Swank 65 compared to the ORAMM?

[kenpuke]

This is a stupid question, but how does the Swank 65 compare to the ORAMM. I know the Swank is shorter but is it just as technically challenging? I'd like to do it, if only for the fact that it's named after some of my favorite reading material... How was the weather last year? Pisgah can get b*ll-numbingly cold in November...

[thomas_hudson]

the swank this year is supposed to include farlow gap to daniel ridge. farlow is straight off the fall line and is very rocky, wet, and fast at times. it crosses i think four creeks before you get to daniel ridge, and then once you reach daniel its very rocky and still wet. id day its way more technical than the oramm. the oramm includes heartbreak and kitsuma, both are pretty smooth yet fast trails. it could be warm and could be cold. or both.

[litespeedchick]

Do you have any other info on the specifics of the course? Just this morning some friends asked me if I knew the course and I said "no, but I hope it doesn't have Farlow Gap in it".

I agree...early Nov in the south...both cold and warm is a good bet.40 degree temp swing morning to afternoon is common.

[Mike Brown]

KP- the rumored route for this year will be shorter than ORAMM, but will include the exceedingly tech descents on Farlow/Daniel. There's just nowhere near as much climbing or mileage , even with the big climb up to Farlow and the additional trail . Look at it this way...
Last year, on a slighty easier course than rumored for this year, Sam Koerber won the Swank in 2:53. Sam came in 4th in the ORAMM in 5:30. Even adding an hour to the Swank time with rumored changes, which is probably way too much, it would almost 1:37 minutes faster than the ORAMM finishing time...and in race time, 1:37 is A LOT. For a more average mortal comparison- it took me 4:07 to do the Swank last year with a plate and seven bolts in my shoulder, so I was proceeding cautiously. This year, in about the same shape( one month of training after last surgery in March) but no hardware, it took me 8:20 to do the ORAMM.

Hope that helps

Mike

[teamdicky]

Hello!!!!!
Did someone say FARLOW?!?!?!?!
Hmm... I had sworn this race off for awhile, BUT FARLOW!!!!!

The Wonderboy on Farlow:

[Cannon Ball]

Hello!!!!!
Did someone say FARLOW?!?!?!?!
Hmm... I had sworn this race off for awhile, BUT FARLOW!!!!!

The Wonderboy on Farlow:

That pic doesn't even come close to showing the steepness of FG. As for the comparison FG aside technically they are very close. Climbing up to FG is tough but not as tough as Curtis Creek IMO.

[teamdicky]

[QUOTE=Cannon Ball]That pic doesn't even come close to showing the steepness of FG. QUOTE]

Yeah, it is STIL. You can see that Josh is behind the saddle in the pic and hauling down on the brakes.

[Cannon Ball]

[QUOTE=teamdicky]

That pic doesn't even come close to showing the steepness of FG. QUOTE]

Yeah, it is STIL. You can see that Josh is behind the saddle in the pic and hauling down on the brakes.

Not sure what STIL means, but my point is that one has to ride it to really see how steep it is.

[teamdicky]

[QUOTE=Cannon Ball]

Not sure what STIL means, but my point is that one has to ride it to really see how steep it is.

Steeper
Than
It
Looks

[thadthetroll]

Steeper than it looks.....

[driftwood]

Ever try riding up Farlow?

[M-U-M]

I think the attached pic is from the last time I rode up there 2003 (?). Used to have a nice shot with *rt* in it from 2000 (?). She's so tiny - it makes the STIL effect better.

[Go Kart Motzart]

Anyone else notice that the registration and flyer say Nov. 6th., which is a Monday? I assume that's a typo and the race is Sunday. Anyone confirm?

[kenpuke]

I think the attached pic is from the last time I rode up there 2003 (?). Used to have a nice shot with *rt* in it from 2000 (?). She's so tiny - it makes the STIL effect better.

So uh, yeah... wheres the trail? Is it the skull-sized rocks?

[teamdicky]

So uh, yeah... wheres the trail? Is it the skull-sized rocks?

I try to stay on the torso sized rocks as they are more stable. The skull sized rocks can tumble down if you bump into them and kill any riders in front of you.

[teamdicky]

Another pic from this weekend at Farlow (there are more here: http://teamdicky.blog.com/1067651/ )

Oh yeah, let's race down it!!!!!!!!!!!

[Duckman]

Someone say Farlow Gap?

<img src="http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={C74B6841-2838-4FD2-B304-E547ABC4C372}&exp=f&moddt=38387.0165970023&ssdyn=1 ">

<img src="http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={2A52F05C-C1A4-439E-85D6-9662837332E1}&exp=f&moddt=38387.0165881366&ssdyn=1 ">

<img src="http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={6A4D1AEF-04CB-4087-BF9A-4AE12DB1528E}&exp=f&moddt=38387.0165790972&ssdyn=1 ">

Looking down from the upper most section.

<img src="http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={0F26721A-34F4-4DE6-B6DC-C2CD20C0462C}&exp=f&moddt=38387.0165597454&ssdyn=1 ">

Looking up from the same spot.

<img src="http://www.fototime.com/ftweb/bin/ft.dll/standard?pictid={664FEE0D-961D-4DF0-8236-88ECE1D16AFC}&exp=f&moddt=38387.0165425694&ssdyn=1 ">

[bizutch]

so where is the link to the flyer?

[dailyuser]

is this map for this year?

http://www.blueridgeadventures.net/s...wankCourse.jpg

it says 2009 ...

[brado1]

is this map for this year?

http://www.blueridgeadventures.net/s...wankCourse.jpg

it says 2009 ...

same route! it says 2009 because november 2009 has'nt happened yet

[dailyuser]

ingenious - I've not raced xc before so I didn't know if they posted the route or not... looks fun

[sjanes]

Come race the Pisgah Stage race, you'll ride Farlow one of the days, then you can decide if you want to do SWANK...STIL....

[dailyuser]

I ride Farlow about once a week - I'm definitely going to Swank

[Greg44]

Thinking about coming over from Chattanooga and doing Swank65. Single speed? or FS geared 26er? Is there a lot of extended climbs?

[brado1]

Is there a lot of extended climbs?

Yep! good guess.