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50 Mile Bike Course Description: THIS IS A STEP BY STEP DESCRIPTION. FOR A MORE DETAILED DESCRIPTION PLEASE SEE BELOW FOR CARL BRUGGEMAN'S DESCRIPTION.

• PLEASE NOTE: Shuttle buses will be provided on race morning from the FINISH (Discovery Ridge at Wintergreen Resort) to the START (Royal Oaks Resort at the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and VA Route 814).  Transportation will NOT be provided from the finish back to the start.
• The race begins at Royal Oaks Resort.  Royal Oaks Resort is at the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and VA Route 814 at milepost 16 on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
• The course makes a left onto the BRPW and an immediate right onto RT 814 (gravel mountain road).  It remains on 814 for 1 mile, where it turns around and returns to the BRPW.  This out and back is required by the BRPW ranger to spread the competitors out.  The course makes a left on the BRPW.
• The course proceeds southbound on the Blue Ridge Parkway for 6.1 miles to the the Bald Mountain Parking at milepost 22.1.
• DESCRIPTION OF BALD MOUNTAIN JEEP ROAD: The course will use Bald Mountain Jeep road at several points during the race.  Bald Mountain Jeep road is very smooth and rideable for the whole length of the jeep road.
• It makes a RIGHT onto Bald Mountain Jeep Road.  This is a jeep road which is mostly very smooth. RIDE CAREFULLY ON BALD MOUNTAIN JEEP ROAD, SINCE THERE WILL BE TWO WAY TRAFFIC ON IT, FOR BOTH BIKERS AND RUNNERS!.  After about 1.1 miles (this is a mellow climb), there is a split: the course makes a RIGHT toward the Torry Ridge Trail.
• The course make a LEFT onto the Torry Ridge Trail.  On this section of the Torry Ridge trail there are about 3 short sections (300 yards) of very rocky terrain, where it might be necessary to dismount. At the intersection with the Slacks Trail, the course continues STRAIGHT onto the Torry Ridge Trail.
• DESCRIPTION OF THE TORRY RIDGE TRAIL: The Torry Ridge Trail is a very technical and rocky trail, suited for expert riders.  Please use caution with riding it and dismount when necessary.  A bike repair kit is recommended.
• The course remains on this ridge line for about 4.5 miles, with beautiful views on the right and left of the valley below.  You will encounter two right hand turn trails: always stay straight on the Torry Ridge trail.
• At the end of the Torry Ridge trail, you will get to the intersection of the Torry Ridge Trail and the Mill Creek Trail: the course makes a LEFT onto the Mill Creek trail, which descends to the Mill creek.
• DESCRIPTION OF THE MILL CREEK TRAIL BETWEEN TORRY RIDGE AND TURKEY PEN: The Mill Creek trail has one rocky section lasting about 50 yards, and is relatively smooth for the remaining of it.  USE CAUTION ON THE MILL CREEK TRAIL AFTER TORRY RIDGE: The Mill Creek descends steeply to the Mill Creek. About 0.6 miles into the Mill Creek Trail, you will encounter a very sharp right turn. SLOW DOWN AT THIS TURN.
• After about 1.6 miles, the Mill Creek trail crosses the mill creek.  This is the intersection of the Mill Creek trail and the Turkey Pen jeep road, and the location of Aid Station #2, Turkey Pen.
• The course makes a RIGHT onto the Turkey Pen Jeep Road. It continues on the jeep road for 1.6 miles to the intersection with Coal Road. The intersection is not an aid station, but it is a CREW ACCESS LOCATION.
• The course turns around and returns to Aid Station #3, Turkey Pen on Turkey Pen Jeep Road.
• After the aid station, the course continues STRAIGHT on the Mill Creek trail, which runs along mill creek.  After about 4 miles, the Mill Creek trail climbs up to Bald Mountain.  The Mill Creek trail climbs for 1.3 miles to Bald Mountain.
• DESCRIPTION OF THE MILL CREEK TRAIL BETWEEN TURKEY PEN AND BALD MOUNTAIN: The Mill Creek trail has a few rocky sections and it crosses the Mill creek about 4 times.      There is no incline until the climb to Bald Mountain, which is about 1 mile long. The climb up to Bald Mountain is not very rocky but can get very steep toward the top, and it might be necessary to dismount.
• There will be a camping area.  This is also the location of Aid Station #4, Bald Mountain.
• The course makes a RIGHT onto Bald Mountain Jeep Road.  It remains on Bald Mountain Jeep Road for 2.5 miles until the intersection with the Kennedy Trail.
• PLEASE USE CAUTION ALONG BALD MOUNTAIN JEEP ROAD: THIS IS AN OUT AND BACK, AND THERE WILL THEREFORE BE TWO WAY TRAFFIC OF RIDERS AND, POSSIBLY, RUNNERS!!
• DESCRIPTION OF THE KENNEDY TRAIL: The Kennedy Trail is moderately technical, but with a very steep descent close to the Aid Station.  There is only one technical and rocky section, lasting no longer than 30 yards, where it might be necessary to dismount.  The descent is steep, but very rideable.
• It makes a RIGHT onto the Kennedy Trail.  The Kennedy trail has stunning views of the valley below.  It descends for 3.3 miles, where it dead ends on Coal Road, a gravel road.  This is the location of Aid Station #5, Kennedy Trail.
• It makes a LEFT onto Coal Road (gravel road).  it remains on Coal Road (gravel) for 2.8 miles, to the entrance of the Stony Run Trail.  This is the location of Aid Station #6, Stony Run Trail.
• DESCRIPTION OF THE STONY RUN TRAIL: The Stony Run trail is actually a mountain jeep road.  It is very smooth, and the climb back up to Bald Mountain is mostly gradual.
• The course makes a LEFT onto the Stony Run Trail.  The Stony Run Trail climbs uphill for about 5 miles back to Bald Mountain Jeep Road and the intersection without the Kennedy Trail.
• The course continues straight onto Bald Mountain Jeep Road.  After 2.5 miles, it returns to Aid Station #7, Bald Mountain. 
• It continues straight on Bald Mountain for 0.2 miles, where it goes STRAIGHT at the fork.
• After another 1.1 miles, Bald Mountain Jeep Road meets the Blue Ridge Parkway at the Bald Mountain Parking widening at milepost  22.1
• The course makes a LEFT on the Blue Ridge Parkway to the White Rock Gap Parking Area at milepost 18.5.  This is the location of Aid Station #8, White Rock Gap.
• It makes a LEFT on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
• It remains on the Blue Ridge Parkway for 4.8 miles to Reeds Gap, milepost 13.7.  This is the location of Aid Station #9, Reeds Gap.
•  It makes a RIGHT onto route 664, which descends for 1 mile to the entrance of Wintergreen Resort.
• It makes a LEFT uphill into Wintergreen Resort at the Wintergreen Resort entrance.  THE BIKERS WILL ENTER THE RESORT AT THE SECOND RESORT ENTRANCE (THE FIRST ONE IS AN EXIT ONLY).
•  It remains on Wintergreen Drive to the finish line at Discovery Ridge by the Mountain Inn at Wintergreen Resort.

