Huckleberries Online

Ironman CdA Changes Bike Course

Posted by DFO

Feb. 10, 2012 5:30 p.m. • 13 comments

Ironman Coeur d'Alene race director Mac Cavasar has confirmed for Huckleberries that the bike leg of the triathlon will be changed this year to run along Highway 95 20 miles south of Coeur d'Alene to Missile Base Road in the Worley area. The Idaho Department of Transportation and Idaho State Police have signed off on the new course, which Cavasar says is safer than the old one. Which ran along Government Way through Hayden and beyond. The triathletes will bike along the northbound lanes of Highway 95, which will be blocked off for vehicular traffic which will be using the northbound lanes as a two-way roadway. The move was necessary this year because Ironman Coeur d'Alene was facing issues with road construction on the old bike course. Also, Cavasar said, he had heard complaints that the old course cut the communities of Coeur d'Alene & Hayden in half. “I've been looking at this for a couple of years,” he told Huckleberries. Ironman Coeur d'Alene is now in its 10th year. Cavasar said he is trying to renew the contract for Ironman Coeur d'Alene, which expires this summer, for another five years. You can find a map of the new bike course here. (Dan Pelle SR file photo of 2009 Coeur d'Alene Ironman leg)

Question: Do you prefer the new course to the previous one that caused traffic problems on Government Way?

13 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

KCres on February 10 at 3:37 p.m.
I’ll be disappointed. We had a fun routine, breakfast at the Blue Plate followed by helping out at the aid station at the north end of 4th. It made a great day.
Eman on February 10 at 4:08 p.m.
This looks to be better all around. It’s more scenic, the southern route, and doesn’t congest the city. What a much nicer ride.
oneanddone on February 10 at 4:31 p.m.
I think it’s about as bad an idea as possible. US95 is congested enough without any sort of bike race on it. But the worst part isn’t the race - it’s all the training. There’ll be 4 fools abreast in one of the lanes just begging to be a statistic. And they won’t even get their $600 back.
bcnqrgd on February 10 at 4:33 p.m.
Sounds like a great plan to me!
Eman on February 10 at 4:54 p.m.
onea 95 is no more congested that Government way especially through Hayden. Did you even look at the map of the new route?
It gets out of town quick.
chatterbox on February 10 at 6:24 p.m.
The climb up Mica grade will be tough.
tmeatzie on February 10 at 7:39 p.m.
I believe the article states that they’re using one side of the highway, cars won’t be near at all! Sounds safe to me, WAY less spectator participation though is the only downside I see. But I also agree, there will be some serious hills to contend with! And it always seems when biking, that the wind’s always in your face no matter what direction you’re going! And more so out there…
…
Don_Sausser on February 10 at 7:50 p.m.
Chatterbox, the grade south of Mica Creek is as steep as MIca hill in places but much longer. Both will be a challenge.

Howard Martinson and I run an ATV crew that delivers water and lunch to the course workers. We’ll probably use a pick up on the Hwy 95 route since there are dedicated traffic lanes available. We’ll use ATVs on the run course since it uses the same route east as last year on Coeur d’Alene Lake Dr.
wheels on February 11 at 7:17 a.m.
Actually I’d prefer Ironman be cancelled period.Check out Tour de Palm Springs being held here in the desert this weekend.10,000 expected participants from all over the country with vendor and food booths, entertainment and four different lengths of rides from 100 to five miles.Proceeds go to charities and the economic impact would easily surpass Ironman PLUS all citizens could participate.The potential for an event like this in CDA is endless and would eventually generate all the media attention so wanted by some in the community.WIN-WIN.
Arpie on February 11 at 7:47 a.m.
Wheels
Sandpoint is slowly building an event like the tour de Palm Springs. The Chafe is an eighty or 150 mile ride starting at City Beach, up to Bonners Ferry, over to Troy, back down the Bull River Road then along the lake through Hope back to the Beach. The 80 miler buses riders up to Troy. It’s well organized and building slowly.
Money benefits a ready for Kindergarten parent learning program.
It’s on June 2 this year.

This year the organizers are timing for the first time. They are coordinating with the Long Bridge Swim and the scenic Half Marathon to have a grand triathlon spread over the summer.
hmoffsuite on February 11 at 10:47 a.m.
wheels >> “Actually I’d prefer Ironman be cancelled period”

Can’t agree with you on that comment. Ironman and other events like the Palm Springs event you mentioned are not mutually exclusive. Coeur d’Alene could do both if they were so inclined. Imo, Cda is fortunate to have Ironman as it brings thousands of folks to our area spending money on lodging, dining and more. Considering that Cda is a resort town and requires a degree of tourism for its economy, the more events the better.
wheels on February 11 at 1:34 p.m.
Actually HMOFF I agree with you,it’s just that I’ve tired of the elitest nature of part of Ironman.Since the Tour has different levels of participation and is not timed the venue is more relaxed and offers something for everyone.(DFO & the Mrs) It affords those that need it the opportunity to take part in feel good event which could become an annual thing.The bottom is it allows people a chance to enhance their health which they may have let slide over the years.Also it requires roughly 1/5 the time of Ironman thus not gridlocking a city for 18 hrs a day.It also frees up the participants to enjoy the other venues.Remember today we have over 10,000 riders.Add on their families etc.I would envision this realistically growing to the size of Bloomsday and very well could/should include the Greater Spokane community.The benefits are obvious.
GoEasylife4you on February 28 at 12:48 p.m.
Even if the course changes, achieving great things in cycling is just a state of mind. Read my blog about how Robert Marchand set a new one-hour speed record —at the age of 100. http://goeasylife.wordpress.com/2012/02/20/old-is-just-a-state-of-mind-amazing-inspiration/

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D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.