PA Dutch 200K
R-12 Series
Sunday January 1, 2012
General Info
This ride is a randonneur style event sanctioned by RUSA and ACP, offered to promote participation in the R-12 challenge.  PA Randonneurs club membership is required in order to participate.  In the spirit of pure randonneuring, minimal support is provided before, during, and after the ride.

First time riding with PA Randonneurs?  Read an overview of what to expect on your first PA brevet. All participants are obliged to follow the rules for riders as well as PA and NJ vehicle laws.  Safety is a primary concern ... please read and carry these Safety Instructions with you.

Start/Finish

Mt Penn Family Restaurant 
3108 Perkiomen Avenue, Reading, PA
(610) 779-8120
DIRECTIONS

Parking
: Park car in Rita's parking lot (next door to start/finish restaurant). Park at the far end of that lot, saving the spaces closest to the restaurant for their other customers.

Traveling far? Several hotels are in nearby Reading.

Preride Breakfast
Available at Mt Penn Family Restaurant start/finish (opens at 7AM)

Registration
1) PA Randonneurs club membership is required in order to participate. 
2) Contact the ride Tom Rosenbauer   
3) Print out cuesheet. 
4) No registration fee - free ride for current PA Members!

Schedule
7:30AM Sign-in and Bike Inspection opens
7:50AM Rider meeting
8:00AM Riders depart (~13:30 hr. time limit)

Daylight hours: 7:25 AM -  4:45 PM

NOTE: Riders finishing after 4:45 PM without lights and reflectors will be disqualifed.

Start Controle
- Arrive at least 30 minutes before scheduled start time.
- Sign-in and collect brevet card.
- Get bike inspected
- Rider meeting, 10 minutes before scheduled start time

Finish Controle
- Get final stamp (at restaurant cashier)
- Initial sign-in sheet and record finish time.

Post-Ride Gathering
A post-ride gathering will be at the Mt Penn Family Restaurant start/finish.

Pablo Software Solutions
Cue sheet (Draft 11 12/30/11)
Map and Profile
(updated 12/31/09)
Message Board 
Membership List

Preliminary Results

Ride Report and Pictures
Ride Description

Read Rick's scouting report with pictures.

The PA Dutch 200k begins in Reading, Berks County PA.  The route immediately heads west, crossing over the Schuykill River at Gibraltar, then through Geigertown and into Chester County at Elverson.

The first controle is reached in Honey Brook at the Turkey Hill. The route navigates through the splendor of rural southern Lancaster County (Intercourse, Strasburg, Willow Street) before dropping-down to the banks of the Susquehanna at Conestoga / Safe Harbor.

The greatest sustained climb starts here, heading north up River Road to the summit of Turkey Hill Point (yes, the home of the dairy / convenience store chain of the same name!). An exhilarating downhill section takes you back riding along the Susquehanna river to the second controle in Columbia.

Leaving Columbia, the route then heads northeast through scenic Lancaster County (five covered bridges await you on the return). After stopping at the “secret” Café Chocolate controle in Lititz (the home of Wilbur Chocolate) – Resuming the ride, we head through Ephrata and the eastern rural outlands surrounding Bowmanstown and Alleghenyville, then routes south of Green Hills through the Gibraltar Pass to again cross the Schuykill, before returning to the start (near the Pagoda in Reading).


There are several steep, extended climbs (but are not really that hard according to route designer,  Rick Carpenter). A triple or 39x27 is highly recommended.



Historical Records
January 3, 2009      Results    Ride Report
January 3, 2010      Results    Ride Report
January 1, 2011      Results    Ride Report  


Course Record:  9:42 (Matt Farrell, Bill Fisher, Juan Salazar)