Thank
you for registering for the 14th Annual Shenandoah Mountain 100 - Sept 2nd,
2012 - NUE Series
Please become a FRIEND of Shenandoah Mountain Touring - and - LIKE our company page on Facebook so we can more easily tag you in our Shenandoah Mountain 100 event galleries and video's.
This weekend take a stroll past the observatory and down through the field and check out the Stokesville Lodge situated adjacent to the Stokesville Campground. We are just getting this new venture set up and ready to go. It's a neat a-frame house perfectly positioned and outfitted for your team, family and friends to escape and build an amazing outdoor vacation around. Here are some pictures from a recent outing by the Race Pace Baltimore crew with Pat Miller, Chris Eatough and Sue Haywood. Disclaimer - doctor and stitches not included in rental fee!
We have spent a lot of time getting the trails ready to go for the event and they are riding really nicely. You might remember hearing last year the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition made a HUGE contribution in 2010 by adding over $50,000 of value to the trails used in the Shenandoah Mountain 100. They successfully administered a grant from the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration Recreational Trails Program that finished the bottom of Wolf Ridge Trail and rehabilitated Chestnut Ridge Trail. Lynn Trail (2nd climb known as the hike a bike) has been majorly improved too with some great treadwork and a fully rideable switchback midway up that really compliments the new lower half on Wolf Ridge Trail. The Lynn Trail improvements were the result of four SVBC work days last fall and one last weekend with the Bridgewater College Cross Country running team assisting. SVBC is on a ROLL!
And now moving forward to 2012-2013 the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition has another Recreational Trails Program grant from the Department of Transportation's Federal Highway Administration Recreational Trails Program. This time the grant is for $125,000 and we expect the club to put in over $50,000 towards this trail improvement project.
The final downhill in the SM100 Shaffer Hollow is still riding great after last years major renovation thanks to the United State Forest Service, Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, IMBA, Shenandoah Mountain Touring and Ironwood Outdoors. SVBC has been leading the charge on all fronts, its truly amazing at what this all volunteer organization is doing. SVBC will be on site at the finish - you can thank them then!!
Another great way to say thanks to SVBC is to come down for the Shenandoah Mountain Bike Festival - Oct 5-7 (SVBC Event) - register here You can also make a pledge to support the SVBC Recreational Trails Program grant on the Festival Registration page.
--- THE Race Brief! ---
 |
| From Shenandoah Mountain 100 - 2010 |
The Shenandoah Mountain 100 is actually not full this year. Come on out and let your friends know they can sign up on site - COOL!!
The
Shenandoah Mountain 100, held in Virginia’s George Washington National
Forest is the only true big mountain 100 on the east coast. The challenging
and fun course that takes 600 bicyclists over 6 large mountains and along
amazing scenic singletrack is second in popularity to only to the Leadville
100. The Virginia event that has long been the keystone of the NUE Series
always has some excitement in store. This year it is Tropical Storm Isaac
that is bashing New Orleans and Mississippi and could send some waves of moisture
towards the event. This mountainous terrain is a perfect course for wet weather.
The rocks get slippery and the riders roll on!
The SM100 as it is called is still is the largest in the NUE Series but for 2012 it will not be the final deciding race in the NUE Series. That honor has been bestowed to the upcoming Fools Gold 100 in Georgia. After a fast and exciting Shenandoah, the champions will be crowned in the dirty south. We hope you follow along to the end of this exciting series for the Georgia NUE Championship conclusion! -- scroll way on down for the event play by play...!
Guests
are not welcome at the event unless they have sign up to volunteer. We do
have a few slots remaining for VOLUNTEERS. We could use a few marshals and
need a tiny bit of help serving food.
If you forgot any bicycle related items, our local shop the Shenandoah Bicycle Company located in downtown Harrisonburg, VA is open till 4 PM on Saturday. If you do stop in to visit them save room for one of their delicious smoothies from the Pulp Smoothie Bar
Directions below - please follow them! and do NOT call or email us looking for an address to enter into your GPS. If you can't find the campground with these directions you will have to much difficulty following the course.
