Stories

Join us at the Liberty Theater in Hailey on Saturday, November 12, for a showing of From the Inside Out, presented by Scott USA.  Doors open at 6 pm, show starts @ 7:30.  The Powerhouse crew will be there with delectable beverage options.  There will be a raffle (tix $5) with some great prizes.  WRBC memberships will be available.  Last but not least, this is a fundraiser for the WRBC and for the BCRD’s Galena Summer Trails plan.  Any way you slice it, this money is going back into your trail system!

From Scott USA:

The movie and The Coastal Crew (the stars) are sponsored by SCOTT Sports. From the Inside Out is special from the standpoint that all of the sets were built by the Crew and it was shot and edited by the riders and they also are featured riding in the movie. This is a first in Action Sports filmmaking. No other filmmakers have the know how and ability to fulfill every portion of production as these guys have. SCOTT began sponsoring the Coastal Crew 3 years... (more)

Expert team will join the WRBC and BCRD to teach sustainable trail building at Galena Lodge

The Blaine County Recreation District and the Wood River Bicycle Coalition have partnered to bring the International Mountain Bicycling Association's (IMBA) Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew to the Wood River Valley, September 15-18 to talk trails, teach people proper trail building technique and spend quality time digging in the dirt. The visit is one of about 70 stops on the 2011 schedule.

The award-winning Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew program includes two full-time, professional teams of trail experts who travel North America year-round, leading IMBA Trail building Schools, meeting with government officials and land managers and working with IMBA-affiliated groups to improve local mountain biking opportunities. IMBA's crews have led more than 1,000 trail projects since the program debuted in 1997.

The IMBA Trail Care Crew will visit will consist of a meeting with local Land Managers on Friday (9/16).  In addition to that,... (more)

The Sawtooth Century Bicycle Tour returned to Ketchum and Sun Valley on Saturday, August 13th, 2011. The Blaine County Recreation District, with the generous support of local sponsors and volunteers, produced the Sawtooth Century and raised over $4,000 for the Galena area trails.  Showcasing the dramatic riding terrain of the Boulder and Sawtooth Mountains, the BCRD Sawtooth Century attracted cycling enthusiasts from as far away as Fredericksburg, TX, as well as a strong local turnout. Approximately 130 road cyclists rode north from Ketchum and back, completing either the 50 or 100-mile course.  “We saw a significant increase in new entrants, especially in the 50-mile course, which was really exciting!” said Janelle Conners, BCRD Trails Assistant.  Pictures of the Sawtooth Century by Bob Law are available for purchase at adventurelaws.com.  Proceeds from the sale of photos will also benefit the BCRD. 
          Stephen Mull from Seattle, WA... (more)

Rebecca Rusch crushed the course record she set last year, by nearly 16 minutes. Pua Mata had gone on a solo attack early, and Rusch at one point was almost three minutes behind. But Mata suffered some mechanical problems (ending up 3rd) and Rusch poured on the speed up the Columbine climb and held off the chase in the final miles.

The day before the race talked about the importance of the Leadville Race. "It's not just about champions or records," she said.


"Everybody here has a story. Everybody is here because they are putting it on the line," she said after the virtually legendary racers' meeting/pep rally the day before the race. "Everyone here wants to achieve something."

The Wall Street Journal features Sun Valley's mountain biking. This video highlights the new "flow trails" that the Forest Service OK'ed.

The following is the introduction:

As mountain biking surges in popularity, federal land managers are building dozens of miles of special backcountry trails to accommodate adrenaline-junkie riders and cut down on crashes with hikers.

Dozens of one-way, so-called flow trails allowing bikers to ride downhill at breakneck speeds have been built across the U.S. in recent years, with more in the works. Many of these trails are built on Western public lands managed by the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management. They are specially designed with jumps and berms to allow riders to flow unimpeded down the mountain without stopping, making the downhill-riding experience akin to skiing or sledding.

Click here for the full story.

The Sawtooth Century Bicycle Tour returns to Ketchum and Sun Valley on Saturday, August 13th, 2011. The Blaine County Recreation District, with the generous support of local sponsors, will produce the Sawtooth Century in an effort to raise needed funds for Galena area trails.  Showcasing the dramatic riding terrain of the Boulder and Sawtooth Mountains, the BCRD Sawtooth Century attracts cycling enthusiasts from throughout the western US, as well as a strong local turnout.
     The BCRD Sawtooth Century is a fully supported one day tour offering both half and full century (50/100 mile) routes and the return of the popular "King & Queen of the Mountain" competition.  Both ride routes start in downtown Ketchum and pass through Elkhorn and Sun Valley before heading north.  Half-century (50 mile) riders will proceed to the turn-around at historic Galena Lodge.  Full-century riders will continue up and over Galena summit en route to the turn-around at Alturas Lake.... (more)

Sun Valley professional mountain biker, Rebecca Rusch< http://www.rebeccarusch.com/>, two-time Leadville Trail 100 Women's Champ and three-time 24 Hour Solo Mountain Biking World Champion, is bringing the epic movie chronicling the 2010 Leadville 100 MTB Race to Sun Valley, as part of the festivities during the USA Cycling National MTB Championships.

*In 2009, "**Race Across the Sky**" captured the imagination of countless mountain bike enthusiasts when Lance Armstrong not only won the Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race, but set a new course record that seemed unattainable. This year, "**Race Across the Sky 2010**" delves into the resulting race entry boom, including record numbers of citizen riders, all with their own personal reasons for challenging themselves to this epic test
 of will, strength and endurance. Joined by the toughest elite field this high-altitude century race has ever seen, these riders are tested by one of the most brutal courses known to the sport. From the center of the little... (more)

Art about bicycles. A movie about bicycles. Black and white photos of your friends and neighbors and their bicycles.

It’s bikes, bikes and more bikes at the opening celebration of Geared: An Open Exhibition at the Sun Valley Center for the Arts in Hailey on Friday, June 24.

Festivities start at 7pm with a free viewing of the exhibition. Take a look at bicycle-inspired art by local artists and portraits of locals with their favorite bicycles that were shot by Dev Khalsa during the opening of the exhibition in Ketchum. Drinks and appetizers will be served.

Then stick around for a free outdoor screening of the 1979 classic Breaking Away, about a working-class Indiana teen obsessed with Italian bike racing (he evens pretends to be Italian). After a professional Italian bicycling team comes to town for a race, Dave (Dennis Christopher) and his three best friends (Dennis Quaid, Daniel Stern and Jackie Earle Haley) form their own cycling team to compete in the annual Indiana University Little 500 race. Ride... (more)

Ketchum & Hailey, ID – Embrace the hot rod aesthetic and be inspired to personalize your basic two-wheeler in this one-night workshop offered by the Sun Valley Center for the Arts that emphasizes style ahead of function.

Hailey artist and bike enthusiast Bruce Kremer will walk participants through various trends in bike design—who remembers Stingrays and muscle bikes?—and show examples of extreme bikes that take cues from outlaw and outlandish imagery. He will share photos and actual examples of unique customized handlebars, seats, wheels, pedals, racks, lights, etc. and provide practical tips on revamping vintage bicycles and parts. Would ape hangers, a banana seat or whimsical adornments transform your bike from bland to bodacious?

The workshop is part of a summer-long project on bicycles that includes visual arts exhibitions in Hailey and Ketchum, an interactive pedal-powered installation on The Center Lot in Ketchum and a free outdoor screening of Breaking Away. For full details on... (more)

It was inevitable that in a bike-crazy place like the Wood River Valley, sooner or later there’d be an art exhibition devoted to bicycles.

On Memorial Day weekend, the Sun Valley Center for the Arts opens Geared: The Culture of Bicycles, launching a summer’s worth of bike-related events including classes, films and an interactive outdoor installation.

The exhibition opens during Gallery Walk on Saturday, May 28, between 5 and 8 pm. Ride your favorite bike to The Center for a special Bike Portrait Session. Photos will be displayed at The Center, Hailey, during its summer open exhibition.

Though people locally bicycle primarily for recreation and exercise (and sometimes to do errands or commute to work), in other parts of the world bicycles are used mainly for transport and even transformed into portable shops or services like pedicabs. At the other end of the spectrum, professional cyclists ride bikes that cost more than minivans and achieve household-name status.

