Presents

July 18, 19 and 20, 2008

Race to the Lake XC 

Directions

To the City Auditorium / Registration / Race Start (Basin Park & the race start is one block from the Auditorium)
 

From the junction of highway 62 and 23 in Eureka Springs (downtown entrance), take highway 23 north into downtown, (AKA Planer Hill or Mud Street) approximately 1/2 mile. The race start and registration will be on you right next to the city auditorium. Follow sings to parking and shuttle areas.

To XC race finish / LLCP: Directions: From Eureka Springs follow 62 west for approximately 2 miles to the entrance to Lake Leatherwood City Park Sports Fields, on the right. Pull into the first park entrance for parking, shuttles and staging for event.

XC Categories, Classes, Fees & Prize List

AMBCS 100% payback schedule is used. Go to www.ambcs.com and look on forms to see schedule.

There will be cash bonuses for the top three over all finishing times from the combined classes of Sr. and Master Expert Men. (Essentially the first three competitors to cross the start line that raced the longest distances.)

$100/$75/$50

Sport   $30 entry fee 

Senior Women (19-39)             

Junior Men (18 & Under)

Senior Men (19-29)

Master Men (30-39)

Master Men II (40-49)

Master Men 50+

Single Speed (All ages)

Prizes and trophies 3 deep for all Sport Categories

Beginner   $25 entry fee

Senior Women (19-39)

Master Women (40+)

Senior Men (19-29)

Master Men (30-39)

Master Men II (40-49)

Master Men 50+

Clydesdales (200+ lbs All ages) 

Prizes and trophies 3 deep for all Sport Categories

Novice Men  & Novice Women $15 entry fee

SUPER FATTY Championship $75 entry fee

This determines who is the best overall cyclist and truly the "Super Fatty Champion",
 

How it works:

Compete in all four competitive mountain bike events; Short Track, Downhill, Cross Country and Observed Trials. Your four point scores for the events are then tallied up to determine the winner. You can choose your category & class in each discipline.
 

Example:

YOU MUST REGISTER FRIDAY EVENING TO HAVE A CHANCE TO COMPETE IN THE FATTY OMNI CHALLENGE!

Are you the ultimate Fatty Champ! 

-All XC competitors must purchase an AMBCS annual membership license ($5). Citizen Class, DH, Short Track and Observed Trials competitors do not. Licenses will be available at all registrations.

-All competitors are required to hold a valid NORBA license (annual or one day) and have it and their driver’s license or legal ID available at registration. One-day licenses for Beginners and Sport ($5) as well as annual licenses and renewals will be available at all registration sites.

-All Expert competitors must have an annual NORBA license

 Fat Tire XC Team Championship - $0 entry fee

Teams must submit roster before the event!

The Fatty Team Championship is similar to the AMBCS team cup challenge. Teams present rosters before the event. Best 6 scores comprise team championship. Up for grabs is the Fatty Team Trophy, a one of a kind piece of art engraved with each champion’s name for each year. Own if for a year and feel the power.

Current Champs - Carve / Orbea

For more info on the rules go to www.ambcs.com and click on rules for the Team Cup Challenge.

How FAT is your team?

 XC Shuttles

Because the "Race to the Lake" is a point-to-point race riders need to plan accordingly. There will be shuttles provided before and after the XC race. Racers are ultimately responsible for their own timeliness to registration and to the start line. We will do our best, but in last minute situations YOU are ultimately responsible.

Shuttle locations:

Near Race Start - The High School Parking Lot (on hwy. 62 across from the Joy Motel, approximately 1/4 from the start at Basin Park the start all downhill)  

LLCP Sports Fields -  From Eureka Springs follow 62 west for approximately 2 miles to the entrance to Lake Leatherwood City Park Sports Fields, on the right. Pull into the first park entrance for parking, shuttles and staging for event.

 XC Pre-Rides Work Days & Meetings

Several pre-rides of the XC course will take place.

RACE FREE!

SUPER FATTY TRAIL WORK STATUS

Complete 8 hours of trail work on any of the organized dates listed below and race in one discipline for free!

Sunday, June 28th

9am Lake Leatherwood Trail work / LLCP Bathhouse

2pm   Pre-ride / Basin Park

5pm   Fatty Fest volunteer meeting / Little Bread Company

Sunday, July 6th

9am Lake Leatherwood Trail work / LLCP Bathhouse

2pm   Pre-ride / Basin Park

6pm   Fatty Fest volunteer meeting / Little Bread Company

Sunday, July 13th

9am Lake Leatherwood Trail work / LLCP Bathhouse

2pm   Pre-ride / Basin Park

6pm   Fatty Fest volunteer meeting / Little Bread Company

Monday - Thursday 14 ^th-17^th

Will be working most of the week on courses and stunts. Call to find out time and location. 479-422-7654.

Friday, July 18^th  

2pm & 5pm Pre-rides / Basin Park

Saturday, July 19th

2pm Pre-ride / Basin Park

-All dates and hours will have Paydirt status.

BECAUSE THE XC COURSE UTILIZES A PIECE OF THE DOWNHILL RACE, THERE WILL BE LIMITED OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRE RIDES ON SATURDAY MORNING. THE DH COURSE IS CLOSED TO ALL TRAFFIC DURING DH COMPETITION AND PRACTICE. AN ALTERNATE TRAVEL ROUTE IS PROVIDED FOR SPECTATORS AND XC RIDERS WISHING TO PRE-RIDE THE XC COURSE. THE PORTION OF THE XC COURSE BLOCKED OFF IS ONLY .5 MILES.

XC Pre-ride, Race Start, Race Information & Course Description

The XC course is a 10-28 mile point-to-point race. Race course distances are determined by class and category. The first 3 miles is intermittent pavement and off-road city trails traveling through private and public property. Several steep climbs and fast down hills occur while still in the city. Once you reach Lake Leatherwood City Park boundary, the trail is predominately single track and old forest roads with single-track lines. The course tackles 1000-2500 feet of climbing depending on class and category. The course is best characterized by the many 1/2 mile climbs and down-hills strung together with fast long bench sections. The trail surface is a limestone & chert gravel base. When dry, the trail surface can be loose and marbly in areas, requiring a mastery of drifting.  Much of the trail still remains hard packed and fast though.  When wet the course can rear a very ugly head. All of the limestone rocks roots and clay base soils become EXTREMELY SLICK. Speeds and traction are often increased due a packed gravel base along much of the trail. These two elements can be a recipe for disaster.

The XC race starts in front of Historic Basin Park in the middle of downtown creating one of the most unique beginnings to a race in the region. The start deserves some serious attention from competitors as there are no less than 16 street/trail junctions and almost as many dirt to pavement surface transitions in the first 3 miles of the course. The narrow streets alleys and trails are lined with homes, businesses and many spectators and unaware visitors. The first 2 miles of the course are blocked to auto traffic during the race start but there are many parked cars. A motorcycle leads start groups for the first ½ mile in an attempt to get everyone’s attention. All said keep your head up for motorists and tourists.

There will be approximately 6-8 mass starts. (based on classes & distance). It is your responsibility to know who you are competing against. Mass groups will be staged and lined up in age classes to assist this. Once the course is on Lake Leatherwood City Park Property, really keep your head up. The incredible amount of elevation change and the potential for staggering heat has many cyclists blowing up in the first 3 miles. Pace yourself. As well, many lung busting climbs punctuated by big ring sections make it easy to miss and blunder corners.  The course will only be fully marked the day before the event. One week prior to the event there will be arrows placed at all junctions and prior to that there will be led pre-rides of the course. Before then you are on your own. There are many street and trail junctions so follow the description and map carefully. Once at the lake there will be laps on a circuit for Sport and Expert riders. The number of laps and miles for each category and class are listed below. Knowing this course is half the battle!

When pre-riding the course yield to traffic and keep your speeds under control. Many of the trails alleys and streets utilized for the XC race are full of pedestrian traffic and cars on a daily basis!

Course Description

In town start:

