Howdy Intrepid Explorers, and welcome to your search for Gravel’s gold in the Silver State!
Study up, for in the literature below you’ll find all the tips ‘n tricks to help you strike it rich.
This is a mixed terrain pavement/gravel/sand event. Make sure to bring the right shovel. The course is best suited for a gravel bike. A hardtail mountain bike will do if you have fast tires. We recommend having tubeless, 40c or larger tires with some tread.
💡 Prospectin’ Pete’s Tip: “I’ll be going with Canyon Grizl for singletrack capabilities, and the IRC Boken Doublecross 42mm, it’s fast rolling for ripping the pavement yet wide enough to handle the soft sandy sections, while providing plenty of grip for the singletrack.”
1:00 - 7:00 pm: Packet Pickup & Expo
*Please bring your ID to pick up your packet. If you are under 18, be aware that you will need a parent/legal guardian to sign the waiver as well. Packets will contain your number plate, swag, a t-shirt if you ordered one, drink tickets for 2 beers (1 Revision beer + 1 Athletic non-alcoholic beer) and 1 post ride meal voucher to redeem at MOGROG or La Favorita Catering!
6:00 - 7:30am: Packet pickup
7:30am: Race Start (both routes). 2.3 mile Neutral rollout, all categories.
11am - 6:00pm: Expo opens for food, beer, and shenanigans.
10:30am: 1st finishers expected
12 - 4pm: Mechanical Bull and Tire Lasso for bonus seconds
5pm: Awards and podium ceremony
5:30pm: Festival closes
Paydirt route: HERE
Welcome to an experiential route that straddles both mountain ranges across Carson Valley, the ancestral lands of the Washoe People! After the neutral rollout on pavement the dirt begins in earnest at mile 3 and rider’s will quickly enter the Mexican Dam Trail network. From mile 7.5 - 10.5 riders enter some urban gravel, it’s fun, smooth and fast; Be aware of homeowners out walking their dogs and recreating, the timed segment hasn’t started yet so enjoy the camaraderie and don’t be a jerk!
The timing starts at mile 13.6, upon turning onto Sedge lane. The race is on and your entry to the PineNuts begins shortly after. A short, steep, climb and descent, both rough and sandy will lead you to Brunswick Canyon. Watch your descent, crashing is a lousy way to start this segment! Brunswick is a very long and at times rough climb. Your mind will tell you it’s too much; don’t listen, in fact turn off that fearful commentary for the better part of an hour. For upon reaching the plateau, you will bask in the triumph and majesty of the Eastern Sierra vistas. Keep an eye out for packs of wild horses and rattlesnakes alike! Feed zone 1 will be at mile 21, snd while those who are racing may soldier onward (the segment is still going), make sure you carry any rations to survive another hour of desert punishment. What goes up must come down, and the descent off Sunrise Pass Rd to the pavement and end of the Pine Nut timed segment at mile 31.5 is wide, smooth and fast.
Riders will cross hwy 395 at mile 37, this intersection is OPEN to high speed traffic and all riders must obey the traffic light or risk disqualification, you are not being timed here, so go slow and stay off a trucker’s windshield! Then head south on 395 for a half-mile, ride on the dirt shoulder here, it’s great gravel and very far from any passing trucks!
At mile 41.5 riders reach the main oasis of the event in Genoa, Nevada’s oldest settlement. Regroup, find some friends old and new and replenish under the shade before setting off for the grand finale.
Clear Creek: After rolling out and loosening up along paved Jack’s Valley Rd, riders will make a left hand turn onto the singletrack and begin a serpentine climb into the Tahoe foothills. We do have a lite aid station just before the timing mat. This is where the 2nd timed segment starts and Pete refers to this as a “Hero Climb” as the grade is generally so agreeable you may find yourself braking into turns going uphill! The trail is smooth and flowy with vistas galore. But here’s yer warning: Pace yourself, for it’s 7 miles long and reaches an altitude of 6,200 ft! The descent stays narrow with mild rocky sections (don’t be a hero and walk if needed!) until opening up onto an old forest service road descent that all who ride surely agree that gravel bikes were specifically built just for this.
Upon reaching the golf course at mile 57, the timing is done and all that remains is joining hwy 50 for a smooth paved descent back to the bike path at the bottom that leads to the expo/festival. We’ve coned off a lane for you, but watch yerself and those around you, as traffic is moving downhill at more than 60mph, stay as far right as possible, and again, you’re not being timed here!
Congrats pard’ner, you’ve just hit Paydirt! Rustle up some grub, some drink, and bask in yer personal glory.
Time Cutoff: There will be one major time cut at 12:45pm to eliminate racers who haven't made it in time to tackle the final Clear Creek climb segment of the Paydirt route. This takes place at approximately mile 48 before a sustained single track climb. If you do not make this cut, we'll send you back to Fuji Park on a shorter bailout option.
Rider Support:
This is gravel and self reliance is paramount. No pit crews or feeds are allowed outside of official feed zones. If you have someone supporting you make sure they stay within eyesight of the official aid stations. We will have neutral support at the Genoa Aid Station. Outside of official zones, riders must fix it or walk it. Accepting mechanical help from fellow compassionate riders is allowed.
