Paris Brest Paris

[mimitabby]

It was monday morning, and I was reeling from jet lag when this coworker (who i didn't actually know) came up to me and asked who the guys were in the photo i have near my desk.
In a short time I realized that another bike nut works in my building. He and his wife did the PBP, the oldest organized ride in the world. It's a hard ride too.

If you want something interesting to read, here's their story:

http://pieper.criminale.com/pbp_2003_01.htm

[kelownagirl]

Interesting - I skmmed it but want to read it more closely when I have time. Sounds like they went through a lot of challenges to get there!

This past summer, I met a guy wearing a PBP tshirt. He was from Florida (do you know him Nanci? :) and was touring around North America with his recumbent bike (driving and riding). Must be nice....

[8bit]

Is anybody here planning on doing it in 2007? I'm set on going, but I haven't decided if I want to qualify and go on my single bike or with the tandem and partner. It's going to be a blast, either way.

[mimitabby]

wow, good luck on that one!

[jobob]

How does that work - do you have to qualify using the type of bike you will ride in PBP? That is, would you have to do the full brevet series using the tandem (and presumably, the same partner) if you intend to ride PBP with it?

Just idle curiousity on my part, since I only plan to do some 200K brevets and mayybeee a 300K this year.

[maillotpois]

..... since I only plan to do some 200K brevets and mayybeee a 300K this year.


Now there's the spirit! Think big and you can do it! 300 is not much more than 200, really!! (Assuming you can stand the company....:p )

[jobob]

I shall bear that in mind. :D

[Veronica]

And hey, once you do 300, 400 is a piece of cake. :p

V.

[jobob]

OK now you're just being silly !!!! :p

400K gets into the realm of sleep deprivation. Not sure how I would deal with that.

[Veronica]

It's really not that bad. Of course my longest ride has been 17 hours, so that's not really sleep deprived. For all I know, it could be awful. :p

V.

[jobob]

Poor 8bit, is anyone going to answer her question ?

Please excuse us 8bit, we tend to drift .... :D

[maillotpois]

You could probably do 400k okay without too much effect of sleep deprivation. Just keep the coffee coming.

I found that getting very tired led me to feel extremely cold - that was hard to get over even after it warmed up. So I'm thinking maybe bringing even another layer for the "wee hours" when it is bone chillingly cold. And keeping the layer in a plastic bag to ensure it is dry is essential.

You get stupid, too. I had a plastic bag to keep my extra shorts dry. I just took them out for some reason and left them out, in the rain. Duh. You just have to try to ensure your stupidity is limited to inconveniences like that and doesn't become life threatening.

Boy, I'm not doing a very good job selling this, am I?

[Veronica]

[QUOTE=maillotpois;157175

Boy, I'm not doing a very good job selling this, am I?[/QUOTE]

No. :D

I thought hard about PBP. Decided I like one day events thank you. Maybe next year I'll give one of the other 1200 Ks a go. I was getting freaked by the talk of long lines, peeing in the field, sleeping on the side of the road...I like my creature comforts.

V.

[maillotpois]

Sleeping on the side of the road does nothing for me either. The one time I tried it, I couldn't even relax or stop shivering.

I am hoping that if I do the 600k, there's a better provision in this one (Santa Rosa's) for sleep. It seems like there is. I want to sleep around mile 300, and I think there's a motel on the route and it is better set up for this. SF's encouraged you to stay in Ft. Bragg and I knew that would be a huge mistake. Staying in Cloverdale is the way to go for that one. When it gets closer, I will look at the route and make the final decision. Right now, I am aiming for the full series with SR.

[maillotpois]

Poor 8bit, is anyone going to answer her question ?

Please excuse us 8bit, we tend to drift .... :D

Fine!! :cool:


Is anybody here planning on doing it in 2007? I'm set on going, but I haven't decided if I want to qualify and go on my single bike or with the tandem and partner. It's going to be a blast, either way.

NO. Have fun!

