Results

Results –Princeton 300k 5/14/2011 + Volunteer Pre- Ride

Riders enroute to Whitehouse Station in the early hours.  photo by Shane Beake

Aaron, Daniel 17:58

Anderson, Barbara 16:43 (Tandem)

Anderson, Ron 16:43 (Tandem)

Beake, Shane 14:14 (Fastest Time)

Cameron, Chip 15:26

Chambard, Laurent 16:53

Chin-Hong, Patrick 14:14 (Fastest Time)

Collins, Sam 16:46

Craven, Leslie 19:19

Engstrom, Dawn 16:46

Grogan, John 18:28

Gregorio, George 15:58 (Volunteer Pre-Ride)

Kerekes, Todd 19:19

Koch, Goon 16:46

Kratovil, Joe 15:58 (Volunteer Pre-Ride)

Lentz, Rick 16:46

Levitt, Jonathan 15:58 (Volunteer Pre-Ride)

Litherland, Rob 16:46

Mantaring, Eddy 16:46

McAdams, Linda 14:50 (1st Women's Finisher)

Mortara, Rene 16:36

Mortara, Rob 16:36

Murray, Paul 16:17

Newman, Christine 18:29

Olsen, Bob 16:24

Reeder, W Thomas 19:17

Safar, Hugo 16:05

Shapiro, Paul 15:23

Mordecai, Silver 16:46

Torres, Bob 15:58

Yesko, Stephen 14:14 (Fastest Time)

Zawodniak, Len 14:14 (Fastest Time)

Volunteer Ride Report!

Details on the volunteer ride ridden one week before the main event are available here:

http://mellowyellowbent.blogspot.com/2011/05/princeton-300k-volunteer-ride-best-of.html

Safety Instructions & Latest Cue Sheet - Please Read

Cue Sheet 2011 - Latest Version (Excel File)
http://www.njrando.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=733&sid=3

Princeton 300k Brevet – Safety Instructions - Pleae Read Important!

Our responsibility as the organizer is to provide you with a route reasonably suitable for long distance cycling, and bring you some support to help you make it a safe and enjoyable day. Your responsibility as the rider is to show up in reasonable physical condition for the event. Bringing a reliable machine, comply with all traffic laws along the course, and respect the rights of all other users of the route,
The Princeton 300k route has been peer-reviewed by RUSA and been attributed RUSA Certification # 15, meaning it is recognized as suitable by experienced fellow Randonneurs.

The route has been run last year in the same configuration. It has been modified regularly since 2001, in the spirit of removing heavy traffic and/or bad pavement sections and also to include the best scenery we have available.

Some things to remember:

Do not form a large bunch at the start of the ride. Despite the early hour you may encounter vehicle traffic on the narrow roads leaving Princeton Forestall Village and along Canal Road. Riding two and three abreast with a vehicle waiting behind is illegal, and not in the spirit of Randonneuring. When vehicles present themselves quickly move to a single file formation to allow them to pass. When the roads are clear a maximum of two riders side by side is recommended.  At various places on the route, highlighted on the cue sheet, you will find steep, twisty descents over sometimes bad pavement. Point Mountain Road, Jenny Jump and Hacklebarney Park all have fast descents with less than ideal road surfaces. All three are fast and narrow. Please be careful and be sure to have brakes in good working order!

Equipment

A proper bike helmet is required. No helmet no ride.  Lights, (front headlight and rear, non-blinking tail light) mounted on the bicycle. Lights mounted on the rider’s helmet, backpack or other places on their person do not count as primary lighting, You must have good lighting, clearly visible from at least 100 feet, securely mounted on the bicycle. Reflective clothing (ankle bands and vest or sash) are mandatory requirements on this ride. We will hold a bike inspection at check-in. Whoever is not decently lit and visible will simply not be allowed to start the Brevet. If you need recommendations about lighting and related night gear, post a message on our message board www.njrando.com. Fellow Randonneurs will advise you as to the products available. Given the difficult nature of this route with many challenging climbs and fast descents it is wise to have your bicycle in top operating condition. You will need good functioning gearing for heavy climbing. Excellent functioning brakes along with good tires are also a must. You should have the ability to do some basic roadside repairs. Certainly you should come prepared to change a flat. Carrying spare tube(s), tire pump or quick fill is essential. Flat tires are a common occurrence on our roads in New Jersey, riders have on occasion suffered multiple flat tires on the same brevet.


Abandon

Should you have to abandon the ride, please inform me:

Joe Kratovil, Organizer Cell 908-507-0422

We need to know if you are not continuing, or we may spend time and manpower looking for you.  Should you find yourself unable to continue, or unable to make the next control before the closing time, please call me.  It is likely our volunteers are able to assist you with transportation to the finish. However, this is a service that is not guaranteed. Should you question your ability to finish the route I suggest you prepare in advance for that possibility. Below is a list of local taxi services. The town of Hackettstown is a populated area that is central to the route. A Google search brings up a list of available taxi services. However, please call us first as we will make every effort to provide you with a SAG to the finish.

Taxi Services, Hackettstown, NJ

Hackettstown Car Service - 306 East Plane Street, Hackettstown - (908) 852-3111

Knight Rider Limos.- 229 Main Street, Hackettstown, New Jersey - (908) 850-4450

Chapin Limo and Taxi Servie - Hackettstown, New Jersey - (908) 979-9444

DJ’s Taxi - 200 Main Street, Hackettstown NJ - (908) 914-6754

Newark Airport Taxi Service - 19 Allen Road, Hackettstown - (908) 319-7179

Taxi Car Service in Town - Hackettstown - (908) 616-4000

Food Services along the Route

Listed below are the control stops where food will be available. At all controls, with the exception of Hacklebarney Park you will need to pay for all food. Manned Controls at commercial establishments (Whitehouse Station and Blairstown) will have water available for refilling bottles. You will find a large orange cooler near the entrance to the establishment. Since the distance between some controls is considerable I have detailed additional stops that have food and beverages available. I suggest keeping this list with you during the ride should you find yourself in need.

Bold type indicates a control stop

Mile 30.8 - Control - Bagel Junction – Volunteer manned - Indoor seating, bathroom available

Mile 41.5 - Exxon/Dunkin Donuts/Tiger Mart (straight across intersection) Hours: 5am – 8:30pm
Bathroom available

A&P Supermarket (on left by Sliker Road) Hours: 7am – 10pm

Mile 56.5 - Quick Check Market (on left) Open 24 Hours

Mile 70.0 - Chrusz’s Store (on right) Hours (Unreliable supposed to open at 8:30 am was closed on pre-ride past two years. Do not count on.)

Mile 73.6 - Marksboro Deli Just past the turn onto Spring Valley Road – open until 2pm.

Mile 85.2 Control - Gourmet Gallery – Volunteer manned – Indoor seating, bathroom available

Mile 85.6 – Other services at Blairstown
Blairstown Diner Rt 94 on right
Dales Market Rt 94 on left across from Deli and Diner

Mile 97.8 - Nykuns General Store – turn left on Rt 46 instead of right, store is just ahead on right. Retrace to get back on course.

Mile 118.5 - Schooley’s Mountain General Store (on right) Hours: 7am – 9pm

Mile 130.7 - Exxon/Dunkin Donuts/Tiger Mart (at intersection on right) Hours: 5am – 8:30pm
A&P Supermarket (on right by Sliker Road) Hours: 7am – 10pm
Nicola’s Pizza (just past turn on right) 11am – 10pm

Mile 131 (Information Control Only not necessary to enter store) - Califon General Store on right – open until 4pm

Mile 142.6 Control - Hacklebarney State Park – Volunteer Manned (food, beverage provided)
Outdoor picnic table seating - Bathroom available

Mile 155.8  - Whitehouse Mall (on left after crossing US 22)
Starbucks – Open until 10pm
Kings Supermarket – Open until 10pm
Rite Aid Pharmacy – Open until 10pm

Mile 164.1 - Wawa Market (on left after crossing US 202)


Driving after the event

I can only encourage you to avoid driving and stay the night after the ride. The Westin Hotel is located in the shopping village where the ride begins and ends. You can make a reservation there, or other nearby hotel. (609) 452-7900


In case of accident

Should you become injured, or arrive at an accident resulting in an injured person (rider, motorist, or passer-by) please proceed as follows:

1. Call 911 for an ambulance, describing where you are and the condition of the injured person(s)

2. Call me at 908-507-0422. Please identify the rider to us (rider name on the Brevet card).

Should there be no injury but material damage involved, please report to us nevertheless.   In either case, we will then take some time to talk to you and fill-in our insurance incident report together with you. We do have every rider’s emergency contact. We will use this contact only with agreement of the rider, or by default if the rider happens to be non conscious.

