Cranbury 200k, Sunday March 24th, 2013 - Event description

[bluegitane]

Start / Finish: the Cranbury Village Park parking lot, by Westminster Place & Maplewood Ave, Cranbury NJ
This is the same venue as we used over the last two years, and different from what we used before. It's a very short jaunt (oh, at least 0.2 miles) off the town centre on Main Street where shops are (such as, Teddy's Restaurant. They are used to seeing cyclists and start being operational around 6h30am or so). Our venue has Port-o-Potties. The place enabled us over the last two years to accomodate a good number of entrants (up to 55 two years ago), so keep comin', we are not afraid of you.
The closest train station from New York City to get there is Princeton Junction. Count about an hour to ride from the station to the start of our event.

Lighting: front and rear lights in working order and reflective clothing (jacket and ankles) are required. We will do a bike & rider inspection at the start and won't let take the start if you don't have that.
I you think you are way too fast for giving a chance to your lights of working on this event, just look at it as an opportunity to give your lighting some shakedown and weather mileage prior to the 300/400/600. You don't want to discover that your light bracket doesn't hold one hour into the last stage of the 400 under pouring rain... Remember too that things may happen on Brevets and you may end up being out there for whatever reason waaaaay later than you thought.
Helmets are required. No helmet, no ride. Our insurer requires this.

Support: the event is unsupported, meaning we don't provide you any food though we will have some water. We will aim at having a volunteer at each controle to check in your card and keep track of your whereabouts. Should you see no volunteer, please get the place's staff to sign the card for you.
Should you have to abandon the ride, thank you for phoning us and signalling you are stopping. From that point onwards, you are supposed to be on your own to get back to your car, home, or wherever else.
Safety Instructions will be provided to you at the start together with your Brevet Card and cue sheet, and will be posted here one week ahead together with the test ride report.

Start: we will give a 'mass start' at 7h00am, on Sunday, March 24th (I don't think we will have an actual mass. Though who knows...).
If you get lost, stayed asleep, or simply lingered a bit further at Teddy's, you may be able to start as late as up to 8h00am at which time we will close the start for good. Be aware though that the time you lost at the start needs to be regained on the road on the first stage. If you miss the cut-off at the Union Beach control 31 miles further on, you won't get the Brevet validated. Relax, the first stage is of reasonable difficulty and most of you should be able to gain time on it. Heck, even I manage to get some spare time on this stage.

Route description: you have a draft cue sheet attached, we will complete a volunteer ride one week before (Sunday 17th) to test the route in real conditions and you will then see a volunteer ride report on this site.
Standard disclaimers apply with respect to the draft cue sheet attached to the present post: the ONLY cue sheet that is official is the one that will be distributed to you at the start on the morning of the event. I take NO responsibility for you getting lost as a result of using whatever form of draft cue sheet. We only provide you the cue sheet attached to the present post as a courtesy and to enable you to get in advance some familiarity with the route should you wish to.

Once again, we are changing a bit the route compared to the last two editions. In fact, we are making a hybrid of both versions. No, it doesn't mean you will be riding effortlessly under electrical power.

Unlike last year, Oceanic Bridge over the Neversink on the way towards Rumson is open to traffic, so we will be going that way again which gives us Shore riding all the way from Sea Bright to Asbury Park (that is Stage 2). It also means some less lumps (and no pretty horse rearing countryside) compared to last year's inland route, though should wind be southerly on the day, you may come to regret the lumps. As for wildlife, you are trading off racehorses for Jersey Shore creatures; I won't express an opinion here, though will be interested in yours on the day.
We will keep the Info Controle on Mount Mitchill on stage 2, if only for its glorious vistas over New York City on a clear and sunny day. At that place, you have to answer a question on your Brevet Card, as proof that you were there.

Stage one gets you over rolling roads to Union Beach (next to Keyport), and I am saying it all by mentioning that by mile 8 you may well have already done the steepest hill on the entire route. We worked two years ago on removing some trafficky and/or potholy bits, and I rather like the result. Scenery is quite varied and pleasant, and even on a windy day you don't feel it too much. Upon hitting Keyport you will be catching your first vistas of the ocean, and also the first evidence of the damage brought to the coast by Hurricane Sandy. By the controle after 31 miles, you should be ready for breakfast at the Burger King. If you prefer the food at Quick Check just across the road, fine, but first please show up at Burger King to get your card signed.

Stage 2 gets you first to the Atlantic Highlands, again over roads less trafficky than in past years thanks to our work last year of removing some busy L turns. The gentle climb up to Mount Mitchill is probably now the highlight of the route, make sure you enjoy the views. Before you get there, you will ride through some neighborhoods bearing proof of the flooding caused by Sandy.
Upon leaving Mount Mitchill you will ride a few miles inland including some scenic bridge crossings, before reaching the Atlantic in Sea Bright, a community severely beaten by Sandy. From there onwards you follow the Shore with some pieces closer (with better ocean views) than others, up to the point when you are greeted by Asbury Park, New Jersey. There, instead of continuing along the Shore as in years past, we head inland simply because Sandy took away the ocean road from Bradley Beach southbound. After a few new miles out of Asbury Park, we reconnect with last year's route and end up at the same place for lunch, a Quick Check where you may enjoy your lunch on outdoors tables (and on indoors table if not, but hey, weather will be good. Right?).

Stage 3 continues as last year, till about mi-way into the stage we get you through some new roads in an attempt to avoid heavy church and mall traffic which used to be standard in past years. Before you get too alarmed, let me confirm the control remains the same Wawa used many times before, you just can't possibly run a NJ Brevet without stopping at at least one Wawa if you want to avoid severe criticism from our die-hard and numerous wawajunkies.

Stage 4 is one I always find very nice. It's exclusively on small roads, gently goes up and down, and is quite incredibly rural given where we are. It also tends to go by fast, having a lot of quick and easy terrain particularly shortly after the Wawa. So chances are you will roll in the Arrivee a bit faster than you thought, hand over your card after signing it, and congratulate yourself about a great start to the Brevet season.

I hope this was of some help. See ya there, and watch this space for the volunteer ride report a few days before the real thing.

Laurent Chambard
Summit, NJ
Organizer, Cranbury 200 Brevet

[John Hawrylak]

I'm new to brevets. Your write up was a great description and the control stops seem to have food and water available, which was a great relief. 3 questions
1 Does the front light have to be ion the bike or can you use a helmet mounted light?
2 Does a reflective vest satisfy the reflective requirements along with reflective bands for the ankles
3 What is the best exit off the NJ Turnpike. I'm coming up the south.

TIA

John Hawrylak
Woodstown NJ

[Katie]

Hi John

The term "adequate lighting" is subjective. Personally I like enough light to land planes, some of my friends get away with pen lights. if you refer to the RUSA rules you will see there are very specific requirements concerning lighting.

(it seems that what you describe will satisfy the requirement although technically the front light should be on the bike not just on your helmet and many riders do both.)

Article 10

For night riding, vehicles must be equipped with front and rear lights attached firmly to the vehicle. Lights must be turned on at all times during hours of darkness or other low-light conditions (rain, fog, etc.). At least one of the rear lights must be in a steady (rather than flashing) mode. All riders' lights must meet the requirements of local laws. A rider is not permitted to cycle at night or in other low-light conditions without working front and rear lights attached to the vehicle; therefore backup lighting systems and/or spare bulbs are strongly recommended in case the primary system fails and cannot be repaired on the roadside. Each rider, whether riding in a group or alone, must fully comply with this requirement. Everyone must use their lights!

During hours of darkness or other low-light conditions, all riders must wear a reflective vest, sash, or some other device that clearly places reflective material on the front and back of the rider. During these times all riders will also wear a reflective ankle band around each ankle. (Due to their unusual seating position, recumbent riders may modify their reflective torso devices to show better from front and rear.) Other reflective devices on clothing, shoes, helmets, and machines are encouraged for increased safety - but they are extra and may not take the place of the minimum items listed above.

Any violation of these night riding rules will result in the immediate disqualification of the rider.

here's a link to a nice overview http://www.distancerider.net/lighting.php

I can tell you that you will make enemies if your tail light is the flashing type. Flashing is fine when riding alone but in a group it is frowned upon.

zoom out - you'll see a map of Cranbury here; https://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF-8&g ... wnship,+NJ

see you at the start!
Katie

[John Hawrylak]

Katie

Thanks for the reply. I understand the light needs to be attached to the bike. Thanks.

Also, I understand a reflective sash complies with the requirements.

I looked at the DC Randonneurs site and they seem to say a sash is NOT acceptable. So I was confuse, but you reply cleared it up

Got the directions from Google maps. 71 miles from Woodstown and get off at exit 8, go to center of Highstown and go north.

John Hawrylak
Woodstown NJ

[STK7716]

Can I register the day of the event?

[bluegitane]

Yes.

Registration opens at 6h00am, start is given at 7h00am, registration closes at 8h00am.