TAMC Fat Tire Festival shortened to one day

    PRESQUE ISLE — The 2008 Nordic Heritage Sport Club Fat Tire Festival, sponsored by The Aroostook Medical Center, took place on Sunday, Oct. 19. It was a spectacular fall day with cool, crisp air and brilliant sunshine.
    The festivities kicked off with kids’ races in the morning, followed by a cross country mountain bike race for novice (5 miles), sport (10 miles), and expert (15 miles) riders. The day also featured a fun bike rodeo for kids and adults and concluded with a thrilling downhill time trial race.
    Race winners, by category, were: kids’ cross country mountain bike race: Nick Bartlett, Presque Isle, 8-10 year olds; and Drew Bates, Presque Isle, 11-12 year olds.
    Overall cross country mountain bike race: Jesse Rochester, Presque Isle, men’s junior novice; Kyle Bartley, Presque Isle, men’s novice; Paul Towle, Presque Isle, men’s sport; Chris Condon, Presque Isle, men’s expert; and Patricia Hebert, Edmundston, New Brunswick, women’s expert.
    Downhill Mountain Bike Time Trial: Chad McPherson, Presque Isle, men’s overall; and Eileen Carey, Presque Isle, women’s overall.
    UM-Presque Isle’s Outdoor Adventure Program International provided an excellent assortment of burritos to fuel volunteers, participants, and the public. The festival was originally planned as a two-day festival for Sept. 27 and 28, but heavy rains associated with Hurricane Kyle forced a postponement.
    The smaller one-day event was highly successful and participants and volunteers left with big smiles and armloads of biking-related prizes.
    The tremendous effort and spirit of many volunteers during the planning and execution of the event made the occasion possible.