August R-12: Hawk's Nest 200k

*** Update (9/7/10) ***
Rick Carpenter forwarded a link to his photos:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rick_carpenter/sets/72157624772227833/
... lots of great shots!

*** Ride Report (8/14/10) ***
Preliminary results for the Aug 14 200k have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA200k_Results100814.pdf
... please let me know of any corrections or other issues.  Results will be submitted to RUSA shortly, and then become final, pending ACP certification.  Special thanks to organizer, Bill Olsen, for getting us on our way, and making sure we ended up with the same number of riders we started with. And thanks again, to Don Jagel for leading the way with the sign-in sheets.

All 22 riders, clipping-in at the Delaware Water Gap Diner, made it back to diner well within the time limit, for another 100% finish rate -- congratulations to everyone, for keeping that 100% finish rate streak going for the Hawk's Nest 200k: over the past 2 years, we've run this course 5 times with everyone officially finishing each time.  The weather has certainly played a role in this streak -- I can't recall a time when we didn't have nearly ideal weather conditions.  And the weather for the most recent event probably was one of the best we've had for an R-12 event all year -- the low humidity and partial cloud cover made the temperatures very comfortable all day.  However, we did have a rare southeast wind that slowed us down along Rt 97.

Despite the adverse wind, Don Jagel finished in 7:38, and set a new course record.  He beat the previous course record by a solid 5 minutes, held by Greg Pedano and Len Zawodniak since the inaugural edition in 2009 (which was aided by a very favorable northwest wind).  Coincidentally, Len was on the roster for the most recent edition, but on a recumbent nursing some sore ribs this time.  This was Len's first brevet attempt on a recumbent, and he proved up to the challenge of negotiating the several steep pitches on course.  Besides the steep pitches, the very long wheel base of Len's bike made the several sharp turns along the course a big challenge as well -- when I asked him what the turning radius was, Len replied "... about 3 lanes!"

Of note, Dija Amer finished her very brevet ever, and now is an official randonneuse -- congratulations!  But Dija is certainly no stranger to long distance cycling, having recently completed the California Triple Crown.  And Steve Britt completed his first Eastern PA brevet; but Steve is certainly no stranger to randonneuring: he formerly was the RBA for the NYC region in the late 1990's, which predates the beginning of the NJ series back in 2002.

Also of note, Shane Beake completed his R-12 series.  Shane writes: "...Thanks again for another fine event.  The headwind going along the river was a little disappointing, but it's still great scenery, and once you get on NPS 615 you really appreciate the road surface, very smooth. It's hard to believe it was just 12 months ago Jud introduced  me to randonnuering..."  And once again, Shane has taken a bunch of fantastic pictures which he posted at
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45325491@N05/sets/72157624601613799/
... it really is amazing how Shane can get so many quality shots in, and still finish in the leading group.

Andrew Mead also took some photos which he posted here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/78759972@N00/sets/72157624603906613/
... Andrew has some great shots of the rivers on course -- IMHO, some of the most scenic ones in the area.  And although those rivers all looked very calm and peaceful this past Saturday, 55 years ago to the day, Hurricanes Connie and Diane started to dump 2 feet of rain within the span of 1 week in the Poconos and caused the great flood of 1955.  The book, "Devastation on the Delaware" is a very interesting account of this flood.  In fact, the Hawk's Nest 200k goes through or near many of the towns that were impacted.  It's fascinating to read about the human drama that unfolded during this disaster.  There are also some incredible photos, showing many parts of the course completely covered in water or washed away.

Don Jagel writes: "...Another gorgeous day and a great ride to boot.  The temperatures were perfect and there was just the right amount of sun and clouds. The scenery on the Hawk's Nest route is always wonderful and varied depending on the time of year.  This time there was the full summer canopy and the beautiful late summer wild flowers along the sides of the roads and the in the meadows. Aside from the normal amount of deer and turkeys that are ever present along the route, in the Worthington State Forest portion of Old Mine Road I did have to slow down and shoo a bear that had strolled into the road about 25 feet in front of me without looking both ways. Looking forward to the 1000K.  Hopefully it will land in another stretch of good weather. ..."

Ron and Barb Anderson also had a bear sighting, just south of Layton.

If you have any other photos or comments, you can forward them to me, or post them on the message board.

