El Paso Puzzler 2010

Press coverage….

January 27, 2010

Quite a few photos were sent to a variety of websites with our press release.

Here are some links….

http://www.mountainflyer.com/news.cfm?itemid=335

http://www.cyclingnews.com/races/3rd-el-paso-puzzler-50-miler-ne/results

http://www.mtbracenews.com/2010/01/plews-and-rasmussen-solve-el-paso.html

We also got some great local coverage. Check out the pictures below.

January 11 El Paso Times

January 16 El Paso Times

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PUZZLER #3 IS COMPLETE!

January 19, 2010

Evan Plews (www.evanplews.com – Salem, OR) took the overall with Travis Brown (Trek – Durango, CO) a few minutes back.

Here is the link for results.

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2010 Puzzler – NEW VENUE

October 8, 2009

The start/finish/packet pickup/first feedzone/awards/party/camping are all at the Bowen Ranch Round House.

Weekend Schedule:

Friday - Venue open for camping after 3 pm.

Saturday - Venue open all day. Packet pickup and late registration 12:30 to 4:30 pm.

Sunday - Packet pickup only 6:30 am to 7:30. Sign in by 7:45. Rider’s meeting at 7:45.

The venue entrance is located 2.6 miles north of U.S. 54 on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (Farm to Market Road 3255) on the west side of the road. Drivers will be greeted by a large sign that reads BOWEN RANCH. Keep an eye out for the entrance when the road turns from 4 to 2 lanes.

January 17th is the big day!

Online registration is here and it closes Friday night. THERE IS NO RACE DAY REGISTRATION!!

Here’s the FLYER.

Here are more details and answers to the many questions we’ve been receiving:

1. Time cut-offs: Everyone needs to realize that the time cut-offs that we have set are solely for the purpose of protecting the riders. That is our number one goal. Everyone knows that this is a tough race, and the last thing that we want is for someone to get stuck out in the desert without the energy to continue. The time cut-offs have been set to be very generous, especially at the beginning of the race, to allow you the most opportunity to complete as much of the course as possible. Our main goals are your safety and you having a good time…in that order.

2. Shirts: All finishers of BOTH the 35 and 50 mile course will get a 100% cotton long sleeve t-shirt. The t-shirts this year are going to be as cool as ever (or warm depending on how you see it). 50 mile finishers will ALSO get Sock Guy arm warmers. This is some incredible schwag for such a cheap race thanks to our awesome sponsors!

3. Prizes: We have a load of prizes to give out – again thanks to our great sponsors. We will go at least 3 deep in every category, and possibly more depending on registration. Prizes are in addition to cash payout for top 3 overall finishers and t-shirts and arm warmers.

4. Food/Beer: We will have homemade chili and beer for everyone at the finish line. New Belgium Brewing is kicking in quite a bit of beer, and Rio Grande foods in supplying us with all the food to make another batch of some great chili.

5. Support: We will have lots of support out on the course. At every major turn or coure split we will have a volunteer leading you in the right direction and making sure that you are o.k….you will be o.k.! Thanks again to all who have volunteered their time.

6. Feed Zones: There will be 2 full feed zones on the course (one on each side of the mountain), and then a 3rd smaller watering station to refill your bottles or camel baks before the last climb up into Hitt Canyon. We request that you carry something more than just a few water bottles. Each feed zone will also give you the opportunity to take a car ride back to the start/finish line if you feel you can’t go on. Come on back and enjoy some chilli and beer and start training for next year! Heed, Water and oranges and bananas will be at the feed zones.

7. Park Support: Franklin Mtn State Park will also be out supporting our race with their park police and rangers providing first aid and directions during the race.

8. First Aid: We will have first aid on both sides of the mountain by trained medics. There will be basic first aid supplies at all feed zones as well.

9. Camping: Free camping will be provided thanks to Bowen Ranch and there will also be a large heated tent that we are getting from Saturday to Monday. Port a Potties will be provided.

10. Post Ride Party: For those of you who get MLK day off, we will be having our BMBA annual party on Sunday night after the race with a huge bonfire and yes…Fat Tire beer.