[Fredwina]

I had thought about, but like most everyone else, decided not to. This will be my first year at Randonuerring, and I want that i don't bite off too much

[8bit]

jobob- I think the qualifying for a tandem is actually just for one member of the team on any bike. However, if I plan on riding it with the tandem, I'd like to have done the qualifying series on the tandem with the partner because the PBP is known for strange rules that nobody's heard of (or translated from french, or that the french just assume that everyone else should know) so I'd like to make absolutely sure that there will be no issue.

However, if I don't use the tandem, then I'll have to make some major equipment changes on my single, which I'm pretty unhappy with and wouldn't consider doing the PBP on, much less qualifying with. Those Bleriot frames sure do look nice...

This is going to be my first 1200k, so I'm pretty gosh darn excited. I'm totally stoked (tandem joke, I'm sure) about sleeping in a haystack and all the other fun stuff.

[Veronica]

Well keep us posted on your training and how your rides go.

It's fun to live vicariously through others.

The Rambouillet and the Legolas are great long distance bikes. :)

V.

[Starfish]

This post is a little late for this thread, but I just have to comment. When I read posts from you randonneur folks, it is like walking near the edge of a dark, yet entrancing forest. I suppose that this forest is populated with creatures both admirable and frightening, and that it demands strange and horrible experiences which cause me to recoil. Yet, I continue to strain my eyes and peer into the dim periphery, intrigued.

[Fredwina]

This post is a little late for this thread, but I just have to comment. When I read posts from you randonneur folks, it is like walking near the edge of a dark, yet entrancing forest. I suppose that this forest is populated with creatures both admirable and frightening, and that it demands strange and horrible experiences which cause me to recoil. Yet, I continue to strain my eyes and peer into the dim periphery, intrigued.
It's never too late! I'm in a Best Western in Morro Bay,CA waiting for my 2Nd 200K tomorrow. (I may change my mind after the 300 and 400k). Why watch the Tour Of Cali race when you can ride the route?

[Starfish]

I'm in a Best Western in Morro Bay,CA waiting for my 2Nd 200K tomorrow.

Good for you! Have a great ride!

[Pedal Wench]

This post is a little late for this thread, but I just have to comment. When I read posts from you randonneur folks, it is like walking near the edge of a dark, yet entrancing forest. I suppose that this forest is populated with creatures both admirable and frightening, and that it demands strange and horrible experiences which cause me to recoil. Yet, I continue to strain my eyes and peer into the dim periphery, intrigued.

Starfish, I thought the same thing. Those randonneur people were just a bit different from me. Then I did a 24-hour event and rode all night long. When I ended up a bit short of my goals, I started looking for another event, and lo and behold, found all these brevets that I could do. Suddenly, without warning, I was one of those odd long-distance folks! And I like it!!!

[jobob]

Hey Fredwina - I just arrived home from Solvang.

On our way home my hubby and I drove up Highway 1 and we saw a bunch of randonneurs between Cayucos and Ragged Point, and chatted with a few at the Ragged Point turnaround (we were there around noon).

On the way up Hw 1 we passed by a group with someone wearing a RUSA jersey, and then a ways up we passed by another group with someone wearing a Seattle Randonneurs jersey. Were you in either of those groups?

I was so glad to see you had great weather today! Hope it went well for you.

[Fredwina]

No, I was in a Tomato Red Novara Jacket with Fox BMX Gloves and Rite Aid tights(And people wonder why I call myself fredwina). I was in Cayucos about 10:30-11:00 and got to Ragged Point about 1. Had lunch their with and did Some Aprez-velo stuff with Bill Bryant and Lois Springsteen. Got Plenty of Picks , but no USB, so Manana on them.
I need to Find a job up here:rolleyes:
PS. The Gal in the Seatlle Randoneurs was at the bottom of the climb to Ragged point. The RUSA guys name is Matt(if it's who I'm thinking of) and he's From San Diego(we talked about the SD 200k) he was riding with Bill Bryant and Lois Springsteen. I was between the two groups, going solo