David Landis (above) of V2V Trails was one of the first national bikepackers to ride all 431 miles of the Endless Mountains Gravel Bikepacking Loop in August 2023 and helped the EMHR and regional DMOs make some revisions to the original route. The refined EMGBL is the catalyst for a challenging first-ever race for bikepackers beginning Saturday, Sept. 21.
The Endless Mountains Heritage Region (EMHR) will host a pair of gravel bikepacking races this weekend along the Endless Mountains Gravel Bikepacking Loop (EMGBL), and the race organizers urges motorists using the same primarily rural roads to welcome these cyclists, cheer them on, and approach them with care while driving.
“This is the first-ever bikepacking event of this scale in the Endless Mountains,” said EMHR executive director Cain Chamberlin. “We’re very excited about bringing avid bikepackers into the area and really hope they enjoy the race and the scenery, while also being safe.”
Bikers will meet in Towanda at the Bradford County Tourism Promotion Agency office along Elizabeth Street on Saturday, Sept. 21 and start the race at 9 a.m. Registrants were able to choose from two races, selecting either the 430 Challenge (431.2-miles) or the 250 Challenge (248.3-miles) on the EMGBL, which stretches through Bradford, Sullivan, Susquehanna and Wyoming counties. (The shorter route does not include Susquehanna County.)
Racers must be self-supportive, meaning that they assume all risks and responsibilities for navigation, safety, overnight stays, sourcing and resupply along the way, and determining how to best complete the challenging course. Participation is free, but riders were required to sign up for a satellite tracker to participate in the competition. Those who wish to follow the progress of cyclists during the Endless Mountains 430 and 250 Challenges can go to the Endless Mountains Heritage Region’s Facebook and Instagram pages or visit: https://trackleaders.com/endlessmountains24f.
The 430 Challenge includes about 42,000 feet of elevation changes and a high point of 2,335 feet, and the 250 Challenge has a 24,589 feet in elevation changes with the same high elevation point. Both have a similar percentage – between 60 and 65 – of unpaved roadways.
To view the route the bikers will be traversing, interested readers can log on to EMHeritage.org, click on “What’s New” and then “Events.”
