Route Selection
All of our routes are designed by individuals who live and ride in the region. Great care is taken to provide picturesque and challenging routes. Our goal is to introduce at least one new route per year to keep the series interesting, but we will continue to use those routes that are favorites. If you have suggestions, comments or questions about the routes please contact the organizer associated with the particular region:
Jennifer Barber - Central & Northern NY
Peter Dusel - Western NY.
Cue Sheets & Maps
Cues are located on the web site and may be reached from the menu bar to the left, the schedule on the main page or from the cues links in each ride description below. The leg and total mileages are given to the nearest tenth mile. All contrôle point times are noted on the contrôle cards. All routes are ridden or driven just prior to the official offering to be sure of accuracy. Every effort will be made to have the final cues on the web site five days prior to the brevet. Be aware that last minute changes may be necessary due to events such as construction or natural phenomena. Announcements are made at the begriming of each ride to let riders know of any last minute changes.
GPS files will be included here as they are collected for riders who would like to use this technology. The cue sheets however are the most up-to-date material and are the official route for a given day.
Area maps are available for $4.00 at the beginning of every ride. Please bring exact change.
Brevet Rules
Brevets are a time-limited long distance ride. They are not races, but rather are a rider's individual challenge to herself. All rules of the road for the local area must be adhered to during the course of the brevet. Additionally RUSA provides a copy of their Rider Rules on their web site. Please be familiar with the rules. Some of the rules will be covered at the beginning of the rides, however riders are responsible for their own safety and should know the rules.
RUSA Rider Rules RUSA Organizer Rules
100BW_1:
Stompin' Grounds: This route puts together some of the choice riding where Jenn's husband introduced her to riding and he himself grew up on the bike. Climbing abounds in this geologically interesting region; the decents are exciting. It's all in a neat little package. It's a 60 miler, but it's a challenge. Are you up for it?
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150BW_1:
Rural Roadways: This populaire patches together short pieces of a couple of the longer brevets to give riders a taste of the terrain they may encounter along the longer brevet routes. Riders get the chance to stop in Skaneateles for a quick breakfast if they desire and then enjoy the ride along the lake shore. After lunch riders enjoy the rural beauty of the Madison County roads.
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200BW_1:
Jenn's Pick: The first Central NY brevet designed and still my favorite. This route loops through the eastern Fingerlakes passing through Cortland twice, Auburn and Skaneateles. This route has something for everyone, short steep grades, rollers, flats, views and good food along the route.
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200BW_3:
Tully to Ontario: This route is offered May through November for $5. Starting in Tully this route goes west on NY 80 over Oak Hill and into the Ostico Valley. The route heads north over rolling hills through Skaneateles and onto the flood plains north of the Thruway and Erie Canal. The ride passes farmlands and the small towns of Central New York heading towards the Lake Ontario shore. The contrôle in Fair Haven affords cyclists the opportunity to enjoy the breeze and view at the bay. The return trip home takes a slightly different route but remains flat until just before heading back into Skaneateles. Riders should be sure to stop at Doug's Fish Fry for a tasty peach drink before heading up Route 41 along the lake. Just over halfway along the lake the route turns east and descends back to the Otisco Valley. From here riders climb over the saddle between Vesper Hill and Song Mountain (a popular CNY ski resort). The route finishes by winding around Song Lake.
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200GF_1:
Baseball Brevet: Starting near the Town of Peterboro where the second professional women's baseball game was played, the route heads east to Cooperstown, home of the Baseball Hall of Fame. The route travels country roads south of the Mohawk Valley in the northern foothills of the Catskill Mountains. The route is rolling with a few climbs of medium length. There are a number of scenic spots along the route starting with a waterfall about three miles from the beginning. Riders will pass through the Geographic Center of New York and will ride by the beautiful grounds of Colgate University.
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200GF_2:
Country Ramble: A ride of country roads in the center of NY, this ride has plenty of views. It starts hilly, but after the first quiarter of the ride smooths out for some fast flats and small rollers. The roads are lightly traveled so riders get the opportunity to rubberneck at the lush setting.
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200LR_1:
Ontario to Naples: This ride begins in the town of Ontario NY, just east of Rochester NY, on the shore of Lake Ontario. The ride follows the Lake Ontario shoreline west from the start nearly to the Rochester city limits. The route then dives south and east to Canandaigua NY. Canandaigua is at the north end of Canandaigua Lake, on of New York's famous Fingerlakes. From here the route proceeds south down the east side of the lake, taking in the sweeping vistas over the lake. At the south end riders stop in Naples, home of several wineries and famous for grape pies, for the checkpoint and lunch. The route turns back north along the west side of the lake, taking in more sweeping views. Riders climb the "easy" way up Gannett Hill and pass by the Bristol Mountain Ski Resort. A dash nearly due north completes the circuit of Canandaigua Lake, and takes riders back to the shore of Ontario to finish the ride.
