Congratulations to all 46 riders who clipped in for the Hawk Mountain 300K, and especially to the 44 finishers (41 day-of riders and 3 pre-riders) producing an outstanding 96% finish rate. Together, we set a new club record for the most finishers on a PA Rando 300K. Results are posted. Take a look to make sure everything looks accurate.
We had a number of riders complete their first 300K: David Bacher Hicks, Anna Balchunas, Bing Dai, Peter Eby, Aaron Gemmill, Jimmy Karadagli, Sayantan Khan, Jasen Lo, Phil Luong, Peter McLoone, Sam Tarlow, and Erik Wright. Chapeau to all of you for reaching this milestone.
Chris Myers and Sawyer Rioux embraced a big challenge by making this 300K their first-ever brevet. Chapeau and kudos for jumping straight past the 200K.
Celia Feal Staub and Kristen Song completed their first PA brevets. Welcome, and we hope to see you back for another brevet soon.
 |
| Approaching Hawk Mountain (photo by Sayantan Khan) |
 |
| Early morning shadows (photo by David Bacher Hicks) |
.jpg) |
| Hawk Mountain summit selfie by Peter Eby |
Riders were greeted with a stiff headwind in the morning hours, making the first half of the day feel a little tougher and colder than expected. Still, for many, memories of last year’s April 300K, which featured a cold rain that eventually turned to snow, made this year’s conditions feel almost ideal. After all, it would not be a proper spring ride in Pennsylvania without some wind. The most challenging stretch seemed to come between the Wanamakers General Store control and the Hawk Mountain climb, where the exposed valley and surrounding ridges create a bit of a wind tunnel effect. Thankfully, riders were rewarded with a tailwind for most of the ride back to Philly.
 |
| Photo by Daniel Steinberg |
 |
| Wanamakers General Store (photo by Maria Thomson) |
The Wanamakers General Store control once again stood out as a highlight of the route. The friendly staff were excited to see riders coming through and genuinely impressed that we had ridden all the way from Philly. It is a true gem in the area, with great made-to-order options, baked goods, and healthy choices, along with a relaxing outdoor spaces. Many riders commented on the jovial and welcoming atmosphere, which made it a memorable stop in the middle of a challenging day.
 |
| On-course support at Mile 113 |
Sean Martin and I set up an on-course support station near mile 113 at a park pavilion along the Schuylkill. It turned out to be a perfect spot to hang out and welcome riders with pizza, snacks, and drinks. Thanks to pre-riders David Coccagna and Pat Gaffney, who reported feeling parched and fatigued by the time they reached the Reading Wawa control at mile 131, we knew this would be an ideal section to offer some extra support.
Back at Chamounix, riders gathered around a taco and fajita bar, sharing tales of their adventures. Shout out to Jakub Piven for the taco inspiration. I’ve been trying to mix things up a bit with our usual food offerings, especially for dinner. If you have ideas for future events, feel free to reach out or share them through the anonymous Event Feedback Form.
 |
| Nick Manta and David Bacher Hicks at the finish control |
 |
| Taco bar at Chamounix |
 |
| Bing Dai checks-in at the finish with his brevet card and series punchcard |
Thank you to all of the volunteers who made this event possible. Ron Anderson was a gracious lead organizer, offering support throughout the weekend. He helped with Friday check-ins, and the start and finish for the 162K and 300K. David Coccagna and Pat Gaffney completed pre-rides and provided valuable route insights, and both helped at the finish for the 162K and 300K. Somehow, Pat even made it to the early morning start after his own early morning pre-ride the day before.
Simona Dwass was incredibly helpful as well, assisting with Friday evening check-ins, Saturday morning breakfast, and jumping in at the on-course support station after her ride ended in Kutztown. She then returned to help at the finish. Andy Spiers was also at the finish helping to cheer on riders. Andy has been attending the finish controls for the past several Philly brevets, so he deserves a big shoutout. The cheering zone at our Philly events is something special, and we love how every rider gets cheered in at the finish.
And thank you to Sean Martin for the outstanding on-course support. His vegan oatmeal cookies have been a huge hit, and after back-to-back appearances at the March 200K and this 300K, he’s becoming a familiar and welcome sight on our routes. For many riders, his support showed up at just the right time.
 |
| Soph Lofaso and Gil Torres cross the Perkiomen Creek Bridge (photo by Phil Luong) |
.jpeg) | ||
Riders stop to make a derailleur adjustment. Left to right: Simona Dwass, Erik Wright, and Kate Sparacio (photo by Dan Powers)
|
Jake Prosser writes...
