The 45 mile Pine Cone Frolic will be the only course to allow EBikes.  This is a non-competitive class and will be incorporated into the Pine Cone Frolic (same rules, same start time, same course, etc). Read below for all information.

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The Pine Cone Frolic: This is the shortest ride in our Pine Island race and is a great place to start if you are new to gravel endurance riding/racing. 

This ride is all about the fun and challenge of just finishing, and is intended to be a non-competitive ride. In this distance we give you much more time to finish the ride, with a generous 5mph average (due to the amount of climbing) needed to make the first aid station. This route may be our shortest in distance, but be aware that it is a challenging 45 mile, single-loop course that consists of 3,800 ft of climbing and will be a challenge no matter your fitness level.  The 5 mile lead out, and last 13 miles down Spearfish Canyon are the only pavement on the course. 

 

Race start: Spearfish City Park at 7:00 am. The start is a 4 mile, neutral roll-out, with an escort out of town.  

The course is on open roads and it is the riders responsibility to ride according to the rules of the road.  If you fail to do so you are putting yourself at a high risk of a collision with a vehicle.  Many of the roads are narrow with no shoulders and blind corners!  Logging trucks, farm trucks, ATV's and cars travel rapidly on these roads, and if they come around a corner and you are in their lane, you could get seriously injured.  Stay on the right side of the road, and be very careful in blind corners, and when cresting hills!!

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Aid Station mile 20:  Cut-off time is 11am, which will require an average speed of about 5 mph to reach. This cut-off time is for rider safety, respect for our volunteers, and will need to be respected and obeyed by every participant.  If riders fail to make this cut-off time they will not be allowed to continue on in the race and must call their support person to come and get them. There is cell service at the top of the climb before the aid station, so make sure to call your support person before dropping down to the aid station.  There will be water, Heed Sports Drink, and food items provided for riders.

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​Support Crew: It is mandatory that all riders have a support crew for the event.  Your support crew is there to come and get you off the course should you break down, get injured, or just need a ride back to the finish area.  Your support crew can be another rider as long as you both understand that you may have to wait at a bail out spot for the other rider to finish, before he can come to rescue you. We do not provide riders with transportation.  It is your support crews responsibility to make sure you are accounted for at the end of the day!  We will have someone sagging each distance, but if you make a wrong turn and the support misses you, we won't know that you are still out there!   Your support crew will not be allowed out on course unless they are picking you up, but are allowed to meet you at the aid station to check on your well being and make sure you can continue on.  Please have support person park alongside the road before the aid station so they are not on the course.

Tripple R: If you do not have a support person you may purchase Tripple R aka Ridge Rider Rescue when you register on bikereg.com for $30. This service will act as your support person and will give you a ride back to the start should you not make the cut-off times or need to abandon the race for any reason.

Remember: Your support person is not allowed to drive the course!  We don't want a bunch of vehicles out there kicking up dust and interfering with other riders.  Your support person is only allowed to meet you at the Aid station on Iron Creek Lake/Beaver creek road.  This is a good spot for them to check up on you and make sure you are good to continue your ride!  Support crew should drive up Tinton Road to Iron Creek Lake road to the aid station to avoid being on the course.

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Navigation: This is a partially marked course but riders should not rely solely on course markers as these can be removed by people animals or wind!  Participants should also use the supplied cue sheets, along with their own personal cycling computer, or a GPX, and the map to navigate the course.  We suggest using all 3 in the case you should lose your cue sheets or have a garmin/ technical malfunction! You need to print off your own Cue sheets and map, and bring them to the race with you.  In all, Participants are solely responsible for their personal well-being, will have to make their own informed decisions, and suffer the consequences of those decisions . 

 

Prize guidelines:

• Finishers Patch will be awarded to anyone who makes it to the aid station before the cut-off time, and crosses the finish line.

• Many prizes will be given out, by random drawing after the awards ceremony at 4:30pm!

 

These races will happen, regardless of rain, sleet, snow or whatever mother nature decides to throw at us.  So be prepared!  Check the local weather forecast for the day and dress accordingly.  June in South Dakota is a very beautiful, but sometimes wet month, so be prepared to bring your rain gear if needed!  Remember , there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad gear choice!

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