The next R-12 event is the inaugural Hawk Mountain 200k, created by organizer Andrew Mead.  This looks like a fantastic course, and will cover both new and some familiar roads in Lancaster county.  Details have been posted on the event web page:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/R12ClubSep2.html

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

*** Original Post ***
The August R-12 event is this coming Saturday, the 14th. We'll be running our favorite, hot weather course: the Hawk's Nest 200k, which is typically 3-5 degrees cooler than the surrounding area. It certainly has been a very hot and humid July and August. But we caught a lucky break for the July R-12 event. And if the current long range weather forecast holds up, it looks like another great day is shaping up with cooler temperatures. Although the forecast is for dry conditions, there are rain showers predicted for both Friday and Sunday which I'm keeping a close eye on.

The start/finish is at the Water Gap diner, which will open at 6AM, if you'd like to top off with a nice breakfast -- the sign-in table will be inside the diner (Bill Olsen is the organizer for this event, and will be handling the sign-in, sending us off on our way, and the finish). Park your car in the Laird parking lot, which is around the corner from the diner. Follow this link for parking directions:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/WaterGapParking.pdf
... there is a path from the Laird parking lot that takes you to the back of the diner parking lot.

*** Course Notes ***
1) The road surface is in pretty bad condition up by Promised Land, about 8 miles before the first controle stop. Along with the very big ruts and potholes, there are several road cuts that have been filled in with hardpack gravel. Please take extra caution in this area. This stretch of road is way overdue for a good resurfacing -- hopefully, the recent roadwork is an indication that this is the works.

2) The Layton store (the last controle before the finish), is now closing earlier at 3PM. Most of the riders made it through last time before it closed. However, if you arrive after it has closed, there should be a sign-in sheet posted on the door. We'll also try to make sure a gallon of water is left outside there as well for any late arrivals; but there is also a bar nearby that you can go to in a pinch in order to replenish your fluids.

3) There are wild fires in the Worthington State Forest -- the last 8 miles of the course pass through here, right before the Rt 80 bridge. The fires are expected to be under controle by the end of the week, but may still be burning on Saturday. Although some trails have been closed, it appears that the one and only road through the park has not been affected. However, if the road does unexpectedly close on Saturday, the possible detours will be extremely inconvenient, to say the least! Please check back on the message board for any last minute updates.

4) Shane Beake took some great photos on the July event that really shows off the beautiful scenery along the way:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45325491@N05/sets/72157624625566530/
...and Joe Kratovil has a nice ride report (from the May R-12) that gives a good overview of the course:
http://mellowyellowbent.blogspot.com/2010/05/hawks-nest-200k-number-one-of-two.html


*** Rider List (as of 8/12) ***
- Ron Anderson
- Barbara Anderson
- Dija Amer (new rider)
- Steven Brit (new rider)
- Bill Olsen (organizer)
- Gibert Torres(newlywed)
- Chrisiane (Torres?) (newlywed)
- Rick Carpenter
- Len Zawodniak
- Shane Beake
- Andrew Mead
- Ivan Umble
- Jerry Umble
- Joe Brown
- Guy Harris
- Barbara Harris
- Chris Nadovich
- Don Jagel
- Jon Clamp
- Ed Dodd
- And your's truly (RBA)

... if you're planning to join us also, please drop me a note.

*** Upcoming Events ***
Also in August, the 4th edition of the Endless Mountains 1000k starts on the 26th, with nearly 30 riders on the roster (an all-time high). And for the September R-12, organizer Andrew Mead has put together a brand new course: the Hawk Mountain 200k out of Ephrata. Details have been posted on the website. Also in September, the Endless Mountains Brevet Week starts on the 26th -- I'd still like to fill a few more spots on the roster. Drop me a note if you're at all interested in joining the tour, perhaps even for just a partial tour or a couple of days.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

July R-12: Hawk's Nest 200k

*** Rider Comments (8/5) ***

Jon Clamp writes: "...

Thanks once again for a well organized event. Once in a while all the planets line up to deliver perfect conditions and Saturday was a great example. Somehow I managed to hook in with Don Jagel who pulled me along for almost the whole route allowing me to set a personal best for a 200km. Most of us usually see Don at the start and then his rear wheel for about five minutes before he disappears. He is a formidable rider. As for the Old Mine Road climb, I resorted to weaving my way up so probably did twice the distance and hit twice as many potholes. However, once I got to the small plateau about half way up I had to resort to two feet. So the answer is I made it half way up!!..."

*** Update Results (8/1) ***
Preliminary results have been updated -- Walt Pettigrew finished in 8:20, 5 minutes after first finishers Don Jagel and Jon Clamp.  Great results all around!



