LAKE MACBRIDE — 175 racers and 60 riders converged on the Lake MacBride Golf Course to take on the sixth annual Lake MacBride Fat Tire Classic bike race and fun ride Saturday, Feb. 11.
The course wound its way around and through Lake MacBride State Park utilizing existing trails and roadways as well as trails specially created for the event.
The race, featuring rugged off-road bicycles with extra wide tires, has become a primary fundraiser for the Solon Centennial Lions Club, which was formed in January 2017. The idea of a fat tire race was first discussed in December 2017, when Jay and Helen Proffitt, Brian Fitzpatrick and Sugar Bottom Bikes collaborated to organize and make a presentation to the club members. Permission was sought from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Ron Puettmann and Nick Rocca) as well as from the City of Solon. A mid-race “bacon station” was added along with free soups, slammers, and cookies from Sam’s Main Street Market at the end of the race.
The inaugural event, held March 3, 2018, drew 106 racers and 27 riders.
For this year’s event volunteers assisted with parking at the golf course, provided traffic control for the safety of the riders, staffed the Bacon Station at the Timberdome Lodge at the SRNA, and helped with the afternoon awards ceremony where trophies crafted by Tim Gordon (Gordon Lumber Co.) were presented, and the final cleanup.
Brian Eppen was the overall winner in 2:14:50.1 as well as the overall male winner while Kim Eppen was the overall female winner in 2:36:49.1. Full results can be found at www.webscorer.com/race?raceid=305174.
Proceeds from the event will be used by the Lions Club to fund various projects throughout the community.
Josh Wren (112) enjoys the mild winter morning Saturday, Feb. 11 as he competes in the sixth annual Fat Tire Classic bike race at Lake MacBride State Park. Wren did not, unfortunately, finish the race.