Dear Back Roads Century Rider:

 

Thank you for registering for the 2017 edition of the Potomac Pedalers' Back Roads Century!  We have been working for many months to make the weekend of September 16-17 a great weekend of riding and camaraderie and we are thrilled you will be part of the fun. 

 

In the next week or so you will receive your rider number and wrist band in the mail, together with detailed information about the BRC.  We have prepared a detailed Rider Guidebook with all the information you need for the weekend, including maps, times, key numbers, cue sheets, and all the details of our Saturday rides and events and other activities in Shepherdstown.  You can download the Rider Guidebook HERE.  To help you get started on planning for the BRC, however, here are some key bits of information:

• Current details about the ride can be found on the BRC web page under Ride Details.  From the Ride Details page, you can find links to the Rider Guidebook, Parking Information, Driving Directions, Ride Start Times, Rest Stop Times, and much more.  Check it all out.

• Links to Cue Sheets, GPS Files, and other details about the routes can be found HERE.  We will have some cue sheets available at the ride start, but we encourage you to bring your own cue sheet, or rely on a GPS device or the color-coded route markings on the roads.

• If you registered AFTER August 31, you will not receive your rider number or wrist band by mail.  You will need to check in at the Registration Tent in Parking Lot H before the ride to pick up your number and wristband. 

• If you misplaced your rider number and wristband or did not get them in the mail, check in at the Registration Tent in Parking Lot H.

• Parking this year will be in Parking Lot H, with spill-over parking in Parking Lot J. PLEASE DO NOT PARK IN OTHER LOTS ON SHEPHERD UNIVERSITY!  The University has kindly allowed us to use these two lots so please to not abuse their courtesy or inconvenience students, faculty, and other visitors by using other lots.

• All access to Parking Lots H or J will be from University Drive, which can be reached from Shepherd Grade Rd.  You will NOT be able to reach the lots from West Campus Dr (the main campus road) in order to avoid conflicts with departing riders.  Campus police and volunteers will be directing traffic.  PLEASE FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE SAFETY OF EVERYONE.

We have extended registration to September 14, so if you have a friend who still wants to ride, tell them to register by September 14 to get in on the fun.

As you plan your trip to Shepherdstown, make time for our Saturday rides and other activities.  We have two rides of 15 and 35 miles on Saturday that will ride in the beautiful Maryland countryside near Antietam Battlefield.  The rides include the opportunity to tour the Battlefield with historic guides.  The rides also feature a stop at the Antietam Creek Vineyard, located next to the Battlefield.  Even if you can't join a ride, stop by the Vineyards for an after-ride party featuring music and the vineyard.  Details on the Saturday rides can be found here .

 

We are also having a party Saturday night at the Town Run Tavern in Shepherdstown.  Registration for the buffet dinner has closed, but stop by after dining at one of Shepherdstown's great restaurants and join us for music, drinks, and plain fun with your fellow riders (and the Tavern's game room).

 

Finally, I want to acknowledge the dozens and dozens of people who have helped make this weekend the great event it is.  You will see the Potomac Pedalers volunteers at registration, at rest stops, at the party, and acting as ride marshals on the route.  You will also see dozens of members of community groups staffing the rest stops, and a large number of folks driving the SAG vehicles and managing communications.  A number of regional bike shops have volunteered their time to provide mechanical support at the ride start and at rest stops.  Finally, dozens more Potomac Pedalers spent many hours marking and sweeping the roads to make the ride easy and safe for everyone.  As you see the volunteers throughout the day, give them a smile and thanks!

 

Thank you again for registering and we can't wait to see you in Shepherdstown!

Eric Pilsk

Vice-Chair of the Century