*** Preliminary Results / Ride Report (8/1) ***
Preliminary results have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA200k_Results100731.pdf
... please let me know of any corrections or any other issues.  Results will be submitted shortly, and then become final pending RUSA/ACP certification.

The weather gods certainly smiled upon us this time.  I don't think you could ask for better weather conditions in July.  This is even more remarkable, given the streak of record breaking heat waves over the past month.  In fact, I'd say it's probably one of the best days all summer we've had.  At the start, we had cool, crisp temperatures in the 60's.  By the time we got up to Hawley, the outdoor thermometer was showing 75F.  NOAA reported temperatures barely making to 80F at Port Jervis in the afternoon.

The Hawk's Nest course has alway's been a fast course, with riders typically finishing much earlier than on the other 200k's in the Eastern PA region.  And with the very favorable weather conditions this time, all 14 riders completed the course well within the time limit for another 100% completion -- congratulations!

Of note, Bob Dye completed his very brevet and is now, officially a randonneur -- congratulations to Bob, and special thanks to Shane Beake for introducing Bob to our sport and guiding him along on his first event. And once again, Jon Clamp rode his single-speed setup.  I haven't gotten word yet, on whether Jon was able to conquer the Old Mine Road climb with his single-speed, or instead resorted to the 2-foot alternative.  Even with gears, that Old Mine Road hill is quite a challenge -- the roads leading up to the climb are a pretty good workout by themselves, with all the sharp rollers along the way.  And adding to the difficulty, you have 100+ miles that you've already have put in so far.  Each time I do this climb, I always wonder why the road has to go straight up that ridge (and immediately back down to Millbrook Village) instead of following a flatter line along the river.  But way back in the 1600's, somebody decided that's the way it ought to be:
http://www.njskylands.com/hsoldmine2.htm

Also of note, Walt Pettigrew got around the course in exactly 8 hours, less than 20 minutes off the course record of 7:43 (set by Len Zawodniak and Greg Pedano).  Several of the other finishers were wondering what exactly Walt was carrying in his water bottle, and wanted to have his bike inspected for any motorized aids!  Incidentally, that course record was set with not only favorable temperatures, but was aided by a stiff northwest wind in the afternoon that sped riders along Rt 97 from Lackawaxen all the way to Port Jervis.

Although I did manage to log a few bonus miles in the beginning -- somehow, I managed to misread my own cuesheet that was perfectly clear -- it was one of my most favorite brevets so far this year.  I especially enjoyed sharing a few miles and chatting with several riders along the way.  Without a doubt, randonneuring attracts participants from all sorts of backgrounds who have lived most interesting lives.

Several riders looked like they were well prepared for some big, upcoming events they plan to take on, including the Endless Mountains 1000k (Jon Clamp, Jud Hand, Don Jagel, Robin Landis, Chris Nadovich, Christine Newman) later this August, and Quadzilla (Jud Hand) in a couple of weeks.


Once again, Shane Beake has done a fantastic job of taking pictures along the entire course.  Do check out his photo album posted here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45325491@N05/sets/72157624625566530/
.. he's got some really excellent shots of the many scenic vistas we passed by.  Thanks Shane, for preserving the memories, so we can look back, and reflect upon the great day we had!

If you have any other pictures, comments or stories to share, you can post them on the PA message board or forward them to me.

Next up, we'll be running the Hawk's Nest 200k again in 2 weeks, for the August R-12.  If the weather forecast is for a much hotter day, I'll probably have an earlier start time, so we can get through the exposed sections along Rt 97 before the midday heat kicks in.  And on August 26, the Endless Mountains 1000k starts.  Although the current roster is beyond the original field limit, I can probably add a couple more riders.  If you're planning to ride PBP next year, getting a 1000k ACP event in this year will maximize your chances of getting on the PBP roster.  And at the end of September, the Endless Mountains Brevet Week (6 days of 200k each day) offers a scenic tour of northestern PA that generally follows the EM1000 and EM1240 routes.  I'm looking to fill a couple more slots on the roster, and will extend the early registration discount for a   short while longer.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

*** Original Post ***
The July R-12 event is this coming Saturday, the 31st.  We'll be running our favorite, hot weather course: the Hawk's Nest 200k, which is generally along shaded roads and cooler temperatures up along the Allegheny Plateau.  If the current forecast holds, we should see dry conditions and temperatures in the lower 80's.  And if that cold front can hang in there, we just might get a favorable north west wind to push us along Rt 97 into Port Jervis.

