Finally.. first 200k brevet
#26
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A "champion" RUSA JRA cyclist is "Dr. Codfish (click here for a story, if I can find it).
Btw, if you look up "Dr. C's" rando results, you'll find that he's done some interesting stuff.
Btw, if you look up "Dr. C's" rando results, you'll find that he's done some interesting stuff.
Also, I don't know if his ride stories still exist, but do a google search on Kent Peterson, whose exploits on a fixed gear are also awesome (and I don't use that word loosely). He was the one who, when he was a contributing member on BFs, put me on to Vitamin B complex as a solution to mouth ulcer when LD riding.
Drop the fast-crew off your front wheel. (Apparently I am somewhat known for that as that line was attributed to me two or three years ago in an article in "American Randonneur", but I think I got it from someone else.) My oft-rando ride partner, Bob, usually says "just let them go." We've dropped the fast-crew off our front wheels less than three miles into a 600k brevet.
I've done many 200-km rides solo.
I've done more with just one or two (or maybe three) ride partners.
Some that stayed with me the entire ride; some that rode off when the mood hit them.
All can be fun.
They can also be a struggle.
For newer riders, pacing can be a still-to-be-learned art. There were a few like that on the Canada Day 150 we rode. Mind you, the previous weekend, we were lantern rouge on the Vancouver Island "Peace to Parliament" 200 and that ride definitely was a struggle for us in the heat and hills. But it still was FUN to finish!
#27
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I'll just say I ran with the ball in the wrong direction on that one!
But it brings up an interesting question. What does someone do if they are keen on randoneering but live far from an active club or set of sanctioned routes. Do they just chaulk all of their rides up to JRA's even if they are hitting the mark as far as prerequisites go and actually doing what someone else could submit and get credit for?
But it brings up an interesting question. What does someone do if they are keen on randoneering but live far from an active club or set of sanctioned routes. Do they just chaulk all of their rides up to JRA's even if they are hitting the mark as far as prerequisites go and actually doing what someone else could submit and get credit for?
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I'll just say I ran with the ball in the wrong direction on that one!
But it brings up an interesting question. What does someone do if they are keen on randoneering but live far from an active club or set of sanctioned routes. Do they just chaulk all of their rides up to JRA's even if they are hitting the mark as far as prerequisites go and actually doing what someone else could submit and get credit for?
But it brings up an interesting question. What does someone do if they are keen on randoneering but live far from an active club or set of sanctioned routes. Do they just chaulk all of their rides up to JRA's even if they are hitting the mark as far as prerequisites go and actually doing what someone else could submit and get credit for?
Here in Australia we can create our own "Permanents" (I think Rowan mentioned something about that earlier), and we have done. We've created quite a number of routes around Tasmania, submitted them, they've been approved, and are on the "Permanents" list ... and we can ride them whenever we want.
https://www.audax.org.au/public/inde...tas/permanents
The Permanents list is undergoing a change from one system to another, so some of the links might not work at the moment, but you get the idea.
In Canada ...
Before I joined the Manitoba Randonneurs, I rode a couple rides of 200 km just on my own to build my own confidence that I could do it. Then I rode with them. Fortunately most of the rides were fairly close to where I lived so I either caught rides with others or cycled to the start.
Then I moved to Alberta, to Red Deer, and joined the Alberta Randonneurs. The Alberta Randonneurs had rides out of Edmonton and Calgary ... so I drove 150+ km to the start of those events in order to do them. Sometimes my father would come with me and support me on the rides, and then he'd drive me home while I slept. It wasn't easy, but I like this aspect of cycling so much, I did it. All the rest of the rides I did were training rides ... numerous centuries, maybe the occasional 200 km, etc.
Then, after a while, I decided to become an RO (Ride Organiser) for the Red Deer area, and created my own set of rides there (SR Series). They were officially approved and Red Deer became another centre in Alberta for rides. When I left, someone from Edmonton took them over ... I don't know if they still run them out of Red Deer or not.
