Analog's Fall / Winter / Spring Happenings Agenda
The 4th Annual Gorey Hollows ATB Ramble, Scramble and Race. Oct 8th.
The Ramble is 30-ish miles, dirt roads, plenty of climbing, and some sketchy class 4 roads. Doable on a bike with decently low gearing and 40mm tires. Mid ride stop somewhere scenic for beers and sandwiches. BYOB and sandwich! The Scramble is 45+ miles, way harder terrain, with single track, class 4 roads, hikeabikes, roads that look like stream beds, and worse. Exceedingly hard 45 mile ride! Many riders last year DNF'd this ride. The Race is 80ish miles, with over 14,000 feet of climbing. Singletrack, horrible roads, Brevet style check points, hike a bikes, river crossings and other sketch delights. Hardest ATB ride you'll ever do, we bet. Starts early. Totally self supported old school race. Winner gets a pie and some donuts.
NOTE new rules for 2022 race: To podium, the following stuff is banned: Aero Bars, Suspension forks, suspension frames, suspension seatposts and stems. E-bikes are of course banned. You can race with any of this stuff, but your results will not count toward the offical record. Race time cuts will be reinstated so we are not up till 11pm waiting for you to come back.
Mileage-wise, these rides are a bunt. But when those miles take place on 120 year old disused 'roads' that more closely resemble the bed of a trout stream, you are in for some very hard miles. Up and over mountain saddles, through dark hollows and down into deep gores, past waterfalls, 200 year old stone walls meandering to forgotten homesteads, and finally back to Analog.
Lest you think that we misspelled Gorey, a Gore in Vermont is an area of forgotten, unsurveyed, uninhabited land, usually deep in the woods. The Gorey Hollows is a different kinda ride. No ride leader. No sag wagon. It's more like a free for all with a common course and goal. These roads are impassible to all but the most modified jeeps. Nothing is marked. You have to use your cue sheet and a GPS track to make it through.That's not impossible, but you have to pay attention. There won't be any cell service for most of the ride. We will release the GPX track a few days before the race via email.
Pre Ride Stuff: Racers: get here at 4:00, race starts at 5am. Scramblers: Leave at 8am. Ramblers: Leave at 10am. Equipment requirements for 45 and 80 mile ride: Sturdy walking shoes Low enough gearing to make it up 15% grades that are loose and wet Lights, 700 lumen min. Spare battery /head lamp is a very good idea. Tail light that has a solid mode. Spare tubes/tubeless patch kits GPS or Phone with GPS ability with some sort of back up battery situation. Ride with GPS or GAIA. 1.75" / 44mm wide tires or bigger. Advise 2.25 or bigger. Basic tools and bike repair know-how in case you break down There are no sag wagons! There is no way to get out of the woods! Be safe. Ride Smart Post ride: Firepit hangs with an assortment of good local beer. We'll figure out food, but it's not sorted yet. Camping if you want to. Tents, vans ok, No RV's, generators etc.
