The Overland, August 29th 2021 – Updates and Info!!!
Folks, it’s an honor to be writing this letter. This marks the first of a series of important pre-event communications designed to give you all the information you need to enjoy The Overland 2021!!! We pride ourselves on NOT constantly spamming your inbox, so please, do us a favor, grab a cup of coffee, sit down, and REALLY READ THIS THING.
Specialized comes on board
So many new and cool things await us all this year as we emerge out of pods and quars and training rigs. One of the coolest is that Specialized is now Vermont Overland’s official bike partner. Specialized makes a mean riding machine, and we’re beyond stoked to have their support on our mission to bring more riders to gravel and class-4 roads. With Specialized comes many dope additions to the event, one of which is….. E-Bikes!
E-Bikes!
It’s no doubt that e-bikes have been the fastest-growing sector of the cycling industry. We’ve seen first-hand the positive impact they've had on our local cycling communities, enabling more folks to ride, go further, and see more with friends and family. Hence, we could not be more excited to partner with Specialized for 2021 and beyond to bring an official E-Bike category (and much more) at The Overland.
Anyone is welcome to ride an E-Bike, but if you wish to do so, you need to change your category on BikeReg. Find out how to do so on BikeReg here, or email support@bikereg.com with any questions. To start, our E-Bike field will be limited to 150 riders. First come first serve.
E-Bikes will start with everyone else, but will be scored separately. There are no awards/prizes or podium ceremonies for the E-Bike category.
75 Spots Left for The Overland!!!
2021 will mark the largest Overland to date. In partnership with Ascutney Outdoors, we’re excited to have a larger and more accommodating venue. With our history of registration selling out almost instantly, there’s been an incredible amount of interest from folks who missed registration day.
We’ve decided to open 75 remaining spots for The Overland at a higher price point to help raise money for our two beneficiaries: Ascutney Outdoors and The Reading/West Windsor Food Shelf. These will be the final spots for this year’s Overland.
Registration Transfers and Deadlines
We’ve gotten 200+ emails from people who registered in 2020 but can’t make it in 2021. So, we wanted to take the time to outline exactly what to do if you’re in this boat.
ANYONE can transfer their Overland registration to ANYONE at any point until August 20th at 12 AM. It’s super easy. Simply sign in to your BikeReg account, select The Overland under “My Upcoming Events” and select “Transfer Registration”. Here is a helpful article on how to do it. After all of this, if you’re still having trouble, please email support@bikereg.com.
The team at Vermont Overland is not responsible for transferring your entry. This is something you, the participant, must do within your BikeReg account!
Keep in mind that if you registered for The Overland in 2020 and you still plan to participate, YOU DON’T NEED TO TAKE ANY ACTION. All entries from 2020 have automatically carried over to 2021.
Electronic Waivers!!!
Like many things at this year’s Overland, we’re stoked to bring our on-site number pick-up and rider check-in into the future. Rider check-in will be 100% contactless and paperless. Don’t be the one person that holds up the entire line because you didn’t sign your waivers online before getting to Ascutney.
So, if you’re lucky enough to be registered for this year’s Overland, shortly after receiving this email you should get an email from BikeReg prompting you to sign all the waivers for this year's Overland. SIGN THEM!!! DO IT NOW!!! Seriously, don’t wait until two days before the event to get this done.
Vermont Overland Rider Code of Conduct
Each and every one of you will be asked to sign a new document this year called the Vermont Overland Rider Code of Conduct. It’ll be included in the waiver packet that BikeReg will prompt you to sign. It’s a short, simple, and fun document that reiterates why events like The Overland are fun.
We believe that putting an emphasis on things like putting community first, not being lame, respecting each other, rider safety, conservation, horses, COVID, and just leaving the place better than you found it is incredibly important and vital to the longevity of this event. Read the Code of Conduct here.
Final Notes and Reminders
There’s still a lot for us to do from now until August 29th, and the same goes for you. This year's Overland course will be the toughest to date and we could not be more excited. Don’t neglect your training!!!
Stay alert to our forthcoming emails as we’ll soon be releasing the official course, info on our amazing sponsors, sick Friday/Saturday shake-out ride opportunities, a robust weekend-long food menu, live music headliners, and lots of other details!
As always, find out everything else you need to know on our website.
Countdown begins now. We’re so excited to welcome you back to this one-of-a-kind race. It’s been too damn long.
Sincerely,
Ansel Dickey, Vermont Overland, and crew