THE INLAND NORTHWEST just finished another winter that bode well for cyclists with minimal snow on the valley floors and enough in the mountains for cross-country and downhill skiing, providing plenty of opportunity to get and stay fit for the cycling season. To take full advantage of that winter induced fitness, or to give you some motivation because you didn’t take advantage of cross-training opportunities, here’s a list of rides to get you on the road (or off the road as the case may be!).
SOLD OUT RIDES
(June 25) RIDE AROUND THE PIONEERS IN ONE DAY (RATPOD) www.ratpod.com.
(July 10) VALLEY GIRL TRIATHLON. www.valleygirltri.com.
(July 28) RIDE AROUND MT RAINIER IN ONE DAY (RAMROD) Lottery closed March 31. If you missed the lottery, you’ve missed the ride. www.redmondcyclingclub.org/RAMROD.
(August 5-6) Ride from Seattle to Vancouver (BC) and Party (RSVP). August 5-6 sold out. Lottery for August 6-7 closed on February 23. www.cascade.org
RECURRING RIDES
(May 18-June 29) WEDNESDAY NIGHT MOUNTAIN BIKE RACE SERIES. Riverside State Park, Seven-Mile Airstrip. Registration opens at 5:00; racing begins at 6:30. eric@milliseconds.com or 509.879.5119
(Ongoing) SPOKANE BICYCLE CLUB. Regular rides of varying lengths and intensity. Non-members and new members welcome. www.spokanebicycleclub.org.
(First Sundays) ELK DRUG DROPOUTS VINTAGE BIKE RIDES. Meet at Elk Drug in Browne’s Addition, pedal to David’s Pizza and back. 3:00 p.m. No website.
(Most Tuesdays and Saturdays) SPOKANE BOMB (Believers On Mountain Bikes). Mountain bike rides most Tuesdays and Saturdays beginning in April. Locations vary. www.spokanebomb.com
(Monthly) FBC SPOKANE FULL MOON FIASCO. Check website for meeting place of the month and your calendar for the date. fbcspokane.blogspot.com/
EVENTS, RIDES, & RACES
(April 2-3 and Summer Tuesdays) BADDLANDS CYCLING CLUB. There’s a road race, time trial, circuit race or criterium nearly every Tuesday through August beginning with Frozen Flatlands on April 2-3. One-day licenses available. www.baddlands.org
(April 3) PEDALS TO PEOPLE Free shop tune-ups..
(April 9) RONDE VAN PALOUSE ROAD RACE. 23-mile circuit near Spangle, paved and dirt roads. Puncture resistant tires suggested. Race 48-71 miles depending upon category. One-day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com/
(April 9-10) BEEZLEY BURN MOUNTAIN BIKE FESTIVAL. Short track and cross-country racing. Free Vicious Cycle BBQ! Tent camping. www.beezleyburn.com
(April 15-17 ) TOUR OF WALLA WALLA. Four stage road race, criterium and time trial. USCF 2011 license required to register. www.tofww.org
(April 21-24) NORTHWEST CRANK. Join the Seattle International Randonneurs for five days of training around Wenatchee. Each day features several rides. www.northwestcrank.com
(May) BIKE TO WORK MONTH, WEEK & DAY. BTW Week starts Riverfront Park Kickoff Breakfast, May 16 at 7:00 a.m. Energizer Stations on May 18. Wrap-up celebration on May 20. Commute challenge lasts all month. www.spokanebikes.org
(May 7 and July 16) INLAND ROAD RACE SERIES LIBERTY ROAD RACES. Two 29-mile loops through the Palouse in the Spangle area. One day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com
(May 14-15) SCENIC TOUR OF THE KOOTENAI RIVER (STOKR). Registration closed February 28, but check it out. You might get lucky. www.libbymt.com/events/stokr.htm.
(May 15) LILAC CENTURY SURPRISE. Five routes from 15 to 100 miles with full support. Century winds through Spokane’s West Plains and along the Spokane River and Lake Spokane. 5k run option for triathlon training. www.northdivision.com/Lilac%20Century_Home.html
(May 18) RIDE OF SILENCE Memorial ride to commemorate cyclists who have died in traffic. Check website for location. 7 p.m. www.rideofsilence.org
(May 21) INLAND EMPIRE CENTURY. Choose from 25 easy miles to routes of 50, 75 or 100 challenging miles through the lower Yakima/Columbia River Valley. www.inlandempirecentury.org
(May 21-22) TOUR OF THE SWAN RIVER VALLEY (TOSRV) WEST. A two-day tour through spectacular western Montana scenery. Choose from the 110-mile a day Classic or 85-mile a day Potomac routes. Five meals provided in addition to food stops. www.missoulabike.org.
