So, was in Seattle last night for my SIL's graduation as an RN, then headed to the family place on Hood Canal. Around midnight I passed a group of 5-6 cyclers that were seriously lit up with bright lights and reflective materials... obviously a planned thing, they didn't just get caught by darkness.

Ironically I think the Canal road is likely SAFER to ride that way; it's a narrow, windy b!tch and at least at night, lit up like they were, you couldn't possibly not see these... wildmen.

So is this a thing that's commonly done?

Could have been a longer randonee...definitely planned and definitely a thing.

St. Louis has its annual Moonlight Ramble on this Saturday Night at midnight. Over 10K people do it.
https://www.moonlightramble.com/

There are a lot of randos that ride in the dark and do planned rides overnight. It's quiet, peaceful, and good training for anyone doing a fleche or a 400k or 600k.

I've done it as a randonneur, and I've heard of 'moonlight ramble' events as well.

Just looking at the SIR calendar, it appears that there's a Crater Lake 1000, might that have gone through the area where you were?
https://seattlerando.org/index.php?op...w=section&id=4

Once you know the wheres and whens of the local drunk driving scene, night riding is the best. No sunburn, little traffic, quiet. What's not to like, especially with the lights that are available today.

Okay, if you live in the Central Valley of CA, then you have to account for the 24-hr/day tomato trucks being driven by noobs rolling 16 hour shifts, but that's only in the summer. I suppose flyover states have some similar ag issues.

I know of a few nighttime rides intentionally planned that way. I do a fair bit of nighttime riding, but usually on rides that started early in the morning. Rando rides, that is.

We lost a local rider on a long ride last year. Hit by a local driver.

https://mountainview-colonialdewitt.c...user_id=647851

I don't ride at night. Too many drunks out here in Eastern WA.

SIR has done a winter solstice ride for the last couple of years. Basically it's ride all night on the longest night of the year through rain, sleet, snow, whatever December 21 might bring in the PNW. Yeah, they're nuts. But riding at night is normal for randonneurs.

Sounds dumb.

We have lots of randos around here, but we also have the Midnight Ridazz. This is a fun group where all are welcome, helmets are not requiered, and a little partying may be involved. Some of the rides have huge turnouts, but they are short and ridden at a casual pace.

I totally agree!

I live in a remote area and I when I'm out riding (in the daytime!) I can see where the latest drunk off-road excursion has occurred. If the drunks don't get you, the DEER will!!

I came home in the dark the other night, finishing a 50, and had two deer in the road in the dark at the end there. Had to holler at them. It was on flats and I was beat so only going 15 mph or so; but I do fear the deer potential on some of my big downhills, in the evening.

Machka, no, Crater Lake is several hundred miles to the south. It supposed to be an epic ride (the crater rim).

Edit: well, color me stupid! I looked at your link and indeed a ride started in Bremerton on the 15th and goes to Crater Lake (!).

Maybe it was them!

I love overnight rides.

It is a 1000 kilometre event, so they do cover quite a distance.

Yeah, duh on me.... didn't notice that at first.

I didn't see start times on the route sheet in the link... Bremerton >> Belfair isn't that far... 30 miles (ish). To be at Belfair at midnight they'd have had to have started the thing in the dark.

I'd want one H-E-double-toothpick of a headlight! I just have little strap-on LED lights on my bike, so drivers can see me when I'm rambling home after sunset, not much use as far as me seeing say debris in the road.

Well, props to them for the balls to go for it late-night. Pretty cool.

They start randonneuring events at all different times of the day ... the earliest I've started an event was 3 am, and the latest was about 11 pm.

And ... according to the ride description: https://seattlerando.org/index.php?op...d=466&catid=48 , this one started at 10:30 pm.


For the most part, I enjoyed the night portions of Randonnees. On the Last Chance 1200K, it was the best part.