Controle #13 Lewisburg Overnight (Update 1)

*** Update 1 ***
All 27 starters are still in the game, and have left Lewisburg to start day 3.  Today, the riders have a 300k loop that will pass through Mifflinburg and then head west along the Juniata River.  The turn around point is at Mt. Union, where the riders will then ride through Greenwood Furnace State Park towards State College and then back to the overnight controle at Lewisburg.

Today's challenge includes:
-some sharp rollers along the Juniata River (mile 500-533)
-Sugar Grove Road (mile 543)
-Jo Hayes Vista (mile 569)

But at the end of the day, the riders can look forward to that same 25-mile descent back into the Lewisburg overnight controle at mile 633.

With the passage of the cold front yesterday, all the humidity has been wrung out of the air, and the rider should enjoy some great weather with mostly sunny conditions.  Temperatues this morning are in the low 70F's and forecasted to rise to only the low 80F's this afternoon -- can't ask for much better than that in August!

*** Original Post ***
Volunteer Ron Anderson reports: "...All riders in and accounted for.  Last two arrived at 0437.  Riders beginning to depart at 5am...."

Controle #12 Lamar

As of 7:30PM, the riders are spread out by nearly 90 miles.  The Lamar controle is at the 403 mile mark on the profile below, where several riders are nearing.

That climb after Lamar, has a bark much worse than it's bite -- the gradients for the most part, are very gentle.  And once it is crested, the riders will enjoy a glorious 25 mile descent into the overnight controle in Lewisburg.  And as you can see from the rider tracking on this profile, your three front runners, Pete H., Kate M., and Victor U. are nearly there already, over 10 hours ahead of the cutoff!

Controle #11 Waterville

About half the riders have cleared the controle at Waterville, aptly named for those who got caught by the line of rain storms associated with the cold front moving in.  The remaining riders have made it through the steep rollers, and are on the "downhill" segment along Blockhouse Road.  And after that, the riders can look forward to a scenic ride through Little Pine Creek state park:
https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch&source=univ&sa=X&ei=ZF8FUt7RC8Wn4AOXvICgBQ&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1260&bih=735&q=little%20pine%20creek%20pictures

Photos from Day 1

Volunteer Michael Wali has taken posted some great photos on day 1, which can be viewed at this link:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/randomikew/sets/72157635002929412/

The captions/names do not show in the slideshow.  However if you do not run the slideshow but click on the first picture to run it manually – the names are at the bottom left.

Controle #10 Canton

The route to Canton follows a scenic ridge on a 16-mile segment.  The beautiful road on this ridge has recently been rebuilt, after being completely destroyed by gas-fracking trucks.  While this road was under construction, the EM1000k route had to instead use the valley road, that was very busy with lots of fast traffic.  Thankfully, the construction activity associated with putting in new gas well has abated over the past couple of years.

Many of the riders have already cleared this controle, and are well along the next segment that is one of the bigger challenges for day 2.  The profile below shows the position of the leading riders on this segment:

After a modest gradient to the base of this climb, the last 500ft of elevation gain will certainly get the attention of the riders.  But the more challenging and memorable part of this segment will be the 10 miles of  sharp 100ft rollers at the top of this ridge.  When the riders finally reach Liberty at mile 340, they are rewarded with a nice 14 mile descent along Blockhouse Rd that takes them to Little Pine Creek State Park.

Controle #9 Towanda (Update 2)

*** Update 2***
He made it!

Eric K.'s Track as he approaches Controle 9 in Towanda

Volunteer Jeffrey Butt was at the controle to stamp Eric's card at 11:39AM -- 1 minute to spare on the time limit!

*** Update 1***
Eric K. has 32 minutes to cover 5.7 miles ... he's closing the gap on the time limit ... go Eric!

*** Original Post ***
Many of the riders have already cleared the first timed controle of day 2 at Towanda.  Most the remaining riders are either at or near the controle, which is another Jim Dandy.  Eric K. is 12.4 miles out, and has exactly one hour left to cover that distance to stay within the time limit. Other than a modest little rise along the river, the terrain is mostly flat here.  He's now approaching the closed road segment, which we happen to have pictures of from an earlier scouting effort:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/113985568221563154914/albums/5907183065837286801
... once he get's around those construction barriers, he'll at least have the whole road to himself for several miles.

