Crank 'n' Cruise Postponed!

04.11.2008
KANSAS CITY, MO.
Crank ‘n’ Cruise POSTPONED
http://www.heartlandrace.com

Racing friends and loyal supporters of HSP:

Do to the current and projected weather conditions at Crowder State Park, the Crank-N-Cruise Mountain Bike Race that was scheduled for Sunday, April 13th has been POSTPONED…More details forthcoming. I'm sure you were probably expecting this message. I know you are frustrated, as are we.

The winter from "Hades" has continued to rear its ugly head into the spring racing season. Crowder State Park has received over an inch of rain on Tuesday, a quarter of an inch last night, and it has rained all day today. The extended forecast is calling for possible rain and below average temperatures. There is even a chance for snow flurries Friday night. The Thompson River is currently rising and Grundy County is under a flood alert. With all these contributing factors

We have already stated our reasoning for not supporting "Rain or Shine" races in past posts. I've stated my personal view points on "Pappy's Place" but I'll give you the short version anyway:

We choose to look at the "Big Picture" and the impact our decisions will make in the long run, not for immediate gratification. Racing in the mud is not fun and is detrimental to the ecology of the trail systems we utilize for our race venues.

'm not willing to compromise our trails or cobble together an alternative "short option" that would simply satisfy the requirements of "calling it a race." We have some of the best trails in north Missouri. That is why we host a race. We want to showcase our wonderful trails. We would rather wait until the conditions improve and we can offer a better racing experience. We, Heartland Sport Promotions [HSP], have very high standards and expectations for our events. We strive for the best and that is what racers have come to expect when they participate in our events.

The decision to cancel or reschedule a race is not totally ours to make. We are utilizing public lands and have a land manager that has jurisdiction in making the final decision as to whether an event will proceed or be cancelled. At Crowder State Park that decision is based on environmental impact, public safety, and following the established policies concerning inclement weather and trail closures.

Please continue to monitor the Heartland web page for updated information on the 2008 race schedule. We are looking at possible options for rescheduling events.

I hope you will continue to support our efforts to provide the racing community with quality events. We love to ride bikes and share trails just like you do!

Doug “Pappy” Long