VT 600k Update – Bag Drops / Control Food
NERds, the following is a list of what to expect for food / controls / and bag drops.
Start – Montpelier, VT: Start control; volunteer will be onsite w/ water & some pre-ride food
Control #1 – Warren, NH: Convenience store; volunteer will be onsite
Control #2 – North Conway, NH: Pizzeria (opens at 11:00 AM); volunteer will be onsite w/ water & the usual brevet fare
Control #3 – Bethel, ME: Convenience store & Dunkin’ Donuts; volunteer may be onsite
Control #4 – Rumford, ME: Italian Restaurant (closes at 11:00 PM); volunteer will be onsite w/ water & the usual brevet fare
Control #5 – Upton, ME: Sleep Control; volunteer will be onsite w/ water, pasta (likely ziti) dinner, sandwiches, pickles, etc.
Control #6 – East Burke, VT: Convenience store (opens at 6:00 AM); volunteer will be onsite for early arrivals w/ water & the usual brevet fare
Control #7 – Morrisville, VT: Convenience store
Finish – Montpelier, VT: Finish control; volunteer will be onsite w/ breakfast, lunch and/or dinner. A volunteer will be available to shuttle riders back to their vehicles at the start, should they decide not to ride. A shower will be available.
Bag Drops:
There will be two bag drops for riders to utilize. The first bag will be brought to the sleep control in Upton, ME. Please pack a towel in this bag if you wish to use the shower at the sleep control. The second bag, which should contain a towel & post-ride clothing, will be brought to the finish control. Please label each of the bags with your name & the destination for the bag (ie. Sleep -Upton, ME or Finish – Montpelier, VT).
VT 600k Update
I’ve just submitted the VT North Country 600k to RUSA for approval.
Prelim cue sheets are available to registered riders. If you’ve ‘paper’ registered, drop me an email and I’ll send along the prelim cue. Note the usual disclaimers apply, and the final cue will be release on or near the ride start.
Here are the approximate control locations and mileages from Anthony Mennona, who is the volunteer responsible for this great route:
Start – Comfort Inn, Berlin (Montpelier, VT)
Control #1 – 49 Warren, NH
Control #2 – 108 Elvio’s Pizza, Conway, NH
Control #3 – 158 Bethel, ME
Control #4 – 182 Rumford, ME
Control #5 – 214 Windsong Garden’s Cabins, Upton, ME (Sleep!)
Control #6 – 293 East Burke Market, East Burke, VT
Control #7 – 349 Cumberland Farms, Morrisville, VT
Finish – 376 Montpelier, VT*
The sleep control will be located ~214 miles into the route at the Windsong Gardens Log Cabins in Upton, Maine. Sleeping arrangements will be in a shared cabin or cabins (depending on the # of pre-registered riders) & are included in the entry fee. We will do our best to have a bed available for every rider & will have a cot or two available just in case. If you would like to make your own sleeping arrangements I believe there is lodging available in Errol (approximately 9 miles further down the route) & Colebrook, NH (approximately 30 miles further down the route).
There are a few long(ish) stretches between controls – the 60 miles from the first to the second is covered with convenience stores / gas stations. We’ll try to have these noted on the cue sheet. After the sleep stop there is a ~79 mile stretch with no services due to the hours riders will be passing by. There is reliable and safe water for refilling @ ~20 miles from the sleep stop. Riders should plan accordingly, and we are looking at the volunteer logistics to see if we can drop some water in a safe location for riders to access.
*Note that the start and finish are in 2 different locations. Directions / Instructions for riders will be provided with registrations / cues. The finish is at the ride volunteer’s residence – and there will be shuttle service for finishing riders back to their vehicles, just a short ride up the road.
Much thanks to RUSA member and VT rider Anthony Mennona for taking on the challenge of getting this ride together. It’s a wonderful route and takes in some pretty amazing north country scenery.