PA1000k Rider Progress & Ride Reports (updated 6/30)

[Ron Anderson]

George is in the house! George Winkert arrived safely at the Lewisburg overnight controle at 3:45am - more than an hour ahead of the cutoff. The more relaxed time allowances at this point in the ride should allow George to get some much needed sleep before heading out on the final day's journey back to Quakertown. Way to go, George!

[Ron Anderson]

It's 6:45am Sunday morning here in Lewisburg, PA, and all eight riders are back on the road. Rick Carpenter was first to leave at about midnight, and George Winkert, looking like a man on a mission, just departed at 6:35am. Most riders left for their third and final day of riding at about 3-4am.

It is a beautiful morning here in Lewisburg, and the forecast calls for sun and a high of 80F, or so, with only a slight chance of showers late in the afternoon and light winds.

Time for the volunteers to catch up on a few Zzzzzz's...

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Rick just checked into controle #12 at New Holland (mile 553) at 9AM ... everything is going well for Rick and he is once again, putting a great ride together. Rick is projected to finish between 2 and 2:30 PM, and on track to break his own course record!

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Rick Carpenter has cleared the last controle before the finish at 11:35 ... with just 34 miles to go, he'll probably be finishing around 2PM. He is still riding very fast -- I estimate over 14.2 MPH on the last segment between the New Holland and Spring City controles. The last segment into the Quaktertown finish has an upward trend from the Schuylkill River, but even with that consideration, I would not be surprised to see Rick finish before 2PM, now that he can smell the barn!

Jud Hand has cleared the Jonestown controle (mile 507) at 11:35 AM ... his projected finish time is around 9 PM.

The Audax group of Chip Adams, Bill Fischer, and Juan Salazar, cleared Jonestown at 9:25 AM ... they are projected to finish around 6:30 PM.

Patrick O'Donnell has cleared the New Holland controle (mile 553) at 1 PM ... he checked in and indicated that he was aiming for a 6 PM finish. He passed John Fessenden on the way from Lewisburg, and indicated that John was riding well and in good spirits. Patrick is putting together an impressive ride, for his very first Eastern PA event ... his training and DC brevet series has prepared him well for this challenging ride.

Volunteer Paul Scearce met up with George Winkert at mile 490 at 12:35. He reported that George had just taken a long break for food, and was riding strong. George has a comfortable time margin: 2.5 hours to cover the 17 miles to the Jonestown controle (6.8 MPH pace). But he is already past the last "major" climb of the ride (up over Second Mountain from Hegins Valley to Pine Grove). He can look forward to a long descent through the Swatara Gap into the Lickdale/Jonestown area. Of course there are still countless other "unamed" climbs ahead before the finish, but George will soon be headed into the Lancaster area with it's rolling farm land. George is currently projected to finish some time between 11 PM and 12 midnight.

Volunteer Paul Scearce is planning to ride a few miles with George on the leg to New Holland ... George has basically ridden alone for almost the entire ride, and I'm sure having some company will be a welcome change.

Volunteer Bill Olsen is racing to get to Quakertown in time, in order to be there to greet Rick Carpenter when he finishes.

Volunteers Ron and Barbara Anderson are also on their way to the Quakertown hostel with the drop bags.

Current weather conditions at New Holland (mile 553) are partly cloudy with temperatures in the high 70's and reasonable humidity levels. Once the riders reach New Holland, they can look forward to a 10 MPH west wind to speed them on their way along the 36-mile leg to Spring City. There is a line of showers passing over Harrisburg, with the forecast calling for those showers to head east towards Quakertown. Later finishers may have to endure one more round of rain, but thankfully, there's no mention of any T-storms or strong winds like on Friday.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Volunteer Ron Anderson reports that Rick Carpenter finished just before 2PM ... Congratulations Rick! A new course record of under 58 hours, shaving almost an hour off the previous record he set on the 2008 edition! Even more impressive, is that the 2009 course is probably a bit tougher than the 2008 edition.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Janice Chernekoff]

Way to go Rick! Congratulations on your course record. Janice

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Patrick O'Donnell is the second finisher, arriving at 5:37 -- that gives his a result of 61:37 ... very impressive!

Chip Adams, Bill Fischer, and Juan Salazar, arrived together at 7:15 PM.

John Fessenden is about 45 minutes behind these 3 finishers, and is expected to arrive shortly.

