Monday, October 26, 2020

November R12 Brevet: Hawk Mountain 200k

Pre-Ride Update Notes

A Halloween course checkout pre-ride was conducted by George Metzler, Ralph Miller, and yours truly.  The route itself is in good shape not considering all of the scary sights alongside the road.  Some people go all out with their decorations.

The cue sheet has been updated to incorporate a few tweaks.  Make sure you have the version generated on 11/1/2020.  

A few notes:

8.6      This RR crossing is bottle dropping rough.
12.5    Watch for slippery leaves on the road and deer standing in the road.
15.6    This, too, if a very rough RR crossing.
21.3    The risks of the long, open grate bridge cannot be overstated.  Please use caution.
45.7    The Kempton control does not have public restrooms.  The Sheetz at mile 33.8 does.
50.9    There is water available at the Eckville AT Shelter.  The tap is located on the side of a small house next to the porch.  All other facilities at the shelter (including a toilet) are closed. The shelter is easy to miss if you're not looking for it.  The sign announcing the shelter is only viewable by looking back down the hill (the direction wary hikers approach)

52.5    There will likely be lots of leaves on the road.  If not, there will be a lot of ground leave debris on the road.  Both are slick.  This descent features several tricky corners.  Please don't leave your guardian angel behind.

60.3    There is a HUGE pothole encroaching the shoulder just past the Auburn Mini-Mart.  It was water-filled on the pre-ride which masked the its presence.  And its perils.  Depth soundings were inconclusive.

79.0    You will be on the main drag in Pine Grove when you depart the control.  Traffic may be heavy, but everyone is driving slowly.  Just take your time and stay alert here.

85.6    This section features fast traffic.  The shoulder varies from a foot to full-lane.  The fog line is also a rumble strip.  Please be careful in this stretch and look far ahead to anticipate obstructions in the shoulder ahead so you can check behind before moving into the lane.

Hawk Mountain remains one of my personal favorites.  It is challenging but rewards one's efforts with several scenic vistas.  See you Saturday.

Andrew Mead
Eastern PA RBA

Original Post

The November R12 brevet heads west to Lancaster County for the Hawk Mountain 200k on November 7.  Event details are on the website and registration is open.  As with the 2018 running, the brevet will start in the parking lot of Martin's Country Market on the west side of Ephrata on US322.  Sadly, unlike the 2018 edition, we will NOT be gathering (at least formally) at the St. Boniface Craft Brewery for post-ride festivities.  Current occupancy restrictions on bars make it impractical to occupy their space for such a long time.  That said, all riders are certainly welcome to visit the brew pub with its new expanded food offerings.  We just can't gather there as a group.

Starting protocol will be slightly changed for November.  I hope to return to a group start.  This of course depends on the number of entrants, but winter months typically see smaller groups.  Free starts are useful with larger groups, but if I learned anything from the Fall Classic event it is the value of a pre-ride rider's briefing.  Other aspects of the Free Start protocol remain in effect.  

1. All riders must wear a mask at registration check-in.  You will need to take it with you as all Pennsylvania stores require patrons to wear a mask in order to enter.  Hand sanitizer is up to you, but remember hand sanitizer and paper stock brevet cards don't mix well.  Just sayin'.

2. Please print, sign, and bring that signed event waiver with you to the rider check-in.  I'll have an envelope to collect these.

3. Bring your bike and your reflective gear with you to rider check-in. Do this promptly when you arrive and unload to avoid a crush at T -15 minutes.

4. A successful step 1 and 2 will result in receipt of your brevet card.

5.  Hang around in a socially distanced manner until 5 minutes before the start for the pre-ride briefing.  

6.  Gather in a socially spaced apart manner so you can hear my spell-binding pre-ride chat.  I'll talk loud so everyone can hear.

7.  Depart when released, but try to space yourselves apart a bit.  Most important is to be aware of other rider proximity when launching snot rockets and the like.  This really shouldn't be a COVID thing; you should always drop to the back to do this.  

