New England Randonneurs

Date:  Aug 9, 2025

Start Time:  05:30

Time Limit:  20 hours 8 minutes plus 129 minutes RUSA dirt bonus (Riders need to finish by 03:47 on Aug 10, 2025)

Route:  LRVT to NEK via Saint J, then to Derby Line, North Troy, Richford, Enosburg via MVRT and back to E Berkshire, Montgomery center and back to Morrisville.  Approved Route with e-Brevet codes

Cue sheet from e-brevet app: https://randonneuring.org/assets/local/cuesheets/921005-418-CueSheetV1-P.pdf

Start:  Mobil Maplefield diagonally across the rotary from Sunset Motor Inn in Morrisville VT (33 VT-15, Morristown, VT 05661)

Finish:  Sunset Motor Inn (160 VT-15 W, Morrisville, VT 05661)

Controls:  Greensboro Bend (Smith’s Grocery), Saint J (Any business on Railroad Ave), Derby Line (Haskell Free Library and Opera House), North Troy (Troy Hoagies), Enosburg (Shell/Jolley Mart, 24 hr)

Ride Leader:  Tsun Au Yeung

Dirt:  129 km out of 302 km of the route is dirt.  The split between rail trail dirt and just VT dirt road is about 50%.  Wider tires 32 mm + highly recommend for comfort.

Elevation:  RWGPS reports 13000 ft of climbing but the data discounted the newly built bridges for the Lamoille Valley River Rail Trail.  Actual climbing is ~11500 ft.  The toughest climb is on VT-105 going up Jay Peak that is 3.5 miles long.  It is an exposed climb but toward the top the mountain itself should provide some shade, depending on the sun angle at the time.  Also, don’t under estimate the climb out of Lake Memphremagog watershed.  Vance hill road is a “dishonest” climb that seems never ending from the sightline.

Registration: https://www.bikereg.com/nervt300k-2025

Ride leader long for re-experiencing the NEK 300km (RUSA route 1596, Thank you Anthony M) magic that he decided to say yes to reconfigure a route to take advantage of the rail trails that was not completed 10 years ago when said route first created.  The portion of the route from Lyndonville/Burke to Richford are mostly true to the original so riding on the ridge of Darling Hill Rd, skirting through downtown Newport, and climbing up to the plain at Newport Center, as well as going up Jay Peak segments have been remained intact.

Lights and reflective are required for the ride.  Only for the very fast rider that returning before sunset is feasible (I think there is about 15 hours of daylight)

LVRT is newest of the 3 rail trails this route use and some road crossing grade could be choppy, but the trail surface is fine stone dust dirt.

The Bebee Spur (Newport-Derby) trail is paved near Newport Center and dirt along Lake Memphremagog.  The trail is well traveled by bikes and walkers.

The Missiquoi Valley Rail Trail need mowing on the trail but generally one can clearly ride the double track where the dirt is exposed.  Below is the most improved section near downtown Enosburg Falls.  

We have six teams and a total of 23 riders leaving for Portland, ME with most teams heading out Friday late afternoon and Saturday morning. Teams have picked a range of courses — some have gone for a coastal route starting from Provincetown and a number of teams will be watching the stars from the Kangamangus.

This is NER’s large Fleche field to date. Wish them well!

On Sunday morning representatives from all but one team will meet at Sonny’s in Portland (83 Exchange St) for a celebratory Brunch. If you are in the area and would like to join our reservation please send me an email (RBA -at- nerandonneurs.org). Traditionally we conclude the brunch by heading over to Flatbread for beers and pizza…

Good luck everyone. I’ll see you in Portland.

Jake