Endless Mountains 1240k

[Tom Rosenbauer]

I am pleased to annouce that RUSA has approved my Endless Mountains 1240k
offering for 2009:
http://www.parandonneurs.com

Regards,

-Tom "Endless Mountains" Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

----- Original Message -----
From: Mark Thomas
To: Tom Rosenbauer
Cc: John Lee Ellis
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2008 10:06 AM
Subject: Re: [Randon] Re: 2009 1200km rides

Tom -

Thanks. The board formally approved your event last night.

Mark

Mark U. Thomas
Randonneurs USA
president2008@rusa.org

[bluegitane]

Question: Thank you Tom for scheduling your upcoming 1200k, and most importantly for doing so at a suitable date for those of us who find riding in treble digit temperatures (or close) not much fun.
London-Edinburgh-London certainly remains my main target for 2009 (not much risk of a heat wave over there), however your new 1200 has become a strong likely second target for the later end of the season.

What kind of cap on numbers are you considering? Do you plan to run it as a classic 1200 with a cap around 100/150, or will the cap be much lower? In the latter case, what principle do you expect to put in place as selection procedure for entries?

1/30/09 Update: The field limit has been expanded from 40 to 60 riders -- anybody who was on the waiting list has now secured a spot on the roster. It is unlikely to expand any further at this time.

Answer: The field limit, along with many other event details has already been posted on the PA Randonneurs website:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1200K.html

The limit has recently been expanded from 30 to 40 riders -- if I get a good response from volunteers willing to step up and help, I might consider raising the the limit another couple of slots. But that being said, my inclination is to start out with a smaller limit and grow the event to larger fields over time. We had 19 riders for the recent Endless Mountains 1000k (which the EM1240k is based upon) -- and this fit very well within our support plans while being big enough for participants to find riding companions.

A Volunteer roster has been posted on the event page, listing the positions that still need to be filled -- if you are interested in stepping up to help out, please contact me.

The registration policy is posted on the EM1240k event page ... in summary, availability is based on a first come basis. I am reserving a limited number of slots for Eastern PA volunteers and Super Randonneurs who complete my entire SR series -- if these reserved slots go unfilled, they will be released on July 15.

I have already received 2 registrations ... the first one was within 20 minutes of the annoucement. There is a good chance the current field limit will be filled quickly.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Question: Is the elevation gain truly 63,000 feet?

Answer: With some recent scouting changes, Delorme Topo is reporting 60,000 feet of climbing -- and this is what I use to "advertise" the amount of climbing on the course. If you've followed some of the discussions on the message boards, the consensus is that mapping programs like Delorme wildly over-estimate the amount of climbing. In general, I tend to agree with this and in comparison with an altimeter, the amount of climbing is inflated by at least 15% for the typical terrain in Pennsylvania. This terrain has a lot of up and down, which tends to get inflated by Delorme -- it does a bit better with long steady climbs (and there will be a couple of these on the EM1240 as well).

That all being said, I don't think elevation gain really gives a good picture of what you're in for -- if you compare the official Delorme elevation gain for the PA1000k with Bill Beck's altimeter reading (he used both a GPS and barometric one), the discrepancy was even bigger than the 15% I previously mentioned. However, if you read the posted PA1000k ride report, there was universal agreement that the PA1000 (which the EM1240 is based upon) was very difficult, compared to the other 1200k's offered in 2008.

So rather than possibly mislead you by adjusting down the Delorme elevation gain, I would say that the EM1240 will most likely feel like 60,000 feet of climbing, although the actual amount recorded will be much less. If you come prepared to handle rolling terrain with many short steep pitches, that will be to your advantage. However, riders who are over-geared, will suffer on the many 12-15%+ pitches that they will see over the entire course. As one veteran Eastern PA rider observed: "...it's not the big climbs, it's all the stuff in between that's makes it so hard..."

I hope I haven't scared you away, but then again, I want to make sure you know what you're getting into!

Regards,

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Question: I noticed that one rider indicated the Rocky Mountain 1200 as their qualifier. I did the ride also and while I plan to do a full set of qualifiers next year (plus a few more), was wondering if the RM1200 was an automatic qualifier for your ride.

Answer: The RM1200 qualifier is a special exception granted to a foreign participant, since a Super Randonneur series is not being offered in Brazil in 2009. With the large number of SR series being offered in North America, this should not be an issue for most participants. However, if you have exceptional circumstances, please contact me to see if we can work something out.

