GRAND TRAVERSE CO. -- Thousands of mountain biking enthusiasts are preparing for the largest 1-day mountain biking race in the country.

Held each year on the first Saturday in November, participants of the 2011 Bell's Beer Iceman Cometh Challenge will take to the trail on Saturday November 5.

The Bell's Beer Iceman, presented by Trek, is a safe and fast twenty-nine mile mountain bike adventure from Kalkaska to Traverse City. The course takes riders through the hardwood forests, meadows, and cross country ski trails of the Pere Marquette State Forest.

Iceman events will welcome athletes from 2 to 72 years old from 38 different states. An estimated 7,500 spectators will line the course to catch the excitement of the Bell's Beer Iceman as the competitors roll along the trail.

"Iceman is unique due to the unpredictable weather that occurs in Northern Michigan during November. It could be 55 degrees and sunny or it could be 20 degrees and snowy like it was last year," stated Larry J. Bell, President and Founder of Bell's Brewery, Inc.

The Bell's Beer Iceman weekend kicks off with the Ice Cycle Expo on Friday, November 4, from 12 noon until 9:00 PM at Grand Traverse Resort & Spa. In addition to the Bell's Beer Iceman, the "Meijer Slush Cup" features a half-frozen eight mile event for beginning racers, and the Meijer Sno-Cone event - for riders under the age of 12 - offers a chance for future world champions to experience the thrill mountain bike racing.

The Bell's Beer Iceman is widely regarded as the premier mountain bike event in the Midwest and is the largest single day race in the country. Sanctioned by USA Cycling, The Bell's Beer Iceman boasts a $52,000 cash purse with $30,000 reserved for professional cyclists.