Pennsylvania Randonneurs

Hawk Mountain
200K Brevet

Saturday 8 September 2018
07:00 EDT Start Time

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Hawk Mountain 200K Brevet

Saturday 8 September 2018
07:00 EDT Start Time

Start Location

Martin's Country Market

1717 W. Main St
Ephrata, PA 17522

Martin's Country Market is located along W. Main St (US 322) just west of downtown Ephrata, and just one block from the St. Boniface Craft Brewery.

Parking

Park your car in the large market parking lot. Park near the main road, away from the market, and near the main entrance sign. Registration is in the parking lot. 

Suggested parking locations for the start/finish are public places, with theft and vandalism a real possibility, especially in cities. Park during the event at your own risk. Please do not leave valuables in your car during the ride.

Lodging

Traveling far? Overnight accommodations are available at the:
Hampton Inn  
380 East Main Street
Ephrata, PA 17522
(717) 733-0661
Make your own reservations by calling the hotel directly. 

Finish

We won't be hosting our traditional gathering at nearby St. Boniface Craft Brewer. That said, the brewery is open and has some outdoor seating options.

Ride Description

From the scenic farmland of Lancaster County, we head north and east into Berks County through Wernersville and Shoemakersville as the route skirts around Reading.  Once through Shoemakersville, the day's first big challenge looms ahead:  the Hawk Mountain.  You'll have plenty of time to ponder this crossing as the route continues its northeasterly track to a controle in Kempton.  Heading north along Hawk Mountain Rd from the controle offers more time to check out the climb.  The route crosses the Appalachian Trail at the base of the climb, signaling the beginning of a two mile grunt to the summit.  The adventurous may wish to check out the Hawk Mountain Sanctuary visitors center while on top.  Otherwise, the reward for the climb comes with a screaming two mile descent to the Schulykill River.  Check your food and water as you approach Auburn as this will be the last amenities you'll see for a while--as in the next 20 miles.  

After passing through Auburn, the route climbs to the top of Summer Hill which offers views of the Blue Mountain to the left and Second Mountain to the right as the route meanders to the next controle in Pine Grove. It's all downhiill from here as the saying goes as the route passes through the Swatera Gap along the Swatera Trail. The first few miles of the trail offer a compacted crushed limestone surface before returning to pavement on an abandoned stretch of Rt. 443. We join the Appalachian Trail and cross the Swatera Creek before heading to a quick control in Lickale.  From here the route passes through scenic farmland along the final leg.  As we near the finish, enjoy the late afternoon scenery of the Middle Creek Wildlife Refuge (which offers another nice visitor's center) before finally returning to Ephrata.

 

Course History

DateFinishers
2011-09-1722
2012-09-0818
2013-09-0719
2018-09-0833
2020-11-0718
Course Record 2018-09-08: Scotty Steingart (07:43, 25.9 kph)

General Info

This ride is a randonneur style bicycle event under the sanction of Randonneurs USA and Audax Club Parisian. Completing this event can help you train and qualify for Paris-Brest-Paris and earn RUSA and ACP  awards. You need a current RUSA membership to ride this event. You can sign up for RUSA here.

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 local vehicle laws (PA, NJ, NY). Safety is a primary concern. All riders must sign a waiver. Please read these Safety Instructions.

To receive credit for finishing a randonneuring event you must complete a brevet card as required by the rules. PA Randonneurs accepts traditional brevet cards filled out with stamps/signatures and backed up with merchant receipts. PA Randonneurs also accepts Electronic Proof of Passage (EPP), but the only form of EPP accepted  is the eBrevet cell phone app. (Version 1.2.4 minimum required). Your finish time and finish code from the EPP app must be written on the paper card or you will be disqualified.

These events are not for beginners.  The courses are hilly. You may face extremes of weather: heat, cold, wind, rain. The roads are unmarked and open to automobile traffic. There will be night riding in the longer events.  There is no sag wagon. Complete several ordinary century cycling events before starting a 200K brevet;  complete several 200Ks before starting a longer brevet.

Registration

Registration Fee

For PA Rando members: $10
There is an extra $10 charge for registration if you are not a member of Pennsylvania Randonneurs.
Prices include $10 discount for pre-payment.
Registration is closed for this event.

Schedule

06:00 Sign-in, Bike Inspection
06:50 Rider meeting
07:00 EDT Riders depart

Conditions

Finish Cutoff: 20:30 EDT 8 September 2018 (13 hours, 30 minutes)

Daylight Hours

Sunrise: 06:35
Sunset: 19:20

The hours for this event extend beyond daytime. Riding at night without appropriate reflective gear and lights will result in an immediate disqualification. See the rules Article 10 for requirements. See the reflectivity guide for best practices.

Weather

Weather forecast for start location: Ephrata, PA.

This event runs rain or shine. Rides are sometimes postponed or canceled if there is a significant chance of extreme conditions that threaten safety (e.g. ice, snow, high winds). Check the message board for last minute announcements.

Questions About This Event?

Please click here to ask the organizer a question about this event.

The online URL for this event info page is

https://parando.org/info/event/2018-09-08/200

For all other information about Pennsylvania Randonneurs, visit our web site https://parando.org/