Question: For the required brevet series, must the brevets be ACP sanctioned, or would RUSA events be sufficient?

Answer: -- RUSA sanctioned qualifiers will be just fine.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Question: It says on the website that "Only RUSA (10"x20") duffle bags less than 12lbs will be accepted." Does that mean I need to go and buy one those, eventually? Or do you just mean that that is the volume/weight limit? I can understand the desire for uniformity, on the other hand it makes it easier to find bags if they are not all the same.

Issue: I think the 10x20-inch bags are great and I use them but on a 1200 I really do think most riders will need three of them - one for each of the overnight locations. I can't imagine stuffing three pairs of bib shorts, three pairs of socks, three jerseys, three wool t-shirts, three days of food (for those who will carry their own food as I will), a tooth-brush and tooth-paste ... won't stuff into a single 10x20. I hope that you will enforce the 10x20 drop bag size limit; you will probably be the first. But having schlepped bags onto and off-of trucks I know how much of a burden these monster duffles can be. In reality, though, I believe it has to be one or the other: one larger duffle, or 3 10x20's. My preference? Provide you with 3 separate 10x20 bags.

Updated Response 3/3/09: The drop bag guidelines have been expanded to allow for a single medium duffle bag (28x12x12") up to 20lbs. The same bag will be transported to each of the 3 overnight controles. If you can't fit everything you need into a single duffle bags, one option is to ship it ahead of time to the sleep-over hotel -- this might be a good option for bulky or heavy items like food.

Note that this is an update to the original Drop Bag policy -- while RUSA bags are recommended, you may use any bag within the guidelines.-- however, the size and weight limits will be strictly enforced, due to the expanded field and space limitations in the support vehicles.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Due to the expanded field limit, the start/finish has been moved to the Hampton Inn in Quakertown, PA. I have arranged for a block of rooms to be set aside (with a group discount) for the night before the start and also, for the night after the finish. The EM1240k website has been updated with links that take you directly to the hotel reservation system for our groups (there are 2 groups "EMR" for the start and "EMT" for the finish, to allow you to book one or two nights) -- please make your own reservations ASAP, since the hotels in the area typically get filled up in the fall.

If you currently have booked a reservation at the hostel, you may still stay there (this is a less expensive option). It is about 5 miles from the hostel to the Hampton Inn which you could either drive or ride to. However, it will probably be more convenient for you to change your plans and book a room at the Hampton Inn -- if you would like to do so, let me know and I'll cancel your hostel reservation and send you a refund. Since the volunteers are now staying at the hotel, there are now a couple of bunks available at the hostel -- if you would prefer this option, these will be made available on a first come basis.

If you are traveling to the start/finish by car, there is plenty of secure parking at the hotel. You should store any luggage or bike cases in your car during the event. If you need to store any luggage or bike cases (and won't have access to a car), I have reserved the "Maughhoughsin Board Room" for secure storage during the event. This room will be open during the sign-in periods on Tuesday and Wedsnesday for you to drop off your things, and will then be locked during the event.

Looking for somebody to share a room with? Make a connection at this message board:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=319

Hope all goes well with your qualifiers, and feel free to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

The EM1240k roster has been updated on 7/28, including qualification status, and updates to the waiting list and cancellations. In the "Reservations" column, I've also included notes to indicate any outstanding items, like payments or waivers due. Please take a moment to check this information posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM1240Regs.pdf
... and let me know of any corrections or updates. In particular, I'm missing some qualification information from the riders who are not in the RUSA database. If you are missing a qualifier, please contact me to work this out -- perhaps we can find an alternative event (like a fleche) as a substitue for one of the qualifiers you need. Unless I hear from you otherwise, if you have cancelled your reservation, I will remove you from the e-mail list for future updates.

Please note that the cancellation fee increases substantially starting August 1 -- if you have any exceptional circumstances and would like an extension of the $20 cancellation fee period, please contact me ASAP.

The posted cuesheet has also been updated -- Draft 5 has some significant changes to the previous one posted, although as many of you know, the EM1240k is based largely on the PA1000k (the 3rd edition of the PA1000k was run earlier this summer) -- the following links will give you a good preview and an idea of what to expect:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=393&start=15#p1326
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=393

A few words about the challenge before you ....
Over the years, many riders who come out for my Eastern PA series tell me that my events are some of the toughest they've ever ridden. And frankly, I estimate that EM1240 is quite a bit harder than any of those events. While some of the +1000' climbs shown on the course profile will be challenging, the real difficulty is with "all the stuff in between". Emily O'Brien, who completed the 2008 edition of the PA1000, sums it up pretty well: "...The difficulty with these Pennsylvania climbs isn't that they continue for 20 miles; nothing on those roads stays the same for 20 mi. The grades are never constant, and there's usually a lot of up and down before you start going up for good. When you start really going up, it often gets extremely steep. But while they aren't that long, they are relentless, and the space in between big climbs is filled with little rollers, some of which are quite steep little kickers in their own right..."
Read Emily's complete ride report at:
http://www.emilysdomain.org/pa1000k.html
If your 600k result is over 38 hours, it may possibly indicate that completing the EM1240k within the time limit is beyond your reach. Now would be a good time to make an honest assessment of your preparations so far, and make any necessary adjustments -- perhaps another 24-hr event might be a good idea in the remaining months.

If you know of anybody interested in volunteering, the following link shows the opportunites available:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=374
... with the expanded roster of riders, any additional help would be most welcome.

As always, feel free to contact me with any questons or concerns (e-mail is preferred) ... and keep training!

Regards,

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[steeng]

Hi Tom

Is the Endless Mountains 1240 full? If not, I can send you my registration via email and a cheque via snail mail with the signed waiver. Or can I get on the waiting list? I was doing the inaugural Granite Anvil in Ontario on the weekend and had a mechanical problem at about 540 K. The spring broke that holds the pawls in place...grrrrrr...and couldn't fix it on the road, in fact the wheel is in the shop waiting for the part.
I have all this training done and hate to waste it.....so if there is room I sure would like to ride in your event. If it is still possible to register, what address can I email my registration form to?
Thanks
Glen Steen
steeng@execulink.com

[Noel]

I am coming in to Philly on the night of Sept. the 28th. I have figured out how to get close to Quakertown on SEPTA light rail to Doylestown but there doesn't seem to be any public transit to Qtown. It looks like just ten more miles from the rail station and I could put the bike together and ride. Is there a bus?

Should be a big adventure - I plan to train and bike after the brevet to my son's place in Montreal.

Noel Howes
noelhowes@mac.com

Response: Presumably, you'll be arriving at Philadelphia airport -- I've posted some options on ground transportation on the message board here:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=281&start=15#p1399

If you decide to take SEPTA to Doylestown, there are plenty of taxi services in the area:
http://local.yahoo.com/pa/doylestown/Tr ... +Services/
... and a 10-mile fare probably won't be too much $$.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

The EM1240k roster has been updated on 8/31, including qualification status, and updates to the waiting list and cancellations. In the "Reservations" column, I've also included notes to indicate any outstanding items, like payments or waivers due. Please take a moment to check this information posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM1240Regs.pdf
... and let me know of any corrections or updates. In particular, I'm missing some qualification information from the riders who are not in the RUSA database. If you are missing a qualifier, please contact me to work this out -- perhaps we can find an alternative event (like a fleche) as a substitue for one of the qualifiers you need. Due to a number of cancellations, I haven't updated the e-mail list just yet ... if you have recently cancelled, please confirm that this status is accurate on the website (refund checks are going in today's mail).

Please note that the cancellation fee increases substantially again starting September 1 and registration will be closing -- if you have any exceptional circumstances and would like an extension of the August cancellation fee period, please contact me ASAP and we'll work something out.

There are a limited number of spots that have opened up on the roster ... if you know of somebody who would like to claim one of these spots, please let me know immediately -- otherwise, I will be closing the registration as of 9/1.

I'll be posting an updated cuesheet shortly, along with some additonal notes.

As always, feel free to contact me with any questons or concerns (e-mail is preferred) ... and keep training!

Regards,

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Draft 7 of the cue sheet has been posted on the website, with numerous routing changes, corrections, and clarifications from some recent scouting trips. An Excel version of the cue sheet has also been posted. If you decide to make your own format with the Excel file, you should check back for any new updates that may get posted -- be sure to use the "Refresh" button on your browser to flush out any older versions that may be cached.


