Pre-rode the course at R.B. Winter this week. It was actually pretty cool, even in the snow. Looking forward to another ride there when it’s a little warmer!
Check out our newly renovated TEAM CATEGORY setup.
Reasons to consider the team category:
- It’s less expensive than rolling solo or duo – you can split costs
- It’s a great way to participate for part of the week if work obligations get in the way
- It’s fun to be on a team
Course descriptions
These have been improved and will continue to be updated as we have more specifics on mileage, elevation, etc.
Swag: here’s what we are planning to provide all race finishers:
- Nice custom race t-shirt
- Custom finisher’s jersey and cycling cap by Pactimo
- Race photo of you
- More stuff TBD
Super D Stage at R.B. Winter State Park
We have been working hard to develop a Super D stage at R.B Winter State Park. With four timed sections planned and easy riding transfers in between, it is looking like a lot of fun! We’re hoping to GPS this course soon and have a map to publish for you to check out. Don’t let the “Super D” title of the stage scare you. It is going to be totally ride-able on your XC bike and is no more dangerous that any other part of the event.
Prizes
We have added a breakdown of our prize list and cash payout to the Registration page. Note: the prizes and payout are based on field size, so get your friends to sign up!
Rich riding at Raystown Lake where stage 5 of Trans-Sylvania will take place.
Jeremiah Bishop on Pennsylvania Mountain Biking – Iron Cross 2009
by CountBikeula Posted: Wednesday, 11/11/2009Top 10 reasons TRANS-SYLVANIA EPIC should be on your calendar
by CountBikeula Posted: Friday, 11/6/200910. You can race, eat, sleep, and hang out with some of your bike buddies for a week at a lower price than most vacations.
9. Trans-Sylvania is less expensive than other stage races when comparing cost per day.
8. Trans-Sylvania’s campground integrates evening entertainment. Everyone can sit around the campfire and tell stories of the day. Music and more TBA.
7. Final banquet dinner, finisher’s award, and mucho swag are included in the base price.
6. State College, PA is easy to get to by car, plane, or bus.
5. You only need to take 4 days off work! Remember Memorial Day!
4. You can sleep in a tent, lodge, or cabin for the same low price of $100 for the whole week!
3. There is something to do for everyone in your family – fish, hike, shop, swim, eat, ride!
2. Awesome food.
1 1/2. We have plenty of oxygen
1. The trails are wicked awesome!
Having done Trans-Rockies in August, I did my best to spread the word to everyone there about Trans-Sylvania. People had lots of questions, such as what is it like in Pennsylvania? Good question. People from faraway lands don’t know PA from Kansas or Florida. So I’ve tried to create an impression using photos, descriptions, and videos which are forthcoming. Here are a couple.
This is the Susquehanna River Valley where both of us race promoters grew up. There are plenty of ridges which provide some pretty sweet climbs and descents. The longest climbs that I can think of in central PA are about 20-30 minutes on a road bike. They can be steep, probably much steeper than what you may have experienced in the Rocky Mountain Range in western North America.
As you can see, it is normally pretty green around here. We get about 40 inches of precipitation per year. In State College, where the race will be held, winters are cold and summers are warm. Check Wunderground for some averages during the week of the race. You can see that it would be a good time to take the week off work. It’s only four days off due to the holiday!
Here is a shot of some sweet trails in northern Pennsylvania. Lotsa trees and singletrack. This is a pretty general image of what you can expect to see at Trans-Sylvania.
Trail builders here have their work cut out for them. Plants grow fast in the summer months, so if the trail does not see a lot of traffic, it can get overgrown in a season. The flip side to that coin is that things are always changing – the appearance of a trail is different from spring to fall. Also, our soil generally absorbs rain pretty well, so bike tire ruts usually go away pretty quickly.
