MoCo Melee at Button Farm
Watch the recap of our 2022 race at Button Farm - feel the stoke!
Sept 7-8, 2024
Button Farm Living History Center and Schaeffer Farm/Seneca Creek State Park Trails
Germantown, MD
Location Information
Race operations and the infield will be located at:
Button Farm Living History Center
16820 Black Rock Road
Germantown, MD, 20874
Gate opens at 7:00AM Sunday - please note there is a blind hill approaching this driveway - use caution!
Directions
Parking will be all on grass
Our amazing parking volunteer crew will guide you into the event and get you safely to parking or a managed drop-off area.
Parking will be on grass, please follow the lead of the cars ahead of you while arriving and keep it tight :)
As you enter the field, head to the left for Pit Zone drop-off and to the right for parking
In Case of Emergency
Contact the Head Course Marshal to reach onsite emergency medical services. Course marshals, and league core staff have radios to assist in communication.
At all other times, call 911.
Important Contacts
Event Director
Adam Lewandowski
703-447-6311
Head Course Marshal
Gabe Cisneros
210-834-9295
Volunteers Needed
Volunteers are the backbone of our league and they not only make our events possible, they make them great. Be a part of the amazing team that puts on NICA races in Maryland - we would love to have you!
Home Teams For This Race Are:
MoCo sMOREs
Mountain Lions Composite
Carroll County Copperheads
Race Plate Pickup and Programs
Saturday Sept 7, 2024, available all day.
Your chip timing number plates will be used for the entire season, please do not lose them. There is no onsite registration available at events this year.
DO NOT LOSE YOUR RACE PLATE.
Replacement plates are $20 at the registration tent. DO NOT leave it on your bike on the bike rack while driving - IT WILL BLOW AWAY.
ALL riders on course during an event weekend are required to have a MICL Race Plate, including all adults.
GRiT Program
As always, Marylands GRiT ambassadors invite all parents and spectators to come and join us for GRiT Activities! GRiT activities are planned and led by student-athlete GRiT ambassadors.
At Button Farm this year, activities at the GRiT tent include creating flower wreaths and laurel wreaths for helmets, and creating personalized pennant flags to fly at the GRiT tent or your team tent.
Event Schedule
Saturday
7:30 AM
Venue Opens for arrival
9 AM
Volunteers Arrive
10 AM
Pit Zone Opens for Teams
1 2:30PM
Coaches Meeting and Preride
1:00 PM
GRiT Ride Meet at GRiT Tent
2:30 PM
General Preride
5:00 PM
MORE Friends and Family Ride Departs
Course is Closed & Final Sweep Departs
Sunday
7 AM
Venue Opens for arrival
8:45 AM
Wave 1 Start MS Boys
10 AM
Wave 2 Start MS Girls
11:15 AM
Wave 3 Start HS3 Boys
12:30 PM
Wave 4 Start HS Girls (Varsity, HS1, HS2, HS3)
1:45 PM
Wave 5 Start HS Boys (Varsity, HS1, HS2)
3:45 PM
Course Closed, Teardown/Course Recovery Begins
4:25 PM
Awards
Looking for waves and start times?
League Director’s Note
Welcome to the first season seven full event weekend!
Nestled in the heart of Montgomery County is the Schaeffer Farm trail system, one of Maryland’s best known trail systems. Surrounded in rich cultural history and beautiful scenery, MD student-athletes will experience flowing single track, roots and punchy climbs. Riders will be tested along our 4.1 mile course, but also rewarded with great trail flow and many interspersed passing opportunities.
We can’t wait to see you again at this iconic Maryland trail system and venue!
Sincerely,
Jon Posner and Fred Powell
Maryland League Directors
Pro Tip
What is ‘Earned Lap Cutoff?’
In a 2-lap race, if a rider finishes lap 1 before their cutoff time, they will be allowed to continue on the course for another lap.
If they finish lap 1 after the cutoff time, they will be done their the race and they will still earn a finish time and score. For a 3-lap race, they must complete 2 laps before their cutoff time to earn the third lap, etc.
Our finish line volunteers This is to prevent riders from racing for a longer time period than appropriate.
See this chart for the target race times.
Course Information
Description
This course will challenge student-athletes with a race loop that leads off with a terrific combination of fun trails that are enough to keep you grinning the whole lap. After descending the swoopy turns of one of the newer sections of the White trail, riders will cross a stream and tackle the biggest climb of the day, climbing a smidgen over 100’ over a half mile. The trail continues to “trend uphill” until riders reach the popular Schaeffer Farm parking lot and trailhead. Once the trail turns back away from the parking lot, riders are about halfway done the lap, and the second half is just as much of a thrill as the first.
Course lap will be same as 2023, with a modified prologue similar to the one used last year.
Amenities
Camping/Lodging
There is field camping available at the venue, Please make sure you register for camping and read the rules! The camping rules are written out below. Camping is available Friday and Saturday nights, and all MICL event participants must “check out'“ of Button Farm by Sunday after the event.
Camping Rules
Campers are guests of the Button Farm Living History Center - Camping is not part of the MICL event - Pre-register for camping here
Please respect and abide by their rules and regulations as outlined below.
LEAVE NO TRACE: Button Farm is not responsible for trash or recycling. Campers must pack out everything they bring into the park.
WATER: There is no potable water available on the site. Campers must bring their own water for drinking and other personal uses.
FIREWOOD: Campers can collect downed wood for fires, but cannot cut down trees or branches. Firewood is available for purchase.
FIRE SAFETY: Fires must be kept within the stone fire circle provided. Fires must be kept within a reasonable and safe size. Button Farm staff provides water for dousing fires. Only firewood is to be burned.
PARKING: Cars are to be parked in designated areas only.
DOGS: Dogs are being permitted by special permission- ON LEASH ONLY PLEASE. there are live farm animals around the area
SENECA CREEK STATE PARK: Button Farm is inside of Seneca Creek State Park. When campers leave the farm and enter the park, they are to abide by all state park rules and
regulations.ALCOHOL: Campers must follow all Maryland state laws regarding the possession and consumption of drugs and alcohol. (i.e. no alcohol)
FARM RULES:
The house, the yard enclosed by the white picket fence, the red garage/shed, all animal pens and housing, the barn and the pole barn (pavilion) are off limits to campers.
Farm animals are not to be fed, touched, chased, or otherwise harassed. Animals like pigs are potentially dangerous.
Firearms are not permitted.
After hours access of the farm is available, but visitors are responsible for closing the gate behind them each time they enter and leave the farm. Gate will remain open from
7am-9pm Fri, Sat & Sun.
Food Trucks
Golden Grillz will be back for this event!
We welcome the Big Cheese truck as well!
Restrooms
There will be portable restrooms on site including ADA accessible ones.
PETS
This is a pet-friendly park. Please keep pets leashed at all times and plan to clean up after your pet.
This is a pack in/pack out event like all MICL events. Please help us keep in good standing with the park by packing out your trash.
Important Notes & Rules
Vehicles are not allowed in the team pit and infield areas any time.
No Smoking in the team pit or infield areas.
Leave No Trace event - plan to pack out all your own trash - there will not be trash receptacles provided.
No inappropriate language allowed in the team pit and infield areas.
Any conflicts and/or disputes with any race official or volunteer shall not be dealt with in the team pit area.
Any violation of these rules may result in a team penalty and/or expulsion from the team pit and infield area.
No gasoline generators and no open fires inside the team pit area, please.
Portable grills are permitted but there must be a fire extinguisher within 20’ of the grill, or there are park grills available, bring your own charcoal.
Keep dogs on leashes at all times and clean up after your dogs.
Review our Refund and Weather Policy.
All racing will be governed by the NICA Rulebook and MICL policies.