August R-12 Hawk's Nest 200k Ride Report

Preliminary results for the August 13th Hawk's Nest 200k have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA200k_Results110813.pdf

... please let me know of any corrections or other issues. Results will be sent to RUSA shortly, and then become final, pending ACP approval.

Once again, there couldn't be too many complaints about the weather -- while it's been a very "Hazy, Hot, and Humid" all summer, we just got the "Humid" for Saturday's ride.  Overcast skies kept the Hazy and Hot at bay, although the sun did poke through the clouds a couple of times.   Some riders saw a couple of little rain spritz's at the end, but everybody made it in to the finish before the heavy rain moved in. 

All of the 16riders who clipped in for this event, including three riders who did a pre-ride last weekend, made it around the course in good time for another 100% finish rate.  Congratulations to everyone for an excellent result.  Of note, Geoff Brunner and Evan Crovo finished their very first brevets.  Geoff also arrived with fellow first finishers, Jonathan Clamp and Don Jagel.  But this was little surprise to me, since Geoff just happens to have completed RAAM this year as an official finisher.  You can read more about Geoff's remarkable accomplishment at:
http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/index.ssf/2011/06/geoff_brunner_of_allentown_off.html 




With their first R-12 event completed, Geoff and Evan only have 11 more to go!  And speaking of R-12's, volunteer prerider George Metzler has a streak of 11 going, and is looking to complete his series next month.  Also of note, Don Jagel, decided that 200k wasn't quite enough of a workout, so he rode the 50 or so miles from his home in Germantown to the start.  Of course, that meant another 50 miles to get back home after the finish.  And although we all know Don is a very fast rider, he wasn't quite fast enough to make it back home before the drenching rains started.  Don writes: "...Thank you for putting together The Revised Hawks Nest Brevet yesterday. The weather, route and good company made for a great day on the bike.  The route revisions definitely get two thumbs up!  It was nice to get the views of Lake Wallenpaupack.  The Eldred control (The Corner) seemed to be a good choice.  The girls working were quite pleasant and efficient.  They quickly made burgers for Geoff, Norman and Jon,and even delivered them outside.   It took afew minutes to get the pedaling rhythm back for the climb out of
Eldred after relaxing for awhile at the control.  However, the descent that followed certainly made it worthwhile.  I hope everyone made it back before the rain started.  I got a good soaking while riding home..."

Roy Yates writes "...yesterday was a perfect day for a perfect ride. Also, the modified route through Eldred with smooth roads, not too much traffic and a plethora of truck-on-cheese signs was very agreeable..."

Guy Harris writes: "...Great route change going up to Eldred.  I think it makes the route just  a little tougher but more pleasant and a bit safer to ride.  Barryville to Hawks Nest on 97 was my least favorite part of the old route.  The Eldred controle was friendly and fast as well - hamburgers were 
recommended by the group in just ahead of me and hit the spot.  Thanks to Bill for organizing and pre-riding the new route...."

Norman Smeal writes: "...Great day for a great ride.  Thank you Bill for putting on the show..."

Bob Dye writes: "...A great big thank you to you and Bill for a wonderful day in the saddle! Not only is the course beautiful but you guys did a great job on the weather, too. The cycling gods were smiling on me today and I don't believe I've ever had a more enjoyable ride.  BTW, I'm not so sure I believe Bill regarding the new extension around Eldred being no more difficult than the old route. I did like the change however. Thanks again and I can't wait to do it again..."

Geoff Brunner writes: "....Thanks for a great day!  The route was wonderful.  I would concur with others on the side trip to Eldred as it was an accommodating controle and a nice break from 97 - personally, I'll take hills over traffic any day.  The route was overall very well thought out, and made for an enjoyable time with certainly some significant challenges!  I particularly enjoyed the company of all of the riders in the group with whom I had the pleasure of riding with at various stages....Thanks again to you and Bill and the others who were involved in organizing the event.  I'll look forward to the Hawk Mtn ride next month!...."

