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Sean Rich (@sycle_rich17) is another rider coming to the Mountaineer Monster 275 after riding our sister race, @endlessgravel_pa. Sean used public transit and rode extra miles to get to and from Endless Mountains, and for the Monster, “I’m bikepacking from home to the start of the event. 🚲🌲✨”  “Be patient. Be steady. Don’t let the size of the mountain overwhelm me. I’ve done the mental work. I’ve done the physical work. Now I simply stretch the rubber band, one mile at a time. Stay present, enjoy the road, take in the scenery, and keep moving forward. I don’t have to conquer the whole race today—I only have to keep working my way toward the end. Enjoy the race. Trust my preparation. Stay steady.” Happy trails, Sean! Photo by @dennypry
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Fresh off a finish of the @endlessgravel_pa 250, Ed Bridge (@bridge_kaldro_music) is ready to tackle the Mountaineer Monster 275, but this time, with a friend, Phil Rice (@ricewoods). The two are riding as a pair, under the team name “Grumpy Old Men”. Ed is riding his brand new Trek Supercaliber. “This will be my first time using a mountain bike for Bikepacking. I’m looking forward to it.” Happy Trails, Ed! You’re in good hands with Phil.
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Last Call for Rental Trackers! Tomorrow, 10/11, is the last day to register for the Mountaineer Monster Grand Depart with a rental tracker from @followmychallengeusa If you have your own tracker, you can still register until 10/17 A few more reminders👇 Camping at Chestnut Ridge Park If you’re planning to tent camp before or after the race, make sure you reserve your campsite ahead of time or reach out in the group chat and see if anyone is open to sharing a site that’s already booked. There are also cabins available for rent. If you’d like to car camp in your vehicle at the start/finish, please DM us. Pre-race Dinner Tickets - please purchase in advance Friday night, 10/23, we’d love to have you join us for a social dinner for riders, family, and friends of the Mountaineer Monster Grand Depart. We will have a catered meal at the Chestnut Ridge Park Dining Hall at 6:30 PM. This will be a great chance to meet other riders participating in the Grand Depart. Join the WhatsApp Group Official communication about the route and vital event updates during the Grand Depart to riders will be done by Race Director @dplandis in the Mountaineer Monster WhatsApp Group Chat. If you need to communicate updates on your ride (emergencies or notification of scratching), use this method of communication as well. Virtual Q&A is on 10/14 @ 7pm. The meeting will be recorded and made available ASAP after the event on the V2V youtube channel. Media Survey  Please fill out the Media Survey as soon as you can. It helps us better tell the story of the race on social media and make a preliminary plan for when to expect riders at the finish line. This is also how you can get featured in Riders and Rigs on our IG, which will start next week. Links to all of the above are included in our most recent race email and the Rider Packet. Photos by @dennypry
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The Mountaineer Monster 465 - this is the big one! It takes all the highlights of the Mountaineer Gravel Network and jams them into one gorgeous but challenging route. The 465 builds off of the MM275, adding a nearly 200-mile loop down into Barbour County, up to Grafton, and back to Cannon Hill. For many, the miles down in Barbour County are the highlight, as long as they find the creek crossings of Hanging Run Road to be shallow. There’s also @belingtonbakery, which was a highlight of current FKT-holder @jesse_bicyclestation’s ride last year. He got to Belington late at night and sheltered at the owner’s house, before accompanying her to the bakery the next morning while she prepared bagels and he warmed up with a fresh cup of coffee.  Grafton is a spooky treat, too. Home to the founder of Mother’s Day and the world-famous Grafton Monster, this small Appalachian town has interesting lore and Halloween decorations to match. While the route doesn’t go through the heart of town, riders wanting to snag all of the Cryptid Scavenger Hunt stops will need to make a detour into town for two distinct locations.  This route has never seen a woman attempt it, but we would love to change that this year. Will we see any ladies take this challenge on and establish the FKT in a few weeks? The Grand Depart kicks off at 7:30AM on October 24th. Registration with a tracker rental closes on Saturday, 10/11, so don’t wait! Sign up at the link in our bio and stories. Photos by @dennypry and @aldenroth2
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What bike are you riding at the Mountaineer Monster Grand Depart? Have you upgraded or swapped components? What about bags, sleep kit, etc.?  It’s almost time for Riders and Rigs, our series highlighting the riders of the Mountaineer Monster and the noble steeds they’ll be riding. Are you one of the brave souls tackling this bikepacking event? Please fill out the Media Survey so that we can highlight you and your bike! The survey also gives our media team more info to help them better cover the race. Registered riders should’ve received an email with links to the rider packet and media survey this morning. Not registered? It’s not too late! There are a few more weeks to sign up, but if you want to guarantee a Finisher’s Shirt in your size, make sure to sign up by Wednesday, September 30th! Photos by @dennypry from last year’s Grand Depart