(May 22) MUNCHEN HAUS BIKE RIDE. Three routes through the Wenatchee National Forest covering 50, 70 or 100 miles. munchenhausbikeride.com/
(May 22) INLAND ROAD RACE SERIES RIVERBEND CRITERIUM. Race around Post Falls for 45 or 60 of the most punishing minutes you’ll ever experience on a bike. One day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com
(May 27-30) CENTURY RIDE OF THE CENTURIES. Three days of supported riding and meals with options each day through Eastern Oregon near Pendleton. Routes range from 25-100 miles. www.cyclependleton.com
(May 28-29) 24-HOUR NORBA NW 24-HOUR CHAMPIONSHIPS. Spend Memorial Day weekend riding your mountain bike around and around Riverside State Park for 24 hours. Go solo or form a team. www.roundandround.com.
(May 28) EASTERN WASHINGTON SENIOR GAMES For men and women 50 years and older. 2 time trials, road race and criterium.
http://wwymca.org/events/eastern-washington-senior-games
(June 4) CHaFE 150 BIKE RIDE. Ride a 147-mile loop from Sandpoint to Troy to Bonner’s Ferry and back to Sandpoint. Bus from Troy available. www.chafe150.org
(June 4) THREE RIVERS RACE. Despite the name, it’s not a race; it’s a fund raising ride through the Grande Ronde Valley in Eastern Oregon. Choose from metric or full century. Includes 5k, 10k, half and full-marathon routes for runners and walkers. www.3riversrace.com
(June 4) WENATCHEE SUNRISE ROTARY APPLE CENTURY. 11-mile family route plus 50 or 100 mile routes from Wenatchee to Lake Wenatchee via Leavenworth. www.applebikeride.com.
(June 5) INLAND ROAD RACE SERIES CHENEY-ROCK LAKE ROAD RACE. 73 miles of racing through Channeled Scabblands and scenic Palouse around Cheney. One-day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com/
(June 18) ANN WEATHERILL CYCLING CLASSIC. 30, 60 and 100 mile options around Walla Walla, fully supported. www.wheatlandwheelers.com
(June 18) TOUR DE BLAST. Ride 33, 54, or 82-miles through the heart of the Mount St. Helens blast zone. Long route offers 6,200 feet of climbing with a 9-mile climb and descent! www.tourdeblast.com.
(June 18) I MADE THE GRADE. Climb 2000 feet up the Lewiston Hill along the Old Spiral Highway to the scenic vista. Route covers 18 miles. www.clarkstonpres.pcusa.cc/IMTG
(June 18) NIC CHALLENGE SPRINT ADVENTURE RACE. Teams bike, run, paddle and navigate through each leg of a route that remains secret until race day. www.nic.edu/op
(June 18-19) DOUBLE DIVIDE RIDE. Cross the Great Divide, twice! 83 miles on day one; 56 miles on day two. Food! www.helenabicycleclub.com
(June 19) LOREEN MILLER BIKE RIDE. 3-mile family ride or walk/run options, plus 12, 50 and 100-mile routes. www.cancerpatientcare.org/index.php?pageControl=loreenbikeride
(June 19-26) CYCLE MONTANA. Six days and 358 miles of fully supported touring through Montana’s best scenery. Camping and Catered meals. www.adventurecycling.org
(June 21) RIDE THE WALL. Evening ride of 13 miles along the CCC-Wall Ridge route, winding along and above the Coeur d’Alene River. Begin and ends at Enaville Resort. www.hfhidaho.org/bike_event.htm
(June 22) SPOKANE SUMMER PARKWAYS. 6:00-9:00 p.m. South Hill route joins Manito and Comstock parks with Hart Field. www.summerparkways.com
(June 25-26) METHOW CYCLE AND SPORT CHALLENGE. Race nearly 13 miles along the North Summit Nordic trail system and Bear Mountain trails. www.methowcyclesport.com
(June 25) NATIVE PLANET CLASSIC. 63 or 128 miles from Winthrop to Ross Lake with 10,000 feet of climbing. www.ride4areason.org
(June 25) CHELAN CENTURY CHALLENGE. Three loops between 30 and 40 miles with over 2500 feet of climbing each loop. www.chelancenturychallenge.com
(July 1-4) NW TANDEM RALLY. Short, medium and long rides with banquets, BBQs and more. www.nwtr.org/2011
(July 3) INLAND ROAD RACE SERIES WHITWORTH CRITERIUM. 45-60 minutes of all out racing around a .9 mile loop on the Whitworth University campus. One-day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com/
(July 9-10) SEATTLE TO PORTLAND (STP). 10,000 cyclists will trek from Seattle to Portland—more than 2400 will do it in one day. 200 miles over one or two-days with baggage transport and limited overnight accommodations. www.cascade.org
