Preliminary results have been posted at:
http://parando.org/PA200k_Results160206.pdf
Please let me know of any corrections or other issues. Results will
be submitted shortly, and become final, pending RUSA certification.
Winter brevets are tough for everyone involved. Organizers have to consider weather, its impact on riding conditions, and possible last-minute route adjustments. Volunteers may have to endure frigid temperatures at rider sign-in or while manning a secret checkpoint. Riders have to produce extra effort stay warm and accept that a 200k when temperatures are below 40F is much more difficult than one when temperatures are in the 70s and that completion times will be longer. Yes, winter brevets are TOUGH, but the inaugural Little Britain brevet was perhaps moreso than usual. That 13 randonneurs started and finished the Little Britain 200k in February is a true testament to the mettle of these randonneurs.
The adventure began two weeks earlier when a snow storm dropped anywhere from 24 to 30+ inches of snow in the area. A course check-out ride tentatively scheduled for the following weekend suddenly seemed impossible. Mid-week reports on the local news continued to show roads not yet plowed in many areas, including portions of the route. Alternate routing and even a change of the brevet venue was considered. We brushed up on our meteorological skills and tried to look ahead to the next weekend. The weather finally warmed, roads cleared, Matt Farrell and George Metzler provided a little first-hand observational intel, and the pre-ride got a green light.
I cannot thank Bill Fischer enough for volunteering to handle the check-out ride even though the I had to bail out at the last minute. We were aware of some likely problem areas and had detour options in place. Unfortunately, I failed to consider all places that might not receive road maintenance and Bill was forced to hike-a-bike for a way through deep snow. He was smiling as usual when I met him at the finish, but I could tell it had been a tough ride for him. From his notes, I worked on a couple new detours and some other tweaks to bring the total mileage back into reason. I didn't think anyone wanted to ride a 130 mile 200k in February.
Another mid-week storm brought over an inch of rain and warm temperatures on the Wednesday before the brevet. Suddenly I began to wonder whether some roads might be flooded or if the whole route would turn into a skating rink when cold weather returned Thursday evening. A windy day on Friday helped, but apparently not enough to make for worry-free riding.
Temperatures at the start was 23F according to the car thermometer. Riders gathered and were checked in. George Metzler helped me with the start so we could get everyone moving on time. Thanks, George! A few cautionary notes, a promise that there would be icy patches, and an urging for extra caution, and the riders took off into the cold morning.
From reports I heard, there were indeed several reports of icy spots along the northern loop. The worst of these being a stretch of road after the second control that was completely iced over and was blocked by a fuel truck sitting across the road. Knowing the route, I can only suggest that a chance to walk along that section should be considered a blessing since Hill Rd is a tough climb under the best conditions. The first 100k offered adventure and I'm sure some wished for studded tires at time. Watching the SPOT trackers, I noticed that several riders took advantage of a return to the start location to adjust wardrobes and enjoy a decent lunch before tackling the southern loop.
Wind from the southwest picked up in the afternoon presenting riders with a headwind for the long, southbound leg to Little Britain. Sadly, the wind calmed in the late afternoon and deprived everyone from an anticipated tailwind assist back to the finish. Thankfully, temperatures warmed a bit and road conditions on the southern loop appeared generally improved over the northern adventure loop. Against all challenges, all 13 starters persevered and finished for another 100% finish rate. Thankfully, aside from a few small spills, all seemed in reasonable shape. Everyone agreed that the route was deceptively challenging in its own right. The winter chill (the high only reached 40) only made it tougher. Congratulations to all of the finishers on a hard-earned completion. Greg Keenan also scored his second RUSA R12 Award with this finish. Congratulations Greg.
Bill Olsen showed a true never-give-up spirit and
finished the ride on a disintegrating pedal. There's a reason he has so
many brevet completions to his name. Now we can only wonder whether
there will be a spare pedal set residing in his seat pack for future
events.
Patrick Gaffney arrived with a very nice-looking custom rando bike for a break-in ride. It must be a great bike as he and Gavin Biebuyck were first to arrive at the finish on event day in spite of adding a few bonus miles which they attributed to "not paying attention." Other finishers arrived in groups of two or three, opting for the safety of group travel after sunset.
Our finish control was located in a pizza restaurant that happens to have a great beer selection. Volunteer Jeff Butt set up shop to greet the returning riders and to sample the offerings to assure suitability for our returning the riders. Warm food and cold beer seemed to bring all back to life. C.J. Arayata even drove up so finishers would be greeted by a group of friendly faces.
Your safety is the number one priority on an Eastern PA event. Please mention any safety hazard you might have spotted or near-miss incident your saw. A couple riders have already mentioned some slips on the ice. And an alternative to Nottingham Rd is in the works, which had a limited
shoulder and some fast traffic. As with any new route there's always room for improvement. Please forward any observations or suggestions for improvement. So far it's pretty clear that this route is a bit much for a winter brevet. As for the mystery cue (1st on Liberty), it was part of a temporary bypass around a snow-covered Lakeview Rd. which I do not plan to leave permanently in place.
Rider Guy Harris decided to tackle the very fixie UNfriendly route on his fixed gear bike and writes: Never once hated you as you predicted at pre-ride meeting upon seeing my
choice of bikes. Most of the climbing was on lightly traveled roads
suitable to paperboy. When I needed my granny gear it was about as fast
as my companions in their granny gears! All in all a great reminder of
what riding in Lancaster county is all about.
Looking ahead, we return to the Quakertown hostel for the traditional SR offerings beginning with the 200k on March 19. Guy Harris and Bill Olsen will be handling the organizational responsibilities for those rides, but can always use extra hands. If you are willing and available to help with any of those events, you can direct questions to the organizers or me and sign up on the Volunteer Page. If you are considering organizing, drop an email to Tom or me. We'd be happy to explain the responsibilities and help in any way possible.
Andrew Mead
-organizer
Monday, February 8, 2016
Wednesday, February 3, 2016
RBA Transition
*** Update 2 (9/4/16) ***
Andrew Mead will officially become the Eastern PA RBA on September 15th. Both of us plan to be at annual BBQ we have at the hostel finish for the October 200/150k. All are invited to come ride and then celebrate this big milestone.
*** Update 1 (2/5/16) ***
RUSA-HQ has approved Andrew Mead's application to become the new Eastern PA RBA. The transition will become effective this coming September. Meanwhile, Andrew and I will continue to work together on administering the 2016 calendar of events and coordinating the organizers and volunteers who we will be counting on to help run them. Part of becoming a new RBA is selecting a mentor to consult with from time to time -- and Andrew has honored me by selecting me as his mentor, which I'm more than happy to accept.
Typically, new RBA's are limited to scheduling only a 200k and 300k during their first full year as a freshly minted RBA. But since Andrew and I have been able to effect a seamless transition plan, there will be no such restrictions placed on the Eastern PA 2017 schedule, and at least a full SR series and Fleche will be planned. The response of volunteers and organizers stepping up to help with the 2016 events will inform the viability of scheduling the full R-12 series and other events for 2017.
As I previously mentioned, I'm extremely confident that the Eastern PA region will be in excellent hands. The following is an excerpt from Andrew's RBA application: ".... I was hooked on randonneuring from my very first brevet with PA Randonneurs. The regular participants are a great group with wide ranging palmarés. Tom’s high standards in organization and cue sheet development make riding his events easy, at least from the perspective of navigation. His routes also tend to be physically challenging which increases the level of personal satisfaction upon completion. His routes traverse the roads less traveled. I have seen parts of this state that I would not have otherwise experienced while riding Tom’s brevets.
I’ve watched the organization grow from the “one man show” days when Tom handled all aspects of the event, usually including a course check-out ride, to more recent events when a group of volunteers handle most aspects of the event and report to Tom when it’s over. It takes a lot of effort to offer the number of high-quality brevets PA Randonneurs offers each year (monthly brevets have been scheduled since 2009, I believe). I’ve happily volunteered to help with route checkouts, creation, and event organization so that PA Randonneurs could continue to thrive. I’m am not alone as there are several volunteers committed to making sure that the region remains viable and vibrant.
Now is the time to let Tom sit back and watch his creation, the organization and its volunteers, work for a while. It’s a big task, but it benefits from a decade of effort already invested. My overall goal is to maintain the reputation of the region so that riders continue to look back on brevet completions here with fond memories and a sense of satisfaction. ...."
*** Original Post ***
Due to a medical condition that developed last year (Diffuse Scleroderma), I have begun the process of replacing myself as RBA of the Eastern PA region. Thankfully, I have a very strong group of organizers and trusted advisers and other volunteers that have helped me run PA Randonneurs in recent years. Andrew Mead has agreed to step up to become the new RBA, and he has submitted his application to RUSA-HQ. Andrew will be taking on more of the duties of running PA Randonneurs this year during a transition period. Our intent is to minimize disruptions to both the 2016 calendar of events and also next year's 2017 schedule. Having worked with Andrew since 2009 on the many routes he has developed and events he has organized, I know that the Eastern PA region will be in very good hands.
The RUSA board has Andrew's application on the agenda for their February meeting, and we will post any news and updates to this thread.
Looking ahead to 2016, there are a 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 this year, Andrew and I will be especially be counting on organizers and volunteers to help run them – organizers and volunteers can step up for the remaining opportunities by using the online volunteer sign-up sheet.
-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA
Andrew Mead will officially become the Eastern PA RBA on September 15th. Both of us plan to be at annual BBQ we have at the hostel finish for the October 200/150k. All are invited to come ride and then celebrate this big milestone.
*** Update 1 (2/5/16) ***
RUSA-HQ has approved Andrew Mead's application to become the new Eastern PA RBA. The transition will become effective this coming September. Meanwhile, Andrew and I will continue to work together on administering the 2016 calendar of events and coordinating the organizers and volunteers who we will be counting on to help run them. Part of becoming a new RBA is selecting a mentor to consult with from time to time -- and Andrew has honored me by selecting me as his mentor, which I'm more than happy to accept.
Typically, new RBA's are limited to scheduling only a 200k and 300k during their first full year as a freshly minted RBA. But since Andrew and I have been able to effect a seamless transition plan, there will be no such restrictions placed on the Eastern PA 2017 schedule, and at least a full SR series and Fleche will be planned. The response of volunteers and organizers stepping up to help with the 2016 events will inform the viability of scheduling the full R-12 series and other events for 2017.
As I previously mentioned, I'm extremely confident that the Eastern PA region will be in excellent hands. The following is an excerpt from Andrew's RBA application: ".... I was hooked on randonneuring from my very first brevet with PA Randonneurs. The regular participants are a great group with wide ranging palmarés. Tom’s high standards in organization and cue sheet development make riding his events easy, at least from the perspective of navigation. His routes also tend to be physically challenging which increases the level of personal satisfaction upon completion. His routes traverse the roads less traveled. I have seen parts of this state that I would not have otherwise experienced while riding Tom’s brevets.
I’ve watched the organization grow from the “one man show” days when Tom handled all aspects of the event, usually including a course check-out ride, to more recent events when a group of volunteers handle most aspects of the event and report to Tom when it’s over. It takes a lot of effort to offer the number of high-quality brevets PA Randonneurs offers each year (monthly brevets have been scheduled since 2009, I believe). I’ve happily volunteered to help with route checkouts, creation, and event organization so that PA Randonneurs could continue to thrive. I’m am not alone as there are several volunteers committed to making sure that the region remains viable and vibrant.
Now is the time to let Tom sit back and watch his creation, the organization and its volunteers, work for a while. It’s a big task, but it benefits from a decade of effort already invested. My overall goal is to maintain the reputation of the region so that riders continue to look back on brevet completions here with fond memories and a sense of satisfaction. ...."
Due to a medical condition that developed last year (Diffuse Scleroderma), I have begun the process of replacing myself as RBA of the Eastern PA region. Thankfully, I have a very strong group of organizers and trusted advisers and other volunteers that have helped me run PA Randonneurs in recent years. Andrew Mead has agreed to step up to become the new RBA, and he has submitted his application to RUSA-HQ. Andrew will be taking on more of the duties of running PA Randonneurs this year during a transition period. Our intent is to minimize disruptions to both the 2016 calendar of events and also next year's 2017 schedule. Having worked with Andrew since 2009 on the many routes he has developed and events he has organized, I know that the Eastern PA region will be in very good hands.
The RUSA board has Andrew's application on the agenda for their February meeting, and we will post any news and updates to this thread.
Looking ahead to 2016, there are a 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 this year, Andrew and I will be especially be counting on organizers and volunteers to help run them – organizers and volunteers can step up for the remaining opportunities by using the online volunteer sign-up sheet.
-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA
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