Inge Travis had planned to go to Yellowstone National Park. Instead, she settled for her first ever race in the 30th annual Tour des Suds.
The Park City resident, sporting a pink tutu and other decorations, thoroughly enjoyed the race as she should have. Travis took first overall in the women’s 30-39 category with a finishing time of 54 minutes and 19 seconds.
“I wanted to support mountain trails,” Travis said. “I wanted to dress up and have fun. I will definitely be doing this every year from now on.”
The event is a seven-mile mountain-bike hill climb starting at City Park, winding its way on Heber Avenue, onto Main Street and Daly Avenue before making its way to the top of Guardsman Pass. The race features a 2,700-foot elevation gain.
Participants gathered at City Park Sunday morning in preparation for the 10 a.m. start. Racers worked on their costumes, ate breakfast and socialized in what turned out to be a magnificent day, with whipping winds at the top of Guardsman Pass.
The costumes were as eclectic and innovative as usual.
Eddie Fraze of Park City has participated in so many Tour des Suds races he can’t even remember the exact number. Fraze said he has been mixing up his costumes over the years, but as of late he’s found his race-day niche.
“I’m the ewe,” Fraze said. “People call me the love ewe.”
Tommy Smith of Bend, Ore., a member of the University of Utah Ski team, went with the less-is-more approach as he decided to don a leopard thong.
“I want to win the costume contest,” Smith said. “I will definitely take first place.”
The description of the race on the Mountain Trails website said, “Crazy bikes, crazy costumes is the concept.”
Also known as “The Gaga Girls,” a few members of Team Sugar decided to take their cue from pop culture icon Lady Gaga. Team Sugar consists of women who are part of a mountain-bike riding advocacy team in Park City.
Simone Lacasce and Andrea Thacker have been participants in the race for the past few years and have been become more involved with helping fund Mountain Trails.
“Even the money we make at our Team Sugar bake sales go to Mountain Trails,” Lacasce said.
Layne Jones has ridden in the Tour des Suds 12 times. Her twelfth ride showcased a humungous foam cowboy hat, cutoff jeans and cowboy boots.
“This is the best rodeo I’ve been to in a long time,” she said.