot.: Call 303-781-8131 after April 1st for reservations. www.mxthundervalley.com...
For the National, they do allow motorhomes to camp on a reservations basis. It's just a parking lot.: Call 303-781-8131 after April 1st for reservations.


www.mxthundervalley.com and click the Nationals tab.
Thanks for the info! I followed the link and the Thunder Valley website in my opinion isn't as user friendly as some of the other track websites and it seems like it needs some updating but either way I'm pumped for the race!

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