Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout – this weekend!

Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout - this weekend!

As I look out the window and see snow falling (in a MN winter that has been largely snowless), I can’t help but think about what amazing fortune we had to have snow-covered trail for last weekend’s Fatbike Frozen Forty. By the same token, the Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout this weekend in the Brainerd Lakes area is equally blessed with the amazing recent snowfall.

I’ve been following the Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout information and updates, but am unfortunately unable to attend.  There are quite simply too many great fatbike events in MN (and elsewhere) to get to participate in all of them.  The folks putting on the Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout obviously have done their homework, and have created what appears to be an exceedingly well organized and exciting fatbike event, winter race, and festival.  I wish them great luck and success with their event this weekend.

They are continually updating their site with new information about the event, so be sure to check in from time to time if you’re interested about what they’ve got going on this weekend.  For those of us who are observing but not participating, we’d love to get a race report and recap from someone who was in Brained this weekend for the Cuyuna Lakes Whiteout festivities.  If you’d like to see your photos of the event and race report on RideFatbikes.com (with a visibility of over 5000 visitors a month), Contact Us to submit your post and photos for consideration.  Who knows, maybe your photos can even be showcased in the Fatbike Gallery!

 

Fatbike Frozen 40 Announcement

For everyone riding or sponsoring the Fatbike Frozen 40, we plan to contact you in the next couple days regarding a possible trail/venue change for next Saturday’s Frozen 40 event.  Either way, we are still on, and we will still begin registration at 8am and first wave of ride at 9am.  However, we might not be at Elm Creek Park in Maple Grove.

While the Elm Creek Park singletrack is a wonderful place for our event, the trail is currently closed, due to unseasonably warm weather.  While they suggested that there might be a possible alternate trail/option, nothing will be known or confirmed until just days before the event.  This is neither desirable nor predictable, but welcome to a crazy winter in MN.  Many great MN events have been rearranged or cancelled due to weather.

We’re working on an alternate/contingency plan venue.  Originally, our contingency plan was at Elm Creek, but all of their trails have some limitations that may make our event unwelcome at Elm Creek.  our contingency venue might be every bit as exciting and fun as Elm Creek, and will be sure to have its own points of interest.  If you’ve already registered or were thinking of registering, you’re still in for a great event; just be flexible and please be prepared to join us at a different site on Saturday morning (alternate venue will also be in Twin Cities metro area and no more than 30 miles away from Elm Creek).

So, stay tuned here on RideFatbikes.com for more updates/info.  We’ll also update you with new info at Twitter (follow @RideFatbikes) and will try to keep Frozen40.com updated as well.   Sorry for the last minute changes, but Mother Nature dealt us a wildcard this year.  With great sponsors and prizes, and a fun day of riding, this is still a can’t-miss fatbike event.

~ Ride Enterprises, LLC

 

Cold Catfish Cup – Recap

Cold Catfish Cup crew

Cold Catfish Cup organizer, Reed Smidt shares his thoughts and recap of the season’s first Cold Catfish Recap with RideFatbikes readers, below.  If you think this event sounds like fun, make sure to come out to the 2nd in the series, this coming Sunday.  Angry Catfish and Reed are known to put on a great event.  Here’s the story from the first event in the series.

The Carver Lake Cold Catfish Cup – Race # 1 was held this past Sunday at Carver Lake Park in Woodbury, MN. Angry Catfish Bicycle Shop + Coffee sponsors the time trial  series that includes 3 races in total.  The weather was perfect and trail conditions were prime. Fat bikes ruled the day and easily were the fastest riders on course. In total 25 riders registered and raced in the first ever mountain bike race at Carver Lake Park.

The Cold Catfish Cup – Race 1

The Carver Lake Park Off-road Cycling Trail opened July of 2011 and has never hosted any other races. The turnout and event were fantastic with riders enjoying the friendly competition and fun atmosphere. The race is set-up as a time trial format with riders being sent off every 30 seconds. The course route this past Sunday was 2 full laps of the 4 mile single-track trail. Riders were flying through the course on perfectly groomed snow conditions that allowed fast lap times. Lap times were much faster than expected with the winner, Heath Weisbrod, clocking 2 laps in just under 41 minutes.

Cold Catfish Cup Wall Ride

Racers were very happy with the course, trail conditions and the event as a whole. This coming Sunday, February 5^th will be race #2 and will most likely have a different course set-up. Although the trail and snow conditions will be poor this Sunday due to unseasonably warm temperatures, and many of the trails could be closed due to poor trail conditions, the race will go on as scheduled. The City of Woodbury and Angry Catfish have some very fun alternative routes that will surely challenge all fat bike riders and create a good time. Think single-track, ice, snow, snow packed lake loop, and beach sand. It’s going to be fun and different, no doubt about it. You’ll have to load up your fat bike, head over the Carver Lake Park and find out what’s in store for this Sunday’s race.  We’ll see you there!

Race Series # 2 – Sunday, February 5

Registration: Noon

Race Starts: 1pm

$10

Race Series # 3 – Sunday, February 19

Registration: Noon

Race Starts: 1pm

$10

Swag, fat bike demos, bonfire, premo coffee from Angry Catfish and much more!

Contact Reed Smidt for more information: 651-714-3588 or rsmidt@ci.woodbury.mn.us

 

Video Link:  http://heath-s.blogspot.com/2012/01/carver-catfish-cup1.html

Photo Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pmillion/sets/72157629109468317/

Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/events/255210811211173/

Carver Lake Park Off-Road Cycling Trail Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Carver-Lake-Park-Off-Road-Cycling-Trail/182408298505799

Snow, glorious snow!

Photo credit: RideFatbikes.com

The snow has finally arrived in MN, making it look like it’s actually winter.  While not everyone welcomes snow, it’s great for fatbike riding.  Better yet, it allows the show to go on for the several events happening locally (Freewheel’s Frozen Frolic, the Cold Bear Challenge, and our Fatbike Frozen Forty).

What’s new with the TripleF?  For those of you keeping tabs on the Fatbike Frozen Forty, be sure to check out our new event site at Frozen40.com.  Here’s a quick update with a few new event highlights and reasons you’ll want to be sure to register for this event.

Cool prizes and give-aways for registered riders:

• Registered riders will be eligible for give-aways and door prizes from our generous sponsors.  Prizes include Husker Du tires from 45Nrth, pogies from BarMitts, energy bars from BraaapEnergy.com, handmade cycling caps from Cognition Caps, swag from XXCMag.com, and more!

What else will you find at TripleF?

• A heated warm-up and registration tent as well as food and mechanical support contributed by Trailhead Cycling and Fitness, 3 Coloardo-built Bully fatbikes to see and demo from our primary sponsor and event collaborator Twenty2 Cycles, mechanical support and help from Maple Grove Cycling, a post-ride event at the end of the day on the 25th, and more.  The 40-mile trail will be comprised of 4 10-mile loops, and riders will be given a printed trailmap with directions, mapped by GPS so the route should be easy to navigate.  Several of our sponsors will be there to meet and talk to riders, so it’s a great chance to talk and be surrounded by fatbike enthusiasts.

Finally, if you are coming in from out of town (we’ve got riders coming from several destinations so far), you might be looking for things to do with your family.  Although the Minneapolis metro area has limitless possibilities, the event is being held at Elm Creek Park, and you don’t have to go any farther than the park itself to find great snowshoeing, cross country skiing, downhill ski lessons, sledding, etc.  Find out more about Elm Creek Park here.