From I-81 take exit 240. Follow Rt. 257 to Bridgewater. Take a left on Rt. 42 south, cross the bridge leaving Bridgewater and turn right onto Rt. 727. Follow to T and turn left staying on 727. Follow to stop sign, turn left onto Rt. 730, and follow to Stokesville. At next stop sign turn left on Rt. 730 again and cross over the Iron Bridge. The Stokesville Campground is immediately on your right.
2012 Continued Improvements-
1)
A great starting area and increased camping area below the Stokesville Observatory.
We will have a bracketed starting area similar to marathons. Please line up
in the area based on your expectations/reality (7HR, 8HR, 9HR, 10HR..)
2)Aid Station's #2/#6 (Todd Lake), #3 (Dowell's Draft), #4 (Braley Pond),
and #5 (Shenandoah Mountain) have been slightly altered.
- #2/6 will be moved 1/4 mile south at the exit from the Chestnut Ridge downhill.
For the first pass you will have to leave the road at the designated area
and enter a dirt road to have support.
-
#3
will be on your side of the gate at the crest of the hill after the singletrack,
slow down to enter the roadway after the aid station. This will allow more
room for volunteers to serve you
- #4 will have part of it located on your side of the gate as you approach
- same great result
- #5 will be set just off the road in a parking lot that you may have never
noticed. You will turn left off of the main death climb into the parking lot
about 50 yards before the traditional aid station location. Participants will
be exiting the aid station through the field and continue traveling up the
road..
3)
Please do not use the showers at Todd Lake Campground unless you are a registered
camper at the Campground. We have been informed they are not included in the
day use swimming fee. We have rented a nice shower truck for the weekend to
offset this situation.
Here
are your participant responsibilities. A) Do NOT plug anything in any electric
outlets - specifically at or near the Observatory, 1) obey all traffic laws
and rules of the trail while participating in the event (you will be riding
on open roads and trails - stay tight and to the right on Rt. 250 after Station
#3 and never stop and set your bike down in or on a road, please get in the
grass on the shoulder, the only ones who can stop in the road are the bear
hunters with their trucks - sorry!) 2) notify the finish line official
AND the nearest aid station if you drop out of the event 3) don't ever
turn your car alarm on while you are at the Stokesville Campground 4) don't
take your car keys with you during the race and make sure everyone traveling
with you knows where they are 5) make sure your guests are signed up to volunteer
or don't bring them 5) make sure your dogs stay on a leash the whole time
if you really have to bring them. 6) take all the supplies you bring to the
event home with you (that means trash) 7) don't drive out of the Stokesville
Campground the way you entered - exit the way the racers leave at the start,
the "EXIT". 8) bring your favorite camp plate, drink cup and utensils
9) do not light a camp fire - there will only be ONE near the pavilion! 10)
Only let your children play in the playground if you deem it safe - the fact
that the equipment is there does not mean it is safe. 11) Refresh and replenish
your StansNoTubes sealant before the event so you can run optional tire pressure,
get amazing traction and have a safer ride!!
We are requesting that folks who know their way around don't drive through the Todd Lake area to get to aid station #3-#4 to limit traffic on the course. The aid station directions for #3 and #4 give directions using Stribbling Springs Rd. to Rt. 250. By using this route you will prevent racers from coughing up nasty dust phlegm for hours after the event. We also don't want anyone but the sweep vehicle driving up FR 95 / FR 85 to get to Aid Station #5. The Volunteer directions send you up the paved route towards Reddish Knob via Rt. 924 - this will eliminate you dusting out racers for over 15 miles.
All volunteers please follow parking directions when you arrive at your aid
station - signs will be posted!
Not only is the racing field full for the event, but the campground is at
max capacity too.... don't bring extra people unless they have committed to
volunteering for the weekend. Don't be a primadonna and have your special
person think they can drive around the course to cheer you on. There is not
enough room on the forest roads for this to happen and this year the roads
will be super dusty. Managing the campground food and beer situation has always
worked somehow. It can't continue if you bring unannounced people. We don't
have the room. They can come to Harrisonburg to ride any other time of the
year. They can come back to the Stokesville Campground Oct 7-9 weekend for
the Shenandoah
Mountain Bike Festival.
