38th Annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic
Join us for the 38th Annual Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, May 23rd - 25. The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic was the brain child of Tom Mayer and his older brother Jim. Jim worked as a brakeman on the D & R G W railroad which had run the steam powered locomotive between Durango and Silverton since the 1880's. Tom was a young bicycle enthusiast who grew up alongside the tracks to Silverton. Tom challenged Jim to a race to Silverton. As the train came by the house, the steam whistle screamed and Tom climbed on his trusty steel framed 10 speed and pedaled up over the rim of the old volcano and descended into the caldera to the mining town of Silverton. The train takes a shorter and easier route, but with limited speed, so it is truly a race between man and machine. When Tom became strong enough to win, the bragging rights were his, and the whole town knew it.
In 1972 a group of 36 riders decided to celebrate the first run of the train in the spring by accepting the challenge. It's been all up hill since then. In 37 years the Iron Horse has become one of the classic bicycle events in the West. Durango is centrally located between Denver, Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. The Iron Horse is an ideal early summer meeting of the riders from each of these cycling centers as they attempt to bring home the glory to their own communities. In recent years the participants have come from every state and many foreign countries to ride the famed Iron Horse course. Each year hundreds of riders will feel the thrill of descending into Silverton and looking to see if the train has arrived. And familiar faces will be there, as many people come back year after year to the "best race we have around."
Over the years several events have been added to the classic train race. There have been criteriums, circuit races, road races, tours, BMX races, Trials, dual slaloms, team trail rides, and mountain bike races. There has been a full weekend of events every Memorial Day for the past 37 years. In 2006 the IHBC had over 2,500 participants in 2 events. Not bad for a town of only 16,000 people nestled in the mountains of Southwest Colorado!
Click Here For a Complete List of Events...
Current News, Information, Fun Things To Do, Accommodations, Ski Packages, Weddings, Family Reunions Or Simply An Amazing Vacation In The Southwest Colorado Mountains ~ Durango.com Is Your Resource Covering Durango, San Juan Mountain and The Four Corners Area!
Durango, Colorado durango durango iron horse iron horse bicycle classic durango bike bike events
In 1972 a group of 36 riders decided to celebrate the first run of the train in the spring by accepting the challenge. It's been all up hill since then. In 37 years the Iron Horse has become one of the classic bicycle events in the West. Durango is centrally located between Denver, Albuquerque, Phoenix, and Salt Lake City. The Iron Horse is an ideal early summer meeting of the riders from each of these cycling centers as they attempt to bring home the glory to their own communities. In recent years the participants have come from every state and many foreign countries to ride the famed Iron Horse course. Each year hundreds of riders will feel the thrill of descending into Silverton and looking to see if the train has arrived. And familiar faces will be there, as many people come back year after year to the "best race we have around."
Over the years several events have been added to the classic train race. There have been criteriums, circuit races, road races, tours, BMX races, Trials, dual slaloms, team trail rides, and mountain bike races. There has been a full weekend of events every Memorial Day for the past 37 years. In 2006 the IHBC had over 2,500 participants in 2 events. Not bad for a town of only 16,000 people nestled in the mountains of Southwest Colorado!
Click Here For a Complete List of Events...
Current News, Information, Fun Things To Do, Accommodations, Ski Packages, Weddings, Family Reunions Or Simply An Amazing Vacation In The Southwest Colorado Mountains ~ Durango.com Is Your Resource Covering Durango, San Juan Mountain and The Four Corners Area!
Durango, Colorado durango durango iron horse iron horse bicycle classic durango bike bike events
Posted by Durango Colorado Vacations at 5/6/2009 10:33 AM 
Categories: Special Events, Upcoming Durango Events, Durango in the News, Outdoors In Durango, Outdoors, Area Events, Bicycle
Categories: Special Events, Upcoming Durango Events, Durango in the News, Outdoors In Durango, Outdoors, Area Events, Bicycle
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