Course Overview

The EM1240k is similar to the C1200's (Cascade) planned overnight controles and uniform pacing for the controle timing. The EM1240k is also like the LC1200 (Last Chance) with minimal support provided on course. The EM1240 traverses the same east coast mountains as the S1200 (Shenandoah), so it shares much of the same challenging terrain with many steep climbs. As many who have ridden the PA1000k will attest to, northeastern Pennsylvania offers many spectacular vistas along some quiet back roads that are ideal for cycling. However, every course ultimately is a series of compromises that tries to work in as many great destinations as possible while minimizing the connecting roads that may be less than ideal. Consideration has been given to the time of day you'll be riding and the terrain you'll see then -- every effort has been made to minimize hazards such as twisty descents in the dark and main roads during rush hour. But in some cases, you will need to take a little extra care for some hazards you may encounter. Several of these are called out on the cue sheet and discussed below in the route details.

While resting at the planned overnight controles is highly recommended, and the course has been designed with this mind, some of you may be riding through and perhaps going for a personal best time or RAAM qualifier. If so, please let me know of your ride plan. The drop bags and volunteers are scheduled to be at the overnight controles as follows:
- Hallstead: Wed, 6PM
- Lamar: Thu, 3PM
- Pine Grove: Fri, 11AM
This will accommodate a pace of 15 MPH on the first day, and a 12 MPH pace on the remaining days.


Detailed Route Notes

Day 1

One of the biggest hazards you encounter just might be another cyclist -- please be careful when riding in a pace line - especially with riders you are not familiar with. You should avoid forming large groups of riders and riding side by side. With the large field of riders, the riders will be sent off in two groups of ~30 riders at the start. You will be placed in a group based on your 600k finish time -- those with a faster time will be in group A and will depart first. The remaining riders (group B) will depart ~10 minutes later. Any riders placed in group A may opt to instead join group B, if they want to start with a particular riding partner.

The start is on a major highway. Although you will be leaving at a very early hour and there will be minimal traffic, the cue sheet has you taking a jug-handle type turn so you can safely cross this highway at a traffic light intersection, instead of making a tricky left turn on a major highway with fast traffic approaching from behind.

Rt 378 (mile 8.6) is a major highway, but should have minimal traffic in the early morning hours.

Since the field of riders will be closely packed together on the first day, the first controle stop (#2 Danielsville) will be staffed, along with some of the other controle stops on day 1 -- the consideration here was to efficiently get you through the controles on the first day without overwhelming a store/restaurant with a crush of riders all at once. With the spread between the first and last rider increasing as the event progresses, the controles will be unstaffed. These unstaffed controles will generally be at a store/restaurant -- you should plan to restock your supplies there, get your brevet card signed by the checkout clerk, and initial the sign-in sheet at the check-out counter. Please include your time on the sign-in sheet, so we can track your progress.

Be sure you leave controle #2 with plenty of food and water -- you're headed into a beautiful area but one with limited services and a major climb up Fox Gap awaits you. Controle #2 will be stocked with water and some food bars -- if you need anything more than that, there are several mini-marts on course before controle #2.

At mile 71.8, there is a special instruction that has you crossing a pedestrian bridge. Those not familiar with the area, may easily miss this, since the bridge is not directly connected to the road. I've added a "spotting cue" that has you looking for the (Citgo) mini-mart near the bridge.

Controle #3 (Blairstown) will be staffed, but only to sign your card -- you can buy food and beverages on your own at the Gourmet Gallery there -- great sandwiches and pastry! If the store is busy, there are other places nearby in Blairstown to resupply.

After Blairstown, you have a major climb up Millbrook Rd. At the top around mile 88.8, please be very careful on the descent ... it is very long and steep, and you can easily reach speeds of over 50 MPH - but this is not advisable. Just after this descent, you'll have another climb followed by another very steep descent near mile 92.0 -- this descent must be taken very slowly, since there are several very big holes and ruts in the road that you must navigate around.

As noted on the cue sheet, there are limited services after the Blairstown controle (#3). If you need supplies, the Layton General store at mile 103.7 would be a great stop to make -- it's very quaint, has great food, and is a favorite controle stop on my regular brevet series.

At mile 168.7, you start the climb up Salem Mountain which many riders on the PA1000k consider one of the toughest on course -- those of you who brought along some low gears, will be glad they did so. Unfortunately, the descent will not pay back for the effort, since it is very steep and will need to be taken slowly as you enter the Carbondale city limits.

