Endless Mountains 1240k

EM1000k Ride Reports and Pictures (2011 edition)

2010-09-29T16:17:00.006-04:00

Photo by Ed Felker

Preliminary results of the EM1000k have been posted on the website. ... please let me know of any corrections or other issues. Results will be submitted to RUSA shortly, and then become final, pending ACP certification.

The 2010 edition had many improvements over past events, one of which was the superb weather which has been in short supply this summer. I did get a few comments about busy roads on certain sections -- clearly, some new traffic patterns have developed over the past year. Unfortunately, a big change has been all the trucks for the gas fracking going on in the northeast that has impacted a very wide area. While the truck traffic was especially bad between Towanda and Canton, it really was the safer alternative due to the poor road surface on the side road previously used on past editions -- the road cuts I saw on the scouting trip would most likely have caused some crashes, due to the soft gravel fill that was hidden by shadows at the botoom of some of the descents. The good news is, that road is scheduled for a resurfacing by the end of the year. So that section, along with some other high traffic areas, will be some route tweaks we'll look at for next time.

Special thanks to all the volunteers who did a superb job of supporting the riders:

Jim Logan (Hallstead, Lewisburg)
Guy Harris (Course Sweep)
Dan Barbasch (Hallstead)
Ron Anderson (Lewisburg)
Gilbert Torres (Quakertown)
Christiane Torres (Quakertown)

... these events would not be possible without the volunteers who step up to help out.

Mary Gersema writes: "...Thank you so much for the epic adventure and the care you took in putting together this unforgettable ride. Seriously, my knees will never forget it! Your cue sheet was very clear and we had no issues following it. The volunteers were EXCELLENT and helped facilitate our successful completion of the ride. It's so motivating to know that while you are out on the course, there are people looking out for you, carrying you gear and supplies forward, and rooting for you. From what I have seen of your events, you value a high completion rate, and that is evident in the support you provide and the hard work of your volunteers. Helping out at this kind of event is very intense, and the volunteers can get as sleep-deprived as the riders. My words cannot adequately express my appreciation for their time....I love our framed medals. Please thank your kids for putting those together. Thank you again for the wonderful ride..."

Read Mary's Ride Report and be sure to Check out Mary's photo albums:

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

The other half of Mary's tandem team, Ed Felker, has also posted a ride report.

Christine Newman writes: "...I just wanted to thank you for encouraging me to ride the EM 1000K Brevet. I am not sure either one of us actually believed I could finish in the allotted time but we both faked it pretty well! The route itself was really beautiful. I usually find myself cursing you out at some point during most of your brevets but that didn't happen once this time. Maybe I was more mentally prepared. Or maybe it was because "TRO" Cafferty was not included. The second day was my favorite and it is just amazing to me that such beautiful countryside exists relatively close to home. The bucolic scenery made the miles pass by quickly (well, relatively quickly; we know how slow I am ). The volunteers were wonderful. It was so nice to see a familiar and smiling face at the controles, in the middle of the night or the middle of nowhere. Guy, Jim, and Andrew were wonderful as were Ron and the volunteers at the overnight controles. At the first overnight, when I managed to deflate my tire instead of inflate it, the volunteers were knights in shining armor who pumped my tire for me. I am sure an immense amount of planning is involved in staging this event and I want you to know I greatly appreciate the effort you put into making the route scenic, safe and enjoyable. The controles are well thought out and the support is fantastic. I know how much you care about your riders and that is a very comforting thought in the middle of the night. And the rider tracking and blog updates were much appreciated by my family and friends. Thanks for believing in me and making my success possible! "

Bob Casciato writes: "...The amount of work and coordination it takes to host an event like this is huge and you and your team did a fantastic job. I would be lying to say that I am not disappointed at how my event ended. I know I made the right decision but it still hurts knowing you were properly prepared and feeling strong. At the end of the day, there will be plenty more events and the most important thing for me is to get my arms around this issue. I’m seeing my cardiologist today and hope I can begin that process. Again, I thank you for your incredible effort; without people like you we would not have our sport..."

Larry Midura writes: "...Just a quick thank you for your superb organizational efforts that went into making the 1000K brevet a success. I enjoyed the climbing challenge of your route, and of course, the fellow riders. I did leave the hostel in the early am darkness to head back to New York, and as I was driving up Clymer Road near the hostel, I did encounter Mark Shanahan on his last grunt to the finish - he looked fine..."

Volunteer, Jim Logan, has posted his photos .

And 2009 EM1240 participant, Jerry Phelps, writes: "...It’s been almost a year since I so ignominiously DNFd the Endless Mountains 1200km. Since then, I used that failure as motivation to ride more, do more challenging terrain, and push myself harder on rides. And it has paid off—this past weekend I did the Bicycle for Life 1000km here in NC. The group of five I was in on the entire course finished first in 58:13. Now of course, this ride had about 1/3 of the climbing as the PA 1000, but it was challenging in its own way with high heat on Friday and headwinds on Saturday for about 150 miles. I just wanted to thank you for kicking my ass last year, and giving me the motivation to get better and faster. And I’m serious about that—not being facetious at all. Hope to see you on a ride again someday..."

*** Update 9/29/10 ***
George Swain continues to make good progress with his recovery... the latest updates are posted here:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/georgeswain

-Tom Rosenbauer

Eastern PA RBA

Quakertown Finish

2010-08-29T12:09:00.001-04:00

Preliminary results have been posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM_Track.pdf
... please let me know of any corrections or other issues. Results will be submitted to RUSA shortly, and then become final, pending ACP certification.

Special thanks to all the volunteers who did a superb job of supporting the riders:
Jim Logan (Hallstead, Lewisburg)
Guy Harris (Course Sweep)
Dan Barbasch (Hallstead)
Ron Anderson (Lewisburg)
Gilbert Torres (Quakertown)
Christiane Torres (Quakertown)
Andrew Mead (Brownstown Course Sweep)
... these events would not be possible without the volunteers who step up to help out.

If you have any comments, ride reports, or pictures to share, please forward them to me, and I'll post them on the message board.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Brownstown Update #1

2010-08-28T18:40:00.003-04:00

The Brownstown controle was a hoppin' place this afternoon as riders on the EM1000k could smell the barn, Riders Don Jagel and Mike Lutz led the way, arriving at 13:22. Gary Dean and Larry Midura arrived next at 14:30 and found some nice-looking salads for lunch. Next was the threesome of Bob Bruce, Scott Gater, and Charlie Thomas at 15:40. The rest of the field rolled in around 16:00 and proceeded to set of for a big feed. As of 16:30, all but two riders had reached the Brownstown controle. All looked surprisingly fresh and were in good spirits.

A few photos are posted here.

Brownstown

2010-08-28T13:37:00.000-04:00

Volunteer Andrew Mead reports that the first 2 riders: Don J. and Mike L., have reached Brownstown at 1:22 PM. They're on track for a finish between 7-8 PM.

Jonestown

2010-08-28T12:43:00.000-04:00

Guy Harris reports that all riders except Mark Sheehan have cleared Jonestown. Don Jagel and Mike Lutz were the first riders through at 10 AM. Mark was spotted about 5 miles out of Jonestown, and will probably arrive there around 1 PM.

Don J. & Mike L. will probably be arriving at Brownstown around 1 PM. That puts them on track to arrive at the finish around 6:30 PM. Mark S. is currently on track for a finish between midnight and 1 AM.

Lewisburg Update #1

2010-08-28T09:39:00.001-04:00

The rider tracking (under links on the right) has been updated with the Lewisburg arrival/departure times. Most of the riders arrived around midnight and were back on course between 4 and 4:30 AM. Don Jagel is the first rider back out for day #3.

Up ahead is a jaunt down the Susquehanna River, a hop over 2nd Mountain and through the Swatara Gap into the Lancaster area. After zig-zagging through the maze of Amish farms there, the riders will head into the French Creek area and cross the Schuylkill River as they head to the Quakertown finish. Another great day of weather on tap, after a chilly start with temperatures in the 50F's and some early morning fog, clear and dry conditions are in the forecast for Lancaster.

Laurent Chambard did not reach the overnight controle. Instead of the nice bed we had waiting for him at the Country Inn & Suites, Laurent opted instead to camp out on the side of the road in the Bald Eagle state forest. He has been picked by volunteer Ron Anderson, who will be shuttling him back to the finish.

Lewisburg

2010-08-27T23:05:00.000-04:00

Don Jagel is the first rider into the overnight controle at Lewisburg, arriving at 10:13PM. Mike Lutz arrived a few minutes later.

Lamar

2010-08-27T20:57:00.000-04:00

Guy Harris reports that all 20 riders have reached Lamar as of 8:30 PM. The last group of riders departing the controle there, is composed of Bill O., Vytas J., Ed & Mary on the tandem, Bob H., and Laurent C. It looks like Laurent will be the last one back on course. Up ahead, is the last major climb of the day into the Bald Eagle state forest. After that, the riders can look forward to a 20-mile descent into Lewisburg, where the sleep controle awaits them.

Waterville Update #1

2010-08-27T18:06:00.000-04:00

All 20 riders have cleared Waterville #12 by 5:30 PM -- everyone is on track to reach the Lewisburg overnight in good time (where volunteers Ron Anderson and Jim Logan have everything ready to go). Volunteer Guy Harris is currently sweeping the course from Waterville to Lamar.

Waterville

2010-08-27T17:37:00.003-04:00

The first riders, Don Jagel and Mike Lutz have reached the 358 mile mark (Waterville #12) at 3:21 PM. They have one major climb and several smaller grunts ahead, but the remaining 79 miles to the Lewisburg overnight controle has some easier terrain than what they've seen so far -- they're on pace to reach it around 9 PM.

The Last Call an RBA wants to get ...

2010-08-27T17:04:00.004-04:00

... is the one about a rider going down. Unfortunately, I got that call about 2 hours after the start on Thursday morning, informing me that George Swain was hit by a car. I spoke to the police officer who investigated the accident, and he told me that the driver involved was being cited for careless driving (apparently for being distracted). George was taken to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries. The doctors say he will be off his feet for 6-8 weeks, but they expect a complete and full recovery, which is good news.

I visited George again this afternoon, and he wants everyone to know that he is doing well, and to not to worry about him. You can send any well wishes to St. Lukes Hospital in Bethlehem, PA.

*** Update 8/31 ***

George's wife, Jesse, is posting updates on George's recovery ... see this link for details:

http://thehudsonvalleyrandonneur.blogspot.com/2010/08/caring-bridge-updates-on-georges.html

... there is an area on the website, for you to leave a message -- I'm sure George would love to hear from you.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Towanda

2010-08-27T13:54:00.000-04:00

Volunteer Guy Harris has checked in from Towanda, and reports that all 20 riders have cleared the controle there. Don Jagel was the first one through at 8:05AM, followed by Christine Newman at 8:58. The majority of the field came through between 9 and 10 AM, and are making good progress towards the 2nd overnight controle in Lewisburg. The last rider through, was Bill Olsen at 10:50 AM, just 10 minutes before closing time.

