AMERICAN RANDONNEUR

Volume Eight Issue #4 November 2005

Message From the President t’s hard to believe that another year has come and gone, but our randonneuring Iseason is winding down. There are still a few late-season brevets and populaires on offer in a few spots around the country and some permanents will be ridden between now and New Years, but for most of us it is the time for Contents ...... Page relaxed autumn cycling. These rides might be a Message from the President ...... 1 good time to look back and reflect upon RUSA News ...... 5 2005—it has been quite a year for the hard-rid - Q&A with Ken Bonner ...... 6 ing members of Randonneurs USA. BILL BRYANT Welcome New Members ...... 8 There were four American grand randonnées this year—Boston- 2006 RUSA Event Schedule ...... 10-11 RUSA Election Pages ...... 12-16 Montreal-Boston, the Gold Rush Randonnée, the Last Chance, and the new What We Ride ...... 17 Cascade 1200k in Washington. All of them were a success; the feedback Product Review: Lantiseptic ...... 25 from each event was very positive. Randonneurs and randonneuses from all Ride Reports ...... 18-37 over the US and a quite a few foreign riders tested their mettle on these chal - American Randonneur Award Form ...... 33 lenging events. Several riders did more than one US 1200k this year and 2006 RBA Directory ...... 38-39 earned the American Randonneur Challenge award. Incredibly, three over - RUSA Souvenirs ...... 40-41 achievers— Ken Bonner , Kevin Main and Dan Clinkinbeard —actually Roadside Attractions ...... 42 rode all four American events to earn the Coast-to-Coast award in a single year! A few RUSA members also traveled abroad to do foreign events, such RUSA Executive Committee as London-Edinburgh-London. We salute all these hardy long-distance rid - President ...... Bill Bryant ers. Vice-President ...... John Lee Ellis Here at Headquarters we’ve been busy even though the season is nearly Treasurer ...... Tim Sullivan over. In addition to getting things ready for 2006, we’ve approved several Secretary ...... Don Hamilton new RBAs this fall and we’re very excited about new regions opening up to Board Member ...... Lois Springsteen Board Member ...... Mark Thomas randonneuring. RUSA extends congratulations to Jeff Sammons (Nashville, RBA Liaison ...... Jennifer Barber TN), Nick Gerlich (Amarillo, TX), and John Ceceri (Saratoga, NY). Permanents Coordinator ...... Robert Fry Bethany Davidson is reviving things in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and in Souvenir Coordinator ...... Jennifer Wise Portland, Oregon Susan France is taking over from long-time RBA Marvin Newsletter Editor ...... Michael Dayton Rambo . RUSA thanks Marvin for his many years of service. Alas, two of our Webmaster ...... Don Bennett long-time RBAs in California are stepping aside for a well-deserved break Brevet Coordinator ...... Lois Springsteen but were unable to find replacements. Both Kevin Main (San Luis Obispo) Membership Office ...... Don Hamilton RUSA Awards Coordinator . . . . . Mark Thomas and Daryn Dodge (Davis) have been RBAs since 1997 and will be missed. BRM Awards Coordinator ...... Mark Vickers RUSA hopes some qualified members will consider stepping up so that Team Randonnée Coordinator . . Mark Thomas brevets will resume in those two regions in the near future. In the meantime, Rules Committee Chair ...... Tim Sullivan we offer heartfelt congratulations to both Daryn and Kevin for years of hard RANDONNEURS USA, INC. work on behalf of American randonneurs. Thanks, guys! The RUSA Board IS A TAX-EXEMPT 501(C)(3) also extends its thanks to two RBA applicants that we did not approve. These NONPROFIT CORPORATION were in areas rather close to existing brevet series and we regretfully had to American Randonneur is a publication of decline these additions since we felt it would dilute things unduly. Still, we Randonneurs USA Inc. very much appreciate the effort. 226 West Avenue Santa Cruz, CA 95060 We’ve also been busy updating the RBA Procedures . Most riders prob - Website: www.rusa.org. ably don’t know what these are, but it is a document on the RUSA web site e-mail:[email protected] that tells how to run brevets successfully. If you’ve ever been curious about Phone: 831-425-2939 Fax: 831-425-2939 All rights reserved.©
Continued on page 3 American Randonneur American Randonneur

