Official Announcement: Due to the events of the last week in Iowa which have left much of the state flooded and closed several roads and bridges, we regret to announce that The Big Wheeled Ballyhoo has been canceled for 2008.
Recent flooding in Decorah, the host city for the Ballyhoo, left the campground/demo area under several feet of water. As of today, just over a week from the proposed start of the Ballyhoo, the campground/demo area is still inundated. We do not expect that we would be able to use that area in time for the planned event. Nor is there any nearby place that it can be moved to that also has not been affected by these floods.
We want to thank all the companies that stepped forward to sponsor this years Ballyhoo and all the folks that made plans to come. We are very sorry to have to cancel, but this decision was out of our hands. We had no other choice.
Finally, Crooked Cog Network and the staff of Twenty Nine Inches have the people affected by these tragic events in their thoughts and prayers and ask that our readers do the same.
after seeing pics of the area and talking to th guys at the Decorah Bike Shop, this was expected but it still hurts.
I was worrying about this earlier this morning, so it came as no surprise to me either… But man, I just feel for the people that have been affected by the insane weather we’ve been having in the Midwest over the past few weeks. It’s just not letting up! It’s like the winter weather insanity just gave way to spring storm insanity — it’s just not frozen. And I’m not sure which is worse.
Maybe we could move the Ballyhoo to Ponca State Park near Sioux City? The Nebraska state mountain bike championships are scheduled for next weekend at Ponca, and man, it’d be cool to have both events merge into one Super Duper Throwdown… I wonder if it’d be feasable??? I don’t know, but I’m just trying to throw out a possible solution.
It’s on the other side of Iowa, but it’s just across the Missouri River, and it’s high up on the banks, so flooding isn’t really an issue… If we don’t get a ton of rain between now and then, I can’t imagine the trails wouldn’t be ridable.
Hmmm….
Even thought the ‘hoo is canceled, the Decorah locals are still having a shindig the very same weekend. It won’t be as big, but it will be just as fun! Personally, I’m not sure of the plans yet, but there will be beer drinking. Bike riding, and maybe even some kind of competition thrown in ala an enduro. If you’re local(with in a few hours) and had planned on coming, keep it on yer calendars! We’ll still have a ton ‘o fun! Werd is the trails are still very much ridable.
If this double posts…sorry.
The Decorah folks are still having an event on the 21-22 of June, and everyone who planned on coming to the Ballyhoo is more than welcome to attend! The trails are in great shape, and very ridable. So far the plans are to ride, drink, camp, have firetalk smac, sleep, and ride some more. There may be an enduro of some sort just to enter a bit of competition, but there will be lots of regular riding.
If you had planned on coming, and are with in a few hours, Decorah is encouraging you to come on over. There’s fun to be had in the hills!