Nigel Greene writes: "...Thanks for putting on this ride. It was a fast course and a challenging one, which made and interesting combination. I also enjoyed sharing the road with you (Tom) for a bit. I look forward to the next edition. If you are interested, my ride report is at:

http://eprider.blogspot.com/2011/08/hawks-nest-200k-through-promised-land.html

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

Special thanks to Bill Olsen for a superb job of organizing the ride.  In addition to preriding the revised route, he swept the course in his car, making sure everybody was safely accounted for.  Thanks also, to volunteers Bill Blank and George Metzler for joining Bill on the volunteer preride.

After two visits to Hawk's Nest, next up, we'll be headed out to Hawk Mountain for the September R-12 event.  As you can see from last year's ride report:
http://parandonneurs.blogspot.com/2010/09/september-r12-results-hawk-mountain.html
... this is an absolutely fantastic route that organizer Andrew Mead has put together.

Tom Rosenbauer 

Eastern PA RBA

August R-12: Revised Hawks Nest 200k

We'll be headed back to Hawk's Nest for the  August 13th R-12 event.  But this edition has some extensive route changes to avoid some deteriorating roads and some of the heavy traffic on Rt 97.  Organizer Bill Olsen, along with volunteers George Metzler and Bill Blank, completed a preride of the revised course last weekend, and  Bill's preride report below highlights the changes for you.


For those of you headed to PBP, this will be a good chance to get in a final shake down ride before heading to Paris .  Best of luck to all the PA Randonneurs clipping-in for the Big Ride -- I'm confident that the Eastern PA series has prepared you well.  Unfortunately, one long-time Eastern PA participant, John Fuoco, will not be making it to the starting line this year.  His medical condition that was recently diagnosed, is a sobering reminder of how tenuous life can be.  John is a two-time PBP finisher, and in the true Ancien spirit of leading the way for those to follow, has offered his insights posted at this link:
http://thedailyrandonneur.wordpress.com/
... Thanks John for your good insights, and on behalf of all the PA Randonneurs, we'll be pulling for you to have a complete recovery. 


So far, I've heard from the following riders who plan to clip-in:
- Bill Blank (volunteer preride)
- George Metzler (volunteer preride)
- Chris Nadovich
- Patrick O'Donnell
- Bill Olsen (organizer)
- Tom Rosenbauer (RBA)
- Lisa Sracatino


... if you'd like to join the roster, please drop me a note.


-Tom Rosenbauer, RBA


*** Volunteer Preride Report ***
George Metzler, Bill Blank and I completed a pre-ride of the revised Hawks Nest route on Saturday, 8/6. The humidity was near saturation for most of the ride but fortunately the temperatures held off until early afternoon when we were able to reach the shaded sections of Old Mine Road. George and Bill made it in before the rain but I found that the humidity gradually increased until it reached oversaturation and I was rewarded with a cooling drizzle for the last couple of miles into Water Gap.

For the August 13th Hawks Nest 200K those who are familiar with the previous route will be pleased to see the extensive revisions Tom has made to avoid some rough pavement between Promised Land and Hawley and avoid some rough pavement (and traffic) on Rt. 97. An added benefit of these changes is even more shaded roads and the additional climbing as one gets away from the exposed stretch of the Delaware south of Barryville is only 500 feet which really isn't all that bad (coming from someone who you all KNOW does not like climbing). I couldn't believe it but in checking Delorme after the ride I found that although one gains altitude leaving the new Eldred controle, the overall elevation gain is the same as the lumps on 97 that come on the section between Barryville and Pond Eddy. I especially enjoyed the long downhill as Rt. 31 rejoined Rt. 97 just before the Hawks Nest bump - but watch your speed as there is a stop sign at the end of the downhill. :-(

Although you'll still pass the River Market in Barryville, you need not worry about stopping for refreshments as The Corner controle 5 miles up the road in Eldred has a good selection of ice cream and beverages that will get you through to either Muller's Port Jervis Diner or the Layton Country Store. For those of you that didn't ride with us on July 30th, the Layton Country Store is under new management and in addition to having a better hours, a wider selection of items from the grill, the burgers and tuna subs will definitely fill you up!

Things to be aware of for Saturday:

- The 4-mile stretch of fresh chip seal starting at Canedesis that was being laid down when Tom rode the pre-ride on the 27th has been fully cleaned up. They must have used a roller on one of the warm days last week as the exposed stones that we experienced on the 30th have been smoothed into the pavement so that the resulting surface is just a "normal" chip and seal. They've also repainted the lines along the road and demarcated the shoulder for that section.

- The new route on Rt. 507 (Lake Wallenpaupack Road) has a couple of areas where the previous winter frost heaves have not yet been repaired. We're only on this road for a mile an a half and it isn't a problem if traffic is light but if you're riding in a group, you might want to give some additional spacing.
- At Hawk's Nest, road construction continues that has the road closed to a single lane with a temporary traffic light. The single lane is rather long and the light is a bit on the short side. But you'll have a enough time to clear the construction if you wait for the light to turn from red to green. I found that even when I waited to let all of the cars that were line pass me go ahead (so they didn't have to maneuver around me) I had plenty of time to make it though the construction and well out beyond the waiting line of oncoming traffic before the light changed.
- If you've never been across the Rt. 80 bridge near Water Gap, it's a little bit tricky. Please see the note that Tom provided for last month's ride for details on the crossing:
http://parandonneurs.blogspot.com/2011/07/hawks-nest-200k.html

The Water Gap Diner will be opening at 6AM if you'd like to top off with a good breakfast before the start. I've let them know to expect us.

We'll see you Saturday.

Bill Olsen, Organizer

Hawk's Nest 200k Ride Report

Preliminary results for the Hawk's Nest 200k have been posted at:

http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA200k_Results110730.pdf

... please let me know of any corrections or other issues. Results will be sent to RUSA later today, and then become final, pending ACP approval.

Given the very hot and humid weather this past month, there couldn't be too many complaints with the manageable weather conditions.  Temperatures were a couple degrees above normal, but the low humidity was a welcome relief, and the winds out of the northwest sped the riders along Towpath Rd and Rt 97.  All of the 20 riders who clipped in for this event, including yours truly who did the pre-ride earlier in the week, made it around the course in good time for another 100% finish rate.  Congratulations to everyone for an excellent result. 

Of note, first-time Eastern PA participant, Bryan Nelson completed his SR series -- congratulations, and well done!  Bryan was accompanied by fellow Maryland rider, Clint Provenza.  Over the past couple of years, Clint has done a great job of promoting our sport of randonneuring with his local Severna Park Peloton bike club: 
https://sites.google.com/site/severnaparkpeloton/


I originally had Mary Johnson also listed as a first-time Eastern PA participant, until Rick Carpenter pointed out " ...This is technically Mary’s 2nd PAR completion.  Mary and I rode-in together from Layton to the finish, and during one of our converastions found that she did her first brevet some four years ago with PAR.  Coincidentally, Mary and I rode our first brevets ever together on your 31 Mar 2007 Eastern PA ACP 200; how cool is that!..."

First finisher, Don Jagel writes: "...Thanks for putting together the Hawks Nest Brevet today.  Also, Great Thanks to Len for popping up everywhere throughout the day to sign brevet cards and provide much needed water, always with a smile.  ...The weather was about perfect for a late July ride.  I spent much of the day riding on and off with Rick C, Jon C, and John C, which allowed for some good company and conversation.  .... The best thing about the Old Mine Road climb today was the slight lowering of temperature and a cooling breeze at the top of the climb.  Unfortunately the cool breeze disappeared upon reaching the bottom of the hill on the other side. ... One final note for those that like cheeseburgers.  Rick got a burger at the Layton General Store.  The thing was a monster that had to be cut in half just to allow it to be picked up with two hands. ... Everyone's help in continually putting together and executing wonderful rides is really appreciated...."

Shane Beake writes: "...Thanks for another great running of the tried and tested Hawks Nest 200.  Big thank you to Lenny for taking his whole day to volunteer!!! ..."
And once again, Shane has posted a bunch of great pictures at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/45325491@N05/sets/72157627193939715/

... it seems that Shane manages to capture new details of the route, each time he rides it!

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

Special thanks to the volunteers who stepped up to help make this event a success:

- Len Zawodniak (on-road support all day!!)

- Bill Olsen (R-12 Organizer, finish controle)

... without volunteers like these who step up to the call for support, it would simply not be possible to run these events!

