I'm writing the report right now, I swear! It was just _so_ _long_!

Waverly, there's this thing called a "brevet" which means "certificate" in French, which also is used to name the ride. So it is an organized ride with checkpoints each of which has a time frame that you have to check in at- you can't be early or late, and then there are also secret "controls" or checkpoints. The rides are not races. Results are recorded in Paris after the brevet card is turned in and verified, with the riders listed in alphabetical order. There are a series of rides of increasing distances about a month apart, starting with 200k, then 300k, then 400k, then 600k, with an ever-increasing time limit for the rides. If a rider completes all four of the series in one year, she receives the Super Randonneur Award, as well as qualifies for the 1200k distance. This race is held in Paris every four years, and on the other three years goes from Boston to Montreal and back to Boston. There are also other 1000k and 1200k rides in other parts of the country.

For more information, see http://www.rusa.org

I didn't set out to do the whole series- After doing a couple Centuries in the fall, I just wanted to try the 200k in January, and that went ok, so I did the 300k in February, and that went really well, so I did the 400k in March, and then I was hooked. I'm not a super athlete- I'm 47, 30# overweight, this is my first year of road biking- I'm living proof that _anyone_ can do this if they have their heart set on it.

Nanci