The front runners are well along the next segment and just arrived at the next controle in Canton.

Controle #8 Nichols (Update 1)

*** Update 1 ***
Eric K. has cleared the Nichols controle, and has just about 2 hours to cover the next 23 miles to stay within the time limit.

The front runners (Victor U., Kate M., and Peter H.) have already cleared the next controle at Towanda.  Most of the other riders are also either at or near the Towanda Jim Dandy market as well.

*** Original Post ***
Nearly all the riders have passed through the first stop of day two, which is an untimed information controle at a Jim Dandy Mini Market ("What is the price of regular gas?").  Jim Dandy is the central PA/NY equivalent of the Sheetz's and WaWa's found in eastern PA and NJ.  Two of the late starters (Paul S. and Luis V.) have caught up on the time limit and are back on track.  The last late starter (Eric K.) got an even later start, but is within 9 miles of the controle.  Eric needs to reach the Towanda controle by 11:40 to meet the time limit.  He'll have to maintain a 12.7 MPH pace to get there in time -- certainly within reach, but it's going to be very close.

The route to Towanda follows the Susquehanna River along some kinder and gentler terrain.  Current temperatures there are mid 70F's, with dewpoints in the upper 60F's.  Looks like the riders will stay dry for next several hours, but there is a huge band of rain in western PA headed their way.  However, the riders can look forward to some crisp and cool weather conditions once the frontal boundary associated with that rain band passes on through.

Controle #7 Hallstead Overnight (Update 1)

*** Update 1 ****
All riders made it safely to the overnight controle, and are back out on course for day two.  Special thanks to the Hallstead crew led by Dan Barbasch, in getting everyone checked in, fed, and back on their way after resting.  Everyone is still in the game, although the last three riders have some catching up to do on the time limit.  Up ahead, lies some kinder and gentler terrain along the NY southern tier, and the next stop is an untimed information controle, so these riders have a fighting chance of getting back on track.

Weather conditions are still damp and humid, with a few little rain spritzs in the area.  But it looks like the bulk of the heavy rain is behind the riders to the east, moving away -- at least for now.

*** Original Post ***
Several riders are safely in at the Hallstead overnight controle, with several more in the home stretch.  The overnight crew will be hopping the next couple of hours, with several riders expected to come in within an hour.  Most of the remaining riders should be in shortly after midnight, with the last 3 on track to arrive between 2 and 3 AM.

Anyone contemplating riding straight through the overnight, might think twice about that now, with some heavy rain all along the NY southern tier pouring down now.

Controle #6 Carbondale (Update 1)

*** Update 1 ***
Looks like a heavy rain storm caught up with a large group of riders at the Carbondale controle.  Larry Midura is at the top of the big climb before Carbondale, and looks like he may be able to join up with this group.  The last 3 riders are approaching the base of the big climb.  Victor U. and Kate M. are the first arrivals to the Halstead overnight controle at around 8:30PM, with several others now in the home stretch. Meat and vegitarian lasagna is on the menu tonight, compliments of volunteer Dan Barbasch, who is running the show there.

*** Original post ***
Nearly half the riders have reached Carbondale.  The lead group of riders are in the home stretch to the overnight controle, and are expected to arrive around 8:30PM.  Most of the remaining riders are on the big climb to highest point of the course.  Volunteer Len Zawadoniak is waiting on Middle Creek road to check on the last 2 riders, who are projected to reach Carbondale around 11 PM.

Weather conditions remain very humid, with several showers popping up in the area.  But it appears that most of the riders have dodged some of the bigger rain showers.

Controle #5 Eldred

The front runners have cleared Eldred, with the +15 MPH holding firm.  That pace might not hold too much longer, with the climb up Mt Salem looming ahead. For now though, these front runners can enjoy more gentle gradients as they ride along the Lackawaxen river at they head toward Hawley.  The main field is strung out between Elded and Port Jervis, with 3 riders looking to still reach Port Jervis.

