The club’s upcoming 200k on Saturday November 7 promises to be a last-hurrah of stunning fall foliage before we descend into winter. Pennsylvania has reached its autumnal peak, and the route is a celebration of deep reds, oranges, and yellows.
Cranksgiving Reminders
The Crankin’ 200k brevet repackages a PA Rando classic, the Welsh Tract Wander, under new name. This month’s brevet coincides with Philadelphia Cranksgiving, a bicycle-powered scavenger hunt food-drive for Philabundance.
The Crankin’ 200k is supporting Cranksgiving through additional fundraising and food donations for Philabundance. The ride starts at Keystone Bicycle Co. on N. American Street, and finishes at the Grocery Outlet across the street from Keystone. While completely optional, riders are encouraged to bring non-perishable food donations to the start controle or pick up something to donate from Grocery Outlet at the finish. As a reminder, there is no expectation to carry or pick up food donations along the route, and as this is a distinct event from Cranksgiving, you will be awarded no “points” for doing so!
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| Riders are encouraged to pick up non-perishable food donations for Philabundance at Grocery Outlet, the finish controle directly across from Keystone Bicycle Co. |
Course Notes
The route was pre-ridden by Pat Gaffney on Saturday October 24, and Molly Gleeson, Jasen Lo, and Maria Thomson on Friday October 30. The pre-riders flagged a number of road condition issues below, and minor updates to the route are likely in the coming week to add hazard warnings and account for possible detours. Be sure to confirm that you have the most updated version of the route before riding.
Road Conditions & Notable Turns
In general, the weather has taken a toll on the roads and there are potholes and ruts throughout the route. This includes deep potholes; narrow ruts just wide enough to catch a bike tire; wide and shallow ruts from car tires; and bumpy sections. Take extra caution when riding in the dark or riding in groups where visibility may be limited. In particular, please note the following road hazards identified by the pre-riders:
- Mile 3: The 34th St bike lane had a deep layer of leaves. Exercise caution riding through the leaves as there is often chunky trash and sharp debris in the bike lane, which may be hard to see. Where the route and bike lane veer right onto Girard, riders are encouraged to take the sidewalk over the Girard bridge to avoid further traffic and debris.
- Mile 13.8: There is an appx. one-mile stretch of milled road on South Bryn Mawr Ave. Keep an eye out for manhole covers jutting out and potholes around grates here. The milled section ends when the route turns off Bryn Mawr onto Darby Paoli Rd at Mile 14.9, but take care as the turn comes at the bottom of a descent on the gravelly, milled, and busy road.
- Mile 57: There is a large patch of loose gravel at the bottom of the descent of West Glenrose Road, which turns into Old Stottsville Road.
- Mile 60.4: Riders will enter a climb on a busy road immediately upon leaving the first Turkey Hill controle. Before the climb is over, the route veers right onto Sadsbury Rd, a quieter road with a steeper pitch. Take care not to miss the turn, as backtracking and turning left on the busy main road is hazardous.
- Mile 61.4: There is a hump that runs across the mouth of Old Mill Rd. It’s a downhill turn so riders could be moving quickly. Be careful.
- Mile 77.2: Friday pre-riders found the Turnpike crossing impassable due to road construction, requiring a detour. We will monitor this to determine if the construction will clear by Saturday, or if a permanent detour is necessary. Please keep an eye out for updates to the route.
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| Jasen Lo recommends the butternut squash soup at Farmer & Co. controle (Mile 45.2) |
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| Maria Thomson recommends the banana pudding ice-cream sandwich at the Red Dog Market controle (Mile 85) |
City Traffic
Friday pre-riders encountered busy rush-hour traffic leaving Philadelphia, as well as heavy traffic on the return to the city through Phoenixville, Manayunk, and Philadelphia. In the morning, car traffic cleared up around mile 15-20 and gave way to the rural, scenic roads PA brevets are known for. Riders on Saturday may benefit from a quieter morning, but remember not to ride faster than your guardian angel. Be prepared to slow down if necessary for pedestrians and unpredictable drivers.
Daylight Savings
The cutoff for this brevet ends after sunset. Per RUSA rules, riders are required to have front and rear lights (set to “steady”), reflective vests, and ankle straps are required for riding before sunrise and after sunset. If you have questions about these requirements, contact the event organizer before the brevet.
While the pre-riders rode with the benefit of more evening light, Daylight Savings Time (11/1) will bring an earlier nighttime for riders on November 7. The sun will set at 4:51pm on Saturday and twilight ends at 5:21pm. If you shed any reflective gear during the day, we recommend putting them back on at the penultimate controle, the Red Dog Market in Pottstown. Soon after leaving the controle, riders will enter into heavier-traffic areas with potholes in the shoulder (particularly on PA 311/Kimberton Road at mile 93). Red Dog Market is open until 6pm.
Parking and Bathrooms
As a reminder, parking will not be available at Keystone Bicycle Co. However, there is plenty of free street parking on N. American St. As this is a narrow street, please park close to the curb and fold in your driver-side mirror. For safety, load and unload your car from the curb side.
Keystone will be generously opening its doors to riders in the morning to provide bathroom access, water refills, and the opportunity for any last-minute parts and supply needs. Keystone will not remain open until the end of the ride, but rather will close at their normal hours at 5pm. For riders finishing after 5pm, bathrooms, food, and water are available at Sor Ynez, next to Keystone and across the street from Grocery Outlet.
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| Pumpkins (and skeleton) at Red Dog Market |
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