(July 16) ONE HELENA ONE HUNDRED. Metric century follows Missouri River from Cascade to Wolf Creek and back. Century also follows the river from Cascade to Ulm to Smith River and back to Cascade. www.helenabicycleclub.com
(July 23) 50 MILES AT THE PASS GRAN FONDO MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDE. Choose from 10, 17, 35 or 50 mile routes. www.bicycleservice.com/4thJuly.html
(July 23) SEATTLE GRAN FONDO. Breakfast on Edmonds/Kingston Ferry. 30, 70, 100 Gran Fondo routes and Super Gran Fondo with17-mile timed climb up Hurricane Ridge. www.echelongranfondo.org
(July 24) SPOKANE SUMMER PARKWAYS. 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.: Route leads from Clark Playfield to Franklin Park and back. Northwest: Sunday August 14, 10:00 a.m-2:00 p.m. Audubon to Dwight Merkel/Joe Albi and back. www.summerparkways.com
(August 6) EIGHT LAKES LEG ACHES. 30, 45 or 75 mile routes to and around some or all of the following Cheney/Spokane area lakes: Willow, Granite, Silver, Medical, Clear, Chapel, Kepple and Fish Lakes. www.lcsnw.org/events.html
(August 6) MIDNIGHT CENTURY. No registration, no swag, no support but lots of dirt roads. Riders must have lights, water, food and appropriate bike. Leave The Elk at 11:59 p.m. www.midnightcentury.com
(August 6-8) COURAGE CLASSIC. 172 miles over three days and three mountain passes. Start near North Bend, finish at Skykomish. www.multicare.org/home/courage-classic
(August 14) SPOKANE SUMMER PARKWAYS. 10:00 a.m-2:00 p.m.: Audubon Park to Dwight Merkel/Joe Albi and back. www.summerparkways.com
(August 14) INLAND ROAD RACE SERIES MT. SPOKANE HILL CLIMB. 10 miles climbing 3500 feet at inclines from 5 to 15 percent. Finish at the summit. One-day licenses available. www.spokanerocketvelo.com/
(August 20) TOUR DE LENTIL. 65-mile ride winds from Pullman to Colfax to Palouse, passes Kamiak Butte, and heads back to Pullman. www.lentilfest.com/events/saturday/100k-bike-ride
(August 21) WEST PLAINS WUNDERWOMAN TRIATHALON. Quarter-mile swim, 10.2-mile ride and 3-mile run. www.emdesports.com
(August 20-26) RIDE AROUND WASHINGTON (RAW). Willapa Bay to Leavenworth, and we’re not talking Kansas. Hurry to register as a sell-out is expected. http://shop.cascade.org/content/events/ride-around-washington
(September TBD) GROUP HEALTH KIDS BIKE RACE SERIES. Free to all kids 12 and under! Locations to be determined. www.emdesports.com.
(September 11) SPOKEFEST. Choose from one-mile family ride through Riverfront Park, 9-mile Spokane Falls (think Bloomsday) route, 21-miles through Riverside State Park or, 47-mile Four Mounds route. www.spokefest.org
(September 11) HIGH PASS CHALLENGE. 7500 feet over 114 miles in the through Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Start and finish in Packwood. www.cascade.org
(September 11-16) PEOPLE’S COAST CLASSIC. 3 or 6 day options. Astoria to Newport and/Newport to Brookings. 52-73 miles a day. Gear transport, food and camping provided. Must raise $1300 for three day ride or $2500 for six day ride. www.thepeoplescoastclassic.org
(September 16-18) HOT SPRING EXPRESS. Ride from Seattle to Harrison Hot Springs north of Vancouver, BC. www.redmondcyclingclub.org/HSE/HSE.html
(September 20-24) WACANID. 5-day, 340-mile ride around the International Selkirk Loop through Washington, Idaho, and British Columbia. Ride through the scenic passages along the rivers and lakes of the Selkirk Range. Start at any one of seven towns, ride all or part. Fully supported including baggage transport, rest stops, and camping with showers. www.wacanid.org
(October 1) MANASTASH METRIC CENTURY. Metric half-century option. Fourteen consecutive years of no rain riding from Ellensburg to Cle Elum and back along the Yakima River. www.drier-ride.org/
(OCTOBER 3-NOVEMBER 21) INLAND NW CYCLECROSS SERIES. Races rotate between Spokane, Pullman/Moscow, Walla Walla, Ephrata and Coeur d’Alene. www.emdesports.com/events.html.
NOT THIS YEAR?
BMX RACING. No information available as of press time.
SPOKANE TRAILQUEST SPRING SERIES. No events schedul
