Ready for the Adventure!
2024 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo Need-to-Knows
Alpine Loop Gran Fondo Friends,
It’s amazing to be just a few days out from this great adventure. We can’t wait to welcome you and have great times together!
In this exciting lead-up, you’ve shared your personal stories with us; the fitness goals you’ve set, the challenges you’re overcoming, the health issues you’re navigating, the reasons you’re riding in honor and memory of friends and loved ones. It really is a special opportunity to give a place to honor these moments in life and provide a challenge that’s inspired you.
As fundraisers, you’ve once again rallied amazing support. Because of your dedication to this cause, the Cancer Journeys Foundation message of prostate cancer awareness and the importance of screening and early detection will reach and benefit the lives of many! To carry this message even further, please claim your free ProstateTracker account and share this important tool with others.
We want your experience at the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo to be outstanding. Need-to-know information highlights follow, below.
Ready your gear, rest up, and have safe travels.
See you soon!
Jeremiah and Erin Bishop and the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo team
Route Switch?
If you’ll make a change, please use the Entry Edit feature prior to 4PM on Thursday. After that time, route updates should be relayed to volunteers at packet pickup. Please keep in mind that we want you to enjoy your day and experience the finish line festivities. We need you to be safe and keep volunteers safe, too. Everyone should aim to finish absolutely no later than 6PM. If this means revising your route, please do.
Short Cuts
If you need to shorten your route selection on the fly, simply inform a volunteer at the rest stations and they’ll point you in the right direction. For the purposes of timing and results, those who short cut will not be adjusted into new route categories. Ex: Alpine Loop riders who detour onto Shenandoah Mountain Adventure route during the event will not be transferred into that category.
Transfer Your Entry
If you know that you will be unable to attend and you would like to transfer your registration to another rider, you can use the Transfer Entry tool. These transfers must be made prior to 4PM on Thursday.
Requests for reimbursement for non-participation for qualifying reasons should be made directly to the event insurance policy holder here: https://www.eventregistrationprotection.com/allianzregistration/home
Updates and Announcements
Any major updates or announcements will be e-mailed to all participants and posted to www.alpineloopgranfondo.com/all-posts
Route Downloads
All riders should be prepared to navigate their route. Course markings should be considered backup. Published routes are now ready for turn-by-turn use. Assume reception can be spotty. Download/save your route for offline navigation. The forecast looks amazing, but heavy rain is expected through Wednesday. After the storm, if our course team discovers any conditions that require refining a route, you will receive an e-mail and the website will be updated.
Rider Bib Numbers
By Friday, bib numbers will be published online at www.AlpineLoopGranFondo.com. All you’ll need to know at packet pickup is your name, but we know you look forward to your bib number. (You completed an event waiver when you registered. Sign-in will be simple.)
Pre-Event Health Screening
For your safety on the course, you are strongly discouraged from participating in the event if you have experienced any of the following symptoms within 48 hours of the event: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue not attributable to exercise, chest pain, muscle or body aches not attributable to exercise, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
Packet Pick-up Opportunities
Saturday, October 5, 3-6PM
Bluestone Bike & Run Patio
1570 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Sunday, October 6, 6:30-7:45AM
Turner Pavilion – Check-In / Finish Line Location
228 S. Liberty Street, Harrisonburg, Virginia
All timing chips will be distributed on Sunday morning, adjacent to packet pickup. Timing chips must be returned to the finish line. If you abandon the ride for any reason, notify finish line volunteers and return your timing chip. The replacement cost of a timing chip is $100 and will be billed by the timing company to any participant who does not return their timing chip.
Event Start: Sunday, October 6, 8:00AM (All Routes)
Start Line – Harrisonburg City Hall Parking Lot
409 S. Main Street, Harrisonburg (within sight of check-in / Finish Line)
Cancer survivors and fundraising riders are invited to lead the start. When we roll out it will be in a neutral parade with police escorts for the first couple miles. By USAC guidelines, tandems and e-bike riders will be asked to stage in the rear.
On Course Support Detailed descriptions of rest stations are available here.
Friends and Family Volunteers Helpful folks are welcome to lend a hand at the rest stations along the routes. Volunteer signups can be found here.
