Entire Issue in PDF Format
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
AMERICAN RANDONNEUR VOLUME 20 • ISSUE #3 FALL 2017 IN THIS ISSUE: Racing in a Furnace — BY MASSIMILIANO POLETTO Randonneuring on a Fixed Gear? — BY JOE DILLE 2018 Coulee Challenge 1200K — BY GREG SMITH model: hinterland ozette randonneur front bag origin: seattle, wa materials: xpac features: map case lightweight technical fabric interior organizing system rider facing pockets sizes: small | medium | large swift industries all-time best seller builtbyswift.com | 206.397.8638 | 558 1st ave s, seattle WHAT’S INSIDE President’s Message 2 John Lee Ellis From the Editor 3 Janice Chernekoff American Randonneur Magazine Fall 2017 • Volume 20, Issue #3 Racing in a Furnace: 2017 California Gold Rush 1200 4 Massimiliano Poletto RUSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President: John Lee Ellis Talkeetna 200 8 Vice President: Lois Springsteen Burney Willis Treasurer: David Thompson Secretary: Paul Rozelle Portland, ME Dart Trip Report: Team Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Darts 10 Board Member: Debra Banks Daniel Jackson Board Member: Nigel Greene Board Member: Susan Otcenas It’s Not a Bike Ride. It’s an Eating Contest! Part II 12 RBA Liaison: Paul Rozelle Dawn M. Piech and Laurie Schubert COMMITTEE CHAIRS Brevet Coordinator: Roland Bevan (chairman); What Else Could Go Wrong? 16 Lois Springsteen, Rob Hawks, and Rob Welsh David DiGiovanni Medals and Awards Coordinator: John Lee Ellis Membership: Nigel Greene; Don Hamilton New RUSA Members 21 Webmaster: John Lee Ellis Permanents Committee Chair: Crista Borras Randonneuring on a Fixed Gear? 24 American Randonneur Committee Chair: Joe Dille Janice Chernekoff Rules Committee Chair: John Lee Ellis 2018 Coulee Challenge 1200K 28 Team Event Committee Chair: Paul Johnson Greg Smith model: Routes Committee Chair: Craig Mathews Souvenirs: Deb Banks Santa Fe Trail 1000km—From the High Desert to the Prairies 30 Robert Sexton hinterland ozette AMERICAN RANDONNEUR Editor: Janice Chernekoff The Long Island Randonneurs 38 Copy Editors: Bob Olsen, Jayne Brown, randonneur front bag Melissa Hall, George Swain, Betty Jean Jordan, Stephen Yesko origin: seattle, wa and Katie Raschdorf Data Collection: Lynne Fitzsimmons, RUSA Board Elections 42 materials: xpac Greg Olmstead Layout: Mary Humphrey A Moment PBP (An Unmetered Villanelle) 43 features: Advertising: Jim Poppy Stephen Yesko map case American Randonneur is published quarterly RUSA Awards 44 lightweight technical fabric Submissions: [email protected] Advertising: [email protected] interior organizing system RANDONNEURS USA, INC. IS A TAX-EXEMPT COLUMNS rider facing pockets 501(c)(3) NON-PROFIT CORPORATION sizes: small | medium | large American Randonneur DR. CODFISH: Any Distance is Cycling Distance 18 is a publication of Randonneurs USA, Inc. swift industries all-time best seller PO Box 168, Lyon Station, PA 19536 Paul Johnson [email protected] • phone: 303.579.5866 © 2017 All Rights Reserved RANDOM THOUGHTS: Randowear 22 Chris Newman COVER—At the start of this year’s GRR, Dan Shadoan recognizes Ken Bonner’s four RUSA MEMBER PROFILE: Joe Kratovil 36 previous finishes. Apparently Ken’s fifth finish Mary Gersema was hard won, but the superb volunteer support lifted his spirits and kept him going when he UNDER REVIEW 40 was ready to quit. Congratulations Ken. George Swain PHOTO DEB FORD builtbyswift.com | 206.397.8638 | 558 1st ave s, seattle AMERICAN RANDONNEUR • FALL 2017 1 President’s Message A Season for Engaging the fine. One good thing about starting everyone can or wants to make a life- “Undiscovered Rando” — What a with fall and winter perms (or brevets) time commitment to our sport. great time of year! If we’re lucky, we can is that there is a cohesiveness that There are many reasons. Endurance look back on a lofty accomplishment or comes with facing frosty conditions cycling is hugely time-intensive. For two, while savoring what can be some that can smooth your development as reasons of work, family, other goals of the nicest days of the year. And a randonneur. and obligations of life, many riders we get to enjoy them clothed in the So it’s my plug for reaching out can only carve out a year or two of cycling fitness all that hard riding has in the fall season. As the RUSA immersive randonneuring. Their goal bestowed on us. constitution reminds us, “The purpose may be that one Super Randonneur, It’s also a great time — for those of RUSA is to promote randonneuring R-12, or 1200km — more than one very reasons — to think about in the USA.” To me this means not of us has gotten into the sport solely encouraging others to try some so much making randonneurs out of to cross the finish line at St. Quen- randonneuring. They may be your bike everyone, but rather giving folks the tin-en-Yvelines. The stars have aligned pals, or folks you’ve met at club rides, opportunity to find the randonneur for that year or two to make their rando or just friends that like to bike. Maybe within them. It’s not for everyone, but mark, they achieve it, and move on. they’re racers or ex-racers, ultracyclists I believe there are many “undiscovered For others, they’re simply who could use brevets for fun or randonneurs” out there who’d love the interested in doing too many new training, tourists coming off a big tour, chance to ride the way we do, in the things — mountain biking, skiing, or just outdoor enthusiasts who love company of like-minded riders. adventure events, mountaineering, to bike. It’s doubly important to seek transoceanic sailing … and then, too, The point is they may be in just out new proto-randos because not the panoply of non-athletic endeavers the mood to give a 200km, a Populaire, that take time and discipline. It’s great or a Permanent a try. People think of if one life segment they’ve chosen is spring as prime time to put those New to join us on randonnées. Year’s resolutions into effect, but fall That and, well, life happens, and is a great time, too, to start a new thing takes many unexpected turns. — while you’re fit and the weather RBAs see the flux of ridership, the is nice. infusion of new blood, from season to This has certainly been my season. My region has benefited from (surprising) experience as an RBA. a number of new, strong, energetic Over the years, more than one rider riders in recent years, across many age has come to our September or October groups. That enthusiasm is catching. 200km brevet as their first randonnée, Like RBAs, perm route owners can then gone on to complete a successful cultivate local interest and build a cadre R-12 — a daunting prospect when of fans for their routes, and camaraderie you’re facing the Colorado winter. But when they tackle the rides together. they do it and succeed! Many of us are lucky to be long-time These folks — seasoned and en- randos, and look back with satisfaction thused by this experience — have gone on many challenging kilometers … on to the Super Randonneur series, and many friends met. So it’s also for 1200km’s, and more. And some have selfish reasons that we should be on the just stuck with the R-12, which is just lookout to develop more of them. Fall is as good a time as any! RUSA Board Elections — A reminder to vote in the annual Board elections. —John Lee Ellis Since RUSA’s inception, we have been lucky to benefit from dedicated, RUSA President hard-working board members. Deadline is November 15. See page 42. [email protected] 2 FALL 2017 • AMERICAN RANDONNEUR From the Editor I spent this past summer recovering Next year might be a good year from double knee replacement surgery, to look for new challenges, particularly so I had time to read mystery novels, if you’re considering PBP in 2019. watch Blue Bloods on Netflix, and go New rides in unfamiliar areas make through the untidy piles of photos us pay more attention to preparation I’ve been meaning to sort for years. and also mean that we can’t operate While the 90s mullet shots are totally on automatic pilot during the ride. embarrassing, this photo of my 3-year- I asked Steve Yesko from Long Island old self on a tricycle pleases me as it Randonneurs to provide a brief review seems proof of an incipient randonneur. of rides offered by this relatively This kid doesn’t have patience for the new group. Additionally, Greg Smith photographer who stopped her in her previews the Coulee Challenge 1200km, tracks. At three, though, she didn’t a ride through Minneosata and have much choice. This summer I’ve Wisconsin that will debut in been stopped in my tracks again… August 2018. double knee replacement is serious Finally, I would like to solicit stuff. Still, each day is better, and by the your help with two projects for 2018. time this issue comes out, I hope to be First, since next year is a pre-PBP year, testing the new knees on the road. I’m interested in providing articles The enforced stillness also provided that encourage readers to give PBP time to follow the cycling adventures of consideration. Advice, PBP stories my friends as well as to read and elicit not previously published, and other the stories of randonneurs across the Daniel Jackson recounts the adventures PBP-focused submissions or ideas are country. This year saw the fifth running of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Darts on a rainy welcome. Steve Yesko's poem in this of the Gold Rush Randonnee, always and chilly day in Vermont and New issue exemplifies this idea.