FROM BASIN PARK HEAD UP SPRING STREET through the historic shopping district. You will pass the Post Office (on the right), and make a 90% turn (still on Spring Street). Continue along Spring Street past the Palace Bath House and many street side businesses. The course takes a LEFT ON HOWELL STREET and then immediately the takes a RIGHT ON FRENCH STREET and heads steeply up. Only 300 feet up the hill take a RIGHT ON A PRIVATE DRIVEWAY (rough paved surface) next to a rock wall. Stay on the private drive as it passes between two gigantic historic homes. The alley heads up incredibly steeply for several hundred feet and pops out in a parking lot. Take a LEFT ON CRESCENT GRADE, A STREET/PARKING LOT. Once at the top, TAKE A RIGHT ON POPLAR, towards the Crescent Hotel for approximately 75 feet and TAKE A LEFT ONTO SPRING STREET and descend Spring Street steeply for ¼ mile. The course will pass Harmon Park on Spring Street and continue towards Grotto Spring, (on right). Approximately 100 feet past Grotto Spring, TAKE A LEFT ONTO A UNNAMED DOUBLE TRACK TRACE, and follow it down steeply to another unmarked dirt alley called Spring Garden. Follow it for 100 yards until it junctions with a paved road.  TAKE A LEFT ONTO THE PAVED ROAD, (POLK ST.) AND FOLLOW IT FOR 75 AND QUICKLY TAKE A RIGHT INTO HARMON PARK. Follow the dirt trace through the park and up to another tier of the park into a parking lot next to a playground. STAY RIGHT THROUGH THE GRAVEL PARKING LOT as it skirts a bluff on your left. TURN RIGHT ON FULLER STREET (dirt road). Follow it to the bottom where it meets a paved road. TURN LEFT ON GRAND STREET. After approximately 1/4 mile the road bends hard to the right. On your left is a private school (Clear Spring). Also your left just as the road begins to rise there is a trail corridor. TAKE A LEFT ON A SINGLE TRACK TRAIL CORRIDOR.  Follow this trail to the top where it empties onto a gravel driveway and intersects Pivot Rock Rd.  CROSS PIVOT ROCK ROAD. Then Follow the course through a grassy field as it begins to parallel Pivot Rock Road. After approximately 500 feet the trail enters a small stand of woods, passes through the woods and junctions with Roark Road. TAKE A LEFT ON ROARK ROAD. You will remain on Roark Road until it ends. Ignore all other turnoffs. ONCE AT THE END OF ROARK SLOW DOWN! YOU ARE ABOUT TO PASS THROUGH PRIVATE PROPERTY. YOU WILL PASS THE LAST HOUSE ON THE RIGHT (WHITE) THE FAMILY HAS GENEROUSLY GIVEN PERMISSION TO CROSS THEIR PROPERTY. THERE OFTEN ARE CHILDREN AND DOGS AT PLAY. PROCEED ALONG THE RIDGE WITH CAUTION! PASS THROUGH THE TREES ON TOP OF THE RIDGE, STAYING TO THE LEFT OF THE TREES. (DO NOT TURN LEFT). PASS TO THE RIGHT OF A WIRE BARRIER WITH A SIGN, INDICATING LAKE LEATHERWOOD PARK BOUNDARY. ONCE PAST THE BARRIER YOU ARE IN LAKE LEATHERWOOD.

Now really keep your head up! One thing to note is that the Bench Loop and the Twin Knobs Trial share the same route for some time. The course winds in and out of the two making for a very confusing set of turns. Follow the map and the instructions, not your intuition!

Follow the dirt road/trail downhill for 100 yards. TURN LEFT ON THE TWIN KNOBS TRAIL. Follow it up and down two small hills to the Bench Loop Trail. TURN RIGHT ON THE BENCH LOOP TRAIL, and follow it along an old roadbed until it junctions with the Twin Knobs Trail again. TURN LEFT ON THE BENCH LOOP/TWIN KNOBS TRAIL, and follow it along another old roadbed. Just as the trail enters a hard left hand corner, CONTINUE STRAIGHT ONTO A NEW TRAIL, (LOST RIDGE). Follow this trail over a small wooden bridge through a drainage, up a gravel bench cut climb. The course continues along a curvy bench. The course will eventually veer downhill at a cluster of rock formations and descend a dozen switch-backs and JUNCTION WITH HYDE HOLLOW TRAIL. Follow Hyde Hollow down creek until it junctions with the Twin Knobs Trail. TURN LEFT ON THE TWIN KNOBS TRAIL, and climb steeply until intersecting with the Bench Loop. TURN RIGHT ON THE BENCH LOOP TRAIL, and follow it along a contour for a while. It will join the Twin Knobs Trail yet again. (avoid the right turn down hill by the kiosk that you will descend later). TURN LEFT ONTO THE TWIN KNOBS TRAIL.

Make note of this point. The course will return to this point approximately 1 mile later and share the road for a short two-way traffic section. It will be plainly marked during the race. Failure to make the proper turns or cutting the course will result in disqualification.

Climb the Twin Knobs trail until it junctions with the Bench Loop. TURN RIGHT ON THE BENCH LOOP TRAIL, and follow it along, (duh), a bench for a while before descending into a couple of sharp steep corners. The course (and the Bench Loop) leave the road bed to the right. (If you empty onto a power line through a fence line, you have missed a turn). Follow the Bench Loop until it junctions with the double traffic section and the Twin Knobs Trail. TAKE A LEFT ONTO THE TWIN KNOBS TRAIL, and follow it down steeply to. Half way down the hill and spur trail takes off to the left. TAKE THE SPUR TRAIL TO THE LEFT, Down to the Leatherwood Trail and the Ball fields. SWING LEFT ON THE LEATHERWOOD TRAIL DOWN TO A JUNCTION WITH A PAVED TRAIL AND FOLLOW IT CLOCK WISE AROUND THE SPORTS FIELDS. The course will cross the new finish line at the Sports Fields. NOVICE CLASSES AND JUNIORS UNDER 12 WILL FINISH HERE. ALL OTHER CLASSES & CATEGORIES CONTINUE on the paved trail veering right through the parking lot and over two bridges. Just as the trail appears to be coming back around to the point at which you began the course will leave the paved trail and DESCEND LEFT DOWN A BANK AT THE END OF THE SOCCER FIELD AND CROSS LEATHERWOOD CREEK.  Continue through the Downhill finish line area and up a spur access road. This road will come to an orange gate.

