Granogue: Classic Rewind! XC & Endurance Finals (Mid-Atlantic Super Series) event

Presented By: Bell Lap Events LLC

2022 Granogue Classic Rewind, Mid Atlantic Super Series (MASS) XC & Endurance Mountain Bike Finals

Date: Saturday, September 3rd, 2022 

Rain or Shine

Shareable link redirects to bikereg page: www.RaceGranogue.com

Interested in volunteering? Click HERE to be directed to the Volunteer Page.

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On line reg extended untiil Friday 9/2/22 12noon.

On line reg extended untiil Friday 9/2/22 12noon.

9/02/22 Update:

Enter from Montchanin Rd. 
Smith Bridge Rd entrance will be closed and blocked off and you will be instructed to turn around and enter from Montchanin Rd. No entry from Smith Bridge Rd.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

1) Can I pre ride. No, the last pre ride was Thursday 9/1/22. NO PRE RIDING FRIDAY. Races start at 8am Saturday, so there is no time to pre ride Saturday unless you are finished by 8am.

2) I'm thirsty, is there water? there is a water stop about 1/2 around the lap to drink on course. there is no bottle filling station. come prepared. There will be bottled water for sale at the beer garden. there is also beer for purchase - all proceeds benefit our charity. 

3) I'm hungry. will there be food? yes - food for purchase from our yummy food truck.

4) Is it a hard course? Well, it's hard in the sense that there is about 900 ft of climbing per lap, 6 mile lap. some climbing is field climb. but one up River Trail North / Devi'ls backbone has some loose stones and a nice pitch so that's tough. one set of rail road trails on a climb is tough - but you can dismount and walk up it. other than that, it's not too hard. see below for more description and couse video. This is why we offer pre rides to those that registered early. we offered 6 pre riding opportunites.

5) Will there be unicorns? I think so. You'll hit "unicorn lane" within the first mile of your lap. enjoy. 

6) I wanna t-shirt! there will be a few for sale at the t shirt table under reg tent. Pre order is recommend but online ordering closes when reg closes.

7) Do we all start at once? No (with the exception of Endurance), there will be 2 minutes between the start of each age group. We will call you to staging about 10-15 minutes before the category start time. You will line up with in your age group as denoted by the signs. I love signs!

End 8am

Pro cat 1 9am

Cat 2 11am

Cat 3 12:30pm

 More questions? Read the event notes.

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You asked for more Granogue and you got it! Join us Saturday September 3rd.

REVERSE DIRECTION* from the July 2022 race, hence the name "Rewind."

*Weymouth's Woods, the area with the "Gulch", will NOT be reversed.

Slap on your Swatch watch, jump in the DeLorean, crank up the boom box, and join us for the Classic Rewind!



This is your second shot this summer to shred the forbidden and notoriously challenging trails of the mystical Land of Granogue.

Nestled in the lush green rolling hills of the Brandywine Valley of Greater Philadelphia, Granogue is one of the most exclusive, majestic, and untouched venues in the Mid-Atlantic Super Series (MASS), the premier mountain bike race series in the region. Some consider Granogue the crown jewel of the collection. This legendary track will surely test your courage and resolve. 

It's going to be a spectacular event to conclude the Mid-Atlantic Super Series (MASS) XC & Endurance 2022 season!

Don’t miss your chance to experience the legends and the myths firsthand!

The event is put on by racers for racers. We pour our hearts and souls into this day because we truly appreciate the privilege to be here and want to give the cycling community an event they will remember. (And did you know, my co-director founded mtn bike racing here in the '90s?)

Thanks to the generosity of the landowners to let us hold this event in their backyard, we hope you take this rare opportunity to join us for a day of competition, camaraderie, and cheer!

Since this takes place on private property, to protect the safety of the residents and preserve the sanctity of the estate, we ask that you do not post any GPS rides. If you post a race picture on social media, please do not write/tag/mention the Granogue location. See more info in the section on Estate Privacy Rules.



Mid Atlantic Super Series (MASS)

Escape Granogue is part of the Mid Atlantic Super Series (MASS) Cross Country and Endurance Series. Visit www.masuperseries.com for more information on the series.