Continued from page 1 We also welcome longtime RUSA member Mark Vickers of what it takes to put on a brevet, it is all spelled out in our how-to North Carolina as our new BRM Awards Coordinator. Mark was “Bible” for RBAs. Go to the web site Menu on the left side of the chosen from a stellar batch of applicants who stepped forward to homepage, and at the bottom you’ll see a link for “RBAs”. Follow serve after we posted a “help wanted” ad in the last newsletter. the links and you will find a plethora of materials, advice, proce - Mark will handle Super Randonneur and Randonneur medal dures, and regulations for RBAs to use. If you’ve been toying with applications for members each September and distribute ACP the idea of becoming an RBA for an area that lacks one, you can brevet medals to RBAs throughout the season. In the meantime, see if it is something you want to pursue. Or, like most sensible we offer sincere thanks to Mark Behning , Paul Stern , Peter people, you’ll realize how much is involved and you’ll run for your Noris , Dan Wallace , Michael Vang , and Daniel Levesque for vol - life! At the least, it should give you newfound respect for the hard unteering to help RUSA members and event organizers. Thanks work put in by each RBA. I hope you’ll let them know how much guys! And kudos too, to indefatigable Don Hamilton for stepping you appreciate all their efforts, and better, that you might volun - in to do this job in addition to being a Board member, our RUSA teer to help them at a brevet or two. Our sport depends on vol - Secretary, and our Membership Coordinator. unteers; if everyone just rides their bike, we’ll have no events to With it being the end of the year, it is also time for the annu - ride. And more than one randonneur has found that if they lack al American Randonneur Award . On page 33 you’ll find details the training miles to ride brevets, helping at them is still a way to of how you can nominate a special person who you feel has gone stay involved with the fine people in our sport. Think about “giv - beyond the call of duty in our sport. ing something back”, okay? In this issue of American Randonneur you will also find the Speaking of volunteers, it is time for our annual Board of 2006 calendar of American randonneuring events, and it is a rich Directors elections . From time to time Headquarters receives one that will surely fuel your winter daydreams about next spring messages from folks who seem to think RUSA is run by paid and summer’s adventures. You’ll see over 230 ACP-sanctioned staffers, but this is not true. We take this as a compliment about brevets from 200-1000k, Flèches-USA team rides at 13 locations, our professionalism and high-level service to members, but in fact four 1200k grand randonnées sanctioned by the Randonneurs each of us are volunteers. Such is our love for randonneuring, we Mondiaux, 15 RUSA-sanctioned brevets from 200-650k, and 17 put in countless hours each year to make RUSA the success it is, RUSA populaires. Throw in a bunch of permanents and you can just like the RBAs who organize the brevets we coordinate and find all kinds of randonneuring rides to suit your tastes. I salute homologate. I hope all our members will take the time to vote for each and every one of our 41 RBAs and their control workers who the two candidates on pages 13-15 they like best. As I enter my put these rides on, not to mention each of our RUSA Board final year on the Board, I hope we’ll have a steady stream of qual - members and Volunteers. If 2005 was a success, 2006 looks even ified candidates offering their services to RUSA in the years to better. If you like the BRM style of free-pace randonneuring, I come. hope you’ll bring a cycling buddy or two to one of these events Also, one of the ongoing discussions amongst the Board is next year and introduce them to our type of long-distance that as the randonneuring movement continues to grow in the cycling. US, we have essentially the same size leadership team we did Finally, best wishes to every one of our RUSA members— when things were smaller. Thus, we will be asking for more mem - you are among a special breed of hardy adventurers and I thank ber help in the months and years to come. One example is our you for another good year of randonneuring. Even though the ever-growing permanents program. Such is the volume compared rides can be tough, judging by its steady growth on our shores I to a year ago that we’ll be thinking of ways to share the workload think more and more riders are being drawn into our sport. It has in the future. And, with another PBP year approaching in 2007, been really rewarding to be part of the movement and I look for - there will be some special projects such as rider registration and ward to more brevets with all of you in the future. Ride safely, ride designing a special jersey for the American contingent. We’ll keep smart, and have fun. Bonne Route! you posted. —Bill Bryant wwwwww..rruussaa..oorrgg www.rusa.org 3 4 November 2005 American Randonneur

