Beginner Friendly?

[rookie]

Curious to hear from any beginners from previous 24HOGG years specifically but will welcome ANY comments.
Is the course rideable for the average rider? I'm concerned about going too slow and getting in the way of the fast expert guys. Other than the 1st lap, how crowded does it get out there?
Trying to relax but so far I'm stressing a bit about this race.

[RACEacidotic]

No worries about "slowing up" the faster folks. Pro's & Joe's alike realize that events like this are only possible with the interest and support of riders of all abilities. In my three years at the Glen I've never had an issue with faster riders. It's a really long race and generally everyone is very pleasant and will either call out their intended pass line (ie. "On your right.") or they will graciously yield to let you go by if you're riding a little stronger. I typically find that good trail karma comes back in spades. As far as traffic goes, after the first few laps things get pretty spread out and you may ride alone for short stretches. Best of luck. We'll see you there.

Chris J. Dunn
acidotic RACING, LLC
Strafford, NEW HAMPSHIRE
http://www.acidoticRACING.com
http://www.RACEacidotic2.blogspot.com

[cyclescotty]

No need to stress out, it's all for fun! I agree with Chris, no need to worry about slowing other riders up. I've passed a lot of people and been passed by a lot of people, and feel things have been more than curteous in both directions. Most people realize that at the core, it's about having fun with other people that are just as nutty as they are. As a result, things are pretty friendly and positive, on and off course.

I've never actually gone out for lap one, but things get thinned out pretty quickly. I've definitely had some lonely moments in the middle of the night where I wondered if I was the only one still on course.

When conditions are good to very dry, the course is 100% rideable. I can think of one tricky outcrop of roots that can give some trouble. When the course is wet, well, things can be a little more tricky. When it is soaked (like last year), plan on some good bits of running, cyclocross style.

[danodrum]

Don't worry about it, the "experts will find a way to pass you or just wait a minute if your in a section where they can't pass you. I also have found that the experts/elites find interesting ways to pass, they are experts of course. A good deal of the race is on carriage roads so it is very easy to pass people on these sections. I agree with everything the above posters said. Don't worry, relax, and don't forget to have fun. Good Luck.

[sven]

Come on up and you'll have a ball! I would agree that that first couple of laps can be a little hectic, but then it spreads out pretty fast. The faster riders know that if they want to make a pass it is up to them to let you know that they are coming and to call out where they are going to make the pass. That being said, if you are struggling on a section and know there are riders coming up behind and you can pull off to make it easier for them to get by then that would be a good thing to do.

The nice thing on this course is that there aren't any real long sections that offer no passing, so people tend to be pretty patient as they know they can make a pass in just a short bit.

Have fun and enjoy!

[rookie]

Awesome! Can't wait to get out there and have some fun.
This rookie is ready to ride!