Tri-City Area 300km

Ride: Desert River 300km
Organizer: Paul Whitney - post questions to this blog
Ride Date: Saturday May 2, 2009.
Start time: 6:00am, Registration - 5:30-5:55am.
Start/End Location: Intersection of Leslie and Gage, in the Parking lot between Albertsons and Albertsons Express, in Richland, WA. Here.
Finish by: 2:00am May 3
Registration: Pre-register here. Check here to see who all has registered.
Entry fee: $5 (+ $5 for non-RUSA members). Checks should be payable to "Oregon Randonneurs", also, Oregon Randonneurs membership is required for this event. You can download a membership form and bring it with you.
Medals: Available directly from the RUSA online store.
Route Sheet: The draft route sheet is here.

Ride Finish: The finish will be un-staffed. The Albertsons is open 24 hours - and so can certify your card. The Albertsons express is open fairly late as well. Be sure and complete your card (sign it, address, answer the question for the information control). Then, put the card into the car with the bike-picture on the window. I'll have the car in the lot at the start of the ride as well - so you can see where it is parked and what it looks like. Bring a pencil or pen - for completing you card and for the information control.

This route heads toward the Blue Mountains - getting close (Waitsburg) but not quite. We then head south, and get a chance to admire the excellent Pioneer Park in Walla Walla. Further south is Pendleton, and then we head through the Umatilla river canyon from Reith to Echo. From there, it's a nearly straight North ride back to the start - heading through Hermiston, Umatilla, Plymouth, over the ridge and back down to the city lights of Richland. The pre-drive note provides more details. It looks like it will be a great route.

The ride is unsupported, except for some drinks and snacks at the beginning. There are plenty of services, great scenery and some lightly trafficked roads. The approximate elevation gain (and loss) for this route is ~2500meters.

It's likely that the ride will finish in the dark - bring lights and reflective gear accordingly. Headlight, taillight, reflective vest or sash and reflective ankle bands are Randonnear USA requirements, not to mention extremely useful, for night riding.

The approximate route is shown in the map below:

View Larger Map