1. Approved cycling helmet must be worn at all times while riding.
2. Bicycles ridden at night must be fully visible. Lighting must meet the following requirements: Red tail light with minimum 1 watt; Minimum 2.5 watt white headlight; Reflective tape on fork legs, rear triangle, cranks and either rear of pedals or heels of shoes; all lights must be solid, not flashing.
3. All racers must have a support vehicle (one for solos and up to 2 for teams). Support vehicles must be equipped with the following: roof-mounted amber flashing lights clearly visible from the back only; Slow-moving vehicle triangle; and “Caution Bicycles Ahead” sign. No RVs will be allowed on the course.
4. Support must be “leapfrog” during the day and “direct-follow” at night. Racers cannot advance at night without a follow-vehicle.
5. Participants and racers must not impede traffic. If two or more motorists and/or a single motorist is backed up behind a support vehicle for more than 2 minutes, that support vehicle must pull over as soon as possible to allow other motor vehicles to pass.
6. Drafting is not allowed. Any number of team racers can be on the road at any time. Teams may draft, but only their own team mates.
7. Racers must ride single file except when passing another competitor.
8. Support vehicle must be completely off the road when providing leapfrog support or exchanging riders.
9. All participants must obey all applicable traffic laws.
10. Support crews must call race headquarters from each time station and report the racer’s time of arrival. Racers need not stop at the time station. If a racer is racing the 200-mile unsupported, the racer must call in.
11. Racers must follow the exact course.
12. Violations of these rules will result in the issuance of time penalties. Each violation will result in a 15-minute time penalty. The fifth penalty will result in disqualification.

Notes:

Race numbers & Caution Bicycles Ahead signage will be supplied. Racers and crew must provide their own flashing amber lights and slow-moving vehicle triangles. For a very affordable option on Amber Flashing Lights which mount magnetically see etrailer.com. The Orange reflective slow-moving vehicle triangles can be obtained on Amazon.com and look like this.

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General Rules

All riders and support crew members must obey these rules and all Washington traffic laws.  State Troopers have the right & may ticket riders or drivers who disobey traffic laws.  Race officials will impose time penalties or disqualifications for violations of traffic laws or race rules.  Penalties by offenses are as follows:

1^st Offense: 15 minute penalty

2^nd Offense: 30 minute penalty

3^rd Offense: Disqualification of any awards & subject to leaving the race

4th Offense: Official Leave from the race.

Protests:

If a racer believes a race official has made a decision that violated the rules and/or is unfair to the rider, the rider may appeal the decision to the race committee by filing a protest. Protests must be submitted at the Finish line in writing or by email immediately after the finish time of the event. It will be ruled on by three-five pre chosen, and or Race committee persons.

Traffic Safety

• Race/ride as far to the right as possible at all times.
• Use the shoulder of the highway when it is in good condition.
• Move to the right as far as practicable when a driver behind you gives an audible signal.
• Never ride more than two abreast, and ride two abreast only when it will not impede traffic.
• Obey all traffic signs and signals. Rules of the road apply.
• Do not hand anything to, take anything from, or make any other contact with a moving support vehicle. This could disqualify you from the race.
• Do not advance along the course in a motor vehicle, unless an extreme emergency arises.  When a rider is driven in a vehicle to receive emergency assistance, the rider may return by motor vehicle to the point where the rider initially entered the vehicle, and may resume riding from there.
• Do not ask for or accept any type of push-off from another person or vehicle.
• Do not discard wrappers or other objects except water bottles while riding.  Riders may toss water bottles to the roadside ONLY when someone from a support vehicle is available to pick them up immediately.
• Always wear a properly attached ANSI-approved helmet.
• If abandoning the event, report the abandonment as soon as practicable, by calling the number given to you at the Start of the event or notifying a race official on the course or at the Start/Finish location.
• Take all toilet breaks well off of the highway, out of public view, and away from any driveway or private property.
• A rider followed by a pace vehicle who is being passed by another rider and pace vehicle must yield as far as reasonably possible to the right until the passing rider and pace vehicle have completed the pass.  Neither rider may draft off of the other rider’s pace vehicle.

