Bike racing ‘madness’

The drought has meant consistently outstanding mountain biking conditions.

I don’t wish for a drought, but I’m not going to waste it either. In these parts, we don’t ride on wet trails. Light soils don’t stand a chance against knobby tires when wet.

“If it’s muddy — come again buddy.”

There was no concern about soft tracks spoiling the fun at Wanatee County Park on Oct. 12 as riders young and not young gathered to grind the gears at the Wanatee MTB Madness races.

Dry and mild conditions greeted the racers and crews. The first racers had the best crews, out of necessity. The 8-and-unders launched from the starting area with the gusto of pros but with the legs of little ones. The crews: mom, dad, grandpa, etc. ran alongside for safety, guidance and for some a literal steadying hand.

  Buy Photo

They all finished and they were all winners, my kind of race. Ear-to-ear grins on littles lifts the spirits of all — even the thoroughly gassed support crews who got in a bigger workout than expected.

  Buy Photo

The Linn Area Mountain Bike Association coordinates three trail systems in the Cedar Rapids area. The Beverly Park trails, single-track paralleling the Sac and Fox Trail between East Post Road and the Prairie Park Fishery, and the Wanatee system. The trails are free to use but not free to build or maintain, let your conscience be your guide.

The group I really wanted to see race was the Juniors. Clubs from the Iowa Scholastic Mountain Bike League participated in the regulated races. The League’s teams hail from Decorah, Dubuque, Des Moines, Iowa City, Mason City, Muscatine, North Scott County and the Quad Cities club. They were youngsters between the ages of 9 and 18. Most sported club jerseys, some displayed bike handling skills I still aspire to.

This group attacked the start with the same enthusiasm as the littles, but on full size bikes. With big ambitions they were only able to catch a couple of hoots and hollers from the spectators before they were down the dusty trail. Racing with them was the Adult Novice category. A truly mixed age and ability scene that makes citizen racing fantastic.

Patrick Shannon was the race co-organizer. He reported 68 riders participated in the sanctioned races.

The races concluded with a thrilling near photo finish for the Category 3 men. With pride, Shannon noted there was an e-bike category — making the Wanatee MTB Madness the first in Iowa that he knew of to field such a category. One e-biker was all it took to secure his place in the annals of western history. Who was the second person to fly solo across the Atlantic?

Late this fall a “skills park” opened at Wanatee. Imagine something like a skateboard park. Daniel Gibbins, Deputy Director of the Linn County Conservation Department, said it will be a boon for novice riders to hone their techniques.

The skills park quickly became a popular place. I’ll pass at learning how to jump. That’s too much a trick for this old dog but I do enjoy watching those who can fly.

When this piece is published, the trails will close for the season at Wanatee. Leaf litter and abundant dark foster wet and slippery trails. Additionally, Wanatee County Park hosts a specially managed bow hunting season for deer in the heart of the single-track.

For those who can’t quit the grind as autumn turns to winter, there’s always the fat tire option. The balloon tires of those bikes are so wide and so low in pressure they float over soft surfaces.

Set your calendar for mid-June in 2025 to join in the ride or just watch the thrill of competition that lives in everyday people. I plan to be there sporting an entry number instead of a pad of paper.

Looking up, looking ahead, and keeping my pencil sharp.

John Lawrence Hanson, Ed.D., of Marion, teaches Social Studies with an emphasis on environmental issues at Linn-Mar High School. He sits on the Marion Tree Board.