With the 2004 Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival neatly wrapped up and put away, its time to pause and reflect on life in Chequamegonland as even now the planning for 2005 begins.

Those in attendance this September experienced a truly spectacular running of our annual fall festival of fat. After tolerating what many considered a summer that never really got started, the Chequamegon participants and volunteers were treated to a string of most spectacular days to set up, run and tear down this year's event. Weather cards can't be predicted but can totally shape the outcome of an event. In this case the cards were a set of Aces and we were all winners.

But its not just the sunny warm temps that made this years Chequamegon event successful. The key staff once again showed that they are the best of the best of the best as they tackled the countless important areas of event management pulling off a nearly flawless event weekend. Sure there were some glitches and the eventual problems arose along the way. However, the long-term key staff's ability to anticipate problems, adjust operations and continue going forward in a positive manner was an important element to the event's overall success. Great job staff!!!

Once again, the volunteer support from the local community, individuals and the many school, civic and church groups, insured that the Chequamegon event's high level of customer service was maintained at an all time level. Way to go volunteers!!!

And of course the support of the local, regional and national sponsors from top tier to bottom meant that the prizes were the best ever, the participant schwag most appreciated and the festive atmosphere of the exhibitors area indicative of everyone having a great time. Thanks much sponsors!!!

As promised to you the participants, it appeared that you got your money's worth of fat tire racing and fat tire fun in the northland. The challenges of the difficult racecourse were met as you set your sites on the finish line and arrived one and all, champions of the day. Congratulations racers!!!

Each of you has your own special memories of this year's Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival. To add to that I sincerely hope that you remember a bit of our event philosophy as you head into the cold winter months ahead. At the Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival, we have always strived to make it better and not necessarily bigger as we interact with the natural resource responsibly recreating in a safe, sane and sustainable manner.

Until your next visit to Chequamegonland.....be well, ride safe and do the right thing.

Gary Crandall aka "The Fatman"

This Just In 9-15-04....Course Conditions are a Fickle Thing

It is a beautiful day in the northland and the race courses for this weekend's Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival are in excellent riding conditions......but wait that was last week after a long dry spell set things up perfectly.

It seems that Hurricane Ivan has come further north than expected. The past couple of days there has been quite a series of heavy showers, that shall we say has knocked down the fire danger quite a bit. Those with dust allergies shouldn't have any problems this coming weekend. However mold based afflictions might surface if the rain continues.

.But wait, Hurricane Chequamegon appears to have blown through....wait its raining again...now its sunny...its rainy...its sunny.....whew!!! It is finally sunny again. And the breeze is blowing about 15 knots.

So what does that mean for the race day conditions? Well the last passing of the glaciers left us with a very forgiving soil in Chequamegonland. While things should drain down quite a bit you wouldn't want to wear your white jersey at this weekend's race. Sorry but no tire selection predictions at this time. It is simply too soon to tell.

you at the races. gc

This Just In 9-12-04....Heading to the Northwoods for Some Fat Tire Fun

In just a few days 2,500 fat tired flyers from across the country will descend on the Cable & Hayward, Wisconsin area for the 22nd Annual Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek.

As of this writing the racecourses for the Chequamegon 40 and the Short & Fat 16 miler are reported to be in excellent riding condition. Generally the trail tread is firm with only a few wet spots to cause any concern or add to the fun depending on your perspective.

The Chequamegon 40 course is marked with orange arrows from the Highway 77 and Fish Hatchery Road access to the American Birkebeiner Trail running north all the way to the Telemark Resort Finish Line in Cable. The Short & Fat course is marked with pink arrows from Randysek Road in downtown Cable to the Telemark Resort finish.

Those riding the course before the event weekend should note that the course is not closed to vehicular traffic. Expect car, truck or recreational vehicle traffic on many sections of the racecourse. Please ride in control at all times.

Registration for both cross-country races is closed. Remember to bring your photo identification to the bib pick up locations and it helps if you can bring your confirmation card too. If you are registered and are not planning on racing, remember that registrations cannot be transferred to another party for any reason. While we anticipate a fairly constant no-show rate we do not make the numbers available or keep a waiting list for those who are not registered.

During your busy race weekend, be sure to take a few minutes to take advantage of the vehicle test drive opportunity offered by our Presenting Sponsor Volkswagen. Stop in at the Volkswagen booth at the Friday Expo at Telemark Resort or look for their test drive car corral adjacent to the finish line on Saturday and Sunday.

See you soon.

This Just In 9-6-04....Chequamegon 2004 is almost here

Final preparations for this year's Chequamegon event are well under way. In just a few short days, the race for the championship will be on for some, the off road adventure begins for others and the fat tire fun will be plentiful for all who attend.

This year's Chequamegon 40 is shaping up to be a great race with returning champion Doug Swanson of the Trek/VW off road team back to defend his title. He will be pushed (or perhaps led) to the podium by three time 40 champion, national and world champion Steve Tilford riding for Moots/Shimano. Trek/VW is also bringing in their big gun Travis Brown to make a run for the top spot in the long race. We also welcome Tour de France veteran and OLN commentator Frankie Andreu to his first visit to Chequamegonland. With former event champions and podium position holders Jeff Hall, Brian Matter, Jed Schneider and John Devine in the mix it should shape up to be a great duel in the dirt on Saturday September 18.

In the run for the Chequamegon 40 women's championship, Trek/VW professional Sue Haywood, Kerry Barnholdt of the Subaru/Gary Fisher team and former 40 mile champions Catherine Walberg and Kyia Malenkovich will battle for the victory on the field of Chequamegon dirt. The pursuit of the podium positions will be intensified by the efforts of Ann Grabowski, Penn Cycle and Sara Kylander-Johnson, Trek/Ski Hut.

Remember that both cross country races are filled to the established limit and no further registrations will be taken. You will absolutely need your photo identification to pick up your race materials and things run a lot smoother if you bring along your confirmation card. You may pick up only your own race materials and not another persons race packet for them. If you are going to be a no show please remember that you may not transfer your entry to another person.

For those of you in the Chequamegon 40 please note a caution on the motor paced controlled roll out from Main Street in Hayward. After the long stretch on Railroad Street (the street with the tall power poles) when making the right hand turn onto Highway 77 please note that there is a concrete median strip immediately east of the turn. The pack will split to ride around this traffic control structure. The pace will be slowed on Railroad Street to accommodate a safe passage of the fat tire masses through this cautioned turn.

Have a safe trip to this year's Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek. Drive safely and we'll see you all in just a few days for fat tire racing and fat tire fun.

This Just In 8-15-04

As we rapidly approach the September 17-19 dates of this year's sold out event, here are a few registration procedures of which to take note....

If you are registered for this year's Chequamegon 40 and want to switch to the Short & Fat 16 you have until the September 1 deadline to request the change. Changes must be made in writing and must include a $10.00 administrative charge. After September 1 no further changes will be made.

Please review your confirmation cards that were sent earlier for accuracy in your events of choice, age, sex and competition class. You will absolutely need your photo identification with you to pick up your race materials and it helps if you bring your confirmation card. You may not pick anyone else's number up for any reason whatsoever. Please remember that if you are going to be a no show refunds or transfers of entries to other parties is not permitted for any reason whatsoever.

A note on course marking for those of you who plan to visit the area to train on the specific race courses: The Short & Fat course is permanently marked as a part of the CAMBA trail system from the Cable Trailhead behind the Old School Mall in Cable to Telemark Resort. Once you reach Nordmor Road behind Telemark Resort, the final mile or so of the finish line approach for the Short & Fat is only marked shortly before the event dates.

For those of you who want to train on the Chequamegon 40 course, weather permitting we traditionally mark it in some preliminary if not complete fashion by the Labor Day Weekend. As soon as the course is marked there will be a note put up on this web page.

Please remember if you are riding the race courses prior to race day that the course is not closed, traffic may be present on any of the gravel roads or back woods trails, there are no support services and course marking may be incorrect due to tampering by other trail users. On race day, there will be double checks of the course marking and course monitors will be present at trafficked intersections.

Once the courses are marked for race day use, we would appreciate any feedback you could provide regarding the accuracy of the markings or course conditions along either the Chequamegon 40 or Short & Fat courses.

Ride safely and we hope to see you in September.

This Just In 7-12-04

A Few Updates from Chequamegonland

The clock is ticking down to the September 17-19 event weekend at Telemark Resort for the 2004 Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek. With the conclusion of three major projects this past week the Chequamegon puzzle pieces continue to fall into place.

All of the entrants who requested consideration for the Preferred Start Designation have finally been reviewed and notified. Many more apply for the positions than we have space for. In making the selections we looked at the past two years of results in the Chequamegon events and any recent race resumes that are submitted for consideration. All entrants who requested a preferred start originally got a confirmation card that indicated "To Be Determined" in the preferred start field. With the completion of the selection process new cards were sent to everyone who applied with either a "Y" or a "N" in the preferred field. If you applied, were not selected and want to have a further explanation why or have your updated race resume reviewed again for please contact us as soon as possible or in any event prior to September 1. After September 1 no changes will be made to the preferred start designations.

Thanks to all of you who submitted your essays in the "50 Ways to Ride the Chequamegon" essay contest. There were well nearly 200 submissions this year competing for the 50 reserved registrations that were awarded. In reading the essays, we laughed, we cried, we sang the songs and recited the poems and in some cases we scratched our heads and said "What the ...??" All who submitted essays were notified of the outcome of the contest in our mailing just before 7-15-04.

It is one of our toughest assignments to tell people they can't race in the event. However our commitment to the cross-country event registration limits in consideration of long-term sustainability of the trails, safety of the riders and sanity of the staff and volunteers remains strong.

Teaming up to clean up, this year's Chequamegon/Clif Bar Clean Up Crew selections have been made. The fourteen member clean up crew's task is to follow the wave of riders in the Chequamegon 40 and Short & Fat and pick up after them. Armed with bike and mussette bags, the volunteer crewmembers will pick the trail clean of any items cast off by the racers heading to the finish line. Making a strong statement for the "leave no trace" philosophy of riding the Clif Bar Clean Up Crew provides a very important service to the Chequamegon event. Thanks to those who applied for the crew and thanks to Clif Bar for the great premium package that will be awarded for a job well done.

Ride safely this summer and remember to be a part of the trail advocacy efforts in your area and across the country by providing volunteer support and your financial contributions.

This Just In 6-18-04

Fat Tire Fun in the Chequamegon Summer

After an endlessly cool and soggy springtime, glorious summer is finally settling in all across Chequamegonland. And the riding opportunities, both off and on road, cannot be matched anywhere in the region.

You want lush green scenery? We have it by the thousand-acre parcel full. You want blue skies with white puffy clouds? We've got 'em stretching for miles and miles across the horizon. You want more mosquitoes than you could swat in a week of singletrack cycling? There are hungry squadron's of them anxiously awaiting your arrival. So, what are you waiting for?? Head on up to Northwestern Wisconsin's Chequamegonland for some two-wheeled fat tire fun.

Speaking of fat tires and fun, be sure to log onto the www.cambatrails.org web page of the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association. This summer, CAMBA continues their singletrack development with the ambitious Rock Lake Trail relocation project. When completed, this mega-dirt trail construction will add more sweet singletrack miles to the over 300 miles of user friendly trails brought to you by the members, sponsors and volunteers of CAMBA. Bring your fat tire machine to the northland to join CAMBA on the trails or bring your work duds and volunteer for the any of the summer's trail workdays. If you can't do either, then at the very least send them some dough, so they can continue working on the Chequamegon dirt trails for your continued enjoyment.

Still trying to find some way to participate in this year's sold out Chequamegon Festival event? Remember that submissions for the "50 Ways to Ride the Chequamegon" essay contest and the "Chequamegon/Clif Bar Clean Up Crew" volunteer opportunity are due by July 1. The 50 Ways contest will award 50 reserved entries to the essay authors who best present their case for getting in the sold out event. Trail advocacy in action is the name of the game for the Clif Bar Clean Up Crew. This volunteer opportunity will send fourteen volunteers out to help with the clean up after the race has passed. Crew sponsor Clif Bar will lay on the schwag and guaranteed reserved registrations for the 2005 Chequamegon event will be the reward for those who join this leave no trace effort. Info on both of these programs can be found on the INFO page of the www.cheqfattire.com web page.

For info on other off road bicycle events in the area this summer check out the Northwest Series at www.riverbrookbike.com. Also on tap this summer is the Chequamegon Fat Tire Triathlon on August 28 at Telemark Resort in Cable. Details can be found at www.FatTireTri.com. And you roadies don't miss the 25th anniversary of the granddaddy of them all the Grandview Fire House 50 on July 31. Check out this rolling circuit of the northern lake country at www.firehouse50.org.

Hit the dirt this summer in Chequamegonland. Why would you want to be anywhere else??

This Just In 4-28-04

Spring is here and the riding is FAT

Thanks one and all for your patience as we processed all the selected entries from the 2004 Chequamegon registration lottery. We have recently completed all the entry input into our database and confirmation post cards have gone out to everyone who was selected. If you haven't received your postcard by the first week in May you can email us at cheqfat@cheqnet.net to check on the status of your registration. Please check your confirmation cards for accuracy noting the event of choice, sex, age or any other special designation like singlespeed, tandem or a request for a preferred start.

Speaking of preferred starts, in the near future we will be researching the several hundred requests for preferred starts in the Chequamegon 40 and Short & Fat events. Sometime in early June we will make the selections for the preferred start designation and notify all those who requested front row placement of the outcome. Currently if you requested a preferred start your confirmation card indicates "To Be Determined". After we make the selection everyone who requested consideration will be sent a new confirmation postcard with either a "Y" or a "N" in the preferred start field.

The off road trails are finally drying out nicely in our area and we anxiously await the spring off road events in the Cable & Hayward area. Check out the new Chequamegon Fat Tire Duathlon to be held on May 8 at Telemark Resort at www.fattiredu.com. On May 15 & 16 you can try the Cable Area Off Road Classic and Trail Run with details at www.cable4fun.com. For further information about the areas trails consult the Chequamegon Area Mountain Bike Association web site at www.cambatrails.org.

And for those roadies in the region, check out the hot off the presses Ashland & Bayfield County Bicycle Map. The best of the region's many great on road loops and out and back rides are featured. Contact www.travelbayfieldcounty.com to request a copy of the map.

Whether you join us for a bit of off road dirt or scenic low traffic paved two wheeling head on up to the Chequamegon area for some great self-propelled silent sports adventure.

This Just In 4-1-04

The Chequamegon Ball is Rolling

The lottery drawing for the 2500 race spots for this year's Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival is history. A record number of envelops containing a record number of entry forms were received for this years drawing.

Thanks for your patience as we process those that were selected and those that were not. First on our agenda, we will process the record breaking number of returns that were not drawn in the random procedure. Entry forms and checks will be returned to the over 700 applicants who were not selected as soon as we can punch them into our database, make copies and get them in the mail. We anticipate that the returns will be in the mail the first week of April.

Next on the agenda for registration processing will be punching in those that were picked in the Short & Fat 16 mile event. Following those, the participants picked in the Chequamegon 40 will be input in our database. Confirmation postcards will be sent first to the 800 Short & Fat entrants and then to the 1700 Chequamegon 40 entrants. We anticipate that we will have the entire database input completed before the end of April.

We appreciate your patience as we accomplish these administrative tasks and ask that you not call or email to check on your entry status until we have them all in the computer. For those who can't wait to get their confirmation cards or returns we suggest that you check with your bank to see if your cashed check has been processed. Generally if your check has been cashed you are in and if it hasn't you are not in and will be getting the entry and check in return.

For those who did not get chosen in the lottery please check under this web page under INFO and then click on the NEWS link for details of the "50 Ways to Ride the Chequamegon" essay contest that will award reserved entries to winning authors. Also on that News link are the details of the Chequamegon Clif Bar Clean Up Crew volunteer opportunity.

The registration of the Chequamegon cross-country events is limited to 2500 for reasons of sustainability of the trails, safety of the participants and sanity of the staff and volunteers. To help us attain those goals, we ask that you not ride in the Chequamegon events if you are not registered. If you were not chosen for the Saturday events we welcome you as a participant in the Sunday events (which are not limited), as a spectator or volunteer. Thanks for your understanding and consideration of this request.

This Just In 3-12-04

Countdown to the Lottery Drawing

Don't look now, but the postmark deadline clock is quickly ticking down to March 15, the last day for submitting your entries and fees for the 2004 Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival registration lottery.

Just as hints of the spring thaw hit the northland and the first signs of cabin fever set in, local volunteer forces are gearing up for the annual lottery drawing party at Telemark Resort. It's kind of a Chequamegon March Madness if you will. Nearly fifty community volunteers gather to pick, open, process, highlight, count and alphabetize the 2,500 entries that will be selected in this year's lottery drawing. And yes, others in the crew prepare the Dear John/Jane letters that go with the entries not picked and slated for return. A scheduling note, while the postmark deadline is March 15 for shipping off your entries to us, the actual lottery drawing will be March 22 so we can give the postal system a few days to clear the late mail.