Address & Parking:

2900 Montchanin Rd, Wilmington DE 19807.

Please enter the estate from Montchanin Rd and NOT Smith Bridge Rd.

Enter the property through the Montchanin Road entrance only. Do NOT enter from Smith Bridge Rd because there is an active course crossing on that driveway. Parking will be on a grass field. Please do not park outside the designated parking areas or along the driveway, as this will jeopardize future events.

Registration:

Online registration closes Thursday, September 1st, Midnight.

Pre reg to receive a lesson in Granogue History - "Get to know Granogue" - you'll receive emails with little history nuggets on Granogue. Some fun facts!

To ensure delivery of race entry confirmation and race communication, add [email protected] to your email safe sender list.

Day-of (on-site) registration is permitted, but is $10 more than online registration. The $10 surcharge will apply to ALL categories on day-of registrations. Payment forms accepted: cash, check, Venmo, PayPal, credit cards (cc convenience charge on all credit card sales).

We kindly ask you to check in at our registration tent on the day of the event.

Series Racers - Don't forget your series plate. And yes, you still have to check in at registration.

Race Schedule:


Endurance: Race Start 8:00a
Expert / Pro / Cat 1: Race Start 9:00a
Sport / Cat 2: Race Start 11:00a
Beginner / Cat 3: Race Start 12:30p
Note that the registration tent for check-in & day-of registration will open approximately 1 hour before your scheduled race starting time and close 30 minutes prior to each race, with the exception of Endurance.


Non-Competitive Option On Race Day: 

Not feeling competitive or in race shape yet? Just want to ride the marked trails ON RACE DAY with all the excitement and camaraderie and enjoy the vibe of the day? Register for the "Quarantine 15" Category...As in the 15lbs you may have gained over quarantine. No series, no points, no pressure - just ride! 

Rules & Highlights:


All Mid-Atlantic Super Series rules apply and can be found here: https://www.masuperseries.com/mass-general-rules/. It is each racer's responsibility to be aware of and understand these rules. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.
This race, like all MASS races, is not USAC sanctioned and does not require a cycling license.
Racing Age is determined by your age on December 31st of the event year.
There will be no pre-riding or warming up on the course during any race. Any racer found doing so is subject to disqualification from their race with no refund.
Any rider littering the course with food packages or waste will be disqualified.
Endurance: in order to be considered for the podium in endurance, you must race for a MINIMUM of 4 hours. You have until the timing clock reads 3:59 to head out for your final lap.


Results, Payouts & Awards:

The payout and award schedule for most MASS races can be found here: MASS Payouts & Awards.

For all cash fields, a minimum of 6 starters to payout 3 deep, a minimum of 3 starters to payout first place. The payout schedule may be revised based on pre-reg numbers and anticipated attendance, higher venue costs or higher expenses. The race director reserves the right to not pay more than 50% of the field.

A Good Cause:

Each year we raise money for a worthy cause. Help us support the Amani Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization, that makes access to safe, clean drinking water to communities in Africa a reality. See some of their current projects here.

Access to safe and reliable water is the foundation to the development of any community. The Amani Foundation partners with indigenous organizations to supply long term clean water solutions. From well-drilling to solar power well pumps to water filtration, these wells eliminate the need for residents to get water from dangerous sources that can lead to typhoid, cholera and other life threatening diseases.

Thanks to the generous support of Big Oyster Brewing you can quench your thirst and help the Amani Foundation raise money for their projects. $5/cup, cash, Venmo, PayPal, credit card (with convenience fee) accepted.

All donations, tips & proceeds from the beer wine garden support the Amani Foundation. And if beer is not your cup of tea, we also have bottled water and you are welcome to donate on site or online on our registration page.

Here is an example of the drinking water. Most people must walk as far as two miles to unreliable water sources like streams or open pit wells. These sources often run dry or become contaminated. 



Here are pictures taken after the Amani Foundation raised money and helped the indigenous people build a well:







Each project will impact the lives of thousands of people, helping to lift them from the poverty cycle.

Your generous donation will make a difference for generations to come!