All of the intermediate controls have been changed to info controls to avoid passing brevet cards with store clerks along the way (pro tip:  bring a pencil or pen).  However, there is no intermediate staffed control planned.  If you have reservations about entering a store to obtain supplies along the route, please plan accordingly and carry enough with you.  Veterans of the route will know that stores in Schuylkill, Berks and Lebanon Counties are few and far between anyway so plan accordingly.  Stores are marked on the cue sheet and I will be investigating an additional self-service water source along the route on the check-out ride.

When you arrive at the finish, check your card to make sure you've added all the info control answers.  Look for the finish volunteer (it might not be me) and show the volunteer the inside of your card so s/he can verify you've scribbled something in each control.  Don't forget to mask up when you go see the volunteer.  Then sign your card and deposit it in the envelope with the volunteer.  If you arrived with a small group, step away so the others can check out.  The volunteer will have a log sheet which indicates your finish time and is the primary means for me to determine finish time. 

Stay safe and have a great ride.

Andrew Mead, Eastern PA RBA




Wednesday, October 21, 2020

Chamounix Classic 2020 Report

Preliminary results for the Chamounix Classic events have been posted for the 200k and the Populaire on the PA Rando website.  Please review the results and let me know if something doesn't agree with your recollections.  The results will be submitted for RUSA certification later on and become final at that time.  

A gorgeous sunny Saturday

October 17 was a gorgeous, sunny Saturday for two PA Randonneur events, the 107km Populaire and a 200k brevet. It was also a day of many firsts.  

We inaugurated a new location, the Chamounix Hostel, as our start and finish control, a beautiful location in north-west Fairmount Park, which made for a pleasant spot to hang out and share stories at the end of the ride – socially distanced and outdoors of course! One nice feature was the porch on the front where we could see rides approach from afar so we could welcome each of them with applause. We hope to use the Hostel again as a base for events in 2021.

 

Woody readies the tandem as cat watches joggers.
 

Another first is that we drew a lot of new riders from the area, indeed across both events 55% of participants came from Philadelphia many of which participated in their first ever brevet leading to a late surge in RUSA memberships!

Finally, we had the first ever minor participating in an event as part of a father-daughter tandem:  Esme and Glenn Ammons finished their Populaire to roaring applause something made possible by a recent rule change at RUSA allowing minors to ride in the company of a randonneuring parent or guardian.  We had a total of three tandems at the Populaire the others were CJ Arayata with Woody Felice and George Retseck with Beverly Rickles, the latter finished her first ever randonneuring event.

Friday, October 9, 2020

Chamounix Fall Classic Populaire - Pre-ride notes

A pre-ride of the 107km Populaire was conducted on Oct 7 by Iwan Barankay. Event informatin is available here. The route is beautiful and very scenic and will be a great experience for first-timers and returning randonneurs alike. 

Parking is very easy on Chamounix Drive just before you reach the Carriage House which is on the left in the eyelet at the end of the road. 

Here is a list of items to bring and prepare:



One note upfront is to be aware of fallen leaves on the road as they can be slippery and, more importantly, they can hide potholes especially in the beginning on MLK Jr Drive.  Please take good care so you don’t lose a water bottle there like the pre-rider did.  

There are multiple constructions which made it necessary to change the route.  In the beginning soon after Falls Bridge we now turn onto the Wissahickon Trail and then Forbidden Drive to reach the first info control from the East.  

As you approach Evansburg State Park please dismount your bike to get onto the Skippack Creek Trail Bridge as a flash-flood in late summer swelled up and washed away some of the tarmac.

On the way back before Manayunk please watch the cues to get back onto the Schuylkill River Trail as River Road is under construction and impassable due to a huge pool of water and no sidewalk. Finally, we approach the finish from MLK Jr Drive which is much safer than via Belmont Mansion Drive but will necessitate a last climb effort before the finish.  Rest assured that grazing horses and curious cats at Chamounix are awaiting you as are boxed lunches and refreshments and many riders including some 200k finishers whom you can impress with your stories and adventures.

Start Logistics

As we are under COVID 19 protocol we won't have a group but rather a free start.

Here is how it works:


1) Park your car or come to Chamounix by bike. Most people will want to park on the left in front of the stables just before you get to the Carriage House. Let's assume this is what you do.


2) Get ready. 


3) Coffee, water, juice and packaged goodies will be set out by the Carriage House. Help yourself (but don't bunch as you munch). Take the food back to your car or elsewhere in the park.


3) Sometime between 8:30 and 9:30 AM casually walk by yourself with your bike and your signed event waiver to the start line.  The idea is that people should come over to start gradually, in onezie-twozies. Not in a bunch. 


4) Drop your signed waiver in the container on the ground. If you forget your waiver, you'll need to ask a Chamounix Cat for forgiveness. If the cat forgives you, go retrieve a blank waiver fill it out, and try again.


5) After you drop your waiver, the starter will record your time on the log and on your card. The starter will then give you your brevet card. Hold it up with your name facing forward. Someone will take a picture of you. You are now started.  A few people will also be given satellite trackers. If you get one of these, put it someplace where it can "see" the sky. It can be in a bag or pocket, just don't pile stuff on top of it.


6) Ride your bike!  And don't go faster than your guardian Angel!

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Chamounix Fall Classic 200K -- Course Notes (updated)

*** Update 1

An additional pre-ride was conducted 11 October by Andrew Mead and Nick Manta. This resulted in a few small adjustments to the cues and the route. The latest cuesheet is Version 4,  from RWGPS route last modified 2020-10-12 17:55:30 EDT.


 *** Original Post

The Chamounix Classic randonneuring events in Philadelphia are almost upon us. For full details on these events, refer to the event pages for the 200K brevet and the 107K populaire.  Check back here at the PA Rando blog for any last minute announcements.

These events will be run with a Free Start procedure under the Covid safety plan. Here's how free starts work:


1) Park your car. Most people will want to park on the left in front of the stables just before you get to the Carriage House. Let's assume this is what you do.

2) Get ready. Since it will technically still be night when we start, you should have reflective gear on.

3) Coffee, water, juice and packaged goodies will be set out by the Carriage House. Help yourself (but don't bunch as you munch). Take the food back to your car or elsewhere in the park.

3) Sometime between 6:30 and 7:30 AM for the 200K (8:30 -- 9:30 for the 107K) casually walk by yourself with your bike and your signed event waiver to the start line.  The idea is that people should come over to start gradually, in onezie-twozies. Not in a bunch. 

4) Drop your signed waiver in the container on the ground. If you forget your waiver, you'll need to ask a Chamounix Cat for forgiveness. If the cat forgives you, go retrieve a blank waiver from somewhere, fill it out, and try again.

5) After you drop your waiver, the starter will record your time on the log and on your card. The starter will then give you your brevet card. Hold it up with your name facing forward. Someone will take a picture of you. You are now started.  A few people will also be given satellite trackers. If you get one of these, put it someplace where it can "see" the sky. It can be in a bag or pocket, just don't pile stuff on top of it.

6) Ride your bike!  And don't go faster than your guardian Angel!


Pre Ride Notes

An official pre-ride of the new Chamounix Classic 200K brevet course was conducted on Saturday 3 October by Iwan Barankay and Chris Nadovich. There were several major course changes that resulted from lessons learned by this pre-ride. At this time, all these changes have been incorporated in our online route data. Make sure you have the latest Cue Sheet (version 3) or GPS route last modified 2020-10-6 12:42:21 EDT. 

Iwan and I started almost exactly at dawn from the Chamounix Carriage house. The weather was cool but not excessively cold. The area at the end of Chamounix Drive was almost completely deserted of people, but there were several cats wandering about the stables. A few of these cats visited us as we were clipping in, curious about the unusual "horses" we were riding. 

Unforgiving Chamounix cat

The first 50 miles of the course is scenic, meandering through the suburban side-streets that give way to country roads in the spectacular countryside West of Valley Forge. There are several classics, like Yellow Springs Rd and Goshen Rd. Be alert at the end of Goshen for the info control, a white cottage house behind a fence on the right just before the turn.

Scenic is also cyclist code for hilly. Slower riders should expect to reach the Morgantown control with only a small amount of time in the bank. Of course, given that all controls are info-controls under the Covid rules, there is no official closing time in Morgantown. Nevertheless, be aware of the front-loaded climbing and don't worry too much if you arrive in Morgantown a little later than you might have expected.  Riders should also be prepared with enough food and water to make it through this tough 50 (although there is no official replenishment along this segment, there are a few Wawas noted on the cue sheet if you are willing to go a bit off course and enter a convenience store).

At Morgantown the course passes several fast food joints and a Sheetz on the left side of 23, but after considering these during the pre-ride, and disliking their high-traffic and the need for a double-left turn to access them across the busy road, the control location was finally set at the more isolated Joanna Store Sunoco. This is on the right at the end of Joanna Rd. It's a relatively quiet location. We hope to have a volunteer at this spot to distribute water to those unwilling to enter the convenience store. Of course those who do decide to enter should wear a mask, even if this store is relatively low-traffic compared to the businesses on the main PA23 corridor.  

After Morgantown the course returns to a familiar route through French Creek that long time PA Rando riders will know well from many 400Ks and 600Ks.  There are a few minor climbs, but most of the route is flat or downward. I found this section to be quite relaxing after the 50 miles of slogging up hills we had just completed. And it was daytime for a change!

Upon reaching the Perkiomen, instead of beginning the climb up to Quakertown as we have done so many times before, the hard work of the ride is now almost completely over as the route joins the Perkiomen Trail to follow creeks and rivers all the way back to Philadelphia. There is a control here as the route joins the Perk trail (smooth crushed stone, mostly firm, suitable for most tires), an info question answered by the wooden signboard at the Crusher Rd trailhead. 

When reaching the Perk Trail control at Crusher, instead of turning right and following the course South, if you turn left and follow the Perk trail North (off course) you'll soon reach Green Lane Park with water and bathrooms. You can then U-turn around, get back on a southbound course, and brag to your friends that you rode the whole Perk trail to the SRT (not just a mere 99.5% of it). 

Chris Nadovich finds the answer he seeks
 

There are a few spots on the Perk trail where the gravel is a bit soft, so keep pedaling if you hit any this "non Newtonian fluid". Generally speaking, the trail is well marked and easy to follow. Although most of the Perk is through the woods along the creek,  there are a few busy road crossings with traffic signals. Please use the pedestrian call buttons at the traffic signals and wait till the pedestrian sign lights up, white, signalling that it's safe to cross the road.

The Perk trail eventually becomes paved, and then joins the Schuylkill River Trail at an info control (a park bench just after the trail junction). The route is then all paved through Valley Forge and Norristown. At Conshohocken, the route leaves the Schuylkill for a significant climb up Barren Hill away from the Schuylkill, over to the Wissahickon watershed and the renowned Forbidden Drive trail through the gorge.  Again the route is crushed stone, perhaps a little better in quality than the Perk trail surface. Forbidden Drive is one of the most spectacular city park trails in the world. No matter how many times I go through there, I'm always amazed that Philly has such a wonderful resource.

At the base of the Wissahickon gorge, the route Tees left at Ridge. You are now returning to busy car traffic so wake up! But it's not much further. Just over the Falls Bridge, and then one last little grunt up to Chamounix.

There was also a Pre, pre-ride of this course, previously conducted by Iwan and the "Rat Pack". Please refer to those notes as well.  

Thanks for a great route, Iwan. Enjoy the ride everyone. 

--

Chris N