Desert River Randonneurs

2012 Ride Dates - Now with Real Dates

2011-09-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

We submitted the following dates for the DRR's events:

March 3 - 100k

March 17 - 200k

April 14 - 300k

May 26 - 400k

June 16 - 600k

Sept 15 - 200k -- A nice warmup for a SIR 1000k and/or an ORR Bikenfest.

These dates are submitted as Audax Club Parisian and RUSA sanctioned events.More detailed information about the events will be posted about one month before. We anticipate that the rides will begin in or near Richland, WA. We have established routes for the 200, 300, 400 and 600km events - and there's a good chance we'll revisit those routes. See you out there, then.

2012 Ride Dates

2011-09-04T14:23:00.000-07:00

We're constructing the schedule for 2012. Our group is leaning towards a full series, spaced so that we have one Brevet per month: March (200km), April (300km), May (400km) and June (600km). We may also have a 200km in September. Stay tuned for details.

It's Official

2011-07-19T22:30:00.000-07:00

We have a new RUSA region: WA: Tri-Cities. The Desert River Randonneurs.

A warm thanks to Susan France, who sponsored our rides as part of the Oregon Randonneurs for the previous three years. During that time, we've had a large number of riders and rides. Thanks to the riders who have ridden and the volunteers who have helped. We are looking forward to great rides, and more riders.

This is a list of the riders and volunteers who have helped get Randonneuring started in Eastern Washington. We hope to see you all again. Let me know if I've missed someone:

Bill Alsup, Robert Anderson, Tom Barocan, Tracy Barill, Nat Beagley, Andrew Black, Kenneth Bonner, RB Buschman, Norm Carr, Ken Carter, Jennifer Chang, Barry Chase, Gregory Cox, James Cox, Dan Davis, Steve Davis, William Dussler, Adam George, Bill Gobie, Edward Groth, Dean Gull, Dean Gull, David Harper, Joanne Heilinger, Ali Holt, Roger Holt, Noel Howes, Chuck Hoffman, Dan Jensen, Paul Johnson, Kole Kantner, Jason Karp, Steven Kasper, Martin Knowles, Alexander Kohan, Keith Kohan, John Kramer, Jerry Lentz, Albert Lutz, Ken Mattina, Sallie McFarlane, Matt Mikul, Jim Moberly, John Morris, Vincent Muoneke, Ray Ogilview, Greg Olson, Sal Ortega, Susan Otcenas, John Pearch, Scott Peterson, Gary Prince, Cecil Reniche-Smith, John Richards, Mike Richeson, Theo Roffe, Bill Schell, Ian Shopland, Gary Smith, Cathy Smith, Eamon Stanley, Karel Stroethoff, John Vincent, Ken Ward, Paul Whitney, Julie Whitney, Chris Willett, Steve Williamson, and Peg Winczewski

Kahlotus Othello Ridges Loop Permanent

2011-05-31T22:26:00.000-07:00

Note: the application/approval is pending for this permanent. This is the permanent version of the first loop of the DRR Loopy 600.

This route is 237km which features a ridge-road from Pasco to Kahlotus Washington. After Kahlotus, the route goes to Kahlotus to Connell, and then to Othello. A plateau is featured from Othello to Basin City - then a run south through the agricultural lands in Eastern Washington.

Warning: there isn't a good water stop until Connell. So, the first ~70 miles require provisioning on the bike.

Ride start/end: intersection of Leslie and Gage Blvd in Richland, WA

The route is shown here.

Elevation gain/loss: 1295m/4250ft

Columbia Loop Permanent

2011-05-30T21:55:00.000-07:00

Note: the application/approval is pending for this 129km excursion around the bend of the Columbia River. This is also close to the route of the middle loop in the DRR Loopy 600.

The route starts/ends at the services at the intersection of Leslie and Gage in Richland, WA. The route heads towards the Columbia River, and continues along Columbia River Park. Heading out to Pasco, the route crosses over the Snake River. The bridge offers a choice of a wide shoulder and a bike path. An information control near Wallula provides an opportunity for another view of the Columbia. Heading Right/South on US730 puts one shortly into Oregon - and a good amount of time/distance is spent along the Columbia. A stop at the Tesoro in Umatilla for refuel and refresh is followed by another river crossing, and then a climb up Plymouth Rd and rapid descent down Clodfelter to complete the loop.

