Meet the Team
Kate Ross - Event Ambassador
Growing up in Hayward gave Kate an instant love of the outdoors. After exploring the original ski/bike trails at the Hospital– by age 11 (in 1992), she was a subscriber to Mountain Bike Action magazine and purchased her first pair of clipless pedals from the old glass case at New Moon. Kate was hooked. She was taken under the wings of several legendary Chequama Mamas and raced her first Chequamegon Short & Fat at 12 and kept at it. Over the years, she has run marathons, ½ marathons, and 5k’s. She has raced mountain bikes, road bikes, track bikes & gravel bikes. In the winter, she loves alpine skiing, fat biking, and xc skiing.
Daryl McNutt - Event Director
Daryl is a Hayward native who attended Hayward High School with Kristy and Sydney. After participating in the Chequamegon 40 in 1990, he was hooked on cycling, eventually becoming a founding member of the UW Cycling program. He spent 20 years serving in leadership roles consulting and scaling innovative technology start-ups in the adtech and martech industry as well as racing and riding many of the best routes throughout the Midwest. Having moved back to Hayward permanently in 2016, Daryl leads the marketing efforts and strategic growth planning for New Moon Ski & Bike, locate in Hayward, WI.
The History of The Hungry Bear
Born from the mind of Mick Endersbe, the original owner of The Rivers Eatery with his wife Beth, he envisioned putting together the loop that leaves from Cable, WI, and circles right back around to the pizza joint. Mick chatted with former local Tim Krueger, who runs Esker Cycles and then Terrene Tires, and they devised a route that takes you through an entire 100-mile course with minimal support, no stoplights, and excellent scenery.
Tim’s business has grown, and after five years, he has transferred ownership of the Hungry Bear to Seeley Dave, who promised to keep the event’s family reunion vibe. The Hungry Bear has an up-north culture at its core. Profits from the event are donated to support cycling in the area and the local community.
The Spirit of the Hungry Bear is not a manifesto but a gestalt that some embrace and others eschew. There are hundreds of fun races and rides in Wisconsin with well-stocked aid stations, swag bags stuffed with goodies, expert on-course medical and mechanical support, courses so well marked you can’t possibly get lost, age-group prizes, fierce competition, award ceremonies, podiums, and registration fees nearing $100 or more. The Hungry Bear is less of those things.
While we have basic timing, these are more event rides than races. The top finishers earn bragging rights, a sense of accomplishment, and a handshake or hug, but nothing more tangible. The Hungry Bear was started when many gravel races were DIY, free, and almost underground events. It retains that minimally organized, self-reliant spirit and feels more like a family reunion than a typical bike race.
As organizers of the Hungry Bear, we charge a minimal fee to cover permits, porta-potties, insurance, and other event expenses. The remaining funds are donated back to promote the community that hosts us, as well as other causes that fit with our support of cycling now and into the future. For 2024, we will once again be supporting the Cable Volunteer Fire Department. Other funds from this event will be divided among community-based organizations like The Steve Tilford Foundation, Regional Hospice, Unruly Women, LCO Schools Scholarship, and other local non-profits and worthy causes.
We are very grateful to everyone in our extended Hungry Bear family for their support by paying the fee to race/ride, for embracing the spirit of the Hungry Bear, and for coming up north. This shoulder season event gives local businesses a nice bump to start the summer.
