4 Hours of le glad
Benefit for steve cassiday
(Formerly known as the Gladwin Cancer Claimer Relay)
The 5th Annual Relay at the Gladwin County Recreation Area
Sunday, October 10th, 2021.
Registration: begins at 10:30
Riders meeting: 11:40
Green flag drops: 12:00
Checkered flag: 4:00
Awards Ceremony follows directly.
REGISTRATION:
New and improved registration this year! The official registration form can be found HERE. $25 per rider.
For live updates and more fun stuff, click HERE for the Facebook event site.
DESCRIPTION:
Fundraising: 5 years ago a small group of us just wanted to do something to help out. We were inspired by loved ones, co-workers, friends, that were battling a serious disease, and wanted to find some way to provide some support. As the event has grown, we’ve been able to concentrate our focus on local individuals that are facing extraordinary challenges as a result of serious illness. We help from the Seebeck Family Fund and the venue that they manage, all of the proceeds will benefit Steve Cassiday and his family. Steve is battling Wegener’s Disease, which is an auto-immune disease that causes severe damage to the nose, sinuses, lungs, hearing and facial nerves. Steve has a beautiful young family.
Claimer: THIS IS NOT A TRUE CLAIMER RACE. In fact, it’s not even in the title anymore. But it is in line with the spirit of the event. (A ‘claimer’ is a race, typically from the motor world, in which the vehicle type is neutralized by a cost maximum. At the finish, anyone behind you has the opportunity to buy your vehicle on the cheap.) We are NOT doing this. But in a claimer, the goal is to have fun on a junker and not make the accessibility of the event costly on the equipment side. We want your money going directly to charity, not upgrading your equipment for this. Ride whatever you already have or can scrounge up from your uncle’s barn. It doesn’t matter. Ride fast, ride slow, it doesn’t matter. We promise it will be fun.
Relay: One person per team on the course at a time.
In short, it’s a team relay on mountain bike trails. The intent is to have fun racking up as many laps as possible. If you’re trying too hard to win, you’re not doing it right.
Do you need a mountain bike? No. But the course is entirely off road and a mountain bike should be your first choice. The goal is to have fun so any bike will work. In past years we had adults on kid’s bikes, kids on adult bikes, tandems, suburban cruisers, etc.
TEAM CLASSIFICATIONS:
The rules are wildly and widely opened from previous years so there are no classifications. We will use handicap penalties to even the field. A lap is about 15 minutes, which makes a 4 person team an ideal size. Last year we had several 1 person teams, or you could have several people on your team if you feel like sitting around most of the day.
CLAIMING and HANDICAP RULES:
$75 equipment guideline, again this is NOT a claimer race. The first annual was a claimer, but now we just want to keep the focus on the FUNDraising and the FUN raising, by encouraging people to use whatever bicycle they have. If you happen to be a serious rider with top notch gear, the organizers may decide to equalize your advantage.
When your team shows up, we will look at the total value of your equipment and (probably very unfairly) assess you some penalty laps.
Examples:
2-person team, sharing one bike that’s worth about $75 = zero penalty laps.
4-person team, (2 adults, 2 kids) sharing a large $50 bike and a small $25 bike = zero penalty laps.
Several young kids on a team, several bikes, we don’t care the cost = zero penalty laps.
1-person team, spandex, clipless pedals, energy gels, a $2000 bike = a bazillion penalty laps.
Creative costumes, themes, particularly out of place bicycles will gain you grace with the judges.
We won’t alter your bike other than to affix a number plate.
THE COURSE:
About 2.5 miles. Due to the location to the lodge, the grounds and start/finish area are no more than 1000 feet from the furthest point on the trail with a gravel road right down the center. A good portion of the course might be within line of sight.
SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Younglings are allowed to ride on a team. The short course is not super technical and a parent may ride with the kid but it will not count as two laps. We welcome volunteers on the course to help chaperone so let one of the “officials” know and we’ll make sure everyone stays safe.
Other considerations will be given for teams of children or riders with special needs that will exempt them from penalty laps as necessary for them to be able to participate and be competitive.
ENTRY FEES:
Each team registration is $25 per person.
Pre-entries and donations are strongly encouraged. In past years we had teams that couldn’t afford the total fee, and others who donated hundreds of dollars more than their calculated fee. We will work around all of this. Just come ride, volunteer, have fun, or support, we don’t care.
The total cost per team puts the individual cost cheaper than a lot of other mountain biking events. No parking fees or other hidden costs. Outside of insurance and the hall rental, everything else goes directly to Steve Cassiday. We charge no administrative costs. We don’t compensate ourselves.
AWARDS:
Awards given for sportsmanship, costumes, and fun-factor. We will probably mention the lap leader.
GENERAL RULES:
Rider changes may only happen in the designated area.
It is the responsibility of the team to report their lap to the lap counter. The lap counters do a fantastic job, but they are volunteers, and they are human. The participants should confirm that the lap counter recorded their lap.
Helmets are required.
Zero tolerance rules – Immediate disqualification:
· Compromising the safety of other teams
· Not following the intended course
· Intentionally falsifying lap counts
· Disregarding or disrespecting a ruling of the judges
RACING RULES:
· A registered bicycle must complete a lap with a number plate affixed with a registered rider for the lap to be scored. Young kids may be exempt.
· Penalty laps and handicap laps will be assessed by the judges at will.
· Contributing to the cause may reduce your penalty laps.
· Being cool may reduce your penalty laps.
· There will be a penalty wheel.
Penalty Examples:
· Remove and reassemble your rear wheel
· Judge takes one lap on your bike at his pace
· Gift one of your laps to a competitor of your choice
· One lap wearing a Sasquatch costume
RIDER REQUIREMENTS:
No whining allowed.
Rider portability; you may ride on more than one registered team for an additional $20.
VENUE:
Gladwin County Recreation Area.
1365 Shaw Rd. or Pratt Lake Road
Gladwin, MI 48624
http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/gladwin-county-recreation-area.html
https://www.facebook.com/Gladwin-County-Recreation-Area-211126683902/
FACILITIES:
Overnight camping, socializing, BBQing, is allowed and encouraged.
We will have use of the lodge facilities, shelter, free parking, bathrooms, etc.
Many participants find it convenient to bring lawn chairs, easy up tents, coolers, etc…