11. Packet pick up: We will have pack pick-up on Sat. at the round house from 12:30 to 4:30…might as well just stay around and camp that night.

12. Course: You can view a GPS of the course and get a description here:

http://elpasopuzzler.com/course/

It is difficult, but there is plenty of jeep rode riding to stretch out the legs and recover a bit.

Remember: All proceeds from the race go to support your BMBA in our efforts to improve mountain biking in El Paso.

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2010 -MLK Weekend

June 25, 2009

The 2010 Puzzler will be MLK weekend (January).

It’s going to be part of the Texas Marathon Series. Stay tuned.

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2009…COMPLETE

February 8, 2009

Wow! With only a bit of confusion and one injured rider (in the first mile), the Puzzler ended up being a great event. The weather was incredible and riders got pretty shelled! Jennifer Tribe-Wilson won the entire thing in under six hours achieving her personal goal. Lots of people DNF’d as was expected.

Lessons learned….

Don’t let people start who check in at the last minute and don’t make it to the riders’ meeting.
Warn people more about the difficulty…though the word is out there now.
Have tougher cut-off times.
Get even more signage and course markings.

Click on the RESULTS tab above to see how everyone fared.

Here’s the press release on cyclingnews.com.

Hey everyone,

This past month has been really amazing with the Puzzler and all. After the puzzler I got an email forwarded to me regarding the visit to El Paso from the IMBA trail care crew. I was suprized that we hadn’t heard anything about this since we are the IMBA affiliated club for the area. I made a few phone calls and found out that the city…yes…the city has hired a young lady who wants to finish a dirt trails master plan for the entire city. We’re talking skills parks, trails through power line areas, connectors from Monk’s to Redd Rd., trails on the east side, mountian to river trails, more trails on psb land….(north of Heinrich???!!!)

The trail care crew needs a place to crash. It’s a husband/wife team that need a place from the 26th of Feb to the 1st of March. If anyone wants to host, please let me know. You need to be on the west side. I’d offer, but logistically it would add an hour or so a day of driving for them as I live off Magnetic.

Also…..we need as many people as possible to join us for dinner the night of the 26th as this city planner is inviting developers to meet with the IMBA crew. We need to be there in force to push our agenda. We have several priorities that need to be addressed before the needs of the city as they have secured tons of land and her plan is to just get the trail master plan within 6 months.

Our priorities consist of the following:

Finish the epic loop around the park with a trail over the mountains into Hitt Canyon
Develop bike patrol to help educate users…mostly for the northeast as the state park has little influence there at this time
Begin a signage program for all of our amazing trails

This master plan is a huge opportunity and I’ve given her the club’s commitment to helping her gps all the potential and existing trails. I told her to stop killing herself on the trails stuff….secure the land and we’ll out the trails. I’m assuming the city will pay for the construction.

So keep your calendar open for Thursday the 26th…dinner somewhere with the IMBA trail care crew and city developers. I’ll keep everyone up to date on the location and time.

Also plan to join us on Saturday on the west side for a trail building clinic and construction session at the “three hills” off Redd Rd.

Contact me for more info.

David Wilson

Club President

PS. Thanks again to all the Puzzler volunteers. I would have shot myself without your incredible help Saturday.

Check out the coverage at cyclingnews.com. http://cyclingnews.com/mtb.php?id=mtb/2009/feb09/elpasopuzzler09

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Online Registration is CLOSED!

February 5, 2009

We have 47 people registered for this years Puzzler. If you missed the online or mail-in registration, you can register Friday at packet pick up. There is NO race-day registration. We don’t have time. You may pick up your packet between 7 and 7:30 am at the state park IF you have your USAC license. If you don’t have your license, you don’t race.

Number plates have been printed. Those of you who register today (at Bicycle Co.) or tomorrow (at Sunset Pizza) will receive a “generic” number plate.

2 until 6:30 is packet pick up and late registration. Be early!!

Race starts in the state park….NOT Heinrich Park….7:45 racers meeting.

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