Geared celebrates the bicycle... (more)

Embrace the hot rod aesthetic and be inspired to personalize your basic two-wheeler in this one-night workshop offered by the Sun Valley Center for the Arts that emphasizes style ahead of function.

Hailey artist and bike enthusiast Bruce Kremer will walk participants through various trends in bike design—who remembers Stingrays and muscle bikes?—and show examples of extreme bikes that take cues from outlaw and outlandish imagery. He will share photos and actual examples of unique customized handlebars, seats, wheels, pedals, racks, lights, etc. and provide practical tips on revamping vintage bicycles and parts. Would ape hangers, a banana seat or whimsical adornments transform your bike from bland to bodacious?

The workshop is part of a summer-long project on bicycles that includes visual arts exhibitions in Hailey and Ketchum, an interactive pedal-powered installation on The Center Lot in Ketchum and a free outdoor screening of Breaking Away. For full details on Geared: The Culture of Bicycles,... (more)

Crosstoberfest 2010  Sponsored by: Sun Valley Co., Power House, and Road & Dirt

 October 30th & 31st

Where:  River Run at the base of Bald Mountain, Ketchum Idaho

USA Cycling permit pending - USAC license required

$30 per day $15 juniors  -includes raffle ticket for each day raced

Race categories - *categories scored separately in each start

• Flight 1: Juniors and Beginners 20 minutes
• Flight 2: Women 1/, Men 1,2,3/ Master 35+ 60 minutes
• Flight 3: Women 2,3,4/ Men 4/master 45+                                                                      

SYS---Shimano Youth Series--- FREE RACING!!!        

• 10 – 12 year olds, 1 lap on adult big course
• 7 –9 year olds, 5 minutes + 1 lap on a special course
• 6 and under, 1 lap on a special course

11:00 registration opens<... (more)

Sun Valley, Idaho has been selected as the 2011 and 2012 hosts of USA Cycling’s premier USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships.  Kelli Lusk, National Events Director for USA Cycling informed the Sun Valley/Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau (SVKCVB) that Sun Valley’s bid was selected for USA Cycling Cross country, Short-track and Super D Mountain Bike National Championships. Kelli mentioned she appreciates the enthusiasm the community has shown for the USA Cycling Mountain Bike National Championships. Distinct pro and amateur level courses will be constructed on Dollar Mountain beginning this fall.

In June, the Sun Valley Resort and the SVKCVB began working with Chad Sperry from Breakaway Promotions and Christina Blackwell from Metric Marketing Group to host USA Cycling in a pre-bid site inspection. The group then submitted a comprehensive bid on July 1st.  “The operations of a well-respected race-director, along with the event and marketing experience of Sun Valley Resort... (more)

Powerhouse Restaurant will be hosting a series of bike criteriums in Old Cutters in Hailey through the month of September on the 1st, 15th and 29th. Registration starts at 5pm at Old Cutters park; kids race at at 5:30pm, novice at 6:10pm and adult at 6:40. Registration is free for kids and $15 per adult, food and beverage will be available for purchase. Novice race will include a 10 minute practice round designed for beginning racers to get a feel of riding in a group.

The series of criteriums are being organized by Billy Olson, local business owner and cycle enthusiast, to create more opportunity for Wood River Valley racers to compete as well as train for the annual Crosstober Fest. Olson, also founder of Road & Dirt, an organization promoting fun and competitive cycling events in the Wood River Valley, states, “We are adding the crit series to give the locals an opportunity to get some speed work and practice riding in a group before the cyclo cross season starts. Old Cutters was a great place to hold these... (more)

Rusch crushes her former time and sets a course record to retain her reign as women's champ

Rebecca Rusch, the 2009 Leadville Trail 100 Women's Champ and three-time 24 Hour Solo Mountain Biking World Champion, has scored another high-profile victory � taking top female honors at the 2010 Life Time Fitness Leadville Trail 100 mountain bike race for the second year in a row. Finishing the grueling 100-mile race with a time of 7:47:35, Rusch beat her 2009 time by almost 30 minutes, and broke the course record set in 1997 by 11 minutes.

After a chilly early morning start, Rusch says the blue bird skies and temperatures in the high 60s to low 70s were a stark change over last year's freezing conditions.