Then I moved to Australia. Rowan and I were living in a small town in rural Victoria, some distance from the starts of most of the rides. At that time, we didn't ride any permanents because Victoria has a very full schedule of events. Instead, we'd pick the events we wanted to do, and would make a weekend of it. We'd drive to the town where the ride started, and stay there for the weekend. If the ride was a 200K or 300K, we'd do that on the Saturday, then do sightseeing stuff on the Sunday. But again, all the rest of the riding we did around home were training rides.
Another move down to Tasmania, and all the rides started out of the Hobart area, which was convenient enough, but the Hobart area is really hilly and I was struggling to do most of the rides. But northern Tasmania is a bit flatter ... and has a larger cycling community. So Rowan and I put together a set of rides ... an SR Series (Super Randonneur Series: 200K, 300K, 400K, and 600K) up there, as well as something Australia calls a Nouveau Series (50 km, 100 km, 160 km), plus a fleche route ... all based out of a town in northern Tasmania.
This means we drive 2-3 hours one way (depending on construction) up to northern Tasmania on the event weekends, stay the weekend while putting on the event (and possibly riding it ourselves), and then return to Hobart at the end. We've also been up there route checking several times.
Fortunately for you, the BC Randonneurs have several clubs scattered around BC and they are quite active ... and friendly. Rowan and I are BC Randonneur members this year (and I've been before as well), and we rode two events with them when we were in Canada ... a 200K on Vancouver Island and a the Canada Day 150 on Canada Day.
Contact them and have a chat with them about what you might like to do.
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#30
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Hehehehehe <rubs hands together like a Scrooge> I think we've nabbed another victim... err... participant, Honey!
This LD recruitment can be quite fun!
This LD recruitment can be quite fun!
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Ok, I couldn't find any evidence that Canada has discovered permanents. That's too bad
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https://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/permanents/main.html
Last edited by skiffrun; 08-27-17 at 01:45 AM.
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Just to clarify something ... which may be why unterhausen couldn't find any evidence that Canada has discovered permanents ...
As far as I am aware, Canada is the only country which does NOT have a country-wide randonneuring organisation.
In the US, it's RUSA. In the UK it's Audax UK. In Australia, it's Audax Australia.
We might have different branches within those, like Audax Tasmania and Audax Victoria, but they're all part of Audax Australia.
However, in Canada, each club is its own unique individual organisation.
BC Randonneurs, Ontario Randonneurs, Prairie Randonneurs, Alberta Randonneurs, Manitoba Randonneurs, etc. are each at the same level as RUSA, Audax UK, Audax Australia, etc. They are not part of "Audax Canada" or "Randonneurs Canada". There is no "Audax Canada" or "Randonneurs Canada".
I'm not sure why the Canadian provinces have chosen to remain individual, but that's the way it is.
And each province may have slightly different rules and/or events from the next.
As far as I am aware, Canada is the only country which does NOT have a country-wide randonneuring organisation.
In the US, it's RUSA. In the UK it's Audax UK. In Australia, it's Audax Australia.
We might have different branches within those, like Audax Tasmania and Audax Victoria, but they're all part of Audax Australia.
However, in Canada, each club is its own unique individual organisation.
BC Randonneurs, Ontario Randonneurs, Prairie Randonneurs, Alberta Randonneurs, Manitoba Randonneurs, etc. are each at the same level as RUSA, Audax UK, Audax Australia, etc. They are not part of "Audax Canada" or "Randonneurs Canada". There is no "Audax Canada" or "Randonneurs Canada".
I'm not sure why the Canadian provinces have chosen to remain individual, but that's the way it is.
And each province may have slightly different rules and/or events from the next.
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#34
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isn't the OP in what's known as the "lower mainland"? https://database.randonneurs.bc.ca/s...?region=011602
Looks like there are some rides in that region.
Looks like there are some rides in that region.
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isn't the OP in what's known as the "lower mainland"? https://database.randonneurs.bc.ca/s...?region=011602
Looks like there are some rides in that region.
Looks like there are some rides in that region.
If the BC Randonneurs aren't the largest and most active club in Canada, they're close to it.
Plus I see they've got an immense list of Permanents ... 162 of them, most of which are in the lower mainland region.
https://www.randonneurs.bc.ca/permanents/routes.html
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Last edited by Machka; 08-27-17 at 08:04 AM.
#36
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Randonneurs Ontario permanents is a thing too, but only for existing routes.
I ride some of my own routes like they are brevets, it's almost as much fun since I like riding alone but I've come to enjoy riding with others since I joined up with the club too.
I sometimes have a couple hours of driving to some of the Ontario rides and I like to make a weekend out it, it's a nice little weekend getaway for me.
I ride some of my own routes like they are brevets, it's almost as much fun since I like riding alone but I've come to enjoy riding with others since I joined up with the club too.
I sometimes have a couple hours of driving to some of the Ontario rides and I like to make a weekend out it, it's a nice little weekend getaway for me.
#37
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I'm aware of the permanents in the lower mainland but, unless I was wanting to register my ride officially, I really wouldn't consider any of the ones I have looked at the route sheets for so far. Many start in the metro area (which makes sense if the person making it lives in that area) and follow rather convoluted routes (which again makes sense if the person making it is familiar with the route to start with).
I'm fairly fortunate to live in the more rural region (central Fraser Valley) smack in the middle of two excellent road biking areas (Matsqui Prairie and Sumas Prairie). As well, in the time it would take to drive into the city for some of those urban road permanents I could drive east and be at the gateway to three fantastic mountain pass routes (Fraser Canyon, Coquihalla, Manning Park).
That's not to say I'm against the randoneer club idea at all. I'll probably register as a member pretty soon. Perhaps I'll develop some central/upper Fraser Valley routes to add to the list if I do.
On another front. A friend of mine who also bikes (just did a short tour with him three weeks ago) heard about my ride and is off today trying his hand at a 200km ride as well. A little competitive I think
He's 25 years younger and has a road bike so he "thinks" he is going to rock it in 9 hours or so.. we'll see.
I'm fairly fortunate to live in the more rural region (central Fraser Valley) smack in the middle of two excellent road biking areas (Matsqui Prairie and Sumas Prairie). As well, in the time it would take to drive into the city for some of those urban road permanents I could drive east and be at the gateway to three fantastic mountain pass routes (Fraser Canyon, Coquihalla, Manning Park).
That's not to say I'm against the randoneer club idea at all. I'll probably register as a member pretty soon. Perhaps I'll develop some central/upper Fraser Valley routes to add to the list if I do.
On another front. A friend of mine who also bikes (just did a short tour with him three weeks ago) heard about my ride and is off today trying his hand at a 200km ride as well. A little competitive I think
He's 25 years younger and has a road bike so he "thinks" he is going to rock it in 9 hours or so.. we'll see.
#38
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Good work on your 200k! There's also SIR which has to be one of the biggest Randonneur clubs around, but I know what a pain the border can be. They're almost as dedicated as our club here in CO.
We're firing off our Last Chance 1200k once again, which starts at 4:00 am tomorrow morning. @Machka and @Rowan are familiar with that one.
We're firing off our Last Chance 1200k once again, which starts at 4:00 am tomorrow morning. @Machka and @Rowan are familiar with that one.
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Good work on your 200k! There's also SIR which has to be one of the biggest Randonneur clubs around, but I know what a pain the border can be. They're almost as dedicated as our club here in CO.
We're firing off our Last Chance 1200k once again, which starts at 4:00 am tomorrow morning. @Machka and @Rowan are familiar with that one.
We're firing off our Last Chance 1200k once again, which starts at 4:00 am tomorrow morning. @Machka and @Rowan are familiar with that one.
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#40
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I think it was discussed with Rowan how the mental aspect is huge in this one. Crest a rise, corn, crest another rise, corn, rinse and repeat. A lot. Then you turn around and do it again. Into a headwind. Uphill. In 2 feet of snow... Wait. That was my walk to school... Nix the snow But still, it's a tough one. Nothing I'll ever attempt.