Black Hills Fat Tire Festival promises fun and fitness

A competitor jumping at Madrid’s Festibike exhibition in 2009 – Photo by DavidHT

THIS YEAR’S BLACK HILLS Fat Tire Festival is being held from May 28-31 in Rapid City. Cyclists and spectators come together for a few days of sport appreciation and lots of fun on the trails.

The races all take place on M Hill in the center of the city, and cater to different skill levels. Downhill, Super D, x-country, and Sprint hill climb are just some of the options for the participants. Then there’s the two-day ride on the Mickelson Trail, the triathlon (kayaking, running, and mountain biking), and a 10-kilometer trail run.

In other words, there are going to be some serious athletes milling around Rapid City.

There’s also a whole schedule dedicated to off-trail events. Mingle with others at a BBQ followed by a downtown pubcrawl, sell your used bike at the bike swap, and attend a film festival with sport-inspired movies.

For the family, a Hide and Seek Fun Ride and Geocache Event will be taking place on Rapid Creek. Just use the given coordinates and a GPS to locate the stickers and redeem them for prizes at the end of the event.

With last year’s event being such a success, event coordinators are expecting bigger and better prizes and an even higher participation rate. The All-Festival Pass is $65 and comes with a t-shirt.

Community Connection

If you’re looking for more bicycling fun, check out 8 Quirky Bike Rides Across the US Or test-drive the bike that lets you drink beer onboard.