The LOTOJA Bike Race, which takes riders on a 205-mile ride from Logan, Utah and finishes at Teton Village, will pass through Jackson this Saturday, September 12th. Jackson Hole Community Pathways is seeking volunteers for 2-3 hour shifts starting Saturday afternoon until approximately 8:00 PM Saturday evening to help with pathway traffic management.
In an effort to mitigate for large gatherings with COVID-19 precautions, there will be 2 separate finish lines this year. Participants in the "Recreation Division" will finish the race on High School Road (between the High School and Middle School) while participants in the "Race Division" will finish in Teton Village.
This year’s "Race Division" route is generally the same as the past several years with a 3-mile segment of the race taking place on the Teton County Pathway system. The riders will approach Jackson from the south on Highway 89, then will turn left onto South Park Loop and head north past Melody Ranch and 3 Creek Ranch. Riders will be routed onto the pathway at the end of Tribal Trails Road, continuing on the pathway along WY22 and across the Snake River Pathway Bridge before being routed back onto the road on Highway 390 to Teton Village.
This year’s "Recreation Division" route is essentially the same as the "Race Division"; however, participants will head south on High School Road and finish in between the High School and Middle School. High School road will remain open for vehicle travel, but there will be a slight detour at the site of the finish. Please use caution if you are driving in the area of High School Road and pay attention for cyclists.
The pathway will remain open to public use throughout the day, but pathway users are cautioned to be aware of cyclists and to please yield to racers. Brian Schilling, Pathways Coordinator for the Town of Jackson noted “By the time the riders get to Jackson they can be pretty exhausted and may be less able to react quickly to other pathway users, so it really helps if local pathway users can use extra caution when they’re on the stretch of pathway between Indian Trails and Rendezvous Park, and especially on the pathway bridge over the Snake River. If you’re walking or riding on the pathway, simple things such as checking behind you for oncoming riders and moving to the side of the pathway to allow racers to pass will greatly improve safety for everyone.”
Signs and course markings will be in place by 12:00 PM Saturday to alert pathway users and provide direction for event participants. Course marshals will be positioned at critical junctions on the pathways between 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM to help manage pathway and race traffic. The fastest riders are expected to arrive in Jackson as early as 1:00 PM, and there will be riders on the course throughout the rest of the day. “Last year, we had stragglers coming through as late as 10PM. These folks are truly exhausted and appreciate as much encouragement as they can get,” Schilling noted.
Volunteers are still needed for 2-3 hour shifts on Saturday between 1:00 and 8:00 PM. Please contact Brian Schilling (info below) to help. Locals are invited to help cheer on the riders anywhere on the course, and the official volunteer headquarters will be at the start of the pathway section on Tribal Trails Road. “LOTOJA is an event that pushes you to your physical and emotional limits. After eight or more hours and 200 miles in the saddle, including climbing over three mountain passes, it is really energizing to have people out there cheering you on and supporting your efforts.”
Questions may be directed to Brian Schilling, Teton County Pathways Coordinator, at (307) 690-9896 or bschilling@tetoncountywy.gov.