Hallstead Update #1

2010-08-27T13:47:00.001-04:00

The rider tracking spreadsheet (under the links area on the right) has been updated with the arrival/departure times. 20 riders are back on course for day 2. A total of 3 riders decided to withdraw after the overnight controle, and have all been picked up by personal transport. Chris Nadovich arrived at Halstead with little time in the bank, and decided that it was unsafe to go further without sleep. Robin Landis slept on his decision, and decided not to start day 2 either.

Hallstead

2010-08-27T10:13:00.001-04:00

Don Jagel was the second arrival at 9:15 PM and was in good spirits.
Ernst Landry was next at 10:10, arriving with an upset stomach "... the hills a bit more than I expected..."

It was a busy night at the Hallstead overnight controle, with many of the riders arriving shortly after midnight.

All but two of the arrivals are now back on course for day 2. The tandem team of Ed F. and Mary G. started rolling around 4:15 AM, and Bill Olsen was the last rider on the road at 5 AM.

Carbondale

2010-08-26T20:47:00.000-04:00

Volunteer Guy Harris has checked in from Carbondale... as of 8:30 PM, 7 riders have cleared the controle including Bob Casciato, who has already reached the Hallstead overnight controle. The remaining riders, Bob Bruce, Scott Gater, Don Jagel, Robin Landis, Ernest Landry, and Charles Thomas, are on track to arrive around 10:30 PM.

Guy reports that all other riders have been accounted for... he plans to wait there until the last rider arrives.

First arrival, Bob Casciato, had a great first day of riding but has prudently decided to withdraw at Hallstead, due to an old medical concern that has unexpectedly reoccurred today. He has made arrangements to get picked up on Friday morning.

Hawley

2010-08-26T19:49:00.000-04:00

Volunteer Guy Harris has checked in ... all riders have cleared Port Jervis (mile 120) and the last rider on course is Mark Sheehan: he was at Hawley (mile 160) at 7:30PM. He's not far from a group of riders ahead that includes Bob Olsen, and Jon Clamp. They're on pace to arrive at the Halstead overnight controle between 1AM and 2AM.

First riders should be arriving at Halstead about now.

Blairstown Update

2010-08-26T13:29:00.002-04:00

Bob Casciato was the first rider through controle #4 at the 82 mile point in Blairstown at 9:15AM. He's currently riding a 15.7MPH pace, which puts into the Hallstead overnight controle between 6 and 7 PM. We believe Mark Sheehan is the last rider in the field, coming through at 11:30AM. Mark has a projected arrival time at Hallstead between 12AM and 1AM.

Two riders, Bill Olsen and Charles Thomas did not initial the sign-in sheet at Blairstown. However, Bill was spotted down the road by volunteer Jim Logan who's sweeping the course.

The riders are now headed to Port Jervis, where current weather conditions are 76F and very low humidity. However, a 9 MPH northwest wind will be working against them as they ride along Rt 97 past Hawk's Nest.

EM1000k Rider Updates

2010-08-25T09:30:00.004-04:00

24 participants will be clipping in for the Endless Mountains 1000k this Thursday, August 26. The event offers a scenic and challenging tour of northeast Pennsylvania. "...The difficulty with these Pennsylvania climbs isn't that they continue for 20 miles; nothing on those roads stays the same for 20 mi. The grades are never constant, and there's usually a lot of up and down before you start going up for good. When you start really going up, it often gets extremely steep. But while they aren't that long, they are relentless, and the space in between big climbs is filled with little rollers, some of which are quite steep little kickers in their own right..."
-Emily O'Brien's 2008 PA1000k ride report:

http://www.emilysdomain.org/pa1000k.html

Rider updates during the event will be posted at:
http://em1240k.blogspot.com/

Rider arrivals to selected controles will be posted at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM_Track.pdf

Additional event info, including ride reports and photos of previous editions, is at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1000K.html

After a summer in the northeast that can best be described as a **Blazing Inferno**, nearly ideal weather conditions are in the forecast for the next 3 days: the riders can look forward to dry conditions in the 70F's as they head into the scenic, but challenging terrain of northeast Pennsylvania.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Controle Sign-in Sheets

2010-08-23T19:46:00.000-04:00

At each of the controles (except for the info and post-card ones), there will be a sign-in sheet that looks like this:

http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1000_SignIn.pdf

The sign-in sheets will be posted at the check-out counter...in addition to getting your card stamped, it is important for all the riders to also initial and mark their arrival time on the sign-in sheets as well. These sign-in sheets help us monitor rider progress and track down any lost riders.

The sign-in sheets will be given to the lead rider each day, as he departs the overnight controle stop.

At the overnight controles, there will be separate sign-in sheets for rider arrival time and departure time.

EM1000k Volunteers

2010-08-22T16:22:00.005-04:00

*** List of Volunteers ***
Tom Rosenbauer (610) 417-7161
Jim Logan 412-580-8575
Guy Harris (908) 528-6384
Dan Barbasch (607) 342-4564
Ron Anderson (609) 731-9894
Gilbert Torres (610) 203-0926
Christiane Torres (610) 203-0926

*** Wednesday 9/25 ***
- Hostel Start evening: Rider sign-in: Tom

*** Thursday 9/26 ***
- Hostel Start morning: Rider sign-in; rider meeting; event start: Tom
- Hostel Start morning: Collect drop bags; transfer supplies: Tom, Jim
- Sweep/Revitalement morning: Jim
- Sweep/Revitalement afternoon: Tom
- Sweep/Revitalement evening: Guy
- Hallstead Overnight Controle: Jim, Guy, Dan

*** Friday 9/27 ***
- Sweep/Revitalement afternoon: Guy
- Lewisburg Overnight Controle: Ron, Guy
- Transfer drop bags & supplies to Lewisburg: Jim

*** Saturday 9/28 ***
- Sweep/Revitalement afternoon: Guy
- Return drop bags to hostel: Ron
- Hostel Finish afternoon: Gilbert, Christiane
- Hostel Finish evening: Tom

*** Food/Supplies ***
- Hostel start: oatmeal, bagels, fruit, danish
- Hallstead dinner: Tom's meatless lasagna, meatballs
- Hallstead breakfast: provided by hotel
- Lewisburg dinner: Tom's pasta salad, pizza
- Lewisburg breakfast: provided by hotel
- Hostel finish: Gilbert & Christiane's meatless chili, bobili pizza

*** Overnight and Start/Finish Controles ***
- Pick up room keys, confirm early breakfast availability
- Large room/suite has been reserved for the volunteer room
- Transfer drop bags to volunteer room (use hotel's baggage cart)
- Setup of message board in lobby
- Use sign-in sheets to record both the arrival and departure time of riders:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1000_SignIn.pdf
- Hallstead has kitchen efficiency for cooking lasagna
- Lewisburg has mix of 2 double / 1 king beds + roll out and smoking/non-smoking
- Hotels may ask for actual room assignments (use marked up sign-in sheet)
- Hostel start/finish has very limited cell phone coverage: most cell phones do not work. There is a remote hand set at the hostel that is available for our use (get this from the house parents: John or GerriAnn). The hostel phone number is: (215) 536-8749

*** Other Notes ***
- Expenses: use PA Randonneurs debit card or get reimbursed
- Send rider updates to Tom's cell phone (text or voice) or e-mail
- Useful rider updates are the time/position of the first and last riders, and when all riders are in or out of the overnight controles. This info will be posted on the message board, along with projected time of arrivals of riders -- this will allow volunteers to adjust their schedules, as needed.
- Rider sign-in sheet is posted here:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1000_SignIn.pdf

EM1000k Update #2

2010-08-21T15:28:00.021-04:00

*** Cue sheet Update ***
The cuesheet and map/profile have been updated to Draft 5, dated 8/21/10. Draft 5 has a couple of route changes and several corrections/clarifications. This update is based on a recent scouting trip, and should be the final one that goes to press, unless any last minute problems or issues crop up. The following highlights some of the important changes and scouting info.

Mile 23: The rough road, previously mentioned in update #1, has finally been paved -- so instead of ground-down pavement, you'll have a fresh ribbon of asphalt to ride on.

Mile 26: The cue sheet notes that this is now the last store for 27 miles (the one at mile 31 appears to be out of business). You should plan to replenish your supplies here, if you need anything to tide you over until controle #3 at mile 53.

Mile 35: Minor route tweak to take advantage of better road markings.

Mile 48: This left turn, as noted on the cue sheet, is VERY easy to miss. I've updated the spotting cues near this turn to help you avoid logging some bonus miles here.

Mile 166-177: Reroute due to bridge construction.

Mile 233-243: Reroute around Binghamton (and it's many traffic lights and cross streets). As noted on the cue sheet, you'll be joining the "Bike 2" route for several turns, which is marked with small traffic signs that have a bicycle icon on them.

Mile 256: Minor reroute to simplify navigation.

Controle 9: I've added the 'easy to miss' designation to where you need to stop for this post card controle. The post office is at the end of a nondescript white building near a golf course, in a very small town. Hopefully, the many spotting cues I've added near the controle, will prevent you from missing it.

Mile 264: Minor reroute to take advantage of better road markings.

Controle 10: This has been changed to a 24-hr Dunkin Donuts in Towanda (the toasted panini sandwiches are pretty good). This is in place of the Sunoco mini mart that would've been closed for riders passing through very early. But most of you will probably be passing through after sunrise, and there are several diners in Towanda if you would like a more substantial breakfast. Towanda will have the last services until the next controle stop in Canton.

Mile 299-316: Reroute to avoid poor road surface. The original route was along a very scenic ridge, away from the main road that carries the main traffic through the area. Unfortunately, the side road along the ridge is now in very bad shape with many potholes, ruts, and several road cuts that have been filled in with loose gravel. A couple of these were at the bottom of some descents -- and one cut that was hidden in the shade seemed particularly hazardous to me. The reroute keeps you on the main road that unfortunately will have much more traffic, but at least a decent shoulder and safer surface.

Mile 413: Road work is scheduled to begin on 8/23, with possible single lane conditions. It did not appear that there will be any detours associated with the road work.

Controle 18 has been changed to an untimed post card drop, since some riders may be passing through before the pizzeria opens at 11AM. The pizza is actually pretty good, and would be a good lunch stop for riders passing through later in the day.

Mile 616: Reroute due to road construction.

In addition to the highlights listed above, several other minor corrections and clarifications have been made.

*** Message Board / Rider Tracking ****
Please be sure to check back on the message board at this link:
http://em1240k.blogspot.com/
...for any last minute changes or announcements. This message board will also be updated with rider tracking info, if you have any friends or family who want to follow along during the event.

*** GPS ***
If you are looking for GPS files, you won't find them on the website. However, some participants have offered to share their GPS data, and I can forward their contact info if you send me an e-mail. Of course, the usual disclaimer applies that the cue sheet is the one and only official route and the GPS device is a supplemental aid to navigation -- if there is any discrepancies between the two, the cue sheet takes precedence.

You may also find some painted "EM" markers on the road, from the EM1240k -- although the EM1240 and EM1000 share some common roads, you should not rely upon these for navigation.

*** Other Notes ***
As you make your final preparations, please note the services that have been listed on the cuesheet. There are several long stretches with limited services -- be sure you replenish your supplies as you head out into these desolate areas, especially during the late evening and early morning hours, when many stores will be closed.

