9 days of fat-tire fun at Kirkwood

Team Bigfoot, a Northern California-based bicycle events promotion company, is bringing a new event to Kirkwood Mountain Resort later this month, the Kirkwood Mountain Bike Festival. The nine day event runs from August 20 to 29 and features a full array of racing, free activities. A highlight of the festival will be the participation of mountain bike legend Tinker Juarez, the 2-time Olympian is a multi-time US champion and a former world champion. He'll compete in the Kirkwood Nine to Five endurance race on August 28. Racers and fans will have a unique opportunity on the 27th on the free Take A Lap With Tinker ride, during which Juarez will lead a lap of the race course and give riding tips and skills demonstrations along the way.

The first weekend's schedule features Northern California Championship Series races, with the Super-D downhill on Friday,  Cross-Country on Saturday and spectator-friendly Short-Track Cross-Country on Sunday.

The second weekend is for the endurance racers, with the Kirkwood Nine to Five, an eight hour race and the 24 Hours of Kirkwood. The format is simple, solo riders or relay teams race for eight or twenty-four hours on a 6-mile course. There are several categories based on age and ability.

During the week in between the two weekends of racing there will be free activities, including group rides, an uphill race and a night ride. On Friday four popular mountain bike makers will offer demo rides on their latest mountain bikes. And there will be a women's bike skills clinic will be held by 3-time US Mountain Bike Champion Jacquie Phelan.

For more information or to enter any of the events visit www.teambigfoot.net or call (707) 845-3095