Snow is a frequent hazard at the Iceman Cometh Challenge, the biggest single-day mountain bike race in the world. Conditions on the 27-mile race course can be anything from dry and hot to ice-slicked, muddy and blizzard-white. This year’s race will take place Nov. 8.

 

 

TRAVERSE CITY, MI – Riding a mountain bike at top speed through the snowy pine forests of northern Michigan isn’t everybody’s idea of a good time.

 

But for some cyclists, the annual Iceman Cometh Challenge race between Kalkaska and Traverse City is about as close to pure delight as it can get. In spite of subzero temperatures, chancy visibility and the constant danger of flipping over on a patch of ice or deep sand, the Iceman has become the biggest single-day mountain-bike race in the world.

 

Every November, over 2,000 competitors and 4,000 spectators from all over the U.S. and Canada gather in this picturesque northern Michigan resort area (better known for its summer beaches and golf courses) to participate in one of the strangest and most grueling cold-weather events in off-road bicycle racing.

 

Now in its 19^th year, the 2008 Iceman Cometh will be held Nov. 8 – and organizers had no trouble filling all 2,000 available slots by mid-June.

 

That’s a far cry from the 35 riders who showed up for the first race in 1990. But cyclists seem to enjoy the difficulty of the course, the unpredictable weather and the sheer wackiness of the whole idea. “More of an adventure than a race,” is how Mountain Bike Action magazine describes the Iceman, in which ice-hardened cyclists from the U.S. and Canada are sent off in successive waves depending upon which of the 39 classes they compete in.

 

Starting in the village of Kalkaska, the Iceman trail runs for 27 miles along a combination of pavement, dirt roads, two-tracks, abandoned railroad beds, and parts of the Vasa ski trail, finishing at the Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort just outside of Traverse City. Most of the course lies in the Pere Marquette National Forest, a region of steep, sandy hills, tiny lakes and stands of postcard-perfect pines.

 

Although snow isn’t guaranteed at the Iceman, it’s been present for at least half of the previous 18 events. Sleet, rain, mud, ice and warm sunshine are also distinct possibilities – often on the same day! This year's riders, who include both amateurs and professionals, will compete for more than $23,200 in cash prizes and $10,000 in merchandise.

 

For those whose competitive instincts aren’t quite so extreme, race organizers have also put together a pair of less punishing events during the same weekend, the 14th Annual Meijer Slush Cup is a “half-frozen” version of the Iceman that offers beginner and recreational riders the chance to test their skill on an eight-mile course. For younger competitors, there’s the Traverse Sno-Cone, a free trail event for 100 youngsters between the ages of two and 12.

 

Once the races are over, the North American bike season officially comes to an end with the Ice Capades Awards Ceremony, held in the Governor’s Hall at the nearby Grand Traverse Resort and Spa.

 

For more information on the 19th Annual Iceman Cometh Challenge and other winter events in the beautiful Traverse City area -- as well as a listing of special fall packages offered by local innkeepers -- contact the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau at 1-800-TRAVERSE or visit their Web site at www.VisitTraverseCity.com.

 

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