New Recipients of Ultra Award Named RUSA BY BILL BRYANT 2005—often while working Jim Solanick of Lake tirelessly as the former NNEEWWSS Worth, Fla., Larry south Florida RBA. Midura of East Syracuse, Midura is a well-trav - NY and Kenneth Carter eled randonneur who has of Marysville, WA are the ridden countless brevets latest members to earn and grand randonnées the RUSA Ultra Award. around the world. He did This prestigious his 10 SR series from 1994 award is earned by riding to 2005. 10 Super Randonneur Carter is a member of series of brevets. the Seattle International Two other riders— Randonneurs and rode his Ron Himschoot and Dan 10 Super Randonneur series Driscoll—have also from 1995 to 2005. The earned the award RM trophy brevets were in Seattle, and plaque A veteran randonneur Portland, and Vancouver in (inset) with many grand randon - the Pacific Northwest nées to his credit, region. Solanick rode his SR Congratulations, Jim, series from 1994 to Larry and Kenneth!

RUSA Wins RM’s Another Texan #1 Nation Ranking RUSA has been awarded the trophy for #1 Nation in 2004 from the Randonneurs Mondiaux. Earns R-12 Award RUSA received the trophy for most brevets ridden in Bill Fox Joins Dan Driscoll As 2nd Recipient 2004 by any RM country. Bill Fox of Dallas has earned the RUSA R-12 Randonneurs Mondiaux is the umbrella organization of Award. national randonneuring leagues. RM member nations include Fox joins fellow Texan Dan Driscoll as the sec - France, Spain, United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Austria, Germany, ond recipient of the R-12. Russia, South Africa, Canada, and the United States. Starting in July 2004 with the “Vacation in Said RUSA President Bill Bryant, “All our members Italy” permanent, Fox rode at least one 200k (or and ride organizers should be proud; earning this trophy longer) event each month for a year, including means a lot to us all. It is a wonderful sporting accomplish - BMB and a host of Texas brevets and permanents. ment. I especially want to thank the tired riders who Fittingly, he finished his twelve-month series with thought about quitting a brevet, but sucked it up and kept another “Vacation in Italy”. going to the finish—they earned points for the USA by not giving up and completing the ride.” www.rusa.org 5 American Randonneur

Q&&A Bonner enjoys Q A an ice cream Ken ‘Iron Butt’ Bonner cone at Rouses Point, NY, during Photo by Jennifer Wise BMB 2005.

BY MIKE DAYTON (200 - 1000k) all completed on were attempting? Vancouver Island. The rest is history; 18 A: More of the “same old, same old”! en Bonner is something of a leg - years and over 100,000 brevet Kms later, I’ve ridden 3 1200k’s in one year several end in randonneuring circles. For I still enjoy the rides and the people I times. I rode over 14,000 Kms of brevets Kthe past three years, he has won meet riding and along the way. last year to receive the British Columbia the British Columbia Randonneurs’ Randonneurs’ “John Hathaway (aka Iron “Iron Butt” Award for the most brevets Q: Before this year, how many 1200Ks Butt)” Award for the most brevets ridden ridden by a club member. This year he had you done? in one year. This was the third year in a added to that reputation. He and two row that I have received this award. So, A: Nineteen. other riders, Kevin Main of California riding four 1200’s in one year is not and Dan Clinkinbeard of Missouri, viewed as a significant achievement in completed all four 1200ks offered in the Q: Tell us your motivation behind my neck of the woods. U.S.—the Cascade 1200, the Gold Rush doing four 1200Ks. Randonnée, Boston-Montreal-Boston A: Because they existed — it appeared and the Colorado Last Chance. Q: Did you do any special training in that there would not likely be an oppor - preparation for the event? American Randonneur caught up with tunity to ride four 1200’s in one year (in A: No. However, I am participating in Bonner by e-mail to find out more the U.S.), for another four years. I like the UMCA’s Mileage & Century about his methods and motivations. riding 1200’s, as they attract riders from Challenge, so I’ve put in a lot of miles distant places. To me, a 1200k is the on the bike. Q: What attracted you to the sport of equivalent of running a marathon—it’s a randonneuring, and how long have you challenge, you need to use good strategy been riding brevets? and one meets interesting people (also, Q: Which event was the most difficult? one can complete the event fast or slow, Why? A: After completing my 25th running depending upon one’s desire). marathon in Vancouver, B.C., nineteen A: Each 1200k has it’s own personality years ago, I saw a brochure put out by and challenges. I’ve ridden London- the B.C. Randonneurs Cycling Club, Q: Did you start the year knowing you Edinburgh-London; PBP (4 times); entitled marathon cycling. Looked inter - would attempt all four events? Rocky Mountain (3 times); Last Chance (3 times); Gold Rush (2 times); esting. Phoned the Vancouver Island A: Yes Randonneur brevet organizer (Stephen Cascades; BMB (9 finishes; 1 DNF). Hinde) for more info. Sounded like a BMB is definitely the toughest — lots of strange sport, but thought I would try Q: What did your family members and the full range of rides the following year friends say when they learned what you
Continued on page 8

