1000 km Pre-Ride notes - Mark Thomas

Oh my, oh my. This is a good one.

I drove the 1000km course last weekend and it looks like an epic in the making. Mountains, rivers, forests, plains, flats, hills, winds - you name it, we got it!

New route sheet is online. Here are some notes:

Brief description:

Friday is volcano and forest day. The route follows familiar (to SIR riders) roads from Redmond to Issaquah to Enumclaw to Eatonville to Elbe to Morton to Randle. Watch for Mt. Rainier around many a corner or back over your shoulder. After Randle, the fun begins and the services pretty much end. The route enters Gifford Pinchot National Forest and threads between Mt. St. Helens and Mt. Adams. Many of you will recall the climb to Wakepish on Bill's 400k route this spring. Here we keep going up for several more miles to crest Elk Pass. After that, it's mostly (but not all) downhill to the control at Northwoods and the overnight stop at Carson (km 340).

Saturday brings you rivers and gorges and endless stretches of rural nothingness. The start (likely predawn) is 40 miles along the Columbia River before turning north to follow the Klickitat River to the high plains into Goldendale. The stretch along the Klickitat is fabulous and then the plain treats you to views of Mt. Adams and Mt. Hood. After Goldendale, the route heads north to Toppenish over Satus Pass and then wine country (and nuclear waste country) back to the Columbia across from Vantage. Uphill and 50 more miles to the overnight stop at Ephrata (km 694).

Sunday starts with a whole lot of "nothing there" from Ephrata through Moses Coulee and on to Waterville. From Waterville you get the big Orondo Grade climb as a downhill! After that, familiar territory along US-2 to Wenatchee, Leavenworth, over Stevens Pass, Skykomish, and Sultan. Back roads bring you back to the finish.

Services:

At the outset, I should note that the overnight stops are damn near mandatory. If you want to ride it differently, let me know in advance. Also bring some stamped postcards, because you'll need to mail them from some of the control towns when services are not available. The first part of SR-14 along the Columbia is probably also a lot safer in the pre-dawn hours Saturday than late Friday night.

>From the start to Randle, there should be no real issue with services. In addition to the controls in Cumberland (km 61), Eatonville (km 128), and Randle (km 202), there are services in Issaquah (km 25), South Prairie (km 85), Kapowsin Store (km 111), Elbe (km 147), and Morton (km 174). After Randle, however, it gets interesting. Iron Creek Picnic area (km 218 - close to Randle) may have water, but it may also shut off the weekend before the ride. Wakepish (just off to the right at FR-99 (km 234) has restrooms but no water. Plan on 73km and lots of climbing from the Randle control to the Northwoods/Eagle Cliff control (km 275) with no access to food or water. Same (without all the climbing) for the 60km from Northwoods to Carson. The control at Northwoods is at Eagle's Cliff. There is a store here (open until 8PM) and a "burger buggy" (open until 7:30PM), serving burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, soup - limited menu, but pretty decent. After 7:30/8:00, we're planning to have a volunteer with refreshments.

On the way into Carson, there are a store (Wind River Market - open until 10PM) and a restaurant (Wind River Inn - apparently open until 2AM). We will also have some food at the control in Carson (km 339). The overnight is at the Carson Hot Springs resort, which (according to Frommer), has been in business since 1897 and looks every bit its age. We have one cabin with a shower and a hot tub (bring a swimsuit if you want a soak). The other cabins have only a toilet and sink. I assume that we can get towels for all, but stashing one in your drop bag may not be a bad idea.

After Carson, it is about 37km to a 24hour market (km 366) just past the Hood River bridge. Another 38km and you pass through the small town of Klickitat (km 405), which has a gas station/mini-mart. The guy there says he opens at 6:30AM, but confessed that sometimes he oversleeps and opens later. The first control of the day is in Goldendale (km 440 - 101km from Carson). An espresso stand and a gas station/mini-mart/Subway/DQ open at 5AM. If you get there before then, mail me a postcard and good luck! It's another 78km to the Toppenish control (km 518). The only thing between Goldendale and Toppenish on the road is one camp store on the left not too far (under 20km) from Goldendale. I don't know when it opens.

In Toppenish, there is a 24 hour cafe just before the right turn onto SR-22. If you want other stuff, go straight at that intersection and a wide choice of services are available in less than half a kilometer (7-11, McDonalds, grocery store, etc). It's 93km from Toppenish to the next control (Desert Aire at km 611). I think there are services as you cross under I-82 (km 530) and there is a rest area with water on the left before the bridge - Vernita rest area (km 592).

After the climb up from the Columbia, you should be able to find stuff in George (around km 650). Beware the Gorge Amphitheater concert traffic - apparently it will be James Taylor night.

There should be services near overnight at Ephrata (km 694), but I didn't check those out. We'll have stuff at the Best Western. We have rooms at the Best Western and also 2km up the road at the Travelodge. Rooms were hard to come by - James Taylor fans took them all!

Sunday morning after Ephrata, there will be around 75km of absolutely no services until you reach Waterville (km 770). The control is at a Texaco station just past the town. It opens at 5:45AM. If you get there early, look for a park in town which should have water. You'll also have to send a postcard from there. At the bottom of the hill in Orondo, there is another gas station / minimart. From Orondo, there's another 53km to Leavenworth (km 837). There are plenty of services in this stretch. Traditional Leavenworth control stop is the Chevron on the right. There is a Subway in there on the left and also a market in there on the right. Some good pasta salads were available when I stopped there on a previous brevet. Any other place in Leavenworth is ok for a stop as well.

There is a rest area (Nason Creek) at km 866, about 30km past Leavenworth. Especially if it's late, you should consider filling up bottles here. The big Stevens Pass climb is yet to come. Down the other side is the next control town - Skykomish (km 920). This is a bit problematic if you're running late. The closing time for the control is 2AM, but available services close earlier. The control is the Chevron station on the left side of the road just past the left turn into the town. The gas station/mini-mart is open only until 10PM. In the town - cross the river and take a left - is a tavern (the Whistling Post). They told me that they stay open on Sundays until midnight, "maybe later." There's a water tap right by the door on the outside, but I have no idea whether it will be on after the tavern closes. If nothing works out in Skykomish, note the time on your brevet cards and head on down the road. It is 39km to a 24hour Chevron/mini-mart/Burger King on the left on your way into Sultan. You may also find a tavern or two open along the way, but I doubt it. It is 122km from Leavenworth to this stop, so if you're running late, be prepared - stock up in Leavenworth and fill bottles at Nason Creek.

It's just under 50km from the 24hour stop in Sultan to the finish. Probably no late night services along this stretch. Maybe a 24 hour grocery at the Avondale turn (km 997), but by then you're very close.

Cautions/warnings:

The route has a lot of chip-seal. Padded gloves, shorts, bars, etc are a great idea. Not to mention lots of resolve!

The route has many miles of roads that have no shoulders or barely adequate shoulders. Be very visible!!! Bright colors by day, lots of reflective stuff by night.

The stretch along SR-14 early Saturday morning has narrow shoulders and 5 tunnels and some construction. Engage the warning lights before each tunnel.

There's a good chance that you will descend off Stevens Pass in the dark. The shoulders are quite reasonable, but watch for the drainage grates. This is a rip-roaring descent, so be careful.

Make sure you can carry enough water (and have enough food) for the long stretches without services.

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Last Updated: 09.16.03