6th Annual

Peak2Peak Mountain Bike Classic

presented by Right Brain Brewery

RACER UPDATE October, 2011

It’s a race! It’s a party! It’s a weekend family vacation!

Yes – all of the above and the 6th Annual Peak2Peak Mountain Bike Classic at Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa is set to bring you great riding, dining and partying for 2011. As I write this, last minute preparations are being made, finishing touches are being put on the course, volunteers and sponsors are gearing up, and… a brutal low pressure system is rotating above beautiful Benzie County, dumping rain and blowing the heck out of everything. Could this be the year we don’t have sunny skies? Time will tell but in the meantime, looks like a little trail clean up is in order.

Friday Night Dining

Make the Wild Tomato Restaurant and Bar in the Lodge at Crystal your Friday night headquarters to get fortified for the race! This cozy restaurant in the Lodge will be dedicated to all racers and their families as they serve the best pasta meal around – lots of great food and a very reasonable price! Reservations aren’t necessary but helpful. Call 800-968-7686.

The P2P Course

Pretty much the same as last year, though we’ll be fiddling around with the Start area to see if we can make it a little less nasty. We’re also looking into making the Start and Finish line at the same place, so as not to be confusing to you as you finish up.

Right Brain Is Back!

We’re happy to welcome back our Presenting Sponsor, Right Brain Brewery, the most famous microbrewery in Michigan and this year, Russ has guaranteed they won’t run out of the thirst-quenching frosties! So race hard and come in for a couple of hand crafted brews to take the edge off. Our shop sponsors, City Bike and McLain’s Cycle and Fitness, both out of Traverse City, will be on hand and happy to adjust a seat post or link up a broken chain before or during the race. Plus the Midwest rep for Specialized, Dave Massey will be on hand to answer questions about their new line of awesome bikes.

Registration Info

Here’s the deal on registration: Active.com will close online registration at 750, or Thursday, Oct 13, whichever comes first. If the cap is reached before Oct 13, there will be no race-day registration! Be sure to check with Active, our Facebook page, and/or the website to see if registration has closed before making the trip to register day-of. And if the cap isn’t reached, then there will be an opportunity to come in on Friday or race-day morning and sign up, but it will cost an extra ten bucks. So don’t wait - register now!

Packet Pick Up

You can pick up your race packets, t-shirts, and socks on Friday, October 14 from 3 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Mountain View Lodge and again on race day starting at 7:30 a.m. Since the Pros/Elites/Experts don’t go off until 12:30 p.m., those racers can pick up their packets anytime before noon. You may also switch your category at packet pick up, but it will cost $10 to do so.

Wave Start Times

(Subject to minor variations)

Check the Racer Information on the right sidebar for wave start times.

Awards, Purse, and Prize Drawings

The awards ceremonies will be held at the base of the mountain near the finish line. The Sport and Beginner classes will have their ceremony at around 12:45. The Pros/Experts will have their ceremony at approximately 3 p.m. In case of inclement weather, we’ll go into the Mountain View Room in the Lodge. There will be medals for the first 3 finishers in each class and cash awards for the top finishers overall for men and women, in the Pro/Elite class and the top three of the Expert classes, as well. Check the first Racer Update for the payout schedule.

The drawing for schwag will be done by staff and your name will be put on any prize you might have won. Check under the tent to see if you were one of the lucky ones. Some schwag, the bigger items, will be drawn for ‘live’ in front of everyone and that will happen during the award ceremonies. Some of the items offered will include lift passes at Crystal, golf passes, and dinners at area restaurants, bike gear, comped entries into other races, and more.

New Gear

Look for the new style of excellent cycling socks we have this year, from Save Our Soles. They’re organic merino wool and as cool to look at as they are to wear! Cost is $10/pair. We’re also working on a really sweet cycling jersey being made by Panache Cyclewear out of Boulder. Unfortunately, they won’t be ready by race day, but check them out on the website in late October, where there’ll be instructions on how to order.

Places to Watch

One of the best places to watch the action, and your favorite racer, is at the top of the Clipper Chair Lift. It’s a free trip up, so grab the kids and take a ride! Other places to view racers are the base of the mountain at the Start/Finish line, and out at the trailhead on Longstreet Rd, which is off of King Road, right across from the Mountain Valley Motel on M115. Go about 5 miles west of Crystal toward Benzonia, take a left on King, go down about a half mile, hang another left on Longstreet Rd and go down about a mile to the DNR trailhead on the left. You can’t miss it. Riders will be passing through this area twice in pretty quick succession.

That’s pretty much it for now. Get ready to rock at a great race, in a great venue.

Peak2Peak + Crystal Mountain Resort and Spa + Right Brain Brewery = good times!

Race Director
Endoman Promotions, LLC