"We had every kind of weather except warm sunshine. It was cold, rainy and sleety—pretty rough. Fortunately we had a tailwind for the last stretch into Ketchum."
That's what Greg Randolph, public relations communications manager of Smith Optics Inc. in Ketchum, said about his bicycle outing last Saturday.
Randolph was one of 228 bicycle riders in Saturday's Lyle Pearson 200-mile Team Challenge ride from Boise through Idaho City, Lowman and Stanley all the way to Ketchum.
"We had snow on Banner Summit, along with some sunshine and sleet," said event director Mike Cooley of George's Cycles in Boise. "But we had 57 teams start the race, and 57 finished the event."
Cooley should know how bad it was, because he was on the winning "Old Guns," foursome sponsored by George's Cycles that set a new course record of seven hours, 59 minutes and 57 seconds.
Besides Cooley, other "Old Guns" were Joe Savola, Robert Hoene and Dave Beck.
They won $500 of the total $1,000 cash purse by finishing nearly four minutes ahead of another Boise-based team—Broome Wagon with Tim Root, Nick Moore, Brian Cavanaugh and Andre Gonzalez (8.03:34). Broome Wagon earned $300.
In fact, the winning "Old Guns," were even faster, at 7.49:57, because they earned a 10-minute handicap because of, that's right, their combined ages. The age handicap was 10 minutes if the combined team age was greater than 179.
And riders like Cooley and Hoene can remember way back to the Ketchum Wagon Days Bicycle Stage Races of which they were a part 30 years ago.
Meanwhile, Randolph's Sun Valley Road & Dirt team wasn't too shabby in the Lyle Pearson.
Sun Valley Road & Dirt with Billy Olson, Reed Melton, Kris Thoreson and Randolph braved the elements well enough to finish third of 57 teams in 8.04:39, with no handicap time. They won $200 for their effort.
Just out of the money, in fourth place of the 57 teams with a fine team effort, was Team Lumberjack featuring Joe Kafka, Eric Kafka, Matt Fethke and Christ Cook. Their finishing time was 8.21:15.
The Smith Sport Optics foursome of Ben Flandro, Blair Clark, Eric Carlson and Whit Albright finished seventh overall in the unadjusted standings, and eighth place adjusted, with a time of 8.32:09.
Durance Cycleworks of Ketchum was 53rd in the unadjusted standings at 10.51:09, and 50th adjusted at 10.01:09 because of a 50-minute handicap.
The course started in Boise and went to Robie Creek, Idaho City, the summit of Mores Creek, Lowman, Grandjean, the summit of Banner Creek, Stanley, Frenchman Creek and Galena Lodge, then made a beeline into the finish at Smith Sport Optics in Ketchum.
Both time trial and road bikes were allowed. All teams consisted of four riders, men or women. And the only time all four on a team could ride together was on the final stretch from Galena Lodge to Ketchum.
The roster of colorful and clever team names included We'll Catch'em in Ketchum, Grumpy's Bound and Eurotrash Moustache.
State road race is Sunday
Melba, Idaho, south of Nampa near the Snake River, is the site of the Intermountain Orthopedics Idaho State Road Race Championship finals Sunday, June 15.
Racing starts at 9:30 a.m. at the Melba Senior Center.
Advance registration closes today, Friday, June 13 at midnight through sportsbaseonline.com. Day-of-race registration will cost more. The event is presented by Lost River Cycling through a pending U.S. Cycling Association permit.
The Pro Men 1/2 group will travel 100 miles starting at 10:55 a.m. Other distances include 74 miles for Men's Master A 35-plus, and 65 miles for Men's 3 and Men's Master A 45-plus. Other groups will go either 56 miles or 38 miles.
Call 208-890-3118 for details.