Ok,
back to the rules and then onto the good stuff in a minute. Racers can send
a maximum of 2 drop bags to aid stations (1 gallon zip lock bag) that we will
provide upon request at registration. Those bags have to be closed and sealed
for us to take them to an aid station. We will not transport camelbak systems.
You can take an extra 30 seconds to fill up the one you are already wearing.
Jeff Schalk will not get this special treatment, neither will you. Your pals
at the aid station can not bring things out there for you period. Anything
they bring will be open for everyone to use - i.e. neutral support. If we
see this happening the Dead Run Devils, who are running security for the event,
will quietly pack you into their vehicle and take you away. This will apply
to anyone with a vehicle following them around from aid station to aid station
- YOU WILL BE REMOVED FROM THE COURSE!
The Law of Support - Race Rule #1- For 2011, as in past years, we do not allow outside support on the course (except from other registered racers) or at aid stations (except from volunteers). This decision was made in an attempt to extend the life of the event. We cannot have spectators or support crews traveling around excessively on the National Forest roads during the event or we will not have our permit renewed with the National Forest. We have been told this again this year. The Forest is for many different users and we don't want to ruin anyone's experience by overusing an area. So we are asking for your friends and family to volunteer at an aid station or pick one to hang out at and not try and follow the race. Those of us that want this event to continue thank you tremendously for not traveling on the course to follow your special person. Open up your heart to everyone at one of the aid stations and make friends!!!
Slippery Fingers – Race Rule #2 - We are going to tighten up in regards to trash on the course after last year’s 100 was such a mess. NO gel packets on the course!!!- use the flasks given to you at registration!! You can take an empty flask if you don’t like Hammer Gel and you can put your favorite blend it in – just NO packets in your pockets for your slippery fingers to drop. Tuck your energy bar wrappers under the elastic on the leg of your shorts, don't just reach behind for your pocket and assume it made it in there!!!
Stokesville Campground - as most of you have experienced the Stokesville Campground is a wonderful place to host the event. Camping is first come first served. There are flush toilets, sinks and lots of porta johns. We promised bigger and better in 2011 and we WILL have a shower trailer on site. You can still swim in the river under the Stokesville bridge. There are not any RV hookups and we will not allow any generators to be running at Stokesville Campground. Leave your RV at home please. Please do not use the trash can vaults that are in the ground near your campsite. You had room to bring everything your brought with you, we request that you take it home with you too, even if it is in a trash bag. There is enough room for every racer to camp. Please assist us with our effort to limit waste this year by bringing your favorite camp plate and mug that can reuse the entire weekend. Take your trash out with you, we can handle the trash from the food we provide, and request that you do the same.
Stokesville Observatory – it will be open for your pleasure on Saturday and Sunday night. If you are camping near the Observatory please keep your bright white lights OUT so those interested in viewing the planets can have a higher quality look.
Packet
Pickup- Saturday 4:05ish -10 pm
Sunday race starts 6:30 am
Aid
Stations -- please note that HEED is the ONLY sports drink we will be
providing at the aid stations
#1 - 10 miles in- is just a quick water fill up with a water bottle exchange
system
#2 - 31 miles in- is full on food, water, and HEED
--cut off 12:30
#3 - 45 miles in- is Hammer Gel and full on food, water, and HEED
-- cut off 2:30
#4 - 57 miles in- Clif Bars, full on food, water, HEED, other sports
drinks – some carbonated soda
--cut off 4:00
#5 - 75 miles in- is Hammer Gel and full on food, water, and HEED(light
drop station).
-- cut off 4:20 if you DON'T have lights 6:30 even if you
do have lights
#6 - 88 miles in- is full on food, water and HEED
-- cut off 8:30-
**** all cutoffs are subject to change at any time ****
Full on food is – PB&J sandwiches, Figs, Cookies, Granola Bars, Trail Mix, Pringles, Twizzlers, Gummy Bears and a mix of Apples and Bananas.
Check the website for the weekend schedule (campground schedule)
If you have to leave a drop bag behind at the race, fill out a priority mail label at the finish line table with your racer number on it and give us a $10 check for postage – Otherwise we appreciate your donation of gear to the cause. All bags not claimed or will be emptied at 9:00 am on Monday morning and contents/supplies will be emptied and used for the local fall trail work series.
