Blue Mountain 200k/300k

The cuesheet for the Blue Mountain 300k has been updated to draft 2, dated 4/16/13 with minor clarifications from the a volunteer preride completed by Bill Olsen, this past weekend.
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/BlueMtn300k_A_cue.pdf

The current 200k cuesheet is draft 3, dated 3/19/12:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/BlueMtn200k_A_cue.pdf

Hopefully, the heavy rain in the forecast for Friday night into early Saturday morning will clear out quickly.  But it looks like there's a good chance for a "character building" opportunity ... at least for the 300k riders, with their 5AM start.  The bakery opens at 6AM, so the riders clipping in for the 200k will be able to top off with coffee and breakfast before their 7AM start.

Please note that you need to decide on riding the 200k or 300k course at the start -- i.e.: you can't change your mind in Water Gap, where the 200k and 300k split.  For those opting for the 200k, you should note that there is another chance to ride a PA300k on May 4th.

Organizer Bill Olsen will be meeting you at the start and sending you off on your way.  Please note that the bakery will be closed at 5AM -- Bill will meet you in the bakery parking lot near the RR tracks.  You should park your car in the big lot off of Church St, which US Health has granted us permission to use.  I will meet you at the finish at Pipolo's Pizza -- if you arrive before I do, leave your brevet card and any loaned SPOT devices at the checkout counter.

*** Course notes ***
- As noted on the cuesheet, there are a couple of RR crossings early on.  The one at mile 7.2 is particularly hazardous, with a bad angle, and will be extra treacherous if wet.  Please take extra caution here, especially if you are in a large group.
- The 300k riders will be headed into the Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area.  The descent from Millbrook Village is still very rough, as noted on the cuesheet at mile 96, although some of the bigger craters have at least been patched up a bit.  (In talking with the park administrators, there are plans to resurface this rotten stretch of road some time this year.)  Also please note, that the cuesheet has you turning LEFT at the bottom of that descent, instead of RIGHT, giving you the opportunity to see some new roads.

- Since we haven’t ridden these routes since last year riders will be pleased to note that some of the other sections of the road have been repaired since last summer including the climb up Blue Mountain Drive, mile 51.7, where the potholes along the right side of the roadway and missing shoulder were replaced all the way up to the top, crossing the Appalachian Trail.  Riders should exercise caution on the descent as there are areas that were  patched and “chipped and sealed” resulting in some uneven surfaces.
-Old Mine Road, mile 115.4, is still in rough shape but the bulk of the damage is on the other side of the road and if one pays attention they should find a good line along the right hand side of the roadway.  The deepest potholes are at the end of the section where the road is less broken up.
- There is now a recently posted  “No Left Turn” sign at Community Drive, mile 132.1, due to the heavy traffic from the opposite direction. Dismount and walk your bike across Rt. 209 as a "pedestrian" to make this LHT onto Community Drive.  This road has been poorly patched several times over the years and although rough, there is low traffic and one should be able to find a good line as one climbs the worst section of the road.)

Best of luck to Jon Clamp, Gavin Biebuyck and Norman Smeal who are off to Crush the Commonwealth this weekend.  You can follow Norman's GPS SPOT tracker at:

http://bike.talloakfarm.com/spot_map.html

... and selecting the tab for Norman.  The PA 1-5 SPOT trackers will be tracking selected riders for Saturday's event. (and special thanks to Don Jagel, for maintaining the SPOT Tracker webpage!).

And as always, be sure to check the website and message board for any last minute updates.

**** Roster as of 4/19 ***

1 Dan Barbasch 300
2 Clair Beiler 200
3 Jeffery S Butt 200
4 Tim Conway 300
5 John Dennis 200
6 Ed Dodd 300
7 Joe Fillip 200
8 William Fischer 300
9 J Scott Franzen 200
10 Nigel Greene 300
11 Matthew Groff 200
12 Doug Haluza 200
13 Guy Harris 200
14 Donald Jagel 300
15 Eric Keller 300
16 Christopher Anson Knight 200
17 Kate Marshall 300
18 Chris Nadovich 300
19 Christine Newman 300
20 William Olsen 300
21 William Reagan 300
22 Tom Rosenbauer 200
23 Chris Roth 200
24 Gloria Safar 200
25 Hugo Safar 200
26 Paul D Scearce 200
27 Victor Urvantsev 300
28 Leonard Zawodniak 200

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Fleche

Team Escargo Volants at the Quakertown Finish.
Photo courtesy of Christine Newman

Preliminary results have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA_Fleche_Results130407.pdf
...Results will be submitted this week, and then become final pending ACP/RUSA certification.