Come Prepared
Come prepared to fix some flats, be highly visible, carry ID, a phone, a download of your route, enough food and water to get you to your first rest station, and any highly-specific nutrition or equipment repair needs you could need along the way.
Charge your devices and electronic components.
Bring a bike that is in excellent working order.
All riders must carry at least one spare inner tube, a pump, and a multi-tool. Alpine Loop riders should bring two tubes.
Sag support is a combination of efforts among course vehicles, the safety team, rest station crews, and a few roving helpers. Sag capacity is limited and includes ferrying riders forward to keep them rolling whenever possible.
Dress for Changing Weather
Dress in layers suitable for the changing weather conditions typical of the mountains and Shenandoah Valley. The forecast calls for a brisk morning and afternoon highs in the mid 70s. Come with a wind/waterproof layer and you’ll be prepared for anything. You can drop gear at the rest stations if you are willing to wait for it to be shuttled back to town at the end of the day, but we recommend keeping it with you so you are adaptable to changing temperatures over the various elevations.
An important message about emergency communications
Ultimately, you are responsible for your safety. Carry a cell phone if possible, and note: even when your cell phone shows no reception, if there is another provider in the area, that provider is obligated to connect your 911 emergency call. In remote areas along the course, houses have landlines. Remote rest stations and some roving support vehicles will carry satellite phones. Sherriff deputies and ambulances will be stationed at critical locations on Shenandoah Mountain and have emergency radios. Sometimes going backwards on the course will be the fastest route to one of these communications options.
Medical and Safety Team
On Saturday you will receive an e-mail with event-day contact information should you need to connect with the D.I.R.T. Medical patrollers supporting the event. That number will be exclusively for on-course safety and medical issues.
Finish Line Reminders
The giant Swiss bell will be waiting for you! Give it a ring to announce your finish. Volunteers will help remove your timing chip. Claim your medal and enjoy having your picture taken at the photo booth. Your event bib will have your meal and beer tickets attached. Bring your ID and cash for additional beer. We enjoy family-style banquet tables, and you’re invited to bring a lawn chair or picnic blankets to spread out and relax in the grassy area adjacent to the finish line if you prefer.
Results
Live timing data will be available at www.AlpineLoopGranFondo.com/2024-results/
Podium Ceremonies
Here is a schedule of festival happenings, subject to adjustment based on finishers:
10:30AM
Finish Line Catering Opens
12PM Noon
Beer Garden Opens
12:15PM
Valley View Challenge
All Podium Ceremonies:
GFNS Piccolo, CJF Sprint, CJF King/Queen of the Hill
2PM
Mt Solon Metric Century
All Podium Ceremonies:
CJF Sprint, CJF King/Queen of the Hill
3:30PM
Shenandoah Mountain Adventure
All Podium Ceremonies:
GFNS Medio, CJF Sprint, CJF KOM/QOM
4:30PM
Shenandoah Mountain Century
Men Podium Ceremonies:
CJF Sprint, CJF KOM
5PM
Alpine Loop
Men Podium Ceremonies:
GFNS Gran, CJF Spring, CJF KOM
5:30PM
Shenandoah Mountain Century
Women Podium Ceremonies:
CJF Sprint, CJF QOM
6PM
Alpine Loop
Women Podium Ceremonies:
GFNS Gran , CJF Sprint, CJF QOM
6:30PM
Beer Garden Closes
7PM
Finish Line Festival Catering Closes
Visibility for Prostate Cancer Awareness Project The mission of the Cancer Journeys Foundation’s Prostate Cancer Awareness Project is to significantly increase the prostate cancer survivor rate by dramatically increasing the rate of early detection, with the objective that that no man should experiences a surprise, post-metastasis prostate cancer diagnosis. As the Presenting Sponsor of the Alpine Loop Gran Fondo, Cancer Journeys Foundation has shown its dedication to supporting events that promote awareness. The #1 way YOU can show the impact this partnership has is by signing up for a FREE ProstateTracker account, and/or sharing this opportunity with others. ProstateTracker accounts are available for free here: http://www.ProstateTracker.org
The 2024 Alpine Loop Gran Fondo is made possible with support from these outstanding partners.
