Slap on yer cowboy or cowgirl duds, saddle up yer bike, lasso some friends and family, and come join us for the FREE Country Race! This race is great for beginners since it has very little technical skills required due to wide roads and very safe due to virtually no downhill, but will give a great aerobic challenge to advanced riders with the first 1.5 miles of incline, and exhilarating speed you won't find in most mountain bike races due to a long flat section! Costumes are optional, but there will be a prize for the best-dressed cowboy or cowgirl! Free country refreshments, prizes from Texas Roadhouse, many Utah County bicycle shops, and other sponsors for all finishers and special prizes for the top males and females up to 5 deep for each division and event, $50 cash reward to the top male & female of the longest distance (Ultra) of the non-electric bike division, and goodie bags will make you want to yell "YEEHAWW!!" We will have country music at registration, and water and sports drinks at each finish line. This race course is suitable for all bike types for the Sprint distance, but to continue on for any of the other
distances you will need a wide tire with good traction for the dirt/gravel road which has some rocks, loose gravel on steep sections, and ruts in the road. A mountain bike would be the fastest and most comfortable. There will be only 2 bike-type divisions based on bike type for this race: Non-electric and electric, and age group categories.
Registration and the start is at 1580 N 800 E, Orem, just north of the Orem Cemetary at the intersection of 800 E and Cascade Dr. near 1600 N, at 4911'. Registration will be at 7:30 am, and the race will have a mass start at 8am. Parking available along 800 E Street. A hot country breakfast and Sprint, Intermediate, & Endurance prizes will be available immediately upon returning to the starting area while supplies last. Ultra awards will be given out as follows: Top male & female get their cash prizes and trophies immediately, all those who did not win their age division can pick out up to 4 finisher prizes each depending on how they placed in their age division, age-division winners can either pick out 5 finisher prizes immediately or wait until 9:30 am for the drawing to choose a larger prize. If you haven't finished riding by 9:30 am you are still welcome to choose a large prize but won't have first dibs.
The Sprint event will be 0.5 miles up Cascade Drive (plus 0.5 mile back untimed, total of 1 mile), an asphalt road open to motor vehicles (although traffic is minimal since there isn't room for many cars up at the top and usually slow due to the steep incline) to the large dirt parking lot just past the water towers right before the asphalt stops. It is 7.8% overall grade, with a maximum incline of 19% for a brief section. It has a 205' elevation difference from the start, ending at 5,116'.
The Intermediate event will be 1.4 miles (plus 1.4 miles back untimed, total of 2.8 miles) and continue to climb another 431' of elevation up the main road passed the gate which is closed to motor vehicles where it turns to a dirt road, Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST), and climbs to the top where you can see an outlook of Provo Canyon, quite a rewarding view. It has an overall average grade of 8.3% and ends at 5,529' with a total elevation difference of 636'. The maximum grade is 36% for a brief section, so be prepared to dig deep! The Strava segment is called "Torture to Water Stop" (https://www.strava.com/segments/2351180), which has the attempts of 241 people recorded. Feel free to turn on your Strava and try to beat some records and see how you compare to those who have done this segment in the past!
The Endurance event will continue another 2.3 miles along flat section of the BST to the gate where the road forks, for a total distance of 3.7 miles (plus 3.7 miles back untimed, total of 7.4 miles). Due to adding so much flat to this distance, the overall average grade is 3%. It has a short dip in the road, with a maximum of -27%, so be careful as this is the only steep downhill in the race.
The Ultra event continues past the gate at the fork going left through the narrow opening on the left of the gate onto the smoothest and widest dirt road of the whole race for a total distance of 5.2 miles (plus 5.2 miles back untimed, total of 10.4 miles). This section from the end of the Endurance to the end of the Ultra is a 1.3% grade, only climbing another 104'. The finish is at 5,624' for a total elevation gain of 920', and elevation difference of 713' from the start. From the finish line you will be able to see Bridal Veil Falls across the canyon. The road goes down a steep descent at this point, so we end it here.
Here is the map for the entire distance (Ultra): https://www.strava.com/routes/5279066
If you would like to explore on your way back to the awards table at the start you are welcome to take any route you wish on the way back. There are many single track trails, other dirt road routes, or you can also go down to the paved Provo River Trail and make your way back along the Murdock Canal Trail (MCT) (there is loose rock if you continue on the road, which leads to Canyon Road, a fast 50 mph highway, before allowing you to get back on the MCT). We are not liable if you get lost or hurt, so if you are not familiar with the area or are riding alone, it is best to return along the course. Make sure that you stay to the right and yield to racers still racing, slowing down around blind turns so as to prevent a collision. The BST occasionally has a few Orem City and Division of Wildlife employees who open gates and drive up the roads, but they usually drive slower due to the dirt road, so always stay to the right during the race and ride single file except to pass quickly. There are a few walkers and runners running along the road, and occasionally some unleashed dogs, and horseback riders, so get their attention politely when you are approaching them to help them prepare to allow you to pass and not be startled. The course is not closed for the race.
