Pagoda Classic 200K Course Notes

For the 2022 edition of the Pagoda "Classic" 200K, the start/finish has been moved to Flint Hill Farm.  The start is Sunday, 5 June, at 7AM. Details here.

The scenery on the Pagoda 200K is spectacular. All cyclists know the word "scenic" is code for hilly, and the Pagoda certainly has both scenery and hills in abundance. Although there are steep and sustained climbs from the beginning to end of the route, most riders find that the relentless rollers in the last third of the course, starting soon after Daniel Boone, are the most taxing.   New for 2022 is the "bonus climb" at the end, up to Flint Hill Farm. Gotta climb them all!

Spectacular scenery (and hills) near Huff's Church.

 

Course Notes -- 

A pre-ride was conducted on 23 May by Chris Nadovich. As a result of the pre-ride, several small course updates and typo corrections were made to the cues. The latest cue sheet is Version 4, and the latest RWGPS route was modified 2022-05-24 17:57:34 EDT. Both are available online.

Other course notes are as follows:

• There were no road closures or detours seen anywhere on the course. 
• Roads were largely clean of debris. The one exception was the approach to the Pagoda on Skyline Drive. The weird, right-side but ride-on-the-left "bike lane" is littered with sticks, rocks, and broken glass. It's OK to use this bike lane for the climb when moving slow, but I would consider using the real vehicle lane for the fast descents just before the Pagoda. Whatever you do, use caution.  
• When you get to Reading after the descent from the Pagoda, you'll be headed for Cherry St via 10th. Be aware it's a very small alley at that point, easy to miss. Look for the upside-down one-way sign dangling above the entrance. Cherry St has several stop-signs at intersections with cross traffic and limited view distance. Please stop at all the signs and look both ways. 
• If the weather is nice, there are several interesting pubs on Cherry that have some outdoor seating.    
• The condition of the Schuylkill Trail was good. I saw no mud and most of the surface was quite smooth. There were very few soft spots. 
• The Daniel Boone control has been moved a little earlier to the Turkey Hill in Birdsboro, which is at the point you exit the SRT to  cross the river. This is a great place to stop for a meal. They have indoor seating (and beer).
  
• The course has many fast, twisty descents. Please don't ride faster than your guardian angel.