Tri-Cities 300km - April 2, 2011

Ride: Desert River 300km
Organizer: Paul Whitney - post questions to this blog
Ride Date: Saturday April 2, 2011.
Start time: 6:00am, Registration - 5:30-5:55am. Sunrise/set 6:35/7:27
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 April 3
Registration: Pre-registration will be here.
Entry fee: $10 (+ $5 for non-RUSA members). Cash preferred. Checks should be payable to "Paul Whitney"
Medals: Available directly from the RUSA online store.
Route Sheet: The route information is here. The bike route toaster data for the route is here. Note - the bike route toaster information does not show the bike path over the Columbia River, which is correctly shown in the route sheet. There may be other minor deviations.

Ride Finish: The finish, at the same location as the ride start, will be staffed. Bring a pencil or pen - for completing you card and for the information control.

This is the same route as the previous two years. It was a great ride. See earlier in this blog for some pictures from last year's pre-drive.

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 ride is mostly unsupported, except for some drinks and snacks at the beginning and perhaps a person in the park at Walla Walla near the information control. 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:

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