Randonneurs

[maillotpois]

Thanks, guys. I only know it because I have gone through the cycle (no pun intended) a few times myself.

Yooza! - I looked up your route. That's a doozy with 8800 feet of climbing. Is it up the "easy" or the "hard" side of Coleman? That is such a pretty area. I couldn't find my RUSA number, but my fastest 200 K was in August, 2 weeks after doing my HIM. Funny, I can do a HIM faster than a 200K, even with not running much of the run!

Veronica

It is the easy side of Coleman. I took a shake out route I have been doing in the dead of winter for a few years (last year it was below freezing for 3 hours and 22 for the entire run up Marshall) and turned it into a brevet. My two local RBAs, DH and I will do the inaugural ride next weekend. Once that's done, we will throw it up on the SFR website.

I am also working on a perm in Tahoe, but that won't really be rideable for a bit.

[tulip]

I admire randonneurs and once researched what it would take to qualify for the PBP. Then I realized that I'd rather just take my time and actually enjoy the route. I'd still like to ride from Paris to Brest and back to Paris, and someday I will, but I will go the round about way and stop in villages and explore small roads and it will take weeks, not hours. I'm of the touring mindset, that's all.

[jobob]

I really appreciate how RUSA acknowledges (nowadays!) that the ultra-long distance rides like PBP and the other 1200k brevets, a.k.a. randonnees, aren't necessarily the do-all and end-all for everyone. In recent years many 100K rides (called populaires) have been added to event calendars, and the P12 award was introduced, which recognizes a rider who completes a RUSA-sanctioned 100K ride (populaire, hence the P) every month for 12 consecutive months (otoh, the R12 recognizes a rider who completes a RUSA-sanctioned 200K+ ride every mo for 12 consecutive mos). That's a good thing IMHO.

If/when I do get back in the grove, I'm likely going to look into some of the 100K permanents routes that have popped up in my area (a couple of which cover much of the same territory as my long-departed East Bay 200K, ahem )

Speaking of the East Bay 200K, I glanced in my file from back when I ran that route -- nope, I couldn't part with that, either -- and V, your RUSA number was 4055. Back when I ran that route I probably could have spouted you number off the top of my head, I think you rode that route more than anyone else back then.

Yeah, I'm going to renew my membership for another year.

Jo, # 3749.

[jobob]

Hee, I'm thinking about the time V, Mel and I attempted to ride my 200K permanent route on what turned out to be the Hottest. Day. Ever. Oy, that was a disaster. But we all lived to see another day.

Ah, but here's a report from a much better day on that route.

[Veronica]

I thought Kitty was now running your East Bay 200 K. That was a good route, interesting terrain, but not too hilly and food in all the right spots. 4 out of my 9 were on it. 4055, huh, so I renew after a lapse do I get my old number back?

Veronica

[Veronica]

Hee, I'm thinking about the time V, Mel and I attempted to ride my 200K permanent route on what turned out to be the Hottest. Day. Ever. Oy, that was a disaster. But we all lived to see another day.

Oh my, that was awful! I should have known something was wrong with me when I was NOT sweating buckets anymore. But Mel finished.

Veronica

[jobob]

I thought Kitty was now running your East Bay 200 K. That was a good route, interesting terrain, but not too hilly and food in all the right spots. 4 out of my 9 were on it. 4055, huh, so I renew after a lapse do I get my old number back?

Veronica

Yep, Kitty's still running it -- I meant long-departed from my own perspective. NOT TOO HILLY? Shee-it. Well, in the scheme of things I suppose it wasn't.

It was difficult to design a route in that part of the East Bay that went over interesting roads, had suitable checkpoint locations spaced about the right distance apart, AND kept the amount of climbing down to a dull roar (i.e., low enough that *I* could possibly do it, heh). And you know what? I really enjoyed designing that route.

[jobob]

But Mel finished.

That brat ...

[Catrin]

I was a RUSA member during my first and second cycling season until I let it lapse. I had seriously considered establishing a permanent in driving distance from home since Indiana doesn't have any (or didn't, that may have changed). Then I started my mtb injuries... Depending on how things develop with my neck - it really needs to improve before I can ride seriously long distances - I will likely eventually rejoin and pick up this idea again. Southern Indiana has some beautiful, and hilly, terrain that would be perfect. A populaire closer to home might not be a bad idea either. Time will tell but I have got to get this neck and t-spine in better condition first.

[maillotpois]

I just completed the inaugural ride of my 200k permanent route - RUSA route 1743 I believe. I rode with my husband and our club's RBA. The average temp (according to my Garmin) was 41, and that would have been ok, but it rained the whole last half so I got pretty chilled every time we stopped. (So I kept my stops to a bare minimum.). the headwinds were pretty bad as well.

It was our RBAs R48 ride (four R12s in a row) and I was pretty honored he chose to spend it on my route (a real brute as it turns out with over 9000 feet of climbing in 124 miles). All in all a long, fun and difficult day. And we went to a concert the night before so I had 4 hours sleep going into it.

[Fredwina]

I gave my RUSA membership up after my accident.
Like JoBob, Life has taken a few twists and turn that have taken away from my bikes. Working here in NY and then spillting my time between here and TN is not quite the same as SoCal.
I still get e-mails from folks wanting to do my permanent routes.

[Anelia]

I did it...It was coldish, it was longish (220km, 10,5 hours riding, 11,5 hours from start to finish) but I had great support from my team mates so I didn't feel the pain.
That's me in the brevet. You can also see the rest of the pics in the album.
To be honest, road cycling is boring to me. I do it only because it's worth the miles in terms of training. And of course the company. I intend to do one more in spring again for the base training.

[MojoGrrl]

My husband just bought me a 2-year RUSA membership for Christmas. So far I have only gone on one "official" brevet (our local "Last Chance" New Year's Eve 200k) and two other "unofficial" 200k rides. Planning on doing the Last Chance again this year (last year I was unofficial when I did it) and we'll see what the next year has in store, but honestly, I don't see myself doing any distance longer than 300k.

[maillotpois]

My husband just bought me a 2-year RUSA membership for Christmas. So far I have only gone on one "official" brevet (our local "Last Chance" New Year's Eve 200k) and two other "unofficial" 200k rides. Planning on doing the Last Chance again this year (last year I was unofficial when I did it) and we'll see what the next year has in store, but honestly, I don't see myself doing any distance longer than 300k.

You guys have a great club and terrific support on your brevets. I've done your 400k, which was lovely (V joined me for the second half which was awesome, but I now realize is forbidden. Whatever, we had "fun" and I was so grateful for the company.) We had a few folks from your club on our 1000k this year and it was really nice to meet them.

We have a lot of folks in our club who do only 200ks, and that's awesome. You don't have to do 600ks to be a randonneur.

[Veronica]

Forbidden even though I was a RUSA member? All the rest stop people knew and no one said anything. It WAS fun, but only 'cause I didn't do the whole thing.

Veronica