About 870m/2850ft of elevation gain/loss.

The route is shown here:

400km Results - May 2011

2011-05-25T21:47:00.000-07:00

We had nine riders start on a day with a weather forecaster to make a West-sider drool. Then the rain came. We could see it in the West and to the South. Right where we were headed. So we had the rain. We had flats. Coffee. Candy bars. Assorted energy-food items. Great support. Numerous views of the Yakima River. Sun. Stars. Moon. Clouds. We had a 400km.

Thanks to everyone who came out to ride and to Cathy Smith, who supported the ride.

Some pictures are posted on facebook, and can be found by looking for info on the riders on May 21/22. Steve's ride report, with more pictures, is here: http://volpetales.blogspot.com/2011/05/may-21-desert-river-randonneurs-400km.html. If there are more reports, or groups of pictures, let me know so I can add them, or add the link in the comment field.

Some times/spaces:
First Last Time
Gary Smith 24:05
John Kramer 21:23
Norm Carr Zillah
Paul Whitney 25:10
Scott Peterson 22:44
Steve Williamson 22:44
Steve Kasper 19:54
Susan Otcenas 25:10
Theo Roffe 19:54

400km Pre-Drive Report - May 2011

2011-05-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

We drove most of the route Sunday. This resulted in changing the cue sheet to better match the road signs, and expanded the control list at some of the stops. This is, I think, the final cue sheet. The route is identical to last year.

The drive on Konnowac Pass Rd (past Moxee, before Zilla) was very nice. I hope some of the riders get to this in the daylight.

The primary issue to note is that there is a detour on Track Road in Wapato. The detour is readily manageable, and early in the ride when the riders will likely still have their wits about them, so we won't alter the cue sheet to reflect the deviation. I have sketched the detour below.

View Larger Map

Results from the April 2 DRR 300km

2011-04-03T21:14:00.000-07:00

Thirteen hardy randonneurs set out from the scenic parking lot in Richland, at the intersection of Leslie and Gage Blvd. It was a windy day, even by Tri-Cities standards. The riders flew to Waitsburg with a tail-wind, and then it got interesting. Cathy Smith and Paul Whitney had a way-station set up in the excellent Pioneer Park in Walla Walla. The riders had to work against the wind from Waitsburg to Walla Walla; the reported pedaling with effort to get any kind of double digit speed down-hill. Despite, or perhaps because, of this they were all in great spirits when they arrived in Walla Walla, and most pressed on to Pendleton. The wind remained a steady companion throughout most of the remainder of the ride. As expected in such conditions, riding in a group is a near-necessary advantage. The first group came in around midnight, the next clustered around 1:00am and finally, really getting their money's worth, a couple of riders came in with 9 minutes to spare. The rider times are below. Thanks to all the participants for coming out for the day. Also, thanks to Cathy Smith for supporting the ride, and retrieving a couple of riders from Pendleton.

A few pictures from the ride are here. Steve's write-up is here.

Name Time
Chris Willett DNF
Dan Jensen 19:14
Gary Smith DNF
Ian Shopland 18:00
Jennifer Chang DNF
John Pearch 18:05
John Kramer 18:05
Kole Kantner 19:51
Noel Howes 19:00
Norm Carr DNF
Steve Davis 19:14
Steven Kasper 19:09
Vincent Muoneke 19:51

Desert Rivers Region 400km - May 21, 2011

2011-03-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

Ride: Desert River 400km
Organizer: Paul Whitney - post questions to this blog
Ride Date: Saturday May 21, 2011.
Start time: 6:00am, Registration - 5:30-5:55am. Sunrise/set 5:24/8:23
Start/End Location: Albertson's Parking lot; Leslie&Gage - in Richland, WA. 690 Gage Boulevard, Richland, WA.
Finish by: 9:00am May 22
Registration: Pre-register here.
Entry fee: $15 (+ $5 for non-RUSA members). Checks should be payable to "Paul Whitney".
Medals: Available directly from the RUSA online store.
Route Sheet: Final is here.

We will be using last year's route - with the modification that the start/end is the Albertson's parking lot. Here's the link for last year's. Stay tuned for the pre-drive report of the route.

Some night riding is almost inevitable for 400k's in the continental US. Accordingly, be sure and have:

A front and read light attached to the bike
A reflective vest/sash
Reflective ankle bands

The route extends the 200km route and continues exploring desert rivers. We take the same route out from Richland to Toppenish. From Toppenish, the route parallels the main highway on Track road, sidestepping back onto the main road before Track Rd veers right. There's a gradual climb on the south side of Yakima to Wiley City. Note: the Wiley Market has no restrooms - but, there are options before in Union Gap and after in Yakima and Selah. After Wiley City - the ride cuts across to Summitt Road, and over to the bike path system to cross to Selah. From Selah the ride goes through the Yakima River Valley up to Ellensburg - the control and turn-around point in Ellensburg is the Safeway. Then it's back through the canyon, into Selah, the bike-path, and controls on Nob Hill Blvd. From there we circumnavigate Moxee, and head down to Zillah - to take advantage of the services along the Interstate. We head through Zillah to the Yakima Valley Hwy - which changes names while passing through Sunnyside (more services), Grandview (more services), but essentially is a direct route to the Prosser control (more services). From Prosser, we essentially backtrack to Richland - w/ a good intermediate stop, if needed, in Benton City (you can't miss it:).

The longest stretches w/o easy access to services are through the Canyon between Selah and Ellensburg - this amounts ~50km.

Ride Finish: The finish will is staffed - Cathy will greet you, take your card, and offer you a Sonic Burger. All in the same great location as the ride start.

Most of the route segments are available on 'Bike Route Toaster', in order:
Richland to Prosser: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=121177
Prosser to Toppenish: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=113269
Toppenish to Wiley City: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=115590
Wiley City to EBurg: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=117165 - note that this link puts one on the main road, as opposed to the bike path (see the route sheet).
EBurg to Yakima: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=117167
There's a bike path to be used from Selah to Yakima - instructions on the route sheet.
Yakima to Zillah: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=117170
Zillah to Prosser: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=117171
Prosser to Richland: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=115613

The route starts in Richland and heads West along the Yakima river valley. Here is a view of the 'out' to Ellensburg portion of the ride:

View Larger Map

And here is a view of the 'back' part of the ride:

View Larger Map

DRR 600 - June 11-12, 2011

2011-03-06T19:53:00.000-08:00

Ride: Desert River Loopy 600km
Organizer: Paul Whitney - post questions to this blog post. Register here: http://www.orrandonneurs.org/bin/brevet_register.
Ride Dates: Saturday June 11-12, 2011.
Start time: 5:00am, Registration - 4:30-4:55am. Note: Sunrise/set 5:05/8:50
Start/End Location: Days Inn 615 Jadwin Avenue, Richland, WA.
Finish time: 9:00pm June 12, 2011
Entry fee: $15.
Medals: Available directly from the RUSA online store.
Route Sheet: Final. The ride broken into three loops out from the Days Inn in Richland, WA. Maps of the candidate loops are below. They are mostly accurate, with a minor deviation or two from the route sheet.

Please note:
This running of the DRR Loopy 600 will be almost entirely unsupported. A rider with a well provisioned room in the Days Inn (or other nearby establishment) should be able to comfortably execute the event.

The first loop is 235km out to Kahlotus, up to Othello and back south to Richland.

The second loop, 130km, follows the Columbia river around the bend into Oregon, and then climbs Plymouth Rd up and over the crest down into Richland.

The final loop, 230km, has the riders taking a loop around the river, and then reprising one of our routes out to Toppenish and back.

March 5, 2011 - Results

2011-03-06T19:35:00.000-08:00

Detailed results forthcoming. We had eight riders sign up and five finishers. The weather on March 5 bordered on fantastic. Good sun. Light wind, with (at least for this rider) a modest tailwind pushing towards home. Thanks to all who came out for the third annual DRR 200km, notably our guests from near (Yakima) and far, to Cathy for the sign-up and greeting the riders as they returned, and to Norm - who was slammed with subfreezing conditions the week before on the pre-ride.

