Brandywine 200k

*** Update 2 (9/6) ***
The cuesheet has been updated to draft 3 (dated 9/6) with several corrections, additions and clarifications from Andrew Mead's volunteer preride. Andrew's description of his preride: "Epic"

*** Update 1 (9/3) ***
The cuesheet has been updated to draft 2 (dated 9/3) with some minor corrections and clarifications.  There is a preride planned for Saturday, so there might be some additional, last minute cuesheet updates.

*** Roster (as of 9/5) ***
1 Glenn Ammons
2 Charles J Arayata
3 Clair Beiler
4 Jeffery S Butt
5 Matt Eby - Guest
6 Dwight Engel - Guest
7 Jon Erwin
8 Matthew Farrell
9 Joe Fillip
10 Patrick Gaffney
11 Cecilie Gaffney
12 Stewart J Gouck
13 Vadim Gritsus - Guest
14 Matthew Groff - Guest
15 Judson L Hand
16 James P. Holman
17 Donald Jagel
18 Katherine Ida Joubin - Guest
19 Greg Keenan
20 Alexander Kojevnikov - Guest
21 J Michael Lutz
22 Andrew D Mead - Organizer
23 Ralph V Miller III
24 Chris Nadovich
25 Tom Rosenbauer
26 Bob Torres
27 Ivan M Umble
28 Eva Van Stratum - Guest

*** Original Post ***
The Eastern PA summer series concludes on Sunday, September 7th with the inaugural edition of the Brandywine 200K; a brand new route compliments of organizers, George Metzler and Andrew Mead.

Highlights include the meandering along Brandywine Creek, lots of shade, visiting THREE states, riding along numerous roads incorporating the word "Hollow," and an almost unheard of in Lancaster County 3 mile long descent.

Houses, Horses, and Hollows
After a few miles we begin on an uncharacteristically straight and level Highland Road, which follows the top of a ridge into Western Chester County. You gradually lose elevation as you meander along Buck Buck Run Creek, while skirting the edge of Chester County's horse country which once included a 13,000 acre northern connection of famous King Ranch in Texas.

We follow the Brandywine River South from Modena at mile 15. As the river grows and the valley widens you will begin to see the landscapes that Andrew Wyeth made famous in his artwork around his hometown of Chadds Ford which is mile 34 on the ride. As we climb out of the Brandywine Valley on Twaddell Mill road we enter the "House" part of the 200K and enjoy the classic colonial and federal style architecture of Delaware. The Centerville Bakery at mile 38 offers the tastiest treats of the ride which you don't want to miss.  Shortly after refueling, look for this home on left side of Way Rd, its a beauty.

We re-enter PA just south of the mushroom capital of the world, Kennett Square, which produces over a million pounds of mushrooms per week. 100,000 people will be in this town of 6,000 people on this weekend to celebrate the annual Mushroom Festival.  We'll skirt around town to avoid the worst of the crowds.  We hope.

We continue West and South entering Maryland in open farm fields as we reach the Southernmost point of the ride at the Landhope Farm controle. Rather than dropping all the way down to Susquehanna, we will remain up on the ridge following the Susqueahanna upstream, but inland. As we return to PA again we see horses, but rather than leading a pampered life in the stables of Chester County these are work horses used heavily by the Amish.

Having now seen houses and horses, we begin our focus on hollows. There are Tanning Yard Hollow and Scalpy Hollow, both rather bucolic, shaded roads along the way to Buck. You'll want to check your supplies before passing the Turkey Hill oasis in Buck. There aren't many options on course for the remainder of the ride. From Buck, we climb to the top of the ridge for another hollow visit, this time on Snyder Hollow with a glorious 3 mile descent along a little creek. Enjoy. A quick info control as we approach Pennsy Road and then its familiar roads eastward toward Quarryville. Yes, there are a few climbs remaining, but take heart that we bypass everyone's favorite Brick Mill Road and take a much easier path to Nobel Road, appropriately named Mt. Pleasant, for the final roll into the finish.

We know you have worked up an appetite by then. Cafe Metzler will be ready.