Best mtn. bike race in SW Idaho for beginner?

There are a bunch of good ones. The usual season opener, Barking Spider held at the Hemingway Butte ORV area south of Nampa, might be your best bet. Though not the most scenic of rides, the loop is not technical and the climbs are moderate. The Coyote Classic held outside of Eagle is also a good spot, though as I understand it the beginner loop does include a pretty steep climb. Idaho City would definitely be a tough one as all classes ride the same loop. Check out the Knobby Tire web site, www.knobbytireseries.com, and the Wild Rockies site (though currently down for some reason), www.wildrockies.com, for descriptions of the courses. Also check out the results to see how long you might expect to be on the course. If you've been thinking about it, you've got to check one out. I gave it a try this year at Barking Spider and now five races later, I am addicted. You will find that very quickly into the race, the field stretches out and you will be either riding on your own challenging yourself or riding amongst a similar group of riders discovering your strengths and weaknesses. In all my years of riding, the challenge of racing has without a doubt contributed to the greatest leap in my biking my skills and abilities.