Ride Report: Fall Classic 150k/200k

PA SR Recipients Bill O, Gil L, Bob T, & Michael G. along with former RBA Tom R.

Preliminary results for the 150 k have been posted at:
http://parando.org/PA150k_Results161022.pdf

Preliminary results for the 200k have been posted at:
http://parando.org/PA200k_Results161022.pdf

Results will be submitted in a couple of days to RUSA, and then become final pending ACP certification.

Just when everyone thought summer weather might carry through the entire month, autumn arrived just in time for the Fall Classic.  Instead of temperatures of 60 to 80 and sunny skies we had seen all week, riders were greeted with starting temperatures in the mid-40s, persistent drizzle, and a strong northwesterly wind.  A few registrants looked at the forecast and reconsidered.  Of the 32 riders originally registered for both events, only 19 riders rolled out on Saturday and slowly made their way upwind and into the cold dampness.

Riders Taylor Brown, Jon Fox, Ryan Stanis, and Aleksey Vishnyakov all persevered in tough conditions on one of the most challenging 200k routes in the PA Randonneurs catalog to join the ranks of randonneurs.  Congratulations!  Grace Pineda and Eoghan Barry claimed first finisher distinctions in the 150k and 200k, respectively.  The rest of the field trickled in throughout the evening. 

The Fall Classic event, now in its eleventh running, was started during the very first year of PA Randonneurs.  It has been held every year since and continues to attract many new randonneurs to the sport.  While it may have originally signaled the end of the season prior to the R12 Series, it continues to provide a late-season fun event and provides a chance to distribute the coveted PA SR awards. Six hardy PA Randonneurs earned the honor this year.  Two of them even finished the 200k before collecting their hardware.  Congratulations to Michael Gorman, James Haddad, Greg  Keenan, Gil Lebron, Bill Olsen, and Bob Torres for their accomplishment this season.

This year we also honored PA Randonneurs founding RBA Tom Rosenbauer as he steps down from the role.  Tom's vision, dedication, and high standards in brevet organization have made PA Randonneurs one of the top regions in RUSA and introduced many individuals to the sport.  Riders and quite a few non-riding guests stopped by throughout the afternoon and evening to offer congratulations and thanks, share stories, and welcome returning riders.   If you did not get a chance to stop by, just post a comment below or drop Tom an email. 

The Welcoming Committee

 Grace Pineda writes: 

Tom, it was great to see you today.  I've a feeling you will be joining us again, maybe for a ride or perhaps simply to share randonneuring stories.  Either or both would be welcome.  And if the ride is a short ride, count me in!

Andrew, thanks for arranging everything.  I was really reluctant to go out there given forecast for all-day rain and winds, but it was fine after all.  It's a terrific route and a beautiful one regardless of the weather.

See you in the spring, maybe sooner.

I would like to thank volunteer Chris Nadovich for his tireless contributions to not only this event but for the entire season of events staged out of the Weisel Hostel.  He rode the course checkout in the sweltering heat of early October, somehow managed to find time between important personal engagement to open the hostel Friday evening, prepare breakfast and send riders on their way Saturday morning, and retrieve a delayed rider late Saturday evening.  Regular grill-master Bill Slabonik traveled down Saturday afternoon in what has become an annual volunteer event for him and offered up his truck to retrieve the delayed rider.  The weekend would have been impossible without their help. 

Next up is the Le Retour de Stillwater 200k and the Milford 100k on November 5.  Event details have been posted on the website and registration is open through November 3.

Andrew Mead
-Eastern PA RBA