Roughing It Gently - Our Travel Adventures in our 2015 Discovery 40E: September 7, 2019

The LoToJa Classic Bike Race 2019

September 7, 2019

HOW IT ALL STARTED

Tony is our personal Investment Manager and recently completed a Full Ironman Challenge (Triathlon) with his wife. An extreme challenge for the supremely fit, the Ironman Triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile (3.9-kilometer) swim, a 112-mile (180-kilometer) bike ride and a 26.2-mile (42.1-kilometer) run. He followed that accomplishment up a week later with a Half Ironman. Great way to celebrate a 55th Birthday!! It's been said that just finishing is a victory! So when we came across THIS bike race, we though of him. Hey Tony, care to take on the 2020 LoToJa Classic Bike Race? We'll have food and beverages for you at the water and food zone locations.

The LoToJa was started in 1983 by two Logan UT cyclists, David Bern, a student at Utah State University, and Jeff Keller, the owner of Sunrise Cyclery. The two men wanted a race that resembled the difficulty of a one-day European classic like Paris-Roubaix or the Tour of Flanders. The LoToJa Classic Bike Race's name comes from… LOgan (Utah) TO JAckson (Wyoming). It’s first year featured seven cyclists racing 192 miles from Logan to a finish line in Jackson's town square. The winning time was just over nine hours by Bob VanSlyke.

Since then, LoToJa has grown into one of the nation’s premier amateur cycling races and continues to be a grueling test of one's physical and mental stamina. Many compete to win their respective category, while others just ride to cross the finish line. At just over 200 miles, LoToJa is the longest one-day USAC-sanctioned bicycle race nationwide. Cyclists must conquer three mountain passes as they pedal through the scenic terrain of Utah, Idaho and Wyoming en route to a finish line below the rugged Tetons at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

The 37th annual LoToJa Classic (2019) was held Saturday, September 7th. It was an epic autumn day racing/riding over 200 miles from Logan, UT to Jackson Hole, WY, all in ONE DAY! For more info see: www.lotoja.com.

LoToJa starts in Logan, UT and finishes at the base of Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Teton Village, Wyoming. Race Class vs. Ride Class cyclists take different routes out of Cache Valley and will not share the same road until they are north of Preston, Idaho. Support Crew vehicles also have designated roads out of Logan. Detailed course and feed zone maps are also published in the EVENT GUIDE.

"Coming out of Hoback, Roger Arnell attacked the course and created some separation with the 37th LoToJa finish line looming Saturday afternoon. But as he built space between himself and the lead pack, he began to cramp. “I almost stopped because it was hurting so much,” he said.

He pressed on and connected with the bike path headed toward Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Once there, he was caught by Arizona’s Gilberto Melendez, creating a two-man race to the tape.

“I just said, ‘Dude, let’s see what we can do,’ ” Arnell remembered. “I knew I was feeling better than him, and I just stayed with him until the end. He went first, I marked him and was able to go past him pretty easily. In the end, I was super pleased with that.”

Arnell took the 207-mile cycling race title in 8 hours, 45 minutes and 51 seconds. Melendez was second in 8:45:54. Spencer Johnson, the 2018 champion and course record holder (8:18:29), was third Saturday in 8:47:59. J. Trevor Robinson was the top local, placing seventh overall in 8:48.

On the women’s side, California’s Alison Tetrick took the title in 9:42:07, over eight minutes ahead of second place. Katharine Lovett was the top local finisher on the women’s side, placing 16th in the women’s category 5 race

Quoted: By Chance Q. Cook Jackson Hole Daily in 11:27:04.

The race, had over 1,500 participants this year. Racers hailed from 37 states, Canada and the United Kingdom. Some race for glory, some to help a teammate and others just to complete the course for personal achievement.

FASTEST TIME RECORDS BY CATEGORY -

INDIVIDUAL MEN:

Spencer Johnson, Riverton, UT - 8:18:29 ('18)*
John Jantz, Arlington, MA - 8:18:29 ('18)*
Nathan Manwaring, Morgan, UT - 8:18:29 ('18)*
Kai Applequist, Boise, ID - 8:42:31 ('17)*
Kyle Van Renterghem, Tucson, AZ - 8:42:32 ('17)*

INDIVIDUAL WOMEN:

Melinda MacFarlane, Draper, UT - 9:35:00 ('13)*
Brooke Parent, Boise, ID - 9:35:01 ('13)*
Shirley Leydsman, Ivins, UT - 9:35:02 ('13)*
Lindsey Stevenson, Salt Lake City, UT - 9:35:15 ('17)*
Shirley Leydsman, Ivins, UT - 9:40:52 ('14)*

TANDEM:

Gary Gardiner & John Lauck, Centerville, UT - 9:05:57 ('14)*
Gary Gardiner & John Lauck, Centerville, UT - 9:11:17 ('13)*
Gary Gardiner & John Lauck, Centerville, UT - 9:14:23 ('15)*
Dwaine & Ian Allgier, Salt Lake City, UT - 9:19:06 ('15)*
Gary Gardiner & John Lauck, Centerville, UT - 9:23:35 ('12)

2 PERSON RELAY - MEN

Bryce Olsen and Jeffrey Olsen, Ogden, UT - 8:45:01 ('18)
McKay Robinson and Alan Wheelwright, Herriman, UT - 8:45:01 ('18)
Ellis Perkins and Steve Price, Twin Falls, ID - 8:54:30 ('17)
Spencer Bradley and Bradon Martin, North Ogden, UT - 8:54:30 ('17)
Gardner Brown and Josh Brown, Kaysville, UT - 8:54:36 ('18)

2 PERSON RELAY - WOMEN

Mary Emerson and Nina Madsen, Millcreek, UT - 9:28:52 ('18)
Audra Jeske and Anna Jorgensen, Orem, UT - 10:23:31 ('17)
Gina Kavesh and Martha Walsh, Seattle, WA - 10:24:02 ('14)
Audra Jeske and Anna Jorgensen, Orem, UT - 10:32:09 ('15)
Audra Jeske and Anna Jorgensen, Orem, UT - 10:40:21 ('18)

2 PERSON RELAY - MIXED

Theron Jeppson and Camille Stringham, River Heights, UT - 9:27:22 ('17)
Brian and Chanda Jeppson, Cedar City, UT - 9:27:23 ('17)
Cary and Lori Jenkins, Logan, UT - 10:06:21 ('17)
Bradly and Sheila Petersen, Salt Lake City, UT - 10:14:26 ('16)
James and Chelene Helco, Plain City, UT - 10:18:54 ('14)

3-5 PERSON RELAY - MEN

Martin Acostra, James Crawford, Casey Nielsen, Trent Olsen, and Nathan Starnes, Ogden, UT - 8:47:55 ('13)
Jason Braithwaite, Spencer Johnson, Kyle Nelson, Lucas Parker, and Ryan Wilcock, Riverton, UT - 8:51:03 ('16)
Matt Robbins, Rod Leishman, Gary Griffin, Drew Corry and Kent Millecam, North Logan, UT - 8:54:27 ('17)
Bryan Haslam, Kevin Larsen, Jay Meyer, Sheldon Peck, and Clayton Stucki, Layton, UT - 8:59:43 ('12)
Martin Acostra, James Crawford, Casey Nielsen, Derrick Stanbridge, and Nathan Starnes, Ogden, UT - 9:00:40 ('12)

3-5 PERSON RELAY - MIXED

KING OF MOUNTAIN:

D. Justin Daniels, Cedar City, UT - 12:21.814 ('17)
Chris Carr, Golden, CO - 12:41.001 ('13)
Lang Reynolds, Boulder, CO - 12:47.517 ('14)
Chris Carr, Golden, CO - 12:57.709 ('14)
Cameron Hoffman, Clearfield, UT - 13:03.40 ('14)

QUEEN OF MOUNTAIN:

Marci Kimball, Salt Lake City, UT - 14:19.37 ('18)
Lindsey Stevenson, Salt Lake City, UT - 15:46.99 ('18)
Eleise Hinton, Pleasant Grove, UT - 15:48.30 ('18)
Shirley Leydsman, Ivins, UT - 16:19.212 ('14)
Melinda MacFarlane, Draper, UT - 16:28.00 ('13)

See photos of the event...

The 2019 LoToJa Classic Bike Race Route. Support vehicles cannot follow the bicyclists for support, water or food. They must follow their own routes (blue lines) while the bicyclists follow the red lines.

Start of the 2019 LoToJa Classic Bike Race in Logan UT

on Saturday September 7, 2019 just before daylight.

Utah's Roger Arnell takes the 2019 LoToJa Classic Bike Race in 8 hours, 45 minutes and 51 seconds. Tucson AZ's Gilberto Melendez was second in 8:45:54, just behind Arnell by 00:00:03 (barely seen in the photobehind Arnell, wearing a yellow shirt). It was that close.

2008 Route. As you can see most routes are about the same, varying due to construction or other events that require minor changes.

Deputies were on hand to insure safety on the road as during the race, the bicyclists are sharing the road with normal traffic, which is stopped only at major intersections. Of course by State Law, cars must yield to bicycles in a race.

Here you can see just how close cars and bicycles have to share the road (no shoulder to speak of). We had to keep far to the right to allow oncoming traffic to clear the cyclists.