Our riders:
Gary Smith 9:42
Jim Moberly NF
John Kramer 8:59
John Richards NF
Ken Carter 9:48
Nat Beagley NF
Norm Carr Frozen Finish: 13:11
Paul Whitney 11:33

Next up is the 300km - April 2. My favorite of the DRR routes, so far. Hope to see you there.

March 5 200km - pre-ride notes

2011-02-27T16:42:00.000-08:00

Pre-ride notes for the upcoming Tri-Cities-based 200km, on March 5, 2011

Courtesy of the intrepid pre-rider, Norm Carr.

The Tri-Cities 200Km pre-ride was completed with temperatures below freezing for much of the day, which created its own challenges, primarily frozen bottles and Camelbak tubes. Wind was generally light, although, as usual, just enough to be annoying along WA-22 from Mabton to Toppenish. Although very cold, it was mostly a beautiful sunny day. Fortunately the current forecast for the weekend of the brevet is milder, but with a chance of some precipitation.

This is a good choice for an early-season 200Km, as the route follows the Yakima valley and there are a few lumps, but no large climbs. The most challenging is probably the climb back over from Benton City to Richland with tired legs at the end of the day, and, for some, in the dark.

Paul has made some improvements to the course this year. There's a pleasanter route through Benton city, avoiding the busy main street. The same control is used both out and back in Prosser (well-appointed with plenty of provisioning choices), and there is a new route from Prosser to Mabton on the out-bound leg. This replaces a portion of the exposed and, frankly, somewhat bleak section of WA-22 with a much more interesting trip through some typical Eastern Washington farmland. The return trip from Toppenish through Zillah, Granger, Grandview, remains as before.

Things to look out for:
Roadworks along Keene Road in Richland, near the ride start, cause lanes to narrow. Most of the route is through working agricultural landscapes and communities. Roads are all surfaced and generally well-maintained, but expect occasional mud and gravel spillage from farm traffic. Especially if conditions are wet, surfaces may be unexpectedly slippery. You will meet plenty of dogs, sometimes, annoyingly, unsecured. I've never felt especially threatened by any of them on the roads hereabouts, but caution is, of course, advised.

Tri-Cities 300km - April 2, 2011

2011-02-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

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:

View Larger Map

Tri-Cities 200km - March 5, 2011

2011-02-07T13:37:00.000-08:00

View Larger Map

Ride: Desert River 200km
Organizer: Paul Whitney - post questions to this blog post. Register here: http://www.orrandonneurs.org/bin/brevet_register.
Ride Date: Saturday March 5, 2011.
Start time: 7:00am, Registration - 6:30-6:55am. Note: Sunrise/set 6:28/5:49
Start/End Location: Intersection of Leslie and Gage, in the Parking lot between Albertsons and Albertsons Express, in Richland, WA.
Finish by: 8:30pm March 5, 2011
Entry fee: $10 (+ 5$ for non-RUSA members). Checks should be payable to "Paul Whitney". Cash is simpler.
Medals: Available directly from the RUSA online store.
Route Sheet: This route sheet is final - pdf and excel versions. Bike-route toaster renditions of the route are separated for out and back.

The course is similar to last year's edition - with some adjustments to increase the food-diversity at the 3 major food/water controls, and to get us a little more out of the wind.

The pre-drive and our pre-rides of the segments shows some very nice and scenic stretches through the rural/agricultural parts of Eastern Washington. Norm's pre-ride notes are here.

Candidate Brevet Dates for 2011

2010-09-18T21:27:00.000-07:00

First - the caveat: the schedule below will not be final until submitted to,
and approved by, Randonneurs USA. But - here's the current proposal for the Desert River Regions rides out of the Tri-Cities:

200km - Mar 5
300km - April 2
400km - May 21
600km - June 11

We plan to use close to the same routes as previous for the 200, 300 and 400. The 600 will be a 'bow tie' centered somewhere here out east (Richland, or Prosser, or Walla Walla, or Hermiston, or...).

Ride Summary: Desert River Regions 400km - April 24, 2010

2010-04-29T20:12:00.000-07:00

The first ever running of the 400km Extended Yakima River Tour was undertaken by eleven riders - one on a pre-ride. We were all well engaged by the wind and the ride. The riders broke into three groups: an extremely fast group (Ken Bonner), a fast group of hardy riders (Mike Richeson, John Kramer and Karel Stroethoff) and a stalwart group of determined riders (Roger Holt, Ali Holt, Peg Winczewski and Paul Whitney). The groupings held fairly consistently as we explored new roads and towns along the Yakima River. Thanks to all of the riders - randos came from British Columbia, Oregon, Washington and Montana. Special thanks to Nat Beagley for hosting the ride start/finish and to Gary Smith and Cathy Smith for the pre-ride and helpful notes.

Ken Bonner 18:14
Norman Carr DNF
Roger Holt 26:30
Ali Holt 26:30
Sam Huffman DNF
John Kramer 23:44
Mike Richeson 23:44
Gary Smith 25:18
Karel Stroethoff 24:00
Paul Whitney 26:30
Peg Winczewski 26:29

400km Pre-ride Notes

2010-04-20T17:35:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Gary Smith for scouting the Extended Yakima River Tour, and Cathy for providing support and a steady stream of messages about the route. Here's the summary from the ride:

Control 2 - Prosser - Conoco Food Mart hours 0500 - 2300

Control 3 - Toppenish - Safeway hours 0600 - 2400

Distance 100.1 km L N. Track R
There is no street sign on N. Track - but, it is the first left after crossing the train tracks. The road changes name and is Asotin Way on the right - where there is a sign

Control 4 - Wiley Mkt
No restroom facilities. Minimal food available. Recommend eating in Union Gap before the control or after getting back to Yakima

Bike path from Yakima to Selah
distance 157.4 km - turn left on Gordon
The street sign is turned 90 deg. after you go through the 1 lane tunnel, take a left. the street sign points to Gordon for continuing straight, and 6th for turning left.

The start of the bike path is not obvious. the barriers are not color-coded, there are no signs, nothing to say "HERE".

Distance 157.2 no facilities or places to stop after leaving Selah until you reach Ellensburg, about 50+ km.

Control 5 Ellensburg
The Safeway has seats inside if you need to rest.

Control 6
The person running the AM/PM didn't want me loitering inside his shop. There were no seats either inside or outside. If someone wants to rest, they might check across the street (google maps indicates a Chevron; other sources a 76). The Sonic about 3 blocks before the control - near the intersection of 1st and Nob Hill - is open until 2400 (the organizer enjoys the burgers).

Distance 310.4 - the control in Zillah
Street sign shows the name as 1st. The next turn into the Chevron is not named Zillah West Rd either, but i don't think that matters. The service station is hard to miss.

Distance 348
The road is being resurfaced just as you get into Grandview - for 2-3 blocks.

Control 8 - Prosser Highway Rest Stop services
the Chevron has seats inside that are comfortable for napping.

Ride Summary: Desert River Regions 300km - March 27, 2010

2010-04-11T16:12:00.000-07:00

The Tri-City 300km started 16 riders, and had 14 finishers within the time limit. We had a sunny day with sporadic to engaging headwinds. Highlights of the day were the morning ride along the Columbia river, the ride to and through Walla Walla, the canyon between Pendleton and Echo and the descent on Clodfelter back into town. Thanks to all of the riders - some traveling a good distance to join us for the ride. A special thanks to Cathy Smith who, once again, signed us in, was there to meet riders at the end, and fetched a rider from the top of the hill. The next Tri-City-based ride is a 400km on April 24th.

Desert River Regions 400km - April 24 2010

2010-03-03T20:15:00.000-08:00

Ride: Desert River 400km
Organizer: Paul Whitney - post questions to this blog
Ride Date: Saturday April 24, 2010.
Start time: 6:00am, Registration - 5:30-5:55am. Sunrise/set 5:55/7:55
Start/End Location: 112 Windwood Ln, Richland, WA. Thanks to Nat Beagley for providing the start/finish location.
Finish by: 9:00am April 25
Registration: Pre-register here.
Entry fee: $20 (+ $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: Draft is here.

Notes from the pre-ride are here: http://drrando.blogspot.com/2010/04/400km-pre-ride-notes.html

The control locations are available here.

Some night riding is almost inevitable for 400k's in the continental US. Accordingly, be sure and have:

A front and read light attached to the bike
A reflective vest/sash
Reflective ankle bands

The route extends the 200km route and continues exploring desert rivers. We take the same route out from Richland to Toppenish. From Toppenish, the route parallels the main highway on Track road, sidestepping back onto the main road before Track Rd veers right. There's a gradual climb on the south side of Yakima to Wiley City. Note: the Wiley Market has no restrooms - but, there are options before in Union Gap and after in Yakima and Selah. After Wiley City - the ride cuts across to Summitt Road, and over to the bike path system to cross to Selah. From Selah the ride goes through the Yakima River Valley up to Ellensburg - the control and turn-around point in Ellensburg is the Safeway. Then it's back through the canyon, into Selah, the bike-path, and controls on Nob Hill Blvd. From there we circumnavigate Moxee, and head down to Zillah - to take advantage of the services along the Interstate. We head through Zillah to the Yakima Valley Hwy - which changes names while passing through Sunnyside (more services), Grandview (more services), but essentially is a direct route to the Prosser control (more services). From Prosser, we essentially backtrack to Richland - w/ a good intermediate stop, if needed, in Benton City (you can't miss it:).

The longest stretches w/o easy access to services are through the Canyon between Selah and Ellensburg - this amounts ~50km.

Ride Finish: The finish will is staffed. Same great location as the ride start.

Most of the route segments are available on 'Bike Route Toaster', in order:
Richland to Prosser: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=121177
Prosser to Toppenish: http://bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=113269
Toppenish to Wiley City: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=115590
Wiley City to EBurg: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=117165 - note that this link puts one on the main road, as opposed to the bike path (see the route sheet).
EBurg to Yakima: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=117167
There's a bike path to be used from Selah to Yakima - instructions on the route sheet.
Yakima to Zillah: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=117170
Zillah to Prosser: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=117171
Prosser to Richland: http://www.bikeroutetoaster.com/Course.aspx?course=115613

The route starts in Richland and heads West along the Yakima river valley. Here is a view of the 'out' to Ellensburg portion of the ride:

View Larger Map

And here is a view of the 'back' part of the ride:

View Larger Map

Desert River Regions 300km - March 27, 2010

2010-03-03T20:00:00.000-08:00

Ride: Desert River 300km

Organizer: Paul Whitney - post questions to this blog

Ride Date: Saturday March 27, 2010.

Start time: 6:00am, Registration - 5:30-5:55am. Sunrise/set 6:47/7:17

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 March 28

Registration: Pre-register here. Check here to see who all has registered.

Entry fee: $10 (+ $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 likely 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 is the same route as last year. 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:

View Larger Map

Tri-Cities 200km - March 6, 2010

2010-01-11T22:41:00.000-08:00

View Larger Map

Ride: Desert River 200km
Organizer: Paul Whitney - post questions to this blog post. Register here: http://www.orrandonneurs.org/brevets/brevet_reg.html.
Ride Date: Saturday March 6, 2010.
Start time: 7:00am, Registration - 6:30-6:55am. Note: Sunrise/set 6:28/5:49
Start/End Location: Intersection of Leslie and Gage, in the Parking lot between Albertsons and Albertsons Express, in Richland, WA. See below for a detailed view of the start/finish.
Finish by: 8:30pm March 6, 2010
Entry fee (pending): $5 (+ 5$ 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 a printout with you.
Medals: Available directly from the RUSA online store.
Route Sheet: The route sheet is here.

The pre-drive and our pre-rides of the segments shows some very nice and scenic stretches through the rural/agricultural parts of Eastern Washington.

It's likely that some of the riders will finish in the dark - please bring lights and reflective gear accordingly. Headlight, taillight, reflective vest or sash and reflective ankle bands are Randonnear USA requirements for dusk/night, not to mention extremely useful for seeing and being seen while on the road.

