400 km
Ride: 400 km
Organizer: Patrick Gray
Date: Saturday, May 13-14, 2006
Time: Start Time: 7:15 a.m.
Start Location:Starbucks at Bremerton Ferry Terminal - park bicycles by Coldstone Creamery or shipping store, which are both closed in the morning
Address: Bremerton, Wash.
Entry Fee: $25 SIR members $35 non-members. Please make all entry and membership fees payable to SIR. Medals (optional) $8.
Please download and fill out this Entry Form in advance. Paperwork and payment will be collected on the ferry boat. Riders not coming over on the ferry from Seattle can sign-in at the Bremerton ferry terminal.
Special Instructions: Reach the Coleman Dock in downtown Seattle in time to catch the 6:00 a.m. ferry in order to make it to the start on time. Ferry schedule and information: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/schedules/current/index.cfm?route=sea-br. If you miss the 6am ferry the next boat won't get you to Bremerton until more than an hour after the official start (in other words, too late).
Note: Free on street parking is available south of the ferry terminal on Alaska Way, or about a mile north of the ferry terminal on Elliott Ave., just north of Pier 70 (N bound lane, at the Airborne Express HQ building). Or, ride your bike to the ferry.
If you are driving to the start: Please park at the Best Western or the grocery store next door and ride to the start. Eric Vigoren will be at the Bremerton Starbucks to register riders who are not coming over on the ferry.
Equipment needed: Remember riding gear for inclement weather, bike tools, spare tubes, and food/water for yourself. All riders should be familiar with the SIR Brevet Riders Expectations - see http://www.seattlerandonneur.org/member/SIR_rider_expectations.html
Headlights (white and clearly visible from 150 yards to oncoming traffic), tail lights, and red rear reflectors are required. Note that many taillights are also legal reflectors. These may be checked and riders disqualified if they do not function. Functional lights must be mounted on bike at all times. Lights must be operating at night on each bike in a group. Blinking taillights are permitted, but note that these may bother other riders.
Reflective vests or sashes and leg bands are required for riding at night or during poor visibility. This is for your safety and others in the group.
Hand held flashlights or helmet mounted lights are recommended for repairs made in the dark.
As a courtesy to other riders, fenders (with 1/4 coverage front wheel and 1/2 coverage rear wheel) are recommended. Additional rear splashguards are recommended for group riding.
Route Description: The Spring 400k features a fairly flat route, a mix of busy and less-traveled roads and the chance to see the breakers of the Pacific Ocean and the shores of Puget Sound. From Bremerton the route heads southwest on Hwy 3 through Shelton. After Shelton you'll take Hwys 101, 108 and backroads to Elma and Montesano before heading south on Hwy 107 to avoid the busy road into Aberdeen. South of Cosmopolis the route heads northwest on Hwy 101 and then west on Hwy 105 all the way to the ocean (Westport). From Westport you'll head south along the coast on the lightly-chipsealed Hwy 105, around the north side of Willapa Bay, all the way to Raymond and South Bend. After having reached the southwestern tip of the route, the return to Bremerton is via Hwy 101, the recently-traveled Hwy 107 and backroads of Elma and then fresher roads to Potlatch, Hwy 106 along the south edge of Hood Canal and back onto Hwy 3 to Bremerton. The finish will be at the Best Western in Bremerton, not at the ferry dock!
End of the ride: The finish will be at the Best Western in Bremerton (~2.5 miles from the ferry terminal). This is to accomodate the vast majority of riders who will finish during the five-and-a-half hour gap between boats in the middle of the night. SIR will have four rooms available with a variety of flat and/or soft surfaces to lie on. Three rooms will have kitchens and we'll do our best to accomodate everyone comfortably. If you would like to leave a small bag with a toothbrush or other toiletries with the organizers, you are welcome to do so. "Small" means a bag you'd be comfortable carrying with you on your bicycle.
Notes from Preride:
The 400k pre-ride (Mark Thomas, Peter McKay, Will Roberts, Eric Vigoren and Patrick Gray) came off as planned with the exception of more hills, more chipseal and more rain than anticipated. While the overall elevation gain is between 7,000' (altimeter) and 9,000' (software), there are several sections with almost no hills and other sections with steady rollers. The longest hills are near the start and finish in Bremerton.
During the pre-ride we experienced a fair amount of headwind while riding the rough chipseal through Elma and Montesano. The wind held up for most of the day, but once we hit the coast it was no longer in our faces.
Given the length of the ride, please plan carefully for the clothing and gear you'll have with you. We experienced temperatures in the low 40s and plenty of rain during the pre-ride. Other things to note, as they'll occur during the ride:
- The Shelton control is open and the majority of services (gas station, Red Apple grocery) can be found after heading up the hill to the south of the main downtown area.
- The South Bend control is an unmanned information control between Propect and Harrison Streets (1 block apart) which references the large city pride sign on the left (south) side of the road.
- Services in Raymond include a 24-hour Chevron station.
- There is a 24-hour Chevron just south of Montesano. I personally recommend their fine selection of gloves and hats.
- The 27-mile stretch between Elma and Hwy 101 is very dark in the middle of the night. I'd recommend trying to pair up with someone for this section to reduce the chance of navigation errors.
- The Potlatch control is also an information control. The store is closed from 2am-6am but there will be SIR support on hand with food and drinks during this time.
- Riders who prefer to take the quieter Old Belfair highway instead of staying Hwy 3 between Belfair and Gorst are welcome to do this, though they won't get credit for the extra distance. This is the route of the South Hood Canal permanent, so it may be more familiar for some people.
- The finish control, as noted above, is the Best Western in Bremerton.
Route Sheet
Last Updated: 05.11.06