225: Granogue MTB is May 3, 2009

This is the race bible. Let me know what you think:

And so it has been written, and re-written:

The Escape from Granogue Race is dedicated to the loving memory of our dear friend Andrew Mein. Andrew was a founder of the Wooden Wheels Mountain bike team, a stalwart in the cycling community, a loving husband, a superb trials rider, capable of amazing flatulence, a terrible bass player, an incredible mechanic, and a very good friend.

Andrew was stuck by a car and killed in 1998 while commuting home from work on his favorite bike at the time, a steel fixed gear road bike. Andrew was a hipster 10 years before hipsters knew they were hipsters.

This race is put on not in his memory, but as a celebration of his life, and his vision of mountain bike racing. Andrew believed in fierce and fair competition, and having a great time doing it. Andrew was known for saying, " always be an ambassador for the sport" and for bringing many new racers into the game. Andrew was a fan of punk rock and the community and grass roots nature that came with it. Please join us in this celebration.

Unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated. Volunteer abuse will not be tolerated. This race is a celebration of dear friend, anyone behaving in a manner that rains on our parade or is in direct conflict with the event will be escorted from the estate by Mr. T and the big Russian Guy from Rocky V. Seriously.

Registration opens at 7:00 and will close 30 minutes prior to the start of each race as follows:
Enduro 7:00 to 8:15
Sport 7:00-8:30
Expert and Elite 9:00-10:30
Beginner 11:00-12:30

Kid's race reg anytime before 10:00.Kids race will begin shortly after 10:00. This race is free, but all riders must register at Granogue. Top three finishers will be subject to WADA drug testing.

Gambling on the kids race is not permitted.

Anyone with the cow bracelet from last year still intact needs to contact me prior to pre-reg closing for their free entry into this year's event.

For the record I did not come up with the "Escape from Granogue Name" and I hate it. Anyone who can come up with a better name that we can use in 2010 will receive a complimentary entry for 2010, and your name highlighted in next year's race bible.

Important Rules:

NO PRE-RIDING of the course. This event is held on a private estate. We are grateful that the Dupont's allow us to hold our event. Please do not abuse their hospitality by pre-riding these trails. If you are caught Pre-riding you will be banned from the event. Even if a cousin's brother's sister in law told you it was okay to ride on the estate, you will still be banned if caught riding the course. No we aren't trying to be dicks, but anyone riding the estate in the month prior to the event is automatically associated with our race. Any increased traffic on the estate jeopardizes our event. This celebration is important to us. Please don't jeopardize the future of this event by selfishly poaching the trail system at Granogue and pre-riding.

Bring water. It will be warm on race day. Come prepared. It may be so warm that you might consider swimming in the pond. Please do not. Aside from being disqualified from the race, and escorted from the estate by Dog the Bounty Hunter, all the ponds have an electric field over them, breaking that electrical barrier will result in instant electrocution and you'll likely die.

Seriously the Duponts are really into science and stuff, they have that kind of stuff going on.

Possible Benefit Ride on Sat before the race. Keep returning for updates! Got to work some things out.

NO ALCOHOL ON THE ESTATE. We are a dry race. Please do not bring alcohol onto the estate. This will jeopardize the future of our event. If you are caught imbibing alcohol at the race you will be disqualified. Again, this celebration is very important to us, but help us to keep the event alive and thriving for years to come.

Race registration is $30 via bikereg.com. Juniors race for $10 and the kids race if free.There is a $10 late fee for day of registration. $30+$10= $40.

I can hear you now behind the keyboard of your computer:" $40 !! $$40!! What are you guys trying to get rich? $40 for day of mountain bike registration? I remember when you could buy milk for $1, comic books were a nickel and race entries were $15"

The answer is: yes, we are trying to get rich. In case you haven't noticed promoting bicycle races is incredibly lucrative and secretly paying for Tom, Lauri and my secret vacation home in the south of France. Not really. The house is in Fiji.

Save yourself $10, and make our lives easier go ahead and pre-reg. You know you're coming, you know this is a great race, just do it. Pre Reg. All the cool kids are.

THIS IS A RAIN OR SHINE EVENT.

REFUNDS: There are no refunds within two weeks of the event. No exceptions.

You can email me, and I will tell you, "I'm sorry we don't offer refunds."

Exception: there are no exceptions. I just said that.

The course is a classic Northern Delaware mountain bike course. It contains many steep difficult climbs, many technical sections containing roots, rocks, logs, the occasional odd object that may cause a puncture, field climbs, a nasty fire road known as "the koppenberg", undulating terrain, a tunnel and many challenging obstacles I cannot possibly explain here. Please come prepared, and always apply the golden rule of mountain biking, "when in doubt, dismount"

Awards:

Top 3 riders in each beginner class will receive a super sweet MASS medal. We will also have a fun raffle for all beginner riders following their race.

Top 5 riders in the sport, enduro and expert classes will receive a super sweet plaque for their efforts.

Elite Women and Men will compete for COLD HARD CASH.
Pay out schedule as per MASS series Rules.

Elite 40+ women compete for the same cash purse but receive separate points for MASS scoring.

L-Web is a 40+ elite woman, but refuses to race the masters class because she is bad ass.

Beginner Juniors 12 and under will do 1 lap on a shorter course
Beginners will do a 2 laps on a shorter lap
Sports will do 2 full 7 mile laps
Expert and Elites will do 3 full 7 miles laps
Enduros will do as many laps as those sick, sad fools can squeeze into 4 hours.


Because I know you will ask: the beginner loop is 5 miles or so. Trust me it will be long enough and hard enough. If it's not, you probably should be in sport you dirty sandbagger.


We have some nifty prizes and a great course to race on. That being said none of our prizes are worth getting hurt over or taking any additional risks to win.

Sure Lance Armstrong is not taking a salary this year, buy Johan Bruneel is not waiting for you at the finish line with a super sweet contract. The guy near the finish with an accent is Jan.
Trust me, he doesn't have a contract for you.

You might be too sexy for your shirt, but let's have a fun day at the race. Oh and If anyone pulls a Baker, and you know punches anyone, we will press charges to the full extent of the law, and you'll be banned from all Granogue events for life.


This event is put on by not one person, or one program but a community of people who wish to honor a good friend and cherish the opportunity and responsibility to give back to the sport that has given us all so much. Members of the following organizations help to make this event happen: Wooden Wheels, the Secret Henry's Team, Twin-Six, First State Velo Sport, the Delaware Cyclocross Coalition of Delaware, C3-Sollay.com, Buddy and the Keg Breakers, Visit Pa.com, my family, a few bike liners, Fast Forward Race Productions, and Velo Amis.

We are also extremely proud to be working with the HERA Women's Cancer Foundation as a fundraiser, information center and raffle. Please support them, as they celebrate with us.

Directions to the event:Directions:

Best bet is to use a map program:
2900 Montchanin Road, Wilmington, DE 19807

From Rt. 52 to Center Meeting Road. Right on Rt. 100 then 0.2 miles on left.
From Rt. 202 to Smith's Bridge Rd. then left on Rt. 100 and 0.2 miles on left.

Everything I have said above maybe 100% true, maybe not.

After all of that, if you still have questions please email:
fatmarc@bikecentric.com

Thank you for joining us on this great day.

respect.
Fatmarc Vanderbacon, Tom and LA LA
www.fatmarc.com