The SoCal boys talk about crazy late 70s downhill action, but I never hear any talk of this activity.
flat track ice BMX.

Midwest winters in the were cold and snowy but didn't stop our infatuation with BMX riding.
Our local lake would draw flat tracker's on loud harleys. they'd set up torches in the late afternoon and ride late into the night.
outrageous speeds of 60 to 70mph, ice chips flying, and spectacular sliding/snow plowing wipeouts.

Us kids only knew AFX slotcar racing as the main sport in the winter, so my Dad would rope up our front tires and we'd head to the little lake to make our own flat track fun.
We'd ride in circles faster and faster, looking for just the right moment to pass, practicing drifting and slamming on our backs all afternoon. what fun.

It's been a cold winter this year so I tried to remember what how my pops used to hook us up.
Worked pretty well but the rope I used is really too thick for the task.

Anyone else do this in the winter or was this local to my town only? hopefully not.....
Surely the Minnesota boys did something like this.
cheers!

let's hear some winter crazy stories, broken tuff stories, or anything cold as heck and equally fun.

I don't quite get the ropes??

Anyway, ya - we do some ice racing here in MN - BITD I would train during the winter by doing laps on the ice rink with my stadium tires, getting ready for those indoor races ya know.

Check this article:

http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/02/02/trave...adventurer.html

The riders in the story do a winter series that are half ice, half snow covered trails - it's pretty serious as far as competition goes.

The pics for that story were taken on the Snowball's Chance in Hell course here in Mpls. It's not one of the series courses, but rather an underground race we've been running here for many years, you won't see any Lycra at the SCH race - if you can't tell from the pics it's a figure 8 race, contact is highly encouraged.

As far as the spikes go, the serious guys run them for the series - some run them at the SCH race - but they're seldom an advantage. Two years ago I won on a 50's three speed Schwinn without spikes, 2nd and 3rd had spikes (but not enough skill)!

Do a Flickr search for Snowball's Chance in Hell for more pics.

First, being from Southern Cal originally, I can tell you we used to race/ride our bikes in a deserted warehouse not too far from my house. It had a super slick and slippery concrete floor and we would run water on it and race 10 laps around. Man that was fun,straights were about 75 feet and then you'd hit the water and just slide.

Racing on ice, now that seems like good ol midwest fun. I waish someone had video of it.

JUst frozen lake racing for me! Some flat track in the parking lots

ah, excellent pics! time to pull out the ol full face stocking cap!

the rope was much like chains on a tractor, helped stop slipping in snow, and maintain control on that irregular slush/ice on the streets as well as gripped the pond ice really well when it started to get frozen crystals in the threading. weird physics but it worked like a charm. i'm guessing it must be really old school history stuff like maybe something they did for model Ts back when???

the rowdy neighborhood crowd would have butchered each other if we were given sheet metal screws in the thread.....like a roller derby bloodbath.

anyone that used to do front wheel plants into snow drifts then fly on your back into the snow?
my chiropractor nowadays would have suggested that wasn't the wisest thing...... he he he.

Definitely some weird physics going on when you hit the ice, but a great way to learn how to drift on dime.

Try this video : Snowballs Chance in Hell Formula Ice Race and Mad Dash 4 Cash

Nice pics Mark, Ted Carl should be along shortly to post up some winter races from Shorewood.

You guys are NUTS!! But that looks sooo cooool.

Outstanding! A concept SO foriegn to me, considering I wear shorts year round here in So Cal. But if I lived in that type of location I would be giving ice riding/racing a go.

As much as I hate riding my side hack on flat tracks, I'll bet a hack, built as light as possible, could have the possibility of some fun cornering on ice.

Great stuff guys.

I wish I had more video - this is a pretty crazy event. I'm not going to be able to make it this year - the first time in 8 years I will have missed it.

Here are some more pics Via Flikr

The way it works (to make sense of the photos) The video I posted is the last two riders after many being "pulled" , that's the final 3 laps.

So, there are usually three or four qualifying heats made up of 12 riders, the last rider on each lap gets pulled off - but the twist is you can't pass the last guy. So things can get bunched up pretty quick. The strategy is to not use too much strategy.

Fastest doesn't always help while the elimination is going on, often if you go fast it's like a target - guys will take you down just as the last rider is being pulled at the line - now you're the last guy! If you go down you can count on getting pelted with snowballs, or if you're just riding along you may get pelted as well - by everyone else at the same time, it's madness.

The top 5 riders from each heat go to the final (semis if we have alot of riders) - on the final you go three laps then start pulling eliminators, one each lap. When you get down to three riders left it's race on!

There's only one rule - anything goes, and I mean anything.

There is usually a fire, beer (etc). and homemade mystery snacks abound.

that looks so good, and it cooled me down.. lol, its about 100 inside right now..
cheers im there...

Great pics & video Sheely & Condo. That take down at the finish line in that video was priceless.

A little snow jumping