First 100K of 2025 complete, new riders, upcoming events, and a request for feedback

[RBA Pittsburgh]

Hi, all.

I'm delighted to report that we had 8 riders turn out for the 100K populaire yesterday, including three who are new to the Pittsburgh Randonneurs...please welcome Jill, Anna, and Dean! 

It was a lovely day for a ride, although there was an hour or so of somewhat chilly rain during the McKeesport-Little Boston-McKeesport segment. As usual, I completely forgot that this was St Patrick's weekend when scheduling the event; but, to my knowledge, there were no unpleasant interactions with members of the green throng.

I'll get results submitted to RUSA as soon as I've gotten electronic Proof of Passage (AKA a GPS track of some kind, a few strategic pictures, or a compelling narrative) from everyone. 

In other news: next Saturday, we've got the traditional 200K to Weirton and back via Monongahela, departing from Homestead at 7 AM. Then, two weeks later, another mostly-flat 100K out of Monaca, followed by the inaugural offering of a brand new 200K route out of Beaver Falls into Ohio.

Finally, Steven K has requested that we include at least one of our AMCUP (Allegheny Mountains Cruel and Unusual Punishment) routes on the calendar this year. Here's the 300K and the 400K variations...would anyone be excited about having either offered for our existing dates on May 17th or June 14th, or would adding them to the calendar as new dates later in the year have more appeal?

--

Dan Blumenfeld

RBA, Pittsburgh Randonneurs

(412) 915-6206

https://pittsburghrandonneurs.com/

[Tom Hovan]

Dan,

I would be interested in tackling either AMCUP route.  So, I guess my vote would be for the 400K, and for it to be on June 14th.  Selfishly, it's partly because I have already done the 200K and 300K versions before.  But I think a route of that 'stature' needs another month of warm weather riding for preparation (and May 17th is a bit too early). Thirdly, it is also because that 300K  is a harder 300K than the 400K is a hard 400K (although it is still a very hard 400K, I'm certain), if that makes any damn sense at all.  :)  In particular, I rate the AMCUP 300K we did one year (2012-ish?) as one of the harder days on the bike I have ever experienced.  I almost cried at the top of Jim Mtn.Rd., as you recall.  (only exaggerating a little bit).

My other thought is that any additional summertime routes should be for some of your less time-tested routes for possible inclusion in future years,or perhaps for a route out this way - if anyone is willing to travel eastward a bit.  Again, just a thought.

But if the 300K is the favored route, that's totally fine too, but my vote will then be for it to be sometime later than May 17th.

-Tom

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[Dan Blumenfeld]

Tom,

I think I may have a picture of you at the top of Jim Mtn Rd, actually. I'll have to look, but I do recall a certain degree of fortitude in the face of emotional adversity ;-)

The 400K has a lot to recommend it (as you mention, it's not quite as brutal as the 300K, comparatively speaking.)

As I mentioned, I have no qualms about scheduling either of them for later in the year as RUSA events, if we choose not to use the existing ACP slots already scheduled. But let's get some feedback from others, too.

--Dan

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[James Logan]

If "we" do either the 300 km and/or 400 km, there is virtue starting with the 200 km route.

I always thought of the 200 km AMCUP as the crown jewel of our routes.  Among the most beautiful as it crosses the mountains and back.  Representing the slow-and-steady ancien crowd, it is well in the abilitites of a "slow and steady ancien", particularly in the old brevet rules, when intermediate control times mattered.  Getting to Foxburg outbound was always close to control time for the slow-and-steady crowd.  More leeway in the new brevet rules with relaxed intermediate times.

These days I favor riding it under Permanent rules.  People can still ride the classic route, particularly with the there-and-back over the ridge between Ohiopyle and Confluence.  The "back" is especially brutal for those at the back of the pack.  The Permanent rules also allow taking the GAP to bypass these climbs for those that want the 75% experience (like me).  You still get Mt Davis and Mt Savage, and the various other climbs beyond Confluence.  We did it annually for some years as a brevet.  We had perhaps 4 riders on the road at least once with the Permanent rules, when several took the full route and several took the partial route.  We managed to hit 40's and rainy that day, which made it especially memorable.