At Controle #5 in Carbondale you may encounter a volunteer who will be in the area sweeping the course to the sleep stop ahead. Many of you will probably be riding in the dark after this controle. At mile 183.2, there are a series of descents that are not too long but some of them are steep and twisty, which will require extra caution in the dark.

Controle #6 (Hallstead) is the first sleep stop. As with all the sleep stops, the general procedure is to go to the volunteer room to collect your drop bag and get your room key -- the volunteer room number will be posted at the front desk. Food will be provided by volunteers, either in the volunteer room or in a dining area. When you are ready to depart, return your bag to the volunteer room (along with your key) and be sure to sign-out with the volunteers (so we know you are back on course). Some breakfast items (bagels, juice, etc.) will be available. There are several stores and restaurants near the hotel, if you need to resupply. The faster riders will probably get in around 7PM, with most of the riders arriving between 10 and midnight. Although the first sleep stop may seem a bit early in the ride, all the climbing and challenging terrain will make it seem much longer, and you will be ready for a good rest. The uniform pacing for the controle open/close timing allows you to take a longer rest here. I recommend a departure time between 3 and 5 AM.

Riding through any of the sleep controles is not advisable. But if your plans involve riding through, please let me know ahead of time, before the event starts, to discuss your options. I've already spoken to one rider who wants to ride further before stopping for his first extended rest. Some other options for an alternate sleep stop further on the course include: Binghamton (~mile 230), Owego (~mile 244), and Sayre (~mile 264).


Day 2

Day 2 starts off with much gentler terrain along the NY southern tier ... on the PA1000k, riders welcome this ~60 mile stretch as a reprieve from all the climbing on day 1. You should be able to bank some time on this stretch, or catch up if you get a late start. The first controle stop on day 2 is Sayre (#7). Please note that this is an untimed post-office controle -- you will be given a stamped postcard to mail back to me. You mark your brevet card with "PC", along with the time of passage -- but please note that this controle is untimed. An "on pace" time will be listed on the brevet card, but it is not checked. There will be many opportunities to get food on your own both before and after Sayre, with many good options in Towanda, the biggest town on day 2. As noted on the cue sheet, you should resupply before you leave Towanda, as you head into another limited services area.

Up to Towanda, the course has generally followed the recent PA1000k route. The EM1240k heads further south into an area that is truly remote, near World's End State Park. On the way, you should fully resupply at Dushore (controle #8) -- an unstaffed 24-hr mini mart. The climbing starts in earnest after you make the turn onto Rt 154 at mile 322, as you head towards Shunk. The road trends up, but there will be many false summits and short, steep and twisty descents before reaching the true summit near the junction of Rt 4006 at mile 336. Please take seriously the noted cautions on the cue sheet ... this is probably the longest and steepest descent on the entire route, which will need extra care. Be mindful of your rim temperatures, and modulate your braking to avoid a blowout which will most certainly ruin your day. Don't go any faster than your guardian angel can keep up with -- there are some technical curves that will also ruin your day, if you over shoot them.

Controle #9 in Canton, is shortly after the big descent on Rt 154. Again, you need to fully resupply before heading into a limited services area. Those familiar with the PA1000k, will know that although the course profile is not very impressive, the 14 miles shortly after Canton is one of the more challenging parts of the course -- there are a countless string of steep rollers, that are as hard, if not harder than any of the big climbs.

A respite from the rollers finally comes when you reach Liberty around mile 360 -- ahead, is a nice stretch along Blockhouse Rd that trends generally downward, as you near Little Pine Creek State Park. You should plan to stop for food and resupply somewhere in the Little Pine Creek area -- which by the way, has some of the nicest scenery on course. There are several options listed on the cue sheet between miles 375 and 387. PA1000k riders have enjoyed stopping at the "snow cone" restaurant (near mile 386) and the general store in Waterville (mile 387), as well as going a bit further and stopping at the restaurant at mile 394.

The last major climb on day 2 is out of Waterville. At the top of this climb, there will be a series of rollers before you start a big descent into Lockhaven. As noted on the cue sheet, there is a caution on this descent to watch out for hair-pin turns.

The faster riders will probably be reaching the over night controle in Lamar (#9) around 7PM with most getting in between 10PM and midnight. There are a variety of stores and restaurants nearby, for resupplying.


