Showing posts with label permanent route. Show all posts
Showing posts with label permanent route. Show all posts
Friday, March 28, 2014
Eugene to Florence: Perm populaire, point-to-point, reversible
Eugene to Florence via Triangle Lake
RUSA permanent populaire #2318
Point-to-point, reversible, 120km (75mi). Approx 1800' climbing.
Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4304442
Cue sheet: http://goo.gl/xbCNXt
Registration form: http://goo.gl/QJ5ips
Contact (perm owner): michal.young@gmail.com
This 120km (75mi) route takes you from Eugene, OR to Florence, on the Oregon coast, via Triangle Lake on Highway 36. It begins at 18th and Chambers in southwest Eugene and follows the Fern Ridge Path to its end at Greenhill and Royal, then out Royal, Fir Butte, and Clear Lake roads across the north edge of Fern Ridge Reservoir to Lawrence and onto Highway 36 (Siuslaw Highway). The highway is narrow but less traveled than Highway 126; I have felt fairly safe on it in fall and spring. There is a market at Low Pass, not too far along 36, but it is often closed when I pass early in the morning. You will have no cell phone coverage for most of the segment on 36, from approximately Low Pass until Swiss Home, so it may be a good idea to ride with a buddy.
You will cross the coast range. However, it is not a hard or long climb, topping out below 1100 feet. River views just after the summit are particularly scenic. That section of pavement is also rather rough, the more reason to slow down a bit and enjoy the view.
And what river is that? The map says Lake Creek. Pretty substantial for a creek.
The little town of Deadwood, at about 48 miles, is a control. Hot food offerings at the market are meager, but the market has a restroom, and the staff are friendly. I am partial to this market because they were helpful to me once when I was suffering from knee pain and unable to finish my ride.
Highway 36 merges into Highway 126 at Mapleton. Mapleton is not a control, but the coffee shop in the little strip mall on your left just after the junction is nice. It was tempting to end the route right there in Mapleton, which is a nice little town, but the point was to get to the coast ... so the last few miles are on Highway 126. The nicest thing I can say about that section is that the shoulder is wide enough to make you feel relatively safe despite the SUVs and motor homes. It is flat, but in summer you can count on a strong headwind. The scenery is nice if you can sit up enough to take it in. The river is wide and flat as it approaches the bay, and you might see osprey as well as coastal birds.
The closing control is in Florence. There are many choices, including grocery stores and cafes, once you reach the junction with Highway 101. I recommend turning south (left). After picking up a receipt to document finishing your route, you may consider riding about 5 miles south on Highway 101 to Honeyman State Park (open year round) for a shower, or even to camp in one of their $5 hiker-biker spots if you are suitably equipped.
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Alsea loop permanent (from Eugene OR)
This 211k Randonneurs USA permanent brevet, #1726, is a loop primarily north and west of Eugene with a fair amount of climbing (you cross the coast range twice) and some lovely views. The highlight is South Fork road from near Alsea past Alsea Falls to Alpine, which will be familiar to many local riders from the annual Alpine Century, but there are plenty of other nice views along the way. The last 25 miles are flat.
Note: Logging trucks use some of these roads (Territorial Road in particular) on weekdays. I have not encountered them on a Saturday, but I cannot rule that out. The route is safest and most pleasant on a Sunday. Consider carefully whether you feel safe sharing a rural road with logging trucks, and schedule your ride accordingly.
Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1810086
Cues: http://goo.gl/1W8YR (or http://goo.gl/Skodv for plain html)
RUSA permanent reg form: http://goo.gl/zDwsb
The Alsea loop begins in south-west Eugene (the shopping center at 29th and Willamette) and pops over the valley rim on Lorane Highway, on the way west/south-west way to the tiny town of Crow. Stop at the tiny Crow Market for a bite and to have your brevet card signed or get a receipt. There is a port-a-potty outside, and despite the sign you may be permitted to use the restroom inside (ask nicely).
From Crow it is almost a straight shot north on Territorial Road to Monroe. You will pass through the conjoined towns of Veneta and Elmira as you cross Highway 26, and will find supermarkets and other services there if you need them. The little stretch of Applegate Trail keeps your time on the busy Highway 36 to a minimum before you are back on Territorial. Territorial Highway merges into Highway 99 just at the south end of Monroe, where your second control is. The Dari Mart in Monroe has restrooms and hot as well as cold food. This is your last store until mile 72, so fill those bottles.