Drafting:

Any Solo Racer: You must NOT ride in any pace line nor follow in the draft of any other rider or pace vehicle.

Any number of team racers can be on the road at any time. Teams may draft, but only their own team mates.

Night Riding:

• Riders must check in at ALL the check stations and will not be allowed to leave stations at night unless accompanied by a pace vehicle (a support vehicle following immediately behind the rider, at the same speed as the rider).
• Riders riding during night time hours (from 8 PM – 7 am) must:
  • Wear reflective gear and or a reflective vest.
  • Equip their bicycles with an operating front light visible from 100 meters (300 ft) and an operating steady state (non-blinking) rear red light visible from 150 meters (500 ft)
  • Travel as a single unit with a pace vehicle, staying within the range of the pace vehicle’s headlights at all times.  For hand-offs/downtime  during night hours, car & Racers must be close by for support.
  • Ensure that their crew members get enough sleep to drive a motor vehicle safely.  When a rider believes that a crew member or the entire crew lacks enough members to ensure that all support vehicles be driven safely, the rider must cease riding and instruct crew members to stop until the crew can provide safe support.

Relay Teams:

• There is no maximum riding distance for individual riders on relay teams.  Any number of relay riders from the same team may cycle together at any time and for any distance, as long as they do not draft.
• No relay-team rider may ride in a pace line with any member of another team.
• Once a relay team starts its ride a new rider may not substitute for one of the team’s original riders, even if the original rider is injured and unable to ride.  Only one member of the team needs to finish, however, so a single relay-team rider may complete the race for the team, even if the rest of its riders have dropped out.
• In a Relay exchange, the new Relay rider must overlap their position with the Relay rider he/she is replacing.  A Relay rider may make a rolling exchange at a cycling speed and riders ride side by side.  The new Relay rider then accelerates to begin his/her riding leg while the other Relay rider stops and waits for the support vehicle.  STOP,  DO NOT RIDE BACK TO THE SUPPORT VEHICLE! Riders cycling beyond their support vehicles during the relay should walk their bikes back to the support vehicle on the far right side of the road.
• ALL racers on a relay team may be on the road and take the downhill descent on Rainey Pass! It’s a small reward for all that climbing!

Rules for Support Vehicles and Crews:

• A “support vehicle” is any motorized vehicle with two or more wheels that is used during the race to transport people and/or equipment necessary for use by a competing rider.
• All support vehicles must be properly registered for use in the state of Washington and carry at least the minimum insurance required by law in the state of registration.  Proof of insurance will be required at the mandatory pre-race inspection. No proof of insurance could disqualify you from the race.
• All drivers of support vehicles must possess a valid driver’s license appropriate for the type of vehicle being operated.  Motorcycle riders must have an endorsement legal in the state of Washington.  Motorcycle riders and their passengers must wear proper motorcycle helmets – not bicycle helmets – while on the motorcycle.  A motorcycle may be used as a support vehicle only by a rider or team that also has a four-wheeled support vehicle.  A rider or team that meets this requirement may use the motorcycle, instead of the four-wheeled vehicle as a night time pace vehicle.
• All support drivers and support staff must sign Release of Liability forms.
• The team or solo racer’s number must be displayed in the front and back left side of the support vehicle.
• Unless otherwise specified (for night hours), no support vehicle may be used as a pace vehicle.
• A minimum of 2 support crew members are required for solo racers in this event (due to safety concerns to allow one person to rest while the other drives). No maximum number is set for the number of support-crew members that riders and relay teams may have.  Relay teams do not require a crew if the team is larger than 2 people.  A team of 2 requires one additional crew member to maintain 2 wide-awake people in the vehicle during the night hours for safety.
• Each support crew must designate one member as its crew “captain”.  The crew captain will speak for the crew and riders in reporting problems, suggestions, or other information to race officials.
• Any crew member may offer assistance to any rider or crew, of any team, at any time.
• Support crews must pick up their rider’s discarded water bottles and if a rider violates the rule against discarding other objects while riding, are also responsible for cleaning up the rider’s litter. If not, WA. State Law enforcement may fine the Racer or Crew.
• A support vehicle may assist a racer, during daylight hours, by leapfrogging along the course, subject to the following requirements:
  • Use caution at all times, especially when parking and moving back into the roadway. Rules of the road apply.
  • DO NOT park or congregate on the shoulder. Racers will be active on the road, racing. Stop either in designated pullouts, driveways, parking lots or convenient Race Stations or checkpoints. Any support vehicle stopping in such a way that passing riders or racers are forced off of the shoulder and into traffic will be subject to disqualification, or fined.
  • Do not hand anything to, take anything from, or make any other contact with riders while the support vehicle is moving.

