CCCP’s 14th Annual Memorial Day Classic

CCCP’s Fourteenth Annual

White Mountain Memorial Day Classic

Monday, May 29th, 2017

9 am

Register 8:30am

Westons Beach

Rte 113 at Saco River

Fryeberg, Maine

This is a fun, beautiful, somewhat challenging, but phenomenal ride to kick off the summer. We guarantee you will ride stronger and better after this one, plus you can brag that you rode the infamous Hurricane Mountain. There is an alternative route option, which many will be taking, that is a couple miles longer but avoids the 17% grade of Hurricane Pass. Both groups will rejoin at the first regroup at Mountain View rest area near the bottom of Hurricane. The Ride is 81 miles long, has 4600 – 5600 ft of climbing, has spectacular views, 25 miles along 3 different streams and rivers, National forests, great camaraderie, and it is free. The ride is partially supported and concludes with a post ride meal, for those who wish to, at the best Belgian beer garden in New England. In other words, a perfect day;  http://ebenezerspub.net
We will meet at Westons Beach on the Saco River (Rte. 113 just West of downtown Fryeberg) at 8:30am. Ride leaves around 9am. Fryeberg is about 50 miles from Portland, but figure 75 to 90 minutes to get there. Forest Ave in Portland is Rte 302, which takes you directly to Fryeberg, so that is certainly the least complicated route. However, I prefer going to Gorham, then west on Rte 25, then right onto Rte 113 a few miles past Standish. 113 takes you right into Fryeberg. Turn left onto Main Street when you get into town. Pass Library on left, then take next right at gas station onto River Road (Rte 113). Go over Saco River bridge then take immediate right into parking lot at Westons Beach Park. Please check in with Kris, sag truck, or CCCP volunteer carrying a clip board, and sign waiver and Rider Contact Info list when you arrive. There are sometimes Port-o-potties at the beach, but not always, so I recommend using bathrooms at the several gas stations and convenience stores on Main Street in downtown Fryeberg just before you turn left onto River Road. Swimming feels great after the ride so bring a towel and suit for a nice dip in the Saco river after the ride.
This ride will be only partially supported with a sag vehicle carrying extra tubes, tires, pump, tools, extra water, GU, bananas, Cytomax, nuts, etc., as well as your lunch bag if you wish. Please mark your name and phone on any lunch containers or clothes you put on the truck and remember to pick them up at the end of ride. Cell phone reception in the White Mountains is pretty spotty, to say the least, so it is best to be self-sufficient and to come prepared for all contingencies. If you do decide to drop out of ride midway, however, do tell or call the ride leader or support driver or some other riders so that we don’t start worrying about you. Telephone numbers will be provided.
There will be three regrouping stops so even slower riders can reconnect with main group. They are:
1.  Mountain View rest area at the end of Hurricane Mtn Road.
If riding Hurricane, take left at stop sign at end of Hurricane Rd onto Rte 302. Rest area with bathrooms are on the right side about 200 meters from Hurricane. If taking alternate route, rest area will be on the left just north of North Conway. Hurricane Mountain and Alternate Route groups will reunite at this first rest area. This is a brief stop, with public bathrooms available.
2.  At Pinkham Notch Info Center at top of Pinkhan Notch on the left. This is our longest regroup stop for lunch. Bathrooms and cafeteria available.
3.  Top of Evans Notch. A brief regroup with a beautiful view. Sag wagon will have water, fruit and snacks to refuel. No bathroom other than precipitous forest. There is a national park recreation area with bathrooms on the right at the bottom of Evans Notch.
Come prepared with layers, including a rain/wind jacket, since it can get cool in the mountains and a rain shower is always a possibility, as well as sunscreen (UV index is always high in the mountains), sunglasses, cell phone, some cash or credit card, 2 water bottles/cages, spare tube, pump or CO2 inflator and tire tools, helmet (Required!), and either a Road ID bracelet or some type of ID with emergency contact info. We will be stopping for lunch at the Information Center on top of Pinkham Notch (at the base of Mt Washington) so you don’t have to carry too much food on you. Note: service sometimes can be slow at cafeteria so you may want to bring your own lunch. You will be able to put your sandwich in sag wagon cooler before ride which will then meets on top of Pinkham Notch. Please mark or label your lunch container with your name and phone number. Definitely recommend some electrolyte replacement fluids to avoid dehydration and cramping.
If you plan on doing Hurricane Mtn. route a bike with a triple crank or with a compact double (34/50 tooth) crank and a 28 tooth or lower (30 or 32 t even better) cassette on the back is recommended. Most of the day, or if you do the alternate route instead, a compact double crank should be fine, Hurricane is about 2 miles long, has no flatter recovery section, averages 14% gradient and can hit 20% at some points. Take it easy and don’t worry if you need to stop a couple of times or even walk a section or two since we will all be stopping, recovering, and regrouping at the Mountain View Rest Area just on other side of Hurricane right near the intersection of Hurricane and Rte 302 in Intervale, NH.
We will ascend Hurricane Mountain early in the ride (within the first 5 miles actually, so be prepared) while our legs are still fresh. For those who would like to do the ride but wish to avoid the infamous 17% grade grade (Category 2 climb), there will be a group taking an alternate route around Hurricane through North Conway. It adds a few miles but is much flatter, easier, and a bit quicker than Hurricane. Both groups will rendezvous at Mountain View rest area. After first rest stop we will head north on 302, take immediate right onto 16A, which will reconnect with 301 several miles later. We will then take right onto Rte 16 up to top of Pinkham Notch and stop there for lunch. Continue down 16 to Gorham, NH, right onto Rte 2 East. Several miles East on Rte 2 just past reservoir take left across river dam  to North Road. Take the second, not the first, right onto bridge back cross back over river at Gilead. Turn right on Route 2 (heading West) for a couple hundred yards then left onto 113 South, up the beuatiful Evans Notch. After final regroup at top of Evans Notch we will continue on 113 all the way back to Fryeberg. There are bathrooms at 1st Regroup (Mountain View), 2nd (Pinkham) and none at top of Evans but at the bottom of Evans there is a Park Campground with toilets on the right.
We’d like to get a sense of who is planning to ride so please confirm by e-mailing me kris@gwi.net if you plan to ride or even if you might. Questions can be sent there as well.  We will give you ride leadr and support/sag car driver’s phone  #  at the ride in case of emergency. Please ask other riders who are pulled over if they need assistance. Let us know if any riders have decided to drop out.
In these days of dwindling hydrocarbons and melting polar ice caps, I encourage people to car pool. Let us know if you need a ride or if you have extra room in your car to give someone a ride.
Last but not least. Please ride safely at all times. I especially urge great caution at these 3 spots on the ride.
1. Coming down Hurricane Mountain, which is narrow, extremely steep and with very sharp switchbacks. Ride slowly and alternate your front and rear brakes so that your tires do not overheat or even stop to let your rims cool down.
2. Just east of Gorham, NH on Rte. 2 there are some railroad tracks which are at a dangerous angle to the road.   Be sure to slow down, yell Train Tracks to other riders and do a zig-zag while crossing of the tracks.
3. Evans Notch has a very dangerous steep-right-then-left sweeping blind S -curve shortly after you start descending. The surface here is washboard bumpy, is steeper and sharper than it looks and has caused a couple of crashes over the years so take it very slow and easy!!!

View Map – primary route including Hurricane Mountain.
 
Map of non-Hurricane alternative route:
82 miles, 4688 ft climbing, one Cat 2 and one Cat. 3 climb
  http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/unitedstates/me/fryeburg/904180396201