Driving westbound on I-up towards Loveland Pass, I’m zoning out. It’s a drive we’ve done hundreds of times during our eight years living in Colorado. But then something catches my eye. We are approaching the town of Georgetown and I spot something moving on the frozen Georgetown Lake. At first, I think it’s just people out ice fishing or skating, but then as we get closer I realize it’s something much bigger than that. MUCH BIGGER.
There are dozens of vehicles sliding around on the frozen sheet just east of the town of Georgetown. Jeeps, Subarus, even things that look like Dune Buggies, but equipped with spiky tires. All these vehicles are navigating around some sort of course out on the ice. The vehicles look to be making circles as they careen, slide, slip every which way. Some of the vehicles reach daring speeds on the ice, zipping along like bugs skimming across the top of water. There are also people standing on the ice watching this entire spectacle, binoculars held to their faces. Such is the sport of ice racing — sort of like a combination of NASCAR combined with ice to create winter time fun.
Georgetown’s ice racing is a not for just the novice. They sponsor an entire league of ice racing, Our Gang Four Wheelers, that has been racing since 1977. They race over six different weekends during the winter, as conditions allow. The league is quite structured, with races for “Competition”, “Pro Street” and “Street. Divisions also are split between men and women as well. They even host a Rookie Race for newbies to the sport. According to their website, any 4wd or AWD vehicles is welcome, although those who take the sport seriously have tricked out Competition Jeeps with specially studded or spiked tires to make the most of their competition.
Just when you thought that skiing and snowmobiling were the only ways to recreate during winter, a random drive along Interstate 70 introduces us to yet another interesting way to while away your winter days….