Some showers have formed just north of Port Jervis, but it seems like most of the riders have managed to avoid any significant rain so far.

With the fast pace the riders are maintaining, the SAG vehicle is now en-route to Halstead, about an hour ahead of schedule.

Controle #4 Port Jervis

Most of the riders have either cleared or are at the Port Jervis contole.  The main group of riders have made excellent time, and have several hours banked for the overnight controle already.  The front runners are setting an impressive 15 MPH pace so far, and are on track to arrive an the overnight controle before sundown if they can keep this up.  At the other end, there are couple of riders on pace despite delays due to some mechanicals -- but they'll need to pick it up a bit in order to get any rest in Halstead tonight.

Beyond Port Jervis, the riders can look forward to the scenic upper Delaware River, where Hawk's Nest provides some spectacular views:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawk%27s_Nest,_New_York

Weather, although sticky with very high dew points, is cooperating with plenty of cloud cover and no rain as of yet.

Controle #3 Blairstown

Most of the riders have already cleared controle #3 in Blairstown, where they are being greeted by volunteer Michael Wali.  From there, they will start their third and final crossing of the Appalachian Trail as they head into the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation area.

Checking in with volunteer Steve Hallet, he reports that all riders have cleared the Fox Gap secret controle, atop Blue Mountain.  This is one of the tougher climbs today, but the highest point on course is yet to come, just outside of Carbondale at mile 189.

The cloud cover today is proving most beneficial for the riders in keeping temperatures in 70F's and also stabilizing the atmosphere to keep those thunderstorms in the forecast at bay.

The tracking issues with Jos and Luis have been resolved -- special thanks to Matthew Lee at Trackleaders for all his technical support.  And yes, that's the same Matthew Lee many of you may know as the  multiple winner of the Tour Divide
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tour_Divide

Controle #2: Danielsville

Bottom of the Little Gap climb
Compliments of Len Zawodniak

Eric Keller limped into the controle at Danielsville riding on a flat tire, due to a pump failure.  Lucky for Eric, volunteer Len Zawodniak was there to greet him, and just happened to have the exact same frame pump to loan Eric.  That's "save" number one for the volunteer staff.  Greg Smith was also delayed with a flat tire, apparently caused by the same broken glass they encountered.

Len reports that all riders have cleared the Danielsville controle and are now headed to a secret controle at Fox Gap, where the riders will be crossing the Apalachian Trail for the second time today.  Several riders have already crested this climb, including Jos Verstegen from the Netherlands.  Volunteer Steve Hallett who is manning the Fox Gap secret controle reports that Jos is smiling and in good condition.  His SPOT tracker is not showing up on the Tracking website, due to a technical problem with the database (which we hope to sort out soon).  Meanwhile, those following Jos's progress can go to this alternate link:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=08huP9hdZSaLBqeAcj5Ys73NfZzxgnrOf
Jos has planned a rather intense cycling holiday:  After participating in the Endless Mountains 1240k, Jos plans to ride self-supported from the finish up to Cananda, where he'll be riding the Granite Anvil 1200k.  For somebody from the flatlands of Europe, he's certainly has found some of the hilliest terrain to ride!

There is a similar problem with Luis Vargas's tracker, and his alternate link is here:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0RbkTtfpjfCHDb395vSex6p4VQo9yjx5B

Overcast skies have kept temperatures in the upper 60F's -- nearly ideal conditions for the many big climbs for day 1. The band of rain showers passing through the overnight controle appear to be dissipating.  With a bit of luck, the riders will have several more hours of dry weather.

And They're Off!

All 27 riders on the roster made it to the starting line and are out on course.  But it was touch and go for a while for Mike Sturgill -- when Mike landed at Philadelphia Airport, he discovered that his bike was still in Detroit.  He finally got reunited with his bike and finally make it to the start/finish hotel about an hour before the start.

Some thunderstorms rolled through the start/finish last night, but thankfully cleared out in time for a dry start.  Lot's of humidity this morning, but it looks like the riders will at least have several rain-free hours today.  A line of impressive rain bands are rolling through the overnight controle in Hallstead, as a cold front works it way south east. It's a pretty safe bet that the riders will see some rain at some point today.

