Weather – could we have a better forecast?

As it stands right now, the weather forecast for the weekend is perfect at 19C with variable clouds. That should be enough to convince the last minute riders to get on board!  Register now and reserve your spot!

Draper’s Restaurant Special

I was speaking with Rachel Draper tonight, and she has let me know that they are going to have a Lost in the Rocks and Trees special on Friday night. Drop by for Lasagna with Ceaser Salad, Garlic Bread and desert for $9.95. Draper’s makes a great meal, and they have home baking to take care of your sweet tooth!  The restaurant is on Hwy 17 across from the Beer Store in Mattawa.

The Final Countdown!

Well, we’re in the last week.

Overall, I would guess that the course is going to be in pretty good shape for the race. There has been some rain in the last little while, but the next week is forecast to be pretty dry. The long range is calling for a bit of rain on Wed and Thurs, but they are saying small amounts. Of course, how much can you count on a weather forecast more than 12 hours out??? They are even saying cloudy and 18C, to me that’s perfect weather for an endurance event!

T-shirts….

The final deadline for registration to be assured the size of t-shirt you need is 9 am Monday July 13. Please get your registrations in TODAY, it will make my life easier and help you at the same time!

Thanks
Nick

Late Registrations

Registrations have really fallen off since July 1. If you are thinking about entering, please don’t wait. Any registrations after 12 noon on Friday July 10, 2009 are NOT guaranteed to get a t-shirt!!!! The final t-shirt order is going in on Friday, and although I will order a few extras, if there is a rush of registrations on the last week it will mean that people get shirts that do not fit, or do not get a shirt at all.

Late registrations also make it very difficult for me to gauge food for the BBQ.

So………PLEASE, if you are going to register, do it now!

Thanks

Nick

Race Day Schedule and General Info

1) Race Start Times – The 100+ km group will start at 9 am, the 50+ km group will start at 10 am.

2) Staging Area – The race will start and finish from the Mattawa Arena. There are plenty of parking spaces, washroom facilities (and showers for post race), bike wash and easy access to all the amenities of Mattawa. (map for directions)

3) Post race BBQ (free for all participants) will once again be catered by Draper’s Restaurant. Please support Draper’s for pre and post event meals while you are in Mattawa – Rachel Draper is a real lifesaver and the food is good homestyle cooking along with fresh homemade baked goods! (on Hwy 17 across from the Beer Store)

4) People looking for accommodations can contact Champlain Provincial Park for camping or the Canadian Ecology Centre (located in Champlain Park) for cabin rentals. There are many hotels in and around Mattawa, and North Bay is approx 40 mins from town. If you are the “Bed and Breakfast” type, try calling Grey’s Log House Bed and Breakfast at 705-495-2389. It is located in North Bay – If you are speaking with Heather, please tell her that Nick Green sent you.

5) As of today (July 6, 2009) registrations can be taken at  Cor Maximus in North Bay (www.cormaximus.com, Map for directions). Number plates  and t-shirts will not be given out until the morning of the race, in order to help us keep track of who is actually on the course. Please note, if you want to register at Cor Maximus, only cash or cheque will be accepted (preferrably cash!!)

6) Registration will be available on Friday afternoon at Cor Maximus (until 6 pm). This year there will be no registration on Friday in Mattawa, but you will be able to register the morning of the race at the Mattawa arena.  If you know of anyone interested, please pass the word. People that registering in person (not using Paypal) will need to have exact change or cheque only. No credit cards will be accepted at Cor Maximus or on race day.

7) Please remember that this is essentially an unsupported race. You must plan on having basic food supplies with you. There will be water stations, but plan on having at least a 2L Camelback or equivalent. Christian from North Riders and Dan/Steph from Momentum Bikes and Boards will be on the course to assist with mechanical issues, but you should plan on carrying a pump/tube and basic tools. The course is rough, and will wear hard on brakes etc, so be sure your bike is in tip top shape before arriving. On wet years, riders wear out new sets of brake pads (both disc and rim) during the event, so don’t show up with mostly worn out brakes!

Thank you to all of our sponsors!! Please support them in any way you can.

I’m sure I have forgotten something. Feel free to email any questions. (nick@lostintherocks.com)
Cheers
Nick

Online ordering issues.

Here we are, two weeks before the race and I was required to do a major upgrade to the online registration process. Everything SHOULD work as smoothly as before, but if you have any problems please send me an email at nick@lostintherocks.com.

Late registration will be available on Friday July 17th at Cor Maximus or at the arena in Mattawa on the morning of the race. Due to low turn-out at the registration the night before the race, we will not be doing registrations on Friday in Mattawa.

Jamis and Lost in the Rocks…the perfect match!

Just got off the phone with Barry from Cheapskates, and we are excited to announce that Jamis has just came on board as our official bike sponsor. So…what does that mean!?!?!

We will be raffling off a Jamis Excile Single Speed on race day!!!

This bike is a beautiful machine and will make someone VERY happy.

Thanks to Barry at Cheapskates and the guys at JAMIS for their support (now please support them in return!!!)

Nick

First Aid

This year we are happy to welcome the Canadian Career College paramedic students, under the guidence of Mr. Dan O’hare as our primary suppliers of on-the-course first aid. Be sure to thank these guys/girls as you fly by them on your bike!

North Bay Cycle and Sports just chipped in a couple of ATV’s (for the paramedic students to get around on). PLEASE support our sponsors in any way you can. Without them this race would not take place.

Thanks to the sponsors, and the riders who support the sponsors!

Race Planning…

Lots of updating for today.

We’ve got ATV’s and a Honda MUV for first aid!  (Ed will have fun on the MUV!)

Addidas has kicked in some ‘swag’.

Fri Ecological is throwing us a ‘as of yet undisclosed’ prize (which I am confident will be great!)

Of course the Bike Sponsors are helping out with prizes. We MAY have an exciting “Grand” prize from one of the shops – which we should hear about in the next day or two.

If you would like to donate a prize, please contact us! As a race organizer, that is about the only part of this job that I find difficult – asking for sponsorships!

Nick