With the large roster of riders and limited space in the SAG vehicle, please keep your drop bags as small and light as possible -- the 10x20" RUSA drop bag is an ideal size:

http://www.rusa.org/cgi-bin/storedept_GF.pl?catid=6

Please take a moment to review the posted safety instructions:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1000k%20Safety%20Instructions.pdf

...and the posted bike inspection checklist:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/BikeInspectionCheckList.pdf
And now would be a good time to make your plans for alternate transportation, if circumstances prevent you from finishing under your own power.

The long range weather forecast is looking very promising ... hopefully, that cold front will clear the area by Wednesday night. Day 1 temperatures in the mid 70F's are in the forecast for Binghamton. Overnight lows on Thursday night will be in the mid 50F's, but some of the valleys can get much chillier. Friday is shaping up to be another dry, cool day. It looks like a general warming trend will be starting on Saturday, with 90F's in the forecast by Sunday.

Drop me note if you have any questions or concerns, and hope everyone has a safe ride.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

EM1000k Update #1

2010-08-16T19:43:00.001-04:00

The cuesheet and map/profile have been updated to Draft 4, dated 8/8/10. The 2010 edition is very similar to the 2009 route, however there have been several route tweaks and additional controles added. There might be some minor updates, pending a scouting checkout of the course. The notes below highlight some of the changes, and will hopefull help you finalize your ride plan.

*** Start Controle ***
Sign-in, rider packets, and bike inspection will be available on Wednesday night at the start/finish controle: the Weisel Youth hostel in Quakertown. For those of you staying at hotels instead of the hostel, I encourage you to swing by the hostel Wednesday night to sign-in, pick up your rider packet, and get your bike inspected. The hostel is in a remote area, and can be difficult to find. There is ample parking to leave your car there for the duration of the event. The parking lot is off to the right of the driveway, half way between the road entrance and the hostel. Be sure to park your car on the gravel surface -- the grassy area is very soft, and if it rains, it's easy to get your car stuck if you park on the grass. If you are staying at the hostel, you should strip your bed in the morning and leave it the way you found it. Any personal items should be left in your car. A hot breakfast will be served 1 hour before the start.

*** Drop Bags / Overnight Controles ***
A single drop bag will be collected at the start and transported to each overnight controle. A tag for your drop bag will be in your rider packet. Please keep the bags small. The bags can be picked up at the volunteer room at the 2 overnight controles. A message board in the lobby of the overnight hotels will direct you to the volunteer room, where you can pick up your bag when you arrive. You should return the bag to the volunteer room when you are ready to leave. The drop bags will be returned to the hostel Saturday afternoon. Food will be available at the volunteer room, where you will also pick up your room key. Riders will be paired up in rooms, based on arrival. Arrangements have been made with the hotels, to have breakfast food available when you are ready to depart.

*** Course Notes ***
Day 1
- The early 4AM start should allow you to get through the Bethlehem urban area under the cover of darkness before rush hour.
- At mile 23, there is 2-3 mile section of road that has been ground down and is pretty rough to ride on. If you can hold a straight, steady line, there is a small ridable shoulder that is smoother.
- The first controle stop (#2 Little Gap) is an untimed, information type at mile 37. You may want to replenish your supplies before then at mile 31, which is the last store you'll see until controle #3 in Saylorsburg at mile 53.
- For the "Special Right" at mile 71, you'll be turning off the main road, going upon a short side walk, and then onto a pedestrian bridge which gets you across the Delaware River. The spotting cue has you looking for a mini mart where the bridge is located. The pedestrian bridge, by the way, was the site of the last covered bridge across the river. That covered bridge was swept away by the great flood of 1955, brought on by storms Connie and Diane (which dumped around 2 feet of rain in the Poconos within a couple of days of one another). The replacement bridge offers a classic view of the Delaware Water Gap to the north.

Day 2
- The first controle on day 2 (after the first overnight controle) is an untimed post card drop. The first timed controle is #10 at Towanda, ~70 miles into day 2. This will perhaps allow you stay a bit longer at the overnight controle. The terrain after the overnight controle is a bit gentler, so you should be able to bank some time on the way to the Towanda. If you leave the Hallstead overnight controle by 5AM, you have more than 6 hours to cover 70 miles (~11.5 MPH pace).
- Many riders found the many steep rollers after Canton (controle #11), one of the more challenging parts of the course. The terrain becomes easier once you reach Liberty.

Day 3
- If you leave overnight controle #2 by 6AM, you have nearly 3 hours to cover ~26 miles to the next controle (~9.5 MPH pace).

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Endless Mountains 2010 Events - Update #1

2010-07-03T12:28:00.001-04:00

With many randonneurs looking to improve their chances to get on the PBP roster in 2011, the 1000k brevets have been very popular this year. The last couple of available slots for the Endless Mountains 1000k are up for grabs. Any registrations that arrive after the rider cap is reached will be placed on the waiting list. Event information and registration is at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1000K.html

This fall, the Endless Mountains Brevet Week will follow the EM1240k route over 6 days of riding, with an ACP 200k brevet each day. Your registration includes an overnight stay each day in an upscale hotel, along with a bag drop and breakfast. This will be a great opportunity to experience the quiet back roads of northeastern Pennsylvania with the fall foliage in full color. For those of you who have expressed an interest in this event but have not yet registered, there's just a few more weeks left before the early registration discount expires. Event information and registration is at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM_Week200K.html

Volunteer Appreciation

2009-10-09T15:04:00.003-04:00

Words cannot begin to express, my gratitude and thanks for all the long hours and effort the volunteers put in over the 93+ hours of the EM1240. The participants I met at the finish, are also very grateful -- be sure to check back on the EM Blog for any comments from them, which I will posting as they trickle in.

Please forward any expenses you had, along with a mailing address and I'll get a reimbursement out to you. Also, if you didn't get an EM1240 polo shirt, let me know what your size is, and I'll send one out. Please note that the sizes seem to run a bit large, so you might want a smaller size than you typically wear.

Events like this, just wouldn't be possible without volunteers like you, who step up to help out!

The upcoming PA150/200k on 10/24 will be an "EM Volunteer Appreciation Ride" -- all EM volunteers ride for free. There will be a post-ride BBQ where the volunteers can get together to compare notes and kick around ideas to improve things for next time

The start/finish will be at my house ... additional details at:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA150_200K.html
... drop me a note to let me know if you're coming and just bring a signed waiver. You are also welcome to just come for the BBQ.

Best Regards,

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA
trosenbauer@rcn.com

Future Endless Mountains Events

2009-10-08T13:28:00.002-04:00

The following Endless Mountains events are tentatively planned:

EM 1000 km (Aug 26-29, 2010)
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1000K.html

EM Brevet Week (Sep 26 - Oct 1, 2010)
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/EM_Week200K.html

EM 1240 km (late Aug or early Sep, 2013)

Behind the Scenes with Volunteer Andrew Mead

2009-10-06T13:10:00.002-04:00

My EM1240 experience is best summed up as "A good plan is one that works as anticipated; a great plan is one that can be easily changed to work."

George and I hatched a plan to follow the riders throughout the day Saturday. We figured we'd be able to catch most of them at Pine Grove if we could get up there by 4:30am. Then we'd be able to leap-frog around, staff a secret controle at Middle Creek, and then follow the pack toward Quakertown. We hoped to blog a bit on the way for the on-line followers. Imagine our surprise when we rolled in at 4:15 and saw 3 riders ENTERING the controle. Still more surprising was learning that these were the second, third, and fourth riders to reach the "overnight" controle. Only Henrik, the first rider to reach Pine Grove, was on course and he was a mere 10 minutes out.

Game Plan, revision 1. George and I head out along the course. Heavy fog is forming. We find Henrik about 17 miles out and conduct a brief interview while rolling along. Then it's off to McD's in Lebanon for breakfast and Wi-Fi. As we're waiting for a veeerrryyy slow upload we calculate we can still beat Henrik to the secret controle location. We set out race to Middle Creek. Just for good measure, we head further down to the course to assure that he hasn't already passed. We turn around and meet him within half a mile of the SC location. We fill his bottles and inspect his neck support. George takes video footage and we send him along. By now, we're expecting to receive reports of other reaching PG, taking a brief rest, and hitting the road again. It is, after all, 8:00 in the morning. We check with Pine Grove and find that a few more riders have trickled in, but only Randy Mouri has departed and that was 2 hours after Henrik.

Game Plan, revision 2. Set up camp for a long day at Middle Creek. George has family responsibilities so I'm on my own. A bird watcher provides an interesting lesson and lets me look at a nearby young bald eagle through her scope. As each rider stops by, I cheer, encourage, fill bottles, offer something to eat, and send the riders along their way. In between I update command central. The riders were spaced out quite a bit, but not so much that I had long stretches of idle time. I managed to project a 45 minute gap which I used to drive up to Schafferstown and restock supplies of ice, cookies, and soda.

Game Plan, revision 3. The Olsen entourage arrives, ultimately the last of the official finishers. But wait, there are two more riders behind the Olsen group that will need help. Larry Grabiak arrives shortly after 3pm. The controle is situated on a level stretch following a little downhill. My location has allowed me to spot randonneurs since they coast this section; the day riders generally hammer. Larry pulls in deep into his granny gear and announces that he is finished. I feed and hydrate him get him to a shady spot for a nap. An hour later he remains convinced that he's ready to pull the plug. What's more, Maile is escorting Mike Anderson who's still an hour away from my location. We opt to have Maile shuttle Larry to Quakertown while I take over with Mike. Mike rolls through just as we're hatching the plan, around 5pm. The terrain is easy for the 20 miles to the next controle, but the navigation can be tricky. I pull ahead to the turns, await Mike's arrival, and then move ahead to the next hoping that this will offer him some comfort that he's on the right track. He continues to consult his cue sheet frequently and I sense my presence at this point might actually make him uncomfortable. With 8 miles to the controle, I decide to move ahead to allow time to get something to eat.

Game Plan, revision 4. Bill Slabonik and Keith Spangler arrive at New Holland while I'm waiting. They will escort Mike until 9:30 and I'll sweep up through the field as far as the Schuylkill River crossing. Of course, this is ONLY if Mike arrives at New Holland within the time limit. He has a 15 minute buffer owing to his B group start. He rolls into the controle at 6:29 with 10 minutes to spare. I talk briefly with Bill, Keith, and Mike. Mike is tired, but mentally in decent shape. I head on. The Olsen group is riding in two parts (separated slightly as some stop to add layers). I reach them at the Harmonyville Rd turn at 7:30. Slow down, talk, and let them continue. They are fine. I reach the River around 8:15. I've encountered no other riders along the way, so I assume all must have crossed the river. I start back along the course. The Olsen group, now all together as they approach M744, is riding strong. They definitely smell the barn. I can't comment on how THEY smell.

