Live updates

We are going to take another crack at providing live updates on that new inter-web thingy again this year.
Updates and information can be found here.

Withdraw deadline

Your last chance to chicken out of this year's Ragnarok is approaching.
The cut off for withdrawing without suffering scorn is Saturday, April 2nd at noon. If you aren't going to make it to this year's event and you are on the start list notify one of us via email, phone or PM before then.
A post on this blog or other website is not enough.
We will continue to fill vacancies with riders on reserve up until that deadline. After that, our start list will be set and we will expect you to show up rain or shine.

The start has moved this year to Mississippi National Golf links. More details to follow on what this means to you.

Cue sheets 101

The following is a primer for anyone who hasn't used our cue sheets before.

Our route instructions are listed in a 4 column format. Each instruction will include an instruction number, a mileage, a 'tulip' diagram and information. The mileage will count up from the start or any place where you are instructed to reset your mileage, such as a checkpoint.

The tulip diagram is a graphical representation of the feature for the instruction. Normally this is an intersection of two or more roads, or a feature of a road. The tulip has two features. The dot and the arrow. No matter how the tulip is shown, you will travel through the intersection from the dot to the arrow. Normally the tulips are drawn so you are traveling from the bottom of the tulip, but this doesn't have to be the case. Note: all mileages are rounded to the nearest tenth of a mile. Example:

Instruction 1 is at mile 27.2. The diagram indicates caution is required at that location and the info describes why.

Instruction 2 is at mile 27.3 and it indicates that you are to take a right at a 4 way intersection and end up on Water street.

Instruction 3 shows a more complicated intersection where 3 roads meet. Here you would take the 90 degree right onto 355th street.

Instruction 4 indicates you should continue straight past an intersection with 200th street. When a name is in square brackets, it indicates the crossing street or road.

Instruction 5 shows one of the "King of the Mountain" locations. We will score the first several riders to this location for that competition. For the following riders, this location doesn't mean much, other than the top of a hill.

Instruction 6 shows that the primary road curves left, but you will take the secondary road to the right. In this case, the secondary road is 380th street.

Instruction 7 shows a turn onto a Minimum Maintenance road. The dashed line indicates the road is a less prominent road than a regular road.

Instruction 8 shows a checkpoint. At each checkpoint, make sure the person working that location has your number before you leave. You may also need to get a new set of cue notes at that location.

In summary, the text is normally there to provide or clarify the instruction, but the primary thing you should focus on is the tulip. Always travel from dot to arrow, no matter how the tulip is oriented on the page.

Getting down to crunch time

Hello from the Ragnarok Central Command....

Some info for those interested about the 4th edition of our little sufferfest.

I'm a bit of a mendicant with the computer, trying to attach the elevation profile from our drive/walk-run from yesterday...



The Garmin says 6909 feet of elevation gain... who knows how accurate that actually is.

Some notes on changes from previous years:

1) We will have three tulip note sheets. You will get one at the start. One in Zumbro Falls. One in Lake City. Each sheet will be 8.5 x 11, and if folded in quarters will be the same size as our previous format, but should be much easier to deal with and less likely to fly all over the countryside. There will also be a map of the leg on the back of the tulips in case you get lost or need assistance or just like to see pretty pictures.

2) The course is a few miles longer this year. 111 miles to be exact. Why? We found a few more sweet roads that we wanted to include and that added a bit. The first leg will be the standard 40-45ish miles and be Red Wing to Zumbro Falls. The second leg will be about 40-45 and get you from Zumbro Falls to Lake City. The third leg will get you from Lake City to Red Wing.

3) The minimum maintenance road sections could be in marginal riding condition. We could jog on snowmobile tracks on roughly 1/2 of them... snow cover ranges from 2-3" in sections to maybe 2 feet. (update, had some good melting until our current snow accumulation of 3")

The course this year I think is the best yet (though conditions have yet to be good enough to ride it fully). Still has our signature climbing, with a bit more off the beaten track factor...

