Hope to New Hope 2024 Course Notes Pre-ride Report

Start yet another year with the same old New Hope 2 New Hope 200K brevet on 6 January 2024 (in no way commemorating the Capitol attack).  The ride starts from  Pohatcong Shopping Plaza in Phillipsburg, NJ. Start time is at 7AM. All the information, and an online registration link, are on the event web page.  You will find a link to the RWGPS data for the route (last modified 2023-01-6 13:14:28 EST) and links to cue sheets (version 1 is the latest).  There have been no changes in the route from last year.

Park the Regal Movie theater at the start, which is also near the finish control, Franks Trattoria Italian restaurant, located between the Old Navy and the Regal movie theater in Pohatcong Plaza. Leave the parking spots by the shops to the day patrons; please park at some distance away along Bliss Blvd.  Park as shown in this map. 

If you need coffee or breakfast, there is a Wawa nearby, across from the WalMart. If you are driving in on I-78 from the East (eg from NYC) consider a hearty breakfast at the 24 hour Clinton diner, easy-off-easy-on, about 10 miles to the East. 

Do not leave your car over by the Wawa or WalMart as we have had some trouble with the "Walmart Parking Lot Blue Light Special Security Team" in the past. 

A pre-ride was conducted on 29 December by Chris Nadovich and Bob Dye. 

Bob Dye writes...

The Hope to New Hope Pre-Ride PA Rando Parable.

When you volunteer to do a pre-ride you can choose the date to ride anytime within a two week window prior to the ride. Chris Nadovich and I chose Friday the 29th based on what the meteorologists were prognosticating - and boy, did we nail it! The temp reached into the fifties with plenty of sunshine and zero precipitation. Not bad for the end of December.

The Hope to New Hope 200K route is a lopsided figure eight with the start, finish and 47 mile controle in the same approximate location. This way you can have provisions and alternate apparel stashed in your car for a mid-ride re-fresh. It's designed for safe winter riding with many major roads with smooth wide shoulders. The early, northern loop was particularly smooth. Pothole season has not yet begun. The second loop had a few somewhat rugged stretches and some flood debris which should hopefully be gone by the weekend. Nothing too alarming. I'm pleased to report the restrooms at Bull Island (mile 79.1) were open and heated. 

Expect a plethora of perambulating pedestrians in New Hope. You'll probably want to continue walking your bike for a bit after crossing the bridge from Lambertville. 

As Chris will now doubt warn you, you may need to ignore your GPS at the end of Greenwich Road (miles 2.5 & 49.5). It's a left the first time and right the second time. My Garmin yelled at me both times.

Good luck Saturday and I look forward to seeing your cold and smiling faces at the finish!