Parks & Recreation

 Ready to get Rowdy?

Rowdy Dawg

Race Weekend 2011
Saturday, Oct. 29th - Super D

  • registration ends at 3 p.m.
  • pre-race meeting at the top of the mountain at 3:50 p.m.
  • race begins at 4 p.m.

Sunday, Oct. 30th - Rowdy Dawg

  • XXC - pre-race meeting at 8:45 a.m.; race begins at 9 a.m.
  • all other categories - registration ends at 10:30 a.m.; pre-race meeting at 10:45 a.m.; race begins at 11 a.m.

Brush Mountain (Start/Finish/Parking at Broce's Field)
Blacksburg, VA

Click here for photos and results from previous years!

For more race details, contact Montgomery County Parks & Recreation at (540) 382-6975.

 
  • Register online
  • History of the Rowdy Dawg
  • Rowdy Dawg Highlights
  • Course description
  • Directions to race parking and check-in
  • Sponsors
  •  
    Register online:
     
     
    Sponsored by:
     
     
    History of the Rowdy Dawg
    The first Rowdy Dawg mountain bike race was run in 1988 and has improved each year. A longstanding tradition in Southwest Virginia, the Rowdy Dawg is renowned for its excellent and GRUELING race course and typically draws a large and diverse field of participants.
     
    Rowdy Dawg highlights
    • Racers from all over the Mid-Atlantic States expected
    • Large number of spectators
    • Grass roots racing at its finest
    • Reputation as one of the best race courses in Virginia
    • Long tradition of racing in Southwest Virginia
    • Race categories including: kids, beginner, sport, pro/expert, XXC, veteran and master
    • Real singletrack + real mountains = real fun!
    The course:

    Note: There will be NO PARKING at Boley Fields or along the road.
    You must proceed all the way down to Broce's Field
    This is where the start and finish for the race is located.

    Juniors

    Riders will have an escorted start down FS 708.  The race will be live here but still escorted.  Racers will take a left up the first unnamed uphill to connect with Poverty Creek.  Here racers will turn left and follow poverty creek back to the start/finish at Broce’s Field.

    Beginner

    The Beginner Course is designed to offer a mountain bike race opportunity that is more appealing to new racers looking for a challenging, yet not overwhelming racing experience. We have left in the challenges but removed mileage so that new racers will not feel have to feel overwhelmed. We encourage you to pre-ride the course though, as this is probably the most technical beginner course you will find anywhere.

    Remember - even small dawgs can BITE! Start at Broce’s Field on FS 708 and sprint to be the first into the single track. Take a left onto Poverty Creek.  Here you will flow in and out of ravines constantly making you work to keep your lead. After a double track downhill racers will turn left onto Trillium. Once on Trillium racers will follow the trail to the intersection of Skullcap.  Turn left and continue traversing Gap Mt. At the next intersection turn right continuing downhill staying on Skullcap.  Be ready to make a right onto Queen Anne and follow it to FS 708.  Cross FS 708, Here you will find a water station with volunteers directing traffic.  Turn right onto Poverty Creek and prepare for some big ring twisty single track that will give you a chance to catch the racers in front of you.  Racers will follow Poverty Creek all the way back to Broce’s Field to the finish line.

    Sport/Expert

    Start at Broce’s Field on FS 708 and sprint to be the first into the single track.  Take a left onto Poverty Creek.  Here you will flow in and out of ravines constantly making you work to keep your lead.  After a double track downhill racers will turn left onto Trillium. Once on Trillium racers will follow the trail to the intersection of Skullcap.  Turn left and continue traversing Gap Mt. At the next intersection racers will again turn left onto Prickley Pear.  This is some of the best single track on Gap Mt.  Keep you speed though the rocks so you can be the first into the downhill.  Once racers reach FS 708 they will cross the road and bomb down Royal.  After you have dropped your competitors turn left onto Poverty and continue to Joe Pye.  Take a right and prepare for the climb up Brush Mt.  Joe Pye runs into Horse Nettle where racers will take a right and continue up Bush Mt. to Brush Mt. gravel road.  At the top of this climb there will be a water station with volunteers.  Taking a right on the road will lead riders into a fast section of ridge climbs and downhills.  Riders will dive back into single track, still Horse Nettle, when the road ends at a fire circle.  Get ready for a long fast downhill down Snake Root.  Once your hands regain strength from the twisty Snake Root turn left onto May Apple and collect style points for riding across the log that spans a creek (more style points will be awarded if you pass the rider in front of you while riding the log).  Flow through May Apple and take a left onto Poverty.  Here you will find a water station with volunteers directing traffic.  Continue on  Poverty Creek and prepare for some big ring twisty single track that will give you a chance to catch the racers in front of you.  Racers will follow Poverty Creek all the way back to Broce’s Field to the finish line.

