| Where: Creel, Chihuahua,
Mexico-- Creel is the adventure hub for the Sierra Tarahumara
of northwestern Mexico. Located near the Continental Divide at
about 7600 feet, the area offers a pleasantly fresh summer climate.
Travellers and adventurers from all over Mexico and the world visit the
area in growing numbers each year. The town welcomes visitors with open
arms and offers a multitude of accommodations, restaurants and natural
features that make it a true world class adventure destination.
For more info on the area check out:
www.umarike.com.mx
, www.owa.com
, or www.mexonline.com
What:
Our Sponsors: We are mighty thankful to our growing list of sponsors and supporters. All the support goes to directly benefit the area. Our current list includes: Team Telecycle (Woodland Park, Colorado); Hill Country Bicycle Works (Kerrville, Texas); Umarike Expeditions (Creel); Outpost Wilderness Adventure (Hunt, Texas and Lake George, Colorado); The Lodge at Creel (Best Western) (Creel); Telcel (Mexico); Hampton Inn (Chihuahua); Specialized ; State of Chihuahua; Pizza del Rey (Creel & Chihuahua); Grupo Futurama (Chihuahua); New Revolution Cycles (Texas); (Chihuahua); Fiesta Mexicana KOA (Creel); Koobi Saddles (Colorado) ; Parador de la Montana (Creel); Desert Sports(Terlingua, Texas) How to Get There: It really is easy enough to get there. By car it is about an 8 hour drive south of El Paso via good roads. First Class (really) public busses are also available from either Ojinaga or Juarez on an hourly basis and it is just a bit slower than private transportation. We'll be announcing some other transportation options later in the spring. Contact OWA (830-238-4383) for any questions. Accommodations:
The race venue begins right at the plaza in Creel and a variety of accommodations--
from camping to first class hotels (and everything in between) are
available within a reasonable walking distance. Reservations can
be made directly with the following places. Tell them you are coming
for the race and they should have some special rates (most of them do
speak some English). If you don't make reservations there should
still be some sort of accommodation available in town upon arrival,
but no guarantees-- this is one of the major events of the year. Camping
is always available in town. The Lodge at Creel (Best Western) - Don't let the Best Western part fool you fool you-- this is a neat place with log cabins, a nice bar and restaurant and even satellite TV. Rates are about $80/double. Phone 011-52-635-4560071. They also have email . Margarita's- There are 2 Margarita's. The older Casa Huespedes has nice private rooms and some dorm style rooms as well. For about $18/person/day you can get a private room with breakfast and supper included. You can step up a bit to the private rooms at the Plaza Mexicana where for about $48/double you get a nice room with 2 meals/day. No web site for them, but give em a call at 011-52-635-4560245. Parador de la Montana - Private rooms with TV and plenty of hot water. Located right on main street. Good restaurant and bar. Plan on spending about $55/night for a double. Call them at 011-52-635-4560075. For others check out www.owa.com or other related sites. The Racing: Dirt Crit: The dirt crit takes place right on the edge of town at the KOA and has been a favorite for the local populace who actually show up to watch. Entry fees are cheap and no need to preregister. The course is kind of bmx style-- each lap takes just 2-3 minutes to complete and is somewhat strenuous. The race has been run in various formats-- somewhat dependant on the number of riders. Takes place Friday afternoon. Cross Country: The cross country course (La Manzana de Creel) is all kinds of fast, sweet, technical fun. It consists of one loop that begins in the town plaza and takes the racers right down main street each time around. Once out of town, it climbs via dirt road up and then down through the Tarahumara village of San Ignacio. From there it turns into a wonderful rolling single track climb that ultimately arrives on the mesa overlooking town. From there a wild downhill (known as the "Slippery Trail" or El Resveloso) takes you through a gauntlet of screaming fans and back into town where you round the plaza and then head back out. Classes will do anywhere from 2-4 loops. There is a split in the course for youth and beginners to miss the majority of the technical stuff. Entry fee is 100 pesos (about $10)-- no licenses required (remember this isn't a NORBA race!) and no need to preregister. This race is part of the Chihuahua State Series. In 2001 there were about 350 racers. Classes are similar to US classes with Expert, Advanced, Intermediate, Beginner and Juniors. Age groupings are similar to US as well. Downhill: The weekend festivities conclude Sunday morning with a steep and exciting downhill that takes place right on the edge of town. The course begins at the highest point overlooking the valley with some sweeping turns ending in a brutally fun maze of switchbacks that get steeper and steeper toward the bottom. Other Events: Besides the races, there is a lot going
on. On Thursday there are guided rides on some of the sweetest single
track in the world-- something to suit everyone. Of course you can
always wander out on your own since there are literally hundreds of miles
of trail heading right out from town in every direction. There's also
a pasta fee for all the racers on Friday night, a concert, and some demonstrations
of the Tarahumara running game. Plenty to fill your days and nights! Getting Into Mexico- To get into Mexico you will need either a Passport, Notarized copy of a birth certificate or Voter Registration card. Driver's license does NOT suffice and they will not let you into the country with just that. Contact us for more info on getting your vehicle into the country-- it is not difficult, but you do need the right documentation. Other Notes- Remember that since this isn't a NORBA event there is no racer insurance, etc. Emergency medical personnel are on site at the event and there is a small hospital about 15 miles away. Major care is available in Chihuahua City-- about a 3 hour drive...............There is plenty to do in the area in addition to racing including hiking, hot springs, rock climbing, horseback riding and more..............race proceeds all go back into the community including the Ejido of San Ignacio.........................some cash prizes will be awarded in the higher level classes and locally made awards will go to folks placing in all classes.................first 200 participants get a nice t-shirt........................ More Info? Contact Outpost Wilderness Adventure at owa@owa.com . You can also call our Texas office at 830-238-4383 (until mid April) and our Colorado office at 719-748-3080 throughout the rest of the year. |
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Outpost Wilderness
Adventure
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