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Mountains of Misery

Are you ready to climb?

The Mountains of Misery ride takes place Sunday of Memorial Day weekend (the last weekend in May), featuring 2 routes:

• The Challenge Century, 104 miles and 10,000' of climbing

• The Double Metric Century, 200 kilometers or 125 miles, and over 13,000' of climbing.

Don't worry — or maybe, worry — both routes finish with the 5 kilometer, Category 1 climb up Salt Pond Mountain to Mountain Lake Resort, with an average grade of 11.9%, and sections up to 16%!

Click on the maps below to help you decide which route you'd rather ride:

• Challenge Century and Double Metric Century Route Map

• Challenge Century Elevation Profile

• Double Metric Century Elevation Profile

You will receive detailed maps and cue sheets with your registration packet.

Special Ride Features

The post-ride BBQ at the finish area is the perfect place to recover, refuel, and relax; and cheer on the remaining finishers.

To help ease your pain, massage therapist Bob Carter will be at the finish area, offering post-ride massages for $1/minute.

New Starting Procedure

For 2008 we'll have a new starting procedure, with 4 waves instead of 3. The first wave will be for USCF licensed racers only, or former USCF license holders. This is to ensure that everyone in the fastest group has sufficient pack riding skills, or at least has had some exposure to riding at that level. In the interest of safety, we're doing our best to group together riders of similar skill level and speed. The rest of the start will proceed as follows:

• 7:00am — USCF license holders and former license holders

• 7:10am — Century under 6.5h and Double Metric under 8.5h

• 7:15am — Century 6.5-8h and Double Metric over 8.5h

• 7:20am — Century over 8h

Remember, Mountains of Misery is not a race.

If you have a racing license, or once had a license, and you want to start in the first wave, please mark your registration form appropriately.

Important Information!

Please arrive early! Be considerate — we cannot have late arrivals driving through everyone else's start.

Please do not park on the road. Overflow parking is at the Newport Ballfield, just a quarter mile from the Rec Center, and there should be plenty of room.

Only ride finishers will receive a T-shirt!

No personal SAG vehicles are allowed.

Again, this is not a race! All traffic laws, signals, and signs must be obeyed.

Because of time considerations, there is a 4:30pm cut-off time at the Newport Recreation Center, before the final climb to Mountain Lake. No rider may proceed past this point after 4:30pm!

The finish line closes at 6:00pm. There will be no shuttle off the mountain after this. Riders who arrive after 6:00pm must find their own transportation.

You will receive detailed maps and cue sheets with your registration packet.

Every year we get questions about gearing. A few points:

• Even fit, professional racers would use a 25t gear in the back.

• If you are at all unsure of your ability to climb steep inclines for long distances, use a triple on the front. Compact doubles (34-50, etc.) are a good solution too.

• If you insist on using a double, put the biggest gear on the back that you can.

• The final climb to Mountain Lake Resort is a lot harder with 100 miles on your legs already.

Consider this fair warning!

Driving Directions

The ride starts at the Newport Recreation Center in Newport, VA, just west of Blacksburg. From Blacksburg, drive 5-8 miles on US-460 W, turn right at the VA-42 exit to Newport (past large double yellow caution signs, gas station on corner), then drive 0.8 miles to the Newport Recreation Center. Park in the field just past the Rec. Center. Additional parking is available a quarter mile further on VA-42, at the Newport ballfield and picnic area.