The 9th Annual Off Road Assault on Mt. Mitchell
Registration now open at Active.com
Response has been overwhelming to this year's race! As of July 4th, ONLY 149 SPOTS REMAIN! We expect registration to close a few weeks before the race so sign up now.
The Off Road Assault on Mt. Mitchell is a 60 mile mostly off road Bicycle route with 11,000 feet of climbing. From Old Fort you climb over the Blue Ridge Parkway two times and just below Mt. Mitchell on beautiful Forest Service roads and unbelievable N.C. single track. There are fully stocked rest stops approximately every 10 miles. You can also send anything you wish to any of the rest areas with our staff. Mt. Mitchell peaks at 6684 ft and is the highest mountain east of the Mississippi river. The town of Old Fort where you start and finish sits at around 1400 feet. Most of the climbing is on Forest Service roads while most of the single track points downhill!
Do not underestimate the extreme difficulty and danger of this event. The course is extremely demanding and travels over rugged terrain with extreme elevation changes. The forest remains in its natural habitat. It is not uncommon to see wildlife such as a wild cat or a black bear. Be ready to cope with any circumstances!! Please note that firearms are not permitted in certain areas. Aid stations will help with safety matters, but it is the competitor’s ultimate responsibility to insure his or her own safety. A few course-related facts are the 60 miles have been won in just over 5 hours!! This was done by a pro M.T.B. rider, while some have completed the course with only one month of riding under their belt. This rider quit riding altogether after the race. Others too have retired their biking efforts after competing in this race. This is not your typical race. Regardless of how you finish, this is the most exciting M.T.B. adventure race in the entire Southeast!!!
DATE:
Sunday July 27, 2008 (rain or shine)
TIME:
Registration begins at 6am. Ride meeting at 7:45am. Ride starts at 8:00am
FEE:
$80 if received by July 21, 2008
$100 if received thereafter
AMENITIES:
Time clock, awesome rest stops, Highland Ale Finish with pasta (Meat or Vegetarian) and salad feast, well-marked route, restrooms, wicked NC single track.
Blue Ridge Adventures will once again be offering Massage after the race for $1/minute. Don't miss your chance to get a great post race rub down with Elizabeth Ropp - Voted 2007's Best Massage Therapist by Mountain Xpress readers.
DIRECTIONS:
From Asheville take I-40 to Old Fort Exit #73. Go towards Old Fort. The start/finish will be at the gateway museum. The museum is on the right.
COURSE:
The course is still not finalized yet this year but will either be the same as last year or as in 2006. There is a $500 bonus offered to the rider that can beat Harlan Price's time of 4:54:49 if raced on last year's course, or Jeremiah Bishop's time of 5:08:05 if raced on the 2006 course. Regardless of which course is used Mill Creek Road will be paved this year, so the record will almost certainly be broken and the bonus awarded!
Tentative 2008 Course Map
AWARDS:
$6000 in cash and prizes!
We have added another 50% to our prizes this year, making it the best prize list ever!
$400 to top male, $200 to top female
Complete list of prizes coming soon!
Open Men | 1st - 10th |
Open Women | 1st - 6th |
Vet Men (30-39) | 1st - 6th |
Vet Women (30-39) | 1st - 5th |
Master Men (40-49) | 1st - 5th |
Master Women (40-49) | 1st - 3rd |
Senior Men (50+) | 1st - 3rd |
Senior Women (50+) | 1st - 3rd |
Single Speed | $80 to 1st |
One of the prizes offered this year will be a Waterfall Rappelling Tour offered by Hairy Scary Evolutions.
T SHIRTS:
100% cotton pre-shrunk shirts will be guaranteed to all 400 participants. This is an awesome shirt!
INJURIES:
Have no illusions you can escape some type of injury on 60 miles of rough terrain. Whether in be an abrasion or a mental breakdown, everyone suffers in one way or another.
REST STOPS:
There are 5 rest stops including a finish Line Party. Approximately every 10 miles you will reach a rest stop. You will be glad to see rest stop #3 after climbing 9 miles to get to it! You may shuttle anything you want to any of the 5 rest stops on the course. Be prepared to label and bag up your personal items by 7:30 am. Rest stops are stocked with H20, Heed Energy Drink, Power Bars and assorted snacks, fruits, PB&J sandwiches, and lots of encouragement from our rest stop personnel! *Mandatory Cutoff Times this year--You must finish before Dark*