The
Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club,
IMBA and the SMT staff has done some great work on the trails in the last
few weeks making them ride much better then they have all summer. Keith and
his crew at the Sole Source has teamed up with the Shenandoah Bicycle Co.
crew whom all sponsor the event will be out on the course providing support
- HUGE thanks to them!
VOLUNTEERS - we are looking for a HAM radio operator for the Start/Finish
HQ and still need a few course marshals . A HUGE "thanks" in advance
for everyone coming down to volunteer for the event. We hope you have a wonderful
time at the Stokesville Campground and enjoy your time in your National Forest.
Emergency Protocol -- If you have any allergies or require any medications
please grab a sharpie from the registration table and describe your condition
or list your needs on the back of your number plate. This is the first place
that will be checked if someone is found unconscious. There is a good chance
we could have a nasty case of Yellow Jackets (Bee's) on the course this year.
You must be prepared with the medication that you would need to survive multiple
stings.
We will announce our aid station cut off schedule at the racers meeting and
again at the start line.
The
thousand mile club has long time hero's Larry Camp (Michaux Green) and Mike
Buchness (Team Bike Lane) rolling for their 14th. Has anyone else joined the
club??
Masters
50+
Mike Ramponi (Firefly Bicycles), who was looking to be a shoe in for the win
here at the Virginia classic, had a tragic accident on the trail and will
be stuck at home this year on the sideline. Left sitting in the hot seat after
the demise of Ramponi’s is Roger Masse (Trek 29er Crew), who could arguably
be consider a local because he has these National Forest trails. Roger has
ridden countless 2 and 3 day Stokesville Douthat Stokesville tours so and
notched countless SM100 victories.
Other contenders that could own the day are Scottie D (Foghorn Leghorn), Bob
Koerber (Koerber Custom Construction), and 14 year SM100 veteran Larry Camp
(Team Green) in his first Masters ride!
Mark
Drogalis (Team CF) looks to improve his NUE standings this weekend with a
solid ride to add to his three top ten finishes already this year.
Wait... there is hope, a last minute rider who could avenge the tragic Ramponi situation if..if...if.. .he could get a ride from the great North. One Mr. Rich LaBombard a knight in shining armor who could ride for his fallen comrade and roll out one impressive time. If he could just get a ride. If anyone can get Richard down here from East Hampton, MA get in touch with us or him!!
Singlespeed
The east coast regulars were completely and totally turned on their heads
and spit out the back by Patrick Blair (Adventures for the Cure) at the Wilderness
101. Patrick will toe the line at the Shenandoah this weekend. How will it
go down? Was Gerry Pflug (Salsa/NoTubes/Pro Bikes) and Matt Ferrari just a
bit off the mark at the 101 or is the upright riding cross racer going to
destroy them all again. Gerry has most effectively wrapped up his second straight
NUE Series title with some amazing rides this year.
Can Rich Dillen (Team Dicky) put together a solid ride on this off camber course? It’s been a long time since the blog master has done so here at the Shenandoah. One could use this comparison to illustrate the chances Rich taking the victory - If Matt Ferrari is the bridesmaid that would make Rich Dillen the flower girl.
Justin
Pokrivka (Top Gear/Cohen and Associates), Hal Batdorf (LoneWolfCycling.com)
have had great rides this season, lets see if they can put one more together
before the finals. Chris Merriam (4 Boys Racing) Watts Dixon (Revolution Cycles,
NC) will round out the top contenders this year. Michael Boyes (Athens Bicycle)
has been rolling in West Virginia and Ohio this year, can he perform on a
course he knows very well? Or will the pressure make him crumble on his birthday
weekend?
Women’s
Open
Absent from the Shenandoah this year will be Cheryl Sornson (Team CF) who
has put all her eggs in her attempt to claim another NUE title. Filling Cheryl’s
shoes as the gal with the most game is Harrisonburg local and past National
and World Champion Sue Haywood (Stan's NoTubes Women's Elite) This is Haywood’s
first 100 miler this year and she should be lightning fast as usual mixing
it up with the top 20 men.
