WELL ALL RIGHT... The date and venue have been set! Riv Rally East will take place the weekend of May 6-8, 2011 in Wellsboro, PA, home to the "Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania".
Here's a link to Bill Yacovissi's website, with LOTS of information, including links to Wellsboro information - http://pinecreekbikerides.com/ All are welcome; here's how it will go down (quite simply).... We'll all converge on the town of Wellsboro. PA Friday night (or early Saturday AM), do some scenic and adventurous group rides together on Saturday and Sunday, enjoy good food, drink and great company, then spend the rest of the year talking about how great it was... You will need to arrange your own travel and lodging (but below is an extensive list of lodging options). I'm merely providing the idea, the meeting place and time... the rest is up to you. Here are a few details: Arrive Friday evening (May 6) in Wellsboro (staying at a hotel/inn/B&B/ campground of your choice... information below). Saturday morning: Grand Loop Ride (aka Wellsboro Loop) , departing at 9 AM from Wellsboro Green. This will consist of a beautiful, (supposedly) easy ride through the Pine Creek Gorge. The full loop will be 45 miles, and the pace will be slow to moderate. There WILL be bailout options for shorter loops (25 and 33 miles, the latter of which will still include the most scenic parts of the canyon, but will cut off 12 miles... I will promise this. Anyone willing to ride the 45 miles... I will ride it with you, no matter how long it takes... I've even got lights, you know... Saturday evening – We can attempt to dine together at the same establishment in town, or eat separately and then after dinner converge at a meeting spot (ie local tavern)… There will be plenty of options. Sunday morning – Pick-a-Loop Ride, departing at 9AM from Wellsboro Green. Local ride expert Bill Yacovissi has recommended a variety of rides, including one very nice out-and-back route called the Colton Point Loops, which cover a variety of rolling terrain (mostly dirt roads), ranging from 35 to 45 miles (depending which loop option you choose). The first and last 10 miles we all ride the same route. There may be other ride options as well. Sunday afternoon - Depart home after ride. Expectations / Disclaimer: I hope as many Riv riders as possible (and friends) will join these rides. I will do my part to ensure everyone has the necessary information and support they need (and I trust we will all work together), but I make no claims of being a professional event planner, and expect people to manage their own plans. Depending on the size of the group it might make sense to split into a few smaller groups on the rides. We can decide this the democratic way. Admittedly I’ve never been to Wellsboro or to the Gorge, so I have to rely on the testimony and advice of others. But I am very confident we will enjoy Wellsboro and the surrounding area. Fortunately Bill Yacovissi has put together an awesome and very detailed website. He has also (tentatively) agreed to join us for at least one of the rides and possibly dinner afterwards, to which we openly welcome him. Hotel /Inn/B&B Options: As Wellsboro is the largest town near the gorge, many of the hotels, inns and B&Bs are located here. I am confident there are PLENTY of options to suit everyones’ individual tastes and budgets. Here is a link to a directory of options within Wellsboro and the surrounding area. http://www.wellsboroweb.com/wwdirectory/lodging.shtml I STRONGLY URGE you all to make your reservations early. I understand (from Bill Y) that demand for hotel space has risen due to increased natural gas exploration in the area, and hotel rooms may become increasingly hard to find as we get closer to May. Here are 2 that I briefly researched and picked out: The Penn Wells Hotel and Lodge has many rooms available at the moment (between the hotel and the lodge, both located close to each other near the center of Wellsboro). Rates for 2011 are not yet available, but will be approx $95 per room; I will request a group discount, and let you know if I'm successful. Singles with a queen bed and Doubles with 2 double beds are available. Check out their site at http://pennwells.com/ (Note: Bikes may be brought into the doubles, but not the singles). This strikes me as more like your typical chain hotel, and it appears to offer more services than the motels. The Sherwood Motel (also located in town) has good reviews. (I got a pretty good vibe from the owner, Marsha when she phoned me.) Check them out at: www.sherwoodmotel.org All rooms are smoke-free, no pets allowed. Bicycles are NOT allowed in the rooms, and Marsha (the motel owner) was kind enough to call me to discuss how they might accommodate a large group of bicycles… The hotel does have some limited storage in their basement, but Marsha assured me if the weather is OK, bicycles are perfectly safe left on a car rack. (I personally will plan to keep my bike inside my Honda Element at night, or locked on my rack with a nylon rain cover…) Rates: (We automatically qualify for the AAA rate…. WOO HOO!!) 1 person - $68 (no AAA offered) 2 people - 1 queen $89 ($80 w/AAA) 2 doubles $89 ($80 w/AAA) 1 king $95 ($85 w/AAA) 2 queens $100 ($90 w/AAA) 2 queens w/ whirlpool bathtub $108 ($97 w/AAA) 1 king or queen w/2 person whirlpool $100 ($90 w/AAA) Suite - 2 bedrooms, including 1 queen size bed in each with a hide-a- bed $120 for up to 4 people ($108 w/AAA) $5 extra for each person over 12 $5 for each cot or pack-n-play Check out the links above; I am sure you will find a hotel option to your liking. Wellsboro, PA is located in North Central PA... (Google-Map it for directions). Stay tuned for updated information. NOW GO MAKE THOSE HOTEL RESERVATIONS!!! WOO HOO!!! Peace, BB -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. 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