Thank you for registering for the Wilderness 101 on Saturday July 30 - this SATURDAY! It is the 7th stop of 11 in the NUE MTB Series

Check out the NEW 2011 course map from Raymond Crew. There are a few changes that had to be made this year. Along with these changes is a different drop bag procedure. Riders are still allowed 2 drop bags. A drop bag is a 1 gallon ziplock bag that we provide that must be sealed closed. We have eliminated the option to transport your bag from Station #2 to #4,which allowed you to access one of your bags twice. You must restrategize your drop bag placement. The course will likely be quicker this year making this option not possible.

The course changes begin at the top of the 2nd huge climb after aid station #2 up Seeger Rd. onto Broad Mountain. This year you will keep going up that road and eventually hit aid station #3 further up on top of the mountain. In the past you would drop down Telephone Trail and traverse into #3. There is also a slightly different connection to the singletrack after leaving #3. Riders will not be dropping off the mountain to the right (used to be down into #3) at all. The route will be taking a left into singletrack just past the road (Kettle Rd.) you used to turn left on at the top above station #3. In past years you would hit Sassafras trail directly from Kettle Road. This year you will get some bonus singletrack by turning in on Pigpile and sweeping left on Sassypig to connect to the top of the original downhill "Sassafrass".

The next change is after Aid Station #4's initial climb and the regular section of Sand Mountain Road. You will proceed with your normal right turn on Siegerville Millheim Pike passing the old turn onto Little Poe Trail. This year you will continue your climb to the top of Siegerville Millheim Pike which is an additional 15/25 minutes of climbing. You will not be doing that cool singletrack "Little Poe Trail" because it has been deemed "single use - hiking only" and they don't want to make a special exception as they have been doing for us for the last 10 years. When you top out on SMPike you will roll about 1/2 mile along the top and take a left on a loose rocky road - Panther Run Road. That is the road you use to end up on at the end of Little Poe Trail. From here you will continue in the normal direction onto Poe Valley Rd. into aid station #5.

The community of Coburn has graciously opened up their community park for us to camp in Friday and Saturday night. Camping is first come first serve so please squeeze in tight (tent camping with your car / No RV's this year, and No Generators) -- No OPEN FIRES!!-- Also for 2011 - please don't access the stream where we have it marked off with Yellow TREK event tape.

If you need any bicycle related stuff on your way through State College make a pit stop at Freeze Thaw or The Bicycle Shop. If you're looking for some good food and beer on Friday night before the event stop by Elk Creek Café and Aleworks for some tasty dinner. They are 2 miles from the race site in Coburn. You can get a sample of the tasty brew that will be waiting for you at the finish line. It will be some great motivation during the event!!!

THE RULE of the event- We can not allow spectators to follow racers from Aid Station to Aid Station. The Department of Forestry has put the kabosh on unneeded vehicular traffic on the roads. They are in the process of reviewing the event for a 5 year permit and they will use the volume of this event as a basis for future restrictions. We need to keep things tight!!! Regardless, there is no room for a huge amount of cars at the Aid Stations. Aid Station #3 is off limits to anyone but registered volunteers. Volunteering is not just sitting in your chair until your special person comes by. Volunteering is assisting all riders through the full shift of the Aid Stations operation. Please contact SMT if you would like to have your guest volunteer.

Other important info - If you drop out please notify the timing staff at the finish line AND the aid station manager with the racer check off list, please watch them mark your name off the list. No Gel packets on the course. Please empty your packets into a Hammer Gel Flask - we really appreciate this! No hydration pack drops can be made for the aid stations. Whatever you wish to have for you at the aid stations MUST fit in the zip lock bags provided to you at check in.

The Men's Open class has seen more heat then the east coast had last week. Series Champion Jeff Schalk (Trek Racing) has been locking horns with a very competitive field this year. Christian Tanguy (Team CF) has become the man to beat in 2012. Jeff has been able to do it, but will he do it this weekend to lock them in a series tie? It's going to be super exciting!! What is going to happen on the open roads with the team CF threesome (Tanguy, Beck and Draugelis) against Schalk?

There is sooooo much HEAT gunnin' for the top 10. Schalk, Tanguy and Chris Beck (Team CF) will be leading the charge with other top talent including teammates Brandon Draugelis (Team CF) trying to keep position on the front. Others in the hunt for glory are Michael Simonson (RBS Trek MTB Team), Peter Schildt (Keswick Cycles), A whole slew of super fast newbies to the event such as Drew Edsall (Super Cool Bike Shop/First Place Racing), Zach Morrey (Vapor Genie/Maxxis), Kyle Taylor (Indian Cycle Racing), Robert Marion and his teammate Chris Michaels (American Classic/Kenda/Tomac) Michael Tabasko and Ian Spivack of (DCMTB), and Dan Kotwicki (Trek 29er Crew), are heading north to the 101 ready for business! How will the old guard Rich O'Neil and Rich Straub of (Stan's NoTubes), Andy Gorski, Garth Prosser (Cannondale Factory Racing), Greg Kuhn (RBS Trek Mtb Team), Ernesto Marenchin (Pivot Cycles), hold up against these young guns? Is Rob Spreng (Dirty Harry's) still fried from his podium ride in the Tour de Burg? Or will he be able to come alive and ride into the top 10 easily?

Again, the Wilderness is chocked full of single speeders. NUE Series leader Gerry Pflug (Salsa/Notubes/Pro Bikes) will be facing some HUGE competition. Local rider Matthew Ferrari (Freeze Thaw/Hubcap Cycles) has come closer this year then ever to Pflugger. Will his time FINALLY come to take the top step. Or will he remain a bridesmaid for ETERNITY? Mike Montalbano (Dark Horse Cycles), Justin Pokrivka (Pro Bikes / Cohen & Assoc.), Dylan Johnson (Oasis Bikeworks), and Charles Kline (Team CF) are all capable of taking the win. Its going to be "guns a blazing!"

The pendulum may have shifted in the Masters category this year at the Wilderness 101. Last year it was the addition of Roger Masse (Trek 29er Crew) to the list of ringers. This year looo and behold.... drum roll....please.... Mr. Michael Ramponi is it, will he cause a interruption in the masters galaxy? WE HOPE SO! Local Jim Matthews (MBR) is riding well, Chris Wurster (Independent Fabrication), past winner John Williams (Bike Lane of Newark, DE), Ed McCalley (Team ED/Bike Zoo), and Bill Nagel (Guy's Bicycles Racing) are always very solid. Is Rob Herriman (Trek 29er Crew/WSC/Acfstores.com) still riding supreme? Will Jim Wilson (Team CF) take a step up on the podium this year? Dennis Murphy (Founder's Alger Racing) is looking good in the series. Doug Andrews (GeoLadders.com) could be closing the door with a Schalk style sweep! The old men of the sea are in for an epic day!

On the women's side, local Vicki Barclay (Freeze Thaw/Hubcap/Stans No Tubes) looks to have the best shot at taking an overall victory for the PA locals. Former NUE champ and Wilderness winner Cheryl Sornson (Team CF) is back riding great in 2011. Karen Potter (MTBRaceNews.com) and Ruth Cunningham (ProBikes/Cohen & Assoc.) have both been on the podium before and will be making huge efforts to get that result again. Brenda Simril (Motor Mile Racing) has a great shot at the top 3 which will advance her NUE Series placing this year. Local Jessica Kutz (Freeze Thaw Cycles/Hubcap) has been riding well, will she get on the podium? The locals will sure be cheering for her to do so!

What kind of send off are the locals going to give for Bill Alcorn (bikeflights.com)? Is he going to give himself a special solo send off on his cross bike? Or will Rich O'Neil (Stan's NoTubes) join him? Will super crosser Roger Aspholm (Westwood Velo) turn his nose up at this feeble attempt while he slides in the top 10 on his knobbies?

Racer check in is on Friday July 29th from 4-10 pm at Coburn Park. If you cannot make it during that time please contact us in advance. The race will start at 7:00 am Saturday morning. Food and refreshments immediately following your finish.

Jessica and Peter Buckland and the folks at Freeze Thaw Cycles have been busting a move coordinating everything behind the scenes. If you end up having a good time, please thank them!!!! And... If you have a problem or don't have a good time, let me know, not them!!!!!

We are limited to a coffee output of 200 cups on Saturday am - we will have just over 350 racers. IF you are serious about your pre-race coffee you should make your own - do the math!!

Saturday July 31st
5:15 AM -- Coburn Park awakes
6:45 AM-- Racer Meeting begins
7:00 AM-- Controlled / Paced Start
9:00 AM- Cannot proceed past Aid Station #1
12:00 PM-- Cannot proceed past Station #2
1:30 PM-- 1st finisher expected
2:30 PM-- Cannot proceed past Station #3
4:30 PM-- Cannot proceed past Station #4
6:00 PM-- Open Men and Women Podium Presentation
6:30 PM -- Cannot proceed past Station #5 without lights
7:30 PM -- Cannot proceed past Station #5
8:00 PM -- Singlespeed-Master-Clydesdale-Awards
--- this equates to an estimated 15 hr finish time cut off --
--- these times may be adjusted based on weather conditions ---

------ GOTTA SAY IT AGAIN ------
Racers can only be supported by other racers or support personal at aid stations. There is no support allowed from non- racers or friends and family jumping from aid station to aid station. This rule is in place to
limit potential traffic overload on the Forest system roads. If you would like to support someone you can support everyone!!!

Sign up to Volunteer at Friday evenings check in times (4-10 pm).

***we will have race sponsor - Hammer Gels' "HEED" electrolyte drink mix***
Distances between aid stations -
#1 is 19 miles in - water and HEED only (no drop bags)
#2 is 40 miles in - fully stocked + Hammer Gel
#3 is 56 miles in - fully stocked + cold coke
#4 is 70 miles in - fully stocked + Hammer Gel
#5 is 89 miles in - fully stocked + you are sooooooooooo close!
- finish is 12 miles from #5 ending the race at 101 miles!

Fully stocked means....... water, HEED, pbandj sandwiches, many granola/fig type bars, Clif Bar, trail mix, Pringles, assorted sweets, fruit and some surprises. You are allowed 2 drop bags which we will supply for you in your racer packet we will also transport them for you to the designated Aid Station. The Aid Station drop off point will be a marked off area behind the larger pavilion. Changed for 2011, station #2 bags will NOT be transported for you to station #4. You must now change your drop bag strategy!!!

What if you leave your drop bag behind after the race?? You can print your address on a mailing label at the finish line and drop that off with $10 per bag and we will mail it back to you -- if you don't do that... thanks for the donation!!!!

The Wilderness 101 is Sponsored by:
Freeze Thaw Cycles
The Bicycle Shop
Stan's NoTubes
Hammer Gel Energy Products
Purple Lizard Maps
Rothrock Outfitters
Clif Bar
CZB
Princeton Tec
Endura
Salsa Cycles
Velocity
Trek Bicycles
Kenda
Bontrager
Q.B.P.
The Nittany Mountain Biking Association
Continental
Sugoi
Crank Brothers
Shenandoah Mountain Touring

Be sure to check out the event coverage on www.Cyclingnews.com after the event.

Thanks for racing with us!

Chris, Matt, Tyler and the SMT Family

From 8-1-10 Wilderness 101 2010