All 5 teams make it intact to the Quakertown finish for a 100% finish -- congratulations to all the captains and their teams for another excellent result.  The Eastern PA Fleche is now in it's 6th year, and after some pretty rough years with stormy weather, we now have a 2-year streak going that is at least rain-free.

In looking at the results, it truly is remarkable to see the same teams clipping-in year after year.  Of note, the fixed-gear Sinister Nuts, led by Bill Olsen has participated in all six PA Fleches.  And this year, with more than five fixed-gear riders looking for a spot on his roster, another fixed-gear team, "Fear of Gears", was formed under the leadership of Bill Fischer -- who also notched his 5th PA Fleche finish.  Guy Harris is another five-time finisher (and most likely would also have six finishs if not for a certain volcano that erupted a couple of years ago and disrupted his travel back from the U.K).  Sinister Nut, Paul Scearce, also has a high number of finishes at four, with several others completing their second and third fleches.  At the other end of the spectrum, an all-rookie team "Now You've Gone Too Far" led by Eric Keller gets my vote for the biggest over-achievers.  Starting in Boalsburg, PA (near State College), their route generally followed the 3rd and 4th days of the Endless Mountains 1240k.  A navigation error during the night added some 30 miles to an already challenging route.  The extra mileage necessitated the need of finding an alternate 22-hr controle, with no time to rest there.  Instead, they had to ride straight through in order to cover the last 35k of their route in the final two hours -- Nice Save!

Nigel Greene of Escargo Volants as usual, has posted an eloquent ride report at:
http://eprider.blogspot.com/2013/04/fleche-2013-just-cause.html
... and his photo album is at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58781331@N07/sets/72157633186694529/with/8629775274/

Christine Newman, also of Escargo Volants, has posted some great pictures of their scenic route at:
https://picasaweb.google.com/canewmandvm/Fleche13?authkey=Gv1sRgCOnylb37p7C0_AE

Norman Smeal of Fear of Gears writes: "...Couldn't buy better weather for early April.   Hats off to Eric Keller's team coming from State College --  you get the accolades.  And great job to all of the other Fleche teams..."

Jeffery Butt of Now You've Gone Too Far has posted pictures of their route that follows parts of the Endless Mountains 1240k:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/94813562@N07/


The spring calendar continues on April 20th with a choice of two routes out of Milford, NJ to keep your R-12 streak going: either the Blue Mountain 200k or a brand new course: Blue Mountain 300k.  Event details of both routes have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/R12ClubApr2.html
...  If you would like to join the roster, please send me an e-mail confirmation no later than Thursday, April18th -- be sure to indicate your preference for the 200k or 300k.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Spring Forward 200k Ride Report

Photo Compliments of Rick Carpenter

“Have a great ride and stay safe.”  Those were my parting words to 26 riders starting the Spring Forward 200k brevet.  After the "eventful" January and February PA brevets, I was hoping for an uneventful day.  I wasn’t disappointed as all 27 starters finished within the time limit for a 100% completion rate.  Results are posted at http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA200k_Results130323.pdf.  Please let Tom know of any corrections or other issues.  Results will be submitted this week, and become final, pending RUSA certification. 

The Spring Forward brevet route and the permanent on which it is based have been enjoyed by many over since its creation in 2009.  After a fall filled with numerous scouting rides around the area, I decided to see if the route could be improved.  My similar effort to develop a “kinder, gentler” 200k for PA Randonneurs in January didn’t quite work out as intended, but I was cautiously optimistic this time. 

Clear skies greeted the riders as we assembled for the check in and the sun soon appeared to offset the chilly temperatures.  Unfortunately, the winds that plagued the Lancaster area all week soon picked up and offset the reduced elevation gain on the course.  On the plus side, riders were treated with a wonderful 15 mile, generally downhill and tailwind stretch from the top of the White Oak climb into the Parkesburg controle that put a smile on everyone’s face.  Being spring, riders were also treated to some of the finest farm aromas Lancaster County has to offer and the winds assured that those aromas were well dispersed along the byways.

