Admittedly, I use the term "racing" loosely, especially when it comes to skiing or driving. Still, here's where and when I'm thinking about paying even more money than usual to ski, bike, or stick my car in snowbanks.
Last year, I got my first taste of road racing and absolutely loved it. Unfortunately, getting into it will require a lot of travel, a lot of money (you need fancy licenses and stuff), and putting up with a lot of douchebags (entire books have been written to try and explain why roadies are sometimes such insufferable pricks). Enter: gravel road racing. Often no entry fees, events that are somewhat closer to home, and a group of people who are weird enough to have a single speed class. Hell, some of the events use rally style tulip instructions. Sounds like it might be just my kind of thing. This year, I'll be trying to get into as many events as I can in the Almanzo Gravel Road Series along with a few other gravel road events here and there that look interesting. If my Kona Major One plans work out, I plan to do them all on a single speed.
January
- 2-3 Stormy Kromer Pursuit Looks like a fun, easy way to kick off ski season. My dad hasn't exactly said no just yet on teaming up for this one too.
- 9 Minnesota Winter Rally The last rendition of this turned downright epic. There's no way I'd miss this again.
- 16-17 Keweenaw Nordic Festival I have no idea what this is, but I suspect it's the old Copper Island Classic combined with a skate event at the Tech Trails. Count me in.
- 30 Noquemanon I'm crazy enough that 100+ miles of gravel road racing on a bike sounds like fun, but this 50k+ of skate skiing still scares the crap out of me. Still, an absolutely beautiful course and good motivation to get my butt out on skis after work.
February
- 12-14 Midwest Telefest OK, so maybe this isn't exactly a race, but the uphill/downhill race has to be worth something. Still a good time out on skis with lots of like minded folk.
March
- 6 Keweenaw Winter Rally This will probably be the only time all winter that I clean out all the ski shit from my car to go bombing along on the local roads.
- 13 Great Bear Chase This is a ski event that I might actually be racing in.
- 27(?) Barry-Roubaix It's a good thing this event is short, as this may be the first time I turn a pedal over all year.
April
- 10 Ragnarok 105 Crossing my fingers, hoping I get in.
- 24(?) Ronde Von Skandia A local "bad road" race. I've wussed out on this numerous times for various reasons. I'll be going head to head with most of the people who ride this later in the fall in cyclocross, so it will be a good opportunity to assess just how much I need to stop sucking before CX season begins.
May
- 15 Almanzo 100 (alternate: Cable Classic) It's a tough call this weekend, the Cable Classic is just an awesome MTB race with a super low entry fee and nice early season vibe. However, entry in The Gentlemen's Ride later in the year is dependent on me or a teammate running the Almanzo 100.
June
- 19 Chain Drive This year, I got my ass kicked hard by this race. It's a tough 32 miles, early in the season. We'll see how I feel- I'm actually becoming a somewhat competitive short event MTB racer, I might sandbag and do the 16 miler.
- 25-27 Superior Bike Fest Time to get my roadie on with the rest of the team. The downtown crit is still some of the most fun I've ever had bike racing. Looking forward to this again.
July
- 11(?) Miner's Revenge DUDE, YOU GET TO RIDE THROUGH A FRIGGIN' MINE!!!1! C'MON!
- 17(?) 12(24?) Hours of Potluck I've heard rumors this might become a 24 hour event, although a teammate and I have been discussing a team that rides every lap together through the 12 hour race. Either way, I'll be riding my bike a lot this weekend.
August
- 7(?) Copperman I'm just not that much a tri geek to cough up $50 to do this, but I sort of missed doing it this year- it's the only chance I get to swim competitively. We'll see.
- 14 Ore 2 Shore If only for the insanity that is ~2000 people dropping the hammer at the mass start. Maybe might do this on a CX bike, maybe might team up with a few people and get the Red Train cranked up, maybe might get a geared 29er and try to kill it.
- 21(?) Great Deer Chase Unofficial Official UP State Single Speed Championships. In. And a way fun, cheap event regardless.
September
- 5(?) Fat Tire Festival Probably going to bikepack to this one again. Maybe the Hoss will be a single speed by then, too.
- 18 The Gentlemen's Ride More gravel road racing, this time in teams of four. Dependent on somebody in my team doing the Almanzo 100 (and having a team!).
- 25(?) Heck of the North If the Gentlemen's Ride happens, this might not. I'll be well into LSPR mode by this time.
- UPCROSS. Eh Class. Single speed. Bring it.
October
November
- 6 Iceman Cometh Challenge I'll make a long weekend out of it this time. Lots of friends and family down that way I'd like to visit along with lots of pre and post partying going on.
- UPCROSS Dear God, why did I think this was a good idea?
Sweet race schedule. Lots on the plate. I am thinking about doing the Superior Bike Fest too. Need to get a road bike, though... Good thing I know the right people! :-D