Sign-up Begins for GG5K

March 5, 2009 on 1:32 am | In Mountain Biking | 14 Comments

As a first-time GG5K participant commented after the 2008 ride – “It looked so much easier on paper.”

It’s a piece of cake to talk about stepping up your training regimen, reducing your ride time, and earning that Five Wheel decal for your shirt while you’re drinking beer at the Post-Ride Pub at 465.

In the words of Paul Norris, who will be absent from this year’s 5K because of a mysterious “work conflict” that will have him wearing lederhosen and belting out tunes on the alpenhorn in Geneva, Switzerland – “Big Talker, Betty Crocker.”

Unfortunately, reality is not far off.

The Growlers Gulch 5,000 – the first wheel in the famed 2009 Growlers Gulch Fist of Five – is slated for Saturday, May 9th. We will be covering approximately 28 miles and racking up 5K of ascent. Last year, 14 people completed the ride. We expect a bigger turnout in 2009. And no, you can’t come out “on your own” at a later date and qualify for a wheel.

Sign-up begins now. Notify me by email or leave a comment at the bottom of this post. In so far:

• Cage Aaron
• Aaron Althauser
• Chris Bannen
• Lance Brigman
• Erik Carlson
• Andy Crump
• Richard Haight
• Al Hansen
• Nick Hansen
• Uncle Darrell Jamieson
• Silent Bob Juntunen
• Rob Larsen
• D. LeMonds
• J. LeMonds
• Eric Loney
• Susan Martin
• Vaughn Martin
• Carol Mathre
• Thomas Mueller
• Dara Muldoon
• Jeff Muldoon
• Melanie Norris
• Paul Norris
• Randy Toney
• Mike Van Hoose
• Dennis Veatch
• Denise (Vernon) Livingston

You can expect a more difficult 5K in 2009. Blame this on GG5K Chairwoman Melanie Norris, who insisted we build the Jekyll & Hyde trail to increase the amount of technical single-track climbing. Toss in the fact that the descent from the top of the 313 hill will switch from screaming gravel to Silent Bob’s demanding Creation trail and you will understand why we do not expect times to be as snappy as they were in 2008.

We are still tweaking the ride route, and I will continue to provide you with details. We invite everyone to participate. However, you should be aware that this is not the Tour de Gulch. People will do their best to ride off and leave you.

Either you need to know the ride route or you need to pedal fast enough to stay on somebody’s wheel. Conditions will have a big effect on times, but you should expect to be in the saddle for 4 to 6 hours. Much longer if you are riding with Team Fajardo.

This year’s ride is shaping up as a battle between two-time defending champ Lance “HGH” Brigman, 2008 winner Bob Stanton, and Three Rivers Cycling stud Mike van Hoose.

Several others – including Ryan “the Ringer” McMaster and yet-to-be-identified members of PUMP – may also provide a challenge.

Dark horses include Rob Larsen, Dave LeMonds, Susan Martin, Denise Vernon, Eric Loney, and Al G Hansen.

Team Fajardo has applied for its annual overnight camping permit; the Post-Ride Pub at 465 will be open for business. The only thing left is for you to be able to complete the ride. It’s only a mile (of ascent). How hard can it be?

Check the list of 2008 participants, along with ride results and GG5K history at http://writeteknorthwest.com/archives/27/record-number-of-riders-completes-growlers-gulch-5000.