For the 30th year in a row, the Bell’s Iceman Cometh Mountain Bike Challenge has sold out. What does that mean? Can you still sign up? How?
1. Iceman and his team run a heck of an event. It’s super fun and as popular as ever.
2. Yes.
3. When you sign up at this point, if there are transfers available, you get in and someone else gets out. Just like that. Should the number of transfers get to 0, then your entry is held in a queue, and you are not charged, until one of the 4,000+ riders decides they can’t make the party for one reason or another. When someone decides to get out, you get their entry and they get a refund. Minus a small fee, most of which goes to charity. We’ll stop with the transfer madness mid-October. Then we’ll get cracking on wave seeding.
Just a reminder that the Iceman Store is open, and that orders placed will be delivered to you personally by our Iceman Staff at packet pick up. The items aren’t event delivered until October. Please spare us the call in three weeks asking, “Where is my 2018 Iceman jersey?” They’re still in production.
Why? We asked our Search & Rescue Guru Roger Putman to explain the importance of this info to our search and rescue teams:
“When I was on the Navy’s sport parachute demonstration team, it was always the “unexpected” incident that made it necessary to react quickly and decisively. Lack of pre-jump preparation, casual equipment inspections and the absence of a thorough emergency plan could lead to very bad conclusions. Although we had our share of malfunctions and “what the hell” incidents, it was because we always because put safety and precaution first and foremost that none of these situations resulted in serious injury…..or worse yet, a ride in the back of a black Cadillac station wagon’.
That is why we are upgrading our Iceman protocol and safety measures to add your emergency contact information to the sticker on the back of your race number plate. If you are injured and in urgent need of medical response, it saves valuable time so our medical teams can efficiently and quickly ensure your treatment and transport if necessary.
So besides being prepared for the “unexpected”, dressing for severe weather, making sure you are hydrated and having a spare tire, chain kit, charged up cell phone and a complete toolkit, help us to help you by checking your emergency contact info on your Iceman Social account and by ensuring the sticker on the back of your plate is correct at packet pick-up. Have a safe and successful ride.”
Thank you for helping us keep safety first. Roger Putman – Bell’s Iceman Search & Rescue
New to mountain bike racing and the Iceman Cometh Challenge or Slush Cup? The MMBA is pleased to offer the first clinic geared specifically toward first time racers on October 13, 2018. This 4 hour clinic will include mountain biking fundamental skills and bike handling instruction provided by certified coaches, race prep and etiquette discussion, a course preview and a lunchtime cookout. Register here.
Bell’s Brewery was named in the 2018 Best Beers in America survey conducted by Zymurgy magazine. Now running in its 16th year, the survey asks members of the American Homebrewers Association (AHA), which publishes Zymurgy, to choose up to five of their favorite commercial beers available for purchase in the U.S.
Bell’s earned the #1 spot in the Top-Ranked Beers category with Two Hearted and the No. 4 spot for Hopslam Ale. This is the second consecutive year that Two Hearted has claimed this honor. It came in second to Russian River’s Pliny the Elder for seven straight years previously.
Bell’s was also #1 in this year’s Top-Ranked Breweries list.
“This is an incredible honor, one that means a great deal to me personally and to everyone at the brewery. We have never sacrificed quality and this is a testament to the hard work and dedication from everyone involved in getting this beer to our fans,” said Larry Bell, president and founder.
“As brewers, the members of American Homebrewers Association can discern the subtle differences between a good beer and an outstanding beer,” said Gary Glass, director, American Homebrewers Association. “Zymurgy’s Best Beers in America survey showcases which commercial beers are truly the best of the best out there, and all the breweries who made the list should be proud.”
The American Homebrewers Association has worked on behalf of the homebrewing community since 1978 and celebrates a membership of 46,000 homebrewers.
Bell’s general store has been supporting homebrewers in Kalamazoo and beyond since 1983 and predates the brewery. Larry Bell founded our company originally as a homebrew supply store.
Love singletrack? Wished you could ride the trails you see crisscrossing the Iceman course? Here’s your chance: Traverse City Trail Festival!
The second annual Traverse City Trail Festival presented by Short’s Brewing takes you onto 40 or 25 miles of unmarked singletrack, starting and finishing at beautiful and rustic Ranch Rudolf. That’s right, this is the only day of the year that these trails are marked, giving you the perfect chance to follow some of the best trails in Northern Michigan.
It’s a celebration of trails, bikes, and our mountain bike community, and we mean everyone! Both 40 and 25-mile distances offer the option to race, or just tour at your own pace with friends. There’s also an 8-mile kid’s race presented by Norte, as well as a balance bike drag race!
The TCTF is the biggest fundraiser of the year for Northern Michigan Mountain Bike Association. Our region’s trail stewards build, maintain, and protect trails from Bellaire to Leelanau County, Traverse City, and the Cadillac Pathway. NMMBA also grooms over 50 miles of trail all winter long, offering year-round non-motorized recreation opportunities for individuals and families.
For the third year in a row the June 9 Love Ludington weekend will feature an attempt to break a world record (actually TWO this year). All we need is 1,500 folks with a bicycle, helmets are strongly encouraged.
The Shoreline Cycling Club is partnering with the Love Ludington committee and hopes to claim the records for the longest parade of bicycles (1,186) as well as the longest line of bikes in a row not moving (1,448).
All events will be at the Gaylord and Tinkham corner of Oriole Field (700 W. Tinkham Ave.)
* Friday packet pick up is from 5-8pm on June 8 * Saturday registration starts at 7:30am, if you picked up your packet Friday you can arrive at 8:30am Saturday * Parade for record 1 kicks off at 9:30am * Registering before June 6 at 10pm enters you into a drawing for a $250 gift card (of two available) to either Spindrift Cyclesports or Trailhead Bike Shop.
Riders participating in the first record should have a functional bicycle, a helmet is stongly encouraged, and be able to ride between 3-5 miles to participate. Smaller children and all others who don’t think they can make the ride will be able to participate in the second record.
Riders participating in the second record will line up after the last riders leave Oriole Field, probably around 10:15.
Visit www.shorelinecyclingclub.org to be best prepared for the event. Then remember to stop by Oriole Field Friday night or early Saturday morning during the weekend of the event to pick up your number plate and for children to pick up their free ice cream cone certificate from House of Flavors.
Over 70,000 people are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, but you can join the fight against skin cancer at the 6th Annual MSU Grand Fondo, Saturday, June 23rd. The MSU Grand Fondo is a fundraising event offering four different cycling routes for riders of all ages and abilities. The MSU Grand Fondo has generated over $900,000 for skin cancer research during the last five years. The MSU College of Human Medicine is the beneficiary of the fundraising and they’ve recently discovered a promising new drug that stops melanoma from spreading by 90%.
Raise funds for a worthy cause, ride with 1,500 cycling friends, and celebrate afterwards at the best street party in Grand Rapids. More information can be found: msugrandfondo.org
“I did this ride (Split the Mitt) last year. It was awesome. This year is going to be awesomer. It’s a great organization, and I’d love to wrangle more people into riding it”, said Tim Pulliam of Keen Technical Solutions in Traverse City.
Less Cancer’s Bike Ride, Split the Mitt, was established for cyclists to raise funds and awareness in support of Less Cancer’s efforts to end preventable cancers. This year’s event has riders covering 238 miles from Flint to Traverse City in two days, June 23rd &24th. Registration is $100 and is limited to 100 riders. Less Cancer’s goal for 2018 is to raise $200,000.
Racing for Home is a brand NEW Northern Michigan cycling event brought to you by Habitat for Humanity – Grand Traverse Region. The race will be jam-packed full of fun and excitement and will be open to bikers of all ages and skill levels.
Join them for our inaugural event located at 45 North Vineyard Trail in Lake Leelanau, Michigan.
