Originally Posted by
unterhausen
I would say that the vast majority of 1000 and 1200k randonnees have at least one loop that comes back to the same hotel. The proposed Northern Virginia 1000k does. When I rode the Taste of Carolina, the first overnight was at the start hotel, then there was control at a hotel in Lumberton at the 600k mark, and then an overnight at that same hotel the last night. A big advantage to this is that it accommodates supporting the horrible people that finish in 65 hours. A lot of these longer rides are essentially out and back, so there will be 50% repetition, more or less. I certainly thought I had gone somewhere on ToC.
I guess I can see not wanting to do a cloverleaf, but exploring a region thoroughly has its appeal as well. And if you finish a cloverleaf 1000k, you will have the extra glory of not DNFing when it's the easiest thing in the world to just sleep late one day.
Some might think I'm trolling.
"rhm" is the first I've seen with negative comments about a cloverleaf. I have heard / read quite a few positive comments regarding cloverleaf 1200's.
Sometimes the ToC is a true loop with no internal loops. The 2013 route was one big flat loop (some rollers the first day, but not even hills to climb). I recall that 2016 was one big loop, pretty flat after the first day; but the first day went up into small mountains and took a toll on some riders (most notably "Randi Nerde"). 2017 and 2018 ToC 1200's were each cancelled by hurricanes.
I don't recall where any of the "Carolina Spring" 1200's have gone -- I haven't volunteered on any of them, but did pre-drive part of the route in ... 2015? 2016?
Tony has not yet published the route for this May, Carolina Spring 1200, but it may be on the flatter side. Last August, he tried to talk me into committing to do the ride and he would do a flatter route. I haven't committed, but Tony may think I have. If you decide to ride and it turns out to have significant climbing, I guess you could blame me.