Global Fat Bike Day 2017

Saturday wasn't just any ole Saturday Morning No Drop Fat Bike Ride, nope it was THE fat bike ride; Global Fat Bike Day. This would be our third year doing the ride and it just keeps getting more fun each year. Now some would argue that Saturday was less than ideal weather for riding a Fat Bike and I suppose they might have a point but as a person who has been all in on the Fat Bike game for a few years now, I'd say all weather is Fat Bike weather.





While the ride doesn't technically start until 10, it's not unusual for folks to start showing up at 8:30 in the morning. Some to help and others just to get the riding started early.



Fat-Bike.com was back on board this year and if you were early enough you managed to snag a sticker as there were limited quantities of them. I'm not sure if those folks might have any left but you could always drop them a line, Cycle Works is completely tapped out. As for the Fireball, that was handed out a little later and a lot easier to come by. Tried to see if they were interested in coming on board as a sponsor for this year but I think we needed to contact them a little earlier than we did, something to be mindful of for next year.


This was our third year doing GFBD and it just seems to get bigger and a bit more fun each here. This is the crowd from Saturday, look at all those smiling faces.


2016 saw a lot of the same faces, it was a little chillier last year for sure and the snow as we were nearing Wilderness Park was absolutely magical.


2015 was a fun one but it was also a learning experience, forgot to grab a picture before leaving so we rounded up who we could about midway through for this picture.


Not sure the official number of riders, some estimates are around 110 this year, but I do know that ladder is getting farther back and this was the first year we had to take the group shot as a series of three photos and stitch them together. Maybe next year we will have to play like a monkey and climb a tree to get everyone in but if that's what we have to do that's what we will do.





This year we got a little better on the route planning and rode down to 31st street to take advantage fo the light to cross over Vine. It was pretty amazing to see all those bikes rolling like one long snake.




We snaked our way around the Bob, through North Bottoms and onto the levee trail in route to Wilderness Park; while there wouldn't be any snow this year, shorts in December isn't anything to get upset about either.




The Van Dorn trail head behind Good Life Fitness was the splitting point of the ride, those wanting to go to Pioneers and those wanting to head through Wilderness.






Once the groups were decided and divided, the Wilderness group was off in a cloud of dust... yep dust, in December. Even had a pair of tandems that decided to join us in the Park, not sure how well they do in there but it sounds like a challenge for sure.





The pace through the Park was pretty brisk but we had a good group and I think we made it to the danger bridge without losing folks like we did last year. Losing might be strong words, half decided on their own to go the wrong direction out so we sort of just met in the middle but this year we all seemed to get going the same way.



A short jaunt up the east side and we were back on the Jamaican for the most part on the way back, better to ride the limestone than meet any stragglers coming the other way on the same trail. Safety first after all.





We did another regroup where the limestone turned into cement, somehow we managed to get splintered into three groups. I tell you, once you get this many riders it's like trying to herd cats; one person turns off one direction, even if they aren't with our group, and a section of people follow. In the end it's not my ride as much as it's our ride so which ever direction you decide to ride in is OK with me, we all end up at the same place.




Once properly regouped, it was just a short jaunt up N Street and we were back at Cycle Works.

Once back at the shop it was time to start the judging for the Chili Cook Off, this is one of my favorite parts of the whole event; I mean who doesn't like chili. Judging these was so hard, all of them were so good and there really were no losers at all... well maybe the Hormel Chili in the last picture but even that and the dogs are good after a ride with friends.


Judges hard at work, comparing notes and deciding on the top three... $100 gift card to Moran's for first place and a $25 gift card to Cycle Works for second and third.




Judging had to happen at the utmost haste as the rest of the participants were chomping at the bit waiting to get their hands on the food.




Chili eaten, it was time to get down to the prizes. Thanks to our great sponsors we had a ton of amazing items to give away, many of the sponsors are repeat contributors.


Chili contestant winners, not sure who took the picture or what kind of "lineup" this was but it was interesting to say the least.


Walz Caps winners, well most of them anyway couldn't round them all up, if you fancy yourself a cap wearer and you haven't put one of the Walz Caps on your head you really owe it to yourself to do so. In addition to being some of the best caps out there they also make the Nebraska cap that is available in the shop and they contribute so much to all kinds of cycling related rides and events.



I hope everyone had as much fun as we did, even the non human guests seemed to enjoy the day.
There are a ton of pictures from the event on our Facebook page, feel free to check them out and tag yourself or friends and thank you to everyone who made it out, as always the pleasure was all ours. Lets take a few months off and then regroup and start the planning for next years GFBD.