She spent most of the first half of the race trying to shake second place finisher Amanda Carey. Rusch finally gained a sizeable gap at the Columbine climb.

"I just said it's now or never," said Rusch. "I just knew it had to happen then. And I just put the screws to her and it worked."

Rusch battled through leg cramps... (more)

By Paul Andrews, BI editor

For 10 days Team Mojo took to the road, exploring Idaho's far-flung trails in Sun Valley, Stanley, and the all but undocumented panhandle hard by the Canadian border. We left the MacBook behind. The iPhone was almost always out of range. 

For now, you'll find a minimum of coddling in the Sun Valley region. Give yourself a couple of days to adjust to the altitude and you can make it as challenging as you like, from rollicking cruises along powdery singletrack in the woods to monster hike-a-bikes across scree-laden alligator-back ridges in the outback. Trust us, Sun Valley is as good as it gets. 

Read the rest of the review at Sun Valley 2010: Real Mountain Biking, in Real Mountains

The 9th year is in the books and we crowned two new overall winners--Reid Pletcher and Janelle Conners.  This was our largest racer count in the events history--from the 6 and up all the way through the men's A race-- we had great attendance, great sportsmanship, and wonderful community support.  One word, outstanding!!!  The dedicated women's race added a new element which brought very competitive ladies to the line with racer counts equaling the men's race.  

It must be the water because we are nothing but blessed with talented youth who put a smile on our faces just seeing 40+ kids, ranging from 12 and under, come out each week to race their hearts out.  We have a depth that will keep events like this going strong for years to come.

One trend that is catching on is the growing number of single speeders toeing the line; I guess they are trying to keep up with the 6 & under kids who are all on single speeds.  I think we might need to have a dedicated place on the cup for this growing... (more)

Heading into the last race it is down to a few points separating the podium spots and the ultimate glory of your name on the cup. The last race is worth double points and Sam has already pulled out your worst showing--you know the race you missed because you had to visit the in-laws. 

WRC Race 4 Results

WRC Series Standing after 4 Races

If you have not come out to join in the fun then this is it. Make sure to join us after the race at the Power House Pub for the celebration. One last race to close the 9th year of local short track racings so don't miss out on the opportunity to cheer or try your hand at a little short track. 

Thanks to all our sponsors for the support but most of all thanks to the local fans and families who come out and join in the fun. Have a good weekend. 

LR

The Wood River Cup race series is heating up, and it seemed the weather was finally starting to follow suit, but not for the third race of the Wood River Cup.  Racers and spectators were treated to what some people said "felt like snow", for the race but that didn't dampen the turnout for the race.  The third race was the largest gathering of racers and spectators for the series; 86 racers and well over 75 spectators.  Billy Olson pulled some new tricks and setup a course that was technical, fast, and nothing like anything any of us had seen in the past.

Click here to see:

Race 2 Results

Race 3 Results

Series Standing After 3 Races

After three events the points series is close. Checkout the link below for the details.  Remember that each racer gets to drop one event and the final race is worth double points so anything can and will happen in short track racing.  If you have yet to come out and watch, join us on 6/23 or 6/30 for the final two races of 2010.

Thanks... (more)

When I was in college, there was a rash of stolen textbooks (they could be returned at the bookstore for $$) in the building I was living in. We sounded the alarm and people got creative and started paying close attention and tracking down where the books might have ended up. The perpetrator was found. I picked up the following off the Wood River Bike Coalitions newsfeed which suggests a similar effort is needed here...

$500 Reward for information leading to the recovery of these bikes:

3 of the brand new Scott Voltage pump park bikes were stolen from the BCRD last night. They are brand new, orange and white, single-speed, disc brakes. To add insult to injury, these bikes were stolen just hours after BCRD presented 46 children in the community with brand new bikes. Seriously?!

Cameron Lloyd: We need to put on some real heat. I emailed mayor Randy Hall three weeks ago when my bike was stolen and he never responded to my email. I don't want anything, I just want to make sure that people know this is happening....

