Wee-Chi-Tah Mountain Bike Trail Race brings riders to Wichita Falls during Hotter’N Hell Hundred

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - While thousands of cyclists take to the streets for the Hotter’N Hell Hundred, another group of riders will be heading to the trails.

The Wee-Chi-Tah Mountain Bike Trail Race was added to the Hotter’N Hell races in 1994, giving riders another challenge with dirt, rocky terrain and tight turns that put their skills to the test.

The event also includes 10K and 12-mile running races.

A team of volunteers works year-round to maintain the trail, with the week leading up to the races bringing extra attention to the course.

Mountain Bike Race Director Jimmy Young said about 600 people from outside the Wichita Falls area are expected to come to the trail for the races this weekend.

“We’ll have about, between the runners and the riders, we’ll have about 600 people from out of town to come enjoy our trail this weekend.”

Young said volunteers often find themselves working right up until the event begins, including dealing with unexpected obstacles.

“We’ll be out at the very, very last minute because it seems like it never fails. We always have a tree fall right before the event. One year we had a tree fall that had a huge beehive in it and that was kind of another all hands on deck. But again, I think we were two minutes late with the start of the mountain bike race that year,” said Young.

For the volunteers who maintain the trail, the work is about more than simply preparing the course. Many of them are riders themselves and enjoy experiencing the trail from behind the handlebars.

Henry Petrosian, director of the Wee-Chi-Tah Mountain Bike Trail, said the surrounding nature is one of the reasons he enjoys mountain biking.

“I do road riding, and I do mountain biking. I enjoy both, but I like this. It’s what brings me out here is the nature itself. Surprisingly, we haven’t seen any deer this morning, but you’ll see a family here all the time. She’ll have her babies with her running around. You’ll have animals running all over the place while you’re riding. It’s just peaceful,” said Petrosian.

The Wee-Chi-Tah Mountain Bike Trail Race begins Saturday, August 29, at 8 a.m. Running events will take place Sunday, August 30.