In addition to these rules, all drivers must obey all rules of the road, local & state traffic laws.

Pace Vehicles Requirements:

A “Pace Vehicle” is a support vehicle that is used to “pace” a rider by driving immediately behind the rider, at the same speed as the rider.

Required equipment for pace vehicles are as follows:

• At least one yellow amber (not red) flashing light mounted on the far left (driver side) of the roof (if using a single light) visible only from the rear (use duct tape or electrical tape to cover the front half). You can purchase a light here.
• The pace vehicle MUST use this flashing roof light whenever the vehicle is following the racer. Failure to do this may result in disqualification.
• A “Caution Bicycle Ahead” sign may be handmade on white adhesive paper or white heavy card stock with red or orange letters 4 – 6 inches high.
• One rear reflective equilateral triangle, or a RED sign saying “Slow Moving Vehicle”, minimum height 12 inches, with a red or orange reflective border not less than 1.75 inches in width.  Available here on Amazon.com.

This “Slow Moving Vehicle” sign must be attached to the rear of the vehicle whenever it is on the road, following a racer or rider.

• RVs, motor homes, or fifteen passenger vans, regardless of width, may not be used as pace vehicles or to help relay-team riders or make rider exchanges.
• During night time hours, approximately, (9 PM – 6 AM), a pace vehicle must accompany each rider.  The pace vehicle must travel as a single unit with the rider, staying immediately behind so that the rider remains within the range of the pace vehicle’s headlights at all times.
• Pace vehicles may, but are not required to, follow riders during daylight hours. They may ride ahead and wait for the racer. We recomend waiting at the checkpoints, since you will be able to get food, drinks, nutrition, there.  Parking and bathrooms at most checkpoints, in addition to rest areas, for crew.
• When following a rider, a pace vehicle should stay as far as possible toward the right side of the pavement and must not impede traffic.  When five or more vehicles are waiting to pass, the pace vehicle must pull off the road and let traffic pass.  If traffic cannot pass safely at night while the rider and pace vehicle are moving, then the pace vehicle should signal the rider, and they both must pull over to allow traffic to pass at the earliest opportunity when it is safe to do so.
• A pace vehicle may travel alongside a rider to exchange information for no more than a minute, up to 3 times per hour, but may not hand anything off to the rider or make physical contact with the rider or the rider’s bicycle while traveling alongside.
• To hand something off to a rider, a pace vehicle or support vehicle may drive ahead, stop off of the pavement, and make a pedestrian handoff as the rider passes.
• Under no circumstances will a pace or support vehicle pull up alongside or continue to drive next to a rider if doing so interferes with the normal flow of traffic in either direction. Disqualification of Racer, may occur for this infraction.
• A pace vehicle may never drive alongside a racer for the purpose of sheltering the racer from the wind or to provide any other kind of unfair advantage.
• If two racers from the same team decide to ride together, only one pace vehicle may follow the riders while they are together.  The other vehicle must park off of the road behind the riders and their pace car or drive ahead, park and wait.
• Except during the time necessary to allow one rider to pass another, two pace vehicles following separate riders/racers may not drive together, either one behind each other or side by side. Please use the 15 second rule to pass other racers: If you can pass in 15 seconds or less, safely go for it. Otherwise, wait till you can. Remember, rules of the road apply.

Race Committee:

Consists of the Race Director and 3-5 others involved in the planning of the race. All major decisions about this race, come from this committee, and will be used to determine “official” race results…in fair and ethical ways, after the first racers cross the finish line & the race concludes. Other parties on the course will submit information to the race committee for review. This may or may not affect the outcome, of the race. Final results will be determined by racers conduct & abilities while on the road.