    XXC

    Start at Broce’s Field on FS 708 and sprint to be the first into the single track.  Take a left onto Poverty Creek.  Here you will flow in and out of ravines constantly making you work to keep your lead.  After a double track downhill racers will turn left onto Trillium. Once on Trillium racers will follow the trail to the intersection of Skullcap.  Turn left and continue traversing Gap Mt. At the next intersection racers will again turn left onto Prickley Pear.  This is some of the best single track on Gap Mt.  Keep you speed though the rocks so you can be the first into the downhill.  Once racers reach FS 708 they will cross the road and bomb down Royal.  After you have dropped your competitors turn left onto Poverty and continue to Joe Pye.  Take a right and prepare for the climb up Brush Mt.  Joe Pye runs into Horse Nettle where racers will take a right and continue up Bush Mt. to Brush Mt. gravel road.  At the top of this climb there will be a water station with volunteers.  Taking a right on the road will lead riders into a fast section of ridge climbs and downhills.  Riders will dive back into single track, still Horse Nettle, when the road ends at a fire circle.  Get ready for a long fast downhill down Snake Root.  Once your hands regain strength from the twisty Snake Root turn left onto May Apple and collect style points for riding across the log that spans a creek (more style points will be awarded if you pass the rider in front of you while riding the log).  Flow through May Apple and take a left onto Poverty.  Here you will find a water station with volunteers directing traffic.  Continue on  Poverty Creek and prepare for some big ring twisty single track that will give you a chance to catch the racers in front of you (LAP 1 racers will following Poverty Creek to FS 708 and turn LEFT onto FS 708.  Following the road past Boley Fields and turn right back onto Poverty Creek to start the second lap) Lap 2  racers will follow Poverty Creek all the way back to Broce’s Field to the finish line.

    This years courses may be a little less mileage but our hope is to give riders less backtracking and repeating.  We are trying to create a course where there will be more jockeying for position and more chances for rider interaction.  The XXC is now two big loops instead of the many small loops of years past.  Enjoy!

    ALL courses will be starting at the Broce’s Field start/finish area.

    Super D

    This is a new event for this year to kick off the Rowdy weekend.  Registration will be set up at the bottom of Old Farm Trail Starting at 2:00pm But we highly recommend you preregister for this one. If you are preregistered for the Rowdy Dawg on Sunday this race is free. If you are just there to bomb Old Farm it will cost you $5 for your chance to be top down hill dog. The Race will start at 4:00pm at the top of the Mtn.  You need to be responsible for being there at your given time slot.  If you need time to hike a bike up the trail don’t register late!
    Start at the fire circle on Brush Mt fire road.  Take Horse Nettle single track to Snake Root and turn left back onto jeep road.  Follow jeep road to Old Farm and start moving as fast as you can to bottom.  Remember….Smooth is fast ‘cause fast is smooth.

    See the Weaselworks Interactive Map of the Trails...

    DON'T WORRY - Course Marshalls will be on station at major intersections accurately recording your laps - if you aren't sure when to turn they can assist you.

     
    Directions to the race and check-in:
    The race registration and Start/Finish line will be located at Broce's Field just a few miles down FS 708. From US 460, the entrance to FS 708 is at the crest of Gap Mountain. You will not be able to park along FS 708 as the Forest Service will not permit it. Parking along FS 708 will create big headaches for you -  trust us. If you'd like to avoid miles of dusty dirt roads, we recommend a slightly longer but less dusty route to the race... see instructions below:

    From I-81
    Take exit 118CBA, Blacksburg/Christiansburg. Then exit B.
    Follow U.S. 460 West toward Blacksburg/Virginia Tech. Stay on bypass around Blacksburg, climbing Brush Mountain, passing the Pandapas Pond Recreation Area on your left and continuing up to the top of Gap Mountain. As you climb Gap get in your LEFT lane and prepare for a LEFT turn onto FS 708 at the crest of the mountain. Follow this gravel road for about 4 miles - it will lead you by Boley Fields. Continue past Boley Fields until you reach the official parking area on your left at Broce's Field. Parking attendants will assist you.

    If you'd like to avoid the dust of FS 708, take the Price's Fork exit off 460 at Blacksburg, turn LEFT off Price's Fork onto University City Blvd, LEFT onto Glade Road, RIGHT onto Mt. Zion, RIGHT onto Lick Run, Right onto Straley Valley Road. Parking will be about a half mile down Straley Valley on the RIGHT at Broce's Field. Takes a bit longer, but worth avoiding the dust!

    From I-77
    Take U.S. 460 East at Princeton, WV.
    Follow 460 E, crossing into Virginia, after passing Newport you will begin a long grade up Gap Mountain, slow down near the top and make a RIGHT turn onto FS 708. This dusty gravel road will lead you to Boley Fields. Continue a ways past Boley Fields until you reach the official parking area at Broce's Field.

    Other Areas
    From Richmond, VA
    I-64 West to I-81 South, then follow directions above.
    From Washington, D.C.
    I-66 West to I-81 South, then follow directions above. 

     
    Sponsors: