Memorial Day and high school graduations are behind us and summer is in full swing in the St. Joe Valley. With a full slate of activities, this weekend there should be something for everyone!
Whether you want to try your hand at fishing, enter a foot race or riding ATVs, this is the place to be Saturday.
Never been fishing? Saturday is the free fishing day and a great day to learn. Idaho Fish and Game personnel and volunteers setup throughout the state to help first-timers discover the joys of fishing at the Calder Pond.
Volunteers will have several educational booths set up. The Shriners will cook fish for the children if they would like. The Benewah County Sheriff’s Office marine officer will talk about water safety and the St. Joe Trail Blazer’s 4-H Club will man a station to make fish print T-shirts.
Your kids not into fishing?
The second annual SuperKid River Run is Saturday.
Registration costs $10 and is available from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Cormana Building in City Park.
Children up to 12 years old are eligible. The 1.2 mile course stretches from the Cormana building along Aqua Avenue and back. The registration fee covers the cost of a T-shirt for each child. For more information visit http://www.stjoerivermarathon.com.
Following the race, runners and non-runners are invited to visit Heyburn Elementary School for a children’s carnival organized by the PTO.
Prefer to hit the mountain trails on your ATVs? Maybe Clarkia is the place to be.
Jim Robertson and Eva Hawn, who own J&E Stop in Clarkia, will sponsor the ATV ride. Registration will be at 9 a.m. at the old cedar mill in Clarkia. Concessions will be available before and after the ride.
Last year more than 150 riders participated in the fun run. Hands for the ride cost $10 with additional hands available for $5. First place wins $125 with second and third paying $75 and $50 respectively.
The event will benefit the Benewah County Veterans Memorial.
So much to do and such a great place to be.
The inaugural running of Race the Joe! jet boat races are in the books and were deemed a success by organizers and the fans alike.
St. Maries and dozens of volunteers put their best foot forward as thousands of spectators lined the banks of the St. Joe River to watch the high-powered boats raced at speeds exceeding 100 MPH. The fastest boat, Unnatural Disaster, completed the 25-miles stretch between St. Maries and Calder in 14 minutes.
It will take even the fastest runners of the third annual St. Joe River Marathon much longer to complete the 26.2 miles of the race scheduled for June 9. Although the speeds are slower, the enthusiasm of runners, spectators, volunteers and the entire community will shine as bright.
The group that has organized the St. Joe River Marathon for the past two years has recently received 501(c)3 status and is now a charitable organization. The St. Joe River Marathon Foundation plans to provide financial assistance to local families with members who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Though the original intent of organizing the race had always been to benefit the community, organizers felt it pressing to complete the process after the cancer-related death of one of the race’s founders, Dr. John Thomson, last September.
“Obviously our committee suffered a huge loss with the passing of Dr. Thomson late last year,” Devon Barta of the race committee said. “He was the heart of our marathon. But, by remembering his enthusiasm and incorporating it into our plans, we believe he will remain the race’s spirit.”
Aside from the incorporation the event will have few changes this year. The children’s fun run will be June 8 and the 5K, half-marathon and marathon will be the following day.
Those who do not wish to participate in the race but still want to help with the cause can donate directly to the foundation or help sponsor the race.
Registration is still available online at www.stjoerivermarathon.com and on track to exceed races of previous years.
Gleaming jet boats, boasting high-powered engines, have arrived in St. Maries and all the talk is of the races, the boats and the events surrounding the first annual Race the Joe!
But in the excitement and hubbub of the jet boats, don’t forget to register for the third annual St. Joe River Marathon June 9 in St. Maries. The registration deadline to receive a shirt is Monday, May 20. However, runners can register through race day. http://www.stjoerivermarathon.com/registration.html
Not a runner? Walkers are also welcome to join for the marathon, half marathon or 5K race.
The St. Joe River Marathon is a non-profit group that gives runners fabulous race experience while spotlighting the community of St. Maries and the beauty of the St. Joe River Valley.
The money raised by the race will benefit local families dealing the devastating financial effects of cancer. It’s a great effort for a cause close the hearts of race organizers.
And don’t forget the second annual SuperKid River Run June 8. Kids up to 12 years old will enjoy a 1.2 mile run along the beautiful St. Joe River. This event will take place the day before the St. Joe River Marathon.
Each finisher will receive a race t-shirt and a root beer float provided by Harvest Foods after the race. We encourage parents or other runners to run with their children. Registration will be available until 9:30 a.m. on the day of the race. This event will start and finish at the Cormana Building (10th Street and Idaho Avenue) in St. Maries.
We hope this event will help children get excited about being outdoors and staying in shape, and we can’t wait to see all the little runners!
Yes St. Maries has some great things in store during the coming months, and the jet boat races are just the beginning.
The first annual Race the Joe! Jet boat races is on and organizers are expecting to draw thousands of people to St. Maries.
Don’t miss out! Racing doesn’t start until Saturday at 10 a.m. but the four-day event launches with a racer meet-and greet Thursday at Harvest Foods. Organizers expect 20 teams to be in St. Maries for the event.
The St. Maries race is the second of three included in the USA Jet River Racing Series this year. The local course is on a 25-mile stretch of the St. Joe River from St. Maries to Calder.
The first race of the series was in April on the Salmon River at Riggins. The final series race is Aug. 23-25 at Lewiston.
The weekend’s activities kick off Friday at 6 p.m. with a show n’ shine, featuring jet boat race teams at the lower end of the city park. Sprint boats, hydroplanes and pontoon boats will also be on display.
The St. Joe Valley Car Club will provide a pulled-pork barbecue dinner and Rocky Reynolds will entertain. A fireworks show will close the evening at dusk.
Races begin Saturday morning, with a sprint boat exhibition around noon at the Idaho Forest Industries landing, followed by more racing and another sprint boat exhibition to end the evening.
Races continue Sunday and conclude with an awards celebration in the evening.
More than 100 volunteers will help with events. Additional volunteers are welcome.
The event is sponsored by the St. Maries Chamber of Commerce, St. Maries – St. Joe River Jet Boat Committee and Epic Motorsports Consulting Group, L.L.C.
Get ready for the first race of the season Sunday, when the St. Joe Cycle Club kick-starts its season with the Muddy Butt race.
More than 200 riders are expected to participate in the annual motorcycle race at the beautiful Xmas Hills Recreation area 2 miles south of St. Maries.
Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. and the races begin with children/youth on smaller bikes at 9:30 a.m. followed by the adult race. The St. Maries Kiwanis Club will start serving lunch at 10AM to fuel riders and spectators at the day-long event.
The motocross racers have raced on Xmas Hills for more than 30 years. The St. Joe Cycle Club offers three races each year. The Muddy Butt race Sunday is the first in the series, followed by the Chuck Compton June 10 and Jimmy Hansen Memorial June 17.
This year the woods will be nice and wet; in perfect condition for riders,” Kristen Compton of the cycle club said. “It was gross last year. We still had some snow.”
The Muddy Butt is a tag-team race with a nine-mile course over a hilly field and through the woods, water and over bridges.
The race, which includes several classes of racers, lasts an average of three hours.
Commemorative race apparel, including T-shirts ($15), long-sleeve ($22) and hoodies ($30) will be available in black, green and charcoal. Money raised from registration and shirt sales goes to the cycle club to help put on the races each year.
