Chequamegon Fat Tire Weekend 2011 - The end of an era

I met Brett, one of my best friends, this year and perhaps for the last time in Eau Claire for the preamble to the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. For the past few years since he's been in Colorado, we've met in EC for a quick ride on some singletrack before we migrate to the great northwoods of Wisconsin to complete in what could be one of the most famous and long lived MTB races in Wisconsin.


These first few photo's are in Eau Claire as it is next to impossible to capture any photo's while competing in the event. Brett is quite a bit faster than he used to be and it is very difficult to keep up with him now a days. Recently, Brett had just completed the CTR or Colorado Trail Race, a 500 mile race down the CTR to Durango.

Entry to the FTF requires luck, patience, planning and $80. Your entry for the September event is due while snow is still on the ground. Many many people enter to participate, however somewhere around only 2200 receive the coveted postcard in the mail. All the others receive a cancelled check. Most if not all entrants are able to determine their status a few days after the drawing by verifying with their bank whether their check has cleared or not - if so, it is time to start planning on a trip to flannel and forestry country.

To give you an idea of what it looks like to watch roughly 2000 cyclists take off on a 40 mile bike excursion, play the clip. Note the leisure suit wearing tandem riders. This clip was shot by Brett's dad back in 2009.

My trip north consisted of a visit to the KOA, a very comfortable camping area, followed by the 40 mile event where I achieved a personal record with a 2:43 finish, followed up by a visit to Famous Dave's for a full rack of ribs and Octoberfest beer by the gallon.

The following day was supposed to be epic singletrack on the Rock Lake trail system. Mother Nature was on the rag so we had to settle for bar fare at the local tavern during the Packer victory march. The bar was an uncomfortable scene as we were the only non-locals in attendance. They were having a pot-luck for the game and we were essentially the only people that didn't bring food. Finally we ordered food when the kitchen was basically closed... at which point I thought the bar tender was going to run us out of the establishment.
At the conclusion of the game, we hightailed it right out of there.

We stayed at the AmericInn over night which was relatively nice. They had a waffle maker where you could make your own waffles for breakfast that we took full advantage of. Brett ate his with Peanut butter and syrup, twice. He said that it was the only way to eat waffles in a way that only he can, but I only took his word for it.

Once we left the hotel, we took a quick drive over to the trailhead just north of Rosies Field and took advantage of some very fast singletrack. We were doinking around on our respective SS Rigs and still managed a 9 mph moving speed over 20 miles. 60 mile mountain bike weekend makes for a happy person.
Since my son is getting to be "that age" I suspect that Chequamegon will either be a family event or an event I no longer attend. As it is during the school year, that will mean a late Friday drive north, and early race Saturday and a drive home either later that night or the next morning. That is a lot of resources to commit to riding on what amounts to a mix of ski and atv trail.
It sure was fun to see everyone though... not the end, just a new beginning.