a cycling celebration

The annual Santos Fat Tire Festival showcases the recreational sport of mountain biking, aka trail biking.

› By JoAnn Guidry

Whether you are a beginner or a hardcore trail biker, the 11th annual Santos Fat Tire Festival has something for everyone. Presented by the Ocala Mountain Bike Association, the event draws hundreds of bikers from across the country and will take place March 10-12 at the Santos Trailhead of the Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway.

The three-day festival of all things bike will include an expo, a free cycling skills clinic, free demo rides for all ages, ra es, an exhibition by some of the best mountain bike riders and a 50-mile ride. And, of course, there will be that festival requirement: food trucks.

The first question many people have is what is a fat tire?

“Fat tire is just another term for a mountain bike,” explains Renee Blaney, director of the Santos Fat Tire Festival. “Mountain bike or trail bike tires are thicker than road bike tires for better traction on the trails.”

The Cross Florida Greenway has more than 85 miles of bike trails, which were created and are maintained by OMBA. The Santos Fat Tire Festival is OMBA’s annual fundraiser to continue on this mission.

The centerpiece of the Santos Fat Tire Festival is the Epic 50, which is a 50-mile mountain bike ride from the Santos Trailhead to the Ross Prairie Trailhead and back to Santos. The Epic 50 is on Saturday, March 11, from 7am to 2pm.

“Annually, we have more than 700 riders participate in the Epic 50,” says Blaney. “It’s a great test and a lot of fun.”

For those not up to the Epic 50, there’s plenty of family-friendly activities. The Bike Expo will feature more than 50 companies that will display mountain and road bikes, accessories and clothing. There will even be bicycle-related art, jewelry and plenty of hands-on opportunities.

“You can sign out a bike to try out on a clearly marked 1-mile or 3-mile course for free demo rides,” says Blaney. “If you are already a biker, you can sign up for a free instructor-led skill clinic. And for the kids, toddlers and up, there’s a children’s track.”

The festival wraps up on Sunday afternoon with a 1pm exhibition by the top riders in the area in the Vortex limerock quarry. Think BMX.

“These top riders put on quite a show,” says Blaney. “It’s a great way to close out the festival.”

11th Annual Santos Fat Tire Festival › MARCH 10-12, 2017 › Santos Trailhead/Marjorie Harris Carr Cross Florida Greenway › 3080 SE 80th Street, Ocala

Friday, March 10: Noon-5pm

Saturday, March 11: 9am-5pm

Sunday, March 12: 9am-2pm

Free to public, $55 entry for Epic 50 santosfattire.com

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Kathleen

Dr. Kathleen Telusma grew up in Orlando, Florida. She remained in Orlando for her college education where she received a BS in molecular biology and microbiology from the University of Central Florida. She went on to continue her medical education in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, at Temple University where she earned her Doctorate in Podiatric Medicine. Dr. Telusma went on to finish her medical training by completing her surgical residency at the Atlanta VA Medical Center. Upon the conclusion of residency, she sought to return to Central Florida for practice. She is now happy to be the newest addition to Family Foot and Ankle. She treats a variety of foot and ankle pathologies with interests, including dermatology, wound care, bunions, hammertoes and heel pain.