New Jersey Randonneurs

[Katie]

OK all you slackers! now is the time to register for the NYC200K that is coming up in a little over a week and a half.

http://www.active.com/cycling/new-york-ny/nyc-200k-2012

the weather is going to be perfect, I promise!
now go!


Katie

[jbl]

Hi everyone:

Here are the cuesheet and safety instruction for next Saturday's ride, as well as a course description. I rode the course yesterday. It is a beautiful challenging uppy-downy ride. The course is essentially the same as last year (starting by the George Washington Bridge bus station on Ft Washington Ave @ 179 St), but we take a slightly different route back from the penultimate controle at the Orchard; this steers clear of Rt 9W and takes riders through nice back roads of Rockland county (and gives riders a rather more humane ascent up the slopes of eastern Bergen County to Englewood Cliffs).

I’ll be at the start in front of the bus station on Ft Washington Ave from around 600am next Saturday Sep 8. There is a Starbucks at 181 St & Ft Washington Ave, and a Dunkin Donuts on 181 St just east of Ft Washington Ave, if you arrive early and need something. There are public toilets in the bus station.
At the finish, I will wait for riders on Linden Terrace in Ft Tryon Park; public toilets are close by. http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/M029/m ... on_map.pdf
I look forward to seeing you next week.

Cheers, Jon

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Here is a brief ride description:
Some of the information described here remains potentially subject to modification until the day of the event (like any Brevet). Special thanks to Laurent Chambard and Mordecai Silver who did much of the scouting and design of this route (Mordecai added the newest changes to the final segment), and to Laurent whose original ride description I have plagiarized and edited for the 2012 edition.

This event goes over a tried-and-tested route that we have now run several times (starting in 2006), although each edition involved some modifications (either to make the route more adapted to expected weather conditions depending on when we ran it, or to accommodate various road closures). This year's will be no exception; it too will differ somewhat from previous editions but is quite similar to the 2008-2010 versions (basically eliminating the tough roller-coaster over Orange Turnpike to Monroe, and replacing it by the ascent of Perkins Drive, and returning by a somewhat different path through Rockland County). For a feel of past editions, feel free to have a look at event reports from previous years on this site. Everything identified as NYC200 applies. The RUSA certified route will be essentially the same as the NYC 200K that was run in July 2011.

Sunrise and sunset are 630am and 718pm, with a ride time cutoff of 830pm. Thus lights and reflective gear (front, rear, reflective vest, ankle reflectors) are not strictly required on this event, but if you arrive at the time cutoff you risk being DQed. Helmets are required - no helmet, no ride.
Here is a link to a previous posting about lighting requirements:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=910

Controle #1 - Mile 0, Manhattan NY (George Washington Bridge bus station, Fort Washington Ave., between 178th and 179th Streets)
Opens 7h00am, closes 8h00am (Registration open from 6h00am, 'mass start' at 7h00am, controle closes at 8h00am)

Controle #2 - Mile 35.7, Stony Point NY (Stony’s Food & News)
Opens 8h41, closes 10h48

Controle #3 - Mile 46.3, top of Perkins Drive NY
You will have to answer a question on your Brevet Card as proof of passage (Information Controle)

Controle #4 - Mile 65.7, Monroe NY (Bagel Boys)
Opens 10h05, closes 14h00

Controle #5 - Mile 91.8, Pomona NY (Orchards of Conklin)
Opens 11h21, closes 16h52

Controle #6 - FINISH - Mile 126, Manhattan NY (Linden Terrace, Ft Tryon Park)
Opens 12h53, closes 20h30
Controles manned by volunteers will be the start and finish, and at Monroe only. There is no other support on this event.

The entry fee gives you the following services: Usual standard services available on all our Brevets (liability insurance, and rider pack at the start including Brevet Card, cue sheet, Safety Instructions). All controles are commercial establishments where you will have to pay for your food and drinks.

The event starts very close to the entrance of the George Washington Bridge cycle path, so as to avoid group riding into the City and to make it easier for riders from out-of-state to come to the start. Out-of-towners can park on Hudson Terrace in Ft Lee, and simply ride their bikes to the start, thus saving the toll on the bridge and finding parking near the start (which should not be too difficult). The bridge bike path opens at 6am. Riders from out-of-town might want to sleep locally the night before and/or after the ride. If so you might want to consider the youth hostel located 891 Amsterdam Avenue (corner of 104th Street), where you may book a bed (212-932-2300). Ft Lee and Englewood also have a number of hotels.

This route is a fairly hilly course, probably above average at 200k distance. It will require you to have your climbing legs somewhat trained, but good news is that there is not much really steep gradient. This event sends you to Northern New Jersey and Rockland & Orange counties of New York over hilly and scenic terrain.

Randonneurs leave Manhattan admiring beautiful views over the City from the George Washington Bridge. An easy ride visiting pleasant neighbourhoods leads then to Piermont on the Hudson river, and then Nyack where the first sharp climb awaits. Some ups and downs later the Tappan Zee comes again in sight as riders reach Haverstraw, further following the river along and beside Rt 9W offering beautiful views of the valley. The first controle comes at the right time for hungry randonneurs eager for a breakfast.
The next stage is short (only 11 miles), but chances are that it will feel much longer. Elevation is gained steadily as randonneurs progress up Bear Mountain over gentle grades offering great views. More climbing follows up the point where riders reach the summit of Perkins Drive where an Information Controle awaits - and so do great views.
After descending Perkins Drive, riders continue along Seven Lakes Drive and eventually reach Tiorati Circle where the route turns right into Arden Valley Road. This bit is arguably the most scenic (and desolate) section of the event. After a short and easy bit along Rt 17, the controle in Monroe will come as a welcome sight to refresh riders after all this climbing.

More roller-coaster follows on the way back to Harriman State Forest, where long climbs resume over a scenic road very familar to regulars of our series. Once the top is reached it is by no means downhill all the way, since many short and sharp lumps will take their toll on hardy randonneurs. This year we will return via New City & Old Tappan, thus avoiding Rt 9W, instead returning via pretty towns in Rockland and Bergen counties. Apart from a final climb just a few miles from the finish, this stretch is pretty flat, being easy on both eyes and legs. After crossing the GW Bridge, riders go north on Ft Washington Ave to Ft Tryon Park. Pictures of the finish are to be found at this link to last year’s event description:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=788

[Katie]

The weather report for this weekend looks perfect for the strenuous climb through Bear Mountain up to the summit of Perkins Memorial Drive. Last year we melted, this year bring your arm warmers.

It's guaranteed to be hilly, scenic, and fun filled excitement!

Hope to see you there. Don't miss out on Active registration. Use this link; http://www.active.com/cycling/new-york-ny/nyc-200k-2012

you'll see such greats as Jon "JBL" Levitt, your ride organizer at the start and George "Indestructable" Swain manning the midpoint controle. Don't miss it or you'll be sorry you did.

Katie