Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Oregon Banks-Elise 200km Brevet



March 30, 2013

              What a great route this is.  The day started just before sunrise the temperature was a little cool but you could easily get by with short fingered gloves.   The route starts and finished on the Banks-Vernonia trail, which is a great way for a Brevet to start and finish, no traffic and fairly smooth payment.   I convinced my friend Ed to ride this Brevet with me which made for a great introduction to Randonneuring for him.

                The first 11 miles or so is a gentle 1% uphill climb, followed by a quick descent into Vernonia.   After a quick control stop you are back riding again taking to the low traffic back roads from Vernonia to Mist, Brikenfeld and finally on to Jewell.   Along the way the road is mostly smooth and almost entirely flat which made for a very quick first 100km.  There was a lot of fog which is probably how the community of “Mist” got its name.  

Upon approaching Jewell you come upon the only confusing section of the ride, you need to continue straight to the Jewell Elk Refuge rather than turning on 103 to head toward Elsie. I’m pretty sure Ray the event host said something like that at the start of the ride but I couldn’t hear him.  Anyway, a mile or so after the intersection we came to the Elk Refuge where there were dozens of kids doing an Easter egg hunt.  Off in the distance a heard of Elk was just leaving the field.  

A quick stop at the refuge to answer a control question and we were off again backtracking to 103.  The ride southwest on 103 follows the placid Nehalem river along a slightly undulating road.   After about 6 miles you spot the elegant highway 26 bridge then duck under it before turning on 26 for a quarter mile ride to the Elise store and bakery.  There were a few riders (Del, Michael, and maybe David?) ahead of Ed and I at the store but only by a minute or two.  I think most everyone got a pastry from the bakery / general store and ate out on a picnic table.  I had a day old cinnamon roll which was still yummy.  Though within 5 miles of leaving the store I was bonking pretty hard and had to watch Ed and Michael ride off.   I struggled on and did a few Gu shots.  By the time I reached Brikenfeld I was feeling pretty good again.  A bit further up the road I came across Ed who stopped to adjust his bike computer.  From there on Ed and I rode together for the last 30-40 miles.  

The route back to Vernonia is pretty flat and went by quickly.  Ed and I stopped at the first gas station in town, where Del, Michael and a guy on a blue bike (didn’t catch his name) were just finishing up and getting ready to leave.  We refueled and headed out just after the others had left.                
The return trip on the Banks-Vernonia trail went by quickly, the gentle uphill the first 10 miles went by quickly and soon we were zipping down the final 10 miles to Banks.  Along the way we past a lot of other trail users including horses and families out for a stroll or ride.  Thankfully we dodge the few toddlers on bikes that wandered in to our path without incident and finished out the ride in high spirits.

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