Here
are your participant responsibilities. 1) obey all traffic laws and rules
of the trail while participating in the event (you will be riding on open
roads and trails) 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) email us if you are bringing
an RV - and leave your generator off at all times - the theme is low impact
tent camping. 9) bring your favorite camp plate, drink cup and utensils 10)
do not light a camp fire - there will only be ONE near the pavilion!
This year looks to be super dry and fast, which brings on the worst problem
we may face this weekend for event participants - the extremely dusty roads.
We are requesting that folks who know there way around don't drive through
the Todd Lake area to get to aid station #3-#4 because of the dry and dusty
roads. 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.
We will be operating a shuttle to get volunteers from the Stokesville Campground
to aid station #2/#6 near Todd Lake. Parking is limited at #2 / #6 this year
as we can not park at that dump station behind the aid station.
Not only is the racing field full for the event, but the campground is at
max capacity too.... don't bring extra people like Tim McQuillan unless they
are registered or 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. 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 9-11 weekend for the
Shenandoah
Mountain Bike Festival.
Some
awesome local challenges going on this year. Top Harrisonburg local (not including
Sue or JB) will get a gift certificate to the Sole Source in Harrisonburg.
Conte's in Arlington/Bethseda will be giving certificates to the top gal,
dude, huge dude and old man from the DC metro area (the race director will
make the call on who is eligible).
Because the Wilderness 101 was such an exciting race with Sue and Betsy sprinting
for 2nd place and Eatough, Tanguy, Schalk, Tostada, and Beck all separating
and coming back together again and again we are going to be tweeting
the play by play live so those folks who can't make it can stay tuned from
the beach or the family picnic.
Gerry Pflug is gonna slap some gears on his bike and see what damage he can
do to the front group. Eatough won't be defending his victory from last year
because he has a very special weekend planned with him family. Bishop will
be back and he is looking for Lance/Leadville style pacers for the event.
Is Schalk going to ride defensive?. Will Chris Beck be on the offensive? Sam
Korber is gonna have to have a hell of a ride to be 2nd again with Christian
Tanguy riding the way he is. Is Buschi gonna represent for that other stage
race from the land of FooF, or will he have to rely on Andy Kinley, Bob Anderson
or Christian Quinn to carry the torch? Was Fawley's Tour d Burg performance
a fluke or is he actually gonna perform. Is Dirty D just racing to get in
base miles for the fall tour? Will Blair Saunders or Garth Prosser be able
to do any better this year? Is Cheryl Sornson gonna have a resurgence after
just turning 40? Will Besty Shogren and Sue Haywood be sprinting for a course
record?. What roadies are going to make a showing besides Ryan McKinney. The
one geared Gunnar and McGill Ramponi or McMillar gonna sneak in on a podium
step?
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 - ie 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 2009, 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. The home made shower is
a bit lacking. You can swim in the river under the Stokesville bridge. And
you can take a warm shower at the Todd Lake or Natural Chimney Camprounds
nearby. There are not any RV hook-ups. Leave your RV at home please. Please
do not use the trash can vaults that are in the ground near your campsite.
Take it home with you. 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.
Stokesville Observatory – it will be open for your pleasure on Saturday
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
Pick-up- Saturday 4:05ish -10 pm
Sunday race starts 6:30 am
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, HEED and other sports drinks
--cut off 11:30
#3 - 45 miles in- is Hammer Gel and full on food, water, HEED and other
sports drinks
-- cut off 1:30
#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, HEED and other
sports drinks (light drop station).
-- cut off 4:20 if you DON'T have lights 7:30 even if you
do have lights
#6 - 88 miles in- is full on food, water and HEED (possibly left over hammer
gel)
-- cut off 9:30
Full on food is – PB&J sandwiches, Figs, Cookies, Granola Bars, Trail Mix, Pringles, Twizlers, 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 and give us a $5 check for postage ($10 if it is a lighting system or something large and heavy). – Otherwise we appreciate your donation of gear to the cause.
The
Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition, Charlottesville Area Mountain Bike Club,
MORE, 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. Rick
Bartels of Trek Bicycle, Jody Bennett of Conte's, Keith of the Sole Source
and the Shenandoah Bicycle Co. crew whom all sponsor the event will be out
on the course providing support - HUGE thanks to them!
Marshall Hammond is volunteer
coordinator, Scott Scudamore is back
directing the kitchen, Sue Lowley is our medical director, Ryan Fawley is
directing the aid stations and Tyler Spurlock is our technical director. Please
thank them for all the hard work they put into the event.
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. It is subject to change at any time.
A HUGE thanks to all of the sponsors for 2009
Dogfish
Head Ale House in Gaithersburg / Fairfax and Arlington
Clif Bar
Hammer Nutrition with Hammer Gel and HEED
Shenandoah Mountain Touring, LLC
Trek Bicycles
Gary Fisher Bicycles
Conte's bikes in Arlington / Bethesda
Mavic
Independent Fabrication
Kenda USA
Massanutten Resort
Shenandoah Bicycle Co.
Mid Atlantic off Road Enthusiasts (MORE)
The Sole Source in Harrisonburg
United States Forest Service
See ya soon,
Chris
and the Shenandoah Mountain 100 Crew