Registration for the Gowdy Grinder opens at 12:00pm today.
Race info: http://bit.ly/1i3eqIT
The Gowdy Grinder is a cross country mountain bike race brought to you by the Pedal House. It takes place on the trails of Curt Gowdy State Park in southeastern Wyoming. The beginner races are on a course with a handful of short technical sections, but mostly smooth riding. The more advanced categories will find plenty of the challenging riding typical of Curt Gowdy. Come out for a great day of racing and reconnecting with your riding pals (or rivals) for the spring.
Date/Time:
Saturday, May 17th, 2014. Check-in opens at 9:00am, first race is at 10:00am
Location:
Check-in and Start/Finish will be at the Aspen Grove Trailhead in Curt Gowdy State Park. Here’s a map
Categories/Distances/Start Times:
Intermediate Men – 8 miles – 10:00am
Intermediate Women – 8 miles – 10:05am
Beginner Coed – 3.5 miles – 10:06am
Open Men – 19.5 miles – 11:25
Advanced Women – 12 miles – 11:26
Open Women – 15 miles – 1:10pm
Advanced Men – 15 miles – 1:20pm
All categories above are for all ages.
Kids Races (under 13):
Race course is .5 miles. Half road and half single track.
Big Kids – 1 mile (2 laps) – 3:45pm
Not As Big Kids – .5 miles (1 lap) – 3:45pm
Push bike races – 4:15pm
These distances may seem a bit short, but if you have ridden at Gowdy, you know it tends to be slow going. Don’t let the short mileages fool you.
Please go pre-ride the courses and/or take a look at previous race results to figure out the right category for you.
Registration:
Opens on Monday, March 10th at noon. and closes on Friday, May 16th at 1:00pm, or when the race fills up.
Go to the registration page to sign up.
There is a total race limit of 275 riders as well as a field limit of 70 for most categories.
There is no race day registration!
Kids race registration will be at check in on race day. There is no limit on kids entries.
Race day check-in will be at the Start/Finish area from 9:00am until 10 minutes before each race start.
Bring a photo ID with you (sad, but true).
Entry fee:
$20 – includes a meaty or veggie burger, side and drink.
Kids and push bike races are free.
Refunds:
Sorry, we do not do refunds.
Park fee:
State parks in Wyoming charge an entrance fee. $4 for Wyo. residents or $6 for non-residents. This is not covered by your race entry fee.
Trail Conditions:
We won’t hesitate to cancel a race if trail conditions are bad. We ride up there too, and have no intention of ruining the trails. We also work closely with the park administration to make decisions about whether or not to hold the race. If we do have to cancel, we will post it here by 2pm the day before the race.
Weather/Safety:
NWS point forecast for the race. Your safety on the race course is your responsibility. We can’t control hazards on the trail and we certainly don’t control the weather. If weather conditions necessitate it, we will stop the race, however you may be a long way from shelter when a storm rolls in. Please use your own judgement as to whether or not you should be out there.
There will be one first-aid marshall on course and first-aid at the Start/Finish. If someone is hurt on the course please do what you can to help them. No sweep riders will be following the last rider, but we will clean the course at 2:30 from the Start.
Courses:
Same as last year. Maps are on the Race Courses page.
Race day amenities:
This is a bare bones race. Bring anything you think you might need with you! The park will most likely have drinking water turned on. The closest faucet is at the RV station near the park entrance.
Important:
Cycling can be dangerous. Really dangerous. Especially mountain biking. Because of this, racers must wear a helmet and sign a waiver.