Just north of Monroe, you turn left onto Alpine Cutoff Road (watch the tracks!) and work your way west to Bellfountain Road, where on a Saturday or Sunday morning you are likely to meet Corvallis area cyclists out for a weekend ride. Left on Decker, a little south of Philomath, and soon the climbing fun begins. There is more climbing in store as you turn west (left) on highway 34. You'll summit at the turnoff to Mary's Peak, the highest point in the coast range, but on highway 34 the road summit is only 1200 feet. Then it's a long, fast descent, followed by several miles of flat to Alsea.
Stop at John-Boy's Market in Alsea to have your brevet card signed and/or get a receipt. There is a restroom in the back of the store, and they have hot food. You can sit at the table inside, or on the bench out front, where you're likely to strike up a conversation with an Alsea local.
Just beyond John-Boy's Market, at the Post Office, you'll turn left on Alsea-Deadwood highway, and just a mile south you'll turn left again onto South Fork Road, toward Alsea Falls. One of the first sights on South Fork is the Alsea Acres goat farm, which makes wonderful chevre (goat cheese), available at the Eugene Farmers' Market on Saturdays in summer. Then you'll start climbing back over the coast range, but it's not as steep as the climb from east to west. Alsea Falls is worth a short stop. When you summit, the road turns steeply downward. This is a screaming descent ... do be careful in the curves. When you level out again, you're almost to Alpine, and soon on you're way back to Monroe (not a control on the return). The climbing is almost over. Monroe is your last chance for restrooms with running water for quite a while, so use them if you can.
From Monroe you retrace your route a few miles back on Territorial, but this time you'll turn right on Ferguson, and which will bend south and take you past the Long Tom Grange. This is an active Grange that hosts the Daffodil Festival each spring, and is locally famous for fund-raising with its "Men of the Long Tom Grange" calendar. Stop at the grange for an information control. Just a little beyond, you'll turn left on Turnbow, and do your last little bit of climbing for the day. Are those llamas or alpacas on the right?
The descent on Turnbow takes you to High Pass road, where you turn left (east) toward Junction City. Now it's flat and pretty straight and, frankly, pretty boring compared to what you've been through ... sorry, can't be helped. Before Junction City you'll turn right on Dorsey Lane, which looks too small to possibly be on the way to anywhere, but it really is on the way to Alvadore. And maybe Alvadore isn't anywhere, but there are a couple convenience stores catering to visitors to Fern Ridge Reservoir, and you should stop at one of them to get a receipt.
More flat ... I've tried to avoid routing you much along the busy Clear Lake road, but you'll have to endure half a mile of that shoulder before you turn right again onto Fir Butte, which takes you to Royal, which takes you to the beginning of the Fern Ridge Bicycle Path, at the intersection of Royal with Greenhill Road (just several yards south on Greenhill). Now this is more like it ... a nice separated multi-use path all the way back into Eugene. Where the path to Roosevelt splits off to the left, you bear right (crossing the canal) toward down town. Watch for pedestrians and runners, and keep an eye out for heron and cranes along the canal.
You come off the Fern Ridge path just past Chambers street, across the canal on a little bridge, and then across a larger bridge that crosses 18th Ave and through the disc golf course, ending in a school parking lot. Work your way left through the parking lot to a path that takes you out to Polk Street, then follow cues to work your way back to the starting point at 29th and Willamette. In addition to the food establishments in the shopping center, there are food and restrooms in Market of Choice, the large grocery store.
Note: Logging trucks use some of these roads (Territorial Road in particular) on weekdays. I have not encountered them on a Saturday, but I cannot rule that out. The route is safest and most pleasant on a Sunday. Consider carefully whether you feel safe sharing a rural road with logging trucks, and schedule your ride accordingly.
Map: http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1810086
Cues: http://goo.gl/1W8YR (or http://goo.gl/Skodv for plain html)
RUSA permanent reg form: http://goo.gl/zDwsb
The Alsea loop begins in south-west Eugene (the shopping center at 29th and Willamette) and pops over the valley rim on Lorane Highway, on the way west/south-west way to the tiny town of Crow. Stop at the tiny Crow Market for a bite and to have your brevet card signed or get a receipt. There is a port-a-potty outside, and despite the sign you may be permitted to use the restroom inside (ask nicely).
From Crow it is almost a straight shot north on Territorial Road to Monroe. You will pass through the conjoined towns of Veneta and Elmira as you cross Highway 26, and will find supermarkets and other services there if you need them. The little stretch of Applegate Trail keeps your time on the busy Highway 36 to a minimum before you are back on Territorial. Territorial Highway merges into Highway 99 just at the south end of Monroe, where your second control is. The Dari Mart in Monroe has restrooms and hot as well as cold food. This is your last store until mile 72, so fill those bottles.
