Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Ride Summary: Water Gap 300/200k


Mist Over Blue Mountain, photo by S. Schoenfelder

Preliminary results from the 300k brevet have been posted at:
http://parando.org/PA300k_Results170422.pdf

Preliminary results from the 200k brevet are posted at:
http://parando.org/PA200k_Results170422.pdf

Results will be submitted in a couple of days to RUSA, and then become final pending ACP certification.

Organizers Chris Nadovich, Bill Olsen and Guy Harris once again demonstrated how to put on a brevet weekend as it mostly went off without a hitch discounting a minor, RBA induced registration snafu for the 200k riders.  George Retseck also stepped up to join Chris for a course checkout ride and then handled shopping duties and Friday evening greetings for the arriving masses.  This crew shows up to make sure the hostel is ready for our arrival, makes sure everyone has a place to sleep, cooks (twice), cleans, and in some cases even ride the event that same day.  It makes for a busy weekend.  Thanks to all of these individuals for making this event and the entire series possible.

One other administrative note:  someone left a very nice Arkel handlebar map bag at the hostel.  If you return home missing one, contact the RBA to arrange a reunion.

It was a damp day for all, but the hearty randonneurs who clipped in for the Water Gap 300k and its companion 200k were not deterred.  All starters for both brevets completed the routes within the allotted time for two 100% completion rates.  Congratulations!

Joe Ray writes:  Cool and rainy wasn't so awful - and the sun managed to put on a decent sunset after failing to make an appearance all day.  The Blue Mountain route is another favorite of mine in part because the 200k was my first PA brevet.  The road-paving done on a few of the roads between Riegelsville and the hostel has been a real improvement, though as it got dark a few remaining potholes were pretty hard to see, masked by varying wet/dry portions of pavement.
Thanks to all the organizers/volunteers.  Chris is there for us at 3am and most of the day, and I know Bill was there quite late after his own finish, making sure everyone who finished after him last night had what they needed, then cleaning up and putting away all the things on the tables before then driving home to NJ.
  Once again, thanks to Joe for bring a pot of his hearty chili for the finishers.

Jimmy Asparas had the following remarks:  A big thank you to you, Chris N, and everyone else who made yesterday's 200k/300k possible.
The forecast leading up to the event did not lead me to believe there would be any rain, so of course we had rain for the entire day. I've learned to just accept these kinds of unfortunate happenings, so I just took it in stride and had a great ride with Bill F and Gavin, albeit a soaked ride.
Old Mine Road was every bit as terrible as I remember, but it's never enough to deter me from a ride. The great climbs, thrilling descents, and beautiful views (my favorites are the ones around Water Gap) made this the perfect ride. I'm looking forward to hopefully riding the 400k next month!


Regarding that Old Mine Road ascent, Bill Olsen points out, "Hope someone commented how nice the ascent up Old Mine Road was with the recent repavement.  It was more like a major patch job that didn't fully bond, but the loose gravel was gone and the thought counted."

Steve Schoenfelder sent in his remarks with a couple pictures. 
Thanks for hosting the Water Gap 300K this weekend, with special thanks to volunteers Chris and Bill.  I found the route to be both scenic and challenging.   The persistent drizzle helped to remind us that we were true randonneurs.  Besides filling our drivetrains with grit, it fed the cascading waterfalls and rushing streams that we passed along the way.  Crossing the Delaware River four times added to the drama.  And then there were the climbs…  This year’s epiphany was that climbing Mine Hill Road with an additional ten pounds of body fat is no picnic.  And then there was that other road with “hill” in the name about 174 miles in.  At least we didn’t have Fox Gap!
The camaraderie of the PA Randonneurs was great as usual and more than made up for the less than sunny conditions.
 
James Haddad had a different perspective on the route:  it's all about the controles.
Thanks for another great brevet. Beautiful landscapes were abundant throughout the ride. My favorite was the fog rising up the sides of the Blue Mountains. Two controles at the Apple Pie Bakery meant two awesome sandwiches and two packages of fresh baked cookies to power me through the route.
 
CJ Arayata provided a link to his pictures from the ride.  CJ and Chris Nadovich will be Crushing the Commonwealth this upcoming weekend.  Riders start from Pittsburgh this year.  We sent CJ along with club SPOT #1 so you can follow his progress.  Chris N. has a personal SPOT.  Look for them beginning Friday morning at 5:00am.

Next up is the Blue Mountain 400k on May 20.  We are planning a little bit of a change up on this club favorite, so follow this message board and the website for announcements.
 
Andrew Mead
Eastern PA RBA 

Friday, April 14, 2017

ACP SR 300: The Water Gap 300/200

*** Update 2 (4/20) ***

Several astute observers have noted that the old maps link from the event page reflect last year's 300k route with a bridge bypass.  Just remember, the cue sheet ALWAYS controls the route you take.  For those of you wanting a preview, the routes are available on-line.

300k:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/13336432
200k:  https://ridewithgps.com/routes/20091591

Also note that personal obligations require that brevet cards be generated today, so PLEASE pre-register now if you intend to ride this weekend.  The registration cut-off is (and always has been) 5pm on the Thursday before any Saturday brevet.

Thanks!!
Andrew M.
Eastern PA RBA

*** Update 1  (4/16) ***

A pre-ride of the 300K route was completed on 15 April by Chris N. and George R. Chris' notes: 

The course is in very good shape. No significant cue sheet changes are needed.

I had forgotten how scenic a route this is, and with everything just on the edge of flowering, I'd expect the scenery to be spectacular next Saturday. We saw a little snow still remaining at the ski resorts, but signs of Spring were bursting out everywhere. Forsythia and Azelea were at peak, but most trees still just had swollen buds. It should be really pretty in a week.  

16.9 Somehow there are no longer any railroad tracks here.

68.7 The VF Sandwich. I have no words. 

70.9 The traffic seems to pick up quite a bit in the vicinity of Shawnee. Stay single file, and watch your line through this area. Once you get to the ski resort, things will be a lot calmer. 

78.6 There's no longer a barricade here. The road is open for business, clean and smoothly patched.

98.2 The parking lot at the Flats Deli has been paved! Whoo hoo!

107.4 This actually is not the last water for 25 miles.  There is a water fountain at Millbrook Village, so you really don't need to carry full water bottles up the Old Mine Rd climb.

113.2 Old Mine Rd is now smoothly paved, mountaintop removal has lowered the climb by 500 feet, and there's a Wawa at the summit. Only kidding. This remote hill climb has become even rougher, steeper, and more infested with gnats than ever. Enjoy!

115.4 Just before the bottom of the hill, and before the stop-sign TR, if you turn left into Millbrook Village you'll find a nice water fountain a little way beyond the gate. 

127.1 If you've not done the Rt 80 crossing before, the pedestrian ramp can be a little hard to spot. This is what it looks like on the left as you approach it.


The path follows the handrail back across the bridge.
128.1  Professional BBQ is now offered at the Apple Pie Cafe, and it is well worth a taste. I sampled the beef brisket -- Mmmmm mmm!

174.2 Gallows Hill Rd has been smoothly paved, and so has Stony Garden. (Really!) Sadly, they're just as steep as they always were, but at least you don't need to worry so much about potholes on the rollers.

181.7 Old Bethlehem and some of the other roads past this point are, in fact, somewhat rough. Since many of you will be riding these after dark, please keep a sharp eye for broken sections of pavement.  


*** Original Post ***

Announcing the SR 300k
The 2017 ACP SR Series continues with the Water Gap 300k scheduled for April 22, 2017.  As with all of the traditional SR events, we will be starting and finishing at the Weisel Youth Hostel outside of Quakertown.  A 200k option is also being offered.  Details and registration information are posted on the event page.  http://parando.org/2017-PA300K.html

A course checkout ride is planned for April 15 so check back for any updates to the cue sheet or notes from the route.

Registered 300k Riders (as of April 20)
1 Michael Anderson  +Fr
2 Charles J Arayata +Fr
3 Jimmy Aspras
4 Dan M Barbasch  +Fr + memb
5 Eoghan Barry
6 Gavin Biebuyck
7 Sean P Connelly
8 Alfred Dolich
9 William Fischer
10 Michael J Gorman
11 James R Haddad  +Fr
12 Guy Harris
13 Dale E Houck
14 Greg Keenan +Fr
15 Eric E. Keller +Fr
16 Gil Lebron
17 Jeff Lippincott
18 Kate R Marshall +Fr
19 Rudi Mayr
20 Chris Nadovich - organizer
21 William Olsen - organizer
22 Joseph Ray +Sa
23 George Michael Retseck - volunteer
24 Steven J Schoenfelder
25 Paul G Shapiro  +Fr
26 Bob Torres +Fr
27 Victor Urvantsev +Fr
28 Aleksey M Vishnyakov +Fr
Registered 200k Riders (as of April 20)
1 Eric  K Hannon Ford  + Fr


Andrew Mead
Eastern PA RBA

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Fléche Wrap-Up

The Tenth Annual PA Randonneurs Fléche was by most accounts a success.  All of the nine registered teams eventually made their way to the Weisel Hostel.  Seven of the teams arrived on their bikes in the allotted 24 hours.

Preliminary results of the 2017 PA Randonneurs Fléche have been posted on the website at:
http://parando.org/PA_Fleche_Results170409.pdf.

First to arrive at the Hostel was the Fleshe Eating Rumble Ponies, nee Quesadilla Quest, by virtue of it early starting time.  The team reprised its most fléche-like route from Binghamton, NY and wins the award for most ambitious team.

This award is not based on mileage, but riding conditions.  The team started out on Friday afternoon with snow still flying and rivers still overflowing.  By the second hour the team was on alternate routes when the primary route was discovered to be several feet under the raging Susquehanna.  Cold temperatures, more snow, and plenty of mud couldn't keep the team from finishing this year.  Said Captain James Haddad at the finish, "It was a true adventure."

James sent in this report:
Three out of the four members of the 2016 Quesidilla Questers reunited this year to attempt another Binghamton to Quakertown Fleche. After last year’s DNF, Zach G. and James H. were both seeking their first successful fleches. Fleche veteran Chris N. also returned to rematch the challenging terrain of NE PA, this year joining the team suitably early enough to bring his wisdom and experience to the route planning process. Pete B. joined the team for his first fleche attempt. Ignorance may have been blissful as Pete remained silent while a hundred plus emails circulated debating the planned route, but when the time came, he began to understand why it took the team so long to plan. Challenges came early and often for the FERPs who had already elected to ride Friday into Saturday so that James could make it to church for Palm Sunday. As the route began to take shape, the rains began to pour. The Susquehanna river rose and closed SR 1010, the Lackawanna river impeded rail trail travel and the Delaware river blocked another of the team’s roads. Master route planner Zach prepared nearly 50 miles of possible detours and alternate routes to deal with the inclement weather and sluggish trail conditions. 

At 1 pm on Friday, the team departed Nezuntos Café in Binghamton with light snow and 35º temperatures. Progress was quick as the team followed the Susquehanna river east until Lanesboro, PA. Progress slowed as the team began an 800 ft climb on a dirt road that more closely resembled a flooded trail. After a climb that could only be described as epic, the team was rewarded with fresh pavement for the descent to the Delaware River and their first controle in Hancock, NY. A quick convenience store stop refueled the team in preparation for the climb out of the Delaware River Watershed into the Lackawanna River Valley and controle 2 in Scranton. The team battled a mix of mud and rock with just a few paved roads as they climbed to over 2000 ft of elevation. At the high elevation, strong winds blasted the FERPs with a nasty mix of wintery precipitation as temperatures dropped to 26 ºF; unprepared for such conditions, water bottles began freezing as the team began their descent into the Lackawanna River Valley. A quick stop at a bar for hot water rejuvenated the riders as they continued the descent with images of a warm diner dinner in their heads.

After a delicious and warming meal, the team began the long steady climb out of Scranton towards Moscow PA. After the afternoon’s experience, temperatures in the low 30’s were a welcome change. Progress was slow as they climbed again to over 2000 ft to traverse the Pocono Plateau. Chris had been hurting since the descent to Scranton, and unable to completely recover at the diner, he began falling behind. Eventually, he left the team and headed to a hotel. The remaining FERPs were saddened to lose a teammate, but were thankful for Chris’ contributions, without him, they’d probably have been washed away trying to ford a stream or buried in mud on some dark rail trail. Descending from the Pocono Plateau placed the team in the Cherry Valley, the edge of familiar PA randonneurs territory as the first signs of light appeared on the horizon.

The FERPs began racing towards Portland Bagel, where, despite being a bit crunched for time, they ate a much-needed meal and warmed up. Back on familiar territory, the team made rapid progress, covering the distance to their 22 hr controle fast enough to bank 45 minutes for another quality meal. Despite the steep climbs from Reigilsville back to the hostel, with full bellies and confidence in a successful finish they raced back to the hostel, comfortably finishing around 12:30.

The Fleche Eating Rumble Ponies would like to thank Andrew Mead and all the PA randonneurs volunteers that make wonderful rides like this possible.

Fistful of Xanax V2

First to arrive on Sunday morning was the Fistful of Xanax team under the guidance of Chris Slocum.
The team modified it's traditional route to start near Quakertown and solve some of the logistical issues of pre- and post-ride transportation.  All team members looked in good shape upon arrival.  All commented that low temperatures in the final hours approaching the finish were "much colder" than they expected.

Now You've Gone Too Far

Hot on the wheels of Team Xanax was the three member team from the west under the guidance of Eric Keller.  Eric's route also emulates the more traditional "arrow" by traveling generally east from the State College area.

After years of hoping for a break in the weather, the three-member team enjoyed mostly tailwinds for its ride.  Snow was reported at the start as late as the day before the team started, but that didn't seem to hamper its progress.




Next to arrive was the Fléche Mob under the direction of Rudi Mayr.  

This was another team that adjusted its route to start near the hostel to reduce the post-ride transportation problems.

Captain Mayr had this to say:
A Flash Mob is a group of strangers who come together and do something that surprises and mystifies onlookers, so (judging by the faces of and of the people we meet on our ride) our team name seemed appropriate.  Starting not a mile from my home, we had a welcome tailwind all the way to the Jersey Shore, and it still seemed to be behind us as we rode south, but proved nasty when we turned west.  After a restful dinner at Lower Bank Tavern –the folks there welcoming as usual—we rode up through the Pines, the moon shining brightly behind the trees, the wind having vanished. 

The road from Glass House to Mount Misery is a narrow and broken stretch of uneven pavement, and its prodigious puddles made for a bit more adventure than the team expected, but the real surprise was the cold.  It was much colder under the pines than out on the wide roads!  

At the Wawa near Brown’s Mills, a young man assured us we were “touched,” his manner so earnest that I almost thought he meant it as a compliment.  Burlington County’s farmland proved quiet and lovely in the moonlight as we rode up to Bordentown, where we staked out a corner both at Denny’s for a welcome rest.  Our final controle, the Point Pleasant Food Store, did not open on time, so we sent another post card and headed on our way.  I don’t think I’ll use that place as a controle again.
All in all a great ride! I am thankful to have found a team that worked so well together.  No flat tires, only a couple minor mechanical issues.  Not much wildlife to report; some deer at twilight, and some rabbits surprised by the headlights.

Team member Jeff Lippincott provided a great accounting of the adventure in his blog, jlippinbike.
Rudi's photos are also posted.

Three Rivers of Guiness

Which is what this team consumed on its looping route that was strategically arranged to pass a number of well-known watering holes.  

In a true moment of brilliance and overachieving, the team members converged on the hostel early Saturday morning, parked their cars, and then rode the 16 miles to their START at Mueller's Too restaurant.  Some team members surely questioned the soundness of this reasoning as they battled headwinds for the majority of their ride.  Upon arriving at the finish, Bill Fischer made only two comments:  "wow, it's cold out there," and "that route rode really tough this year."


The Midnight Ride of the Sinister Nuts
Tenth Anniversary Edition

Only one individual has managed to start and complete each and every fléche organized by PA Randonneurs:  Bill Olsen.  Congratulations on this accomplishment, Bill.  Once again the band of Sinister Nuts took a looping tour of southern New Jersey on their fixies.  Only limited use of the 24-inch gear was reported.


 Looking to add a little variety, the group moved its 22-hour control from the familiar Mueller's Too to the Ma-De Chat Shop Restaurant in Milford.  The team reports the food was good.



Escargots Volants


Team Escargots notched another successful fléche finish with a team of seasoned veterans, including now eight-time PA fléche finisher Dawn Engstrom.  Captain Chris Newman stepped in to replace the original captain Paul Shapiro when a personal commitment conflict was discovered shortly after routes were submitted and safely guided the team through the tough neighborhoods of Camden to reach the hostel in fine form.  Escargots Volants, like team Now You've Gone Too Far enjoyed tailwinds for the early going on Saturday and reported that winds subsided substantially as they turned north and west for the return to Quakertown.


Chiots Errants
Unlike teams with routes that benefited from the prevailing westerly winds, Chiots Errants had the distinction of having the most westerly miles of all team.  And they suffered accordingly.  It took its toll and lead to the team arriving at the hostel nearly 2 hours after the cutoff.  We applaud their perseverance. 
Captain CJ Arayata writes of the day:
No sugarcoating: We had a rough ride. I got a rear flat before we even left Philly; upon replacing the wheel back into the frame, I noticed my hub was terribly loose. Stoop repairs at Ryan's house off-course. By the time we got rolling again, it was already 10:45 AM and we would never be able to make this time up. We battled cross-winds and much busier traffic through Chester and Delaware, only to face the direct headwind the entire way from Little Britain to Hershey. Ryan's SRAM shifter met the same fate mine did two weekends ago, forcing him to ride 150 miles on a two-speed, but he did it with a smile on his face! I had to nurse a slow-leak going into Hershey, plus my failing body and morale. The winds died down overnight, just in time for us to climb slowly in the dark over the next 100+ miles to the Delaware River. An I-78 closure shoved 18-wheelers alongside us on Old 22 for what felt like an eternity approaching Shartlesville, and temperatures seemed to plummet right at dawn getting into Allentown. We reached Muller's at 9 AM, and shed some layers before climbing up to the hostel. So glad to be finished; better late than never.

Each brevet is its own learning experience, and I think I learned a lot during this ride. Like the importance of having a well-maintained bicycle, or how only an hour or so can drastically change the traffic patterns through certain segments, or how light rain would probably have been much more preferable to relentless wind. That being said, I also learned that part of being a seasoned randonneur is knowing when to call it and get back to the real reason you're out there: to enjoy the ride and share an unforgettable experience with your teammates.

CJ's pictures can be seen here: https://goo.gl/photos/Mj1Aq8w9qS3YmkAm6.

Sins of the Fléche


At some point during the ride, the team members decided that they weren't having fun any longer.  A slow start had them behind the clock and plummeting temperatures promised a miserable evening.  Wisdom prevailed and the team call it quits in the evening while they could easily get to a member's house.  In true rando camaraderie the team appeared at the hostel Sunday morning to greet fellow riders and retrieve their vehicles.


Congratulations to all riders!  Special thanks to Jane Brown and Jim Holman for taking on the task of preparing food enough for 40 people and showing up at the hostel by 6am to get everything set up for the arriving teams.  Thanks also to Len Zawodniak and Chris Nadovich who also helped with the logistics of feeding the hungry masses and cleaning up afterward.  The fléche could not happen without the effort of people like this.  Be sure to thank them the next time you see them.

Until 2018.....