THE OVERLAND BIKE RACE OPENS NEW YEARS DAY AT 10 AM!!!
For the Love of Adventure Travel
We hope everyone's enjoying a lovely holiday season! We have some big news about the Overland. For some time now, we've been grappling with the concept of event sustainability. Sometimes, it's much harder to keep an event sustainable than it is to make it a success in the first place. And, many times, bigger isn't always better and we have to be mindful of the impact a bike race with 700-800 riders has on the towns through which we pass.
With all this in mind, we decided to actually downsize the Overland. Yes, downsize it. We've also decided to move it to a venue where I know it will be safe from town governments that have little to no interest in cycling. And that place is my own home in Reading, Vermont. Unlike any of the towns I've dealt with in the momentous task that is running a gravel bike race with hundreds of riders on public roads open to traffic, little old Reading has welcomed us with open arms. Further, the race travels through West Windsor, the home of the now famous VT 50 mtb race and the Ascutney Trails mtb trail network. The idea here is keep the Overland a grass-roots, soulful, laid back event yet with a course so epic and magnificently scenic, it will leave you shell-shocked with glee.
In a nutshell, here are the changes:
* 500 RIDER FIELD LIMIT (Yes, only 500, SO DON'T WAIT TO REGISTER!!!). Men and women are both included in one registration category, but they'll be scored separately for podium and results. Again, MEN AND WOMEN, DON'T WAIT TO ENTER!
* New venue at VO HQ: 419 Bailey's Mills Rd, Reading, VT 05062. We do it all here: Sat pre-ride with Tim Johnson and Ansel Dickey, Sat pre-race party and number pick-up with our farm-table food truck and local beer, Sat night on-site riverside camping, Start/Finish line on the road which is closed to thru traffic for the day, beautiful grassy vendor / food truck area, VIP and team parking in the river pasture and post-ride farm-table food truck and local nano-brewed beer. Oh, and feel free to take a dip in the pool after the ride!
* Charity component: The Overland going forward will be a major fundraiser for the Reading / West Windsor Food Shelf, an integral service provider for the Reading, West Windsor, Cavendish communities through which the race course travels. In fact, we've arranged for our Rasputitsa Spring Classic Sag 2 stop with 10 mi to go be located right at the actual Food Shelf building in S. Reading, which also features an endless fresh water spring with the best water in the land!
* Food and beer: Instead of the usual somewhat institutional buffet line, we're doing something decidedly cooler: FOOD TRUCKS! We'll have at least two local food trucks right in the vendor area serving up some of the best local farm-table chow known to humans. We'll also have an awesome local nano-brewer on site both Sat and Sun serving up some up some luscious local suds. Again, to keep things sustainable with less riders and more charity while maintaining your entry fee at $75, we'll buy you your first beer, but the rest is up to you. Bring some cash (or a cc) to grab some chow after you take a dip in the pool. Your only problem will be you won’t want to leave!
* Timing: And, yes, back by popular demand, we'll have good old fashioned timing with full results.