Most of the riders have already cleared controle 2 in Danielsville, and are tackling the first of 3 climbs today that cross the Appalachian Trail, atop Blue Mountain.  You can follow their progress with the live tracking at:
http://trackleaders.com/endless13
... there is an interactive map where you can get rider and checkpoint updates by clicking on the map.

The SPOT trackers for Luis Vargas and Jos Verstegen appear to be off-line for now.

Event Preparations: Update #5

Cuesheet Draft 4 (8/2/13) is final and  has gone to press.  And in looking at the wet weather forecast for Thursday, it looks like it might be a good idea to laminate it.  An Excel file of draft 4 has also been posted on the event webpage:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM1240K_B_cue.xls
... in case you want to reformat it to your liking.  But be sure to carry an official PDF one, just in case you inadvertently  mess it up (please note that there are many linked work sheets that are easy to break).

The course marking has been completed.  Special thanks to these volunteers for the many hours put into this big effort:
-Dan Barbasch
-Clair Beiler
-Jim Bondra
-Bill Fischer
-John Fuoco
-Lane Giardina
-Mary Johnson
-Eric Keller
-Chris Roth
-Paul Scearce

There is also a fantastic team of volunteers who you will be meeting at various stages of the event:
http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=em1240k_2013

Registration sign-in will be in the lobby of the start/finish hotel (beginning on Wednesday evening)  where you can pick up your rider packet, which will include:
- brevet card
- cuesheet (draft 4)
- postcard for controle # 21
- tag for 1 drop bag
- SPOT Tracker quick reference card
- safety instructions
- EM jersey /clothing order form
Please keep your dropbag within the size and weight limits outlined on the event webpage.  And as mentioned before, there is a $50 discount on jersey orders of 2 or more, to help meet the minimum quantities.  There will be a couple of different sizes available for you to try on.

There will be volunteers on hand during sign-in to complete your bike inspection, and assist with your SPOT tracker, if you are renting one.  There will be a SPOT check at the start, to make sure your unit is working OK -- this will consist of you riding around the parking lot for ~15 minutes with your SPOT on and in tracking mode, and then verifying that you show up on the tracking website. The SPOT rider list is now up on the tracking website:
http://trackleaders.com/endless13
... if you go there now and zoom the map out to see the entire U.S.A., you can see a couple of the trackers already, as participants make there way to the start.

And just another important reminder: you should turn your SPOT off when you arrive at the overnight controle and then back on with tracking enabled when you leave.  The "on" button normally flashes green -- if it is flashing red, it means the batteries are low and need to be replaced.  There will be spare batteries carried in the baggage truck.

It is highly recommended that you rest at the planned overnight controles in Halstead and Lewisburg.  If you instead plan to ride straight through the overnight controles, please drop me a note to let me know what your plans are.

Event Preparations: Update #4

The cuesheet has been updated to draft 4, dated 8/2/13 (Be sure to use the "refresh" button on your browser, to flush any older version of the cuesheet that might be cached on your computer).  This update includes another reroute starting at mile 636 for bridge construction on Rt 405 along with a few minor corrections and clarifications.  There is also another closed road you will encounter, as noted at mile 281.   The reason for the road closure is the road is washing out along a steep cliff.  However, the road is still passable by bike and foot.  Pictures of what you will encounter have been posted here:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/113985568221563154914/albums/5907183065837286801
... as you can see, you will have to negotiate a barrier, and you will want to keep to the left on the short stretch of road that is washing out.   You should also watch out for road debris.  But the advantage to virtually have no car traffic for several miles outweighs these hazards, and is better than the alternative detours we looked at.

There are several other areas highlighted on the cuesheet where you should take caution.  These in particular should be taken with some extra care:
-Mile 37: You will be starting a long, steep descent, and you can easily reach speeds of 50MPH.  But just because you can go this fast, it doesn't mean it's good idea -- please don't go any faster than your Guardian Angels can keep up with.
-Mile 90: See previous comment.
-Mile 92: You will be going down a steep and rutted road that is way overdue for repaving. You need to carefully inch down this descent to pick you way around some big potholes. These holes and ruts will most definitely ruin your day if you hit any of them at speed.
-Mile 402: You will be entering the controle which is a Fying J Travel Plaza from a small side road.  This entrance has recently been changed to a truck exit, so watch for trucks exiting as you enter the controle.

The GPS SPOT tracking device that you will be carrying will allow your friends and family to follow your progress at this link:
http://trackleaders.com/endless13
The SPOT's should be turned off when you arrive at an overnight controle, and then turned back on with tracking enabled when you start the next day.

When you sign-in in at the Hampton Inn start controle, you will be given a rider packet. The packet will have one tag that you should attached to your one drop bag that you will see at each overnight controle.  Your one bag will be shuttled to each of the overnight controles.  When you arrive at the hotel, there will be a message board in the lobby directing you to the volunteer room.  You will be warmly greeted by the volunteers, who will feed you and hand you your bag.  You will then be paired off into rooms, based on your arrival time.  When you are ready to leave, you should return your bag to the volunteer room.  There will be a light breakfast to get you on your way.  By design, the first controle stop after each overnight is an untimed information controle, allowing you two controle stops to catch up on the time limit if you get a late start or you want to stop for breakfast.

Please note that back-up lighting will be checked during bike inspection.  The bike inspection checklist is posted here:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/BikeInspectionCheckList.pdf

A conference room at the start/finish hotel has been reserved for the duration of the event.  You can store your bike cases there.

Joel has updated his GPS files with the Draft 4 detour, and has also broken it up into segments: 

Complete route here:

EM All    http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2894067

Daily segments here:

EM Day1  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2967458

EM Day2 http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2968269

EM Day3 http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2960421

EM Day4 http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2960332

Control-to-Control segments here:

EM01  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2930536

EM02  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2967571

EM03  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2967755

EM04  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2967915

EM05  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2967855

EM06  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2967893

EM07  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2968080

EM08  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2968058

EM09  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2968065

EM10  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2968144

EM11  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2968285

EM12  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2968397

EM13  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2969480

EM14  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2969477

EM15  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2969460

EM16  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2969448

EM17  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2969451

EM18  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2969687

EM19  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2969684

EM20  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2969678

EM21  http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2969673

Event Preparations: Update #3

The cuesheet has been updated to draft 3, dated 7/21/13.  There was one reroute for bridge construction, along with some minor corrections and clarifications.  This draft should be pretty close to being final, unless the volunteers marking the course find some other problems with the cuesheet or course.  Be sure to use the "refresh" button on your browser, to flush any older version of the cuesheet that might be cached on your computer.

The cuesheet is the official route for the course -- it should be your primary source of navigation.  But there are also supplemental aids to navigation in the form of course marking and GPS files.  Again, I want to stress that if there are any conflicts or discrepancies, the cuesheet is the final word on the course direction -- the course marking and GPS database are just supplemental aids to help you and should not be relied upon -- course marking can get paved over and GPS devices may send you astray.  And both the markings and GPS files can get out of sync with a last minute cuesheet change.   And more importantly, there are several areas, as indicated on the cuesheet, that alert you to taking extra caution for some road hazards you will encounter.

The course will be marked with a painted white "EM" and direction arrow, with marks generally before, at, and after each turn.  Currently, the course is about 75% marked, and we hope to have it 100% completed by the time you start.

A RideWithGPS database has been created by participant, Joel Lawrence and has been posted at:
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/2894067
I have confirmed that this GPS route, as displayed on the RideWithGPS website,  follows draft 3 of the cuesheet.  Joel has indicated that he plans to provide smaller segments of the route, which would allow for the practical limitations of downloading the route into your GPS device, if you plan to use one.  You may contact Joel at:
joel.lawrence@alcatel-lucent.com
... if you have any questions or technical problems with the GPS database.

For those of you flying into Philadelphia airport, there is a busline from Philadephia that stops at the Quakertown Park and Ride, which is located right next to the start/finish hotel:
http://webstore.biebertourways.com/locations.asp

For those of you flying into Allentown (ABE) airport, a taxi service is probably your best option.  In order to perhaps share a ride with other participants who may be arriving at the same time, you can post a comment to this message to indicate your travel plans.  If you are arriving by car, you may park your car at the start/finish hotel for the duration of the event -- and it would be great if you could also pick up some participants arriving at ABE airport.

