Calendar of Obscure Events The World Wide Web is laden with event calendars. They’re easy to find and crammed with information—sometimes so crammed that you’d need a part-time research assistant to sift through them for the cool events you really want to know about. We’ve picked out a few ultracool, low-hype, new or obscure events that you may not know about but always wanted to find. July 16 Crested Butte, Colo. Second Annual Crested Butte Classic For updates and more info, email crorussell@yahoo.com Over 85 miles of epic Crested Butte singletrack, beautiful scenery, no entry forms, and best of all, it’s free! This is a great model for an event. No hype, no pre-registration. Just line everyone up in the street and say, “adventure on.” There are no prizes but the bragging rights to this one are good for at least one year. It’s up to you to know the course. You’re on your own. The exact course, date and time have not yet been decided. Tentatively it will start July16 at 6 a.m. in front of the Brick Oven Pizzeria on Crested Butte’s Elk Ave. Make sure you’re in the loop and get yourself on the email list.
Sept. 15–18 Grand Junction, Colo. See box on facing page Sept. 17 Angel Fire, NM Cerro Vista Challenge More info at bpeterson@angelfireresort.com or 505-377-4333 This is a classic 50-mile point-to-point cross country race winding through the beautifully remote Carson National Forest in the Northeast corner of New Mexico. Described as a grueling and technically challenging course, the Cerro Vista Challenge starts at Angel Fire Resort and finishes at the neighboring town of Sipapu. Race on Saturday–then spend the night in Taos and eat dinner at The Apple Tree restaurant for the best mango chicken enchiladas this side of the Pecos River.
Aug. 27–28 Salida, Colo. Vapor Trail 125 High Altitude Ultra Marathon More info at www.absolutebikes.com
Sept. 24 Telluride, Colo. to Moab, Utah Annual Mountains To The Desert Road Bike Tour For more information call 970-728-4454
This ultra-marathon starts at midnight—hopefully you finish in time for dinner The event covers 125 miles of singletrack and doubletrack ranging over the Continental Divide, three 14,000-foot peaks and several mining and railroad ghost towns, all in the high thin air of the Collegiate Peaks. Portions of the course follow rail routes laid down by two railroad companies competing to reach the booming town of Gunnison in the 19th century. Ride the Colorado trail under the summer moon, cross over the infamous Alpine Tunnel at 12,000 feet and cruise the classic Monarch Crest Trail above treeline. This is a truly epic event in the best tradition of Salida trail riding.
Sure to become a Colorado classic, the second annual Mountains To The Desert Ride is a charity event, leaving from Telluride on Saturday, Sept. 24, at 7 a.m. and dropping into Moab, Utah, a breathtaking132 miles later. Organizers Erik and Josephine Fallenius created the event in 2004 to raise money for Just For Kids, a granting foundation providing financial support for kids organizations in the San Miguel River watershed. Cyclists and volunteers raise money from sponsors, friends and family. Last year, for every $100 they raised, participants received a lottery ticket for a chance to win a titanium road or mountain bike from event sponsor Moots, or one of a number of other great prizes. A total of $50,000 was raised last year, which was matched by Just For Kids founder and benefactor, Bill Carstens. Because of logistics, this year only 100 fund-raising riders will be able to take part in the fully supported event.
Entry form available here: http://www.absolutebikes.com/FLYER.pdf
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Mountain Flyer