Ah, the good ol' days: There weren't as many helmets, or riders, in 1985. Turning 20: The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival
By Mark Parman
On September 17, 1983, a handful of mountain bikers rolled out of Hayward, Wis., starting the first of 40 miles on their long journey to Lakewoods Resort on Lake Namekagon. In that first Chequamegon 40, a four–wheeler didn't motor pace the group out of town. There were no
crowds lining Main Street shouting encouragement. That first race looked more like a fast group ride leaving town on a quiet Saturday morning.
Things were different then – the course, the bikes, the clothes, the  numbers of riders. The entry fee, $10. There wasn't a
bottleneck at Railroad Avenue and Highway 77, or the mad scramble in Rosie's Field, the flying elbows and jockeying for position as the course entered the first hard climbs on the Birkie Trail. The course eased out of town on an old railroad grade, then traveled east on Phipps Fire Lane to the Birkie Trail. The last 10 miles used Rock Lake Road, FR 207, through the national forest to the original finish at Lakewoods. It took several hours for the 27 riders to straggle in and finish at the resort, and Gaylen Morse's booming voice was not there to welcome riders home, a descent down the shoulder of Mount Telemark. In 1983, the bicycle industry had just begun to mass produce mountain bikes, and a few of those "faddish" bikes perched on the starting line.
Other founders simply cobbled together a trail bike from a balloon–tired cruiser. At least one rider rode a cyclocross bike. Race director Gary Crandall, riding in his first and only Chequamegon, rode an early '80s stumpjumper, bought used from another guy out there that inaugural day, Doug Kruse.
"What a beast that thing was to ride, but of course we didn't know it at
the time. It was the latest, high–tech mountain bike, so it was the best ride going. Things have developed a long way since those early years," says Crandall. By the way, he finished midpack, a respectable 12th place.
Jeff Peterson won the first Chequamegon in 2 hours and 54 minutes, a time even more remarkable considering the bike he rode. His bike was rigid, obviously, since mountain bike suspension was at best an idea,
far–fetched at that, in 1983. Suspension showed up on a winner's bike for the first time nine years later when Joe Parkin, sponsored in part by Rock Shox, powered his way to victory on the new, cushy fork. The two years previous, you may recall, Greg LeMond cruised to victory, both times on rigid bikes.
In 1983, Peterson's winning steed came equipped with high flange hubs, knobby tire in the back and semi–bald tire in the front. The bike had toe
clips and straps, large motorcycle–inspired brake levers and friction shifting. For those readers who have never used friction shifters, count your blessings. Bicyclists dubbed them "auto–shifters," since they typically slipped down into a bigger gear at the worst moment, such as the climb up the Seeley Firetower.
Peterson's Raleigh weighed a shade over 30 pounds, which was ultralight, state of the art in those days. Bob Pendleton, who finished
dead last in the next three Chequamegon 40s, reportedly pedaled a Murray that weighed over 50 pounds.
Judging from the head tube sizes of the bikes used in that first race, I would say most of the bikes were too big for the riders. Back then, mountain bikes were still sized like road bikes, roughly two or three inches too tall. No wonder many of the bikes were fitted with a top tube pad.
Two decades later, our bikes have evolved almost beyond
comprehension: titanium, carbon and aluminum frames … front and rear suspension and disc brakes … tubeless tires, indexed shifting over nine cogs and clipless pedals. Our bike costumes have evolved a bit in 20 years as well. One guy had on jeans and a T–shirt, short–sleeved at that. Everyone else wore long sleeves. Because of the cold, one rider sported a wool sherpa hat. About half the field wore helmets that day, and a few
of those were leather–strap helmets, popular in the European peleton. To put the lack of helmets in perspective, in the early '80's, NHL players were playing hockey without helmets, too.
It was chilly that morning. Peterson had white cotton long johns, both tops and bottoms, under his cycling jersey and shorts. He didn't wear a helmet. According to Crandall, Scott Caldwell, finishing dead last, wore a winter parka and carried enough food in his panniers to live in the woods for a week.
Really, though, it didn't seem to matter what people were riding or wearing, because the race grew tremendously. People were having fun, and the word was getting out. Attendance jumped from 27 to 87 the second year, from 87 to 170 in the third Chequamegon 40, from 170 to 250 in 1986, plus another 134 riders finished the just–added Short and Fat race.
In 1989 by the end of the decade, well over 1,500 riders finished the
off–road journey from Hayward to its new home at Telemark Lodge. Erik Ringsrud won that year. In 1990, the race reached its field limit of 2,250 for the first time. Driving up the Friday night before the race and signing up then became a luxury of the past. The next year the field was capped at 2,500, the current limit, and that quickly filled, as has every race since then.
Some things about the Fat Tire Festival haven't changed, however. The
woods, the lakes, the trails and the mud are basically the same. The Seeley Firetower Hill isn't getting any lower, and 40 miles is still 40 miles.
Just three members of the original field of 27 have ridden all of the first 19 events: Jeff Austin, Mike Gerke and Dennis Kruse. Although most of the originals are gone and a new generation has taken to the trails, the infectious enthusiasm of the people – from volunteers to spectators to
riders – is the same. Everybody at the Fat Tire Festival is still smiling. Everybody is still having fun.
LOOKING AHEAD TO 2002
When the field heads out of Hayward on September 14 for the Chequamegon 40, it will mark the 20th running of one of the country's
oldest mountain bike races. At 20 years of age, the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival will be older than some of the riders lining up at the starts in Hayward and Cable.
Right now race director Gary Crandall has no official 20th anniversary plans for the race, no surprises in store, although expect him to cook up some impromptu ones between now and then. Crandall says what he and his staff will do for No. 20 is "keep on doing what we have done so well for 20 years."
In its 20 runnings, the race has grown a hundredfold, from 27 to 2,500. Once again, the field overfilled, and riders were selected via a lottery in March, plus an additional 50 literary talents selected from the now traditional essay contest, "50 Ways to Ride the Chequamegon."
This year may give out a few surprises, however, including the winners of both the long and the short races. At 41, Steve Tilford (Moots/Shimano),
champion the last two years, will be back, and the question is how long can he remain at the top of the heap. Past champs Scott Quiring (Mi–Quiring Cycles) and Jeff Hall (Salsa) are registered, and Hall is having a strong season.
Like Tilford, Kansas rider Catherine Walberg (Trek/VW Midwest), a three–peat champion, also calls Topeka home, but new blood will challenge her, most likely Minnesotans Anne Grabowski or Kyia
Malenkovich (Dogfish/Trek/Bookoo). Look for Illinois rider John Devine (Trek/VW Midwest) to defend his title in the Short and Fat.
The course will be no surprise, running over the same gravel roads, logging two–tracks and ski trails used for the last several years. After a neutral runout on State Highway 77, the fireworks will go off in Rosie's Field. By the time the Chequamegon 40 reaches Mosquito Brook Road, six miles into the race, only a handful of riders will remain, and the winner
typically emerges from this group.
Unless the area receives heavy rain the week of the event and the course is rerouted, count on the full course in both the Short and Fat and the Chequamegon 40. According to Crandall, the usual "active logging along the county forest portions of the course will make for some challenging trail–tread situations."
The Chequamegon–Cliff Bar Cleanup Crew, headed by Irv Berlin, will
again sweep the course, literally cleaning up all trail trash – blown inner tubes, spent CO2 cartridges, wayward water bottles and hundreds of unwanted energy bar wrappers. Food Stop No. 4, at the junction of Lake Helaine and Telemark Road, will be handing up Cliff Shots to bonking riders.
CAMBA, the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association, continues to maintain the race trails as well as develop new trails in the area. In the
past few years, the association's efforts have gone toward developing single–track. According to CAMBA's executive director, Ron Bergin, nine miles of single–track are planned for the Cable Cluster, some running off the ski trails at Telemark Resort, once again the event host. CAMBA was also to begin construction this summer of another 10 miles of single–track at the Rock Lake Trails in the Namekagon Cluster.
On Friday afternoon at one, a CAMBA trail tour leaves the Big Top
Tent at Telemark. For a $5 donation, riders receive a water bottle, map, an experienced guide and perhaps a door prize. Registration opens at noon.
Crandall notes that response to the Save the Trails Fund, the voluntary contribution box on the entry blank, was overwhelming this year.
"In the past, several thousands of dollars were collected and split, but this year just shy of $10,000 was sent on behalf of the generosity of the
CFTF participants. What a boost for trail advocacy."
Half of these funds go to CAMBA for local trails, while the other half goes to IMBA, the International Mountain Bike Association.
In light of the Fat Tire Festival's 20th anniversary, race director Gary Crandall encourages past participants to wear their festival memorabilia: T–shirts, hats, jerseys. Maybe there'll even be an antique bike or two.
FOR MORE INFORMATION
The Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival begins Friday, September 13, and runs through Sunday, September 15. On Saturday of the event weekend, the 40–mile, mass start, point–to–point off–road bicycle event travels from downtown Hayward, Wis., over the famed American Birkebeiner
Ski Trail, forest roads, snowmobile trails and other wooded lanes to the finish line in Cable. Taking part in this challenging fat tire marathon will be 1,700 participants.
The 16–mile mass start Short & Fat race/tour is the perfect introductory event for those new to off–road cycling, younger riders or for those not ready to tackle the rigors of the marathon Chequamegon 40. Starting in Cable on Saturday, it uses forest roads, the Birkie Ski Trail and other
backwoods paths on the way to the finish line for its 800 participants.
On Sunday, a bicycle orienteering treasure hunt, the Rough Stuff Rendezvous, pits brain vs. brawn in a map and compass challenge. Riders must locate seven well–marked checkpoints indicated on their orienteering maps and hung in the woods. Find all the checkpoints, punch your control card and return to the finish.
Held on a tight, twisting half–mile closed circuit race course, the Cable
Criterium is the final event of the Chequamegon weekend on Sunday. Multilap finals are held for age class championships, which will determine qualifiers for the overall criterium championship.
The Chequamegon's blend of fat tire family fun on Sunday helps round out the weekend activities. Participants enjoy the Klunker Bike Toss, Lumber Jack & Jill Log Pull, Hammer Slammer Hill Climb and a Children's Bicycle Rodeo. These are complimentary events and do not require registration.
For more information, contact the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival Inc., P.O. Box 276, Cable, WI 54821; 715/798–3594; cheqfat@cheqnet.net; www.cheqfattire.com.
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