Bicyclists gather to tackle King of the Mountain ride

GROUSE CREEK, Box Elder County — When considering the word "relaxing," loading up a bike, driving for three or four hours to the top of a hilly dirt road and eating dust for 13 miles might not match that definition.

However, that was the overall feeling in Grouse Creek at the 10th annual King of the Mountain Bike Ride held the end of May.

Those who are familiar with Grouse Creek (population 96) may not understand why anyone would want to go there for any reason, let alone a bike race. And that is exactly what many people want you to think.

The camping in and around the two-gas-pump town is one of Utah's best-kept secrets, according to Brent Spencer, who has been camping in the area over the Memorial Day weekend for the last 23 years. Spencer was reluctant to reveal his favorite spot, somewhere west and a little north of Grouse Creek.

Avid biker Eric Dupuis, of Layton, was coerced into competing by friend and race director Alan Smith while the two worked together 10 years ago at what is now Convergys. Since then, Dupuis has been the most regular participant, starting the race nine times and finishing eight. He finds the bike race is a good excuse to get away for a camping trip, this year at Devil's Playground.

"It's a fun thing to do on Memorial Day," says Dupuis. "It's not a resort destination, that's why I like it."

The 13-mile course begins "at the top of the mountain" between Lynn and Grouse Creek. With the start line sitting at around 6,900 feet and Grouse Creek at 4,600, it may seem this is a pretty quick trip.

However, most of the drop in elevation happens in the first three or four miles. It is so steep that, at one point, the most daring riders have reached speeds over 45 mph.

From there, riders encounter rolling hills to test their legs, snakes and ground squirrels to test their steering, and cows to test their olfactory sense.

In the past 10 years the race that is most etched in the memories of riders occurred in 2006. Four-time veteran Matt Anderson, from Brigham City, recalls about four inches of snow at the starting line.