Here are the legs of the route:

Leg 1: Richland – Benton City – Prosser
47.1km
Control: Conoco at 7th and Sherman

View Larger Map

Leg 2: Prosser – Mabton – Toppenish
50.3km
Control: Safeway at 711 W 1st Ave

View Larger Map

Leg3: Toppenish=Zillah=Emerald=Prosser
56.1km
Control: Shell or Subway or Starbucks or ... at the rest stop area in Prosser.

View Larger Map

Leg4: Prosser-BC-Richland
47.6km
Control: Alberton's Express or Parking area, depending on whether the control is staffed.

View Larger Map

Tri-Cities 200km - Now with more facilities

2009-11-15T21:22:00.000-08:00

Looking ahead to the new year, we'll have 200, 300 and 400km Brevet's in the spring. We'll re-use the 300km from the last year. We're looking for a 400km route. The 200km worked; but, needed something more. Here's a map indicating the alteration. See you in the Spring - the 200km is scheduled for March 6, 2009.

View Larger Map

DRR 400km - options

2009-10-13T22:06:00.000-07:00

A 400km route concept is shown below. The route takes advantage of familiar (to local riders) routes, adventure-potential with the Naches-Ellensburg-Selah leg, has good services and a better than even chance of a tailwind for the last 50-100km. Details pending.

View Larger Map

Another concept follows:

View Larger Map

Each of these has the benefit of finishing with very accessible food/drink access, and very nice scenery. Opinions are solicited.

Tri-Cities Brevet's in 2010

2009-10-13T22:04:00.000-07:00

This year we will have 200km, 300km and 400km brevets during the spring of 2009. The dates for these are:

200km - March 6, 2010 - Sunrise/set 6:28/5:49

300km - March 27, 2010 - Sunrise/set 6:47/7:17

400km - April 24, 2010 - Sunrise/set 5:55/7:55

The 200km and 300km routes will be similar to the 2009 edition. The 400km route is still under consideration.

Desert River 300km Pre-Drive

2009-04-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

The ride sets out from Richland, and in short order you're cycling by the Columbia River, and then over the river on the Cable Bridge. The next short stretch is a desultory tour of Pasco. It ends and you cross the snake river and into Burbank. The scenery starts to pick up again after the control, and then there's a long stretch w/ limited services from Burbank to Prescott and then Waitsburg.

It's easy (in a car) to miss the Bolles turn off of the highway to Waitsburg. Catch the turn to get off the highway, and then a right-turn into downtown Waitsburg. Enjoy the town. Stop at the store to get your card signed, and continue South.

Right out of town is the right turn onto Middle Waitsburg Drive. A local cyclist encountered on the pre-drive gave it a thumbs-up - a great ride "if you like hills". It's hilly enough. And then you're in Walla Walla. A sequence of right turns places you at the outstanding Pioneer Park for an information control, restrooms etc. Leave the park the way you entered (construction on the south side) and take Alder to 9th. Hang a left. There's services all over the town - and in Milton-Freewater just to the South.

It's a decent stretch from Milton-Freewater to Pendleton. If it's windy you'll be exposed there, so ride in groups. Good looking shoulders on the road. It's a sharp descent into Pendleton. If you follow the Hwy 30 signs you'll work your way through town just fine. It'll take you by the place of the Roundup, and plenty of place to stop and eat/refill-bottles. This highway takes you into the Pendleton/Reith/Echo canyon. Then Stanton, Hermiston, Umatilla.

Cross the Columbia and prepare to Climb about 1200 rolling vertical feet. When you crest, you'll see the lights of the tri-cities. It's a dark descent from the top of Clodfelter into town. Once you've crossed over the bridge over the interstate, start braking to shed speed quickly - the left turn onto Leslie is easy to miss. After the turn onto Leslie - coast down that hill to the stop sign by the Shell Station. Don't stop there - you're ~2 miles from the end. Cross the intersection. You'll then have a stretch of ~~packed gravel or~~ fresh pavement before getting one last coasting opportunity into the finish.

Assorted pictures are here.

200km Pre-ride

2009-04-05T13:20:00.001-07:00

The pre-ride for the 200km resulted in only minor changes in the route, due to construction in Prosser. The route sheet indicates the needed changes (and fixes a typo or two) as a result.