Volunteer Paul Scearce met up with Jud at mile 577.6 at 6:40 PM. Jud is projected to finish around 11:30 PM.

George Winkert cleared the New Holland controle at 6:45. With about 70 miles to go, he is projected to finish around 2 AM.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Ron Anderson]

A Special Message from George...

George Winkert wanted to get this message out to folks who have been following his ride via this "Rider Progress" thread - "I'm at the next to last controle (#13) the WaWa in Spring City, PA, mile 589, with only 34 miles remaining. It's drizzling out and I'm fine. Thanks very much for your concern and encouragement - now go to bed and get some sleep!"

His message was relayed from RBA Tom Rosenbauer, who is stationed at the Weisel Youth Hostel, at 11:13pm Sunday evening. It seems as if George is still on track for an approximately 2am finish.

Tom also mentioned that they expected Jud Hand to arrive at the finish shortly.

[Tom Rosenbauer]

John Fessenden finished at 8:32 PM.

Jud Hand has finished at 11:29 PM.

George Winkert has finished at 3:10 AM.

All riders are in! Congratulations to all the finishers .... 100% completion rate ... the PA1000k is a tough course, but the riders that clipped in proved even tougher!

Special thanks to all the volunteers:
Jim Logan
Ron & Barbara Anderson
Paul Scearce
Bill Olsen

And special thanks to Rick Carpenter, for leading the way with the sign-in sheets.

I'm looking forward to all the pictures and ride reports.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Preliminary Results have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1000 ... 090626.pdf
... please let me know of any corrections or other issues. Results will be submitted to RUSA in the next day or so, and will then become final, pending ACP certification.

Congratulations again, to all the finishers ... I'm really happy that everybody made it within the time limit, so I could hand out the trophies my daughter worked on this past week. More importantly, everybody made it around the course safely, despite the vicious storms that rolled through and all the other hazards of being out on the road for 3 days straight.

I appreciate the kind words from many of you at the finish on the course, spectacular scenary, and organizational efforts. But all this would not have been possible, without the tireless efforts of the volunteers who supported event -- I'll be happy to pass along any comments you might have for them. But perhaps the best thanks you can give, would be to consider returning the favor and answer the call to to help out in the future on some other ride!

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Jud's Ride Report is here:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=387&sid=42bedf65fc61ddf0a5fc4f8de0c98b84#p1325

FIrst finisher, Rick Carpenter writes:
Hi Tom, Thanks again for arranging and executing a great Randonnée – and please thank Becky for letting you play with your friends, and particularly your daughters for the special medal presentation – it was very well done! Jim Logan proved tireless in his support of us throughout the first day, and personally assisted me at Great Bend in assembling my replacement light set that I picked-up at the bike shop in New Milford (allowing me to shower and eat). Ron and Barb were wonderful as always, even honoring me with the use of Ron’s magic “Campy bottle opener” for the six-pack of Heine’s I purchased in Hallstead (and which Jim L. lovingly sherpaed the remainder to Lewisburg in chilled condition, along with my drop bag). This is the second time that I heard rumored sightings of that ghostly rambling “Hegins Hillclimber” Paul Scearce. I have yet to see him – maybe one of these days when I don’t have a wine supper to attend J Ron and Barb retorted to my “Is anyone home” call at the YH, and cared after me until Bill Olsen arrived. And boy did Bill O arrive, dashing with a flourish into the YH parking area, abruptly blocking me & my Honda Element from departing the scene without my medal! It was nice chatting however briefly with my “Bricconi Brothers” Juan and Bill, joined with our confederate buddy Chip (congrats on your R5K). And riding with Patrick O’Donnell throughout most of the first day proved very pleasant – he is a true gentleman on the surface, disguising a true cycling monster within! And congratulations to Jud, John, and especially George for their unyielding tenacity through Tom’s “Endless Rollers”! - Rick

George Winkert writes:
Hi Tom, You could also mention on the results that this also completes my R5000. And then there are the more obscure achievements :
- 1st PA 1000K finisher over 70 hours
- 1st (and 2nd) narrowest time margins to controls
... Thanks again. Very well routed and run event. Will try to write up something before the end of the week. -George

Juan Salazar's report is here:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=387#p1327

Volunteer Bill Olsen's pictures at the finish:
http://picasaweb.google.com/randonnerd/ ... irectlink#