I decide to take up position at the beginning of the Harmonyville detour and wait for Mike. It's raining off and on and clouds are blocking the harvest moon. A brief detour to the top of a hill allows just enough cell coverage to check in and receive email updates. I wait. Mike arrives at 9:27. We talk briefly and I explain my plans, look him over, and encourage him along. He's making steady progress, but still right at the limit by my calculations. We reach the Schulykill River at 11:15. He now has exactly 2 hours and 25 miles. I fill his bottles, provide food, and talk to him about what lies ahead in terms of navigation and terrain. He took 1:45 to cover the previous 15 miles; it's not looking promising, but he's committed to finishing under his own power. I arrange to meet Maile and Lane at the WaWa on Lewis Rd. Mike rolls past at 11:31. Maile & Lane arrive 15 minutes later. They offer to take up the Mike escort so I can deliver Larry's bike to Quakertown and perhaps see some of the finishers.

I reached Quakertown around 12:30. You know the rest of the story, well except that I finally made it home at 3am, a mere 25 hours after I awoke to begin my adventure. Truly, I was honored to be able to help out on this event and humbled by what I saw. I'm hoping to ride the next one.

Expenses:
road paint - $12
food/water/drinks - $32
the experience - priceless

Thanks to all the Volunteers

2009-10-06T07:46:00.014-04:00

The EM1240 would not have been possible without the following volunteers who answered the call to help out:

-Barb Anderson (Hallstead, Lamar, sweep)
-Ron Anderson (jersey design, Hallstead, Lamar, sweep)
-Andy Brenner (could not participate due to an injury)
-Eric Bower (Quakertown)
-Janice Chernekoff (Pine Grove, sweep)
-Kyle Chu (Lamar, Waterville, Pine Grove, Quakertown)
-Laurent Chambard (Pine Grove, sweep)
-Mary Crawley (marking, Quakertown)
-John Dennis (Selinsgrove)
-Bill Fischer (marking)
-John Fuco (marking)
-Matt Farrell (Danielsville, Fox Gap, Blairstown)
-Lane Giardina (preride, Lamar, sweep, Quakertown)
-Eric Keller (marking, Lamar, Jo Hays, sweep)
-Andrew Mead (marking, Middle Creek, New Holland, sweep)
-George Metzler (blog, sweep)
-Christine Newman (Quakertown, Danielsville, Blairstown, Raymondskill)
-Chris Nadovich (reserve)
-Maile Neel (planning, preride, Lamar, Jo Hays, Pine Grove, sweep, Quakertown)
-Chris Roth (bags, Quakertown, Hallstead, Lamar, Pine Grove)
-Katie Raschdorf (Pine Grove)
-Bill Slabonik (Selinsgrove, New Holland, sweep)
-Gloria Safar (Carbondale)
-Hugo Safar (Carbondale)
-Juan Salazar (blog, Hallstead)
-John Fessenden (marking)
-Keith Spangler (Selinsgrove, New Holland, sweep)
-Paul Scearce (marking, sweep)
-Steve Scheetz (sweep)
-George Winkert (sweep, Selinsgrove)
-Len Zawodniak (Lamar, Waterville, sweep)

Thanks also, to many of the riders who offered their help at the controles, after withdrawing. And special thanks also to Kim Fuoco, who provided neutral support while supporting Dan and John.

Jerry Phelps writes:
... just wanted you and all the volunteers to know that I arrived home safely late last night. I want to thank all of you for the hours and hours of hard work you put into making the ride possible. I'm sorry that I wasn't up to the challenge and I also want you to know that the responsibility for my failure lies solely with me. You did your best to inform all of us about the difficulty of the ride. My biggest mistake was not driving up for one of the shorter brevets to learn about the terrain first hand. ... Special thanks to Ron and Barbara for their support in Halstedt, Chris for schlepping me to Lamar, and to Lenny for the ride back to Quakertown yesterday. And of course, you deserve lots of credit for everything you've put into the ride. It will go down as one of the toughest challenges randonneurs have ever faced....

Greg Conderacci writes:
... I thoroughly enjoyed the challenge and I wanted to thank you for everything you did to make it possible: from being flexible with the registrations to picking me up off the road. ... As usual, you built a classic: spectacular scenery, low traffic, superb organization and dedicated volunteers. A GREAT ride.

Nick Bull wrties:
Thanks ... to Tom Rosenbauer and all of the volunteers for runningsuch a well-organized and well-supported event. It was great to beriding and find a crew of volunteers at a control or by the side ofthe road with hot drinks &/or food. As Juan mentions, the terrain is very tough, but two 1000K's have beenrun over that same terrain, and to my knowledge those two events havehad only one person who DNF'd (and he just completed the EM1240,yay!). The weather this year in the mid-Atlantic region has beenabout five to ten degrees colder than normal, and that held true forEM1240. ... I ended up DNF'ing with a knee problem in the morning of the second day. Still, I'm really happy that I gave the EM1240 a try, even though I knew it was a long shot whether I'd be able to complete the brevet within the time limits, knowing how tough the terrain was, and watching the steadily-deteriorating weather forecast during the weekbefore the event. ....I figure it's far better to make the attempt and to not succeed thanto not even try.

Jim Logan writes:
A quick note of thanks to you and your volunteers for a great event. I had to launch into business travel Sunday AM, and won’t have time to write a proper thank you until perhaps next weekend. As your are probably aware, I arrived at the (Pine Grove) control announcing to the effect of “My cognitive abilities are very poor, ... I told (the volunteers) I needed to lay down 30 minutes, .... They went along with it, getting me to a room and providing appropriate food they thought I needed. ....The volunteers gave me just the right level of support, and I appreciate the concern I am sure they had for me the rest of the day. .... George Winkert checked in on me 10 miles down the rode, which was appreciated. They went along with my plan and helped me execute it as I worked my way out of the situation, while helping fill in the details (making sure I got food in my room, unhooking my pannier when I was unable to do so, etc). They acted as my reality check, and I really appreciate their support....

Guy Harris writes:
I want to extend my gratitude to all of the volunteers for their support. It was great to see so many fellow NJ and PA riders as volunteers. Seeing these folks provided mental revitalment that helped as much as the physical nutrition. Riders from outside our local area probably had no idea just how accomplished and capable these riders are themselves. Many thanks also to my riding companions over the four days. In fact, I think that I rode with different groups of folks on all four days. A nice change from my typical lone riding. What a great group of riders you attracted to this event! I met many folks for the first time. I have no doubt that the EM1240 will take its place as one of the premier grand randonnees, although it will and should always remain a challenging one.

Patrick Shank writes:
... Tom and his crew/volunteers were superlative in every way. It was physically challenging for sure. But, from my saddle, it was the mental game that needed to be won - unfortunately, I just couldn't get my mind right friday morning in the cold rain as I spun my way outof a nice warm hotel in Lamar, PA. I ride a lot in the wet/cold. but, I've never had to do a foul weather double century after riding 425 miles. And although I was pretty well-rested and well-fed, I simply lacked the experience and will to keep spinning in those conditions. I lost focus and quit. I'm pretty sure I was the youngest rider there, and I learned quite abit from watching the seasoned randonneurs on this event. A good attitude goes a long way. Literally. I was amazed to see riders coming into Lamar - near the cutoff time - ready to keep going after a quick nap and some food. I had just slept for 5 hours, ate my fill and could barely muster a smile. Stong legs and lungs will only get one so far. Experience and a good attitude will take one the whole way.

Jeff Bauer writes:
...a big thank you to you and everyone for hosting such a great ride. I would certainly participate again, assumingI'm in proper condition....

Randy Mouri writes:
I will be among many to say that the EM1240 was meticulously organized and well supported. I commend you on putting together a terrific, challenging and beautiful ride. .... The volunteers were second to none! Simply the best! Please extend my thanks and I hope to see you again in the near future ... All the best and many, MANY thanks for THE MOST CHALLENGING BREVET IN THEWORLD (until someone can prove otherwise)! - Randy Mouri (Greg's riding partner and near DNF)

Glen Steen writes:
...The organization was superb, the volunteers fantastic and the accommodations were the best. I dropped out at Sayre and I actually got a phone call from one of the volunteers at one of the secret controls at about 5:00 AM on Friday morning wondering where I was as I hadn't showed up yet. Great that they are concerned enough to call....Thanks again for a great event and if I can get my legs in shape, I'll be there next year....and finish!

Judson Hand writes:
Tom, I thought you did an outstanding job running your first 1200k. The course was beautiful, the volunteers well organized and extremely solicitous of the riders, and your cue sheet was near flawless. .... You warned us all about the difficulty of the course and we all could figure out the early October weather could be dicey (i.e. cold) and, despite a full moon, we would have 12 hours of darkness per day .... You have a gift for organizing and motivating people that is essential to large events of this kind. You take a great deal of care in your work and it shows. Personally, this ride was enormously challenging and rewarding, especially with the cold, wet weather, and I am so happy to have finished it within the time limit. I don't think I will ever forget it...

Bill Beck writes:
... I would like to thank you again for staging such a well organized and superbly staffed ride for us. I can't think of a singlething that wasn't done well (other than the weather requisition). I told John Lee Ellis that and he said that he had received other positive comments about your organization...

Bill Olsen writes:
THANKS to Tom Rosenbauer and allof the volunteers for running such a well-organized and well-supported event. It was great to be riding and find a crew of volunteers at a control or by the side of the road with hot (and cold) drinks and/or food. And I also want to apologize to many of you for not being as social as I would liked to have been at some of these stops. As much as I LOVE to talk randonneuring and bikes any time of the day or night, I just didn't have a lot of free time this ride to kick back and spend an hour or two in the shade - at least not until after I finished, and thanks for understanding this at 4:30AM when I'dfinished eating (or sleeping) and I was dashing out of the controle 1/2 hour after the official close time. This was a great event but required a riding style MUCH different from the Last Chance a couple of weeks earlier - including NO BEER (at all!!!) at any of the lunchstops or overnight dinners - not that I'm complaining, just a different type of event. .. and as I've commented to you a couple of times already, please don't let the high attrition rate (of the ALL very qualified riders) make you think you need to make major modifications to the routing. It was interesting to note that had you not "time averaged" the controles, many of us would have had difficulty meeting the controle closing times in the sections before 600K and we probably wouldnot have got enough sleep in the early controles. I STILL can't figure out why we lost so much time the second day relative to last year's 1000K. I wasn't as tired starting out the event and we made it into the first overnight an hour earliert han the 1000K but then we ended up losing so much time on the second day. As your average times for all of the riders shows, if one can average 12 mph with the hills, they'll have enough sleep time to recover every night. Once one's average drops to under 10mph, they had better keep moving as there's really no time to waste, and definitely not time for too much sleep at the controles.

Rob Welsh writes:
Now that I have had a day to recover some (not all yet) of my faculties I wanted to let you know how much I appreciated the great Endless Mountains ride last week that you and your wonderful team put together. I am still in awe of the challenges of doing the ride and the level of organization and support that were provided. I also greatly appreciate your personal comments about my progress on the ride. I always enjoy your rides and your friendship. I met some great new friends and felt good for the whole event...(you and your) team ofvolunteers did an outstanding job of preparing the route and buildingthe infrastructure to support the riders. It takes an unbelievableamount of preparation and execution to pull these events offsuccessfully and with enthusiasm. When you pull into a sleep controlor a secret control, it is great to hear encouraging words, help getting your food, your bike taken care of and your room arranged....(you and your) team made this a very special event.

