Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Beyond Hope to New Hope 200k

*** Update 3 (1/10/14) ***
RUSA-HQ has approved  the rescheduling for Sunday, January 12th.  Note: this is now a RUSA sanctioned event (the originally scheduled event was ACP sanctioned).  If you are currently on the roster, or would like to be added, please drop me a note by Saturday, 12 PM.

*** Update 2 (1/10/14) ***
The Eastern PA 200k rescheduled for January 11th has been postponed again, due to unsafe riding conditions that are expected to develop as a result flooding from heavy rain and melting ice jams, and with falling ice and rocks on River Rd.  A tentative rescheduling for Sunday, Jan 12th is pending an approval from RUSA-HQ.

*** Update 1 (1/1/14) ***
The Eastern PA 200k originally scheduled for January 4th has been postponed until January 11th, due to unsafe riding conditions that are expected to develop as a result of the pending winter storm.

*** Original Post ***
The 2014 is scheduled to kick off with The Beyond Hope to New Hope 200k Saturday, January 4th. Event details have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/R12ClubJan5.html
The course routing mainly uses primary roads, since these have the best chance of being cleared and treated for winter conditions.  However, our string of good luck with the weather looks like it is coming to an end as we kick off the new year of brevets.  There is still some uncertainly with the storm track, but there is a good chance of a significant weather event starting Thursday and continuing into Friday.  And on top of that, single digit temperatures are expected for Saturday AM -- this will be an extreme test of your cold weather gear! Please be sure to monitor this message board and PA website for updates, as the weather forecast firms up, since there is a very good chance that the winter weather headed our way will make conditions unsafe for riding -- an update will be posted by noon on Jan 1st.

Please note that the start location is the Blairstown Diner --  As illustrated in this map:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/BlairstownStartFinish.JPG
.... you will park your car in the upper parking lot at Footbridge Park in Blairstown.  You can then walk across the footbridge with your bike to the diner, where you can top-off with a good breakfast and sign-inAnd as in previous years, there is no entry fee for PA members in good standing -- you can renew your PA Membership by mail or at the start.
.
(The diner opens at 7AM).  The finish controle at the Blairstown Inn is just a couple of stores away from the diner.  Reminder: With the limited daylight, lights and reflective gear will be checked at the start.

***Rider Roster (as of 1/11/14) ***
1 Michael Anderson
2 Gavin Biebuyck
3 Jane M  Brown
4 Joe A Brown
5 Greg Bullock
6 Matthew Farrell
7 Doug Haluza
8 Donald Jagel
9 Eric Keller
10 Christopher Maglieri
11 Gary Mass
12 Chris Nadovich
13 Christine Newman
14 William Olsen
15 Tom Rosenbauer
16 Norman Smeal
17 Bob Torres
18 Leonard Zawodniak

If you're planning to ride, send me an e-mail to join the roster -- please let me know by the Saturday Noon before the event.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

2013 Recap

Final results for 2013 have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/Results2013.pdf

Congratulations on all those hard-earned brevets -- collectively, we officially tallied 100,090 Km in completed brevets.  All those brevets added up to 996 RUSA points, placing Eastern PA 7th out of 53 regions.  Thank you for clipping-in and being a part of that success.  But of course, none of those brevets would've been possible, if not for all the volunteers who stepped up and helped out:
- Dan Aaron:  EM1240k
- Ron & Barb Anderson: EM1240k
- Dan Barbasch: EM1240k
- Gavin Biebuyck: 300k
- Clair Beiler: EM1240k
- Jim Bondra: EM1240k
- Jeffrey Butt: EM1240k
- Janice Chernekoff: 400k
- Jon Clamp: 300k, 400k, 600k Overnight
- Bob Dye: Dec R-12
- Bill Fischer: 400k, EM1240k
- John Fuoco: EM1240k
- Scott Franzen: EM1240k
- Lane Giardina : EM1240k
- Steve Hallett: EM1240k
- Jud & Jill Hand: EM1240k
- Don Jagel: Advisor, Feb. Jul. & Aug. R-12 Organizer
- Mary Johnson: EM1240k
- Eric Keller: EM1240k
- Dave Linchorst: Oct 150/200k
- Andrew Mead: Advisor, Jan, Mar, & Sep R-12 Organizer, 400k, 600k
- George Metzler: Mar. R-12,  Sep. R-12 BBQ
- Chris Nadovich: EM1240k
- Bill Olsen: Advisor, Feb & Dec R-12, 200/300k & Jul R-12 Organizer, 400k, 600k
- Curtis Palmer: Mar. R-12
- Susan Rodetis: EM1240k
- Chris Roth: EM1240k
- Hugo & Gloria Safar: EM1240k
- Paul Scearce: EM1240k
- Bill Slabonik: Jan., Mar. R-12, 600k Overnight & Finish, Oct 150/200k
- Norman Smeal: 300k, 400k
- Keith Spangler: Oct 150/200k, EM1240k
- Gilbert Torres : EM1240k
- Michael Wali: EM1240k
- Len Zawodniak: EM1240k

This was a year of many accomplishments -- too many to list completely -- but some selected ones I'd like to share with you include:
•There were eight Eastern PA Super Randonneurs this year: Gavin Biebuyck (3rd), Ed Dodd (2nd), Guy Harris (3rd), Don Jagel (2nd), Robin Landis, Bill Olsen (5th), Paul Scearce, and Norman Smeal.  Well Done!  Guy and Paul further distinguished themselves by completing the SR series on a fixed-gear!
Bill Olsen and Norman Smeal tied for the most mileage on the PA series, riding a total of 4,500 km of the 5,000 maximum possible on the schedule. Don Jagel (4,440 km) and Eric Keller (4,000 km) were also high-mileage riders.
•Six randonnuers completed an Eastern PA R-12 series: Clair Beiler, Jeffery Butt, Don Jagel (3rd), Eric Keller, Bill Olsen (3rd)  and Norman Smeal.  This is a select group, with only 8 individuals on the Honor Roll.
Norman Smeal also joined a select position on the Eastern PA Honor roll with the completion of a PA-5000, which consists of completing the following Eastern PA events within a four year period:  EM1240k, EM1000k, SR series, Fleche.

In 2014, there will be several domestic 1200k's to choose from.  The Eastern PA region will be offering many brevets for qualification and preparation including a complete SR series, Fleche and an R-12 series of monthly 200k’s.  But I’ll be counting on volunteers to help run them – a most welcome holiday gift to your RBA would be to have all the 2014 volunteer needs filled out before the first event on January 4th:
http://www1.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=pa_volunteers2014

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA


Sunday, December 8, 2013

Le Retour du Stillwater 200k Ride Report

Preliminary results have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA200k_Results131207.pdf
Please let me know of any corrections or other issues.  Results will be submitted shortly, and become final, pending RUSA certification.

As I write this, snow is falling as another significant winter storm hits the region -- and less than 36 hours earlier, another big winter event barely cleared out with just hours before the starting time.  Once again, the weather gods have smiled on us.  But it was definitely winter conditions for the 15 participants that made it to the start at the Milford Bakery. Temperatures at the start were just above freezing and remained in the 30F's throughout the day.  A stiff wind out of the north and lingering dampness from all the rain the night before made it feel much colder than that. The sun poked through the clouds from time to time, and when it was out, it made for a pleasant day to be out for a winter day of riding.  But as for the riders out past sundown can attest to, the temperatures dropped like a rock and made for an extremely cold finish on the big descent from the Tunnel Road climb.

All 15 participants made it around the course in good time for another 100% finish -- well done!   Of note,
Clair Beiler and Jeffery Butt both completed their Eastern PA R-12 series, and joined the Honor Roll. Only 6 others have managed this accomplishment of stringing together 12 months of finishes on the Eastern PA schedule. Congratulations, and Well Done!  Also of note, first time participants Greg Bullock and Eric Smucker finished in good time, with Eric also completing his very first brevet and now officially a randonneur.

Doug Haluza took some nice photos that can be viewed at:
http://instagram.com/dhaluza
For those of you who may be railroad aficionados, this shot:
http://instagram.com/p/hoW2v6S0Lk/
... is a tunnel through the Lackawanna cut-off, which was an engineering marvel created in the early 1900's.  The route actually passed near parts of the cut-off at several points.  Check out this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lackawanna_Cut-Off
... for an interesting write-up.

Clair Beiler writes: "..Tom, thanks for your efforts as RBA of the Eastern Pa Randonneurs again this year!! I want to personally thank you for your encouragement in my progression as a randonneur, with the culmination of my Eastern R-12 completion. ...this last one seemed as difficult as any, not in the ride itself necessarily, although my lack of riding the last 5 weeks had me laboring more than usual, but in the stupid little thoughts like “I hope I’m good enough to do this” or “please let my bike hold together”. These thoughts were still in my head on the long grind up Tunnel Rd. and Mt. Bethel Rd. Even though I could barely blink my eyes from the frigid evening air, Milford was a welcomed sight!!!  Having my nephew Eric and Scott Franzen with me all day certainly helped ..."

Bill Olsen writes: "...Looking at the forecast for the next week, it appears you made the right call to go forward with yesterday's R-12.  Couldn't have had a better day for a December ride...Thank's again for providing us all with the opportunity for a successful 2013, and looking forward to a great year of brevets in 2014...Have a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year, and see you on the 4th...."

First finisher, Gavin Biebuyck writes: "...Nice ride - we were lucky with the weather, roads were dry and we just missed slushy conditions that were called for.  Although it never really warmed up it was a nice day for riding with some sun and good scenery and good company.  Many thanks to Bob Dye for getting up so early to see us off and for meeting us at the Portland controle...."

Special thanks to volunteer Bob Dye, who got everybody signed in at the start and on their way.  Bob also manned the first controle stop in Portland, making sure everyone got through there safely. It really makes me happy to have first time volunteers like Bob step up to help keep PA Randonneurs going.  And a really great Christmas present for your RBA would be to have the 2014 volunteer sign-up webpage:
http://www1.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=pa_volunteers2014
... filled up with volunteers before the first event on January 4th.  Thanks also, to volunteer Bill Olsen for manning the finish controle until I arrived.

This concludes the 2013 Eastern PA schedule.  The year-end mailing of final results and validated brevet cards will start rolling out in the coming weeks.  Hope you all have happy, and more importantly, a safe holiday!

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA