Prickly Pedal Mountain Bike Race (posted photo)
About 400 mountain bikers from across the country swept the Maricopa Trail on January 23rd in the inaugural Prickly Pedal Mountain Bike Race. The event, which began at Lake Pleasant, required riders to keep pace for over 40 miles ending at Cave Creek. In addition, after his first start, he was invited to participate in his shorter 5-mile race, aimed at families.
District 3 Supervisor Andy Kunacek said in a release: “Today’s race was an incredible success. With so many riders and fans in attendance, it was our first ever 1st race. I’m really excited to see it coming,” he said. “We are confident this annual race will continue to grow and expand with the addition of more pristine Maricopa trails for riders and hikers to enjoy.”
The trail connects all 10 county parks and currently stretches over 200 miles, with approximately 270,000 acres of natural resources open to the public. Race entry fees were donated to the Maricopa Trail and Park Foundation, which works to help maintain the trail system and provide sustainable financial support to local parks. The county park is almost entirely self-funded through admission fees and donations, the release said. “This premier event of its kind will showcase some of the most beautiful outdoor trails in the entire world and will captivate visitors and tourists, especially during the winter months,” Knasek said in a release. “More importantly, we can grow the event into a multi-stage race with riders from all over the country. People staying and playing in the area will benefit the park and the business community.”
