Quad State Quad Buster
Event date: October 20, 2012
Entry will open in the fall - watch this space for the online signup.
Who's Coming (2011 list): Participant list
The concept is simple. The run itself certainly is not: Start in PA, just north of the MD line, and run south in four states along, except for the end, the Appalachian Trail (PA->MD->WVa->VA). Total distance: long - 45ish but it runs like a really tough 50.
Volunteers are needed! If you can help, contact Bur at mjc...@yahoo.com.
2011 volunteers: Mike Bur, Laura Bur, Caren Jew, Brad Hinton & family, Bob Fabia, Mike McCumber (Crampton Gap AS), Linda Wack, Craig & Linda Stone, Jim Treese, Doug Sullivan (run half, volunteer half), Kerry Owens (run half, volunteer half)
Run description/background:
This is not a beginner level run. Experience running on tough trails for 50+ miles is required. If I don't know you or you don't have some sort of verifiable resume/CV on athlinks.com or realendurance.com, this run isn't a good fit for you this year - but we could always use more volunteers. Email me if you have any questions about these requirements. Participants will also be limited based on the number of volunteers I can get to commit for that day.
You will be allowed one reasonable sized drop bag that you will see at least once and probably more than once (BAGS only, no boxes or anything else solid, they just don't pack well). There will be aid at five locations (see below). You will also be assigned an item to bring to contribute to the community aid.
It's the AT, it's blazed white, how hard could it be to follow?
That notwithstanding, PATC maps 5&6 [that's only one piece of paper] are required gear. The last couple of miles leave the AT and are on a blue-blazed side trail. The map is available from the PATC store.
Most have no problem until reaching Harpers Ferry and then, following that, finishing on the blue blazed Loudoun Heights trail. The following link is a set of pictures on Flickr that cover some of the key cues to look for in this final section: Photos on flickr covering the final 7 miles of the QSQB course.
A working cell phone with a fully charged battery is also required gear. When you register, list your cell phone number - you may need to contact me or I may need to contact you during the event.
You will also need a light in your drop bag -- except for the very fast, many will finish in the dark. Be prepared.
In the morning, we will meet at the Weverton parking lot (**PAY ATTENTION** this is different from previous years, we are no longer meeting at the finish/340 - see map below). We will then cram as many people into as few cars as possible and shuttle everyone to the start at Pen Mar. Get to the Weverton parking lot by 5:45 a.m. at the latest as we will be leaving at 6 a.m. sharp and shoot for an 7 am start -- the days are getting shorter and we will want to maximize the amount of usable daylight available.
The run starts at Pen Mar at 7ish a.m. Aid will be at five locations:
- Wolfsville Rd (9 mi) - map
- Rt70/Rt40 (17 mi) - map
- Rt 40alt (22 mi) - map
- Crampton Gap/Gapland Rd. (29 mi) - map
- Weverton (36 mi) - map (this is where we will also be meeting for the car pool in the morning)
There will be two cutoffs. AS2 (17 mi) at 11:45 a.m. and AS4 (29 mi) at 3:30 p.m. Times based on a 7 a.m. start; adjusted accordingly if we start slightly later. Any runner not making these cutoffs will be shuttled ahead to another aid location and will be allowed to continue to run if he or she desires.
At the bottom of this page is a general map that has the road crossings for both the AT and the Catoctin in Maryland. The green dots are for the AT. It also has the location of parking/finish (along 340) for the Quad State Quad Buster.
Who's Coming (2011 list): Participant list
Questions: Contact Mike Bur, who is in charge of this event, at mjc...@yahoo.com.
2010 starters
Prior Results
See also: The Quad State From Long Ago
The Course
Sunrise/Sunset:
U.S. Naval Observatory
Astronomical Applications Department
Sun and Moon Data for One Day
The following information is provided for Harpers Ferry, Jefferson County, West Virginia (longitude W77.7, latitude N39.3):
Saturday 20 October 2012 Eastern Daylight Time
SUN
Begin civil twilight 6:59 a.m.
Sunrise 7:26 a.m.
Sun transit 12:56 p.m.
Sunset 6:24 p.m.
End civil twilight 6:52 p.m.
MOON
Moonset(on preceding day) 10:04 p.m.
Moonrise 1:00 p.m.
Moon transit 6:03 p.m.
Moonset 11:09 p.m.
Moonrise(on following day) 1:46 p.m.
Phase of the Moon on 20 October: waxing crescent with 34% of Moon's visible disk illuminated.First quarter Moon on 21 October 2012 at 11:32 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time.
Course profile with Aid Stations Marked
Course Map
