We are down to counting out the days on one hand now.
Trail Update
OK, so we decided to close the trails this evening (Tuesday 4/30). We took a walk about this evening after the initial rains had passed. We had a few greasy corners and it may have been borderline rideable. BUT, we are supposed to get some more precipitation tonight and with the cool temps tomorrow it won't dry out too quickly.
So we are staying a little conservative on the trail for the moment. We will get out and reassess tomorrow evening. The graphics in the forecast make it look pretty wet the next few days, but the actual amount of rain predicted doesn't amount to much.
At this time we are still very confident that we will be racing on Sunday.
Final Courses
As promised yesterday, here are the final courses. As said previously, on paper they look pretty close to last year's courses. We've got some pretty sweet new single track though so we think you'll like the new additions.
Kids Comp and Citizen
Both of these races start with a lap around the soccer field and will then tuck around behind the high school. After going over the small hill behind the school you will get just a short section of single track before hoping on the paved bike trail.
The paved bike trail will take you gradually up to the Lower Meadow. Normally we would race through the Meadow, but it is still too wet in there. Instead you will continue along side the paved trail up to the top east end of the Meadow where you will duck into the woods to ride a freshly cut section of single track.
From there you will get onto the wide ski trail that will take you up to the north end of Wissahickon North. Along the way you will pass an aid station with water on course.
Going straight across the Gandy Dancer Trail, you will enter Wissahickon North, but immediately cut to the right (instead of the normal left) and head for Wissahickon South. You will find plenty of roots in this section along with a little bit of rock. But only a few pretty mild climbs.
As you leave Wissahickon South you will turn onto the new single track that parallels the Gandy where in the past you would have had a long shot down the rail trail. Here you are going to find some fun, twisty, and flowy single track that was built last year after the race. We think you will really "enjoy" the switchback climbs.
Just before the bridge of Maple Drive, you will finally find yourself on the Gandy Dancer Trail. From the bridge you will take the Gandy to the south end of the gravel where you will make a U-turn onto another short new stretch of single track back to the top of Big Oak.
Big Oak has you gradually descend down to the trailhead and the bermed turn, and a gradual climb back into the heart of the oaks, before winding past the name sake Big Oak and back out to the trailhead and across Maple Drive.
From the Maple crossing you will be on snowmobile trail back to the school where you will make another lap around the soccer field.
For kids comp, you will cross the line and head down the chute. For citizen you will hang left and do it all one more time.
Sport/Marathon/Comp/Women's Elite/Men's Elite
All of these races start with a lap around the soccer field and will then tuck around behind the high school. After going over the small hill behind the school you will get just a short section of single track before hoping on the paved bike trail.
The paved bike trail will take you gradually up to the Lower Meadow. Normally we would race through the Meadow, but it is still too wet in there. Instead you will continue along side the paved trail up to the top east end of the Meadow where you will duck into the woods to ride a freshly cut section of single track.
From there you will get onto the wide ski trail that will take you up to the north end of Wissahickon North. Along the way you will pass an aid station with water on course.
Going straight across the Gandy Dancer Trail, you will enter Wissahickon North, but immediately cut to the right (instead of the normal left) and head for Wissahickon South. You will find plenty of roots in this section along with a little bit of rock. But only a few pretty mild climbs.
As you leave Wissahickon South you will turn onto the new single track that parallels the Gandy where in the past you would have had a long shot down the rail trail. Here you are going to find some fun, twisty, and flowy single track that was built last year after the race. We think you will really "enjoy" the switchback climbs.
Just before the bridge of Maple Drive, you will finally find yourself on the Gandy Dancer Trail. From the bridge you will take the Gandy to the entrance to Erratic Rock. Hopefully you brought your climbing legs as you will climb over 100 feet in the next 2/3 of a mile. For the climb you will be treated to a fun descent. Which leads to another short climb, and another descent. Eventually you will have a final descent back down to cross the southern end of the Gandy onto a short stretch of new single track that will lead you to Big Oak.
Big Oak has you gradually descend down to the trailhead and the bermed turn, and a gradual climb back into the heart of the oaks, before winding past the name sake Big Oak and back out to the trailhead and across the Maple.
From the Maple crossing you will be on snowmobile trail back to the school where you will make another lap around the soccer field. Eventually, depending on the race, you will cross the finish line and head down the finish chute. But before that you will cross the line and then veer left. This time instead of going behind the school you will enter West Ridge.
West Ridge is old school single track. You will find plenty of roots and a lot of steep climbs and descents. It will challenge you physically and technically over the next mile before you end up on the little hill behind the school to complete the remainder of the lap just the same as the first.
For sport, you will do the opening lap, and then one lap that includes West Ridge. Women's Elite will do the opening lap, and then two full laps with West Ridge. Men's Elite will do one opening lap and four full laps. Marathon... well you signed up to race for four plus hours. If you start a lap before four hours is up, you get to finish that lap. You decide how many total laps you will do.