CARL BRUGGEMAN'S COURSE DESCRIPTION

Start Time 7:00 A.M.

Location: Royal Oaks Cabins and Campground.

Directions to start:  50Mile Mountain Bike race STARTS at Royal Oaks Resort at the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway with Route 814 in Love, VA

Registration on line till 03-22-2012, onsite registration at packet pick up Friday 03-23-2012 from noon till 8:00 P.M. @ $85.00. This will be at Discovery Ridge at Wintergreen Resort. Race day registration at the start.

Numbers only will be at the start race day. Goody bags at the finish at Discovery Ridge.

Shuttle bus at Wintergreen Main Lodge starting at 5:00 A.M. to the start. No bikes on the shuttle bus. If you are using the shuttle the morning of your bike must be left at packet pick up the night before to be brought to the start that night and stored in a secure U-Haul truck at the start. Your bike will be unlocked at 5:30 A.M. Your bike must be marked with your number on it. We will have supplies at packet pick up to assist in this process. You must show your race number that morning to get your bike off the truck. It will be dark so you may want to bring a headlamp to the start if you need to tinker with your bike. It will be light when the gun goes off so no lights will be required for the race. We will have Blue Ridge Cycle on site to help out with any last minuet issues. There is no shuttle back to the start once you finish. Keep this in mind. The ride back is about 6 miles with one nasty climb about one mile long which you will go down in the race.
There is a general store at the start line. They will have breakfast items there for sale and though out the day they will have food and drinks if you have a crew or family there with you. There will be food at the finish for all athletes. There is also a snack bar with for sale items and a beer garden with New Belgium beer. The first one is on us for the athletes.
There are heated bathrooms at the finish line and indoor and outdoor seating with fantastic views.

