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Catalyst Sports is excited to partner with MORE to include a 5 mile and a 20 mile adaptive ride in the MoCo Epic.
The MoCo Epic is a 2-day festival celebrating mountain biking, trails, and the community that makes this region a great place to ride. MORE has been making routes adaptive friendly throughout their trail systems, opening opportunities for adaptive athletes to join the festivities. Volunteer to be part of an unforgettable experience and help make mountain biking more accessible for all!
Volunteer Roles: please read carefully!
 NEW Support Rider: Ride alongside adaptive athletes, providing encouragement and trail assistance. May assist with helping adaptive athletes get set up on their adaptive mountain bikes.
Returning Support Rider: Help the adaptive athletes get set up on their adaptive mountain bikes. Ride alongside adaptive athletes, providing guidance and trail assistance.
 Athlete Support: Volunteer who is NOT riding a bike. Duties MAY include set up, bike fitting, mechanics, helping athletes on/off bikes, and managing equipment. May also help with breaking down event space. May also include helping adaptive athletes get from their parked cars to the event.
 Registration Team: Checking participants in and providing information during the event. Checking Out Athletes at the end of their rides. May also help with breaking down event space.
Volunteer Requirements:
- 5 Mile Support Riders must be competent riding on a variety of terrain for at least 5 miles and must be able to keep up with the athletes on adaptive mountain bikes maintaining a casual but steady pace.
- 20 Mile Support Riders must be advanced riders who can keep up with the fast pace of the adaptive riders on e- assist bikes in technical terrain.
- Volunteers must be at least 15 years old (NICA riders are welcome)
- All Support Rider Volunteers must have their own working mountain bike. Contact http://marty@catalystsports.org for exceptions.
- Knowledge of the trail system is a plus, but not necessary.
- Adaptive, medical, or therapy experience is a plus, but not necessary.
- NEW Support Ride volunteers and NEW Athlete Support Volunteers:
- There is no formal new volunteer orientation for this event. Please complete the online New Volunteer Training offered before the ride. It's self paced and takes less than an hour.
- Please make sure you have created an account first, then go back and register for this event
 Friends or family who want to ride along side the adaptive athletes, should register with BikeReg for the 5 or 20 miler Adaptive Ride on the MoCo Epic website. https://www.bikereg.com/moco-epic-2025 You must have your own mountain bike, and have the skills to keep up with the adaptive rider on these trails.
About the Adaptive Rides:
- Adaptive Riders can go out as soon as they are ready after the official start time. They generally start in groups. However, these groups tend to spread out, depending on their pace, and 1-2 individual athletes end up riding with 1- 2 volunteers, arriving at the finish line at different times.
- All the Adaptive Riders have experience and should not require instructions on basic skills. However guidance at technical spots on the trail may be needed.
- Support Riders may be paired with specific adaptive riders, or they may be riding with a group.
5 Mile Ride: This is a CASUAL paced Advanced Beginner/Intermediate Ride with beginner technical challenges. Route
- Pace can vary depending on the skills and comfort level of the rider.
- It is a lollipop route, and the loop can be done more than once for a 3-4 mile longer ride.
- Expect to be out on the trail 1/1/2 - 2hours.
20 Mile Ride: THIS IS AN ADVANCED RIDE with technical challenges along the way. Route
- There will be a Aid Station/Pit Stop halfway through the 20 mile ride, stocked with a selection of sweet and savory snacks, water, electrolytes, first aid supplies, a course map, and an accessible porta potty.
- There is a 1:30 cut off time to get to the aid station. Riders who arrive after 1:30 must take the SAG van back to South Germantown Park.
- Any rider struggling to keep up on the 20 mile ride will be picked up after 1:30 at the Aid Station and brought back to South Germantown Park.
- There is an option to cut the last 3 miles off the 20-mile ride for adaptive riders who may be struggling to finish.
- Expect to be out on the trail a minimum of 3-4 hours
Schedule:
- 8:00 Registration Crew Arrives
- 8:15 Adaptive Athlete Support, 20 Mile Support Rider, and 20 Mile Adaptive Rider Check In Opens
- 8:30 20 Mile Support Rider Briefing
- 8:50 20 Mile Adaptive Rider Set-Ups/Fitting on Bikes
- 9:30 20 Mile Riders Start
- 9:15 5 Mile Support Rider and Adaptive Rider Check In Opens
- 9:40 5 Mile Ride Support Rider Briefing
- 10:00 5 Mile Rider Set-Ups/Fittings on Bikes
- 10:30-10:40 5 Miler Riders Start
- 11:30-12:30 5 Mile Riders Cross Finish Line
- 12:30- 3:00 20 Mile Riders Cross Finish Line
- Post Ride Party
Good Things to Know:
- Post Ride Party: Both rides start and end at the South Germantown Bike Park where the party awaits. There will be music, food trucks, and a beer garden.
- Hangry Station: There will be a tent with lots of snacks and drinks to tide you over until you can get a meal from one of the food trucks.
- T-Shirts: Register by Sept 20 to get a MoCo Epic T-Shirt. Be sure you have filled in T-Shirt size on your membership form.
- 🏕️ Accommodations: There are limited RV and tent camping spots from Saturday, October 11 to Monday, October 13. You can reserve a spot through BikeReg. MoCo Epic participants are also welcome to book campsites at Little Bennett Regional Park or nearby Button Farm, and join us for the community dinner on Saturday night. MORE is also partnering with Hampton Inn & Suites in Gaithersburg for a room block from Friday, October 10 to Sunday, October 12. Book through this site by September 16 to avail of the special MoCo Epic price
- You will be sent a reminder letter the week of the ride.
Things to Bring:
- Working Mountain Bike and Helmet
- Water bottle/Hydration Pack (There is a water filling station)
- Safety/Sunglasses and any other riding gear you need
- (Optional) Sun screen and bug spray: You will be going through grassy fields and some open woods.
Please make sure you have created a membership first, and go back and register for this event
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