The pre-ride started (w/ Coffee) at the Albertson's Express at Leslie and Gage in Richland. Coffee in hand, I set out along Keene road, making use of the bike path along that first part of the route. A few joggers out at 7:00am. The weather report had no hint of rain, and whatever winds there were promised to be mild. Made it to Benton City in easy time - and began the process of explaining route cards to the local shopkeepers. The control in Benton City is a Conoco with a tag-name of "The Taco Maker". I opted for the starbucks double-shot instead. Heading on out through Benton City - it's worth noting a well-kept portable toilet near the skate park, on the right, just before turning left onto the Old Inland Empire Hwy (often marked "O I E" on road signs).

The O I E was fine, as always. Worth noting a gang-of-4 dogs about 12km along that road. They bark, they're untethered, they'll approach from the North. Not sure how serious they are. Anyway, the scenery is great and some outstanding views of the river are available. There's no control in Prosser; but, there are services. The restroom at Farrand Park is open and (the men's at least) was clean. Byron Road parallels the river for a few miles, and is a very nice part of this route.

Once out on Hwy-22, heading towards Mabton, I got increasingly good views of Mt Adams and Rainier. The Texaco at Mabton is very busy and well stocked. The porto-toilet is truly disgusting. Recommend holding it till Toppenish.

Various wild-life sightings along the route, notably coyote, heron, hawks. Domesticated animal sightings include cows, sheep, llama, mules and dogs. Not sure if the cats seen were feral or otherwise.

The weather was clear enough to provide views of Mt Adams and Rainier. There's still snow on some of the ridges along the Horse Heaven Hills. Then, you get to turn off of Hwy 22 and bike along the RR tracks. A note on traffic - there wasn't much at all on Hwy 22. Along Track Road, there was some. I pulled over once to let a trailer by, and got a friendly wave as result. Drivers were near-uniformly careful with me out on these roads.

Toppenish is a busy, active and working town on a Saturday morning. There was some sort of livestock auction in progress. And a large collection of yard-sales. Seemed like a nice town. I had some navigation uncertainties through Toppenish; but, managed fine. Will attach this map to the cue sheet:

View Larger Map

One leaves Toppenish heading straight north on Hwy22/Buena road. This was a well-trafficked road, but, again, no real problems. At the stop sign of this road and the Yakima Valley hwy is the Golden Nugget store - our next control. And then, it's virtually the Yakima Valley Hwy/Wine Country Rd all the Way to Prosser.

From the Prosser control (take your choice among the options near the Rest Stop), it's almost a straight reverse-ride home. A great ride - hope to see you there.

Tri-City Area 300km

2009-02-01T20:20:00.000-08:00

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

Tri-City Area 200km

2009-02-01T20:18:00.000-08:00

Ride: Desert River 200km
Organizer: Paul Whitney - post questions to this blog post. Register here: http://www.orrandonneurs.org/brevets/brevet_reg.html.
Ride Date: Saturday April 18, 2009.
Start time: 7:00am, Registration - 6:00-6:45am
Start/End Location: Intersection of Leslie and Gage, in the Parking lot between Albertsons and Albertsons Express, in Richland, WA. See below for a detailed view of the start/finish.
Finish by: 8:30pm April 18, 2009
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

Description: This ride explores the Yakima Valley region. It heads out from Richland directly to Benton City, Prosser, Mabton, Toppenish, Zillah and then back on the other side of the Yakima River via Sunnyside, Grandview, and Prosser. From Prosser, the ride backtracks via Benton City to Richland. A preview of the ride is available below, both out and back.

Out:

View Larger Map

Back:

View Larger Map

If you're coming in from out of town - The Richland Days Inn is a nice inexpensive hotel within a short drive (and about a 25 minute ride) from the start. This map shows the results from a search of hotels near the ride start:

View Larger Map

The start/finish location is shown here:

View Larger Map

Brevets in the Tri-Cities

2009-02-01T20:08:00.000-08:00

Hello! There are two Brevet's that start in the Tri-Cities this Spring. The dates and distances are:
200km - April 18
300km - May 2

For more information on Brevet's in the US see the RUSA web-site: www.rusa.org

Thanks to the Oregon Randonneurs for helping get these started in this region.