There will be more then expected aid stations(8) because we are using the same course as the 50mile runners. We will be in front of them so we will hit the aid stations first. They will have water ,Heed, Hammer Gel in pump form only, and other food. I am not installing any cutoffs for the bike this year.


PLEASE NOTE: Shuttle buses will be provided on race morning from the FINISH to the START at the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and VA Route 814). Transportation will NOT be provided from the finish back to the start.
The race begins at Royal Oaks Resort. The resort is at the intersection of the Blue Ridge Parkway and VA Route 814 at milepost 16 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The race will start by doing a short lap around the Royal Oaks property to spread things out a bit before we get on the Blue Ridge Parkway.
There has been a change on this next section. The park service  is requiring us to continue on the parkway to Bald Mountain overlook at mile marker 22. This section has a nice steady climb of about four miles in the middle of this paved section. This should spread out the field before we hit the dirt
We now have a mellow mile and a half mile and a half climb on a jeep road before we hit the first single track. At the fork in the road we will go left down hill. You will be following an old abandoned power line. This is Torry Ridge trail. Along the way you will encounter three right hand turns with signs. Go straight every time and remain on Torry Ridge. Torry Ridge Trail is a very technical and rocky trail.  Please use caution while riding it and dismount when necessary. I only have a 29er hard tail and it works just fine on this section. I do recommend  tube less tires if at all possible. I had my first flat in years on this trail and was running tube less but the pressure was a little to low(my fault).This will be a good six mile mostly downhill with a few surprise short steep uphills. I needed to dismount a few times but I know many of you will not need to. There is a very tight right hand turn at the bottom the if you don't make it, well its a long way down. We will mark this part with a sign. Continuing down you come onto an old logging road. Go left here and cross a stream. There is a nice single track to the first Mill Creek crossing. There will be and aid station here. You have now completed the most technical section of the race
Now you are on the Mill Creek trail. This trail has a few stream crossings along the way. Its a nice mellow climb for the first 5miles. A few tricky spots along the way to keep you on you toes. Now it gets interesting. On the trail you will take a hard left switch back and this is where the fun starts. Many switch backs that never end. They do eventually but it feels like they go on forever. There is an aid station which will be well deserved at the top.
Now being refueled your ready for your next down hill section. Take a left after the aid station This is a rocky jeep road
that follows a ridge line for a few miles. There may be some large water crossings along the way on this section. They will be large puddles not stream crossings. I walked around them because it was January, cold and by myself. But you could ride them I'm sure. Your next turn will be Kennedy ridge which will go right on an old logging road. Follow this until it turns to single track. There is one short uphill hike a bike here that comes out on an amazing overlook. The trail starts back down once again and turns into a logging road once again. Follow this until you come to Coal Road #42. There will be an aid station here as well and is a good spot for friends and family to see you.
Now on Coal Road you will ride for 3 miles on this gravel road which has some hills.
You will now turn left onto Stony Run. There will be another aid station here as well. This is a long climb. Its a rough jeep road but a fun climb. You will pass by the Kennedy trail you just turned down earlier. Its a rocky climb up with a few granny spots so be prepared. Now at this point you need to be aware you may encounter other bikers and runners coming down. Stay to the right and keep your head up. This two way traffic will be for the next two and a half miles. You will ride past the the top of the Mill Creek climb so that means there will be another aid station there. Now you will ride back out the way you came from the parkway.
Now on the parkway you will pass another aid station on the Parkway before you pass the start area. Keep going till you come to Road 664. Here you will turn right. Another aid station will be here and its called Reeds Gap. Now there is a very steep down hill here. Its about one mile. Be careful because you will be taking a very hard left one mile into this downhill and watch your speed. Take the second left just as a car would. After the hard left you will encounter a very tough long nasty uphill which you will be swearing at me I'm sure. This climb will bring you back to the Wintergreen Resort with a little and" then some "at the end.
I hope this helps out with the course description. Good luck to everyone and thank you for entering our race this year.