Pepsi Challenge

The Pepsi went off this weekend without a problem. The course was in
great condition, and excellent condition considering the low snow year.
A couple tid-bits:

-They changed the course this year. The start is straighter as it
enters the golf course, and you start up the Gold until the cutoff and
come back down the Cedar. It's not much more climbing than the old
course, but it's noticeable. Then it's up the Cedar, down the Gold and
you ski the Silver loop until you hook up to the Cedar again and then
to the Summit. I think it's a good change since they're using the
premium trails at Giant's Ridge (and skiing them twice) instead of
sending you off on some narrow bumpy trails (Wynn Creek). When they get
10 feet of snow, Wynn Creek is ok, but not in low snow years.

-Typical weather (about 0F).

-About 600 skiers, which I think it about the expected.

-Results at http://www.itiming.com/raceresults/224-pepsi07_div.pdf

-Chip Tabor skied with old boots and they completely fell apart on him.
He still maintained a 2:50 pace for the 50 km, while I maintained a
2:50 pace for 25 km (and it killed me).

Jay Wenner

The thing I have never liked about the Pepsi is that that trail narrows
down almost immediately after the start. I haven't done the race for a
few years, so maybe they changed that? Otherwise it is a great race!

don martin wrote:
The thing I have never liked about the Pepsi is that that trail narrows
down almost immediately after the start. I haven't done the race for a
few years, so maybe they changed that? Otherwise it is a great race!

It was two-wide, or almost two-wide until the woods. So the golf course
was a little wider than in the past. Also, the Cedar, Gold, Summit and
Silver are wide enough to easily pass, so the new course offers more
ability to pass than the old.

Jay