Stage 4 - Bike Around Smuggs

Leaving the My Topo TA (TA 3), the teams mounted their bikes and started climbing. The race features almost 19,000 feet in elevation gain. Having lost a few feet moving down the river, the rest of the race will feel very much uphill, with a few very fast downhills for good measure.

“Everything is on a hill here,” said race director Chris Yager.

This stage saw the racers traverse the hill moving up towards Smugglers’ Notch—and even teased them by using the trail system above the finish area and race HQ at Smugglers’ Notch Resort. To make the situation even more difficult, the trails had their fair share of mud, slowing teams down even further.

“It’s pretty sloppy out there,” said Kyle Nossaman of Gear Junkie, who rolled into TA 4 just ahead of the now second place team in the male division Michigan Racing Addicts—who seemed disheartened by a few bobbles on the bike navigation of the ski resort terrain.

Luckily, Michigan had some waiting fans for them at TA4 to booster their spirits. Race volunteer and Michigan Racing Addicts superfan Angie was there to read Trail Mail to Michigan and all of the teams as they sat at the TA preparing for the Stage 5 Trek.

Even better, the volunteers at TA 4/5, dubbed “Think Vermont,” had the grill fired up to make pancakes for all the teams. Grit Adventures Amanda Bohley’s technique of downing a shot of maple syrup was clearly learned from her time racing with the women of BRF BARF.