Undaunted by the wind, first finisher Patrick O’Donnell showed that it’s ALL about the engine as he rolled in to set a new course record on his Surly Long Haul Trucker.  Not far behind were Kate Marshall and Victor Urvantsev who are preparing for another shot at this summer’s Endless Mountains 1240.  They look to be on track for a strong season.  Several riders finished the final 26 mile into the headwind slog to log very respectable sub-10 hour times.  Rider Tim Creyts left his overly freewheeling freewheel at home this week and along with Rudi Mayr notched a first PA brevet finish.   Congratulations!

As always, thanks to PA Randonneur Volunteer of the Year nominee Bill Slabonik who helped with check-in and greeted riders at several of the controles.  Bill along with George Metzler helped me with the final cue sheet checks when my planned pre-ride fell victim to a crush of work in February and early March.  Curtis Palmer also stepped up to help out at the finish so I could ride the event.  It’s these guys that make it possible, at least for me. 

From RBA Tom Rosenbauer:  "With the many route tweaks, one of my favorite Eastern PA routes was even better this around.  My favorite section was the stretch after the White Oak climb into the penultimate controle.  And most memorable on this segment, was the silhouetted view of a 6-horse team plowing a field on a distant ridge.

Appearances can be deceiving, as any rider knows, who has been chased down by one of the many Cat-1 Amish women on a scooter with firewood in a basket.  And Patrick O'Donnell, on his Long Haul Trucker with jeans and sneakers, hardly had the appearance of a typical first finisher.  But Patrick was not only a first finisher, he set a new course record as well -- I present to you the most important component to make a bike go fast!"

Kate Marshall writes:  “It was great to be back riding in PA and seeing familiar faces. We enjoyed the scenic vistas- a treat to see farmers standing on plows pulled by horse teams- organic aromas abounded- a great route overall.  We were pacing ourselves to train for EM1240- getting the most from the daylight, so we missed socializing but enjoyed chatting with the triumphant first finisher- forgot his name – [Patrick O’Donnell] but he was awesome. My chain jammed after the 4th control, which resulted in a bent derailleur and no big ring for the rest of the ride.  That was okay because between the hills and brutal headwinds I didn't need it!  Thanks for everything and hope to see you all soon.”

A bit chilly at the start, Spring?  That finishing headwind will not be forgotten.  It made for one 25 mile hill to conclude the event. Another great ride.  Thank you and Andrew for putting the ride together.  Thank you Bill S. for managing the controles.  Norman Smeal

From Bill Fischer:  Tom – thanks to you and Andrew for a wonderful 200k yesterday.  The route changes were absolutely beautiful and I believe this new route would in fact have been “kindler and gentler” had it not been for the ugly headwind at the end……

Says Bill Olsen "Tom and Andrew - Thanks for laying out such a beautiful routing.  Still a couple of steep climbs but they didn't seem as bad as I remembered them, perhaps because of the sunshine that made the day appear to be warmer than it really was.  Thanks also for they strong tailwinds mid-course.  They came just when I needed them. And of course, just like the climbing we've come to expect on the PA brevets, I'll be thankful for the extra training I got pushing the headwinds at the start and finish when I'm out riding a randonnee this summer.  Fighting a headwind is almost more mentally challenging than a long climb, as one isn't immediately rewarded with a tailwind as one is with a downhill immediately following a climb, or more frequently a climb following a nice descent."

Finally, Rick Carpenter writes:  Thanks again for hosting the first brevet of the PAR 2013 ride calendar, and a most fitting start to my seventh season of Randonneuring. 

Rick has posted pictures from the ride at:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/rick_carpenter/sets/72157633078707510/

Next up is the Fleche on April 4 – 7 followed by a PA 200/300k brevet event on April 20.

Andrew Mead

- organizer

Spring Forward 200k

*** Update #1 (3/21)***
The cuesheet has been updated to draft 2, dated 3/20/13,  with several corrections and clarifications.  Be sure to always use the "refresh" button on your browser, in order to update any stale, cached pages.  There is one additional minor correction that slipped through the cracks and did not make it to draft 2: The "SS" at mile 35.9 has recently been changed to a "TFL" -- since this cue was mainly for spotting and caution, it is of little consequence but you can mark-up your copy of the cuesheet, if you like.

*** Original Post ***
The Eastern PA spring schedule begins on March 23rd with the Spring Forward 200k.  Organizer Andrew Mead has put together a beautiful course through the quiet backroads of Lancaster.  The 2013 edition is newly revised with many improvements.  Event details have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/R12ClubMar1.html

The Pancake Farm offers a fantastic preride breakfast.  Afterwards, we'll gather at Two Cousin's Pizza down the road from the finish.  Directions are posted on the event webpage.

With just a little over 12 hours of daylight, lights and reflective gear will be checked at the start, unless you have previously completed this course in less than 11 hours.  A course checkout is in the works, so be sure to check for cuesheet updates, which will be posted on the PA Randonneurs website:
www.parandonneurs.com

Organizer Andrew Mead is looking for another volunteer or two to help out with this event -- you can sign-up at:
http://www1.mysignup.com/cgi-bin/view.cgi?datafile=pa_volunteers2013

Please send me a note by Thursday, if you'd like to join the roster.

*** Ride Roster (as of 3/21) ***

1 Michael Anderson
2 Dan Barbasch
3 Clair Beiler
4 Gavin Biebuyck
5 Bob Burdalski
6 Jeffery S Butt
7 Timothy Creyts
8 Eric Dahl
9 Matthew Farrell
10 William Fischer
11 Nigel Greene
12 Steve Harding
13 Donald Jagel
14 Eric Keller
15 Christopher Anson Knight
16 Robin C Landis
17 Kate Marshall
18 Rudi Mayr
19 Andrew D Mead
20 Frankie Milliman
21 Chris Nadovich
22 Patrick S O Donnell
23 William Olsen
24 Peter C Phillips
25 Tom Rosenbauer
26 Chris Roth
27 Norman Smeal
28 Ivan M Umble
29 Victor Urvantsev

Beyond Hope to New Hope 200k Ride Report

Preliminary results have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA200k_Results130202.pdf
... please let me know of any corrections or other issues.  Results will be submitted this week, and become final, pending RUSA certification.

Sixteen riders braved the frigid weather and clipped in at the start. The temperatures started out in the low teens, and never made it past the mid 20F's.  Bright sunshine at the start gave way to increasing clouds, which ultimately brought snow showers later in the afternoon.  Nearly half the field stuck together, arriving as first finishers just as the initial snow squalls struck late in the afternoon. The snow came earlier and heavier than forecasted, which certainly ratcheted up the "winter weather conditions" to a whole new level for the later finishers.  Ultimately, the cold weather gear was not up to the task for 2 riders, prompting an early withdrawal at the Milford controle.  And the deteriorating road conditions prompted another withdrawal, with just 12 miles to go.  While coming up short is a disappointment, it is always better to err on the side of safety and thankfully, everyone made it back OK, despite the challenging winter conditions.

Special thanks to organizer, Don Jagel, who went way beyond the call of duty as a volunteer.  In addition to his volunteer preride (with even colder conditions than Saturday) and getting everyone on their way at the start, Don shuttled 2 riders back to the start from Milford (adding another 90 miles or so to his day).  Thanks also, to organizer Bill Olsen for staffing the finish controle and making sure everybody was safely accounted for.

Chris Nadovich completed his first (and he tells me, his last) R-12.  As the final finisher, Chris saw the worst of the road conditions.  He writes: "...B-r-r-r-r-r-r-r-r I r-r-r-realy er-r-r-r-rned this R-R-R-R-12. But if truth be told, I stayed comfortably warm most of the day. Venting tweeks of the shell. Good gloves. Good balaclava. Coffee. Booties. And chemical toe warmers. That was my strategy....
Epic ride! ...By the way, Tom, I appreciated you checking on me periodically as I rode in the snow.  This helped keep my mind in a good place. Following Norman's wheel tracks also helped. Of course, once I found Hope again,the rest was easy.  ..."

