Hawks Nest 200k Preliminary Results

[Tom Rosenbauer]

Preliminary results for the Eastern PA's Hawks Nest 200k, have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosebauer/PA200k_ ... 090704.pdf
... let me know of any corrections or other issues.

It was a fantastic day to be out on a bike, with nearly ideal weather and a cooperative 20 MPH tailwind that sped us on our way along the Lackawaxen river all the way to Port Jervis. Riders made it around the course very quickly, with first finishers Len Zawodniak and Greg Pedano getting in at 7:43. Even fixed gear riders Paul Scearce and Guy Harris got in under 10 hours, on a course I would not say was very flat (Delorme says over 10,000' of gain). Very good results indeed! -- Despite Guy's remarks at the first controle stop, who thought we were really dogging it up that point. But at that point, we were already over 1 hour ahead of the cut-off, even though that first leg was all uphill!

Bill Olsen posted an excellent preride report at:
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=391#p1330

Len Zawodniak writes:
"...thanks for a terrific course. The breakfast before the start was a really nice way to prepare and socialize with the riders that I would not see much of during the ride. I had a great time riding with Greg and Matt for almost the entire course. ( we broke up from time to time, especially during the climbs and re-grouped almost as many times) The scenery was just beautiful, including the streams, lakes, rivers and roadside attractions. The controles were just right too. The chip seal portion was quite manageable.This course will be hard to top ! photos are available at snapfish: http://www2.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare ... =snapfish/

Matt Farrell writes:
"...I just got home and wanted to drop you a note about today's ride before I forgot .
I enjoyed the route very much. The climb out of the Water Gap was a nice grade. I have never been thru the Hawk's Nest area before. It was great, especially with the wind blowin the right direction. The ride down the Lackawaxen River was the exact opposite of riding up it last year in the heat during the [2008 edition of the] 600k. No need for Ice Socks today. I had a good time riding with Len and Greg. They were kind enough to drag me along for quite awhile. I finally let them go climbing to Hawk's Nest. The chip and tar section was only a minor inconvience. From Port Jarvis to Hainsville I only encountered 1 motorycle and not a car. WOW Thanks for the great ride

Looking ahead to the next ride in August ...
With most of the roads shaded, and the generally cooler weather up in the higher elevations of the Poconos, I can't think of a better course for the hot summer months ... unless anybody has any other suggestions, I'm inclined to run the Hawk's Nest 200k again for the August R-12 event.

Regards,

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA