Full steam ahead. We’re sending out this media release today and starting to do a little online promo.
You’ll notice two changes (both in the release and on the website) since my last blog post (which I’ve now edited):
- The venue for the event has been changed to the Sawtelle Mountain Resort in Island Park, Idaho.
- We’ve got a spiffy new domain name: fatbikesummit.com. Boring, I know, but a little more memorable than 2ndannualfatbikewintersummitandfestival.com which, shockingly, didn’t receive any votes from our planning team. (I’ve tricked out the link, in case you’re tempted to click on it.)
Here’s the full text of the press release (links added) in case you prefer it over the PDF:
2nd Annual Fat Bike Winter Summit and Festival
Date: Friday January 25th to Sunday January 27th, 2013
Location: Sawtelle Mountain Resort – Island Park, Idaho
The 2nd Annual Fat Bike Winter Summit and Festival, January 25-27, 2013, will be the premiere fat bike gathering in the West for both land managers and fat bike enthusiasts. Based on the highly successful inaugural Summit from January, 2012, the 2013 Summit and Festival has been expanded beyond a one-day meeting to include product demos, races, group rides, and Saturday evening bash for fat bike enthusiasts.
“Our goal with the Summit and Festival is to continue our work to gain access for fat bikes in national parks,” said Gary Sjoquist, Quality Bicycle Product’s Advocacy Director. “By expanding the event, we want bring enthusiasts together, build community, and have a little fun.”
Launched last January by Scott Fitzgerald, founder of Fitzgerald’s Bicycles in Victor, ID, and co-hosted by QBP, the 1st Annual Fat Bike Winter Summit in 2012 was held to educate land managers from local, state and federal agencies about the growing sport of fat biking in the winter (also known as snow biking). Contributing to the 2012 Summit were local and regional stakeholders from Idaho and Wyoming, including representatives of local non-profit trails organizations, and business owners who talked about the economic impacts of fat bike use during winter months. More information from the inaugural summit can be found at fatbikesummit.com
For 2013, organizers are adding a festival component including product demos, races, group rides, and a party. The site of the 2013 Summit and Festival is the Sawtelle Mountain Resort located in Island Park, Idaho, adjacent to some of the most extensive winter grooming in the country that affords great Fat Bike riding. With spectacular scenery, Island Park affords Summit and Festival attendees with endless opportunities for single and multi-day riding on groomed trails complete with frequent directional kiosks and a well-marked trail system throughout.
Also featured at the 2013 Summit and Festival will be nationally-recognized Fat Bike experts, Jay and Tracey Petervary, who will bring their endurance Fat Bike riding experience to clinics, group rides, and land manager meetings. In addition, representatives from Grand Targhee Resort, the first ski resort in the U.S. to promote Fat Bike riding on their Nordic trails system, will be present to discuss how Fat Biking fits in with their Winter business plan.
More About the 2013 Fat Bike Summit and Festival
Hosts for the 2013 Fat Bike Summit and Festival include Fitzgerald’s Bicycles, of Victor, ID, the local bike shop with a long history of promoting and selling Fat Bikes. Quality Bicycle Products, the nation’s largest bicycle products distributor, and who has helped build the Fat Bike movement through their Surly and Salsa Fat Bikes, also returns to host the 2013 Summit and Festival.
Preliminary Schedule – Specific times and details to follow:
Friday:
Informational day aimed at land managers and key decision makers including seminars on Fat Bike impacts on groomed trail systems, reports on pilot programs for Fat Bikes on public lands, and other Fat Bike access issues.
The day’s meetings will be followed by demo rides so stakeholders can experience travel on a fat bike first hand. Exact locations and times for each event to be determined.
Saturday:
Fat Bike Group Rides, Demos and Races
Industry Expo
Saturday Night:
Party
Sunday:
Fat Bike Group Rides
Industry Expo
For more information, visit the Fat Bike Winter Summit and Festival website at:
To schedule an interview, please call Scott Fitzgerald at 208-787-2453 or email Scott@FitzgeraldsBicycles.com
