June 1, 2022

We're happy to be racing one more time too!

Dear NJ NICA Community -

Here we go - one last dance for the 2022 Racing Season! The NJICL staff has been working hard to get everything ready for this final race of the year, and we're excited to gather with everyone one more time at Six Mile Run.

Please take a moment to read all the information below. There are a few wave schedule changes for Saturday, and a few updates to our parking procedures for the weekend we want to make sure everyone is aware of. As always, please let us know if you have any questions - we're here to help! 

The weather looks great, the course is ready, and we're pumped to finish this 2022 season off with a bang - let's do this! 

The NJICL Staff

Click for full resolution flier. 

Please take a moment to review the order of the waves for both Saturday and Sunday. The most significant change we've made is for Saturday's race order. For this weekend, 7th Grade Boys and 6th Grade Boys will go in Wave 1 at 10 a.m., all middle school girls will go in Wave 2 at 11 a.m., and 8th Grade Boys will go in Wave 3 at 12:00 p.m., which is different than the order at Lewis Morris. We don't want anyone to miss their race, so please note the times and plan accordingly! 

Also, please make sure your student athlete is aware of their call-up position by looking at our NJICL Call-Up Report for Six Mile. The staging process goes much smoother when our student athletes know their place in the callup process (Group A or B, up front, mid-pack, final group), and there is less chance they miss their callup. 

Remember, if your student athlete was not pre-registered, they will start in the back of the pack. 

As most of our community knows, parking is a challenge at Six Mile, and this year will be no different. We have arranged for an overflow parking lot less than 2 miles from the venue as well as a shuttle bus in the event we are unable to park all cars on site. Please use 21-71 Jacques Lane, Somerset for your GPS, and enter at what we like to call the "NICA" entrance, not the public parking area entrance. We'll mark the entrance with feather flags to make it easy to find! When you arrive, our parking manager and our volunteers will direct you to a parking spot. If we fill all available on-site parking, you will be directed by our crew to an area to drop off your student athlete, their bike, and all gear, and given a flier with the remote site address, a QR code to scan for your GPS, and a phone number in case of any issues. The shuttle bus will continuously run back and forth between the remote lot, a five-minute drive, and the Jacques Lane location. When it's time to leave, the shuttle bus will take you back to the overflow lot, and you'll be able to come back and pick up your student athlete and their gear. 

We know the possibility of using the overflow lot will add a little time to your morning routine, so please plan accordingly. Also, please note - no bikes or animals are allowed on the shuttle bus. 

First, a huge, massive, resoundingly loud "THANK YOU" to everyone who has come out to volunteer this year. We jumped back into bunch racing for the first time since 2019, with more kids than ever - and you all made it possible! 

We're looking for about 40 more volunteers for the weekend - a few to help with set-up on Friday, and especially stationary marshals and parking volunteers for Saturday and Sunday. Please help us bring this season home in an amazing fashion by volunteering today. And again, thank you for your continued support! 

• Six Mile veterans will remember this important warning - "Leaves of three - let it be!" Six Mile is infamous for poison ivy, and it is thriving more than usual this year. Please be aware of your surroundings, watch anytime you are walking near the treeline or through unmown grass, and don't forget to bring your favorite poison ivy wash or cleanser and prepared to wash off on-site in case of contact! Watch this 5 minute video on Youtube to learn proper cleanup techniques and never get a poison ivy rash again: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oyoDRHpQK0 
• Our NJICL Medical Coordinator Shawn Doucette reminds all to start hydrating at least two days before race day! Also, with the hot weather riding season approaching, he has a great article from the Cleveland Clinic on heat exhaustion - make sure to check it out!
• Six Mile Run, like all other NJ State Parks, is a "carry in, carry out" park. Please plan to bring all garbage home with you! 
• A reminder - there is absolutely NO riding on Jacques Lane. It is a very dangerous road, and no student athletes or coaches should be out walking or riding on it. This is your warning - anyone found violating this rule will be subject to a yellow level penalty!