Course Info
2011 Events
The 2011 Bell’s Beer Iceman Cometh Challenge is a point to point mountain bike race held traditionally on the first Saturday of November. The race starts in downtown Kalkaska, Michigan and finishes twenty nine miles later at Timber Ridge RV & Recreation Resort on the eastern edge of Traverse City, Michigan. The course consists primarily of dirt roads, two-tracks (the majority of the course), abandoned railroad beds, and the world famous Vasa Nordic ski trail. It crosses only one paved road (Williamsburg Rd at mile 16) as it winds through the breath taking (literally) terrain of the Pere Marquette State Forest in Northern Lower Michigan. In 2010 4,766 athletes from 38 states and Ontario participated!!
Bell’s Beer Iceman attracted competitive cyclists from 38 states including Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, as well as Ontario, Canada. Their ability levels varied from first time racers to seasoned professionals. Ages ranged from 1.5 years to 77 years of age.
The Meijer Slush Cup offers beginning riders with a half frozen version of the Bell’s Beer Iceman. Approximately 8 miles long, the Slush Cup starts at Timber Ridge, follows the Vasa 10K ski trail, and then merges with the Bell’s Beer Iceman trail before winding up back at Timber Ridge.
The Meijer Sno-Cone is geared for riders 12 & under who want to discover the thrill of bike racing. Each participant receives a medal, number plate, and stickers.
Schedule of Events
Friday November 4, 2011
12:00 Noon - 9:00 PM Packet Pick-up Grand Traverse Resort & Spa
12:00 Noon - 9:00 PM Concessions Open Grand Traverse Resort & Spa
12:00 Noon - 9:00 PM Ice Cycle Expo Grand Traverse Resort & Spa
Saturday November 5, 2011
7:30 Am - 9:00 AM Late Iceman Packet Pick-up Downtown Kalkaska
7:30 Am - 9:00 AM Late Slush Cup Packet Pick-up Timber Ridge
9:00 AM BELL'S BEER ICEMAN START Downtown Kalkaska
9:00 AM MEIJER SLUSH CUP START Timber Ridge
10:00 AM First Slush-Cup Finish Timber Ridge
10:30 AM First Iceman Finish Timber Ridge
11:00 AM First Bus to Kalkaska Leaves Timber Ridge
2:30 PM BELL'S BEER ICEMAN START- PROs Downtown Kalkaska
3:00 PM MEIJER SNO-CONE START Timber Ridge
4:00 PM Pro's Finish Timber Ridge
6:00 PM LAST BUS TO KALKASKA LEAVES Timber Ridge
2011 Iceman Start Waves
With the new 2011 Bell’s Beer Iceman categories based solely on age, and wave placement based on past results, we are anticipating that each wave of riders will be more evenly matched and should stick together as they progress down the trail more than in years past. Thus, we are increasing the number of start waves from 31 to 50 in order to reduce the number of riders in each wave. With 4,000 participants and 50 waves, that breaks down to approximately 80 riders in each wave. It also means that waves of riders will start every three minutes compared to every five minutes last year.
We will assign your wave number during the last week of October and add the wave assignment to each riders’ record in the rider confirmation system — So look for your wave assignment beginning October 28th. New Bell’s Beer Iceman riders without a seed time will be placed toward the back of the wave order and start with riders within their respective categories. (Waves 25–33.)
In the meantime, please check the confirmation system under the registration header at iceman.com to ensure that we have a seed time for you if you have participated in one of the past five years of the Bell’s Beer Iceman Cometh Challenge.
Iceman Course
TRAIL ROUTE
Starting in downtown Kalkaska, the Bell’s Beer Iceman trail consists of paved roads, dirt roads, two tracks (the majority of the course), abandoned railroad beds, and the world famous Vasa Nordic ski trail. Approximately 29 miles long, the course crosses only one paved road (Williamsburg Rd. at mile 17) as it winds through the breath taking terrain of the Pere Marquette State Forest in Northwestern Lower Michigan. Course highlights include “Steve’s Secret”, “Lombard’s Luge,” “Cassle Cliffs,” and “Ice Breaker” (the last hill to climb). The finish line at Timber Ridge, just east of Traverse City, will be a welcome sight to all Icemen and Icewomen. The course can be best described as a road race on dirt.
COURSE NOW MEAUSRED IN KILOMETERS
This year the course will be marked using Kilometers (to go) instead of miles so you’re going to have to do some math in head if you want to know how miles you have left in the race. No it is not a USA Cycling mandate or a conspiracy from the UCI....it is simply that by using Kilometers we will have a more accurate idea of where any accidents or injuries happen so we can respond that much more efficiently.