Thanks to all of you who decorate your envelops with stickers, drawings and "Pick Me" notations. Some even say "Hi Gary" to try to sway the pick. Sorry but Gary doesn't pick them. Nice try but we have to make sure this is done fair and square. To insure an impartial selection process I am thinking of blind folding my number one picker (seasoned and impartial veteran staff member that he is) and make him wear his ski gloves to deaden any sensations that would favor a particular draw.

Please remember that with a limited registration not everyone can get in this event. If you don't get picked you will have your entry and check returned shortly after the drawing. Just give us a couple of weeks to punch them in our database before returning them. If you do get in you'll get a confirmation card just as soon as we can get them punched in or by May 1 which ever comes first. Thanks for your patience in awaiting notification of your entry status.

If you are unlucky in the draw be sure to read the future notices on the "50 Ways to Ride the Chequamegon" essay contest that will award fifty reserved entries to the best essays about why you want to ride. Also we will be looking for Chequamegon Clif Bar Clean Up Crew volunteers for our trail clean up during the event weekend. There are many ways to participate in the Chequamegon weekend even if you don't get picked in the lottery.

Good luck to one and all and I hope to see you at the races in the fall or on the trails all season long. Gc

This Just In 2-14-04

Chequamegon Registration Rush Begins

The race is on! That is the race to get your hands on an entry blank for the 22nd Annual Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek to be held on September 17-19 at Telemark Resort in Cable, WI.

"What's the rush?" you ask. "It's not until September." Each year the selection process for the 2,500 person limit for the Chequamegon cross-country events involves a lottery drawing. To be included in the random registration drawing, hopeful participants must obtain, complete and send in their entry blanks by the March 15 postmark deadline. Shortly after that date 1700 riders for the Chequamegon 40 and an additional 800 for the Short & Fat 16 miler will be selected.

Entry blanks can be obtained in two ways. First, from February 15 to March 15 the entry blank can be downloaded from the event's web page at www.cheqfattire.com . If you prefer to go the postal route a self-addressed stamped envelop must be sent to the event headquarters as soon as possible so an entry blank can be delivered via the U.S. Postal Service. To be included in the drawing, lottery participants must meet the March 15 postmark deadline for sending in their completed entry forms and fee payment to the event headquarters. Entries received after the postmark deadline will not be included in the drawing.

This Just In 1-24-04

Gazing out my office window in January is a lot like being in a giant Chequamegonland snow globe that just got a good shaking. Big fluffy flakes formed by the crisp (okay its freaking cold up here this week) arctic air are falling from the sky and are stacking up high enough that I'll be firing up my snow blower after work tonight. To the enjoyment of the many cross country skiers and snowshoe enthusiasts from the region, a thick white blanket covers the area's trails. But let us not forget that below that frozen white covering is the eons old Chequamegon dirt on CAMBA trails that we will all enjoy in the warmer months to come.

And speaking of Chequamegon dirt, the clock is ticking down toward the March 15 postmark deadline for this year's registration lottery. The lottery, an annual rite of Spring, will determine the 2,500 participants in the 2004 Chequamegon Fat Tire Festival sponsored by Trek to be held this coming September 17-19, 2004 at Telemark Lodge in Cable, WI.

Those who have either sent in a self-addressed stamped entry form request envelop or who left one at the 2003 event will be sent a 2004 Chequamegon entry blank on or about February 15. Watch for it in your mailbox shortly after that. Those of you who haven't already requested an entry blank and want one sent to you, should send a self-addressed stamped business size envelope to CFTF, PO Box 267, Cable, WI 54821 marked "Entry Blank Request" as soon as possible.

Another option for getting your hands on an entry blank is to download one from this web page on or about February 15. You will need a recent version of Acrobat Reader to download and print out the 2004 entry blank. Please remember that entries for the cross-country events are limited to 1700 in the Chequamegon 40 and to 800 in the Short & Fat. The pre-registration lottery that will determine the lucky 2,500 riders who will be enjoying the 22nd Chequamegon events is held shortly after the March 15 entry blank postmark deadline.

TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS YEAR'S LOTTERY DRAWING, COMPLETED ENTRIES AND PAYMENT MUST BE POSTMARKED TO OUR OFFICE BY MARCH 15.

Check under INFORMATION and then under REGISTRATION on this web site for completed details of this year's Chequamegon registration lottery.

Now where did I put those snowshoes??? I am heading out on the Ojibwe Trail to stomp in the fresh snow so the weekend guests don't get lost in the frigid woods.