Updated List

Updated List

The following riders have been selected (randomly) from the stack of 183 postcards. If you see your name on the list congrats! You now have a winter of training in front of you. You also must notify us (Jake) by 11:59 PM on April 6th if you cannot make it to the race. There are 78 people who would love to be racing, so if you can't make it. Please don't take a spot needlessly. Thanks.


For those not on the big list, we have pulled your cards randomly to set the "reserve" list. As people drop out, you will be notified in the order that your card was pulled and you'll then be in. We'll post the top twenty, and as that starts to dwindle we will update said list.


2011 Ragnarok 105 Starting List


Alan Oscarson
Andy Tetmeyer
Ben Oney
Bill Franken
Bill Nelson
Bob Shepard
Bobby Brown
Brad and Kelly Skillicorn
Brad Cole
Brandon Manske
Brandon Parr
Brandt Elson
Brent Bruessel
Brett Swenson
Brian Dukek
Bruce Pletka
Chad Millner
Chad Sova
Charlie Farrow
Charly Tri
Chelsea Strate
Chris Oswald
Chris Larkin
Chris VanErt
Craig Irving
Dan Dittmer
Dan Hansen
Dan Steeves
Dave Asp
Dave Tyler
David Bruning
David Cizmas
David Meyer and Julia Peek
Derek Carlson
Donald MacNaughton
Eddie Karow
Eric 'The Red'
Evan Tweed
Gerald Hansen
Grant Braasch
Heath Weisbrod
Hunter Sheldon
Hurl Everstone
Ian Nancekivell
Jack Donovan
James Bialas
James Foley
Jason Buffington
Jason Vinar
Jay Pitts
Jeff Austin-Phillips
Jere Mohr
Jeremiah Jazdzewski
Jeremy Kershaw
Jerry Bilek
Jim Palmer
Joe Meiser
Joel Nichols
John Pike
John Struchynski
Jon Kern
Jon Loye
Josh Peterson
Joshua Schneider
Justin Coyne
Keith Peterson
Kelly MacWilliams
Larry Marx
Larry Sauber
Leah Gruhn
Lonie Sauber
Luck Francl
Mara Larson
Mark Benishek
Mark Emery
Mark VanderWoude
Martin Rudnick
Matt Johnson
Matt Muraski
Matt Riley
Mick Carlson
Mike Larson
Neil Cary
Nick Oswald
Paul and Janna Krawczyk
Paul Marietta
Pete Bell
Phil Dech
Ray Nickles
Rich Hendricks
Rick Cleary
Robbie Morford
Robert Held
Ross Hargrove
Roy Vosberg
Scott Erickson
Scott Kinderman
Scott Meulebroeck
TC Worley
Ted Clausen
Tiffany Foley
Tim Ek
Tim Norrie
Tim Stark
Troy Lawrence




Alternate Top Twenty (in order)

Todd Sample
Mark Kowaliw
Rick Kompelien
Ed Boltz
Chewy Tottenhall

Pre-run

We finished our pre-run today. 4 weeks to go. Let's hope those 4 weeks are warm and sunny.

Google map of key spots

The following is a link to a google map with important spots for the Ragnarok 105 listed.

Link

It includes the new tentative location of the start/finish, the location of the checkpoint in Zumbro Falls, the locations of some places to stay in Red Wing if you are staying overnight and the locations of the hospitals in Lake City and Red Wing. Please ride safe and make sure the last bit of info is not needed by anyone.

The hotel by the start/finish is cheap and close, but not the finest. If you are just looking for a cheap place to lay down, this is probably ok.

There is a new Country Inn and Suites on the north-west end of town that is nice. Not sure of the rates.

Large fishing tournaments are not uncommon that time of year in Red Wing, so if you are planning on getting a room, don't wait too long.

Please check this blog frequently in the coming weeks for updates and changes and hope for a bit of warm weather.