Behind the Scenes with Volunteer George Winkert

2009-10-04T21:47:00.003-04:00

Volunteer George Winkert sent this report on his EM1240k volunteer activities:

Thanks also for the final update on Mike Anderson. To be honest, I'm bummed. As I drove up from MD to help Friday night, I called Tom and he gave me my first assignment: head over to Mifflintown to pickup PaulD and then start sweeping towards Pine Grove. Other volunteers had put in many hours and needed some reinforcements. (I could tell. Steve was calling Bill and Mark, the "Donaldson brothers" over the phone!) ok. But, Paul needs pickup? "Can't be!", so I thought. Paul is as durable and determined as any. I'd witnessed him overcome amazing things in our club since I joined in 2006. I arrived at Mifflintown around 1:15am and there he was with an inflamed achilles. Done. And it reinforced the reality of the past couple days, that this was a brutal ride.

For Paul's sake I wished I could have overnight expressed him back to Pine Grove. Instead, he became my passenger/cargo as I swept from there to Selinsgrove. With my car GPS, and also route-programmed bike GPS, it was still not enough to avoid a few wrong turns in the intermitten drizzle. Like a well-trained randonneur, I always returned to the course where I departed, ignoring the car GPS talking short cuts. A couple times, Paul, dozing off, would speak (when I expected to hear snoring). "George, I think you missed the turn." I'm thinking, how does he know? He hasn't been here and is exhausted. Well, he was trained to look for the road markers which I had forgotten about! The markers were a great idea.

We passed 3 riders enroute to Selinsgrove. Didn't stop, but ID'd them as the Olsens and LarryG. Got to Denny's and there was HenkB, JimL, and AlbertK. The latter two were quickly prepping to leave, while Henk was ordering food. All were in good spirits. Soon the other 3 arrived ~3:30am and they too ordered food. I chatted with the Olsens for a bit, trying not to be a distraction, but they seemed pretty relaxed --- and I've always known BillO to, say, "enjoy dialogue" (a welcome asset to fellow riders in the middle of the night!). Having broken my collarbone last year, I finally got to hear BillO explain how he fell on the snow/ice last winter, broke his collarbone in 3 places, continued to work, and manipulated it back into place while sitting in a meeting at work. Gee, what a whimp I must be, when I took an ambulance ride after crashing. And now here BillO is, 9(?) months later attempting to complete his 5th 1200K this year alone!!!!!!!!!! Yikes, no wonder he's so calmly eating as the controle cutoff time approaches.

BillS was manning the controle. We checked the list and discovered that MikeA had not arrived. How so? Was he off course or sleeping somewhere as I carefully swept? PaulD had said MikA had left 30 miutes after he got to Mifflintown. So, where was he now!?! Hmmm.

At 0445, an hour after the Olsens left, BillS and I stood on the curb outside Denny's discussing strategy. MikeA had not shown up, and the controle closed in 2 minutes. What should we do? A moment later, a solitary headlight was seen approaching about 200 yards away. Amazing! Right at the buzzer. (I knew this "game" from narrowly making 2 controls on the PA1000K this year.) MikeA came down the main road instead of thru the mall parking lot. As such, he would have to cross 10ft of grassy median. He stopped. We waved. He looked confused and started to turn around. We yelled out, "Mike, over here, c'mon!". He dismounted, walked over the grass, remounted slowly, and coasted to the curb in front of us. He was more than confused. And it took awhile to register what we were telling him, that he literally just made the control. He said he thought he missed it by at least 1/2 hour. He had made some wrong turns on this segment.

As we got him off the bike and plopped down into a booth at Denny's, BillS and I exchanged looks. Without saying a word, we both knew that Mike was not in good shape. For Mike's safety, we would need some assurance before we thought he was ready to continue. He desperately needed sleep. He asked for a 20 minute power nap before anything else. Good. But first, we got him to tell us what food he would order. The Denny's waiter was great. He saw what we were trying to do, and had the food ready when Bill woke Mike up. I had already left to sweep towards Pine Grove. Bill called me around 0600. After about an hour, Mike had recovered and was doing better back on the road. But time-wise, he was still on the bubble.

When the sun came up, I took some snaps of the last 7 riders on the course. Climbing towards Good Spring, AlbertK yelled, "I'm dying, I'm dying" but with a big smile on his face.

Instead of cruising all the way to Pine Grove, I went back a good distance to check one last time on Mike. He was good. Needed to ride 58 miles in < 6hrs. I told him that after the climb, he had ~15 easy miles into the control.MikeA arrived at Pine Grove @ 1134, within 16 minutes of closing. Great. He was still in the game. I was happy for him. Helping him in Sellinsgrove was just one of those many opportunities we as volunteers get to make a difference. With drop bag in hand, and a dazed look (but not as bad when he arrived in Selinsgrove), I wished him bon courage as the elevator door shut. With much nicer weather, I thought he had a shot at finishing.

So, yes, I'm bummed to just hear that he fell a little short. But big kudos nonetheless. Everyone of these riders displayed remarkable courage and tenacity.

It was a pleasure to help out and meet many of you at the Pine Grove control center. Volunteers did a great job (especially if you read down this far). I'm sure you all have similar stories of timely help you gave to others. My pics: http://picasaweb.google.com/gwinkert/20090930EM1240K?feat=directlink

A Jeopardy question...

2009-10-04T09:17:00.011-04:00

Question : What did volunteers receive for helping at the EM1240k?

I started riding PA Randonnuering events in the fall of 2006 and since then I've noticed that there are always helpful people assisting around the edges of my consciousness. I can relate to Kate Marshall's blog from the EM1240k in which she thanks the people who took her brevet card from her and filled it out when her fingers were too cold and she was too exhausted to even know what to do with it.

For a sport which celebrates self reliance we sure help out each other a great deal. We promote a spirit of camaraderie between riders on bikes but it exists also between cyclists who could be riding but have chosen to volunteer their time staffing controles, shuttling riders, and solving logistical issues. While I was driving around taking photos of the participants during the EM1240k I celebrated their successes and commiserated with them in their suffering but as I drove home from this event I felt the same euphoria that washes over you after completing a brevet. I definitely didn't burn as many calories, but I sure felt great.

So what did I get for volunteering for in the EM1240k? The answer is truly way more than a nice Lands End, 100% cotton, polo shirt with the official event logo on it. I had the chance to reconnect with friends I hadn't seen for a while, made new friends, snagged a few donuts from the controles when nobody was looking, toured the Roebling Aqueduct museum and shared a small slice of a big event with those of you reading the blog.

Next year if your riding motivation isn't quite where it should be give, Tom Rosenbauer a call, or your local RBA and sign up as a volunteer for an event to enjoy the brevet experience from a different perspective.

Tough as....

2009-10-04T05:59:00.012-04:00

A revised simile

In our sport of Randonneuring we celebrate the official finishers of an event rather than their order of placement. To reinforce this concept, official results are published in alphabetical order only. However, after following the 2009 EM1240K we need to cast a wider net and honor all of the 48 Randonneurs that attempted this event.

Every starter on Wednesday morning knew the course profile included 60,000+ vertical feet of climbing, understood that the event took place on the wrong side of the fall equinox, and the possibility of cold weather (okay, so noble believed it would be as horrific as eventually became) but start they did. Not one starter tried this event on a whim, and while the "Official Results" will probably list 22 finishers I know 48 special people gave their best in training for and ultimately participating in the EM1240K. Truly these 48 Randonnuers are tougher than nails.

I'd like to recognize Jim Logan who simply didn't want the EM magic to end and maximized his enjoyment of this event for 91 hours and 44 minutes, just a few ticks of the clock shy of the cut-off time to be an official finisher. In August of 2008 Jim attempted the PA 1000K which shares many of the same roads of the EM1240, and in the endless mountains after Canton, PA it became clear that Jim would not make the cut-off. He didn't give up but instead rode every mile until he was officially outside of the time cut. He then caught a ride "home" to the finish and worked as a volunteer in Quakertown. When I met Jim at mile 128 on this ride I had no doubts that he would finish, he resonated the quiet confidence that every successful Randonnuer possesses. Way to go Jim!

For more herioc tales of the ride please check out Kate's blog.

Congratulations to everyone who attempted the Endless Mountains 1240k, your efforts became an inspiration to all of us who saw it in person and to those who followed from a distance.

Dan Fuoco update (as of 10/8/09)

2009-10-04T04:27:00.002-04:00

Dan Fuoco suffered a fractured hip after a fall he sustained while crossing wet rail road tracks. I visited him at Hershey Medical Center, where he had this injury treated. He appeared to be in good spirits, and the PT specialist will have him up and about with a walker, which he will need for several weeks while he is on the mend. Best wishes, for a speedy and complete recovery.

Update (10/8)
I spoke to Dan who is now resting at his brother John's house -- He was discharged from Hershey medical center on Monday night. He told me that he is on the mend and getting around with a walker, which he will need for the next 6 weeks.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Quakertown Finish

2009-10-04T03:00:00.011-04:00

Rob Welsh and Micah Fritzenger arrived at 6:15PM (2nd & 3rd finishers)

Micah described the ride as epic. He is back out on the road, looking for Henrik

Vincent Muoneke just arrived @ 18:29. His comment: It was worth it!"

Bill Beck, Vincent Sikorski and Larry Grabiak have arrived.

Henrik Olsen has finished. Over the first 2 days of riding, Henrik put together an amazing ride, as he set a RAAM qualifier pace all the way to the 2nd over night controle, while many others were struggling just to make the time limit. But shortly after deciding to ride more moderately, "just for fun", Henrik needed to overcome major obstacles just to finish -- on top of the Shermer's neck he was suffering from, the following account was posted by OLSENS5:

"Henrik struggled through the last few miles. At around 10 miles out he developed a problem with his crank. A problem he could not fix with his tools. Other riders offered their assistance but the problem was not easily fixed with a road kit. When I spoke with him two miles from the finish line he was walking his bike along the side of the road, his neck in an inner tube sling too painful to turn, his muscles too weak to hold his head and waiting for any downhill slope to get back on and coast before walking again"

Additional pictures of finishers posted by volunteer Christine Newman:
http://picasaweb.google.com/canewmandvm/Em1240#5388751029562435378

Michael Anderson put in a heroic effort on the last day. He arrived at the 3rd overnight controle in Pine Grove with just 16 minutes to spare. After a short nap, he was back on the road again, with nearly 2 hours to make up on the time limit. He made it to the last controle before the finish with just minutes to spare. However, night was now upon him, and he ultimately lost his battle against the clock over the final 58 miles to the finish. He arrived in Quakertown 1:14 over the limit ... while not an official finisher, respect and admiration to Michael, for finishing his 775 mile ride -- well done!

First Finisher Arrives in Quakertown

2009-10-03T16:15:00.006-04:00

Randy Mouri is the first finisher, arriving at 15:24PM

He was in great spirits and the first question out of his mouth was "Where were the hills??"

Randy (on right) with riding partner Greg Conderacci:

More Riders Through Middle Creek (Update #3)

2009-10-03T14:31:00.006-04:00

Jeff Bauer @ 12:29
Dan Barbasch & Dan Clinkinbeard (both DNF) were keeping him company.

