6th ANNUAL
MUDDYONION2018
SPRING CLASSIC
GRAVEL GRINDER
Pre-registration: $45
Open until 5:00pm Thursday, April 26th
Or pre-reg Friday (ONLY) until 8pm for $50
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Day-of registration: $55
in the Onion River parking lot
WHEN /
April 28, 2018 9:30-2 PM
WHERE /
20 Langdon Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
ABOUT THE EVENT /
Celebrate early spring in true Vermont style and come explore New England's most beautiful, scenic and iconic dirt roads at this 38-mile fully-supported gravel ride. Then stick around afterwards for our famous post-ride barbecue —complimentary with registration! As for the ride itself, expect no less than incredible views of the Green Mountains, maple syrup shots, early season burning legs, and a little gravel magic along the way...see you all Saturday, April 28th!
PROCEEDS BENEFIT
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MAMBA and the North Branch Park Trails Project -- rad mountain bike trails in Montpelier! -- MAMBA's new pump track project, and the Catamount Trail Association. Also be sure to check our friends' event down in Randolph, Vermont on October 6th this fall: The Braintree 357 Gravel Enduro!
SCHEDULE /
APRIL 27TH
3-8 PM
PRE-REGISTRATION PICK UP
APRIL 28TH
8 AM
APRIL 28TH - DAY-OF REGISTRATION PICK UP
APRIL 28TH
9:30 AM
APRIL 28TH - START OF THE RIDE
Start/Finish:
The ride will start at 9:30am in the Onion River Outdoors’ parking lot. Finish and post-ride meal will be in the shop parking lot, and Langdon Street will be open to foot traffic only (closed to all vehicles except bikes!).
Entry Includes:
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Fully-marked course
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A beautiful ride on the hills in and around Montpelier
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Stocked midway station with food, water and beverages…
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A post-ride meal and beverages at Onion River Outdoors
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Full ride support from the ORO crew: both on bikes and via support vehicles!
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Dirt roads….lots of dirt roads
Pre-Registration Packet Pickup:
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Pre-reg packet pickup at Onion River Outdoors from 3-8pm on Friday 4/27. Or pre-reg Friday (ONLY) until 8pm for $50. Day-of-ride registration and pre-reg packet pickup starts at 8am. Day-of registration is $55.
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Day-of beginning at 8am – if at all possible, please plan to pick up your bib Friday. We’re expecting over 400 riders, and no one wants to stand in a line that long just before the ride!
Parking:
Langdon Street will be closed for the event. Please do not plan on parking at the shop, and please do not park on Main Street or State Street in front of neighboring businesses. Parking will be available in lots on Taylor Street as well as on-street along Court Street, Elm Street, and School Street. Click on the map below to enlarge.
Volunteering:
We have a lot of slots to fill, but all of these positions will be fun opportunities to connect with enthusiastic riders and are integral to the success of this event! We thank you in advance and of course welcome you to the after party and post-ride revelry--free for volunteers. Invite your friends and many thanks! And if you sign up for a volunteer shift that doesn't take place during the actual ride, email kipmroberts@gmail.com for a rider discount code!
Lodging:
​Onion River Campground and n Little River State Park will not be open for the season. We'd recommend The Inn at Montpelier, Capitol Plaza Hotel & Conference Center, and Comfort Inn & Suites at Maplewood for excellent traditional lodging.
**Update on camping, RV sites, and other lodging options: Our friends at Woodbury Meadows Campground have created a very generous stay-by-donation option that benefits the Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association MAMBA North Branch Trails Initiative! Contact WMC owners Jon and Ann through their website and be sure to let them know you're here for the Muddy Onion and reserve you're spot today! This campground is just north of the turn off from West County Rd to Dugar, so it's nearly right on the course. Check conditions as we get closer to ride day since potentially muddy Muddy Onion conditions will have an effect on the roads and sites.
They will have two or three full hook up RV sites and can accommodate all tenters as well as a house on AirBnb. Thank you, Jon and Ann!
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Muddy Onion Merchandise:
Commemorate all this gravel goodness with a men’s or women’s Muddy Onion t-shirt! Order online by 5:00pm Thursday, April 26 at bikereg.com or pick one up day of (while supplies last). $25 per shirt. Next Level Apparel Men’s and Women’s high-quality, athletic cut tees.
THE COURSE
HIBERNATOR SHORT LOOP - NEW COURSE 2018!
Distance: 21.2 miles (0.7 more miles than last year)
Elevation: 1,751 feet (just 22 more feet of climbing than last year)
Aid Station: Rockin’ double station in Adamant at 10 miles
Maybe you haven’t put the miles in yet this season and your legs are still a little sleepy. Maybe you just can’t go too far without the feeling of good hard pavement under your wheels. Maybe you had a couple too many brats and stouts over the winter. Whatever the reason, there’s no shame in a shortcut. That’s why we’re excited to once again offer the Hibernator, our Muddy Onion short loop!
This ride begins with a few brisk climbs out of town on the regular Muddy loop, then mellows out along rolling dirt roads in East Montpelier and Adamant (including the amazingly beautiful Sodom Pond Rd) before making a zigzag via North St (mountain views!) and back into town on Route 12 in Middlesex. Enjoy sweeping views eastward, a glimpse at a secret scenic pond, and a tour past one of the most picturesque farms in the region.
REGULAR MUDDY LOOP - NEW COURSE 2018!
Distance: 38.1 miles (2.6 more miles than last year)
Elevation: 3,277 feet (47 fewer feet of climbing than last year!)
Aid Stations: Adamant rockin’ double aid station at 10 and 27 miles
Our field-tested Muddy Onion delivers all-day gravel with a robust dose of climbing. Earn your double IPA on the back roads of East Montpelier, Calais, Kents Corners, South Woodbury, and Adamant, including a cruise along the shores of Mirror Lake, before coasting back into town along Route 12 in Middlesex. Fuel up at miles 10 and 27 at our rockin’ Adamant aid station, complete with tunes, lots of scrumptious sustenance, fried sandwiches, and more!
Special thanks to Greg Maino for this preview of our regular loop of the Muddy Onion 2017
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