Just north of Monroe, you turn left onto Alpine Cutoff Road (watch the tracks!) and work your way west to Bellfountain Road, where on a Saturday or Sunday morning you are likely to meet Corvallis area cyclists out for a weekend ride. Left on Decker, a little south of Philomath, and soon the climbing fun begins. There is more climbing in store as you turn west (left) on highway 34. You'll summit at the turnoff to Mary's Peak, the highest point in the coast range, but on highway 34 the road summit is only 1200 feet. Then it's a long, fast descent, followed by several miles of flat to Alsea.
Stop at John-Boy's Market in Alsea to have your brevet card signed and/or get a receipt. There is a restroom in the back of the store, and they have hot food. You can sit at the table inside, or on the bench out front, where you're likely to strike up a conversation with an Alsea local.
Just beyond John-Boy's Market, at the Post Office, you'll turn left on Alsea-Deadwood highway, and just a mile south you'll turn left again onto South Fork Road, toward Alsea Falls. One of the first sights on South Fork is the Alsea Acres goat farm, which makes wonderful chevre (goat cheese), available at the Eugene Farmers' Market on Saturdays in summer. Then you'll start climbing back over the coast range, but it's not as steep as the climb from east to west. Alsea Falls is worth a short stop. When you summit, the road turns steeply downward. This is a screaming descent ... do be careful in the curves. When you level out again, you're almost to Alpine, and soon on you're way back to Monroe (not a control on the return). The climbing is almost over. Monroe is your last chance for restrooms with running water for quite a while, so use them if you can.
From Monroe you retrace your route a few miles back on Territorial, but this time you'll turn right on Ferguson, and which will bend south and take you past the Long Tom Grange. This is an active Grange that hosts the Daffodil Festival each spring, and is locally famous for fund-raising with its "Men of the Long Tom Grange" calendar. Stop at the grange for an information control. Just a little beyond, you'll turn left on Turnbow, and do your last little bit of climbing for the day. Are those llamas or alpacas on the right?
The descent on Turnbow takes you to High Pass road, where you turn left (east) toward Junction City. Now it's flat and pretty straight and, frankly, pretty boring compared to what you've been through ... sorry, can't be helped. Before Junction City you'll turn right on Dorsey Lane, which looks too small to possibly be on the way to anywhere, but it really is on the way to Alvadore. And maybe Alvadore isn't anywhere, but there are a couple convenience stores catering to visitors to Fern Ridge Reservoir, and you should stop at one of them to get a receipt.
More flat ... I've tried to avoid routing you much along the busy Clear Lake road, but you'll have to endure half a mile of that shoulder before you turn right again onto Fir Butte, which takes you to Royal, which takes you to the beginning of the Fern Ridge Bicycle Path, at the intersection of Royal with Greenhill Road (just several yards south on Greenhill). Now this is more like it ... a nice separated multi-use path all the way back into Eugene. Where the path to Roosevelt splits off to the left, you bear right (crossing the canal) toward down town. Watch for pedestrians and runners, and keep an eye out for heron and cranes along the canal.
You come off the Fern Ridge path just past Chambers street, across the canal on a little bridge, and then across a larger bridge that crosses 18th Ave and through the disc golf course, ending in a school parking lot. Work your way left through the parking lot to a path that takes you out to Polk Street, then follow cues to work your way back to the starting point at 29th and Willamette. In addition to the food establishments in the shopping center, there are food and restrooms in Market of Choice, the large grocery store.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Five Rivers (RUSA permanent 1587)
Five Rivers (RUSA permanent 1587)
This loop from Eugene to Lebanon, with a spur to Walterville, takes you along the Willamette, McKenzie, Mohawk, and Calapooia rivers, and across the Santiam. The second half is fairly flat, and climbs in the first half are mostly gradual. The first climb is on Marcola Road where it becomes Brush Creek road (familiar from the Eden's Gate 400km brevet). The second, and steepest, is on Fern Ridge road between Crawfordsville and Sweet Home (and an information control at the top is there to make sure you enjoy it). The last is on Gap Road south of Brownsville.There are few controls on this route (Walterville and Lebanon, plus two information controls and the start/end), but there are lots of optional food stops: Mohawk, Crawfordsville, Sweet Home, Brownsville, and Coburg. Each of these has at least a port-a-potty, and Sweet Home and Brownsville also have running water.
Start
This route was approved July 15, 2012. I've tried to make the cues as clear as possible (and thanks Crista and Lynne for good advice on that), but if you have any issues or suggestions for improving clarity, do please let me know!
Cue sheet
Randonneurs USA (RUSA) record
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| Click for larger image. For dynamic map, use the RideWithGPS link above. |
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