I have been thinking about ideas for a snow bike race since training with JayP over the winter and my ideas for the race took shape today during a very productive meeting with Linda Merigliano and Ray Spencer of the Bridger Teton National Forest office over in Jackson. I decided to initiate the meeting and see what their thoughts were on a snow bike race and I am glad I did. I expected skeptical scowls and opposition such as "...you wanna do WHAT on our snowmobile trails?" Instead, I got some great ideas, honest enthusiasm, and several ways to arrive at the same goal: A snow bike race in January, 2008.Initial thoughts on the race:
- No Entry Fee
- There will be two distances including a 100 mile version
- The entire race will be held on a network of groomed snowmobile trails between 6,000 and 9,000 feet in elevation.
- The course will include parts of the Continental Divide Trail system
- There will be a Blog site with details sometime this summer
The one thing Linda and Ray stressed during our meeting today is that safety is the #1 concern of the Forest Service when issuing recreational or special use permits and having a successful first race, with no injuries, is important. Snow biking is a barely spec on the radar of the Forest Service and National Park Service right now so first impressions are important.
In other less important news, my crud won't let go. It might be Ebola. Day 11 off of the bike.
8 comments:
Mentioning the 100 mile distance. Will there be a further distance as well or will the other distance be shorter? Either way I'm super excited and sign me up as an entrant!!!
At this point I am thinking that there will be a 40-50 mile option and the 100 mile option. There will be a substanstial amount of climbing in the 100 miler.
Man that's so sweet. Post "race season" this year I'll be setting up the snowbike and being some serious amount of training and camping sessions with it. Maybe I'll have to make it up your way for some trails and there will be a winter trip around white rim as well I think.
Sounds Cool....
Of course I'm all warm in the distillery right now and I don't have a snow bike so i'll have to build one fixed of course =)
40 mile option sound more fun to me =)
That is great news! I hope I can get a few days off in January.
That's very exciting news. Anybody that is snowbiking now is really pioneering a new and growing niche market for bicycling. I think it will continue to see some growth over the next 5-10 years. With this event you will joining Peirre and Cheryl (AH 135) as pioneers in this new sport in the lower 48. I can remember a time when no one had ever heard of a mountain bike or a triathalon. Maybe events like this will help snowbiking catch on as well.
100 miles with significant climbing on a snow bike would be intense. I look forward to watching the progression of your race. What time of year are you thinking of organizing it?
Jill, I am leaning towards Jan 19th, 2008. My second choice is Jan 12th. The goal is offer a snow bike race that does not conflict with the Su 100 or the Arrowhead 135.
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