Day 3

I recommend a departure time from Lamar between 4 and 6:30 AM (the controle closes around 7:30AM). If you are on course much before then, you will find it very difficult to resupply before reaching Mt Union, controle #12, which is 92 miles away -- most of the stores and restaurants listed on the cue sheet will not be open in the wee hours of the morning. There is however, a 24-hr mini-mart off course at mile 473.9, located about half way on this long segment.

If you leave Lamar before midnight, please note that there is some technical terrain starting at mile 502 that you will probably encounter in the dark. As noted on the cue sheet, there is a very steep and twisty descent that needs to be taken with extra caution.

Riders leaving Lamar at the recommended departure time should plan to stop at the mini-mart in Pine Grove Mills (mile 477.9) in order to resupply before heading into the limited services area noted on the cue sheet.

Be sure to top off your supplies before leaving Mt Union (a Sheetz 24-hr mini-mart) -- there's only one store (off course near Lewistown mile 546) until you get near Mifflintown, which is over 40 miles away.

After the Mifflintown controle (#13) (another 24-hr mini-mart), you'll be meandering along a nice quiet ridge that goes parallel to Rt 35 (which is the main road in the valley to your right). Rt 35 will be carrying a lot of fast traffic, while the roads you are on should have very little. The route eventually crosses Rt 35 about 24 miles into this leg, and there will be a nice drive-in restaurant there for food. That's pretty much all there is on-course until the controle stop in Selinsgrove … however, while riding along the ridge, you are never very far from Rt 35. There are a couple of small towns that Rt 35 passes through, and you should be able to find some services off course.

The Selinsgrove controle (#14) is at a 24-hr Denny's, located in a shopping mall. You'll be riding along a very short stretch (about 0.2 miles) of Rt 11 which is a major highway, but with a good enough shoulder. You'll then be turning into the mall parking lot in order to get into the Denny's parking lot. When you leave, you'll actually be on a small access road that is part of the mall parking lot. The cue sheet will direct you towards the mall exit near the Weis Market, where you will be back upon the road you were just on, before the Denny's controle. However instead of turning right on Rt 11, like you did to get to Denny's, you will now be crossing Rt 11 at a traffic light.

At mile 604.0, there are a series of special instructions that direct you to the pedestrian walk that gets you across the Susquehanna River bridge -- the roadway across the bridge is not suitable for cycling. Please note the directive to walk your bike on the pedestrian walk and the warning about the signs and lights that protrude into the pedestrian walk. When you turn on Rt 147 at the end of the bridge, be sure you're headed down stream, south, with the river on your right -- the next cue is over 13 miles away, and you certainly don't want to find out then, that you went the wrong way!

The course to the sleep controle in Pine Grove (#15) has been routed along main roads, in order to minimize navigation and avoid some technical descents in the dark. Most riders will be coming through in the early evening, if they are following the recommended departure times at the sleep stops, so the traffic should be easing up as they ride into the night. The riders who opt to leave the sleep controles earlier, will have the disadvantage of seeing more traffic on this leg during the afternoon and evening rush hour.

As is the case with the other two sleep stops, the Pine Grove sleep controle offers many nearby services and options for food. Most riders will probably be arriving around midnight. Faster riders who arrive before 3PM will have access to their drop bag, but a hotel room may not be available that early.


Day 4

With less than 200k to go from the Pine Grove over night to the finish, many of you may opt to ride through and not rest very long. However, if you leave around daybreak, I think the navigation will be a bit easier for you as you work your way through the back roads of the Pennsylvania Dutch area.

Regards,

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

GPS files updated on 9/29: (based on cuesheet draft 9 and are now current)
Fixes Route16 autoroute issue with too many waypoints.
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/Endles ... 092209.gdb
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/Endles ... 092209.gpx

GPS files updated on 9/24: (based on cuesheet draft 9 and are now obsolete: Route16 has too many waypoints so it will not autoroute.)
Endless_Mountains_PA1200K_v9a_092209.gdb
Endless_Mountains_PA1200K_v9a_092209.gpx
Nick writes: there is an on-GPS workaround if you want to be able to autoroute route 16. Go to the route list screen, toggle your way to that route, "click it" to select it as if you were going to navigate, then click the left button to get a context menu that includes a choice to "Copy". Do so. You'll now find you have a new route listed in the route screen. At this stage you can either duplicate route 16 again so that you still have it available if you need it, or you can just edit 16 directly. You want to delete 19 points at the end. Then go into the copied route and delete 19 points at the beginning. Each route should now be able to autoroute. When you get to the end of the first one and switch to the second, watch out for the possibility that it gets confused and tries to take you back to the start of the route.