The start/finish is at the Water Gap diner, which will open at 6AM, if you'd like to top off with a nice breakfast -- the sign-in table will be inside the diner.  Park your car in the Laird parking lot, which is around the corner from the diner. Follow this link for parking directions:

http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/WaterGapParking.pdf

... there is a path from the Laird parking lot that takes you to the back of the diner parking lot.

*** Rider List (updated 7/30) ***
Dija A Amer
Shane Beake
Janice Chernekoff
Jonathan Clamp
Andrew Cramer
Bob Dye
Judson L Hand
Donald Jagel
R. Mark Kaufman
Gary Kuchmeister
Robin C Landis
Christine Newman
Walter J Pettigrew
Tom Rosenbauer
Paul G Shapiro

If you're also planning to join us for what is shaping up as a spectacular day for a ride, drop me a note.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

2010 VanIsle 1200K

My brother and I joined 20 other riders for the second running of the VanIsle 1200, a randonnee that took in the sights of Vancouver Island ... I'm told the LARGEST island in the Western Hemisphere.

We had a great time and managed out stops to finish our ride at 5:30PM today for a total time of 86.5 hours. We could have stopped at a couple more Tim Hortons :-).

I'll post photos and a ride report on my blogsite - soon (I promise!!!) For now you can see some of the photos at BC's VanIsle website.

http://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/VanIsle1200.html

Rick Carpenter Qualifies for RAAM at Sebring 24-hr Race

*** Update 6/9/10 ***

NJ Randonneur, Katie Raschdorf, is on Rick's crew and is posting updates at:

http://www.njrando.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=593&start=0

*** Update 6/8/10 ***

Rick's crew will be posting updates at his website:

http://rexcarpenter.com/

You can also get race updates at the RAAM website:

http://www.raceacrossamerica.org/raam/raamfp.php?N_webcat_id=109

*** Original Post ***

Local PA randonneur Rick Carpenter successfully completed his RAAM qualifier at the Sebring 12/24 race this past weekend. 

Rick reports: "... At 06:30 on Saturday we started in the dark with three 3.77 mile laps on the Sebring racetrack, then one 89 mile out and back road “long loop”, for an aprox. total of 100 miles. We then transitioned to the 11.67 mile road “short loop”, on which I completed nine laps (or aprox.105 miles).

Upon completing my 9th lap on the “short loop”, at around 17:45 we were diverted back to the racetrack to ride the remaining event until the cutoff time of 06:30 Sunday. I completed a total of 54 laps on the racetrack (or aprox. 203.4 miles) at precisely 06:09:28 Sunday morning, when I ended my 400 mile RQ campaign with two “insurance laps” thrown-in.

It was very cool by Florida standards, starting with a temperature of around 36 degrees 06:30 Saturday morning, reaching a high of around 58 deg F Saturday afternoon, then dropping down somewhere past freezing early Sunday morning (as evidenced by the frost accumulation on the gear bags).
In summary, over my total elapsed time of 23:39:28 I completed 408.4 miles, for an overall average speed of 17.26 mph."

More photos are posted here.  Race results are posted here.

Congratulations to Rick, for this outstanding accomplishment!  And stay tuned for updates from Rick as his 2010 RAAM campaign continues ....

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

College Hill 200k

*** Ride Report 6/6/10 with updates (6/8) ***
Preliminary results have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA200k_Results100605.pdf
... please let me know of any corrections or other issues.  Results will be submitted to RUSA shortly, and will then become final, pending RUSA/ACP validation.

All 11 starters completed the ride within the time limit for another 100% finish rate -- Congratulations to all the hardy randonneurs for getting around the course in the hot and humid weather conditions we had.  The average high temperature for this time of year is in the mid 70's -- we reached that mark just shortly after the start.  But thankfully, some cloud cover and a nice breeze kept temperatures manageable for the early climbs up Fox Gap and Lommasson's Glen.  But by the time I reached Stewartsville at mile 58, I was ready for my first ice sock, as the on road temperatures crept into the high 80's to low 90's, with plenty of humidity.  The forecasted thunderstorms never materialized, although I did feel a few rain drops near Belvidere.

By the finish, I was glad that today's ride was only 200k.  Our neighbors to the south, the DC Randonneurs, were running their 600k this weekend, and they probably had at least the same amount of heat, and if anything, even more humidity to deal with.  Riding a long brevet in those conditions is certainly a tough proposition!