Was very excited to complete the 2026 rendition of the Hawk Mountain 300K. It was a beautiful course with good weather (minus the morning headwinds). This ride capped off my R-12 challenge, completing a 12 month streak of rigorous 200k and 300k courses. It was easily the most difficult thing I have ever attempted, requiring planning, dedication and mental toughness I didn’t know I was capable of. There were countless moments in the dark and cold I wanted to call it quits, but overcoming those moments makes success that much sweeter. I am so grateful for the opportunity to ride with everyone I have shared a road with over the year. Keep pushing yourself each day, have fun, and most importantly, keep your rubber down!! 🚲
Sayantan Khan writes...
What a great day for a ride: even the headwinds for the first half couldn't take away from how scenic the ride to Hawk Mountain was. This time I also decided to take it and socialize more on the ride, rather than gunning for the front group, and that paid off immensely. We had a large group of people having lunch together at Wanamaker's, and I got to meet so many new people, both at the controls, and on the many extended climbs out to Hawk Mountain: I got to witness many beautiful bikes and beautiful jerseys.
Jakub Piven writes...
The headwind was brutal for the first half! But the consequential exhaustion in the second half was relieved by the mirage-like appearance of Sean's rando-support van, Sean & Brad & Simona, Domino's pizza, and iced cans of coke. Also, shout out to the delicious oatmeal cookies!
Loved weaving through Bill's(?) paperboy-ing up Hawk Mountain, with Joey's ever-vigilant shouts of "car!" warning him to momentarily abandon that strategy. It seemed like the extra mileage was worth it.
Grateful for Joey D.'s and Jacob P.'s company through most of the ride, especially in those last SRT sections where you just need to keep the momentum up to get to the finish.
 |
| The Reading hobbit hole (photo by Maria Thomson) |
Maria Thomson writes...
Thanks to the PA Rando organizers & volunteers for putting together another beautiful and challenging ride. As usual, I was grateful for a thoughtful and safe route full of little surprises and delights (looking at you, Reading hobbit hole). Though we faced strong headwinds for the first half of the day, even blowing us around on some of the descents, seeing spring in full bloom and being surrounded by good company kept spirits high. Thanks to Sam from Bushwick for being my buddy up the grueling climb up Hawk Mountain and for helping me with a roadside derailleur fix soon thereafter. The bonus pizza stop at mile 115 was also a huge boost to break up the second-half climbing. Waiting for my knees to stop creaking and the amnesia to set in to push me on to 400k (maybe, probably...)
Bill Scanga writes...
Amazing weather. Maybe the curse of the Pa 300k has been lifted? The things I learn from other riders along the route and the volunteers are always the highlight. Seeing the strength, perseverance, and positive outlook of Pa Randonneurs is what gets me to the finish!
Ben Keenan writes...
Thanks to Ron, Brad and all the volunteers for a memorable day and a well-run event. I had a great time! The stretch of the route from Kutztown to Hawk Mountain is one of my favorites ever, highlighted by the stately dog (to borrow a fellow rider’s apt description) at the top of the last hill before Wannamakers Store noting passersby with noble equanimity. I stayed over at Chamounix at the end and will remember the claps and cheers late into the night as the riders/heroes rolled into the finish. Well-done everyone and hope to see you next month at the 400.
We are now halfway through the PA SR Series events, but only a third of the way through the total distance. The next event is the Four State 400K on May 9. This RBA was delighted to see several riders register for the 400K immediately after finishing their 300K, even before the 1 AM time cutoff had passed. Whether it is a case of rapid randonesia or simply the joy of being back on the bike this spring, the enthusiasm is strong.
As the distances increase, so does the need for volunteer support. If you are interested in helping out at a future event, please reach out. We would love to have you involved. Also, please take a moment to share your thoughts using our anonymous Event Feedback Form. Your feedback helps us improve rider experience, refine routes, and continue to provide safe and well-supported events.
 |
| The stately dog |
There were too many great photos to include here—check out the rest in the Google Photos folder.
RBA, Pennsylvania Randonneurs
No comments:
Post a Comment