GPS files updated on 9/22: (based on cuesheet draft 9 and are now obsolete)
Endless_Mountains_PA1200K_v9_092209.gdb
Endless_Mountains_PA1200K_v9_092209.gpx

GPS files updated on 9/20:
Endless_Mountains_PA1200K_092009.gdb
Endless_Mountains_PA1200K_092009.gpx
(based on cuesheet draft 8 and are now obsolete)

GPS file updated on 9/15: Endless_Mountains_PA1200K_091309A.gdb (based on cuesheet draft 7 is now obsolete)

Original GPS file posted on on 9/15: Endless_Mountains_PA1200K_091309.gdb (based on cuesheet draft 7 is now obsolete

Nick Bull has kindly generated the GPS files. If you have any questions, you can reach Nick at: nick.bike.bull@gmail.com

Nick writes: "...please label it as "Preliminary" and encourage users to double-check it.

There are two places where the cue sheet directs you to go across a pedestrian bridge. At the first of these, in Portland at mile 72, the GPS route was split into "2a" and "2b." But at the second pedestrian bridge, three miles after the Selinsgrove control at mile 604, you just have to ignore the GPS route, walk up the sidewalk as described in the cue sheet, and then the GPS will show you as being on route. (I broke the first pedestrian bridge because otherwise the GPS route would have added a lot of mileage to go on regular automobile bridges. At the second ped bridge, the route was not broken since it is right after a control and the GPS route added only a tiny bit of mileage, since the ped bridge is on the auto bridge and added only a bit of extra mileage.)

Along with the "standard disclaimer", can you also add the following notes on "Climbing Cues":

One of the things that the GPS file includes that is not included on the cue sheet is "Climbing Cues". But you have to know how to read them. "Top of Climb" is self-explanatory. But cues like:

C3.2m57to159

mean Climb 3.2 miles for a net elevation increase of 570' to an altitude of 1590'. More precisely, it means "You'll generally be climbing for the next 3.2 miles, though there may well be ups and downs in between. You'll end up at an elevation of 1590' and that is 570' higher than where you are now." The ups and downs in between could mean that the cumulative positive elevation change on the climb is several hundred feet higher. Often the climb "starts" at a local min, like the stream that is at the bottom of a valley, so it may be quite gradual before you get to the steep stuff.

There's one other "type" of climbing cue, an "Ascending" cue. After Barryville, you will be generally ascending for the next 41.3 miles for a net elevation increase of 810 feet to an altitude of 1440, so this gets an "ascending" cue of "A41.3m81to144". At the end of this gradual ascent is the climbing cue for the climb to what the cue sheet says is the high point on EM1240.


Disclaimer: The posted cuesheet is your bible to the official course, and the one and only true path. Use the GPS to supplement your navigation but in case of conflict, use the cue sheet. Keep your wits about you -- the GPS cannot notify you of road hazards, many of which are called out on the cue sheet. Be sure to check back for any updates.

[VinnieS]

Can anyone help a GPS newbie. I have a Garmin 705. How do I get the .gdb file for the Endless Mountain route into my Garmin?

Response: Try using the .GPX file that was just posted.

[Triplecenturies]

Question: Is the EM1240 route going to be marked on the roads? I'm doing a bit of riding here in Lancaster County and I'm seeing "EM" with an arrow here lately.

Response: A number of volunteers are working on marking the EM1240 course -- the course is marked with a white "EM" and directional arrow. We hope to have most of the course marked, but you should certainly not rely upon this. If there is a conflict among the cuesheet, GPS and course marking, you should rely upon the cuesheet. As mentioned in a previous post, the PDF version of the posted cuesheet is the bible to the official EM1240 route -- it is the one and only true path. However, I recognize that an 18-page cuesheet may seem daunting to those not familiar with the area -- so the course markings and GPS are being offered to supplement your navigation.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Nick Bull has kindly generated a detailed course profile:

Updated with expanded scale 9/22/09

Endless_Mountains_PA1200K_Profile.pdf

Revised profile

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