ALL REMAINING CLASSES AND CATEGORIES GO THROUGH THE ORANGE GATE AND TURN LEFT ON TO A PAVED ROAD (LLCP ENTRANCE ROAD). Follow the road for 150 feet and TURN RIGHT ONTO THE MINER’S ROCK TRAIL. Follow the Miner’s Rock Trail up hill turn right off the roadbed onto another and follow it for several miles along a bench. It will eventually spend ½ mile descending to the park access road. Once at the access road TURN LEFT AND, FOLLOW THE ROAD ACROSS A BRIDGE AND TURN LEFT ONTO THE MULLADY HOLLOW TRAIL. Once off the pavement and on the Mulladay Hollow Trail, a  major split in the classes occurs.

Just 30 feet down the road the BEGINNERS & CLYDESDALES STAY LEFT AND GO UNDER THE ROAD THROUGH THE TUNNEL. Expert, Sport and Single Speed Riders continue up Mulladay Hollow. Beginners, & Clydesdales will continue down Mulladay Hollow to a field in the main park facility. (NEW!):  Continue through the field and TURN RIGHT INTO THE MEADOW AND FOLLOW THE LEATHERWOOD TRAIL TO THE SPORT FIELDS AND THE NEW FINISH LINE!

Experts take note! After ignoring the initial left here your first time through, your ensuing laps around Miner’s Rock trail will have you turning left through the tunnel & under the road.

TAKE A RIGHT ON THE NEW OVERLOOK TRAIL, and climb ½ mile up a set of 7 steep switchbacks. Continue on the bench, ignoring the first turn to your right. STAY LEFT AT THE NEXT INTERSECTION of the overlook and an unnamed spur. Continue on the bench until the trail swings hard to the right and begins to descend. Follow the roadbed ignoring a spur to your right until you reach the Beecham Trail. TURN LEFT ON THE BEECHAM TRAIL and follow it to the dam. CROSS THE DAM AND CONTINUE RIGHT AROUND THE LAKE ON THE BEECHAM TRAIL. The course follows the Beecham trail for approximately 2 miles before a junction with Hyde Hollow. STAY ON BEECHAM TRAIL. After a short climb and descent the course will meet up with the Leatherwood Trail. (NEW!):  TAKE A LEFT ON THE LEATHERWOOD TRAIL, and follow it to the Sport Field Complex and the NEW START FINISH LINE!  Experts will then negotiate the Miner’s Rock Trail for additional laps. When you come off the Miner’s Rock Trail TURN LEFT ON THE PAVED ROAD AS BEFORE, TURN LEFT AGAIN AS BEFORE AND THEN TURN LEFT THROUGH THE TUNNEL and continue down Mulladay Hollow to a field in the main park facility. Continue through the field and TURN RIGHT INTO THE MEADOW AND FOLLOW THE LEATHERWOOD TRAIL TO THE SPORT FIELDS AND THE NEW FINISH LINE!

The Expert Senior, Junior X men Master, Master II, 50+ Men, and Senior and Master Women will all make at least one extra lap around Miner’s Rock. (See below for distances and number of laps)

DISTANCES

Expert  18 miles + 3 miles for each additional lap                                           

Senior Women (19-39)*                                                          

Master Women (40+)*

Junior X Women (18 & Under)*

Junior X Men (18 & Under)*                                                    

Senior Men (19-29) Pro/Semi-Pro**                 

Master Men (30-39)**                          

Master Men II (40-49)**                        

Master Men 50+*                                             

*Indicates 1 extra lap around the Miner’s Rock Trail.

**Indicates 2 extra laps  around the Miner’s Rock Trail.

Sport   18 miles

Senior Women (19-39)

Master Women (40+)              

Junior Women (18 & Under)

Senior Men (19-29)

Master Men (30-39)     

Master Men II (40-49)   

Master Men 50+

Single Speed (All ages)

Beginner  11 miles

Senior Women (19-39)

Master Women (40+)

Senior Men (19-29)

Master Men (30-39)

Master Men II (40-49)

Master Men 50+

Clydesdales (200+ lbs All ages)                                      

Juniors

Male                                                                                                    

18 & under                               11 miles          

16 & under                               11 miles          

14 & under                               11 miles          

12 & under                               8 miles                        

10 & under                               8 miles

Female

18 & under                               11 miles

16 & under                               11 miles

14 & under                               11 miles

12 & under                               8 miles

10 & under                               8 miles

Novice                                     8 miles