Shenandoah Mountain 100 - 19th Annual
- Thread starter Bizarro
- Start date
Dave Taylor
Rex kwan Do
Joe J
Well-Known Member
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
The course is more or less always the same. They've made a few changes in individual sections over time, but the course is mostly the same every year.
Other than the one "RUGGED singletrack" decent, are there a lot of rocks/roots? Or is it mostly the gravel road/double track never-ending climbs I have to worry about? 50% chance of rain over the weekend and I'm still on the fence. It's gonna be a challenge for me in perfect conditions so want to try to make it not a miserable experience.
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
There are three climbs that are primarily singletrack -- the first climb (can't remember the name), the second (up to Wolf's Ridge) and the fourth (Braley's Pond.) The first climb is entirely rideable, but you may have to put a foot down a few times because it is always a line of like a hundred riders and you simply cannot pass there - it's too tight. The climb up to Wolf's Ridge is primarily a hike-a-bike climb - even if you could climb the whole thing, you'd have to be out front to have the opportunity to prove it. It's long and it gets steep (VERY steep in some sections) and it comes early enough where you will have other riders in front of you so you will probably be in a hike-a-bike conga line for a while. The Braley's Pond loop is an up-and-over where the climb is very narrow singletrack that is actually not that bad. Most of it is very rideable (however the first part of it after you cross the creek bed is not - it's like walking up steps) but again if there are others ahead of you your ability to ride it may depend on them because it's hard to pass there. The descent off that climb, though, is the best part of the day - a rip-roaring singletrack descent where you flow through bermed creek beds, and just generally pin it all the way to the bottom.
The other three climbs are primarily fire road. In fact, the third and sixth climb are the same - both go up Hankey Mountain, but on the third climb you go all the way up and the sixth only about half way before exiting the road for the ride back to the campground and the finish. Hankey Mountain as the third climb is in my opinion the hardest climb of the day. It's pretty long and steep in sections, with the steepest part at the top where the dirt road becomes grassy trail.
The fifth climb is the famous "death climb" - a 25 mile slog up Shenandoah Mountain. In reality, the majority of this climb is pretty tame. It's a long dirt road, and the first 15 miles aren't very steep at all. It gets steep in the two miles or so before you reach Aid Station 5 - it gets steep at the first major switchback. But you'll see it coming if there are any riders around you because you'll look to your right and someone who is only a few hundred feet ahead of you will be about 30 or 40 feet above you all of the sudden. But here is the real kicker about that whole climb - most people think they're done climbing when they reach the aid station because there is a short descent just before it. Don't be fooled! Perhaps the hardest part of this climb is still ahead. After Aid 5 comes the "endless meadows", which is exactly what it sounds like - a series of plateaus where you climb up into a meadow again and again and again. But once you reach the last one, you climb out of it and then begins possibly the most dangerous (but still fun!) part of the day: what you climbed in 25 miles you now descend in 8. And the early parts of it are nuts: loose scree field at steep pitches that make you feel like your bike is just surfing down the mountain. It's white-knuckle stuff at a few points. Once you clear that, you are still descending for a long while, so do yourself a favor and keep moving your body a bit -- change your foot position, etc. Because if you just stay in a tuck and fly, you're body is going to feel like shit once you reach the bottom.
At the bottom, you roll into Aid 6 (which is the same as Aid 3) and then start the last climb of the day back up half of Hankey. I actually call this "Dick Punch Mountain" because at 88 miles into your day, going back up Hankey is just a harsh closed-fist jolt to the John Thomas. But the payoff is the little sign directing you to go straight rather than continue up to the right a few miles later.
Shenandoah is a long day. I've never done it in the rain, which could change the face of it in a lot of spots (some for the better, some for the worse.) And to be honest, after the hell that was Leesburg this year, I'm not too excited at the possibility of riding all day in the rain, so I am trying to focus on that 50% number as a 50% chance it WON'T rain ...
Bizarro
Active Member
great write up!! I'm all over mtbr and this... still trying to decide within a day now.. til tomorrow night 9pm....
I haven't been really riding like I want to but it's my race... against myself .. I'm also moving this weekend and trying to bal.... personal goal. hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm
I haven't been really riding like I want to but it's my race... against myself .. I'm also moving this weekend and trying to bal.... personal goal. hummmmmmmmmmmmmmm
1speed
Incredibly profound yet fantastically flawed
I will indeed ...
I'm planning on a pre-ride from the campground to the top of the first climb Saturday early and then I'll be around at 4:00 to pick up my race packet too. I think it's supposed to rain later in the day, which is why I'll try to ride a bit early. I'm staying at the Hampton Inn right off 81 in Harrisonburg (I never camp at a 100 mile race because I like the idea of sleeping in an air-conditioned room in a real bed after beating the living crap out of myself all day.) If you are going to be getting into town at a specific time, just send me a message here and I'll look for you at the packet pickup (or if you're there Saturday morning, come out for the pre-ride!)
Dave Taylor
Rex kwan Do
See you boys there saturday around 2-3
I'm gonna skip the pre-ride as I suspect rest will be better for me. I'll msg u early Sat with my plans. I might do the hotel thing as well. Sleeping in a tent with rain falling on it is next to impossible.
Bizarro
Active Member
Hope my phat ass can do good... Just to let ya know I drive a 2017 grey Subie Outback.. roof rack.. blue fat bike.. trek. Name is Kris... wouldn't mind meeting some of ya! also.. please text me if ya can.. I wouldn't mind asking some questions also..
five one two - six eight zero - three three four five.
I'm set up to sleep in the outback but a hotel sounds nice. dang.
five one two - six eight zero - three three four five.
I'm set up to sleep in the outback but a hotel sounds nice. dang.
Juggernaut
Master of the Metaphor
You're gonna do great!