The first WRC race of 2010 is in the books. We had 81 racers for Wednesday's event and a solid gathering of fans.  If you haven't come out and watched a race or thought, heck why not cough up a lung, then head on out and join the fun.  We have music and food by KB's to keep you smiling.  Next week is bring a friend to a bike race to watch you suffer with a smile on your face, so don't be seen suffering without a fan to cheer you on--Mom's count too!  Thanks everyone for the support, help with setup, take down, KB's, MCR, and anyone else who helps with the events--even the talent.

Link to PDF race results -  http://freepdfhosting.com/9e3dcb34d6.pdf

WRC Race #2 - 6/9

Don’t forget, all racers need to wear a helmet, sign a waiver, and if racing in the A or B category you will need a NORBA license—you can purchase a single day license at the event. Cost to race in the A and B category is $25 per event or $100 for the 5 race series, $15 for juniors. Overall title is best of 4 finishes... (more)

Despite a fairly rainy month, Mountain Rides is pleased to announce that we had record participation at bike events throughout National Bike Month in May. Below are some of the highlights:

Bike to School Day – The kickoff to Bike Month saw some of our highest participation rates and numbers since the Safe Routes to School program started in 2004. This spring 43% of students participated, up from 16% this fall. Woodside Elementary recorded the best results, with 62% participation. They were followed by Hailey Elementary (43%), Bellevue Elementary (38%) and Hemingway Elementary (32%).

Bike to Work Day – Friday May 21^st was National Bike to Work Day, and the Wood River Trail was packed with bike commuters braving the chilly weather. Once again, Scott USA won our employer challenge with near perfect participation—97% of their employees came to work on bike. Other strong efforts came in from Smith, Marketron, and Rocky Mountain Hardware. Thanks to all of our sponsors for coming out to support the... (more)

Road & Dirt is proud to announce the official start of summer with the 9th Annual Wood River Cup. June 2nd marks the first race of the five race series, every Wednesday in June, which will crown our 2010 short track champions.  So dust off those race plates, squeeze your winter excess into some spandex, and come out and race.  If the view from the pain cave is too much to bear, come out and cheer on the kids—old and new—nothing better than smiles on kids faces as they give it their all. 

Open to all ages---if you can pedal, or be pushed, we want you to come and play.  Thanks to the Shimano Youth Series, all kids 12 and under are free and receive a medal at the finish.  Don’t forget, all racers need to wear a helmet, sign a waiver, and if racing in the A or B category you will need a NORBA license—you can purchase a single day license at the event. Cost to race in the A and B category is $25 per event or $100 for the 5 race series, $15 for juniors. Overall title is best of 4 finishes... (more)

Ketchum local, Rebecca Rusch, was featured in an article on Adventure Racing.

Rebecca Rusch was a long way from Idaho.

She had spent the night on the floor of a wooden shack and eaten, hungrily, a salty, starchy mound of cassava root. A family in a remote village of Borneo had taken her in, as they would any traveler who was obviously tired, dirty and starving.

Rusch, who lives in Ketchum, loves to travel. But she prefers to do it in a sweatier, more unconventional way. She's an adventure racer, a breed of athlete that thrives on racing across unpredictable, exotic regions of the world. Get from point A to point B, however you can: rappelling, running, hiking, climbing, kayaking. Just get there.

Click here for the rest of the story.

National Bike to Work Week is May 17th - 21st, and Mountain Rides will be celebrating with events-- along with prizes and giveaways-- throughout the week.

Bike to Work Day: Friday May 21st
If you're not biking already, make sure you stop by your local bike shop for a tune-up in preparation of Bike to Work Day. Mountain Rides and our sponsors will be stationed along the Wood River Trail with food and freebies. Prizes for the companies with the best effort and participation. Check out our Facebook and Blog for more info, or contact Danielle at 788-RIDE x104 or Danielle@mountainrides.org.

10th Annual Smart Moves Kickoff: Friday May 21st
Join our 10th Annual SMART MOVES challenge to win great prizes, including a 2011 Sun Valley Season Pass! All you have to do is get out of your car— walk, bike, carpool, bus, skateboard, rollerblade, unicycle…you get the idea. Log your trips on our TripTracker or go green (and become eligible for exlusive prizes) by logging trips on Rideshareonline. The challenge runs May 21st through... (more)