Devil's Lake Bike Course Changed

Well that confirms it.  There is no point in me doing the race to see if I can best my time from last year if the course is different. And I was WWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYY Slow.  Darn!

There was a follow-up email sent out as well (see below), probably due to a high number of disappointed folks emailing the RD.  A friend was doing the race mainly for the bike course and had emailed the RD about it and a refund; she had no luck in a refund of course.  I'm bummed about the change, but satisfied it's being done for to safety reasons.

To all participants:

As a race director, my number one priority is safety for all the participants.  WTS changed the bike course because of the road conditions on a couple of the roads from the original bike course.  It clearly states on our website that WTS has the right to change courses due to weather and etc.  WTS is very limited to using the roads in the area.  Town of Merrimac has been gracious enough to  allow WTS to use S. Lake Road.  WTS is NOT ALLOWED to use any of their other roads for biking.  So, WTS is very limited on making up new bike courses. 

Before changing the course, WTS called the construction company to see if they could push for black topping on W, before the race.  We also discussed a donation to the company to speed up the process.  They said no.

...The no passing zone is after mile 6 and it's only for about 300 yards.

The discussion for the new bike course is CLOSED!  This email is to explain why WTS changed the course.

Thanks. I don't know why I'm not getting the emails. But, I'm glad you're sharing them. I'll follow up with them to see if I can get on the email list.

Personally, I'm not so horribly disappointed that the course won't be quite as nasty this year. And South Lake Road has some big hills, too. 

So, I know there's a little race happening tomorrow (which I'm volunteering for and watching my girlfriend in), but thought I'd report on the new DL course since I rode it on Friday.  Maybe it was just the fitness of being off my road bike for 6 days (did an indoor spin while bike was getting tuned), but I thought the course is nearly as challenging. 

If the new WiTri course map is correct, we'll have to go up the entrance to the park as an immediate start, turn at the nature center, then fly down the hill into the campground where a sharp right turn at the bottom awaits.  This right turn could be a danger.  Then, it turns fairly flat with a couple of small hills to deal with until Hwy 123.

HWY 123 is gravelly on the shoulder and the road is a bit bumpy.  It's a short distance on 123, but you'll notice the long-ish climb to S Shore Rd.  Once on S Shore, there is a .6 mile climb of varying degrees to the apex.  As you follow the road to the left, you'll enter the switchbacks downhill - BE CAREFUL!  On the second turn I almost wiped-out when I quickly reached 33 and a couple rocks made my bike jump out.  It's hard to turn and brake in this area if you are going fast.  also the shade doesn't let you see hidden bumps, gravel, or rocks.

The South Shore entrance road is nice with some long inclines with small rollers.  Coming back from the 113 turnaround is the same of course; I don't seem to remember the last climb before the RR tracks that I had previously gone down.

Entering the switchbacks again, but uphill, wasn't as bad as I thought they might.  It is about .6 mi to get out of them, then it flattens a bit.  You are then greeted with a steep climb then a long climb to the apex.  The rest is cake.

I thought the new course was a bit boring, but maybe it's because of the number of uphill grinds you might do.  My avg speed was about the same as the previous course.  Here is what I mapped on gmaps, http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2238699with the elevation on it too, and it came to 16.2 mi.  I followed closely to the official WiTri map that was emailed. 

I'm hoping to get another ride and/or swim up there Tues or Wed.  

If you use the gmaps map, click on the Satellite view and it will show the curvy area going down on S Lake Rd.

Also, I assume we will ride on the perimeter road (S Lake Rd) and not straight though the parking lots.  Use the Hybrid view to see this.

I'm such a geek when it comes to mapping routes.

It's the original course again for Sunday!!!  A few of us that rode the new course agreed afterward that there would be some accidents either down the switchbacks or coming back down S Lake Rd to Park Rd where there are a few unseen dips and gravel at the corner.   From a speed standpoint, the newer course was dangerous. (It was also more narrow and kinda boring).  At least with the original course the two bad areas will have you going slow or you will have time to slow.

Excerpt from today's email from the RD:

WTS has decided to go back to the orginial bike course.  We are really sorry for any inconvenience.  After talking with the Park, the Sheriffs Department and EMT, we have all agreed that going back to the orginial course is better then the new one we had proposed.

WTS is aware of the potholes on Tower Road, the road on W before 113 and the low shoulder on DL off of Old Lake.  WTS will be working on those areas to make it a more enjoyable bike course. 

Again, WTS apologizes for any invconvenience for going back to the original course.