
TOUR OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY
JUNE 7-8 2008
Late breaking news about TOMRV Final on Preston 13 Feb - Attention Preston riders: Parking in Preston Our plans at Preston are now improved over an earlier plan, and we will again have packet pickup and baggage handling at the Twogood park. We have located additional parking several blocks to the South at and around the school, and we hope this will greatly relieve the parking congestion around the park. As you arrive at Preston, go to the park like always to drop your bag and pick up your registration materials. Then we ask you to drive up to the school to park. You should leave you bicycle in or on your vehicle until you park at the school. We will proceed this way until space around the school is filled. Blackjack downhill is closed to bicycles 07 May - That is right, the winter damage to BlackJack road has made the downhill unfit for a bicycle. The County has made temporary repairs, but will not make permanent fixes until later this year. The most serious issue is a snowplow gouge in the pavement near the bottom of the descent that leaves only a couple feet of clear passage. This comes up around the final turn. As a result, the only way to get down alive is to ride brakes keeping speed at 15MPH or less all the way down. After this, there are large sections of pavement that have crumbled. They are temporarily repaired with crushed limestone. Our alternate route is Rocky Hill Road. This is the Right turn at the Chestnut Sag, and it rejoins Blackjack road near Galena. This road has a difficult S-curve downhill, but it a much shorter downhill, and the pavement is not damaged. These sharp turns are marked and we will have an additional hazard sign out as well. So enjoy the new scenery this year and be careful on the S-curve. The distance is about the same as staying on Blackjack Road. Route change in TOMRV 13 Feb - New this year, we are retiring Z34, our old route between Bellevue and Preston on Sunday. For TOMRV veterans, you will recall that Z34 goes from river level to the top of the bluff, then down to cross the Maquoketa River, then back up to the bluff top, and finally back down again to Preston. The new road is 1.8 miles longer, but it goes around these two long climbs. It is classic back-country with curves and rollers, and a couple of old road cuts. The surface is cement. The road designations are Z16 (362nd Ave.), then 150th St., and finally Z20 (387th Ave.). Two new towns are added to our route as a result, Springbrook and Spragueville. The total distance for the Sunday route is now 46.1 miles to Preston and 89.8 miles to Scott Community College.

TOUR OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER VALLEY

JUNE 7-8 2008

Late breaking news about TOMRV

Final on Preston

13 Feb - Attention Preston riders: Parking in Preston

Our plans at Preston are now improved over an earlier plan, and we will again have packet pickup and baggage handling at the Twogood park. We have located additional parking several blocks to the South at and around the school, and we hope this will greatly relieve the parking congestion around the park.

As you arrive at Preston, go to the park like always to drop your bag and pick up your registration materials. Then we ask you to drive up to the school to park. You should leave you bicycle in or on your vehicle until you park at the school. We will proceed this way until space around the school is filled.

Blackjack downhill is closed to bicycles

07 May - That is right, the winter damage to BlackJack road has made the downhill unfit for a bicycle. The County has made temporary repairs, but will not make permanent fixes until later this year.

The most serious issue is a snowplow gouge in the pavement near the bottom of the descent that leaves only a couple feet of clear passage. This comes up around the final turn.

As a result, the only way to get down alive is to ride brakes keeping speed at 15MPH or less all the way down.

After this, there are large sections of pavement that have crumbled. They are temporarily repaired with crushed limestone.

Our alternate route is Rocky Hill Road. This is the Right turn at the Chestnut Sag, and it rejoins Blackjack road near Galena. This road has a difficult S-curve downhill, but it a much shorter downhill, and the pavement is not damaged. These sharp turns are marked and we will have an additional hazard sign out as well.

So enjoy the new scenery this year and be careful on the S-curve. The distance is about the same as staying on Blackjack Road.

Route change in TOMRV

13 Feb - New this year, we are retiring Z34, our old route between Bellevue and Preston on Sunday. For TOMRV veterans, you will recall that Z34 goes from river level to the top of the bluff, then down to cross the Maquoketa River, then back up to the bluff top, and finally back down again to Preston.

The new road is 1.8 miles longer, but it goes around these two long climbs. It is classic back-country with curves and rollers, and a couple of old road cuts. The surface is cement. The road designations are Z16 (362nd Ave.), then 150th St., and finally Z20 (387th Ave.). Two new towns are added to our route as a result, Springbrook and Spragueville. The total distance for the Sunday route is now 46.1 miles to Preston and 89.8 miles to Scott Community College.