Thank
you for registering for the 12th Annual Shenandoah Mountain 100 - Sept 5th,
2010 - NUE Series Final!
We hope you are packed and ready to head to the Shenandoah Valley and Virginia's George Washington National Forest for the Shenandoah Mountain 100. We wish you all safe travels and a safe event. We have spent a lot of time getting the trails ready to go for the event and they are riding really nicely. If you forgot any bicycle related items our local shop the Shenandoah Bicycle Company located in downtown Harrisonburg, VA is open til 5 on Saturday. If you do stop in to visit them save room for one of their delicious smoothies from the Pulp Smoothie Bar
Special Travel Note - The town of Bridgewater will be having a short parade on Saturday at 7:00 PM. We advise avoiding passing through Bridgewater from 6:30 to 7:30 PM. Here is an alternative route around Bridgewater for that time frame -
Exit
240 off of Rt. 81 - Mt. Crawford/Bridgewater - proceed Right/West on Rt. 257
Left/South on Rt. 11 to Airport Rd.
Right on Rt. 727 Airport Road to Rt. 42
Right on Rt. 42
Left on Rt. 727 Spring Creek Rd. (resuming
regular directions)
Left at "T" on Rt. 727 Sangerville Rd.
Left at "T" on Rt. 730 North River Road
Left at "T" on Rt. 730 Stokesville/ Old C&W Railway Rd.
Cross Iron Bridge immediate Right up hill into Stokesville Campground
Changes for 2010 -
1)
New 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 #3 (Dowell's Draft), #4 (Braley Pond), and #5 (Shenandoah
Mountain) have been slightly altered.
- #3
will be on your side of the gate as you approach, slow down when you see the
activity, 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. Please be careful
as you come in, its slightly downhill and other cyclists will be exiting the
same way you enter.
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 - 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 6) make sure your dogs stay on a leash the whole time if
you really have to bring them. 7) take all the supplies you bring to the event
home with you (that means trash) 8) don't drive out of the Stokesville Campground
the way you entered - exit the way the racers leave at the start, the "EXIT".
9) bring your favorite camp plate, drink cup and utensils to help us eliminate
trash 10) 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.
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 because of the dry and dusty roads, we are looking at very dusty conditions for 2010. 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. The shuttle
will be coming and going from the Finish area.
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 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 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
8-10 weekend for the Shenandoah
Mountain Bike Festival.
The
2010 Shenandoah Mountain 100 looks to be an amazing endurance contest that
will decide the NUE Series Champions for 2010. The event has been the finals
for this prestigious series in years past and is hosting the Series Finals
again this year. The weather looks amazing for race day with a forecast for
"brilliant sunshine" with temperatures in the upper 70's. This is
a departure from the norm for the 2010 series where all the NUE events east
of the Rockies have been total wash outs except Shenandoah Mountain Touring's
other NUE Series event, the Wilderness 101. We will also have returning sponsor
Dogfish Head Alehouse.
We are super excited that Chris Eatough (Trek Mountain Co-op) is coming to
the event to enjoy some of his favorite singletrack and to promote his Chris
Eatough Coaching services and training
programs. We had a really good time riding the course with him in July
during our annual Shenandoah Mountain 100 Training camp. It will be exciting
to see how his athletes improve this year. Improvement will be hard to notice
for some of his elite athletes such as Chris Beck and Team CF riders Cheryl
Sornson, Christian Tanguy, and Harlan Price. It will be hard to notice which
of his athletes have improved who are using his 12 week Shenandoah Mountain
100 training plan as well, but you can expect the person that finished ahead
of you had used it.
Jeff Schalk (Trek Mountain Co-op) has the NUE Series locked up for the Pro Open category but not the race. He is going to be the target of a group of super fast riders deep with talent. Leading the charge will be Christian Tanguy (Team CF) who had the quickest riding time at the Wilderness 101. Had he not stopped for mechanical assistance at the Freeze Thaw aid station he might have been on top for the day - will this Sunday be his day? A victory in the 100 mile discipline has eluded him thus far. Can he keep it together and really destroy them all? Chris Beck (Subaru/Trek) is sure to be looking good, but will he be able to run it full throttle and contend? Mike Simonson (Trek 29 Crew/SRAM/Stans No Tubes) was representing strong on a similar course at the W101 for the first 60 miles, is his form coming or going? Sam Koerber (Trek 29er Crew) has had no trouble rolling the first 50 miles of the Shenandoah Mountain 100 with the leaders. Can he take it past that in 2010 after some high altitude training on his honeymoon?
Does the local pro talent have it together this year? Jeremiah Bishop (Cannondale Factory Racing) pulled it together last year in time to represent and break his home course record but has he recovered from Breck Epic? Nick Waite (Kenda/GT) just showed back up in town after a whirlwind tour of the North East doing some racing and chillin with his courier brohs in NYC, did he do one too many - bridge repeat, beer, or lap around the park?? The local Hburg hipsters can't wait to see him stylin on the podium, will they get their wish? Will the low stress, laid back attitude of "PRO" rein supreme for 100 awesome miles of mountain. biking in the George Washington National Forest?
Nobody can count out Brandon Draugalis (PAValleys.com), with his solid skills and super fitness. He will be rolling it without much support from his PA teamies, but even VA homies can appreciate his talent so he will be getting lots of support on the course. Is PA going to make a showing this year at the Shenandoah? Missing will be Jacob Loverich, Chip Koglemann and Giro D Ville champion Bob "Goldmember" Goldman. Will Rich Straub (Freeze Thaw) be too worried about Vicki's race or will he be able to slam down the Strauber hammer? Maybe PA isn't as weak if you look wide across the state. Pistol Pete (Engin Cycles) pulled through like a champ in 2009 and just came back from a month of Colorado training with "Goldmember". Andy Gorski has been representing PA like a stud for years and you can expect him to do the same at the SM100 again!
Does Boone, NC resident and past VA state champion Jason Laxton have any game left or has his day job as a sales rep for Specialized ended his glory days? If Jason doesn't have game he has a host of hope from Boone to represent. YT (Boone Bike and Touring), known as the "Yelper" just showed the dirty south he has huge game by rolling the competition at the Boone Binge a few weeks back. Drew Scharns (Boone Bike and Touring) has a little more prestige after taking the 2010 Tour d Burg, but can he really rise above other proven NC National contenders like Sam Koerber (Trek 29er Crew), Charlie Storm (Inland Construction) and Andy Applegate (Champion Systems/Cannondale)? If he does, his Tour d Burg compadre's can't wait to see it!
Top 10 hopefuls Mike Keefer (Gettysburg Bicycle/Cupcake Factory), Garth Prosser (Cannondale Factory Racing), Greg Kuhn (Team Fraser), David Wood (Trek 29er Crew), Jens "the Biking Viking" Nielsen (Sports Systems), and long shot Joe Fritsch (College Park Bicycles).
Will
Cheryl Sornson (Team CF) be able to keep a handle on Amanda Carey's (Kenda)
world cup start? Cheryl needs to have Amanda finish no better then 4th place
to secure her 2nd NUE Series Title. Is Sue Haywood (SBC/Turner Racing), Karen
Potter (www.MTBRaceNews.com), Brenda Simril (Motor Mile Racing), Mandi Riddle
(Joey's Bike Shop), Vicki Barclay (Freeze Thaw Cycles), and Anna Kelso (Gripped
Racing) going to help Cheryl succeed or will Amanda ride away like she has
been doing most all year?
Is Justin Pokrivka (Pro Bikes/Cohen and Associates) ready to repeat his Wilderness
101 single speed success? Can past NUE Series Champ Harlan (Team CF) do what
is needed to secure his first singlespeed NUE Title with a wounded wing? Is
this all that Gerry Pflug (Salsa/SPK/ProBikes) needs to destroy him and take
the title again? Matt Ferrari (Freeze Thaw/Hub Cap Cycles) is climbing well
again but can he light up the singletrack descents enough to contend and place
in the top 3? Did the Tour D Burg "experience" do anything to improve
Rich Dillen's (Team Dicky) chances of doing well this year? It should be exciting
to see a dark horse rise up amongst these proven stallions, but who will it
be? Possibly Mike Ramponi (Independent Fabrication).
Robert Herriman (Trek 29 Crew) has the Masters men field locked up for the NUE Title but the race should be exciting with Jim Matthews (MBR) and Ed McCalley (Team Ed) going for it, John Williams (Bike Line of Newark) always a steady riding soldier having a good time, and Mark Drogalis (Team CF) who will be lighting up the climbs looking to take the podium.
The thousand mile club has long time hero's Larry Camp (Micahux Green) switching back to gears after almost a decade of going single. Mike Buchness (Team Bike Lane) and Barry Quigley (Team Green) has always been a steady gunner'. Is this the year James Kelly, one of the least known State College, PA riders but one of the most respected by the underground backcountry mountain bike explorers on the east coast, joins the club? Who else is going to join? Missing will be Pat "Swamper" Riggin and Sue George who is covering the Worlds in Canada for Cyclingnews.com.
Can Chris "Chas" Michaels (Schwalbe North America) climb his way into the top local Harrisonburg honors? Is Ryan Fawley (Trek Mountain Co-op) gonna flake, or will it be his day? Kyle Lawrence (Trek 29 Crew) has the power of the Fu Manchu going for him, so look out!
Misty
Tilson (Shenandoah Mountain Touring) is looking to repeat as top local lady,
but Whitney March (JV Squad) and Jennifer Wolfson (SVBC) want it just as bad.
Is Jennifer Wolfson even worried about them, or is she more concerned about
spinning that new lighter crank so fast she can take local man Collin Vento
(SBC)?
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 2010, 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 (we promise bigger and better for 2011) still 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 Campgrounds nearby. There are not any RV hookups. 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 it, 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 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
#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 12:00
#3 - 45 miles in- is Hammer Gel and full on food, water, HEED and other
sports drinks
-- 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, HEED and other
sports drinks (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 (possibly left over hammer
gel)
-- 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 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 our Pre-Ride/Sweep
Coordinator. Jake Brown is coordinating the volunteers, and Sue Lowley is
our medical 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.
A HUGE thanks to all of the sponsors for 2010
Dogfish
Head Ale House in Gaithersburg, Fairfax and Arlington
Clif Bar
Hammer Nutrition with Hammer Gel and HEED
Shenandoah
Mountain Touring, LLC
Trek Bicycles
Conte's bikes in Arlington
/ Bethesda
Kenda
USA
Massanutten Resort
Shenandoah Bicycle
Co.
Mid Atlantic off Road Enthusiasts
(MORE)
The Sole Source in
Harrisonburg
United States Forest Service
CZB
See ya soon,
Chris
and the Shenandoah Mountain 100 Crew