OSBR: Gravel Hill Climb Edition - The Dirt East Peak TT

It’s 2021 and as we all know, the shape of cycling events has changed. Believe us, we’re jonesing to get everyone back together, but until that’s safe again we’re changing the format from the famed big party ride to a virtual individual time trial.

A virtual vertical challenge, scaling the dirt slopes of Mt. Tamalpais from Muir Woods up to East Peak. Over the weekend of March 6th and 7th put your legs, lungs, and off-road prowess to the test while immersing yourself in the beautiful array of Marin’s diverse terrain.

The Course

The course is a near seven mile pitch starting just outside of Muir Woods, ascending all the way up to the East Peak of Mt. Tamalpais. To eliminate any risky business at the route's one road crossing, we’ve broken the course up into two stages. Stage One will take you up Deer Park Fire Road from its start on Frank Valley Road, all the way up to the Pan Toll Station. Just across Panoramic Highway, Stage Two begins. You’ll traverse the rugged Old Stage Road until it meets up to RailRoad Grade and continue to climb until you top out at the East Peak parking lot.

*There is a five minute allowable rest between the two stages. The spirit of the TT is to treat it as one continuous effort and we've only split it to two stages to eliminate the road crossing as a variable. We'll be checking your rides files and awarding winners accordingly.

Download the course map here

The Format

It’s all quite simple. Sign in through the form below and RSVP to the Strava event here. On the weekend of March 6th & 7th, head out for a ride, tackle the climb, and put down your best time. We’ll be using Strava as our scoring metric, so be sure to join our club and RSVP for the ride. Riders will be scored on their cumulative times of the two stages combined.

The Prize

What? Glory and bragging rights aren't enough? Okay fine. To up the ante, we’ll be awarding the top male and female riders with a custom, personalized 2021 winners jersey by Q36.5. Almost like wearing the red polka dots in the Tour De France, you’ll get to ride with pride as the OSBR Gravel Hill Climb Champion of the year.

Rules and Notes

• Use extreme caution when crossing Panoramic Highway between the two stages. Drivers tend to come through hot and the section isn’t timed, therefore this is not the place to take any risks.

•  Remember, the purpose of the split stages is solely to ensure a safe crossing of the road, so please think of the challenge as a single effort. There will be a five minute time limit to rest between the two stages. We will be examining your ride profiles to ensure this, and if we see you’ve taken an extended break, you will be disqualified from the title.

• At the top of RailRoad Grade, the course transitions onto the road for the final uphill stretch. There is ample room on the shoulder but use caution and watch for traffic as you make the turn.

• Our goal is to ignite everyone’s stoke with a fun and COVID safe competition. We’re almost out of the woods here, but let’s not turn this into a Super Spreader. This challenge is intended for our Bay Area locals only. We strongly encourage riders to not travel for this event. For our out of town friends, we love you all and rest assured we’ll have more events for you in the future.

• Again, the goal here is COVID safety. Avoid riding in large groups, maintain adequate social distance from other riders you might see, and wear a face covering when near other people.

• This is a pure, human pedal power challenge. Sorry, but no e-bikes. 

•  The course is on open, public trails. There will be other people out there. Ride with respect and courtesy for everyone you see.

Join The Challenge

To enter the challenge, sign up on the form below, join the event on Strava, and check back here after your ride to submit a link to your Strava Efforts.