Our Brevets are insured and hence provide all registered participants with liability insurance.

Near-miss

Thank you for mentioning to us any safety hazard you might have spotted, or near-miss incident you saw. This will help us to improve the event.

Want this in a MS Word File?  Download available here: http://www.njrando.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=734&sid=3

Schedule of Events

Friday May 13th

7pm - 9pm - Check-in with optional bike inspection. 
Location:  Front Entrance of the Westin Hotel - Princeton Forrestal Village
201 Village Blvd

Princeton, NJ 08540
609-452-7900

Note:For riders staying over on Friday night, or for those residing nearby, a pre-event day check-in is available.  Get a little extra sleep on Saturday morning by picking up your brevet card, cue sheet and ride materials the night before.  We'll even inspect your bike, and reflective gear, allowing you to skip that detail in the morning as well.  The Friday night bike inspection is optional you can have it inspected in the morning if that is more convenient for you.  Either way I urge you to take advantage of this optional check-in and avoid the crush in the morning. 

Also, there are two nice restaurants in the Forestall Village Center: 

Ruth's Chris Steak House http://www.ruthschris.com/Steak-House/111123/Princeton

Salt Creek Grill http://www.saltcreekgrille.com/princeton.asp. 

I'm sure you'll run into fellow riders at either spot.  The Westin Hotel also has food service.

Saturday - May 14th

3am - 4am - Check-in and Mandatory Bike inspection
Location - Parking lot adjacent to Houghton Lane and Ruth's Chris Steak House

4am - Brevet Start

5am - Registration Closes

12:00am - Brevet Time Limit (20hrs)

Event Overview

Event Date: Saturday, May 14
Start Time: 4:00am
Location: Princeton Forrestal Village, Plainsboro

Route Overview:

Upon leaving the start riders will pass through Kingston leaving the small town via Kingston-Rocky Hill Road.  After which we will use Canal Road to the Griggstown Causeway.  Montgomery Township and Hillsborough are skirted en route to Neshanic and the Elm Street Bridge crossing. Fairview Drive and Summer Road will bring the riders into Hunterdon County near the town of Three Bridges. The remaining miles to the control will be mostly quiet country lanes before Whitehouse Station and US 22 are reached. After a breakfast stop at the Bagel Junction, Randonneurs will make their way through Tewksbury Township, Mountainville, Califon and Hackettstown. The first of four major climbs appears just a few miles later.  Ryan Road is a steep, but not too long climb that will take the chill off, should it be a cool morning. Riders will then pass the chickory and sod farms of Allamuchy, Great Meadows and Johnsonburg. The terrain in this section is mild and the traffic is light. The scenery soon becomes more wooded when riders reach Route 94, quickly turning to access the northernmost point of the route, which is Stillwater.  This twelve mile section, which I've named the Stillwater Loop, is arguably one of the most scenic parts of the route. However, there is a price to pay in that there are some challenging hills.  Most notably Sunset Lake Road.  The end of the loop delivers riders to the town of Blairstown and the control at the Goumet Gallery.  A vairety of baked goods, soups and sandwiches will be available at this stop.  It is reccomended to fuel up as more heavy climbing is soon to be encountered.

With about half the ride behind them riders will leave Blairstown with a gentle climb up Route 94 heading towards Hope and Jenny Jump State Forest, where the second extended climb awaits. The grade is not terribly steep but the climb is rather relentless. As a reward for the effort a nice descent is enjoyed followed by a moderate section. The wise will conserve energy here as the next major climb to present itself will be a bit steeper to achieve the top of Schooley’s Mountain. Those who find themselves in a calorie deficit at the top of Schooley's may opt to stop at the General Store for a sandwich or pizza.  Again the terrain will moderate once again until the last big climb on Route 512 is reached leaving the town of Califon.  Rolling terrain will deliver riders to Hacklebarney State Park where it is planned to have a volunteer staffed control with hot and cold foods.  After the break short climbs will greet riders as they work their way through the rest of the park and the big descent on Black River Road. The terrain following will be moderate with a few small hillocks interspersed.

