Trans North Georgia MTB Race

[Emily]

My friend David Muse has put together an amazing route spanning the rugged North Georgia mountains.  The route includes some of the Southeast's sweetest singletrack as well as a generous helping of steep, remote gravel roads.  I've ridden a lot of this route and it is stellar Southern Appalachian riding.
He now plans a self-supported race from the SC border to the AL border this September.   Seems likely to take 4 days if you're hauling butt, but who knows?  Come on out and see what the East Coast has to offer.
http://www.firstworks.com/tnga/

[naked indian]

emily, I want to compete, but I am not very psyched about the mobile support rule?  Self supported is self supported the mobile support rule seems kinda BAH..

[donkey]

I'm in the same boat......I love the idea of the race and am really tempted.....but the rules are sorta confusing/unnecessary. It seems like a good idea to maintain the same set of rules for all of the different races in this genre.

Still tempted though:-)

B

[Emily]

Hi guys.  Please note, I am NOT affiliated with the race in any way.  I posted the link because I thought people might be interested, and because TNGA is a very nice route that is little-known.
I agree that Muse's rules seem not only unnecessary, but not in keeping with the definition of self-supported racing.  Note also that he has amended and added rules at least once since I posted a link to his original announcement.  He's also changed the description from "self-supported" to "semi-self-supported."  As it stands now the rules seem like some hybrid between the self-support ethic and the La Ruta style.  Hewing to the aesthetics and ethics of self-supported racing as defined by the rest of us does not seem to be his concern.
I myself am not planning on racing on the agreed-upon date, but instead doing an ITT at some other time following a standard self-supported racing ethic.  
I asked David if he would email Scott Morris to add a link to TNGA maps to the Routes section of this site, but he hasn't.  I also mentioned he should post his race in the forum, but he didn't seem to want to, which is why I did.  If you are interested in the TNGA race you should contact David.

[naked indian]

Appreciate the response Emily.

Thanks.

I am pretty sure I will be there and give it a go.

thanks again

[bmike-vt]

anyone know how that trail mapping section works? way cool?
want to assemble something like that for VT...

[DaveH]

Here's where I would start:  http://code.google.com/apis/ajax/

[Chunt]

Looks like the route has finally been through-biked, self supported by the route finder/mapper/race director and two others as of late last week. This is the first reported completion of the route and is now the record to beat. Read more here ...

http://davidleemuse.blogspot.com/2010/05/tnga_22.html

Chris

[mark donaghy]

Hello All, new to the forum and would like to network for the Trans Georgia. I've been a avid follower of the AZT, CTR and of course the TD. I'm doing the Fool's Gold 100 MTB race this Aug 21 for the second time which goes through the Chattahoochee Nat Forest above Dahlonega, GA and is a great ride. Although I couldn't finish it last year because of wrist tendonitis by mile 70 and so I have unfinished business. Would like to pace myself over about 6 days to complete. NI, if you are planning on this one maybe we could chat? maybe ride up together? as I'm in Clearwater, Florida.

[naked indian]

Hello All, new to the forum and would like to network for the Trans Georgia. I've been a avid follower of the AZT, CTR and of course the TD. I'm doing the Fool's Gold 100 MTB race this Aug 21 for the second time which goes through the Chattahoochee Nat Forest above Dahlonega, GA and is a great ride. Although I couldn't finish it last year because of wrist tendonitis by mile 70 and so I have unfinished business. Would like to pace myself over about 6 days to complete. NI, if you are planning on this one maybe we could chat? maybe ride up together? as I'm in Clearwater, Florida.

Sure, shoot me an email, we can tell you our plan.

[Majcolo]

Anyone else having trouble downloading the GPX file? I keep getting an HTML document full of code.

[naked indian]

I got it. Want me to email it to u?

[Majcolo]

Please! majcolorado at gmail dot com

I can't make the race but it's looking good for a late October ITT.

[Emily]

late october? I would suggest you wear plenty of orange and study the state DNR's 2010 hunting regulations.  Much of the forest you are traveling through is heavily used for deer hunting, and hunters in the NE of the state will not be expecting to see mountain bikers on their ORV trails and remote gravel roads.  (I have no idea how much poaching takes place in Georgia, that is also something to consider)

I'd suggest trying to time it for a window of dates when deer hunting with firearms is not legal.  You should be fine during bowhunting season. 
Late fall should be a beautiful time to be on the route, with cooler temperatures and leaves turning orange.  Best of luck!!

[Majcolo]

Great point Emily, thanks! I'm going to get some route recon in over the next couple months since I am totally unfamiliar with the area, and mine the race reports for useful nuggets as well. Should make for a beautiful fall trip.

[donmeredith74]

I'm going to give this serious consideration as well... I'd like to keep in touch on planning and intel!

DM

[mtbcast]

I'm planning an interview with Dave Muse very soon. I'm sure we'll discuss the rules and he can give his ideas behind it. This route has been years in the making. Dave has put many hours into personally developing this route including talking with land owners and NFS personnel.  I can tell you that he has worked with others riding the route, planning etc.

There's a lot of good riders here in the SE but few have done any of the grand tour type routes (Ardie Olson, Matthew Lee, and Cricket Butler being among those who have) and this is really the first such route here. Perhaps over time the rules will change but I think for a first race, this might have a broader appeal, particularly for those who have never attempted this type of race. The good thing about North Georgia is, yes there are large areas of wilderness but you won't find yourself 50 miles from civilization at any given point for the most part. Maybe this went into the mindset of the rules. We shall see.

I still hope to see some familiar names come do this race, though. I would like to see how quickly it can be done.

[naked indian]

I agree wit u Joe. This go around Imma tour it. Four days or less is the goal. Next one I sol tune in and hammer it. LOL. Does this race almost have as much climbing as the CTR???

[mtbcast]

56k over 350mi. 

[Majcolo]

Don, do half the people you know call you Dandy Don after the football player?

I'm going to do a little recon on Saturday from the Alabama side to get an idea of the lay of the land. I'll post up my notes for whatever they're worth.

I suspect a Matt Lee-caliber racer will set the mark around 48 hours. I'd be happy to knock it out in 72, but only after the weather cools!