A ride that is particularly close to our hearts, the Old Rag 200K Brevet, is this Saturday, April 23, starting from the Howard Johnson Inn in Warrenton, Virginia. Registration opens at 6:00 a.m. and the ride begins promptly at 7:00 a.m. Onsite registration fee is $10.00. I hope we will see many of you there!
The Old Rag 200K starts at the "Howard Johnson Inn" at 6 Broadview Avenue in Warrenton, VA (540 347-4141). Checkin starts at 6am and the brevet starts at 7am. Pre-ride restrooms are available in the Burger King, just N of the HoJos, on Broadview. Please do not park at the HoJos, unless you are a guest. There is street parking on Waterloo, just west of the HoJos. If you want off-street parking, park at the High School which is at Waterloo and Van Roijen St, about three blocks from the HoJos.
From Warrenton we head generally southwest passing through rolling horse farm country with the Blue Ridge Mountains as our backdrop. We parallel the Blue Ridge as far south as Madison where we begin our return to Warrenton after a stop at the friendly, well-stocked Yoder's Country Market. The route is fairly gentle as we wind our way to Syria in the shadow of Grave's Mountain. A moderate climb followed by a 3-mile descent puts us up and over the Old Rag Grinder. A series of steep and unrelenting rollers–lovingly known as The Three Kings and The Meanies–will consume us for the next hour or so, prompting many to re-fuel at the Laurel Mills store with the sweet spring water that flows nearby. Country roads bordered by stone fences carry us through Ben Venue and into Flint Hill and the final control at the reopened Orlean Market. A final climb over Piney Mountain brings us back to the HoJos in Warrenton. Estimated total elevation gain: 8,000 feet.
Lights are not absolutely required, and there will not be a mandatory lighting inspection, but lights and reflective gear are required to ride in dark conditions. So we recommended that you bring lights in case you need to ride after it gets dark. Lights might also be needed at the start if it's cloudy.
Cue sheets and GPS files have been posted at http://dcrand.org/blog/2011/04/19/cue-sheet-and-gps-files-for-april-23-old-rag-200k-acp-brevet/.
