[ORRando] Willamette Headwaters 600 pre-ride notes

Michael Wolfe cyclotouriste at gmail.com
Wed Aug 18 13:32:13 PDT 2010


I pre-rode the Willamette Headwaters 600 on Sunday and Monday.  I was
working on a narrative of my ride for my blog, and I'll still finish it, but
I figured it would be better to get something out quickly that was good
enough, rather than write something too long and get it out too late.

It was a really good ride.  The roads quiet and smooth (seriously, the
pavement was in a lot better shape than you might expect), and the scenery
was spectacular.  It was hot, but that wasn't actually a huge problem
because the course spends a lot of time in the woods, and along rivers.
This is probably not a surprise, since I designed the course, but it's
easily my favorite 600 that I've ever done.

This is also a really hard ride.  If you're typically on the edge of time
limits for randonnees, you may want to make sure you have a bailout plan.  I
don't have enough volunteers to sag for riders who abandon -- you will have
to find your way back to civilization yourself.

Redundant lights, a space blanket, plenty of food, and 3 water bottles are
strongly encouraged.  Reflective vests, sashes, and ankle bands are
required.

Points in order:

* The route spends some time on the Corvallis-Philomath bike path.  The
navigation in the first mile on it is slightly tricky.  After you cross the
Willamette into downtown Corvallis, you go around the Super 8 and get on the
path along the waterfront.  Just as you pass under OR 34, you make the first
right to go around the skate park, and then take the second left.  Don't go
across the bridge -- the turn you want is the one after that.  This is all
on the cue sheet, but I wanted to make this as clear as possible.

* There are plenty of services in the first 110 miles.  At controls and
between controls, you're never far from a re-supply opportunity.  After
that, the only re-supply opportunities are at the controls.  There are
places where you can water up (mostly forest service campgrounds) and I have
marked those on the cue sheet, but even those can get rare at times.  In
particular, riders should seriously consider getting water at Cedar Creek on
the Cottage Grove to Oakridge leg and at Kiahanie on the Oakridge to
McKenzie Bridge leg, and definitely at Marion Forks.

* The terrain in the first 110 miles is very easy.  There are some gentle
rollers, but they are never steep or long.  There is one climb between
Loraine and Cottage Grove, and it goes up 500' over 3 miles or so and then
gives you a nice rollout into town.  You will want to take advantage of this
section to put as much time as you can in the bank -- you'll need it later.
Don't go out too hard and blow up, as that would be a disaster for your
chances of successfully finishing in the time limit.  But do keep moving.
Limit your number of stops as much as possible, and keep them as short as
you can.  When the day is hotter and the climbs are steeper, you'll need to
rest more often and you'll be glad that you didn't use up that time earlier.

* After those first 110 miles, you get off the Row River Trail and you start
the Brice Creek climb.  It starts off easy enough, but ramps up quickly,
both in the steepness and frequency of the stair-steps, and in the general
grade.  When you make a left at the NFD 22 junction and cross the creek, you
get 4 miles of pretty intense climbing.  At the top, you start snaking along
the top of a ridge back, which has some equally steep sections, but also
lots of flat and downhill.  This section is really hard, but don't let it
demoralize you: it's the hardest section on the whole ride.  Just keep at
it, and eventually you'll be able to enjoy the fast but extremely technical
descent into Oakridge.

* On the ridge back, there is one short section of gravel on an uphill,
maybe 100' or so.  Later, on a descent, there are 3 shorter sections of
gravel.  All are well marked, and all are well packed.  When you see the
sign for Loose Gravel, reign in your speed, keep your eyes open, and you
should be fine.

* The cue sheet shows the Oakridge control as being on Main Street.  There's
a pretty nice brewpub there, but most of the services are out on OR 58.  The
course turns onto 58 right next to a Ray's Food Place supermarket, which is
open until 9, and there's a Chevron a little further that's open until 10.
Plenty of other fast food to choose from, too.  The control closes at around
9:30, so everyone should be able to have plenty of food for the next leg.

* Aufderheide Byway (NFD 19) is river grade for 10 miles, then starts going
up more noticeably.  Kiahanie CG at milepost 20 is your last water
opportunity for a while.  The going only gets really tough in the last 2
miles or so, when the road switches back and the hillside is on your right.
You'll see signs for the mileage to Box Canyon CG; that'll tell you how far
you have until the top, as it's right at the summit.

* There's a short gravel section (again, about 100') along Cougar
Reservoir.  The road is pretty flat in that area, and it's well marked.

* The overnight control is on OR 242, just past the turn.  I have cabins 13
and 17 reserved, and we'll probably set up the control in 13.  We'll mount
blinkies at the Camp Yale entrance and set some up to direct you to right
cabin.  Everything will be closed in McKenzie Bridge, but we will have
plenty of food at the control.  Let me know if you have any dietary
restrictions.

* On the pre-ride, I went through the night and slept in Sisters, which
worked well for me.  The downside was that I didn't get to look at the
gorgeous scenery going up the pass.  The upside was that I saw 4 cars all
night and it was nice and cool.  The climb is long, but not as steep as some
earlier climbs.  I frequently had a gear or two to spare.  From the turnoff
to the top of the pass is 22 miles, but the grade really backs off after
about 14 (milepost 69).  It takes a few miles to really get started, too, so
that means it's only like 8 miles of intense climbing.  The top is at mp 77.

* I've made Sisters an info control, so people who do ride through the night
won't have to worry about finding something that's open.  It also means that
riders won't have to worry about missing the closing time because of the
major climb after the overnight.  Riders should still plan to leave the
overnight before dawn, if possible, though, as there's a lot of riding still
to do.

* The climb over Santiam Pass isn't terribly long or steep, but it is
exposed, and you're on the edge of the Eastern Oregon desert, so that's
another reason to get an early start -- you'll be happier doing this climb
if it's cooler.  It's fairly major highway, but traffic was quite light on
the Monday morning that I was there, and there's a good shoulder.

* The shoulder disappears after the turn onto OR 22, but aside from a short
uphill and flat stretch after the junction, you're going downhill, so you
should be hauling ass.  Plus, the traffic ought to be pretty light, so it
shouldn't be a problem.

* Get water at Marion Forks, either from the restaurant or the campground.
There's no water on Straight Creek Road until Yellowbottom.

* After Marion Forks, you backtrack a couple miles to NFD 11 / Straight
Creek Road.  It helps to keep your eyes open for it on the way down, as
you'll find it easier on the way back.

* NFD 11 starts off really steep for a mile, and then relents, and then has
another steep section, then relents, and one more steep bit.  That's the
first 4 miles.  Then it undulates for about 3 miles, and then there's
another 1.5 miles of steep, and then you're at the top.  The road starts
going downhill fast just past mp 39.

* It's really really really really fast for the next 17 miles to
Yellowbottom.  Then it's medium speedy for 6, to the Green Peter Reservoir.
Then it's crappy demoralizing rollers for the next 10 miles, from mp 16 to
mp 6.  The wind will be blowing upstream, right into your face.  You will
curse my name.  When you get to mp 6, you've reached the dam, and you get
several fast miles of downhill and flat.

* You go around another reservoir on the other side of the Santiam from
Sweethome, but the rollers are much easier.  You still get a nice couple
miles of roll out when you get to that dam.

* There is a suckerpunch hill just before you get to Pleasant Valley Road.
Sorry about that, there really wasn't any better alternative.

* I've sent you on backroads that parallel US 20 into Lebanon.  The route
actually adds an extra half mile over the highway, but it's much, much
nicer.  You're pedaling along flat ground along the Santiam River, with
hardly any traffic.  If you go on 20, you'll get a flat and someone will
throw a Slurpee at you.

Folks who are signed up for this are in for a great time.  If you're
thinking about doing this ride, sign up soon, as we have room for maybe 3
more riders.

-Michael
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