Aid Station 1: Sedge Overlook – Mile 13.5
After surveying the new route that includes Mexican Ditch, we thought you might like to refill water and food before heading into the wilderness. You can grab a light bite to eat and fill your bottles before the 6.7 mile climb to Aid Station 2. Watch your descent right after the station, it's sandy and slick.
Aid Station 2: Brunswick Canyon – Mile 21
At the top of the climb up Brunswick Canyon Road, you will hit a little plateau with an astounding view of the Eastern Sierra and the high desert of the Pine Nut Mountains. Even though this is part way through a timed section, it's a great place to fill those bottles and bellies for the 20 mile gravel/paved push to Genoa. Happy trails start with some smooth dirt road mostly descending back to the center of the beautiful Carson Valley. There is Mechanical Support here.
Aid Station 3 WATER STOP ONLY: Johnson Lane – Mile 31.4
This aid station is a basic water stop, at the end of the first timing segment. You can quickly refill your bottle if you need to, and keep on riding; the next (full) aid station is just a little under 10 miles away.
Aid Station 4: Genoa – Mile 41.6
At the intersection of Genoa Lane and Jacks Valley Road stands Mormon Station State Historic Park. We’ve positioned an aid station here at the park to give you a chance to take a load off, grab some grub and down a cold one or two (sorry no beer yet, just water and hydration mix). The fare is simple, but there to give you the energy you’ll need to make that final push. Find some shade in the park, catch up with your buddies and get ready for round 2. Canyon will have mechanical support for all riders here, and Floyd’s of Leadville will be offering some entertainment too!
Aid Station 5 WATER STOP ONLY: Clear Creek Trailhead BOTTOM – Mile 48.3 (Long course only)
This is a chance to fill a water bottle before you start trigger timing chips. It's high elevation, you need to stay hydrated, so fill any bottles you emptied on the 7 mile sprint up Jacks Valley and get ready for that HERO CLIMB.
Aid Station 6 WATER STOP ONLY: Clear Creek Trail TOP & Hwy 50 – Mile 57 (Long course only)
We have a basic water fill in case you’re absolutely parched. But it’s literally 5 miles of coasting downhill from here to the festival where the real grub and drink await!
AID STATION and On-Course SERVICES:
All aid stations will have water and hydration mix for you. Food of varying degrees will be available at the aid stations as well - Aid Stations 1 and 3 will have quick bites, while 2 and 4 will have something a little more substantial.
EMS provided by Carson City. Sheriff’s Search and Rescue and Douglas County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers will be available if you need any assistance.
Field communications will be provided by Washoe County Amateur Radio Emergency Services volunteers.
Roaming the course will be SAR teams to keep an eye on you and SAG vehicles to help in case of breakdown, in addition to our on-bike marshals.
How to race Paydirt:
The old way of all-out racing is not the way at Stetina's Carson City Paydirt. Instead, the Paydirt consists of two substantial timed segments to keep things competitive without separating yourself from dear friends in the dusty west of Nevada's desert. In addition to on-bike racing, there are two bonus segments that consist of fun and games back at the post-race festival.
Segments:
There are 2 long timed segments. Outside of that you’re not on the clock. So enjoy the camaraderie and especially make sure you enjoy our main oasis in Genoa, there’s no penalty except that too long a stop may cut into yer beer-drinkin’ time.
Segment 1: Pine Nut segment: 18 mi, 1,427 ft. elevation gain. *note there is an aid station during this segment at the top of the long climb.*
Segment 2: Clear Creek segment: 9.5 mi, 1,119 ft. elevation gain.
Well Rounded Athletes: Time Bonuses
We make the house rules, and Pete was never a sprinter; in fact he’d rather play a game than hit max 5 second power values. So in that vein, we’d like to introduce the 2 ways you can make up ground in the results sheet, or just show your prowess in life beyond 2 wheels.
The Wahoo Mechanical Bull presented by PBR: The rules are simple, however many seconds you stay on the bull is your time bonus. Maximum time bonus allowed is 20”.
Who will earn the coveted Be Cowboy belt buckle?!
The IRC Tire Lasso: Pete Cutouts will be spaced at 3 distances marking 3’, 6’ and 10’ in bonus time. Wrangle that keg!
*Unique prizes will be given by the game’s sponsors to exceptional performances (male & female) regardless of the bike results.
*A liability waiver must be signed to ride the bull.
*All games will finish by 4pm to allow the Bike Monkeys to tabulate results before the podium ceremony.
The Shimano Women’s Challenge is the marquee event of this year’s edition of the Paydirt. We’ve assembled a stellar field of contenders.
NOTE: No male domestiques are allowed. Gravel is special due to the mass start and we don’t want to compromise this, however having male helpers solely dedicated to helping tow a female contender is against the ethos of this challenge. There is a difference between ending up in the same group together and having a predetermined tactic. We will be scouting the course and any riders falling afoul of this will be ostracized, shamed, potentially disqualified, and put on the next train outta here.
Prize Purse: $4400
1st place: $1700
2nd place: $1200
3rd place: $700
4th place: $500
5th place: $300
Podiums: 5pm!
Win silver in the Silver State! Awards will include a motherlode of amazing and very valuable, and sometimes not, gear, prizes, trinkets, and drinks. Categories are as follows:
PO Box 5318
Santa Rosa CA 95402