GRAND TRAVERSE CYCLE FEED STATIONS
Grand Traverse Cycle is once again spon sor ing the Feed Stations! Watch for their catchy signs on the course as you ap proach the three designated feed stations. The Ice House, Oasis, and Ice Station Zebra are located at about seven, seventeen and twenty-three miles into the course, respectively. Volunteer crews will be serving up loads of Heed, cookies, fruit, and water for all!
Plans are underway to make the Oasis at Williamsburg Rd. a real hap pen ing with its own an nounc er and PA so the entire crowd can hear who’s made it that far. Slush Cup riders will use the last Iceman feed station, Ice Station Zebra, located on the Vasa Trail. As always, there will be a large recovery center at the finish line.
CLOTHING BAGS
Two clothing bag trucks will be parked at Kalkaska Middle School. Each racer will receive a numbered adhesive strip that corresponds to their race number. That number is to be used for your clothing bag. The clothing will be transported to the finish line and placed under the big tent for you to pick-up. Each rider is responsible for providing their own bag. Please don’t place valuables in your bag as we cannot be responsible for lost or stolen items. The first truck will be for waves 1-25, and the second for waves 26-49.
DROP OUTS
Riders wishing to drop out of either the Slush Cup or the Iceman are asked to do so at any one of the road crossings with course marshalls present. If you abandon the race at any other location, we cannot be responsible for returning you to the finish line.
CUT OFF TIME
For the personal safety of all riders, the Iceman course will close at 2:00 PM at Williamsburg Rd. Those riders (except for Pros) failing to meet the 2:00 PM cut off time will be directed off the course and into a waiting bus to continue on to the finish line.
FIRST AID
First Aid personnel will be located at each food station and at the start and finish lines for each event. Mobile emergency vehicles and medical service volunteers will be stationed along both the Iceman and Slush Cup trails. Be sure to extend a special "thanks" to the safety crew volunteers as you pedal by!
LOST & FOUND
We cannot be responsible for clothing, tools, or bike parts left at food stations or along the trail. We will make our best effort to get these articles to the lost & found box at the finish line but cannot make guarantees. Wear clothing you won’t mind losing!
PRE-RIDING THE ICEMAN COURSE
Unfortunately, we cannot provide maps of the course before the event since the course is convoluted enough that even locals with maps have gotten very lost in the Pere Marquette State Forest. All it takes is one wrong turn to ruin an outing. The course is marked on the Thursday before the race.
WEATHER
The weather in Northern Michigan during November is often very volatile. Eight of the past twenty Iceman events have been held in very snowy (sometimes up to fi ve inches) and cold (19 degrees) con di tions. Hands, toes, and water bottles are likely to freeze. It may be 50 degrees and sunny, but it is best to plan on gnarly (dude) conditions. Appropriate fall/winter cycling clothing is strongly encouraged. You won’t go wrong with cycling tights, long sleeve jerseys, long fingered gloves, outer wear, shoe cover booties, and something to cover your face. DON’T FORGET YOUR HELMET, YOUR SHOES, OR YOUR BIKE!!!
If you plan on partying at the Celebration Zone, pack for cold weather and toss your winter outer wear in your bag!
LEAVE NO TRACE
It doesn't seem like much to dispose of an energy gel wrapper by dropping it during a race. "It's only one" must be the mind set. It seems like that mind set also occurs when folks are just out recreating as foil wrappers appear on the trail all year long.
Race staff and volunteers spend a whole day cleaning up the trail after the big race. We understand that there is bound to be stuff left on the trail, but recently it has gotten a bit out of hand. If one out of four racers use an energy gel, and 1/2 of those drop the wrapper, that's 250 packs of slimey, guey, sticky, and covered with ants and dirt (why do you think they named it that way) foil wrappers that have to be picked up afterwards. That's almost 10 wrappers per mile!
Don't ruin a pristine forest, take the two seconds to put the gel pack back in your pocket so it can be properly disposed once your adventure is finished.
Principles of Leave No Trace:
Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Bus Schedule Expands
Park in Kalkaska and have your support crew ride the bus to Timber Ridge while you are pedaling like a fiend to get there before they do!.That way your crew can get dropped off right at the front door at Timber Ridge and you can all ride the bus together back to your car in Kalkaska.
There’s no messing with parking at East Junior High School and riding that shuttle into Timber Ridge! We are also extending the hours for the return trip to Kalkaska from 4 PM to 6PM so riders can enjoy the festivities and the professional awards celebration & still catch a ride back to Kalkaska.
Catch the bus to Timber Ridge in the alley directly east of the old Municipal Building at the start line.
Of course, we will still have the remote parking lot at East Middle School and provide a quick & easy shuttle service to & from Timber Ridge. Everybody who has utilized the East Middle School parking lot have been amazed at how easy it was!
