Photos: Trio in Talkeetna Fat Bike Race

ExpandAutoplay

Image 1 of 7

Fat tire bikes are lined up, ready to go before the Trio Fat Bike Race in Talkeetna. Feb 9, 2013

Snow bike racers from all over Alaska and seven inches of snow descended on Talkeetna for the first annual "Trio" Fat Tire Bike Race, Saturday, February, 9. Race organizers, Gregg Matyas owner of Speedway Bicycles/Fatback Bikes in Anchorage, Tony and Julie Berberich, of Backcountry Bicycles in Palmer, and Ralph Hoepner, of We Cycle in Talkeetna had been grooming the course for a month but a soft trail made for a difficult race. Joshua Chelf took the men's Sixty Mile in 7:01:56, and Heather Best won the woman's Forty Mile in 7:14:41, while Ryan Greef smoked the men's twenty miler in 2:02:02 and Talkeetna's own Tazilina Mannix blazed to first in the woman's twenty mile in 3:01:41. Eighty-four racers finished at least one lap.

Full story: Add Fat Tire bike races to Talkeetna's wild winter calendar

A party followed at the Sheldon Community Arts hanger where Denali Brewing featured a special Pale Rider beer and a feast. Paul Anderson and Midtown Revival got the music going and Rebel Blues had the place rocking. The Sheldon Hanger has a 12 o'clock curfew but no one seemed to care much because Nervous Rex was playing down the street at the Fairview Bar.