The roads will begin to look familiar once US 22 is crossed at Whitehouse Station as the same roads are used for the final thirty miles as the first thirty.  An optional stop is available at the WAWA Market, Three Bridges, just after crossing US 202.  Rolling and flat roads will deliver the riders back to the finish at Princeton Forestall Village. Volunteers will have snacks and beverages available here.

Overall, this is a challenging 300k, with some heavy climbing. Therefore, small gearing is recommended. Lighting and reflective gear are mandatory. Most of the controls on the route will be commercial establishments where riders will need to pay for their own food and beverages (except water).  A volunteer will be available at every control to validate brevet cards.  Food and beverages will be provided at Hacklebarney State Park.  Snacks will be available at the finish.  In addition, given the nature of the route at least one secret control will present itself. Multiple secret controls are a possibility depending on volunteer support.

The above route description is subject to change as the event draws nearer. Controls and routes may be revised as needed up until the day of the brevet. The 2011 Princeton 300k will be organized by New Jersey Randonneur; Joe Kratovil and RBA Leroy Varga

Hotel Information

For those wishing to stay nearby the start at Princeton Forrestal Village the following list represents a sampling of the hotels nearby.  If you wish to ride your bike to and from the start the Westin is actually on site at the Forrestal Village Center.  The second best option is the Marriott which is 1mile on College Road, which requires no riding on US #1.  The Holiday Inn on US 1 is probably the third best choice for cycling.  Riding US #1 to the start in the early morning should be safe enough. There is also a round-a-bout way to get there avoiding US #1 at the cost of some additional pedaling.  Otherwise, the list of hotels are all within a few minutes by car. 

The pricing listed is based on using the hotel owner's internet site using a AAA Membership discount.  Other discounts such as Government and AARP should yield a similar result.  Booking further in advance is the best plan. 

From closest to Farthest:

Westin    ***(Reccomended Hotel)  Rider Check-in available here Friday night 7-9pm
201 Village Blvd
Princeton, NJ 08540
609-452-7900
http://www.starwoodhotels.com/
Internet AAA Price for single room $115
Distance to start = On Site

Marriott
100 College Road East
Plainsboro, NJ 08536
1-888-236-2427
Internet AAA Price for single room $107
Distance to Start = 1 Mile on College Road (crosses Route 1 via overpass)

Holiday Inn
100 Independence Way
Princeton, NJ
609-520-1200
Internet AAA Price for single room $72
Distance to Start = 1.4 Mile (some on US #1)

Hampton Inn
4385 US 1 South
Princeton, NJ 08540
1-609-951-0066
Internet AAA Price for single room $105
Distance to start = 1 Mile (via US #1)

Best Western
4191 US Highway #1
Monmouth Junction, NJ 08052
732-329-4555
Internet AAA Price for single room $65
Distance to start = 2 Miles (via US #1)
732-329-4555

Princeton 300k Volunteer Ride 2010

The farms of Allumuchy

This was my third consecutive year riding the volunteer edition of the Princeton 300k and second year as the ride organizer.  I was accompanied by my friend and fellow volunteer Paul.

Princeton to Whitehouse Station 31 Miles
We departed from the Princeton Forrestal Village lot promptly at 4:00am.  The temperature was already over 60 degrees.  The first thirty miles being almost entirely flat would serve as a pleasant warm up.  We saw as many as 30 deer along the way.  Some were meandering in the middle of the roads.  A donkey greeted us on Summer Road shortly after crossing US 202 in Three Bridges.  I couldn't believe how loud the hee-hawing sound coming from that animal was.  I'm sure no one nearby slept through it.  Daylight began to show itself over the next few miles and shortly after we arrived at The Bagel Junction in Whitehouse Station.  This is our control and breakfast stop.

