As mentioned in my last post, the original BKB Day 2 was the key day to success or failure. The very first time day 2 was ridden as a pre-ride, a decision was made to make all the controls as info controls with no time limits. This was designed to give every rider the chance to finish day 2 without having to worry about open/close times on intermediate controls. As I wrote previously, though, the difficulty of this brevet caused riders to shy away from riding it. Something had to be done to bring the crowds (ha!) back to this 1000K and part of the answer was day 2.
Entering the discussion was a 300K we had created called How Gruene Was My Valley. Here is the original route designed to start from a c-store in north/central Austin.
If you look at this route, you will see that most of the climbing occurs in the first 70 miles. After this, there is mixed terrain followed by a mostly flat. It's a pure 300K (rather than a double century) so it's perfect for ACP where the distances matter. The new day 2 is 8400 feet of climbing over 187 miles. Contrast this with the original day 2 which featured over 11,000 feet of climbing in 198 miles.
Fortunately, because day 2 started as a standalone 300, we have lots of ride data. The biggest factors on how well day 2 will go are wind and heat. You have to be ready for strong SE winds, sun screen, and ensure you have plenty of water. Before the pandemic, this route had excellent controls. The pandemic has had an impact on this, but the route still has good choices at each control. In Dripping Springs, you get the chance to have breakfast at the Subway inside the C-store. Leaving Dripping Springs, you climb through the area south of Dripping Springs. You will find some challenging hills along Mount Gainer Rd and Mt Sharp Rd. One time, we encountered road racers along this stretch participating in a race. They flew past us as they raced.
Approaching Canyon, brace for the unpleasant stretch along FM-306. It's not a great road and in Canyon you lose the shoulder. Be sure to stay single file -- especially after you leave the control. In Canyon, there is a C-store with a F'Real machine (milkshakes if the machine is not broken).
After FM-306, we ride the river road where you should definitely get some photos.
At the end of the river road, you arrive to Gruene which has the famous dance hall. Don't expect to be able to stop here during the pandemic, You might want to mask up as you ride through town. There are lots of people here usually.
In New Braunfels, we used to stop at Burger King for lunch, but recently we have been using the gas station adjacent to the BK. As you head north, there services in Fentress and then you arrive to Lockhart where there is a very nice WhatABurger with outdoor seating. The last control before the finish is in Creedmore and sometimes, there are still some chance for a sandwich if you need the calories. The people that run the Creedmore store are familiar with us and always kind to riders. Get your last fix up here and then finish the day strong.
The final miles back to the hotel offer a tour of east Austin. You won't get to see much of this because it will be dark by the time you get here. You will have to come back and ride our Newer Braunfels 200K some time which uses this same route in the opposite direction.
We have used the standalone 300K as an ACP 300K brevet several times. As you can see from the results, faster riders can finish it under 15 hours. You can spot some familiar names from other clubs in this list of finishers.
So, I am really looking forward to day 2. It's a loop so you get to see new roads all day. If the wind and temperature are favorable, you ride with high spirits knowing that the next control is just a few miles down the road. The stretch between Canyon and Gruene along the river road is loads of fun with lots of places to take photos. Most importantly, you can anticipate some sleep before the final day.
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