John Fuoco @ 13:15. Looking good
Craig Martek @ 13:25. Also looking good

Judson Hand @ 13:40. Looks like he's out for an afternoon ride.

John Fessenden and Scott Gater through Middle Creek @ 13:58. Fed, watered, and smiling.

Guy Harris & GeoffreyHastings @ 14:37.They stopped to cop a few rays about 1/2 mile before my location. They ate & drank, and are doing fine.

Jim Logan @ 14:47. He looked very well. Must have found second (or third) wind.

Larry Grabiak is here as of 15:07
Larry is with volunteer Andrew Mead, presently napping, with intent to withdraw

Mark Olsen, Bill Olsen, Henk Bouhuyzen & Albert Kong @ 15:28
Riding strong, smiling, laughing, and enjoying a great day.

Still waiting for the following:

1 Anderson, dep 1:35 (spotted @ mile 678 at 3:37 -- spinning nicely)

Pine Grove Wrap-up and Controle Photos

2009-10-03T14:15:00.002-04:00

Michael Anderson was the last rider in at the Pine Grove over night controle. After a short nap, he's back out on the course at 1:35PM. 24 of the 48 starters are still on the course.

Volunteer Maile Neel has posted many great photos from the controles here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcn7/collections/72157622383111081/

Greg Conderacci update

2009-10-03T13:30:00.003-04:00

Greg Conderacci is now back in Quakertown. On the way to the Pine Grove overnight controle, Greg fell on a curb and broke a rib. Unfortunately, his cleat became jammed and he was unable to unclip as he came to a stop. Volunteer Paul Scearce waited with him while Lane Giardina came to pick him up. After returning to Pine Grove, he went to Hershey Medical Center to have it checked out and treated.

Up until his accident, Greg was riding very strongly with a leading group of other riders. Best wishes to Greg, for a speedy recovery.

More Middle Creek updates

2009-10-03T12:36:00.003-04:00

While shedding layers and drinking fluids in the building heat, Vince speculated that later this afternoon he may be hoping for brief rain shower later today to cool things down a bit.

Middle Creek Secret/Revitalement Controle #15 (1/2) at mile number 696

2009-10-03T11:19:00.008-04:00

Middle Creek Secret/Revitalement Controle #15 (1/2) at mile number 696 is open for business and is manned by a smiling Andrew Mead. His first client this morning was Henrik and his second is Randy Mouri at 8:45 a.m.

The keen observer will note something in the photo that hasn't been recorded during the entire EM1240. SUNSHINE and not shown on picture are temperatures headed into the 70's today. With less than 80 miles to go from this controle it is a toss-up if this weather is a welcome change or cruel insult given the conditions the riders have endured for the past three days.

Earlier this morning at the Pine Grove controle I listened to Rob Welsh reflect on the fact that it took him 24 hours to ride 236 miles. Cold rain mixed with some freezing precipitation may have had some impact on that...

A few more riders just went through...

Joe Maurer* @ 10:39 a.m.

Rob Welsh @ 11:15 a.m.
Micah Fritzinger @ 11:21 a.m.
Bill Beck @ 11:22 a.m.

Vince Muoneke @ 11:57
Vince Sikorski @ 11:57
Noel Howes* @ 11:59

*will not officially finish but he is restarting his ride this morning from Pine Grove and plans to ride to Quakertown.

Pine Grove Update

2009-10-03T09:13:00.002-04:00

The rider tracking has been updated with several recent arrivals and departures. There are 7 riders making good progress towards the Pine Grove controle:
-Jim Logan
-Albert Kong
-Henk Bouhuyzen
-Bill Olsen
-Mark Olsen
-Michael Anderson

Michael Anderson is the last rider on course and was spotted at mile 624 at 8:30AM ... he was riding well, and determined to make the cut-off. Since he started in the second wave at the start, he has an extra 15 minutes on the closing time.

Henrik is smiling now...

2009-10-03T09:00:00.003-04:00

We talked to Henrik at 5:19 a.m. this morning and it was easy to see that the weary neck muscles where exacting a "stiff" toll on our lead rider's spirits. We encountered a much happier cyclist in the daylight near mile number 696 in the Middle Creek Wildlife preserve. Take a close look at the picture above and see if you can deduce the source of our rider's new found joy...

Henrik used a biycle inner tube to support his neck. You can see the tube as it goes across his chest the in crosses over itself on his back and then it goes up along the back of his neck and around his forehead. The tube takes the stress off of the muscles as it helps support to his head. The solution is working well and to quote Henrik "I'm not an engineer for nothing."

Henrik has not experienced Shermer Neck previously so this came as a bit of a suprise. Keep going man!

Henrik Olsen in the Night

2009-10-03T06:31:00.004-04:00

Here is Henrik Olsen pedaling bravely through darkness, wet roads, and fog at mile 676 (17 miles beyond the Pine Grove.) Henrik was dealing with "Shermer Neck" the problem that develops with too little rest in which the neck muscles lose the ability to support the head.

Misc Updates
Dan Fuoco – crashed about 9 miles from Pine Grove, he has successfully made it into the overnight controle and take some time to decide if he should continue.
Randy Mouri is back on course after leaving the Pine Grove controle at 6:15 a.m.
Recent arrivals at the Pine Grove Controle. Micah Fritzinger Vincent Muoeneke Vincent Sikorsky

Pine Grove Rider Update

2009-10-03T04:27:00.006-04:00

Henrik Olsen left the overnight controle in Pine Grove and is back on course as of 4:02 a.m.

The trio of Rob Welsh, Bill Beck, Randy Mouri just arrived in Pine Grove (mile number 659) at 4:16 a.m. Temperatures have 64 degrees by EM1240K that is downright tropical.

Randy Mouri is considering taking a quick shower and then quickly heading back out onto the road because he really needs to take his wife out to eat this evening. Why, because he missed her birthday (October 30th) and thier wedding anniversary (October 2)because of the EM1240K. So I think he better get those pedals moving! Or maybe he just needs to just stay away from home for a little.

Below is a short video of the triumphant trio of Rob, Bill, and Randy talking smack after arriving in Pine Grove. Amazingly they are almost coherent.

Greg Conderacci has DNF'd due to a freak fall (he fell over a curb at an intersection while adjusting his computer or GPS)

Henrik Olsen update

2009-10-02T23:20:00.003-04:00

Henrik Olsen was spotted by volunteer Paul Scearce who is sweeping the course between Selinsgrove and Pine Grove. Henrik is at mile 638 and about 20 miles away from the Pine Grove over-night controle, as of 11:20PM. His projected arrival time at Pine Grove is around 1AM.

Selinsgrove (Controle 14)

2009-10-02T22:47:00.003-04:00

Volunteer John Dennis checked in from the Selinsgrove controle. He reports that the rain has stopped and Bill Beck and Rob Welsh departed there and headed out to Pines Grove at 10:30PM... their projected arrival time to Pine Grove is around 3:30AM. Randy Mouri and Greg Conderacci are also at Selinsgrove.

Mifflintown (Controle 13)

2009-10-02T19:09:00.002-04:00

Maile Neel checked in from Mifflintown (Controle 13) at the 560 mile point. She saw the leading group with Greg Conderacci and 2 other riders come through around 5:30PM. They are hoping to reach the Pine Grove over-night controle by midnight. A short while later, she met up with the Dan & John Fuco and Dan Blumenfeld, who hope to get in around 2AM.

All the riders were in good spirits and riding strongly.

Jo Hays Vista - All riders through

2009-10-02T15:58:00.002-04:00

Maile Neel reports that all riders have cleared the Jo Hays Vista secret controle (mile 480).

A group of 4 riders came through around 1:15PM consisting of:
- Paul Donaldson
- Larry Grabiak
- Bill Olsen
- Mark Olsen
... they are riding well and making good time to the Mt Union controle 37 miles ahead.

Another group came through around 2:45PM consisting of:
- Michael Anderson
- Dan Barbasch
- Noel Howes
- Judith Longley
- Ray Skinner
... they also are riding strong and are on track to make the Mt Union controle within the time limit.

Joseph Maurer has withdrawn, and is being shuttled to the Mifflintown controle by Maile. Volunteer Janice Chernekoff is headed to Mifflintown to pick up Joseph there and transport him to the Pine Grove overnight controle. After resting at Pine Grove, Joseph is planning to ride in to the Quakertown finish.

Steve Scheetz is sweeping the course towards Mt Union and then on to Mifflintown. The 5 riders in the 2:45 group are the last ones on course.

Jo Hays Vista - Several riders through

2009-10-02T14:28:00.004-04:00

Maile Neel has checked in from the Jo Hayes Vista secrete controle. She reports several riders have ridden through as of 12:30PM. After a couple of morning showers, the weather is improving with a flow of warmer air from the south. The riders appear to be in good spirits and seem to have made a good recovery from the hard riding yesterday.

The first group of riders (after Henrik Olsen) arrived at 9:30 and included
-Bill Beck
-Greg Conderacci
-Randy Mouri
-Rob Welsh
They are on pace to get to the Pine Grove overnight around midnight, probably about 3 hours after Henrik Olsen who is now projected for a 9PM arrival.

A large group of riders came through between 11:30AM and 12:30PM, and will probably get to Pine Grove around 3AM.

The last rider on course is Joseph Maurer. Steve Scheetz met up with Joseph in Centre Hall (mile 465 at 2:20PM). Joseph is riding close to the time limit, and needs to average 13 MPH over the next 52 miles to make it to Mt Union within the time limit.

Jo Hays Vista - Secret/Revitalement Controle

2009-10-02T12:13:00.002-04:00

Eric Keller reports the following, from the Jo Hays Vista secrete controle near mile 480:

Henrik Olsen passed through the overlook at mile ~480 at 6:30AM. He reported stopping multiple times on 192 to warm up.Shortly after he left, Maile said she hoped the rain would hold off for a little bit, but of course the rain started almost immediately after she said that. We don't expect to see the next riders at the overlook until 9 or 10.

Lamar Update: Departure times & Rider Projections

2009-10-02T11:28:00.005-04:00

The rider tracking has been updated to show the departure times from Lamar for day 3.

Henrik Olsen was the first rider out, around 12:30AM, and he is projected to be the first arrival to the Pine Grove over-night controle around 6PM.

The lead group after Henrik, is projected to arrive several hours later, closer to midnight.

Many of the remaining riders will probably be arriving during the Saturday early morning hours.

Lamar: All Riders In

2009-10-02T09:09:00.002-04:00

All riders have made it in to the Lamar over-night controle. Michelle Dulieu was the last rider in -- we were a bit concerned when we lost track of her of her somewhere on the descent into Lock Haven. But volunteer Steve Scheetz, found her napping on a picnic bench near Lock Haven and shuttled her in, safely to the hotel.

The volunteers did an amazing job of supporting the riders. The cold, wet weather, and terrain was a brutally tough combination for day 2 and certainly took it's toll on the riders. But the volunteers worked tirelessly through night to help make these extreme, epic conditions as safe as possible. Special thanks to the sweep teams of:
- Len Zadwodniak and Kyle Chu for manning the Waterville revitalement stop throughout the night, providing hot drinks and soup.
- Eric Keller for shuttling riders in from Canton.
- Steve Scheetz for tracking down the last riders and making sure they made it in safely.
And special thanks to the entire Lamar crew led by Ron & Barb Anderson.

Many of the volunteers are taking a long-overdue rest now. Maile Neel and Eric Keller are manning a secrete/revitalement controle at the Jo Hays Vista on Rt 26 near State College.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Lamar Arrivals Update

2009-10-02T00:57:00.003-04:00

Volunteer Maile Neel has arrived at Lamar and reports:

"Riders are looking tired but good and are happy to get warmed up."

Several recent arrivals have just been added to the rider tracking spread sheet.

More Arrivals at Lamar...

2009-10-01T22:55:00.002-04:00

Rob Welsh just came in. He says it was a "Hell of a Day ... A Good Day!"

The chatter in the control room (Chris G., Rob, and Randy) was that today was a much harder day than yesterday, and they think maybe 20K feet of climbing. Mostly not too steep, but lots of 10% grade. One climb was like Middlebury (Middleburg?) on BMB, where it keeps getting steeper toward the top until you're climbing a wall.

Volunteer Steve Scheetz is now sweeeping the course from Lockhaven back towards Canton. In Lockhaven, he saw the recumbent rider, Dan Blumenfeld and 2 other riders riding strong ... they'll probably be arriving in Lamar within the hour.

Preliminary Pine Grove Arrival Projections

2009-10-01T22:35:00.002-04:00

As of 10:30PM, no riders have left Lamar yet.

Henrik Olsen is reportedly just riding for "fun" now and is playing his RAAM Qualifier attempt by ear -- at this time, he probably will leave with the other early-arrivers.

Micah has set a wake-up call at 2 but hopes to be up before then. Chris G. says he and his group have not decided on a departure time yet.

First riders to the Pine Grove over night controle will most likely be after 10PM.

More Rider Comments at Lamar

2009-10-01T22:06:00.002-04:00

Micah says "Today was the most brutal day on the bike I've ever had, and I'm really glad I did it because I like a challenge!!"

Special thanks to Nick Bull, who is helping out at the Lamar controle and forwarding information.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Arrivals in Lamar & Canton Update

2009-10-01T21:32:00.004-04:00

The first group of riders (after Henrik Olsen) are now arriving in Lamar, getting in just before 9:30PM. The group includes Micah Fritzinger, Christopher Gaughan, Randy Mouri and Greg Conceracci . The riders had a chilly ride with temperatures in the mid 40's for much of the day. But when the sun did poke through the cloud cover, Micah reports that it was actually quite pleasant.

Chris G. says that there was freezing rain or mabye snow on 154 "It hurt!". He also had a nearly-uncontrollable shimmy at 40 mph.

Greg C. says the course is way too flat, "Where are the hills?"

Randy M. also wants to know "Why is the course so flat???"

Volunteer Eric Keller has just checked in from Canton. He's picked up riders Henrique Caldas and Henrik Schroeder and is now headed back to Lamar. Michelle Dulieu, Judith Longley, and Joseph Maurer are the last riders on course and have just cleared Canton around 9:30PM -- this puts them right at the time limit.

News from Canton

2009-10-01T20:11:00.003-04:00

Henrik Schroeder broke his derailleur hanger on the climb into Shunk -- he worked his way to the Canton controle where he is being picked up volunteer Eric Keller.

Henrique Caldas is also at Canton, and has decided to withdraw due to muscle fatigue.

Michelle Dulieu and Judith Longley are the last riders on course and are now riding together. They were near the Canton controle around 8:45PM. They are pressing on to Lamar and hopefully, they'll be able to bank some more time before they get there. But with the difficult terrain that lies ahead, it will not be easy to do so.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Update from Canton Controle #9 mile #344

2009-10-01T19:38:00.003-04:00

This report is courtesy PA Randonnuer Ivan Umble.

Ivan visited the Canton Controle at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday. There were about ten riders at the controle, including the tandem couple of Victor and Katie, The Olsen duo, and Vincent Muoeneke.

A reporter was also onsite interviewing the riders. Evidently the EM1240 is now so big it is breaking into the local media consciousness. Can CNN, FoxNews, and MSNBC be far behind?

With 80 miles to go till the overnight stop Ivan observed that two tough days of riding were taking their toll on energy levels.

However that observation was made before eating. So I predict happy riders will emerge and knock off the evening miles.

First Rider in at Lamar Over-night Controle

2009-10-01T16:01:00.004-04:00

Henrik Olsen is the first rider to arrive at the Lamar over-night control, arriving just before 4PM. He's covered the 424 miles to here in 36 hours which puts him on a RAAM Qualification pace.

Henrik was greeted by the volunteer crew at Lamar, which currently includes Ron & Barb Anderson, Chris Roth, and Eric Keller. Steve Scheetz and Maile Neel will be joining the crew a bit later tonight.

Volunteers Len Zawodniak and Kyle Chu have also just arrived at Lamar. They will be headed over to the Waterville / Little Pine Creek S.P. area to set up a revitalement controle. This is about the half-way point on the 80-mile segment between the Canton and Lamar controles.

Current weather conditions at Lamar are partly cloudy skies with temperatures in the mid 50's -- the forecasted sunny skies and 65 degree temperatures never materilized.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Report from Canton (Controle 9)

2009-10-01T15:44:00.003-04:00

Rob Welsh and about a half dozen other riders have cleared Canton at 3:15PM. This puts the lead group of riders on track to arrive around 9:30PM at the Lamar over-night controle. No report on Henrik Olsen, who probably is several hours ahead of them. Most of the other riders are projected to arrive around midnight.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Perserverance

2009-10-01T14:56:00.002-04:00

From Craig Martek via Facebook, 10/1, 09:30 a.m.

"5-1/2 hours of rain and temps in 40's. Having a snack in Towanda.
About 180
miles to go today."

From George Metzler's warm office...

I think we all know brevet riders are a tough bunch, but to see the heroic effort up close touches your spirit. I followed the riders Wednesday evening into Carbondale and saw the stress and strain of hard riding in cold, overcast, and windy conditions. I saw Henk B. doubled over his handle bars trying to catch his breath 2/3 of the way up one of 40 rollers he had already completed but knowing 15 more lie in wait before the sleep stop.

Where does the desire come from? I think these events captivate us because they are difficult, because at any moment failure may come. Thursday morning, most cyclists began their day in darkness, rain, and low 40 degree temperatures with the prospect of worse weather later in the day. Why begin? Why suffer? If a rider can't answer that question correctly then time slows, doubt sets in, and the ride ends. Each day a rider answers these questions well, will take them one day closer to a successful conclusion.

Below is a proverb from the legendary Vincent Muoneke that makes a lot of sense on a windy day.

Rider Updates - Day 2 (Hallstead to Lamar)

2009-10-01T13:21:00.001-04:00

Henrik Olsen was the first rider back on course out of Hallstead at 8:05 PM Wednesday night. It appears that he reached the Dushore controle around 4:30AM and has slept at the nearby hotel. As of 12:30 PM, he had not checked into Canton.

Most of the other riders were back on course between 3 and 5 AM on Thursday.

The riders encountered chilly riding conditions in the early morning hours, with temperatures in the low to mid 40's and some rain showers passing through the Binghamton area. As they head south and west, weather conditions should improve -- current forecast for the Lamar overnight controle is for mostly sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 60's by the afternoon.

Nick Bull has withdrawn at Towanda, due to a sore knee. Nick explains that the strength was there in the muscles but not in the joints. He has been picked up by Kim Fuoco and is enroute to Lamar -- where he will continue participation in the EM1240 as a volunteer.

Alan Gosart did not start day 2 -- he is getting picked up by personal support at the Hallstead controle.

Martin Lavoie withdrew at Binghamton. He was riding very strongly on the first day and was one of the early arrivals to the Hallstead overnight controle. He headed out around 4AM on Thursday but decided he was unprepared for the combination of rain showers and temperatures in the mid 40's. He has been picked up and is now back at the Quakertown start/finish.

Jerry Phelps did not start day 2. He is being transported to the Lamar overnight controle by Ron and Barb Anderson.

Glen Steen has withdrawn at the Sayre controle -- he is being picked up by personal support.

Michael Sturgill withdrew at Hallstead. Juan Salazar transported him to Binghamton where he plans to take a bus to NY city.

Bill and Mark Olsen passed through the Sayre controle around 10:30 AM. Michelle Dulieu and another rider were spotted near Sayre shortly afterwards. Judith Longley and Henrik Schroeder passed through Sayre around 11AM, and are probably the last riders on course. The tandem team of Victor Urvantsev and Kate Marshall were reluctant starters from Hallstead, but appear to be riding strongly with a group of riders that are ahead of the trailing group.

The rider tracking will be updated shortly with the Hallstead departure times.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

News from Hallstead

2009-10-01T13:05:00.004-04:00

I left Hallstead at about 6am this morning. All other volunteers were enjoying some well deserved sleep at the time. All riders were accounted for. The last two riders to leave Hallstead were Bill and Mark Olsen. Three riders decided to pack it in at Hallstead. I gave a ride to Mike Sturgill to nearby Binghamton, where he took a bus to NYC. All is well with Mike, he had no physical issues, the weather was the major factor in his decision to call it quits. Alan Gosart was woken up at 5am, but he too decided he would not continue. Jerry Phelps also called it a day. He will be taking a ride with Ron and Barbara to Lamar. There he will be picked up.

Most of the riders had already left before it started to rain at about 4:30am. It was chilly and wet this morning, a really bad combo. Riders who left before 3am might have escaped some of that. Despite the bad weather and tons of climbing, the vast majority of riders were in really good spirits, and we did our best to motivate them. In the "high spirits" category one of the top contenders is Vincent Muoneke, always smiling, along with Dan Clinkinbeard (aka "I'm lovin' it!").

Some riders had mechanical issues. Henrique Caldas broke his chain on the first day, but thanks to a spare link donated by Michelle Dulieu, he was able to move on. Henrique is riding with fellow Brazilian Rogerio Bernardes. They were one of the last riders in yesterday (early today), but after a couple hours of sleep they were back on the road. Michelle was our last rider in at 1:55am. However, she just took a shower, had some food and was off again.

Back to Work Thursday morning

2009-10-01T10:23:00.003-04:00

Vincent Muoneke soldiering onward Wednesday evening.

High everyone. I'm back at work in the office and will have to rely on riders for photos and news. I will however post some photos from the first day just to keep the blogsite updated. Last evening after closing out Controle #4 in Barry NY I drove to Carbondale "sweeping" the course.

Most riders were still pretty high in spirit Wednesday evening. Lots of enthusiastic thumbs up and even on some nastly climbs to Carbondale. The tandem duo of Victor and Kate was flying down the hills, as I approached them in my vehicle, I could hear the brakes complaining loudly as they had to come to a complete stop at a stop sign right at the bottom of the hill. (just before the road went straight back up of course)

Hallstead reporting: all riders are in (and some have already left)

2009-10-01T02:14:00.004-04:00

Joseph Maurer @ 00:51

Rogerio Bernardes @ 01:45

Henrique Caldas @ 01:45

Michelle Dulieu @ 01:55

Tom is now asleep. He has been working 24h non-stop.