Your's truly, completed an Eastern PA R-12 series with this event.  My riding partner, Bill Olsen was the first to congratulate me, when we passed through Carpentersville, and I remarked that I could walk home from here and still make the time limit.  Bill completed his 200k taper down ride in preparation for the Shenandoah 1200 next week.  Other Eastern PA participants headed out to the S1200 include Gary Dean, Ed Dodd, David Goodwin, and Larry Midura.  Best of luck to these riders! (hope the weather cooperates this year)

Shane Beak and Mark Kaufman are both well along the way on their R-12 series.  Shane has just 2 more months to go before completing his.  Mark started his R-12 series last December, on that unexpectedly snowy event.  That was Mark's very first brevet and, along with Shane, is on track to complete an R-12 after the first year of riding brevets.

First finisher Don Jagel (who made it around the course in an amazing 8:32, considering the conditons) writes: "...the fresh asphalt on Lommason Glenn Road made it seem much flatter, almost coasting uphill....It is always good for me to get down into the Milford, Frenchtown, Stockton area as I spent a good part of my life there...Nothing beats a good bike ride outside your front door! ... I finished a 15 minute lunch break in Stockton, and was getting ready to leave when I ran into Linda McAdams.  She was out doing a test ride on dirt roads of her bike set up in preparation for the D2R2...I rode with Norman Smeel up until Fox Gap.  I think he said he was riding a 39 X 23.  Wow!  I'm not able to push gears like that anymore.  This was the first time I've ridden up Clay Ridge Road since I switch over to a compact drive train.  The lower gearing really helps towards the end of a warm ride.  No going back to standard gearing now...."

Norman Smeal writes: "...Great day for a ride, unfortunately, the weather did hold out for us.  I was hoping for at least a shower or two. I thank Shane and Matt for pulling me up the hills; the 39 x 21 was not the best gear selection for this ride.."

Shane Beake writes:  "As far as Don's comments "the fresh asphalt on Lommason Glenn Road made it seem much flatter, almost coasting uphill...."  I certainly didn't feel like I was coasting uphill.  Not sure what he has in his water bottle, but I think I'd like to have some.  The Fox Gap climb even at 7:45am was very warm, I'm glad it didn't come in the real heat of the day..."

Shane once again, has taken some excellent pictures which are posted here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45325491@N05/sets/72157624092090717/

... it's really nice to have so many great shots to look back on and remember the day.  Thanks Shane!

Janice Chernekoff has posted a nice ride report on her blog at:
http://jchernekoff.wordpress.com/2010/06/08/riding-the-college-hill-200/
... she has some other good posts there, including her BMB report that I'm looking forward to reading.

If you have any other comments, stories, or pictures to share, you can post them on the message board or forward them to me.

The next event will be the Hawk's Nest 200k at the end of July.  During the interim, I'll be scouting out some route tweaks to the EM1000k which will be run this August.  I'll also be working on the routing for the Endless Mountains Brevet week scheduled for the end of September:

http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM_Week200K.html

*** Original Post ***
I've heard from a dozen or so riders planning to clip-in for the June 5th 200k.  It looks like we'll have a rather hot and humid day on tap.  There are also some thunderstorms in the forecast, but it looks like they might hold off until later in the afternoon (and will hopefully provide some relief from the heat).

We'll be going up Fox Gap at mile 26, and with the early 6AM start, the temperatures should be manageable.  But there are still plenty of other big climbs on course, and it would be a good idea to bring along an "ice sock" (long cotton tube sock, or leg warmers tied off) to keep cool.

There will be plenty of stores on course where you can replenish the sock with ice, and drape it over your neck -- a stop in Belvdere at 46.8 would be a good place to fill your sock before the Lommasson's Glen climb at mile 49.

You should also replenish your icesock in Bloomsbury (mile 62) for the climb up Milford/Staats (mile 62.4).

There is a long, exposed stretch of road along Rt 29 starting at mile 73, but there should be plenty of places to resupply before then.

I'll have cold water and some Endurolytes available at the start on my porch.

At the finish, stop at the WaWa just past mile 125.7 and get a receipt (...for that icecream you've been thinking about for the last 50 miles).

There will be a post ride gathering at Morici's, right across from the WaWa near the finish -- they *do* serve cold beer!

