Joe Cosley Pancake Ride v.2.0 // Tour of the Tarot Cards // September 1-2, 2018. Riders Participant Packet Keeping Things Simple The JCPR an endurance, adventure bicycling ride, The route changes each year, exploring the best backcountry dirt paths of North West Montana. The route utilizes forest service dirt roads, single track and a bit of necessary pavement on each end creating single loop through the Salish Mountain Range in Northwest Montana, based out of the Whitefish Bike Retreat in Whitefish, Montana. Each rider is responsible for themselves. The route primarily travels through remote areas of the Flathead National Forest, Kootenia N.F. and the Lolo N.F. It s an adventure race/ride. There is little cell service, no convenience stores, or established habitation for 95% of the course. If you sign up for this ride, you need to understand that you are responsible for your own well being physically and mentally. Event Registration Pre registration is required and is open until August 21, 2018. Registration fee is $50.00. Participant numbers are limited to 60 (both distance options combined). Registration will close once this limit is reached. You will also be required to sign a release waiver at the mandatory pre ride/race meeting. Registration information is available on the website. If for some reason you miss the registration deadline, send an email and we can see if something can be worked out. There will be a participant sign in at the Whitefish Bike Retreat between the times of 4:00-5:30PM, with a short briefing at 6PM. You don t have to show up at 4, but you need to show up with enough time to pick your number up, sign a release waiver and be present for the mandatory briefing at 6PM. No exceptions, don t show for the briefing, you are not part of the JCPR. Giving Back Upon completing registration you will receive a notification with information on donating a few bucks to a local non-profit. The monies
raised will go to support the Flathead Youth Homes in Kalispell (Flathead Valley) in memory of Ben Parsons. You can read more about Ben on the website. It is entirely up to you if you want to raise funds for the Flathead Youth Homes, it s not required. I would think though, that with the ride only costing you 50 bucks and your are riding a bike that most likely has a price tag in excess of a few thousand dollars, you could drum up a few extra dollars for a worthy cause. If you don t, expect a little chiding come race day and being shot with a fluorescent green paint balls. Hosting Sponsor The Whitefish Bike Retreat - http://www.whitefishbikeretreat.com/ This will be home base for the Joe Cosley Pancake Ride. Check out the website for a full run down of the facilities and services they offer. It is suggested that you use the lodging, camping facilities for the weekends events at the retreat. Wake up and ride, drink beer when you finish the ride, no driving needed and take a hot shower after you finish while sipping a cold one. If you are participating the JCPR and are from out of town, they offer airport pickup/shuttles, you can ship your bike to the retreat and much more. If you are not staying at the WBR, hot showers are available for $5.00 after the ride. Course Description - Tour of the Tarot Cards - 175 Miles Start will be at 12AM Sunday September 2. The route will travel improved dirt roads, suitable for two wheel drive vehicles, also a bit of pavement. You will travel south from the Whitefish Bike Retreat, through the Salish Mountain Range, reaching Mrion and then swinging an u-turn and heading back. Its a loop route.
It's a rolling affair with some longer ascents and desents, 8-12 miles, with moderate grades from 3-6%, with some short sections up to 9%. If you participated in 2017, this years ride a bit longer, but doesn t have as much climbing and descending, so the pedaling is a bit easier and average speeds should be faster also. The entire route will be available to all participants, formats will include tcx. file, gpx. file, cue cards with milage/turn by turn directions with road names. It is up to each individual to possess the skill and technical knowledge use the provided course information to follow the JCPR route. I will post several blog post from recon rides of the course, this will give you a good idea on what to expect. Gearing for the 2018 Edition? 46/54X11-22 JUST KIDDING. You will have to do your own research. Is there a time limit on finishing the ride? Technically yes, but no. Official time limit is 18 hours. Though, I ll wait around with a beer in hand when you cross the finish. Twilight 6:22, Sunrise 6:55am, Sunset is at 8:18pm, Twilight 8:50pm so that's roughly 13 hours and 23 minutes of direct sunlight. In order to finish in 18:00 hours, you need to average 10mph. Please be realistic with your fitness level and ability to ensure you can complete the course. Wildlife Safety Considerations You could be attacked by a rampant Golden Mantled Chipmunk, but that is unlikely. However there are several large types of mammals that call the Whitefish Range home, and you should be prepared if you have an encounter with one of them. Please visit the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks website to learn more - http://fwp.mt.gov/recreation/safety/ wildlife/ It is also recommended that you carry - https:// www.counterassault.com/bear-spray/ and keep it accessible at all times. Be prepared. Head phones you ask?
Whattttt? I ll say, just leave them at home. Normally I could care less on your own personal decisions, but regarding headphones? Leave them at home. If I see you wearing them during the ride, your out, period!!!!! This means if you have them in your ears, dangling around your neck... There have been several incidents with outdoor recreationalist wearing head phones and wild life encounters. There has also been one notable cyclist/wildlife encounter in the last year that resulted in a tragic outcome (not headphone related, but..we don t need to give others an excuse to make an example out of us (cyclist and outdoor recreation users in general)... Don't become a statistic, please be aware of your surrounding. If you like listening to some tunes while you spin along, consider a wireless/bluetooth device, such as an OT Buckshot. Just one more time, NO HEADPHONES or you find yourself on a self supported bike tour in the Salish Mountain Range. Bike and Tire Choice Bike choice is up to you! We are allowing mountain bikes, cyclocross bikes, 29"ers, and road bikes. Just be aware that some research is going to have to go into your final bike choice. This years route is definitely a drop bar course, I'd also go with a 34c tire or larger, that will give you the best chance of staying inflated. Aid Stations and Mechanical Support Each rider is responsible to check in and out of each aid station. This will help us keep track of participants. If you fail to check in and out, it will result in an automatic DQ. There are two aid station on the route for both distances, miles 60 and 105. The second aid station is a convenience store and it closes at 9PM At the aid station you have the opportunity of a drop box with fueling supplies. You will be limited to a shoe box no larger than 13"X8"X6". Drop boxes are not meant to include a change of socks, shorts and what not, just some nutritional items to resupply with. No suit cases, no duffle bags, no gym bags, no card board boxes, needs to be shoe box with a lid. Aid stations are not a drop off for items, finish with what you started with.
There is no mechanical support roaming the course, so be prepared to take care of any mechanicals and bring several tubes just in case. Potable Water The only potable water you will have available will be at the start, aid stations and in Hot Springs. There are numerous streams, creeks and springs on the route. Come prepared to be able to treat water if you choose to do so. A Steripen device works well for this type of ride, but what device you choose to purify water is up to you. There are lots of water sources along the course, so fill up often and don t wait till you are empty. I ll list out some water sources In a future blog post. Retrieval Insurance If you are really cooked and/or have a unrepairable mechanical and want a ride back to the Whitefish Bike Retreat, there will be an option discussed at the pre ride meeting. There will be a retrieval fee. Won t be free, but could be worth every penny spent. If you also have a friend, spouse that is willing to come to your rescue, that is fine also. I d stash a rolled up Benjamin somewhere in your stuff. JCPR Awards Categories as follows: Open Woman's Open Men's Single Speed/Fixed Gear A spread sheet of finishers will be posted on the web and social media sites. Just so everybody can have a look. Event Swag We have kept the entry fee at a reasonable amount, $50.00. The JCPR donation is to cover direct cost of the ride, no body is pocketing and cash.
Just so you know where your entry fees are going: Montana State Lands - Permit fees US Forest Service - Permit fees Weyerhaeuser Wood Products - Permit Fees Web Site - Developer and Hosting United States Association of Cycling - Insurance/Liability Premiums Beer Food Race Numbers There s more... Event Rules Not to keen on this stuff, but,... The EVENT SPONSORS,ORGANIZERS, PROMOTERS, STAFF and anyone having anything to do with the Joe Cosley Pancake Ride - Tour of the Tarot Cards ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR SAFETY OR WELL BEING. We cannot stress this strongly enough... YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF! Each participant is considered to be on a private excursion and remains solely responsible for any accidents in which he or she may be involved. No responsibility can be accepted for participants becoming lost, stranded, injured... or worse. Participants will be responsible for printing their own set of course maps and/or cue sheets, and downloading and uploading tcx and gpx files to their gps units prior to the event. These documents will be the rider s primary means of navigation. Final route information will be sent out at least 2 weeks prior to the event date. Outside support is not allowed. This includes, but is not limited to assistance with navigation,supplies, and lighting. The only exceptions to this are outlined in Rules 5, and 6 below. Participants may help other participants with mechanical support, navigational assistance, or by any other means.
Participants may stock up on food, water, and other supplies at stores and businesses along the route.participants may also receive neutral assistance from residents along the route. Neutral is defined as support that is freely offered equally to ALL event participants, and is done so from a stationary, non-moveable location. In other words, it is OK to stop at a farmhouse and fill up a water bottle from a garden hose. It's OK to receivea can of soda from a resident sitting in a lawn chair in their front yard with a cooler full of cold drinks. It is NOT OK to receive a hand up from a vehicle that just happens to be at the side of the road. Folks this rule is really quite simple. Please don t make it something it is not. Support Crews both physical and mental are NOT allowed on course, except to pick up a rider who is abandoning the event. If a support crew vehicle is spotted on course for any other reason, their rider will be disqualified. Providing support to a rider while on course goes against the self- sufficiency spirit of this event. It is unfair to other participants, and therefore will not be allowed. The primary route must be followed at all times. No shortcuts or alternate routes are permitted. The course may be altered by the promoters in the event of Inclement weather, or other unforeseeable circumstance.should this occur, participants will be sufficiently advised. Bicycles must be equipped with two (front and rear)fully-functional hand operated brakes. Coaster style brakes do not satisfy this requirement. Fixed-Gear bikes are not exempt from this requirement. Safety first, and don t ask for an exemption. You are completely on your own. Use your head. Watch for and yield to traffic. All roads are open to public traffic. Riders must wear an ANSI or Snell approved helmet, must obey city, county and state laws and Rules of the Road, and conduct themselves in a manner that will not bring discredit to the event. Almost kept that under 10 RULES, don t make me add anymore. Safety and Supplies
Northwest Montana can be a fickle child, even in late July. It could be 95*, it could snow, you could ride in a lightning/thunder storm all day, you just never know. So, come prepared and know how to use what you bring with you. Your cell phone will work in some spots and not so in others. It will work when you are on the ridge lines, mountain tops, but for the majority of the course you will NOT have cell service. For this reason you should carry some type of personal rescue/beacon device, this could be a SPOT, a Garmin InReach. You need to be able to contact 911 in the case of an emergency. Besides loading the course gpx file into your device it is advisable to carry a paper map. The map for this years edition is the TBD map. Below you will find a couple list of what you should carry and what is suggested. What you should carry: Headlight and Taillight (mandatory for the 2018 version). Cycling computer. GPS device able to upload a tcx/gpx file for navigation. Paper Map. Personal communication device, SPOT, InReach... Cell phone(there is very limited service along the route). Cash, Credit Card Personal I.D. Things that are suggested: First aid kit. Chain lube. Emergency blanket. Spare tubes. A good pump.
Multi tool, tire levers, puncture repair kit... Clothing to adequately keep you warm and dry in adverse weather conditions. Tire plugs. Chain splitter. Lightweight waterproof/windproof top. Extra thermal layer. Matches/lighter. Water bottles/bladder, enough to carry 2-3 liters of water. Water purifying device. Local Help in Whitefish If you are attending from out of town and staying in the City of Whitefish and you need bike help, there are several shops that you can visit.