An option for guests of Grand Traverse Resort & spa is jump onto one of their free shuttles from Grand Traverse Resort & Spa to the start line in Kalkaska. Bike transportation will be provided as well so you can simply park at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa, take the shuttle to Kalkaska, ride, and then ride or shuttle back to Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. Just be sure to check with the concierge on Friday night so they know to expect you.
Watch for additional detailed information on bus schedules and parking operations in pre-race emails.
Porta-johns
Porta-johns will be located at the starting venue at the Kalkaska Municipal Parking lot AND at the Kalkaska Middle School. The units will be placed along the south wall of the Middle School gymnasium so they will be easy to find and will be accessible from a number of parking locations. There will be 25 units placed at both locations with two handicapped portajohns added to the mix at the start.
Michigan Youth Cycling's History
The idea of the Michigan Youth Cycling (MYC) program was forged on a cold December night ten years ago when a diverse group of cyclists, parents, and health enthusiasts met in a living room in Pinckney, MI to lay the foundation of what would become Kids Race Sports Development Inc., now a 501 (C) (3) non-profit organization. Though each person in attendance brought different personal, professional, academic, and cycling experiences to that initial meeting, all believed in the need to support junior development while promoting cycling as a lifetime activity to children and youth throughout Michigan. Because this need has so many different components, the organization formed two separate programs: a community based initiative to introduce children to cycling and .a junior development team devoted to junior cyclists.
Along that same path MYC wanted to start recognizing student athletes by awarding scholarships in an effort to support their educational endeavors. With that, the Iceman Cometh Scholarship award was formed in 2005. The award is given out each November at the Iceman Cometh, where junior cyclists race to be the top 5 fastest male and female riders in hopes of earning a monetary scholarship ($4,000.00 in Scholarships this year) for their future educational endeavors. In addition to the Iceman Cometh Scholarship, this year we will be offering a scholarship for the top 3 male and female riders in our MBRA - Michigan Challenge Junior Scholarship Series Awards ( $4,000.00), Wolverine Junior Development Program ($500.00), Michigan Tailwind Cyclocross series competition, ($500.00) and the Michigan Youth Cyclist of the Year Award $1000.00 Scholarship. To date, MYC has awarded $8,500 in scholarship to student athletes. This year alone MYC expects to award $10,000 to student athletes!!!!
Another development that MYC is really excited for is the partnership that has been formed with the Wolverine sports club. Together, the MYC/Wolverine Junior Developmental team will expand in new and bigger ways. The goal of the program is to aid in the development of youth as a student, community member and athlete. Team members will be monitored for academic performance. Additionally, community service will be required.
"The vision of the program has evolved and grown quite a bit since that cold night in December," says Matt Baroli, executive director of MYC. "We just want to get kids involved, whether that's taking them to the level of going to Nationals and or just taking them out on the local Tuesday night training ride for their first time."
MYC is not only an advocate for physical activity and access to healthy competition but they are also about life balance. Along with balance, MYC is dedicated to providing the forum for the development of skills such as teamwork, self-discipline, sportsmanship, leadership and socialization that our youth so desperately need in this day and age.
Festivities in Kalkaska and the Kalkaska Kiwanis Club Pancake Breakfast
The Village of Kalkaska would like to welcome to all Icemen race participants, their families, and friends back to downtown Kalkaska for another exciting start to the Iceman. It is truly an honor to host the start of one of the greatest bike races our country has to offer. Considering, that 50% of the land in Kalkaska county is state forest land, it seems like a perfect fit. Kalkaska county is well known for its miles and miles of biking, hiking, snowmobile, horse, and ATV trails.
Once again, the Village of Kalkaska has a vibrant atmosphere being cooked up for the starting line in downtown Kalkaska. There will be refreshments, your favorite coffee, entertainment and much more. The Village of Kalkaska would like to welcome to all Icemen race participants, their families, and friends. Make yourself at home!
Everyone knows there's nothing like the smell of pancakes, eggs, sausage and coffee to get you going in the morning. And again this year, it will all be waiting for you within 100 feet from the start line. Be sure to pay a visit to the 2nd Annual Iceman Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast located inside the old village office building (your race packets will be handed out in the same building). The Kalkaska Kiwanis Club's primary service projects are to support children and community. All the proceeds from the Pancake Breakfast will help fund their efforts on these projects. The Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast is open to cyclists, supporters of the cyclists and our very own Kalkaska citizens and offers a great chance to meet some of the athletes!
The Village of Kalkaska is also excited to welcome the folks at Mighty Fine Coffee, who will be setting up a coffee tent at the Iceman start. Make sure you stop by and get yourself a warm drink to carry you through the morning, whether you're waiting for your race to start, or waiting to cheer on your loved one.
There will be more information in your packets about all of the activities in Kalkaska! Prior to the race, you can find out all about the festivities on the Village of Kalkaska website, www.kalkaskavillage. com. Welcome to our community!