Thinking way back, I remember the year Dan lead the overnight scouting trip for the route.  I think it was Dan, Bill, and me.

Jim

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From: pittsbur...@googlegroups.com <pittsbur...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Tom Hovan <tomh...@gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 16, 2025 1:18 PM
To: pittsbur...@googlegroups.com <pittsbur...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Pgh-Randos] First 100K of 2025 complete, new riders, upcoming events, and a request for feedback

 

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[James Logan]

Just reminiscing now just because I am old and can,  I can remember riding the 200 km with Stef several times.   On the humorous side, Stef was unable to ride any part of the GAP without complaining about it, since she was traumatized by it on Crush the Commonwealth.

Another year, when it was just Stef and me, I had a pedal platform fall off just outside Cumberland.  I rode back to Ohiopyle on the Gap with just a pedal spindle with no platform that year.  That highlights another virtue of the 200 km - the GAP provides a way to self-evacuate yourself in situations like that, when going over the mountainsis no longer an option.

---

From: James Logan <jimlo...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, March 17, 2025 12:35 AM
To: pittsbur...@googlegroups.com <pittsbur...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: While talking about AMCUP routes, let's think about the "difficult but accessible" one, the 200 km

 

[James Logan]

On the flip side of AMCUP, the collection of GAP related Permanent rides ithat goes around all the mountains is growing:

Route #	Start Location	Km	Climb (ft.)	SR600?	Name	States
4957	MD: Cumberland	177 Unpaved: 45	8261		Cumberland to Pittsburgh (GAP Trail)	MD, PA
5209	PA: Confluence	101 Unpaved: 94	2725		GAP + C&O Confluence to Wiley Ford	MD, PA, WV
3856	PA: Ohiopyle	115 Unpaved: 109	3856		GAP: Ohiopyle - Cumberland	PA, MD
5205	PA: Pittsburgh	100 Unpaved: 66	1460		GAP Pittsburgh - Connellsville	PA
3854	PA: Pittsburgh	123 Unpaved: 92	2168		GAP: Pittsburgh - Ohiopyle	PA
4692	PA: Pittsburgh	240 Unpaved: 200	4450		Dusty on the GAP Trail	PA, MD

I  submitted the first couple - Pittsburgh-Ohiopyle and Ohiopyle-Pittsburgh.  That seemed the most flexibility to do the GAP in 1 or 2 days.

People have done different variations, including the full GAP in one day.  I wish that one was there the year Dave Kasparek and I did it and back-to-back there-and-backs.  Though I have to say through riding the GAP isn't quite the best way to savor this national treasure.

The 100 km Pittsburgh-Connellsville is also nice to have that someone recently added.  In prior years I would ride to Connellsville once a year for lunch and come back.  There is nothing in the rules in riding a permanent twice in a day (once there, once back).  Though pragmatically, perhaps you can register intent to ride a permanent once on a given day?

Looking at the later through ride routes, it looks like there is a Sheetz now in Cumberland. 

Jim

[Dan Blumenfeld]

I'm in favor of putting the AMCUP 200K on the schedule. It's been a few years,,,

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[Steven Kunsak]

I agree with Tom, that june 14th for the 400k is good for me. I am flexible on that also if too many people resist. I couldn't find the 200k version but I would be interested in riding that route sometime this year. I liked Jim's description. Tom knows that I also can't ride on the gap without complaining. :) 

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[Dan Blumenfeld]

Hmm. I'm tempted to devise an AMCUP 100K, use it for our scheduled populaire on June 7th, and add a simultaneous offering of the AMCUP 200k that day. A good tune-up opportunity the week before the 400k...

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[Dan Blumenfeld]

This might be fun: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/50002456

Lots of interesting sights to see, minimal time on US 40, and getting to descend Furnace Hill Rd into Dunbar for a change. Still a lot​ of climbing for a 100K, but not completely unreasonable.

--Dan