Bike Kentucky

I'm still trying to make sense of cancelling last Sunday's race, over the mere threat of showers. (But since Metro Parks was involved I realize that common sense often goes out the window.)

There could've been a tropical downpour and Metro Parks will not shut down the trails for any user, equestrian, hiker, runner or mountain biker. There were plenty of people out using the trail Sunday, at Cherokee as well as all other Metro Parks managed facilities. Point being- if the trail is closed for racing, it should be closed to all users.

For the first several years of the Duffield Derby we were greeted with showers, often right at the start of the race, still the event went on, and contrary to what many have posted, no long-term damage was done to the trail.

Looking forward, what' the criteria and timeline established for calling a race off? The last thing before I left work Friday I printed out the race flyer and thought the race was on. I didn't log on to any PC Saturday. Sunday morning I loaded up the bike (somebody needs to finish last) and drove over to Cherokee, and low and behold, find out that, with the sun shining and what looks to be perfect weather conditions, that something's amiss. (There's virtually no mountain bikers in the park, and no race.)

I drive back home, turn on the PC, and find out that Friday night after 7pm, the race has been cancelled.

Had we be dealing with any other "land-manager" (and I use that term loosely to include Metro Parks) the race would've been ran as scheduled.

Let's keep our fingers crossed that the week leading into the July event is dry. My sympathies go out to race organizers and volunteers and anyone else dealing directly with our limited attention span hyper sensitive parks department.