Norman Smeal writes: "...A little chilly to be called a great day for a ride, and the added snow fall makes the day a bit more memorable. Thank you Don, Bill and Tom for putting this ride together.
Until the next ride..."

Matt Farrell writes: "...The weather conditions yesterday proved why Hope to New Hope is a great choice for a winter brevet. With minor road ice and temp. well below freezing at the start the route choices were perfect. The group of us Chip, Bill F, Bill O, Tim and Gavin stayed together as a group for most of the ride. It made for a nice day to be in less than idea temps. We were fortunate to finish just as the snow started to fall.  I enjoyed the day sharing stories in the group. It's something that is often missed in my local club rides. Thanks goes to you, Don & Bill Olsen for your work in putting the ride on. ..."

Eric Keller also completed an R-12, composed of all Eastern PA events -- in doing so, he becomes only the 5th person to attain that distinction -- Well done!  Bill Olsen completed his 6th R-12 series, and has extended his streak of Eastern PA finishes to 29 months. Bill writes: "...had conditions at the start looked like those when I drove home, I would have ridden my daily commuter which is a fixie with studded Nokians.  Clair made the right decision to choose not to continue...."

Bob Dye writes: "...A big thanks to you, Don and Bill for another well organized ride. We've 
proved there is really very little difference between the terms bicycle and icicle. ..."

Chip Adams writes: "... Tom, thank you for another great ride.  Thanks to Don and Bill for getting us on the road and making sure everyone was accounted for.   I suffered a minor mechanical when I was approaching New Hope.  My shift lever for the rear D stopped up shifting and pedaled the last 6 miles into the WaWa in my 28.   I never could  figure out how to release the tension.  The cable was still tight so I figured it wasn't broken.  I was pretty sure no moisture had gotten inside frozen.  I ended up releasing the tension on the derailleur and letting it slide outward  and picked up a good cruising mid-range gear.  There it was locked in and I was able to use it between my big and small chainring.  It worked well, but on the flats I couldn't keep up with Gavin.  We had a good group of riders with Matt, Bill F, Bill O, Gavin, and Tim.  We had Jon, I believe, on his fixed gear in there for most of it...
This ride is one of my favorites and I'll look forward to coming back for another go at it next year..."

First time participant Amit Shah writes: "...thanks to Don for helping me with a ride back. Looking back now, I absolutely regret quitting. Should have stuck around and finished the ride! I definitely want to join for March ride  ..."

This concludes the Eastern PA winter schedule.  But Spring is right around the corner, and what better way to kick-off the spring schedule on March 23rd than with the Spring Forward 200k.  Organizer Andrew Mead has made some route tweaks to improve what already was a great tour of Lancaster county.

Also, if you're planning to participate in the Eastern PA Fleche on April 5th, now is a good time to start putting your team together and planning your route.  Route submissions are due by March 22nd.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Beyond Hope to New Hope 200k

*** Update 2 (2/1) ***
Organizer Don Jagel will be having breakfast at the Blairstown Diner -- you can meet him there to sign-in and collect your brevet card if you arrive early.  After 7AM, you can meet him in the parking lot.

Current forecast is calling for some clipper-type snow showers to arrive on Saturday, but no significant accumulations are anticipated until later in the evening.

*** Update 1 (1/28) ***
The Beyond Hope to New Hope 200k is scheduled for Saturday, February 2. The course routing mainly uses primary roads, since these have the best chance of being cleared and treated for winter conditions.  Hopefully, the warm-up and rain in the forecast will wash away the snow and ice and the roads will dry up before the temperatures drop below freezing again.  If the current forecast holds, it looks like it will be a good test of your cold weather gear. While the conditions look promising for next weekend, weather and road conditions this time of year may cause last minute postponements, so be sure to check back on the website and message board for any last minute updates.

You can walk across the foot bridge at "Foot  Bridge Park" (where you'll be parking your car) and have breakfast at the Blairstown diner.  The finish controle at the Blairstown Inn is just a couple of stores away from the diner.  Organizer, Don Jagel, will meet you at the start and get you on your way and fellow organizer Bill Olsen will be meeting you at the finish. Reminder: With the limited daylight, lights and reflective gear will be checked at the start.

The cuesheet is the same as last year's: draft 7, dated 1/28/12.  Remember to print one out for yourself.

A volunteer pre-ride was completed this past Sunday by Don Jagel and he send me the following report:
"....it was a cold start.  My thermometer said 5 degrees at the start, and it did not get any higher until over one hour into the ride.  There were frost needles on the zipper of my jacket, my tights, and even on my chain.  There was also a strong frost on the tree branches that sparkled as the sun finally broke over the hills to the east.  When I got to Milford the temperature had gotten to a balmy 21 degrees, and continued to rise slowly until mid-afternoon.  It was a pleasant January day for a ride once the early morning cold wore off.

The parking lot at the start was covered with snow and ice, but that should be gone by next weekend.    Depending on the frost and ice conditions, it might be wise to avoid the footbridge at the start. 

Overall road conditions are good throughout the course.  There was a fair amount of gravel/salt on the roads, particularly north of Stewartsville.  The road shoulder still had a dusting of snow in some of the shaded areas at the northern end of the course, but that should also be gone by next weekend.  A lot of ice has accumulated on the cliffs just north of Milford.  Folks should be aware that in winter ice and rocks commonly fall onto the roadway, particularly in the afternoon after some melting has occurred.  Over the years I have gotten pelted by falling pebbles and had a couple of close calls from larger rocks and ice chunks.  Yesterday, one large piece of ice hit the road about 20 feet in front of me, so just pay attention to your surroundings.  Hopefully, with the warm weather this week, most of the ice will disappear.

Route 29 between Frenchtown and Stockton continues to deteriorate in some areas, particularly on the northbound shoulder and lane.  Some potholes have developed, and ice completely cover the shoulder in at least two locations, and was creeping into the driving lane.  Some icy patches were present along the edge of the roadway south of the bridge in Stockton (Rt. 32).  This portion of roadway is pretty well shaded, so may still have some ice next weekend.

All of the controls are good to go.  The cue sheet also appears to be dead on,..."

***Rider Roster (as of 1/31) ***

1 Chip Adams
2 Clair Beiler
3 Gavin Biebuyck
4 Jeffery S Butt
5 Jonathan Clamp
6 Tim Conway
7 Robert Dye
8 Matthew Farrell
9 William Fischer
10 Donald Jagel
11 Eric Keller
12 Robin C Landis
13 Chris Nadovich
14 William Olsen
15 Amit V Shah
16 Paul G Shapiro
17 Norman Smeal
18 Leonard Zawodniak

If you're planning to ride, send me an e-mail to join the roster -- please let me know by the Thursday before the event.
-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Morgantown 200 Ride Report

Preliminary results have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA200k_Results130105.pdf... please let Tom know of any corrections or other issues.  Results will be submitted this week, and become final, pending RUSA certification.

Twenty-one riders clipped in for the inaugural running of the Morgantown 200 route to kick off their 2013 randonneuring season.  This new route promised to be kinder and gentler than the Pennsylvania Dutch 200 route we have used to kick off each new year for the past few years.  If this route is any kinder or gentler, then it is not much so.  The combination of a persistent headwind for the 55 miles to Middletown, temperatures that started in the mid-20s and never climbed out of the 30s all day, and roughly 8500 feet of elevation gain made for a tough day.  At least the sun was shining and roads were free from ice.

A strong group of riders including Gavin Biebuyck, Jeffrey Butt, Jon Clamp, Matt Farrell, Bill Fischer, and Norman Smeal set a benchmark fast time of 9:37 on this new route, reaching the finish just as darkness fell.  The rest of the riders took a more leisurely approach, perhaps stopping at the Subway in Columbia for real food or pausing to take in the scenery.   I particularly enjoyed the turn at Middletown and finally having the wind at my back for a while.  The good company of Mike Lutz, Bill Olsen, Clair Beiler, and Pete Phillips made the return trip all the more pleasant. 

Volunteer Bill Slabonik was on hand at the Brickerville and Middletown controles to handle check-in duties and offer friendly encouragement as the riders faced the wind and then at the finish to welcome riders back.   Volunteer help makes a HUGE difference on brevets, so be sure to thank Bill the next time you see him.  He promises to join us on two wheels (or maybe 3) soon.

Misfortune struck for regular rider Doug Haluza when he crashed along Yoder Rd resulting in a broken collarbone, a few cracked ribs, and a trip to the hospital.  Thankfully riders Janice Chernekoff, Chris Nadovich, and John Peltier were nearby and able to contact Emergency Services and stay with Doug until the EMTs arrived.  Doug writes: "In spite of all the other mechanical problems I've had, this is my first DNF on a brevet.... I remember sprinting uphill out of the saddle, and riding in the ambulance, but nothing in-between..."  John Pelteir reports: " ...I was only about 20 yds behind Doug and saw the entire thing. We had just crested a hill on Yoder and as we were going down into a dip before another slightly lower crest, Doug decided to power through the dip and honk up the next rise.  I was coasting and I estimate he was going about 30 MPH.  About 2/3 of the way up the hill it literally looked like his back wheel shot to the right as if it was "sprung".  ....  Afterwards, I did see that the chain was both off the big side of the crank chainwheel and that it was partly sucked up into the rear cogs, so it appears that the crash was likely caused by a jammed chain after a bad shift while climbing out of the saddle...." Chris reports, “I've carried a space blanket with me for the last 5 years -- including at PBP -- never using it ‘till yesterday. As it turned out, the ambulance arrived well before Doug started to chill, but at least I now feel justified for having toted the silly thing 20,000 miles.”  Doug was released from the hospital on Sunday and is expected to recover just fine.  This group then remained on the scene until support crew extraordinaire Bill Slabonik arrived to retrieve Doug’s bicycle.  The calm actions of this trio earned them the Outstanding Randonneur Award for the ride.  I can only hope that they are nearby should I ever need them. 

Don Jagel comments:
"Thank you for putting together the Morgantown 200k (AKA Turkey Hill Tour). The cue sheet was perfect, with great spotting cues, especially since you had not actually completed a preride of the course. Hats off to your excellent car scouting.

We definitely could not have asked for much better weather for the begining of January. After I pushed too hard into the the headwind (you would think I would know better by now), I found myself having to knock it back a bit. This led to an afternoon of slow climbs giving me a chance to take in all of the sights and smells of Lancaster County. On a short climb, after turning onto Stony Lane, I was almost out-pace by a power walker. Definitely humbling, and my low point of the day, although I did have to chuckle at the sad state I was in. The afternoon also led to the "kinder and gentler" (flatter with a slight tailwind) portion of the ride that gave me a chance to recover slightly.

This is a great ride with a nice diversity of terrain, scenery, and Turkey Hill stores. Also, a great thanks to Bill Slabonik for all of his wonderful support and cheerfully meeting us at the controls. The effort Bill put in to making it around the course to greet everyone is really appreciated. I also understand that that Doug hit the deck at some point during the day. Hopefully Doug will have a speedy recovery and make it back next month.
Thanks again,
Don Jagel"

Janice Chernekoff responds:
"I wanted to let you know that I enjoyed yesterday's route very much. The navigation issues that we discussed last night seemed to all occur in the last 25 miles of the route. Until then, the cue sheet worked very well and the scenery along the back roads was peaceful and quite lovely. Even the temperature became mild for a while in the afternoon. My plan had been to get very close to Strasburg before dark but obviously that didn't happen after the accident delay. Last night was long and cold, for you and Bill as well as for us, I'm sure. I'll look forward to riding this route again when it's not quite so cold and hopefully without having to see someone go flying off of his bike. In any case, I wanted to thank you for hosting the ride, and please, could you pass my gratitude along to Bill as well."

Note thet the cue sheet contained a mileage error at mile 123.3 which confused several riders trying to find their way back in the dark. Tom and I have located the source of the error and corrected the cue for future use.

Chris Nadovich also commented on the "kinder, gentler" aspects of the route:
"Thanks for an "interesting" ride through beautiful countryside -- beautiful day and night. I'm not sure about the "Kinder, Gentler" adjectives in the ride description. It was decidedly rolling, as my sore back is now telling me."

Thanks to all who came out to ride and especially those who helped out with our emergency. 

Next up is the Beyond Hope to New Hope brevet on February 2.  Details are posted at http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/R12ClubFeb3.html

Andrew Mead
organizer