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It's On!
The Wildcat Epic 100 (www.wildcatepic.com)
is organized by Adventure Junction (www.adventure-junction.com) and Genesis
Adventures, Inc. (www.genesisadventures.com) and designed by Gardiner local,
Gunter Spilhaus.
The Wildcat Epic 100 is a 2-day
mountain biking experience that will take place on the 7th and 8th
of August, 2010 in the Shawangunk Mountains. This event features two 50mile
stages raced over 2 days. Competitors will ride a course beginning in the
village of New Paltz, continuing through the challenging and uniquely beautiful
Mohonk Preserve and Minnewaska SP, connecting these areas to fresh trails on
apple farms in Gardiner and private single track in Williams lake.
Our Mission, driven by the
commitment to achieve an extraordinary event, is two fold.
To responsibly organize a multi-day,
paired mountain bike event that attracts the interest of both national and
international competitors. We aim to bring the challenge of this multi day event
within reasonable reach of all levels of athlete. Through associated sponsorship
and media interest, we aim to promote tourism and conservation of this area for
the benefit of it’s people. By co-involvement of local communities, we strive
toward improved awareness of natural assets of the area and the resulted
interest in it’s preservation.
The Wildcat Epic is not just
designed to be a great bike race; it is designed to become an economic engine
for tourism in the region. Not only are we drawing competitors, but spectators
to. With New Paltz at the focal point and the Greater Gunks ridge as the
racecourse, we will be using the Historic Huguenot Street as our base for the
weekend.
Wildcat Epic is designed to include the best elements of
legendary stage races, including time trials, king of the mountain segments,
sprint segments, and a fully supported experience like no other on the East
Coast. Each day competitors will be treated to a great racecourse, fully stocked
aid stations, catered meals, and great hospitality.
Our event has received
endorsements from the Director of Ulster county tourism, Rick Remsnyder and from
the New Paltz Chamber of commerce. We have access to Minnewaska State Park, the
Mohonk Preserve, the Wallkill Rail trail, the Williams Lake in Rosendale, and
access to the ‘Larsen Loop’ so far. Numerous landowners in the village of
Gardiner have opened their doors to allow a portion of the bike course on their
properties. All told the course covers 100 miles over 19 landowners properties.
Event details:
This event is a challenging one
mainly due to the distance. Best suited for Intermediate and advanced riders.
Day 1 is mostly dirt road and
carriage roads with a few small single track sections and all on the Gunks
Ridge. Bigger climbs with great
scenery and breathtaking views from the high points.
From a technical point, the Larsen
loop 2.5 miles and Williams lake 6 miles are the toughest sections and both on
day 2.
The
Orchard trails sections are a mix of single track, double track and farm roads,
while we do cross a field or two to find some bumpy stuff. The Rail trail will
be a welcome fast flat breather connecting the great riding together on day 2.
Much of day 2 has limited access and is private land that can only be accessed
during the Wildcat.
The course outline is as follows:
We are starting and finishing both days at the Historic
Huguenot Street.
Day 1 (8am start) takes us out from HHS and via Rt299
into the Mohonk preserve. This will be in convoy format for about 1.6 miles so
all riders will be in one group. From
there we continue on though Mohonk Preserve to Minnewaska SP, around Lake
Awosting and back north though the Mohonk Preserve all on dirt roads. Then we
return via the dirt shoulder of Rt299 (1.65 miles)from Gatehouse rd to Historic
Huguenot Street and the finish. Total
Paved 1.65 miles x 2.
Day 2 (8am start) would have us heading south on R208 in
convoy to Cedar rd (2.3 miles) where we pickup the rail trail to Dressel farm.
Here we head onto the apple farms for some great riding. We cross Rt44/55 and rt
208 during this portion of the course. The 26 mile marker is coming back through
New Paltz after the Gardiner apple farms. We cross main road New Paltz at Water
Street Market, then after passing through the town of Rosendale we pick up the
recent Table Rock Classic race course through Williams Lake and the ‘Larsen
Loop’ before we return to finish at the Historic Huguenot Street for the last
time. Total paved 5 miles. (2.3 in
convoy at the start and 2.6 getting through Rosendale.
We have an ever-growing list of
volunteers we are recruiting to assist at road crossings.
And we have partnered with GUMBA the Gunks bike patrol group and Fats in
the Cats the local bike club to assist us with our event safety and medical
needs and are connecting to the Bikes That Heal organization in support of their
great efforts.
Anyone that is not racing but wants
to be involved please email the Race Director at gunter@adventure-junction.com
to be added to the list.
In it’s infancy, this years Wildcat
100 will have a smaller field and will serve as a great bench mark as we grow
the brand and solidify the event on the annual calendar. Be part of the first
Wildcat Epic 100!!
Register now on bikereg .com.
Sincerely,
Gunter Spilhaus
Co Organizer Wildcat Epic
gunter@adventure-junction.com
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