Raven Rock Ramble 2008

News and announcements

This page contains important announcements about the ride.  Please read!!  This page will be revised up through Saturday, May 3. 

Quick notes

The routes have been marked.
The maps for all the routes, including the two shortcut routes, are on the Routes page
Cue sheets are there too.
This page is current as of April 29, 2008

Summary of changes

Here's a quick list of what's new/different for 2008: 

1. There will be two "shortcut" routes of 86 and 43 miles.  The 86 mile route splits from the 100 mile route at the 60 mile mark, and the 43 mile route splits from the 62 mile mark at the 25 mile mark.  The shortcut routes go by the remaining sag stops and give you a quick path home if needed.  They are marked with green arrows starting at the split point.  
2. Registration is still limited, but the cap is now 425 (rather than 400) riders
3. You may register either via this web site if you prefer to pay by check or via active.com if you prefer to pay by credit card.  Active.com adds a $3.00 processing fee.

Summary of non-changes

Here's a quick list of things that have stayed the same since last year: 

1. All riders must pre-register; there will be no day-of-event registration
2. Registration will likely fill in early April
3. We'll use the permanent shelters at the park for registration and food, rather than a tent in the grassy field. 
4. The ride will start from the park road in front of the grassy parking area
5. Pre-ride announcements will be made promptly at 8:30
6. Registration is still just $30 (plus any additional donation to the cause)
7. Registration packets will be available the Friday and Saturday before the ride at Spin Cycle in Cary
8. REI will provide mechanical support at the start and on the route
9. There will be lots of enthusiastic volunteers on hand to help
10. There will be massive amounts of food!

Parking

Please view this map of Harris Lake County Park

We will be using both the paved parking area near the permanent shelters and the grassy field on the left after you enter the park. It is imperative that you NOT park on the grass alongside the road.  The folks at Harris Lake County Park have been very accommodating, and I very much want to continue to use the park.  

Carpooling is highly encouraged.  Volunteers will be directing traffic, and carpoolers will be allowed to fill the paved parking area, while solo drivers will be directed to the grassy field.  Please plan on arriving no later that 8:10am, preferably earlier, and allow 30 minutes to drive from Apex/Cary area.  The ride announcements will start promptly at 8:30am.  

Registration

All riders must pre-register, and registration will fill by early April.  You may pick up your rider packet the Friday or Saturday before the ride at Spin Cycle in Cary, or at the Longleaf shelter at Harris Lake County Park the morning of the ride.  

Toilets

I've arranged for 3 porta-johns to be placed at the grassy field parking area.  There's also a porta-john at the disk golf area, and there are permanent facilities near the park shelters.  On the route, there will be toilets at all sag stops.  Sag stops 2 and 4 are at fire stations, so there will be emergency medical personnel there as well.  (Sag stops are numbered based on the 100 mile route; the 100K route bypasses Sag Stop 2). 

Food

Many of the volunteers will be bringing baked goods for the sag stops.  There will be water (courtesy Le Bleu), Gatorade, soft drinks, bananas, granola bars (courtesy SunBelt), bagels (courtesy Panera Bread), Coffee and tea (courtesy Starbucks), and all kinds of other goodies at each sag stop and at the start/finish point.  Rudino's will be delivering 40 large pizzas around 11:00 (timed for the 100K cyclists), and Schlotzsky's will provide sandwich trays around 1:00 (timed for the century riders).  Food at the start/finish point will be served at the Longleaf shelter.  Water, Gatorade, and soft drinks will be available before and after the ride.  

Rider numbers

Each rider will be issued a wrist band with their rider number in their registration packet.  This is how you'll be identified as a registered rider, and also in case of emergency, so please wear the wrist band! 

Ride start

The will start from the road in front of the grass parking area.  Pre-ride announcements will be made from that point promptly at 8:30.  I encourage you to read the route descriptions if you're not already familiar with the route, and the cue sheet notes, below.

Hotels

Here's a map of nearby hotels.

Drop-off boxes

If you decide you want to leave any gear at a sag stop - typically a jacket as the temperature rises - they'll be able to label it with your rider number and return it to Harris Lake County Park.  In practical terms, only the crew from the first sag stop (all routes) and second sag stop (100 mile route only) will return to the park prior to the riders.  

Cue sheet notes

Alas, a lot of people won't read them, so here's the things you need to know: 

1. Obey all traffic signs and regulations.
2. In case of medical emergency, call 911.
3. To contact ride director, call David Cole at 919-924-3039 or 919-455-8537.
4. To get attention of support vehicle, raise closed fist.
5. The routes are marked with stenciled arrows (100 mile is white, 100K is yellow, 50K is blue, 10 mile is red).
6. Arrows are placed beside "intersection ahead" signs; also just before and just after intersections
7. All sag stops have bathrooms. Stores are indicated on the route map.
8. An "X" in a circle indicates you have just missed a turn!
9. All routes begin and end at the park entrance on New Hill - Holleman Road.
10. Beware of speed bumps on the park road - they are big enough to cause pinch flats!
11. All routes close at 4:30 PM. Support vehicles will be monitoring the routes.