Second Annual Stokes Biathlon
Under a blue sky and in balmy temperatures, the Flatland Posse held the second annual, informal Stokes Biathlon on October 3rd. Just like the inaugural year, the race was self-timed, as the competitors also served as race organizers.
Lars Jacobsen won the first leg, roller skiing 8k up to the Sunrise Mountain parking lot in just under 27 minutes. As usual, Lars was the strong motor of the group, but he also credited his boards, Nordic Rollers which had been upgraded with 2 of the free-rolling red wheels. Pete Minde was badly mistaken thinking his ProSkis would be an advantage, and showed up one and a half minutes later, breathing hard. Roy Selland was third, not far behind.
At the transition, the competitors stuffed their roller skis in day packs and put on sneakers for the run back down the Appalachian Trial. At the picnic pavilion on the summit of Sunrise Mountain, there were great views across to Waywayanda Mountain and Vernon, before dropping down into the woods. Heading south from the summit, the AT parallels the auto road before diverging away, prompting Roy to wonder if he was running into Ohio. Eventually the posse arrived at Culvers Gap, dropping steeply down to the parking lot where the the race had started. A good time was had by all.