Hallstead update

2009-10-01T02:02:00.002-04:00

All riders have now reached the Halstead overnight controle, and several are now heading back out.

Hallstead reporting: Bill Olsen explains WPPS

2009-10-01T01:24:00.002-04:00

Many of the riders have remarked how much the markings along the course make it easier to navigate. Bill Olsen suggested that GPS should be banned in favor of the White Paint Positioning System (WPPS). We will be submitting the suggestion to RUSA shortly. Thanks for all the volunteers who have made WPPS a success: Mary Crawley, Tom Rosenbauer, Bill Fischer, John Fessenden, Eric Keller, John Fuoco, Paul Scearce and Andrew Mead.

Hallstead reporting: Almost everyone is in and asleep

2009-10-01T01:11:00.003-04:00

Glen Steen @ 23:49

Larry Grabiak @ 23:55

Paul Donaldson @ 00:00

Henk Bouhuyzen @ 00:27

Vincent Muoneke @ 00:27

Bill Olsen @ 00:30

Mark Olsen @ 00:30

Noel Howes @ 00:30

Hallstead reporting: majority of riders are in

2009-09-30T23:35:00.002-04:00

Albert Kong @ 22:57

Jim Logan @ 23:03

Dan Barbasch @ 23:03

Jerry Phelps @ 23:03

Judith Longley @ 23:03

Henrik Schroeder @ 23:03

Michael Anderson @ 23:10

Nicholas Bull @ 23:12

Kate Marshall and Victor Urvantsev @ 23:12 (They are on a tandem!)

Raymond Skinner @ 23:22

Hallstead reporting: two riders underway

2009-09-30T22:54:00.003-04:00

Henrik Olsen left Hallstead at 20:05 and Jim Solanick enjoyed some of Tom's famous lasagna, departing Hallstead at 22:41. Tom informs me that the rider tracking has been updated. Check the link on the right bar or click here.

Hallstead reporting: many new arrivals

2009-09-30T22:29:00.002-04:00

Mike Sturgill @ 20:30

John Fuoco and Dan Fuoco a little after 20:30

Dan Blumenfeld @ 20:57

Bill Beck @ 20:59

Craig Martek @ 21:06

Geoffrey Hastings @ 21:09

Jud Hand @ 21:09

John Fessenden @ 21:13

Guy Harris @ 21:23

Jim Solanick @ 21:23

Patrick Shank @ 21:25

Vincent Sikorski @ 21:40

Dan Clinkinbeard @ 21:40

Scott Gater @ 21:43

Jeff Bauer @ 21:55

Alan Gosart @ 21:55

Vincent Sikorski after a shower

Hallstead reporting: second group arrives

2009-09-30T20:20:00.002-04:00

Micah Fritzinger @ 20:10

Martin Lavoie @ 20:10

Henrik Olsen has already left the overnight control at 20:05.

Hallstead reporting: First riders in at 19:22

2009-09-30T19:43:00.003-04:00

Henrik Olsen @ 19:22

Rob Welsh @ 19:22

Christopher Gaughan @ 19:22

Randy Mouri @ 19:22

Greg Conderacci @ 19:22

Hallstead is ready!

2009-09-30T18:54:00.004-04:00

Volunteers at the Hallstead control are waiting for the first riders to come in. It will be any moment now...

Coffee + Muffins + other good stuff

Dining room and drop bags

Volunteers ready to sign-in riders.

Photos from the Roebling bridge area at mile 132.5

2009-09-30T16:32:00.003-04:00

Final sign in sheet from Barry, NY Controle 4

2009-09-30T16:28:00.004-04:00

This is the last posting of the sign in sheet in Barry, NY. This sign in sheet shows what time each rider signed in. Some of the times are in 24 hour format and some are not so that makes it a bit confusing.

Photos from Barry, NY

2009-09-30T15:33:00.004-04:00

Daniel Blumenfeld

2009-09-30T15:27:00.002-04:00

I'm calling this video..."There is one in every crowd"

Updated sign in sheets from Barry NY

2009-09-30T14:48:00.003-04:00

Rider sign in sheet at 2:35 p.m. (14:35 for those of you who are true randos.. :)

One hour and forty five minutes after the first five riders arrived in Barry, NY another twenty four have signed in. In the 15 minutes since I took the photo of the sign in sheet another seven riders have arrived at this check point.

Temperatures have been holding steady at 52 degrees this afternoon.

First Arrivals at controle 4, Barry NY

2009-09-30T12:59:00.005-04:00

Greg Conderacci, Christopher Gaughan, Randy Mouri, Henrik Olsen and Michael Strurgill arrived in Barry, New York at 12:45 p.m. 128.4 miles completed. Just 625 miles to +/- completion.

Henrik Olsen is attempting the EM1240 as a last minute qualifier for RAAM. He experienced knee pain on the Shenandoah 1200K and is now trying an even tougher course.

Blairstown (Controle #3)

2009-09-30T11:20:00.002-04:00

Christine Newman reports that all riders have cleared the Blairstown controle.

Henrik Olsen and Rob Welsh were the first riders through at 9:24AM. They're keeping a 15MPH pace which would get them to Halstead just before 6PM. But ahead of them is the 3rd climb over the Appalachians on Millbrook Rd, as they head into the Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area. And after that, the big climbs around Carbondale await them ... so a later arrival time is probably more realistic.

Vincent Muoneke and Michelle Dulieu were the last riders through at 10:46 and 11:04 AM -- they're keeping a very good pace of 11.8 MPH which gets them into Hallstead well before midnight, if they can sustain it.

Christine reports that the riders are going through a lot of water at the support stops -- this is a bit surprising, given the very cool weather. So we've decided to set up an additional revitalement controle on Raymondskill Falls near the Oppulent Outhouse:
http://www.theplumber.com/outhouse.html

Rick Carpenter checked in, to report that he made it safely back to the start/finish in Quakertown.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Fox Gap Update

2009-09-30T10:30:00.001-04:00

Matt Farrell reports that all riders have cleared the Fox Gap controle. Last rider through was Michelle Dulieu at 9:35AM ... this puts her on pace to reach Hallstead around 10:30PM, which would allow for a good rest before starting the 2nd day.

The tandem team of Victor Urvantsev and Kate Marshall broke their chain at the bottom of the climb -- they got it fixed, but they might be interested in an 8-speed quick link, if any volunteers happen to have any.

Craig Martek had some mechanical problems with his derailleur pully wheels ... he had them all disassembled at one point, but everything seems to be OK now.

The hot chocolate and instant soup seemed to hit the spot this time, for many riders.

So far, the riders appears to be making good progress to the overnight controle, but there's still some very challenging terrian ahead of them ... and perhaps the pace will slow down a bit, as their initial exuberance begins to wane...

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Fox Gap Climb

2009-09-30T10:23:00.004-04:00

Photos from Fox Gap Secret Control

2009-09-30T10:18:00.001-04:00

Fox Gap Sign in Sheets as of 9:05 a.m. Wednesday

2009-09-30T09:51:00.004-04:00

Here are sign-in sheets from the Fox Gap secret controle. Just after I took the photos about ten riders were arriving.

First Riders at Fox Gap Secret Controle

2009-09-30T09:06:00.002-04:00

Matt Farrell reports that Christopher Gaughan, Dan Clinkinbeard, and Mike Sturgill are the first riders to reach the secret controle at the top of Fox Gap. They arrived at 8:09AM, which puts them on track to reach the Hallstead overnight controle between 6 and 7 PM.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Danielsville (Controle #2)

2009-09-30T08:21:00.004-04:00

Volunteer Christine Newman reports that all riders have cleared Controle #2 at Danielsville. The first riders came through in a large pack at 6:02 AM and the last 2 riders, Michele Dulieu and Vincent Muoneke arrived at 6:55. Vincent's bottom bracket appears to working better for now -- but any volunteers heading out on course today should pack some bottom bracket tools, if they have any.

The riders will then be headed up over their first Appalachian crossing of the day at Little Gap, where they will ride along a nice scenic valley road. They will then make the turn on Rt 191 for the challenging climb up to Fox Gap, where volunteer Matt Farrell will greet them at a secret controle at the top of the second crossing of the day.

Weather conditions are overcast, with temperatures in the mid 50's. Not quite cold enough for the riders to go for the hot chocolate and soup we offered at the controle.

Rick Carpenter has decided to withdraw at the Danielsville controle, so there are currently 47 riders on course.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

We Begin

2009-09-30T04:47:00.010-04:00

The Endless Mountains 1240K began with 48 riders leaving the Hampton Inn in Quakertown PA at 4:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.

I spent a couple of minutes catching up with local PA riders Rick Carpenter and Guy Harris. Rick and Guy are veterans of many of Tom Rosenbauer's PA Randonneuring events. Rick recently completed London Edinburgh London 1400K and Guy is close to wrapping up a yearlong R-12 series in tough PA terrain on a fixed gear. Rick is using the EM 1240K along with Craig Martek, Michael Strugill, Henrik Olsen as a RAAM qualifier.

The first mechanical issue of the day has befallen Vincente Muoneke from Seattle, WA. Vincent violated one of the cardinal rules of long distance cycling which is "Thou Shalt Not Mess with your Bike" just prior to a long ride. Victor's punishment is a bottom bracket which is tightening up on him. Welcome to PA! If anyone can deal with it I'm sure that Victor can overcome the problem.

Tom Rosenbauer, the event organizer, sent the riders on their way and told me a few minutes ago. "If I did my job correctly all I need to do is pass out the medals at the end to all the riders that finish" Well Tom, I'm sure that your did your job correctly but I have a feeling that you will be pretty busy for the next several days.

Volunteer Pre-ride Photos

2009-09-28T11:34:00.002-04:00

Maile Neel has posted several nice pictures:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcn7/collections/72157622343990269/

... while doing a final course checkout ride, with riding partner Lane Giardina. Unfortunately, they cut their planned ride short at Mifflintown, due to the torrential rains that delayed them.

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Hello EM 1240K Riders, Friends and Family

2009-09-21T20:54:00.002-04:00

I will be helping to share the adventure of the EM 1240K by taking photos and passing along the adventures of the riders I encounter during the course of the event. There will be at least as many stories as there are cyclists. So riders if you have the ability to email me a photo and a few lines of text during the ride please send it to George@Rittenhousebuilders.com and I will attempt to post as time (and my day job) permit.

I plan to drive around the course on Wednesday and then retreat to "mission control" and rely on the volunteer staff and rider contributions to keep the content flowing during the event.

All the Best,

George Metzler

2 weeks to go!

2009-09-14T19:37:00.001-04:00

Riders will be clipping in at 4AM on Wednesday, September 30, for the inaugral edition of the Endless Mountains 1240k. Reports on rider progress will be posted here.

Rider Arrival and Departure times to the over night controles will be posted in the Rider Tracking link.

Additional details on the EM1240k are posted at this link:
http://users.rcn.com/trosenbauer/PA1200K.html