Raven Rock Ramble 2021

News and announcements

This page contains important announcements about the ride. Please read!! This page will be revised up through Saturday, August 21, 2021. 

Quick notes

This page is current as of Saturday, January 23, 2021.

Summary of changes

Here's a quick list of what's new/different for 2021:

  1. The date has been rescheduled to August 22 to allow for COVID-19 vaccinations
  2. Registration and volunteer sign-up has been moved to RaceReach.com, so you can easily change your registration choices, order additional hats or shirts, and defer or transfer your registration.
  3. Additional enhancements will be made to the Raven Rock Ramble Mobile App, although not until later in 2021. Among them, your friends can now see where you are on the route map, you can see animated weather radar on the route maps, and you'll have essential information available if you need to call the police or 911.

Summary of non-changes

Here's a quick list of features we'll retain from years past:

  1. All riders must pre-register; there will be no day-of-event registration
  2. Riders registered for 2020 will be eligible for early registration, starting on January 30 at 7:00am EST
  3. General registration for remaining slots will open February 6 at 7:00am EST and fill very quickly, perhaps in a few minutes
  4. By popular demand, I will be offering a soft cotton tee shirts as an alternative to the Zorrel quick-dry shirts
  5. Embroidered hats will be available and also offered as a tee shirt alternative
  6. We'll use custom, personalized bibs instead of wristbands
  7. We'll use the permanent shelters at the park for registration and food
  8. The ride will start from the park road in front of the grassy parking area
  9. Pre-ride announcements will be made promptly at 8:30
  10. Mechanical support will be available at the start of the ride and on the route
  11. There will be lots of enthusiastic volunteers on hand to help
  12. There will be massive amounts of food, with new food sponsors yet to be announced
  13. Ham radio volunteers will be on the course for additional rider support

Parking

Please view this map of Harris Lake County Park. The Raven Rock Ramble app includes an interactive map of the park that shows all event locations in the park and your current location.

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 (2 or more) 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 8:00am, 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. See the Raven Rock Ramble Home Page for details and status. You may pick up your rider packet the Friday or Saturday before the ride at All Star Bike Shop in Cary, or at the Longleaf shelter at Harris Lake County Park the morning of the ride.

Toilets

I've arranged for 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, 3, and 5 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 and shorter routes route bypass Sag Stops 2 and 3).

Food

Many of the volunteers will be bringing baked goods for the sag stops.  There will be water, Gatorade, soft drinks, bananas, Duck Donuts, bagels, Starbucks Coffee, chocolate milk, and all kinds of other goodies at each sag stop and at the start/finish point. 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 custom, personalized bib with safety pins in their registration packet. This is how you'll be identified as a registered rider by the support team on the route, and also in case of emergency.

Ride start

The will start from the road in front of the grassy 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.

We'll have a second start at approximmately 8:40am for those riding the shorter routes or who simply prefer a less hectic start.

Hotels

Here's a map of nearby hotels.

Clothes drop-off

If you want to leave any gear at a sag stop - typically a jacket as the temperature rises - they'll label it with your rider number and return it to the Longleaf Shelter at Harris Lake County Park.

Pre-ride announcements

It seems no matter what I do, the pre-ride announcements can only be heard by the riders lined up at the start. So, listed below are the points I always make. This same information is included on the cue sheets and in the app.

  1. Obey all traffic signs and regulations.
  2. In case of medical emergency, call 911.
  3. To contact ride director, use the app or call David Cole at 919-924-3039.
  4. To get attention of support vehicle, raise closed fist.
  5. Route marking stenciled arrows: 100 mile: white, 86: white/green, 62: yellow, 43: yellow/green; 31: blue, 10: 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.