PA600k

*** Update #2 (5/31) ***
Rider Roster with hostel reservations has been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/Roster.pdf

Hostel Dorm assignments:

Family Dorm:
- Kate Marshall
- Victor Urvantsev

Men's Dorm
- Friday night arrivals before 10PM

Women's Dorm
- Friday night arrivals after 10PM

If you are staying at the hostel, please get your bunk ready as soon as you arrive, to minimize disturbing anyone trying to sleep.

After the event, I encourage you to at least take a nap and rest before getting into your car for the drive home.

*** Update 1 (5/29) ***
The cuesheet has been updated to draft 6, dated 5/29/13, with a number of course changes from the 2012 edition.  In addition to some minor course tweaks and clarifications, the biggest changes are mainly to day two's 200k out-and-back loop from the overnight controle to New Holland.  Previously, there was a long stretch on Rt 23 after crossing the Schuylkill River outbound to New Holland.  This year, you'll head into French Creek State Park via Rt 724, Red Corners, and a climb up Shed. You'll then travel along Lancaster valley back roads after passing through Morgantown.  This is actually a route option we used in previous years which some of you may remember.  On the way back, the controle in Limerick has been changed to avoid afternoon traffic on Linfield Rd.

Additional Course Notes:
-Mile 30.8: Course tweak that puts you on Indian Trail, which is a bit quieter than Kreidersville Rd
-Mile 74.3: There is bridge construction on Rt 191 that unfortunately is diverting traffic onto Rt 447, where you will be riding.  However, it appears that many of the locals were ignoring the "official" detour upon Rt 447 which is very long, and instead using some alternate backroads.
-Mile 118.4: As noted on the cuesheet, there is a restaurant here that you can top off your water bottles and maybe pack your first ice sock, as the mid-day heat starts to kick in.
-Mile 126.9: You should top off your supplies in Barryville -- you have a 20-mile stretch on Rt 97 that is exposed to the afternoon heat.
-Mile 162.6: As noted on the cue sheet, there is a good general store to top off your supplies midway between controles.  There isn't much else between Port Jervis and Water Gap.
-Mile 202.5: Course tweak that keeps you on Rt 519, instead of the hillier option along Foul Rift Rd.
-Mile 240.7: Overnight controle: food and a bunk bed await you at the hostel. If you are staying at the hostel on Friday night, use the same bunk.  Otherwise, a volunteer will assign you one.  You should plan to be out the door and back on the road for day two no later than 5AM.  But leaving earlier would be even better in order to take advantage of the cooler temperatures in the morning.
-Mile 265.3: The first controle after the sleep stop is an un-timed post card controle in Limerick.  You will be given a postcard to mail at sign-in, and I'm expecting you to write me some really good limericks on the card before you mail it.  So start working on one now.  For some good ideas, you can read last year's limericks at this link:
http://parandonneurs.blogspot.com/2012/06/pa600k200k-recap-and-limericks.html
About 0.3 miles after the Limerick controle, you'll be passing the Limerick Diner which would be a good place to stop and have a nice sit-down meal.
-Mile 279.2: You'll be traveling a rather long way on Rt 724 and this turn is easy to miss.  There is a spotting cue before this turn that will help you find it.  If you find yourself in Birdsboro, you've gone too far!
-Mile 342.8: Course tweak to get you off of Linfield Rd, which is narrow in spots and carries a lot of afternoon traffic.  Along with this change, the controle is now a Dunkin Donuts, located in a strip mall 3 miles down this road.
-Mile 373.7: Hostel Finish: There will be another large function going on at the hostel and they will be using the big common room.  For the finish, we'll have use of the living room on the right as you walk in the front door, where the volunteers will greet and feed you.

Reminder: the bike inspection checklist has been recently updated:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/BikeInspectionCheckList.pdf

You will now need to have 2 taillights securely mounted to your frame -- not to a fabric loop on a bag, and not to the back of your jersey (which I've been seeing more of, lately).  I also want you to have some sort of redundant headlight but this doesn't need to be permanently mounted.  You can carry your spare in a bag.  In general, a head lamp attached to your helmet is not sufficient for a backup, unless you have a way of securely mounting it to your bike.

And with the extended amount of riding in the dark that is typical for most riders on a 600k, there is safety in numbers -- so please make an effort to find a riding partner at night.

A selected number of you will be given SPOT GPS trackers to carry with you -- this helps the volunteers to be in right place at the right time.  If you are given one, your friends and family can follow your progress at this website:
http://bike.talloakfarm.com/spot_map.html

As you are probably well aware, the weather forecast is for lots of heat and humidity for this weekend.  Given the below average temperatures we've recently had this past weekend, there certainly has not been much time acclimate to the above average heat you'll be facing -- so please take extra caution to keep hydrated and your electrolytes balanced.  Bringing along an ice-sock is highly recommended, along with plenty of Endurolytes.  While temperatures are expected to reach 90F in Quakertown, at least the first 200k should be manageable as you head into the cool forests of Promised Land (which typically has temperatures 5 degrees cooler than the surrounding areas).

Volunteers
Andrew Mead will be signing you in at the start controle, cooking you breakfast, and sending you off on your way.  Jon Clamp and Bill Slabonik will be running the overnight controle.  Vegetarian lasagna is on the menu.  You'll also see Bill at the finish.

Have a safe ride!

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA