Formerly called Smokin Spoke
The inaugural Smokin Spoke mountain bike race was held in Rhinelander in 1997 as a fund raiser for the local Fire Department, created by Bikes-N-Boards, Rhinelander’s premier outfitter for outdoor sports. Now run by the Boy Scouts of Samoset Council, this race will help fund the world renowned Camp Tesomas facility open since 1935 where youth from around the globe have come to enjoy the Northwood’s. Camp Tesomas (Hanna Venture Base) is located only minutes north of Rhinelander, where it’s set on the shores of Crystal Lake, a beautiful spring fed lake deserving of its name. This pristine setting is perfect for mountain biking with the lake making an excellent choice for cooling down after a hard ride through the woods.
2007 marked the first year that this Mountain Bike Race was affiliated with the WORS series. The race begins and ends at Camp Tesomas (Hanna Venture Base). The trail also traverses lands owned by the School District of Rhinelander, Plum Creek, Inc., and Terry Strong. We thank each of them for their cooperation in allowing this trail to exist. And a special thank you to Wayne Fish, for his dedicated hours of trail work.
The course is heavily forested, containing a mix of hardwoods and pine plantations. The soil is ideally suited for mountain biking, made up of rock, sand and clay. Rain or shine, the surface holds up well to the pounding of bike tires. The rolling terrain also creates a tough, exhilarating, yet fun bike ride.
To add to this event in 2009 will be our pre-ride race sponsored by RASTA (Rhinelander Area Silent Trails Association) on May 24th, the weekend before the WORS race, so we encourage you to attend both events and maybe even spend the week at the camp. We have cabins and campsites available all week long. And don’t forget we have the state’s largest climbing tower and zip-line open for your enjoyment with boating and other activities to keep everyone in the family happy. For more information on both races go to: www.samoset.org/bikerace
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