Challengers
for the top of the podium include the very impressive yet evenly matched Vicki
Barclay (Stans NoTubes Womens Elite), Brenda Simril (Motor Mile Racing) and
Karen Potter(MTBRaceNews.com) have been going head to head all year long.
They have been giving NUE followers some very exciting racing mixing it up
event after event. One to tangle with these three ladies could be Kathleen
Harding (Team CF) who is building on two fourth place finishes at the Mohican
and Syllamo’s Revenge this year. Their performance at the Shenandoah
Mountain 100 will not likely disappoint!
Look
out for the gals on singlespeeds - Jocelyn Linscott (Dark Horse Cycles), currently
fifth in the standings and Andrea Wilson (Outdoors, Inc.), third at Mohican
and eighth at Shenandoah last year, is coming off a podium finish at the Breck
Epic. Both will compete on Singlespeeds at Shenandoah.
Other super fast amazing riders who will be duking it out for the top 5 women's
payout includes; Emily McDonald (Veloworks-Spokes, Etc.), Kristin Eddy (Huckleberry
Inn/Team SOG), Melissa Petty (SCO/MicroMetals/BikeZoo), Pam Frentzel-Beyme
(Gripped Racing), Jennifer Wolfson (Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition),
Whitney March (ChrisScottistan), Ann Brie (Team Daddy RAGE) and Misty Tilson
(Shenandoah Mountain Touring).
There will be a huge cheering section along the 100 miles course for Charlottesville riders Megan Ross (FOOF), Susan Field (Team Snacks) and Jennifer Hodges (FOOF) which should prod them along to the finish for their first time!
Men’s
Open
Possibly more excited than the contenders themselves is retired pro racer
and three time NUE Series Champion, Jeff Schalk who along with his wife Anna
and their son Harvey will be camping for the weekend and enjoying the racing
and the amazing scene at the Stokesville Lodge and Campground Facility.
Christian Tanguy (Team CF) will be making a return to the Shenandoah course
following his incredible win here last year clinching the overall NUE Series
title from Schalk. Christian has been making the rounds coming up with some
solid NUE finishes but slightly short on victories. He took the win at both
the Mohican and New Hampshire. The pressure is on the defending champion to
take his 3rd victory in a row at the Shenandoah which will be quite a challenge
being that it is the home course of his most talented challenger Jeremiah
Bishop (Cannondale Factory Racing).
A
victory is about the only way Tanguy can remain in the hunt for the series
title. Bishop is making quite the resurgence in the NUE Series after making
a very solid run to represent the US in the Olympic Games in London last month.
Major
contenders for the podium include last years hot shots - Sam Koerber (Niner
Bikes/Industry Nine) who has a 10 minute advantage in the SM100 just on the
downhills alone. Also in this select group of top motors we have Kevin “400
Watt Girlfriend” Carter (Gripped Racing), Brandon Draugalis (Team CF),
Mike Simonson (TREK/RBS/StansNoTubes). Jonathan Schottler (Cannondale) and
Justine Lindine (Redline) were the only ones able to keep pace with the top
two NUE riders, Bishop and Tanguy at the Wilderness 101. It is going to be
super exciting to see if Schottler and Lindine can do it again on this similar
course! Look for Evan Plews (Ibis/Kenda) to make the jump and latch onto this
lead group in his first go at the Shenandoah.
The robust local scene is producing some fast ones on the coattails of Jeremiah
Bishop including Erik Jensen (Marks Bike Shop/Edible POWER!) Kyle Lawrence
(Shenandoah Bicycle Co.), Ryan Fawley (Blue Ridge Cyclery) and Matthew Donahue
(DCMTB) have the best chances to get in the early move. Jensen covered the
front group coming into the 40 mile mark at the Wilderness 101 and has been
training hard with Bishop ever since.
From
just over the mountain in Charlottesville we have new father Paul Buschi (Giro
d'Ville) who could really through down with some daddy rage. Buschi actually
gave Bishop a bit of a beating in the inaugural SM100 in 1999. Also reigning
from the town of our beer sponsor Starr Hill we have Andy Kinley (North Mountain
Woodworks), Bob Anderson (Plum Grove Cyclery) who have both rolled some amazing
fast SM100’s. John Petrylak (Blue Ridge Cyclery), Alex Kurland (CAMBC/IMBA),
Sam Lindblom (CAMBC/IMBA) and Eric Magrum (FOOF B Team) should have solid
rides representing the FOOF too.
Representing
Richmond we have Joe Fish (Design Physics Racing), Matthew Bailey (Trek),
and Keck Baker (Carytown Bicycle Company/ Cannondale) who choked last year
here at the 100 with a DNF. Baker predominately a roadie and one of Virginia’s
best as the state champion looks to have improved his mountain bike game with
a 5th in New Hampshire a few weeks back. He has been seen out on the course
getting used to his super light new Cannondale this week with. Hopefully the
course reconnaissance with Bishop on some key sections will put him in the
front move.
Other
top 10 hopefuls from far and wide include these amazing riders and fun guys;
Garth Prosser (Specialized), Greg Kuhn (RBS Trek MTB Team/Stans No Tubes),
Andy Gorski (Pro Bikes), Dan Atkins (Race Pace/Trek), Rob Spreng (Dirty Harry's),
Greg Kuhn (Trek RBS Team), Dylan Johnson (Scott Pro Mountain Bike Team), Zack
Morrey (Blue Ridge Cyclery), Charlie Storm (Storm Racing Team), Chris Nystrom
(C3 Green Team), Mike Joos (Scott Pro Mountain Bike Team), Aaron Snyder (Scott
Pro Mountain Bike Team), Jeff Dickey (Scott Pro Mountain Bike Team), Troy
Berry (Hammer Nutrition/Stans), David Yacobelli (Corning/StansNoTubes) Morgan
Olsson (Revolting Cog/Revolution Cycles), Jed Prentice (Bike Doctor) and teammates
Charles Buki and Jason Berry (Gripped Racing)
West
Virginia's Bradley Schmalzer (Bikeman.com/XXC Magazine) was one of the fastest
guys around this spring and could make a solid dig into the top 10.
This field of over 50 hot rods will guarantee that it will be more difficult
than ever to crack the top ten this year! This field guarantees that it will
be more difficult than ever to crack the top ten this year!
Yielding
the young Jedi in training powers at the Shenandoah this year will 11 year
old Adam Croft (Trek Mountain Co-op). Stay tuned to see if this amazing fly
weight can go under 10 hours on a very adult course!
A HUGE thanks to all of the sponsors for 2012
Stan's
NoTubes
Virginia Eagle Distributing Company and the Stokesville
Market has brought on:
Starr
Hill - Northern Lights
Hammer Nutrition with Hammer Gel and HEED
Shenandoah
Mountain Touring, LLC
Trek Bicycles
Kenda
USA
STRAVA
Massanutten Resort
Stokesville Lodge
Shenandoah Bicycle
Co.
The
Sole Source - Harrisonburg Shoe Store
Shenandoah Valley Bicycle
Coalition
Charlottesville
Area Mountain Bike Club (CAMBC)
United States Forest Service
Squirt Lube
BoB Trailers
Billy Jack's- Wing and Draft Shack
Jack Brown's- Beer and Burger
Joint
Galindo
Consulting
CZB
A HUGE thanks to the JMU University Recreation Wilderness First Responders who will be out on the course at our remote medic locations. Dr. George Wortley the leader of the ducktape brigade, and Mr. Richard Watson and the Lynchburg Amateur Radio Club!
Our team of local course tech's for the weekend are sooo pumped!! Joe Therrell, Ian Beckner, Kyle Lawrence, Jason Burch, Branch Crockett, Paul Hansohn, Joel Maynard, Jonathan Evans, Alex Kurland, Sam Lindblom and Matt Trybus have been the all star crew getting the trails rolling for the weekend - HUGE PROPS!
Matt Smith, Rick Wilkins and Patrick Gunn will be leading it all out on the Motos! SOOOO EXCITING!!!
We wish you safe travels to the Shenandoah Valley and Virginia's George Washington National Forest for the Shenandoah Mountain 100.
Good luck and we will see ya soon,
The Shenandoah Mountain 100 Crew