I rode my first fleche in 2004 with the BC Randonneurs. The Manitoba Randonneurs, my regular club, was not holding a fleche and I needed it to get my Randonneur 5000 award. I emailed the BC Randonneurs and was invited onto a few teams. I selected one which I thought was probably closest to my riding style ... and headed out without any clear idea of what it was all about.

It was GREAT!! That fleche was one of the best randonneuring events I have ever done!! My team and I covered 404 kms in 24 hours at a fairly relaxed pace. We started as a team of 4, but lost one after about 100 kms. It rained almost all the way through, and one of our team members flatted a whole bunch of times ... but we all just laughed about it and kept going. And then the after fleche banquet, where all the teams got together and told stories about our rides, was hilarious!! A good time was had by all!!

I would also recommend a somewhat easier route, especially if you have inexperienced riders. And if your fellow riders have not ridden at night, I'd recommend taking them out for a night run or two at some point before Easter so you can get a little experience, test your lights, and so on.

And remember ... have fun with it!!

My team herded cattle in the middle of the afternoon, participated in a cycling race being held on our route, and were cheered on by a group of boy scouts on bicycles singing "We are the Champions"!! Can't guarantee all that will happen to you too ... but you never know.