Western PA MUni- Sept/Oct. Month of Mud

[unigoat]

It's racing season! Time for the 23rd Annual Month of Mud off-road series. Unis are definitely welcome. Click the link, check the schedule- hit me up for uni-specific details as our start times will differ for some of the races.

I can't stress how much fun this series is. Most of the races are in the 6-8 mile range.

There's a race the 17th of Sept. too, but it's 15mi long. I'll be there, but it's a bit long for most.

If anyone's interested in heading this way, we can find a place for you to crash- with a bit of advance notice.

[SqueakyOnion]

wow, wish I had known about this last year...just moved to Dallas from Indiana, PA. Looks like a great event!

[Archknot]

I raced in this series last year with unigoat and a couple other uni riders. It's a great series. The bikers are generally very friendly and courteous. The folks that put on the race are very accommodating to the unis. I highly recommend this series if you can make it.

[unipsyc0]

how's this compare to the race I did with you guys?

[Archknot]

It depends on the race.
Dave will have to give you comparisons on Brady's Run and Moraine I've never been. The North Park cyclocross and the Ohiopyle super D are new this year.

The North Park cross country course is really nice. There is some climbing, but they aren't as long as the last race you did with us. The technical sections aren't as scary, and the single track is a bit wider. It's very well maintained.

[unigoat]

Race breakdown:
No TT events like last year.

Unipsycho- Brady's Run is very doable. Maybe a bit more climbing than the Fat Tire Challenge, but a bit less technical. I'm not sure about what course they'll use, but it will be good.

I don't know the North Park course for sure as I'm not sure if they're going to use the TT course since it's now not. North Park is excellent riding anyway you look at it. It won't be as technical as the Fat Tire Challenge.

Cyclocross is a ton of fun. I've run my 36 at all but one cross race over the years. That race wasn't in this set. It was VERY muddy that time.

Super D is a downhill style race that cc bikes can still fair well. Should be a challenge, but a ton of fun for unis.

Moraine is really technical. Lots of rocks and roots. It will beat you up and take your lunch money, but it's a fun challenge. It's doable on a uni, but not advised.

Hope this helps. All but Moraine will be great races. We'll be in the mix a bit more than the last race, but it will be good.

[unipsyc0]

There's a pretty good chance that I'll be at at least one of these. Is preregistration necessary?

[unigoat]

Nope. All registration is on race day. We won't have prizes or cash, but it typically gets us a reduced fee. We've often been charged per wheel.

Give a heads up a couple of days before you head this way!

[unipsyc0]

I'll flip through my schedule when I get a chance and let you know.

[Archknot]

The first race of the series (Brady's Run ~6mi) is over, here is a quick report:
It was a beautiful day. At registration we were charged our usual per wheel fee. The 3 of us that raced uni started at the back of the pack and did an abbreviated prologue. There was quite a bit of climbing, especially early on. Some of the climbs were challenging due to large root steps, and there were several logs to step over but overall the course was not extremely technical. The expert bikes on their second lap caught up to me and one of the other uni riders about a third of the way through the race, which slowed us down as we gave the bikes the right of way. Course conditions were excellent and the downhills were very fun. The bikers, as usual were courteous and seemed to enjoy seeing us on the course.
The next race is a cyclocross race on October 2, and the organizers have recommended bringing the biggest wheel we have as it is all paved and grass. In the past they have been mudfests due to the rain, but extremely fun.
Details can be found at http://monthofmud.org/?p=1681