Matanuska Experiment Farm hosts bike races

Participants in the Mooseberry Stampede Mountain Bike Race traverse the trails on the Matanuska Experiment Farm (photo by Connie Harris)

When the Arctic Bicycle Club hosts its 24-hour race June 27-28 the event will take place on some of the most beautiful trails in Alaska—right through the Matanuska Experiment Farm in Palmer.

Race Director Greg Matyas said his club members discussed the new route over the winter. Last year’s race was disrupted in Anchorage's Far North Bicentennial Park when a bear attacked one of the riders. “We thought we’d give it a rest there,” Matyas said. “And we thought how nice to have the race on 11 of the best miles of racing in the state. It’s a really, really nice area to ride.”

The upcoming race is unique in that the mountain bike riders cycle for 24 hours, traversing the trail as many laps as they want. There is also a 12-hour version, Matyas said.

The Valley Mountain Bikers and Hikers held their Mooseberry Stampede Mountain Bike Race on the same trails June 13. The event was described as a celebration of trails, colony history, and agriculture.

The 24-hour race is expected to draw 80 to 100 participants. Matyas said he hopes this is the beginning of a long-term partnership with the experiment farm. The bicycle club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting bicycling safety, education, and sporting activities.

The farm, a research facility of UAF’s School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences, Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, is used for community events and seminars. The International Mountain Bike Association conducted a trail-building workshop there and the local high school cross country running teams frequent the trails often. Groups interested in touring or using the facility should contact Associate Professor Norman Harris at 907-746-9467.