Have a **safe ride**, and be sure to keep **well hydrated**

Regards,

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

PA600k Ride Report

Preliminary results for the PA600k have been posted at:

http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA600k_Results100522.pdf

... please let me know of any corrections or other issues.  Results will be submitted to RUSA in a couple of days, and then will become final pending RUSA/ACP validation.

17 of 18 registered riders made it to the start, and all starters made it to the finish within the time limit for a 100% completion rate ... outstanding result!  A 100% finish rate on a 600k is not very common, and it is first for the Eastern PA series, going back to 2007.  Remarkably, 4 riders: Shane Beake, Jonathan Clamp, Chris Nadovich, and Roy Yates all recorded their very first 600k finish.  And furthermore, Chris and Roy managed this feat without a 400k result under their belt.  Adding to the strings of "firsts", Cecilie Adams and Patrick Gaffney are not only the first tandem team to complete the PA600k, but the first tandem team to complete the entire Eastern PA Super Randonneur series.  8 other riders also completed their Eastern PA Super Randonneur series for a total of 10 riders joining the honor roll:

-Daniel Aaron

-Cecilie Adams

-Dan Barbasch

-Jonathan Clamp

-Ed Dodd

-Patrick Gaffney

-Judson Hand

-Don Jagel

-Eric Keller

-Bill Olsen

... and honorable mention to the following riders:

-Shane Beake (200k, 400k, 600k)
-Rick Carpenter (200k, 300k, 600k)
-Guy Harris (200k, 400k, 600k)
-Chris Nadovich (200k, 300k, 600k)

An east wind kept skies mostly overcast for the entire event.  Some hit or miss rain showers rolled through, mainly on Sunday.  Most of the riders stayed dry on Saturday and the faster riders seemed to stay ahead of the rain on Sunday. But some of the later finishers certainly got a pretty good drenching at various points.  But putting aside the rain showers and adverse wind along Rt 97 to Hawks Nest and return leg from Leola, the weather conditions certainly were more favorable than the hot conditions we had for the PA400k.  Don Jagel was the first finisher, coming in at 28:02 and setting a new course record.

Special thanks to volunteer Rick Carpenter for his pre-ride checkout and making changes for the detours and adding several improvements to the cuesheet.  And special thanks to Len Zawodniak who, along with Rick, ran the overnight controle at the hostel -- a top-notch volunteer crew for sure!  And thanks to Jud Hand for leading the way with the sign-in sheets.

Shane Beake has posted some great pictures at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/45325491@N05/sets/72157624126091356/

Bill Olsen writes: "...Thanks again for a GREAT brevet series.  I really enjoyed the return section from New Holland on the 400K and the out and back Sunday on the 600k - even with the extension to avoid 23. :-)...Thanks again, (and again, and again) for expanding the randonneuring opportunities for all of us in PA, NJ, and all of NY, not just the metro-NYC area - and surrounding areas - MA, VA."

Ed Dodd writes: "....Once again, thanks for all of your continued efforts in putting on these Brevets. I find them very challenging and I get to see sights I would otherwise never see..."

Patrick Gaffney and Cecilie Adams write: "...Cecily and I just wanted to say thanks again for putting on a great series.  The rides were indeed challenging, but the payoffs were great; the scenery and the sense of accomplishment when you finish each ride is amazing.  Your efforts cannot go unmentioned either.  Each ride was so well organized and went so smoothly.  Thanks again for everything that you do and have done for the Eastern, PA Brevet Series...."

Jud Hand's ride report is at:
http://www.njrando.com/blog/?p=114

If you have any other comments or photos to share, you can post them on the message board or forward them to me.

Next up is a 200k in two weeks for the June R-12 series, which will start from my house on College Hill. 

-Tom Rosenbauer

Eastern PA RBA

Elite PAC Tour

Local rider Len Zawodniak is riding the Elite PAC Tour: 19 days 3,075 miles 162 miles per day

You can follow Len's progress on his blog:
http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/6955
... and photos are being posted here:
http://web.me.com/notorangelo/Elite_Transcontinental_2010/San_Diego_To_El_Centro_120_miles.html

The event website is at:
http://www.pactour.com/elite.htm
... definitely not your typical lemonade and cookie tour!

Len will be riding with Eastern PA veterans:
Rob Welsh and Randy Mouri, who both completed the EM1240 last fall.  Rob's blog is at:
http://randonneurrob.blogspot.com/

Also riding is Lara Sullivan, who participated in the Eastern PA Fleche in 2008.

Best of luck to all the riders participating in this extremely tough tour.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA