Fat Bike Frozen Ididaride

Saturday in the early morning hours, just before the butt crack of dawn; we were out setting up and getting ready for the first (hopefully annual) Fat Bike Frozen Ididaride.




The race was the brain child of Rick, Kris and maybe a few others I am not aware of; putting on the event was a huge undertaking and an even bigger trust in Mother Nature to do her part to make sure that there was snow to ride on. In Nebraska it's always a crap shoot anymore if there will be snow in January or if we will be sitting at 50° and sunny. Thankfully she cooperated with us and there was snow aplenty.




Right around 7:30 or so, folks started showing up, warming up and getting their timing chips.





As we neared the start of the race, the crowds grew with racers and spectators alike. I'm not sure what the totals were but I'd be willing to guess around 50 riders, not breaking any records but also not too shabby for a first time winter bike race.





Start went off without a hitch and we were racing Fat Bikes, in the snow, in Pioneers Park, in Lincoln Nebraska of all places.





There aren't many pictures from me during the race, just the start and after. Todd and I formed a team and entered the race (Doug was also on the team but had a family emergency that prevented him from racing), so I had a little skin in the game and had to get ready to roll once Todd finished the first lap.



Course was a bit of a butt kicker for sure, there were some deep spots and some ruts that just had their way with you if you weren't alert the entire time and running the right PSI, which I think I could have stood to lose a few myself. Todd and I managed to snag 3rd in the team category, he rode the first lap, I rode the second and then we both rode the third to even things out since we were down a person. I think that there were 5 teams total and 4 that finished the race, lots of DNFs that day, like I said the course was challenging but it was also a lot of fun. Temps were almost perfect to boot, below freezing at the start which kept the snow firm but warming up to above freezing by the end of the race which made hanging out after the race not too miserable. Smiles everywhere you looked on Saturday regardless if you were first, second or DFL.