The climb up Sliker Road, Califon

Whitehouse Station to Blairstown 54 Miles
After a bagel and coffee we departed in daylight with overcast skies. I removed the arm and knee warmers as the temperature had already broken into the low seventies. The climbing began subtly with a gentle uphill on Rockaway Road next to the river.  Once the little town of Mountainville was reached we felt the first lump on Guinea Hollow Road.  This was just a small prelude of what was yet to come.  The climb is followed by a screaming descent into the little town of Califon.  After negotiating through the tiny downtown area the turn onto Sliker Road was made for what is a serious climb.  As Paul put it "it starts out so unassuming."  From a gentle beginning it would pitch up to a substantial grade.  With the climb behind us we descended to Anthony Road only to have to climb back up to Point Mountain Road which then descends down to the Muscenetcong River.  The descent is a real twisty one and in prior years featured a fair amount of gravel on the road.  I was pleased that this year it was gravel free and reasonably smooth. Although the turns required some braking as they are pretty sharp. None the less I found it to be pretty fun.  We crossed Rt 31 in Mansfield Township and began another climb up to Rockport Road.   A little more uphill once on Rockport and then just rolling terrain with pleasant scenery lead us into the town of Hackettstown.  There was no control here, but given the heat we made a stop to refill water.  There is a Quick Check Market on the route where we did a quick in and out.  The next challenge was the fairly big climb up Ryan Road in Allamuchy Township.  There were a few less sizable hills prior to it and another fast descent.  At Ryan Road I dropped into the granny gear for the first time of the day.  With the mercury rising there were many more visits to granny later in the day.  The climb is quite steep for a bit, but, fortunately is not all that long.  There is a fun descent following, although somewhat hampered by a merge onto Alphano Road. Once on level ground I enjoyed the views of the surrounding farms.  The terrain is flat for a bit as we crossed under I-80 and turned onto Route 612 heading for Johnsonburg.  The views here are equally rural northern Jersey vistas as we rolled smoothly for five miles into the tiny town.  On main Street which is literally one block long we passed the General Store which is habitually closed. Another two miles and we intersected Route 94.  We turned towards Blairstown only to turn off to the north again to undertake a hilly loop to the northernmost point of the route, Stillwater Township.  Which is about as far north as one can go before leaving the state.  This twelve mile section is beautifully scenic, but makes you work for it with pretty significant climbs like Sunset Lake Road.  It took us some time to work our way around and arrive at the control in Blairstown.  We had to utilize a back up control here as the primary one closed early on Sunday.  We stocked up on calories and fluids at Dale's Market and  quickly continued the route headed for Jenny Jump State Forest.

Paul climbs Jenny Jump Mountain

Entering Jenny Jump State Forest

Blairstown to Hacklebarny State Park 57 Miles:

