Anchorage/Seward/Anchorage 200K/400K Brevets

The AEA's Denali Classic was an amazing experience. We made a bunch of new friends and are grateful to Carlos and the gang for letting the Alaska Randonneurs offer a brevet option for their ride. The Denali Highway is a magical 135-mile gravel road paralleling the Alaska Range between the communities of Cantwell on the west, and Paxson on the east. The road offers spectacular riding through the remote Alaska wilderness, especially when the weather is nearly perfect, as we found it over the Memorial Day weekend. If you've never ridden the Denali Highway, I urge you to make the time and go up for a grand adventure!

Denali Classic 200K RESULTS

Denali Classic 200K PHOTOS

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The classic Anchorage/Seward/Anchorage 400K brevet, along with the new Anchorage/Seward one-way 200K option, is this Saturday, June 5th. Either option is a beautiful ride in its own right, and is a great training opportunity for those looking for some big milage in preparation for the Fireweed.

Everything you need to know for the rides may be found at the links below:

Anchorage/Seward 200K or 400K DETAILS

2009 Anchorage/Seward 400K PHOTOS

Looking forward to seeing you at the start!

Denali Hwy Brevet Gear List + Solstice 600K Logistics

If you're joining us (AEA and the AK Randonneurs) up on the Denali Highway over Memorial Day weekend, you're urged to add the following to your kit:

1) Bear spray

2) Water filter

3) Camelback

This is a very remote ride (no cellphone service), checkpoints (contrôles) are far apart, and the weather outlook is telling us it'll be in the mid to high 60s up there; think "Parched!"

No doubt this will toughen you up for the upcoming Anchorage/Seward/Anchorage 400K!

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It's less than a month until the Solstice 200K/400K/600K brevets up in Gakona/Delta Junction/Tok. If you're doing any of these rides, I suggest you make arrangements for accommodations in these towns as soon as possible; places are beginning to fill up rather quickly.

Last year, several riders had a good experience with Young's Motel in Tok. I have no relation to Young's, and there are other options up there, but this would be a good place to finish for the 400K, and to overnight for the 600K. They still have a few rooms open; its $94. They close their office @ 11pm but you can make arrangements for late arrivals. (Several riders got there after midnight and 1AM.)

Here’s their info:

EDDY’S RESTAURANT & YOUNG’S MOTEL and RV Park

Mile 1313 Alaska Highway. Seafood, pizza, steaks, sandwiches, salad bar & soup. 43 Motel rooms, satellite TV, phones, non-smoking available. Year-round 6 am to 11 pm. RV sites, water & electric, Wi-Fi available.

P.O. Box 482

Mile 1313 Alaska Highway

Tok, Alaska 99780

907-883-4411

Ed and Diane Young Email: edyoung@aptalaska.net

For other options, check out the latest edition of the Milepost.

Gakona Lodge

Tok Chamber of Commerce

Delta Junction Chamber of Commerce (visitors' center)

See ya up there!

Denali Highway 200K/300K May 29th

If you don't think randonneuring in the United States is taking off, then you I guess you didn't know that there has already been 68 brevets, so far just this month of May, ranging from 200K to 600K, all across this Nation.

Check out the photos from the Oregon 600K.

Or what about the San Francisco Randonneurs and their 600K?

These are just a small example of the outrageously high-quality riding being organized from coast-to-coast in this country by the Randonneurs USA. There are a tonne of rides going on around the country and Canada. If you're traveling for business or pleasure, consider taking your bike!

The long days of summer are upon us. I hope you will get out and ride with your fellow randonneurs.

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The Anchorage/Palmer/Anchorage 300K is a wonderful ride that passes through the communities of Eagle River, Peters Creek, Eklutna, Palmer, and Knik. This is about the closest thing we get to the village-to-village cycling experience.

10 riders started in the chill of a cloudless morning last Saturday, and rode some amazing roads, hills, trails, and even through a bit of road construction, to complete the 300K brevet. Congratulations to all of finishers.

Anchorage/Palmer/Anchorage 300K Results are HERE.

A few photos are HERE.

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MAY 29th, Memorial Day Weekend - AEA Denali Classic + 200K/300K Brevets

The Alaska Randonneurs really believe in grassroots events. That's why this year we're teaming up with the AEA for their Memorial Day weekend Denali Classic. We really admire what Carlos has been doing over the years with Frigid Bits and Soggy Bottom, and want to show our support for his rides. Come up and join the fun and adventure. Ride one of the Denali Classic rides, or if you're looking for ACP or RUSA credit, ride the 200K or 300K brevets out-and-back on the Denali Highway. These brevets are likely the longest dirt-road randonnées in North America. Bring your 'cross bike, with extra plump tires, or your hard-tail MTB.

All rides will start at 9AM from the Brushkana campground, which is about 29 miles east of Cantwell. Make a whole weekend of it. Bring the family; there are loads of trials to explore for those not doing one of the rides.

We're planning a post-ride potluck feast, so please bring something to add to the food pile. Don't forget to bring your favorite fermented or distilled electrolyte replacement, if you're so inclined. And if that's not enough, we'll be cookin' up a giant tummy-bustin' homestyle breakfast on Sunday morning. Bring a few donation victuals for that one too. Don't forget to haul your body-weight in firewood up to the campground as well. It's still a little chilly in the evening up there, and we're gonna need lots of community flame.

Details HERE.

See you on the Denali!

Denali Highway 300K Traverse of the Alaska Range

The month of May typically brings very stable weather across Southcentral Alaska. If you're at all familiar with the writings of author David Roberts, and his seminal mountaineering book Deborah: A Wilderness Narrative, you'll stand an excellent chance of seeing Deborah on our newly approved, May 29th, Denali Highway 300K brevet (a 200K is in the works as well). The map above explains the ride pretty well. As you can see, it'll be almost entirely on a freshly graded dirt highway, traversing a significant portion of the Alaska Range. This ride also tops out on the second highest mountain pass on the entire, albeit small, Alaska road system. The stuff of pure adventure, this ride is. The ride will be at the end of May. We'll be less than a month away from Solstice, so we'll have plenty of light. It's on dirt (I already said that) so ride 28mm or larger. And it's remote. That means two things: very, very low traffic, and minimal services. Let your imagination loose on this one, because it can't possibly compare to what the real thing will be like.

I have to express my thanks to Carlos Lozano. He started the spring rides up on the Denali Highway years ago as the "Denali Classic", part of his Alaska Endurance Association series of rides. Over a few beers at the Spenard Roadhouse last fall, Carlos finally relented to letting us rando-types hop aboard his adventure train. Carlos has a lot of style, and imparts it well on all the rides he puts on. With the two of us now teaming up for the magic-weekend-in-May, this should be double the fun, double the adventure, double the experience. If you need logistical assistance with this ride (flights, hotels, how to get to the start, where to stay, etc.), let either of us know. We'll be glad to help.

Two housekeeping items for local riders:

You really need to know what's going on w/ the rewrite of Title 9 here in Anchorage, and the wording proposed by our friends at the Anchorage Police Department. Please read the latest by the truck-drivin' cyclist Thomas Pease in the Anchorage Press.

Second, the Arctic Bicycle Club will host their annual bike shop on April 10th. Save the date!

AT&T Sports Pavillion

12:00-1:00 setup

1:00-4:00 sales

No fees or commissions.