Event Preparations: Update #2

With just a little more than 4 weeks to go before the start, most of you have completed your qualifying brevets -- the roster and qualification status as of 7/6 has been posted here:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM1240Regs.pdf

.... if you are missing any qualifiers, please drop me a note to let me know of your plans. Please note that the cancellation fee will be increasing to 50% on 7/15.

The EM wool jersey order form:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM_ClothingOrderForm.pdf

... has been updated in the past couple of weeks to reflect (unfortunately) the higher prices that Woolistic is now charging for the jerseys.  The explanation given to me is that they've moved the manufacturing from China to Europe, and the value of the dollar is still weak compared to the euro.  They have also increased the minimum quantities on me.  So I'm hoping that you'll want to buy 2 jerseys: a short sleeve and long sleeve, for example.  As an incentive, I'm offering a $50 discount on orders of 2 or more jerseys, so I can meet my minimum quantities.  Final orders will be accepted at the EM1240 finish, and delivery will hopefully be in time for first cold weather brevets.  I'll have a couple of wool jerseys available for sizing at the start/finish.

The posted cuesheet has been updated to draft 2, after a recent scouting trip to check out day 3's loop out of Lewisburg.  There will most likely be a couple of more updates as we check out the course in the coming weeks.  A couple of you have inquired about GPS files. The cuesheet is the one and only official route for the EM1240k.  That being said, we hope to provide supplemental aids to navigation in the form of course markings and electronic navigation files.  However, the cuesheet should be used primarily for navigation and it is the final word on the course direction if there are any discrepancies with these other aids.

Feel free to drop me a note if you have any questions, and keep training!

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Event Preparations: Update #1

Hope all is going well with your preparations and qualifying brevets.  In the past couple of months, some event details have firmed up and have been posted on the website.  The course has been newly revised for 2013 -- a cuesheet, map, and profile are available for your review.

Those of you who participated in 2009, know that we had fantastic support with top-notch volunteers.  Many of those volunteers will be back again, along with some new ones.  If you know somebody else who would also like to help out, the volunteer opportunities have been posted here:
http://www2.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=em1240k_2013

There is an EM1240k wool jersey you can order.  But I just heard back from Woolistic that there might be some price increase in the works, so stay tuned for pricing and a deadline to place your order.  In 2009, we had various sizes for you to try on at the start, and final orders were accepted at the finish.

If you haven't done so already, you should make your start/finish hotel reservations, using the group code and on-line lnks on the website.

The roster has been filling up, but there are still several spots available if you know somebody planning to participate.

Please note that the cancellation fee will be increasing in a couple of weeks on June 1st.

Feel free to drop me a note, if you have any questions, and keep training!

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

EM1240k Registration

*** Update 5/2 ***
There are 31 registered riders with 19 remaining spots available on the roster.


*** Update 3/15 ***
There are 27 registered riders with 23 remaining spots available on the roster.

*** Original Post ***
Registration for the 2013 edition of the EM1240 opens on January 1, 2013.  Registration details have been posted on the event webpage.  You have the choice of either mailing in a paper form or using Active.com electronic registration.  The electronic registration will get to me faster in order for you to secure a spot on the roster but please be aware that there is a service charge added by Active.com.

A few words about the SPOT GPS Trackers that all participants will be required to carry along:
The SPOT tracking device is about the size of a cell phone and will be strapped to your bike.  It reports your location every 10 minutes via satellite link and the results are displayed on a mapping website.  This technology will help with the coordination of event volunteers so they can be at the right place at the right time.  Friends and family will also be able to access the tracking website so they too can monitor your progress.  The EM1240k course heads out into some truly remote areas that have limited or no cell phone coverage.  If you have an emergency while out of cell phone coverage, there is a "Call for Help" button on the SPOT unit that you can use for assistance.  Additional information on the SPOT trackers is here.  The features of the tracking website are detailed here.