The Alaska Endurance Association, LLC (AEA) consists of two grassroots, endurance rides.
To join the Alaska Endurance Association LLC, the annual membership is 150, which will include the AEA, LLC series, which at this writing is The Denali Classic (May) and The Soggy Bottom. The Soggy Bottom day pass is now $90. The annual membership expires one day after the current Soggy Bottom ride. The scheduled rides with exception of the Soggy, will be dependent on climatic and trail conditions, and therefore subject to rescheduling or cancellation. The annual and day pass memberships are non-refundable.
The concept of the Alaska Endurance Association is rather simple: to inspire riders to ride. To ride mountain bikes long distances. To promote grassroots, elite level, endurance riding at the riders own pace.
Denali Classic
The AEA riding schedule, which begins in May, on Memorial Day weekend, the Denali Classic will open the series with a gravel out and back gravel road ride over the second highest road pass in Alaska.
Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend
Start: Brushkana Campground
Start Time: 7 AM / Sign-up: 6 AM
The very first Alaska Endurance Association ride is almost here! This will have the Alaska Randonneurs riders joining us to ride with world class beauty and vistas! They will have specific distances to ride.
The longest current Denali Gravel Grinder will take place on Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend! The Alaska Endurance Association will start the season with this ride with world class scenery that will feature 3 distance options and the choice to ride the 2 longer options as a soloist or as a relay! The distance options are longer this year, they are; 182, 124 or 42 miles. The two longer routes will have at least 9,000 feet of elevation gain! The 42 miles is reserved for the solo rider. The maximum team members will be set at 3, with one car per team. The solo riders have the option of a follow car for support. Each relay team will determine their own relay stations.
The riders who entered the 2011 Soggy will have the $30 AEA day pass waived. All others will have to purchase a $30 Alaska Endurance Association Day Pass. There will be the usual post ride campfire BBQ!! All ride options will start at 7 AM. All ride options will start and end at the Brushkana Campground.
Susitna River Bridge
This round trip ride is about 40 miles long and will have you crossing this very long wooden bridge, after crossing this structure, 180 your bike and ride back to camp!
Maclaren River Lodge
This is a 124 mile round trip! This will feature some outstanding above tree line vistas!! Maclaren Lodge has some of the finest burgers around so take this opportunity to fuel
up before riding back for the cold beer waiting for you back at camp!
Maclaren Pass
This smack daddy 182 mile AEA ride will have the riders climbing the second highest road pass in Alaska! This pass is at 4,080 feet! The riders will get to the top of the pass,
then turn around and ride down this white knuckle, scream for your Ma gravelicious descent back to the Maclaren River! After the tear jerker, permagrin downhill, it would be a great
idea to stop at the Maclaren Lodge to grub up before riding back to the grill and swill at the Brushkana campground!
All riders who complete this particular ride will receive a non-transferable day pass for the Soggy Bottom!!!!
There will be a post ride potluck BBQ on Saturday which will start around 9 PM.
The Fabulous Soggy Bottom 100!
The last ride of the series is the AEA premier ride, The Fabulous Soggy Bottom 100.
The first weekend in August
Start: The Seaview Bar in Hope
Start Time: 9AM / Last minute Sign-up: 7-8AM ($150 AEA Membership - NO REGISTRATION AFTER THIS TIME, PERIOD.)
Limit: 45 solo riders, 6 teams
The AEA Full Membership is $120 and includes the Denali Gravel Grinder as well as The Soggy Bottom.
These are some important 2012 Soggy Bottom numbers and dates that riders who plan to challenge the course must know.
Solo rider threshold: 45.
Team threshold: 6 (maximum number of team members 3, minimum 2), also one support vehicle per team.
A Ghost Rider (one per rider no sharing) is allowed from the Devils Pass check point back to Hope.
The application period begins on May 1st and last day to apply is July 20th. Any applications post marked before May 1 and later than July 20th will be returned. The accepted applicants will be recorded by post mark until threshold levels are reached. The Alaska Endurance Association day pass membership remains at $90.00. Riders apply to do the Soggy, should your application be accepted you will receive an email or a phone call. This is a nonrefundable no excuse accepted day pass. Should you apply and are not accepted; your forms will be returned along with your check. Should there be slots available on the morning of the ride; the slots will be available for $150 (pending your qualifications). The mandatory solo rider and ride number assignment will occur between 5PM and 8 PM on August 3rd and between 7AM and 8AM on August 4th. Those riders who show up after 8 AM on August will have to wait after the 9 AM start to sign in and receive your number. The team numbers will be given to Anchorage based team at the mandatory ride meeting on August 1st at the new Speedway Cycles location. The time for this meeting will be announced at a later date. The last mandatory meeting will occur on August 4th at 8:15 at the Hope Community Hall.
All attempts will be made to record your finish time in comparison to others. As mentioned earlier, the goal is to finish these challenges while setting your own pace. A start time and route are provided here and it is up to the participant to understand the route, and also have full responsibility for their navigation and well being. These are AEA club rides; although some people might do these as rides with friends or even other riders they meet at the start, along the route at their own pace.
Since the events are self-supportive, it should be understood that these are for experienced backcountry cyclists only. If you question your ability to complete such an event, it is best that you consider another option before trying one of these. At this level of riding you as a rider should know what skills and types of equipment you will need to complete these rides. Therefore it is up to you – and you alone – to ensure your safety!!