The departure from Blairstown is a gradual climb on Route 94 from which we soon turn off of onto Camp Wasigian Road.  There is a minor amount of climbing on the five miles of road to the approach to Jenny Jump forest which serves as a warm up for the three more significant climbs to come before the control at Hacklebarny is reached.  We crossed I-80 for the second time and then arrived at State Park Road which immediately began the climb.  I never know how I will feel on Jenny Jump until I'm on it.  For me it is one of those climbs that never feels the same.  Right away I could tell it was going to be tough, yet I decided to stay on the middle chain ring.  Mashing my way up the steep sections was quite a struggle.  Paul who started the climb in front fell back some.  I could see he was using his granny and I wished I'd made the same decision.  The last part of the climb was fairly excruciating.  I was quite relieved when the pavement finally levelled.  I stopped to wait for Paul who was just a little behind.  When he came alongside he said he needed a few minutes to recover.  I didn't know it yet but he was beginning to get sick.  The day was then very hot. Well into the nineties and I suspected it was beginning to take a toll on us.   After a few minutes rest we resumed riding by flying down the other side of the mountain.  The terrain for the next few miles was quite mild and much needed as there were some big hills not too far ahead that we would have to deal with in the brutal heat.  The first to show itself was Westervelt Road a short but quite steep kicker that can catch one off guard with it's immediate steepness.  I made another visit to granny just before the turn to the hill.  With no expectations other than to make it to the top without walking I grind my way up with Paul slightly ahead, also in the granny mode.  A few more gentle miles delivered us to the town of Washington and an information control at the Anderson Hotel.  We took a minute rest at the control knowing that one of the most brutal of climbs lies just ahead.  That would be Penwell Road which is a seven mile, steep in some places, approach to the top of Schooley's Mountain.  Before starting out I realize I am almost out of water. Paul filled one of my bottles from his camelback.  We planned to stop at the General Store on top of the mountain.  We headed for Penwell Road which is less than a mile from us.  The steep section of a little over a mile was excruciating, but once past the remaining miles weren't too bad.  Paul climbed aggressively on the steep parts putting a bit of distance between us.  Once on the more gradual inclines I was able to crank it up a bit.  I caught back up to him in the next mile.  We rode pretty much together for the rest of the way to the store.  The covered porch in front was an ideal spot to rest for awhile with some calories and fluids.  I noticed that Paul wasn't eating anything.  He said he was stating to feel a little queasy.  The heat was at the peak of the day and at times I was feeling a little wobbly, although my stomach had not rebelled on me.  We took a long break before setting off again.  We wound our way down the mountain with a screaming descent down Naughright Road.  A fun drop, but, somewhat hampered by a hard right on Fairview Road.  Then we turned onto Route 513 towards Califon.  Paul faltered a bit here, but mostly hung tough to the information control in Califon.  We stopped to update our brevet cards with the requested information,  Paul announced that he was feeling awfully sick.  We decided to rest for awhile to see if he could recover.  He was looking pretty ill at this point.  I was hoping that five or ten minutes rest might help him right his ship.  Unfortunately, it was not to be.  After resting awhile he said I should go on without him.  He would call for a ride. The stomach upset was preventing him from eating or drinking.  He was apparently dehydrated with no way to rectify the situation.  After staying with him a bit longer I reluctantly moved on with the agreement that I would call from the next control.  Just past our resting spot was the last major climb of the day on Rt 512.  Another visit to granny got the job done with a few leg twitches that I recognized as pre-cramping.  I am rather prone to cramping in hot weather.  It was a good thing that the last significant climb was behind me.  I arrived at the control with no problem and promptly placed a call to Paul.  He informed me that he had resumed riding and was headed to Whitehouse Station by direct route.  He expected to be there soon and would pick up a ride from there.

My bike resting at Hacklebarney

Hacklebarney State Park to Princeton 44 Miles

Whitehouse Station was on my return route and was only about 14 miles away.  I decided to ride hard in the hopes of catching up to Paul to render any assistance I could until he was picked up.  I descended out of the park to the small town of Pottersville. From there I stopped again to place a call to Paul.  He had indeed arrived at the strip mall at Whitehouse Station but had not been able to reach anyone to pick him up.  He was considering riding the thirty miles to the finish. I did not think that was a good idea. I placed a call to my wife.  Fortunately, she was available and agreed to head out immediately to pick him up.  I called  Paul back and insisted he stay put until she got there.  The route from Pottersville to Whitehouse is mostly downhill to flat terrain.  I rode it hard and arrived there just as Paul and my wife were loading the bike in the car.  Paul looked a little better than when I last saw him, but far from normal.  I was glad he would not be trying to ride back.  After they were underway I put on my night gear and resumed my route to the finish. There was just thirty miles of easy terrain between me and the Princeton Forrestal Village.  At that moment I felt like I could ride another hundred miles.  There is an old expression when it comes to ultra distance, "no matter how good you feel, or no matter how bad you feel......... it wont last."   Truer words were never spoken.  I knocked off about 20 of the thirty miles to the end, putting me some where in the South Branch area, when an overwhelming sense of fatigue hit me. I was struggling to maintain 10-12 mph on level ground.  Small pimple like hills felt like major climbs.  After struggling up a small hill on East Mountain Road I decided I better eat something.  The only thing I had left was a single Peanut Butter Cliff Bar.  I would have preferred a gel or something with a lot of sugar for an energy burst.  But, the Cliff Bar was the only show in town so I ate it while plodding along.  I felt some improvement after a few miles but still was no where near riding strong.  I managed to hold 14-15mph for the remaining miles to the end.  Not my usual, smell-the-barn pace, but it was satisfactory.  I finished at 9:45pm for a total of 17hrs 45min.  Slow, but acceptable given the adverse weather conditions.  When dismounting the bike I had a moment of light headedness that caused me to grab onto my car. Thankfully, it passed quickly.  The first hot ride of the year is a tough one.  Fortunately, it was over.  Boo-Ya!