Saturday, October 11, 2014

PA150/200k

*** Update 1 (10/17) ***
According to the latest foliage reports:
http://tinyurl.com/lyb3ags
... the leaves will be ranging from "high color" to "peak".  That being said, with all the rain and wind this past week, many of those colorful leaves are on the ground and could pose a slipping hazard which you should be mindful of.

As noted on the website, you should park your car in the large parking lot half way down the driveway on the right -- Not  the few spots near the house (which are reserved). Breakfast items (oatmeal, bagels, etc) will be available 1 hr before the start.  If you are staying at the hostel on Friday night, early arrivals before 10PM should use the woman's dorm and later arrivals should use the men's dorm.  I'll be arriving late on Friday night after a high school football game, but the house parents John and Gerry Anne will be expecting you.

SPOT trackers will be handed out to selected riders.  If you have a personal SPOT unit not listed here:
http://www.parando.org/SPOT_Links.html
... please send me a link to your tracking page.


*** Original Post ***
The PA Randonneurs fall series kicks off on October 18 and you have a choice of either a 150k or 200k course.  Hopefully, the fall foliage will be in peak color.  The start/finish will be at the Weisel hostel, with breakfast served 1 hour before the start  We'll also have the traditional post-ride BBQ, where we can recap the accomplishments of the past year and look forward to the challenges of the coming year. Registration and other event details are at:
http://www.parando.org/PA150_200K_A.html

With only about 10.5 hours of daylight available, 200k riders will need lights and reflective gear, unless you have previously finished  the course in less than 9.5 hours.

Long-time PA and NJ randonneurs will remember that the design of the 200k course is based on the "Hilly 100 miles" of the 2003 edition of the NJ600k.  It's been run as an October event ever since then, as one of the most challenging 200k's on the PA schedule.  In the never ending quest for traffic-free and scenic roads, there are several route tweaks for the 2014 edition, so those familiar with previous editions will need to turn-off their autopilot and pay close attention to the cuesheet.  The changes start right with the very first turn: instead of left, we'll be turning right from the Weisel hostel driveway and heading to Lower Saucon Valley Road, as a warm-up. After passing through Easton, some additional route tweaks offer some quieter roads on the way to Wind Gap.  After the big climb up Fox Gap, another one awaits you up Lommason's Glen.  After the Montana Road descent, additional route tweaks will take you to Tunnel Road, which is the "kinder and gentler" way up Jug Town mountain.  But in between, another little lump in the form of Mountain View Road awaits you. About half way up the climb, be sure to look out to your left, where a nice vista can be seen through a break in the trees.  The 150k course generally follows the 200k route until Mud Rud, where 150k riders will go directly to Belvidere while 200k riders head into Cherry Valley and up Fox Gap.

A volunteer preride was completed this past week by your RBA, and the cuesheets have been updated as follows:
200k: draft 8 dated 10/10/14
150k: draft 8 dated 10/10/14

Additional Course Notes:
-Mile 40.9 (200k): As you descend the backside of Wind Gap, watch out for some very hazardous sewer grates in the shoulder -- they are actually more akin to wide open storm drains, and will most certainly ruin your day if you hit these at speed. You'll want to take a line more to the left in order to avoid these hazards.
-Mile 111.1 (200k) / 79.7 (150k): There is bridge construction that is closed to cars but is easily bypassed  if you dismount and walk around the barriers. Since the road is closed to through traffic, you'll practically have the road all to yourself.  But as you get closer to the road closure, the road becomes less maintained -- be sure to watch out for gravel, potholes, and debris, especially on the descent and curve about one mile away from the bridge that is out.

200k Roster (as of 10/17)
1 Charles J Arayata - Friday night hostel
2 Eoghan Barry - Guest
3 Jane M  Brown
4 Geoff Brunner
5 Jeffery S Butt
6 Joseph (Clifford) Dille - Guest
7 Alfred Dolich - Guest
8 Dwight Engel - Guest
9 Matthew Farrell
10 J Scott Franzen
11 Zachary R Goodrich - Friday and Saturday night hostel
12 Stewart J Gouck
13 Guy Harris
14 James P. Holman
15 Greg Keenan
16 Robin C Landis - Friday night hostel
17 Peter Macholdt - Guest
18 Kate Marshall
19 Daniel McGill - Guest
20 Chris Nadovich
21 William Olsen
22 Laurie Riley - Guest
23 Tom Rosenbauer - Volunteer Preride
24 Norman Smeal
25 Gilbert Torres - Friday night hostel
26 Victor Urvantsev
27 Eva Van Stratum - Guest

150k Roster (as of 10/17)
1 Gavin Biebuyck
2 George Brandt - Guest
3 Janice Chernekoff
4 Guillaume Gantard
5 Gil Lebron - Guest
6 William M Slabonik
7 Keith A Spangler
8 Bob Torres

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

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