An idea that started on this list is moving closer to reality. The first City of Lakes Loppet is being planned for this winter. www.cityoflakesloppet.com. The idea is for this 31k cross country ski race to go from newly planned cross country ski trails in Theodore Wirth Park, along a usually remote trail under Hwy. 55, across Glenwood Av. behind the Wildflower Garden, across Theodore Wirth Parkway near the Quaking Bog, along a snowpacked Wirth Parkway as it crosses 394, then down along Brownie Lake and into the Chain of Lakes....The tentative end is through the channel from Isles to Calhoun.
No other city in America could do anything remotely like this and if all is pulled off, and it snows, this could be a major national event. The idea really started last winter when I posted to the list after skiiing in the Birkie that we should do more to let "silent sports" (cross country skiing, mountain biking, rowing, running etc) get training in the city. A bunch of people responded, John Erwin, Jon Olson and a bunch of Park Board staff helped and soon work teams were planned on skiing, biking and the like. The ski group is moving very fast on this race and on getting new grooming of trails in the park. This is part of the more extensive "Silent Sports Initiative", which will include bringing more attention to running, rowing and other non motorized sports that we can uniquely participate in within the city. A goal is for this year is for there to be one major Silent Sports event in each season. We have the Twin Cities Marathon in the Fall and the Lifetime Triathalon in the summer. Watch for news on a new bike race and the skiirace. R.T. Rybak _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A City-focused Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: mailto:mpls@;mnforum.org Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