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Gotta catch ‘em all, WV Cryptids! WV is chock-full of Cryptid tales, so we created the Cryptid Bikepacking Scavenger Hunt. It’s a side-quest that riders can tackle during the Mountaineer Monster (or attempt as an ITT…if you dare!). The Hunt loosely follows the Mountaineer Monster 465 and has 37 spots to find. Many of the locations are on route and easy to find, while others are slightly off route and require more effort and detours of varying lengths. Each item on the Hunt is related to a local cryptid or other local history and folklore. The list of 37 scavenger hunt locations can be found in the resupply sheet. There is also one extra point up for grabs, which requires a quick swim in the water at Blue Hole. A full set of rules is included in the Rider Packet. The Grand Depart will have a special Cryptid Podium Classification. Whichever rider finds the most items between 7:30 AM on October 24 and Midnight on Halloween will be crowned the #1 Cryptid Hunter. Riders on the 275 and 110 routes are welcome to participate, but will not pass by all of the sites.  Last year, @tyler.graf amazed us all by visiting every single Scavenger Hunt location in 4 days, 12 hours, and 36 minutes, battling through a lung infection and a fever. However, Tyler did not swim at Blue Hole, so no one has completed the change with all 38 points. Who’s taking on the Cryptid Scavenger Hunt this year?? Photos by @dennypry Artwork by @keepon_creepinon
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You got questions. We got answers! Our Virtual Q+A Session for the Mountaineer Monster Grand Depart will be on October 14th at 7pm. Join Race Director @dplandis and Media Team Manager @aldenroth2 for a quick overview of the event before they open the floor to riders for all of y’all’s questions. The session will be held on Google Meet, and you can find the link in the Rider Packet. Need the Rider Packet? Send us a DM! The Mountaineer Monster kicks off October 24 at 7:30am. Registration is open for a few more weeks, but we’d love everyone to register this weekend so you can guarantee a Finisher’s Shirt in your size. Signup at the link in our bio and stories. Photos by @dennypry
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Joël Nankman (@jjcnankman) rode through the second night of the Grand Depart, foregoing sleep to try at overtake the Endless Mountains 430 leaders, @granola_mctreehugger and @krummholz.cc. When the media team ran into Joël in LeRaysville, the reality of his gamble set in as he sat outside of the @leraysville_market, cycling through a myriad of emotions. Despite not being able to snatch 1st place, Joël’s overnight push did secure him 3rd place, which he likely would not have gotten otherwise. Filmed and edited by @aldenroth2 Cover photo by @dennypry
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When Diego Prieto (@bicisdediego) came to the Endless Mountains Grand Depart, he wasn’t sure what kind of people he would ride with, aside from his riding partner Alex Tobo (@alextobo24). A native Spanish speaker, Diego has found that in the states he tends to ride alone, worried about the language barrier keeping him from connecting with English-speaking cyclists. But here at the Endless Mountains, he challenged himself to not fear that barrier, and ended up meeting fellow cyclists who don’t live far from him back near Philly. Diego and Alex ultimately scratched after a bad mechanical, but their experience here was so impactful that they’re already planning a return in 2027! Filmed and edited by @aldenroth2 Cover photo by @dennypry
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That’s all, folks! With Matt Dwyer’s (@mattdwyerva) return to Towanda at 4:45pm today, we have our Lantern Rouge. The Endless Mountains Grant Depart is officially over now that our last rider has returned. While lots of attention gets paid to the speedy cyclists, which is valid because their physical and mental feats are impressive, the slower riders often have the better experience. The front-runners are typically having type 2 (or ever 3) fun, but the riders at the back of the pack are usually have enjoying everything in the moment with minimal suffering. We love to highlight all of the different experiences and approaches to this route, and Matt Dwyer is a perfect example. As our oldest rider, he wanted to push himself, but not destroy himself, so that he could enjoy the ride and finish in a reasonable time. He made a 7-day plan and has stuck to it very closely. Congrats on a great ride, Matt. Photos by @dennypry
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NEW FKT ALERT! After riding together for 4d 13h 13m, mother-son duo May Tettero (@maytettero) and Sky Tettero-Crosby (@Skygabriel1) completed the 430-mile Endless Mountains bikepacking loop. This ride establishes the Fastest Known Time in the Mixed Team category. May and Sky try do a bikepacking trip together each year, and we were stoked that they chose the Endless Mountains Grand Depart! Hailing from Ontario, they appreciated that it was an easy trip compared to some of the other far-off places they’re ridden, but the experience was just as good as their previous adventures. Before the race, Sky was hoping he could get his mom to push herself and ride into the night. If you were watching their dots, he got his wish, with them often riding past sunset or getting up well before the sun the next morning. While many of our riders opted for indoor lodging this year, the Canadians preferred to stealth camp, choosing picnic tables over queen beds on most occasions. Chapeau, May and Sky! Photos by @dplandis @dennypry
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We have a winner! Nicole Maniez (@litniknic) is our first woman to complete the Endless Mountains 430 at this year’s Grand Depart, returning to the old train station in 4d 9h 04m. Nicole came into this race wanting to see how big her physical and mental tank was. She’s been riding alone most of the race, but that’s how she likes it, treating it as a silent retreat, alone with her thoughts to clear her mind. She particularly loves riding through the forest, even when that came in the form of pushing her bike uphill in a downpour. This ride was a birthday present to herself, as she enters a new decade in the coming days. Congratulations, Nicole, and Happy Birthday!
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