The Venue: 

A 544-acre private estate nestled in the lush green rolling hills of scenic northern Delaware in the heart of the Brandywine Valley. Some may consider this venue the crown jewel of the collection in the Mid-Atlantic Super Series (MASS), the premier mountain bike race series in the region. The estate is private property and is NOT open to the public prior to, or after the event. Remember, you are an invited guest. There's a good chance a landowner or resident may be walking around, observing our event. 

Carry-in, Carry-out:

Please leave the venue as beautiful as you found it; please follow the carry-in, carry-out policy.

Any rider littering the course with food packages or waste will be disqualified.



No Trespassing:

Sorry, but there is a strict no trespassing of the estate. Even if a cousin's brother's sister-in-law told you it was okay to ride on the estate whenever you want, you will still be banned if caught riding the course. No, we aren't trying to be jerks, but anyone riding the estate prior to the event is automatically associated with our race. Any increased traffic on the estate jeopardizes our event. Please don't endanger the future of this event by selfishly poaching the trail system. There are other organizations using the estate prior to our event. If we receive any complaints, we may not be welcomed back. Thank you for respecting the no trespassing rule. 

Trespassing is punishable by death, er, I mean, disqualification.

No Swimming:

Absolutely no swimming in the farm pond on the estate. You will be disqualified and fed to the Shadow Monster.

And no bike washing in the farm pond either. You will be disqualified as well as fed to the Shadow Monster for dessert. 

Estate Privacy Rules:

As a reminder, do not approach the main house by foot, by car, or by bicyle. This includes warming up. Do not proceed any closer than the greenhouse driveway that is located 1/4 mi from the main house. Anything past that is a NO ACCESS zone. We will give you a subtle reminder with orange cones and signage. 

Social Media / Pictures - "Please erase geotaging and any location metadata from photos you wish to share. Please remove any location references of photography."

Do not blow up the spot. GPS/STRAVA, etc - Any GPS recordings of your ride must be kept private, if you record at all. Not for "followers," but PRIVATE. We understand athletes like to track their miles, time, and heart rate, among other data. Please keep your recording private. Individuals of any ride posted will be contacted to take it down. 

The Course:

2022 September Classic Rewind Race will run counter-clockwise direction. (opposite direction of the July 2022 race, hence REWIND, get it???) Weymouth's Woods, the area with the "Gulch" will not be run in reverse direction. 

The staging area and prologue will be on the driveway. The finish (timing clock) will be by team tent row (see picture below)



This Queen of the East is a classic northern Delaware mountain bike course. The lap is fun and challenging with a variety of fields & single track with roots, rocks, logs, bridges, and some cool elements like a loop around the Tower, the "Tunnel of Love" and the infamous "Gulch." 

Lap distance is anticipated at approximately 6-and-some-change miles and approx 900 ft of climbing each lap! No matter which direction we run this course, you can't escape the climbing.

It may not be a long course, but believe me, you will work for each mile. Please come prepared, bring water, and always remember the golden rule of mountain biking: "When in doubt, dismount," or as I like to say, "I ride to ride again." Please ride within your abilities. There is nothing worth injuring yourself over. We are racing for fun, remember, and the enjoyment of this special opportunity to be on the estate. 

Friends don't lie, Granogue is hard: (but not as technical as French Creek!)

This is a tough track. No unicorns are going to save you. There's a lot of climbing. The trails can be a bit gnarly as they don't get ridden throughout the year, like other venues. But after a lot of trail work, the course shapes up nicely and it's a pretty cool lap with breathtaking scenery. There also are a lot of fun, flowing sections that will surely put a big smile on your face, and remind you of the joy of mountain biking.

**Trails are in amazing shape right now. With the use of hand rakes and leaf-blowers, the trails are the clearest and smoothest they've been, aside from a few isolated technical spots. But even the technical spots have some "cheater lines" forming. You gotta see it to believe it. Ah-mazing!**

We realize many of you will be racing "sight unseen," so we are working extra hard on grooming the trails and marking them. Please refer to the course video, CLICK HERE FOR UPDATED COURSE VIDEO, courtesy of YouTube Channel DKRK279, and course map. And if you raced here in July, just rewind it in your head. It's same course, reversed, minus the driveway climb, addition of a field descent. 

Get motivated with multiple music stations and hand-painted motivational signs peppered throughout the course to give you that "oomph" to get up the climbs! 

This is an epic venue worth your sweat and gears (and hopefully no tears). There is no other place quite like it. Do you have the courage to start and the resolve to finish?

Map & Other Visuals:

Sept 2022 Map - To be used for race day informational purposes only. Estate & trails are closed to the public on all other days. Please ignore the part about Cat4. We will not have a Cat4 race this September.



Elevation: You start with a wicked descent, and then pay for it the rest of the lap, as you climb tooth and nail, fiercely with unrelenting effort around the estate. This direction requires the utmost tenacity. Do you have what it takes? Chuck Norris rode it blindfolded, by the way.



Traffic:

There may be resident traffic on race day up/down the driveway (since after all, they live there). We are working to minimize this, alerting them that racers will be on course, probably in misery climbing the driveway, and to pass with care. Please be courteous and polite to any cars and residents.

Water:

Bring your own water. There is NOT a water filling station on the venue. 

Please hydrate well. Labor Day weekend can get hot! Come prepared. Drink a lot [of water] the night before. Hydration packs strongly encouraged. There will be a volunteer water station handing out cups of water about mid-lap. However, be self-reliant and do not rely on this for your only source of water.

Pro Tip: There will be a designated FEED ZONE, following the timing clock, if you care to leave your own bottles of elixirs & potions.

Food:

Mojo Loco is back! Bring your appetite! Menu. Note not all items will be available on race day, as it will be a simplified version. I can taste the shrimp tacos now!

Weather:

This is a rain or shine event. I know most of you are badass cyclocross racers anyway. A little mud in your teeth never hurt anyone. This venue can take a lot of rain and drains extremely well. So even if it rains the days leading up to the race or even on race day, FEAR NOT, the course will be spectacular, and the DAY WILL BE EPIC. If you haven't experienced Granogue in all her glory in the rain, then consider it your rite of passage. Worst case, we have a special rain course modification up our sleeve. The show will still go on. 

Refunds:

No refunds for any reason. Check with your boss, your spouse, your significant other, your in-laws, your out-laws, your kids, and your pets before you register.

Exceptions:

There are no exceptions.

Registration Insurance:

BikeReg.com offers registration insurance for purchase upon checkout. This protects your registration for a qualifying reason. Be sure to read the fine print at www.bikereg.com/knowledge-base/104/Participant-Registration-Insurance--Alllianz-Registration-Protection.

Team Tents:

Team tents will be spread out over the registration tent area. Spots are first-come, first-serve. We ask you to reserve your team tent spot (FREE) on the registration page so we can plan out the area accordingly.

Friday set up encouraged to reduce traffic on race day.

NO DRIVING ON THE TEAM TENT GRASS.



Photo credit Will Rivas, July 2019 race.

Photography

Please welcome back Mike Anderson and his crew from First Place Photo. You can see some of Mike’s incredible pictures by visiting https://firstplacephoto.wordpress.com/



Race Day Volunteers:

Would you like to be a part of making this the absolute best race ever? "Click HERE to be directed to the Volunteer" reg page. 

Doggies Welcomed:

But please clean up after Fluffy. This is a carry-in, carry-out venue, and yes, that means taking your doggy-do with you.

Spectators:

Spectators welcome. For those not racing, please check in at the registration tent for contact tracing and to sign our release form/contact tracing form. You will park with the racers on the grass field. 

Recommended Hotels/Camping:

Sorry, we are not allowing overnight parking nor camping at this time. There are plenty of nearby AirBnBs and hotels. This Brandywine Courtyard by Marriott is closeby. As for RVs, there are at least 3 Walmarts within 15-20 minute drive. As for tent camping, here is a KOA: koa.com/campgrounds/philadelphia/

Questions:

Hopefully, I've covered everything here. But if you need more info you can email me at [email protected]. 

Thank you for joining us on this fine day!

Cheers!

Your friends at Granogue & Tom & Heather of Bell Lap Events, LLC.



This event is made possible by the support of our loyal sponsors and vendors. Please repay their generosity by supporting their businesses & organizations.

Want your logo here and/or a banner at the event? Contact [email protected] for sponsorship opportunities.