Next up, we'll be running the Hawk's Nest 200k again in 2 weeks on August 13th ... with the prospect of a continuation of the hot summer we've had, this is the best option for shaded roads and cooler temperatures.  However, I'm looking at some extensive route tweaks to:
- avoid some rough pavement between Promised Land and Hawley
- avoid some rough pavement (and traffic) on Rt 97

Drop me a note if you plan to clip-in, and stay tuned for updates.

Tom Rosenbauer 

Eastern PA RBA

Hawk's Nest 200k

*** Update #1 7/28 ***
I completed a volunteer pre-ride on Wednesday 7/27.  The weather was nearly ideal, although the humidity seemed to increase just  south of Port Jervis -- I think a rain shower came through before I did. Here are a couple of things I encountered that you should be aware of:
- There is a 4-mile stretch of fresh chip seal starting at Canedesis -- it was being laid down that day, and the tar was still very sticky.  It was nearly unrideable --  I was beginning to think that we might have to cancel.  But in talking to a workman, I found out that the tar was fresh that day, and that a sweeper will be coming through the next day to clean off the excess stones.  There should be a 1-foot wide shoulder clear of tar/stones for most of the 4-mile stretch.  There still might be some "sticky" areas, but I'm hopeful that conditions will improve over the next couple of days as the road gets swept and the tar dries and gets covered with dirt.
- At Hawk's Nest, there is road construction that has the road closed to a single lane with a temporary traffic light.  The single lane is rather long and the light is a bit on the short side.  But you'll have a enough time to clear the construction if you wait for the light to turn from red to green.  You should get at the end of the line of cars that will be waiting there, so they don't have to maneuver around you.

If you've never been across the Rt 80 bridge near Water Gap, it's a little bit tricky.  You need to look for a sidewalk/ramp about 50 yards past the Rt 80 underpass which you will cross under.  The picture below shows the ramp on the left, which is in between the road you will be traveling (on the right) and Rt 80 (far left):

You will be facing on-coming traffic as you go across the bridge.

The Water Gap Diner will be opening at 6AM if you'd like to top off with a good breakfast before the start.

*** Original Post ***
The weather forecast is calling for another heatwave this weekend, for the the July 30th R-12 event.  But the Hawk's Nest 200k course will be heading north into Promised Land, where the temperatures are typically a couple of degrees cooler.  Most of the route is shaded, which will also bring some relief from the heat.

Reminder: Parking is behind the Water Gap Diner -  Directions are posted here:

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

*** Rider Roster (updated 7/28) ***
- Glenn Ammons
- Shane Beake
- Gavin Biebuyck
- John Capriotti
- Jonathan Clamp
- Margaret Green
- Monty Green
- Nigel Greene
- Doug Haluza
- John Hsu
- Donald Jagel
- Houston Joost
- Chris Nadovich
- Bryan Nelson
- Patrick S O Donnell
- William M. Olsen  (Organizer)
- Clint Provenza
- Tom Rosenbauer (Volunteer Preride)

Ride Needed for September R12 Brevet

There is a new to PA Randonneurs rider looking for a ride out to Ephrata for the September running of the Hawk Mountain 200k. He is located in the NYC area and has determined that Amtrak doesn't allow bikes on the Keystone lines that service the Lancaster area. Anyone with extra space should contact Peter Yuskauskas at py.bass@yahoo.com.

Long Distance Cycling

Pennsylvania Randonneurs Wool Jersey

*** Update #1 (7/8/11) ***

Today is the last day to get your PA Randonneurs jersey order in ... we just need a few more orders to reach the minimum quantities.  So if you've been meaning to get around to ordering one, today's your last chance.  You can e-mail Shane Beake, who will be happy to take your order.

*** Original Post ***

PA Randonneurs is pleased to announce the availability of a high quality Woolistic jersey.  The jersey is available in either long or short sleeves for the regular wool jersey (same as the EM1240 and RUSA offerings) or a new light weight wool summer jersey (short sleeves only).  Please submit your order form:

http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PaWoolJerseyOrderForm_fill-in_revised.pdf

... by June 26.  July 14 July 8 (Final Day! -- we need a few more orders for the minimum quantity)

Special thanks to Shane Beake, for designing the jersey and coordinating this project!  Please contact Shane

stb0423@optonline.net

 for additional details or if you have any questions.  Sample jerseys will be available for sizing at upcoming events.