Machka 

The whole idea of randonneuring is self-sufficiency.

According to the rules, it is recommended that controls be 50 to 75 kms apart if at all possible. You don't want to be stopping too much, but you need enough to make sure people don't go off the road.

I don't know about your area, but in mine a control will vary.

Some are "Information Controls", where you stop in the middle of absolutely nowhere and answer a question on the brevet sheet. One of mine last year was "What color is the barn on the intersection of Rural Route ### and Township Road ###. That's all that was there. Just the barn out in the prairie.

Some will be in a town that will offer you a choice of convenience stores, grocery stores, and restaurants. One of the towns 3 of my brevets goes through has a bicycle shop somewhere in it, and a hardware store, so you might be able to get some mechanical help there.

That's the range of controls on the brevets in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. We don't have "manned" controls, our controls are usually just a town (or intersection). We leave it up to the rider to find some place that will sign his/her card (or if it is an information control, we take the answer to the question as the signature). And we leave it up to the rider to find food and anything else he/she needs.

In between the controls, you are free to stop in any towns or at any shops for food or whatever .... if there are towns or shops there and open.

So, my advice would be .... bring your nutritional needs. Even if the ride is advertized as fully supported, bring your own nutritional needs. And always fill your bottles whenever you get the opportunity.