Lakes Country Triathlon (Baxter) Anyone???

The race is difficult to find in the database. Here's the link:

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/directory/link-detail.asp?linkid=2379

I did this race last year.  I ended up signing up at the last second (I think it was 8 days before race day).  To be honest the only thing I remember about this race in vivid detail is missing the overall win by 8 seconds to a guy in another wave that I never even saw out on the course, so take my course descriptions below with a grain of salt.

Swim:  Typical 1 loop rectangular course.  The lake was definitely cleaner than what we're typically stuck with in the metro area.  The run up the beach to T1 was long, similar to Buffalo I'd say.

Transitions:  Pretty big transition area in a paved parking lot.  First come, first served on the rack space, but the layout is fair (always in one side and out the opposite) so it really doesn't matter where you're racked.

Bike:  1 loop course out in the country, fairly flat.  There were a couple "rollers" but nothing that had me out of the saddle.  I remember one 5-ish mile stretch of pretty rough pavement, but it was definitely the "ow, my taint!" annoying type of rough, not the tire-flattening, bottle launching dangerous type of rough.

Run:  Pancake flat through the residential neighborhoods around the lake.  Lots of turns though, so you can never really see more than a couple minutes ahead of you.

Overall I'd recommend it if you're looking for a race in late August.  The outstate TriMN races have a really cool vibe IMO.  Noticably more laid back than the big metro area races, but still well organized and safe with plenty of volunteers, water, etc.

This was my first tri a few years ago so I have happy fun memories of Lakes, plus I grew up there.  GT has it, the lake is clean, the event is well run and Pine Beach Road on the back side of the bike loop hasn't been resurfaced in 20 years, but you probably won't lose your water bottle.  The only thing I wish that would improve this race would be a longer offering, oly or half iron, but 371 throws a wrench in that idea. 

I think it's worth the drive from the metro just to swim in a clean lake!  I was in Nokomis today and my top which was once yellow is now brown with silt

Here is the website:
http://www.pickleevents.com/events/lctri/index.php#registration

My son and I are signed up for this as well, first time for us.  Nice to hear the good reports! 

I'm in.

Family is staying at the host hotel for the weekend, $178 for 2 nights seems like a pretty good deal

So who all is in for this? I count at least 5 or 6. I'll be wearing my signature green Javelin trisuit, and may end up riding my bike there from the host hotel (seems like it is close enough) so I can leave the wife the car. They'll probably end up spending the morning at the waterpark anyway, but it makes for a nice warmup for me.

I hope gas prices are down this weekend. Looks like we are probably doing Red Wing -> Taylors Falls on Friday to hit the alpine slide and waterpark at Wild Mountain, then to Baxter on Friday evening, then perhaps a day trip to Park Rapids on Saturday to see my uncle-in-law and back to Red Wing on Sunday after the race (and maybe a stop at Paul Bunyan Land). Good thing the rest of the family is so good about riding in the car.

I am in....alwas a great race, and the weather looks AWESOME!