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200LR_1a:
Modified Ontario to Naples: The route is the same as 200LR_1 but starts at the Collett Park approximately 20 miles from the usual start to coincide with the Rochester Bicycling Club's challenge ride and picnic.
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200LR_2:
Seaway Diner: This route takes us east to Oswego and back, generally following the Seaway Trail and the route of the LOL 1000k. This section has mild rollers, but no killer climbs. We pass completely through Oswego, giving us plenty of opportunities for a lunch stop. Along the way, we visit Sodus Point, Wolcott and Fairhaven, often in view of Lake Ontario, and never far from it.
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200LR_3:
Women's Rights Loop: This route is permanent #1010 with the start moved to 1119 Lake. This shortens the ride to 201km.
The route is a loop including Ontario, Webster, Farmington, Seneca Falls, Wolcott, and back to Ontario, NY. In Seneca Falls the route goes past the Women's Rights National Historic Park. This is a very mild mannered route, ideal for late fall, winter and early spring riding.
Starting from Ontario, NY start, the route follows the shore of lake Ontario west into Webster, then curves back, doing the "Plank Rd. scream" to the Canandaigua Road. From there, the route heads south and east to Farmington, going by Finger Lakes Race track. A straight run to the west along NY 96, a medium capacity road with wide shoulders and plenty of services, brings us to Seneca Falls and the Women's Rights monument. Due north through farm country brings us to Wolcott, then an easy run along Ridge Road brings us back to Ontario and the finish. From the finish it's a short 4 mile, mostly downhill, run back to the start.
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300GF_1:
Lake Ride: Starting from the *lake* at Glass Factory Rd, the brevet heads north through Sylvan beach on the shore of Oneida Lake. The ride then heads to Camden, through Altmar, Pulaski and to the Lake Ontario shoreline. Hugging the shore, the route continues to Sackets Harbor, a popular lakeside town. Riders return via the same route except for a departure in Williamsville to head directly south to pick up the Oneida Lake shoreline west of the outbound portion. Be sure to save some energy for the last bit of the ride as there is a long continuous grade back up to Glass Factory Rd.
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300LR_1:
Tour of Letchworth State Park and the Fingerlakes: This ride begins in the town of Ontario NY, just east of Rochester, on Lake Ontario. The ride heads due south from the start to Canandaigua NY. The route proceeds down the south side of Canandaigua Lake where riders will enjoy the views from the ridge line. Riders stop at the south end of the lake in Naples, home of several wineries and famous for grape pies, for the checkpoint and a meal. The route heads west to Dansville, up the infamous Ossian Hill, and south past Swain Ski Resort. After a quick stop at the Seager farm for a checkpoint, we head northeast to Portageville and enter the south end of Letchworth State Park (the Grand Canyon of the East), exiting near Mount Morris. From there it's a quick dash to Geneseo and due east back to Canandaigua. This completes the circuit of the five western Fingerlakes, Conesus, Hemlock, Canadice, Honeoye and Canandaigua. Riders head north to complete the ride at the Lake Ontario shore.
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300LR_2:
John's Waterfall 300k: This ride begins in the town of Ontario NY, just east of Rochester, on Lake Ontario. The ride heads south east from the start to Geneva NY. Here we visit the north end of Seneca Lake.
From Geneva we continue south east to Ovid, Trumansburg and a stop at Taughannock Falls. Although not as wide, Taughannock is taller than Niagara Falls. We then head west crossing the ridge line back to Seneca Lake to take in scenic Hector Falls. A short sprint to the south takes us through Watkins Glen and into the town of Montour Falls where we stop for a controle at Shequaga Falls. Heading north, most riders will want to stop in Watkins Glen for lunch, before heading north west to Pen Yan, on the shore of Keuka Lake. After Penn Yan, it's a nice ride to Canandaigua, on the shore of Canandaigua Lake. This completes visiting four of the central Fingerlakes, Seneca, Cayuga, Keuka, and Canandaigua. Riders head north from Canandaigua to complete the ride at the Lake Ontario shore.
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400BW_1:
Catskills Foothills: The scenery on this 400km route makes up for its hilliness. The route starts in Tully in New York's apply country and heads south east through Cortland County. It then moves briefly though Broome County and into Delaware County to loop around the Cannonsville Reservoir. Heading north it passes through picturesque towns in the foothills of the Catskill Mountains. Just narrowly missing Cooperstown, NY it bends west to head into Madison County, some of the best farmland in the state. It heads back to Tully passing small lakes along the way.
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400GF_1:
Rural Ramble: This route starts in Munnsville, NY and heads west through a southern suburb of Syracuse and into rural central NY to the Tully start location. It picks up the 200BW_3 route for a trip to Lake Onario. This stretch is fast with little climbing. Don't use up too much energy on the fast section though because it picks up with the climbing after Skaneateles as the route loops south through the Cortland and Sherburne regions.
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400LR_1:
What Goes Around, Comes Around: An old route made new! My first ever brevet route is reinvigorated as a 400km route starting on the Lake Ontario shore. Riders will head east along the lake before dropping south into the City of Auburn at the north end of Owasco Lake. The route continues south along Owasco as the sun rises over the water. Riders will turn north in Homer into the Tully region and north to Jamesville through the valleys carved out by glaciation. Just south of Syracuse, riders will head south again back into Homer before turning north along Lake Skaneateles. Who can pass up Doug's Fish Fry in a town where the Clintons are known to hob-nob? After the stop in Skaneatales riders return to Auburn and go west to Phelps for a evening snack before the last leg back to the beginning.
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400LR_1A:
What Goes Around, Comes Around - Redux: An old route made new! My first ever brevet route is reinvigorated as a 400km route starting on the Lake Ontario shore. This version replaces about 30 miles of busy roads with quieter ones. Riders will head east along the lake before dropping south into the City of Auburn at the north end of Owasco Lake. The route continues south along Owasco as the sun rises over the water. Riders will turn north in Homer into the Tully region and north to Jamesville through the valleys carved out by glaciation. Just south of Syracuse, riders will head south again back into Homer before turning north along Lake Skaneateles. Who can pass up Doug's Fish Fry in a town where the Clintons are known to hob-nob? After the stop in Skaneatales riders return to Auburn, return a bit on the outbound route before heading off on quieter roads and a final stop in Wolcott.
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400LR_2:
Joe's Niagara 400k: Niagara Falls and back.
This ride starts in Ontario, NY, and heads south, crossing the Erie Canal, to Farmington, NY. The westbound leg traverses gently rolling terrain to the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Lockport, and the roaring American side of Niagara Falls. Following the Niagara River north, the road descends over the Niagara Escarpment and continues to historic Fort Niagara, where the river joins Lake Ontario. The ride east to Rochester provides many views of the expanse of this Great Lake. The final stretch around Irondequoit Bay includes some urban riding and a couple of final climbs before returning to Ontario.
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600GF_1:
Catskill/Berkshire Loop: Leaving from just outside of historic Peterboro the route heads south into the Catskill Mountains. The route crosses the Hudson River and loops north into Massachusetts. After a stop at the 1896 House and Pub in Williamstown, MA riders head back into New York over the Western Berkshirs. The sleep stop is at a private home, so go easy on the hot water. From the sleep control riders head west through the Mohawk floodplains back into the rolling hills of Central New York.
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600LS_1:
Hello Ohio, Goodbye: The 600 km starts in Perry, NY near Letchworth State Park. It traverses flat to rolling terrain to Chautaugua Lake and then passes through Amish country on its way to Pennsylvania. The route is rolling hills through PA to the turn-around in Conneaut Ohio. The return through Erie, PA is flat with the hills appearing again near Findley Lake. From Jamestown back to the finish the brevet follows the route out. The main sleep stop is at Findley Lake at 243 miles.
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600LR_1:
Something Borrowed, Something New: A new route for 2009!
This route "borrows" from the Randonneurs Ontario 1000k Lake Ontario Lap, and the 300GF_1 Lake Ride. The "New" part is the return from the overnight in Munnsville to the start/finish in Ontario.
This 600km starts in Ontario and follows the Seaway Trail east along the shore of Lake Ontario, with minor detours to find quieter roads, to nearly Cape Vincent, and the Canadian border. From there the ride turns back to the west and roughly follows the return route of 300GF_1 to the overnight in Munnsville on Glass Factory Road. From there we stop in Rome for brunch at Denny's and work our way back to the shore of Lake Ontario, and return to the start.
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600LR_2:
"Stuart's 600k": A new route in 2010
This route, designed by Stuart Stiffey, "borrows" the first 200km from the LOL 1000k Lake Ontario Lap, and many of the old International Randonneurs routes.
Stuart's 600k starts in Ontario and follows the Seaway Trail east along the shore of Lake Ontario, with minor detours to find quieter roads, to nearly Cape Vincent, and the Canadian border. From there the ride turns back to the east and south to Camden, NY, familiar to those who rode the IR routes under Jim Konski. From Camden we work our way down to Hamilton, NY, home of Colgate University, for our overnight stop. From there, it's up to Parish, and the Grist Mill Restaurant. Another favorite from the International Randonneur days in Syracuse. After the Grist Mill, we head back to the start in Ontario, NY, taking Ridge Rd, rather than the Lake Road lake shore route, to have more services available, and a nice down hill run at the end to the start/finish. Total climb is approx 12,500', with most of that the first day.
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600LR_3:
"Joe's Niagara 600k": A new route in 2021!
Joe's Niagara 600k This route is a combination, with minor variations, of 400LR_2 and 200_LR3 combined into a 600k cloverleaf.
The route is arranged so that the end of the 400k loop passes near the motels in Webster, NY. This allows people from out of town to book one room for three nights, night before, overnight and night after, and not have to deal with drop bags, etc.
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