North Star Bicycle Festival / Riding the BMW 1200 GS

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Downtown Menomonie, Wisconsin was the site of stage 5 of the North Star Grand Prix Bicycle Race.

 The motorcycle of choice for me was the 2014 BMW 1200 GS. I was chosen to carry the official that was in charge of the time splits. Our task in the race was to inform the racers of the time gaps of leaders and any gaps that formed during the race. The race was 82 miles long at Menomonie, the course consisted of the typical narrow country roads the surrounded Menomonie. It included hills  and farmland that exposed the riders to wind and rain. After 4 stages the racers were not in a hurry to push the pace. What developed was the opportunity for a lone racer to create a break and extend her lead to over 4 minutes. It kept me busy going back and forth between the leader and the pack. The official on the back of my BMW was updating the time splits and I would, at times be in the middle of the pack of bicyclists. It was some close up riding and at times, inches from the racers.       

 

 Riding with the Police...

 My buddy Shawn, on the Ducati Multistrada with an official on board. He was doing the split times for the men's race and I was doing the split times for the women's race.

 There were about 10 motorcycles involved in each race. The race took place on public roads, so we had to protect the racers from traffic that might be on the roads. There were several police squads leading and positioned at intersections over the 82 miles that we traveled this day.  

 The men heading out of town.

 Shawn and the entourage heading out of town and out into the countryside for the roadrace.

 My BMW lined up and minutes from the start of the Women's bicycle race.

 This picture captures the day on the road. Country roads along the farm fields,

I am piloting the BMW behind the lead rider that created a 4 minute gap on the pack. She was caught and as the race progressed there would be several attempts of riders to get away. The group of over 100 racers would be split up into several groups, but it would be a pack that would race into Menomonie for the finish. 

 Much rain and nasty weather today out on the road.

 The racers heading into Menomonie to battle it out to the finish.

 A task well done and many hours in the saddle this day, starting at 9:30am and getting home at 7:30pm. The rain and wind were a factor this day. About 82 miles during the race and 300 miles in the saddle today.

This was a great opportunity to ride the BMW under extreme conditions. In Cannon Falls 2 days earlier, it was 95 miles with race and about 200 miles total. It was the wind that day that was a factor.

Heading home into the sunset, riding with Shawn. Me on a BMW 1200 GS and Shawn on a Ducati Multistrada.

Ride On!!