6 November 2005 American Randonneur

www.rusa.org 7 American Randonneur

Ken Bonner (continued)

ups and downs totaling about 38,000 Q: Are there any riding part - feet of climbing on lots of rough cracked ners or mentors you’d like to Ken Bonner page 6 photo by me roads, with stretches of wind, heavy rain single out as helpful to you Photo by Jennifer Wise and heat. (Note — currently the roads in completing all four events? are vastly improved over the 1st time I A: Ted Lapinski, as noted Ken Bonner & Ted Lapinski page 8 photo by Tracey rode BMB in 1993 — Jennifer and above. Also, every 1200k ride Ingle Pierce have done a great job of paving director and their dedicated Photo by Tracey Ingle the nastiest of the roads! :-) support teams. They are all very organized, supportive Kevin Main & Gerry Goode page 18 photo by Jean Q: Which event was the most satisfying? and positive. And last, but Francois Grenon Why? not least, Dan Wallace from Florida. Perseverance pays off Photo by Jean Francois Grenon A: BMB — It’s always satisfying to ride ... Dan DNF’d in his last BMB and finish. It’s a tough course, but THREE 1200’s — undaunt - it also travels through some very scenic ed, Dan signed up for the Bullard Farm page 20 photo by Pierce Gafgen villages on our way to Canada. Also, this e

2005 Colorado Last Chance l Photo by Pierce Gafgen year, I enjoyed the company of Ted g n

1200 ... and finished feeling I

Lapinski for much of the ride, including y strong! I think of Dan when e c

being pulled for the last 20 miles by Ted a r

I go through the “rough” T

Three riders page 23 photo by Chris Tompsett

as he hammered into the finish! And of y

spots in the 1200’s. b Photo by Chris Tompsett o

course, not to take it for granted, the t o

well-organized support of Jennifer Wise’s h P event team — and Pierce Gafgen’s Q: What advice do you have Lapinski (left) and Bonner at BMB 2005. Melinda Dura~ Covered Bridge photo page 24 by mechanical wizardry applied to my poor - for anyone who might attempt a similar A: Of course I will — every 1200k holds Pierce Gafgen ly performing bike. feat? out the promise of: a) the perfect ride (tailwind going the full distance; smooth Photo by Pierce Gafgen A: Ride a 1000k before you try riding a pavement; little or no traffic; gourmet 1200. If you are successful, then a 1200 Q: Do you have any physical problems food; nice riding weather); b) meeting is easy, it is only 200 more k. or injuries during the rides? interesting people (usually in the dark); A: Just the usual saddle sores, hot foot c) overcoming “obstacles” to a successful and sore hands. (What kind of sport is Q: Do you see any 1200Ks in your future? finish. this, where we take this for granted!)

RUSA Welcomes Its New Members! # First Name Last Name City State # First Name Last Name City State

3113 Glenn Sellmer Summerfield NC 3128 Joe Minter Alpharetta GA 3114 Wayne S Sutton San Mateo CA 3129 Michael Rowny Chevy Chase MD 3115 Urs Koenig Seattle WA 3130 Les Doerfler Burtonsville MD 3116 John Curd San Bruno CA 3131 Ann Witty Burtonsville MD 3117 Edward Levins Sarasota FL 3132 David Rowe Lake Oswego OR 3118 Steve Williams Aspen CO 3133 Charles Gerteis League City TX 3119 Stephen E Washburn Port Hueneme CA 3134 Douglas Monticciolo New York NY 3120 Julie Buktenica Langley WA 3135 John Mahon Granger IN 3121 Chris Menge Edmonds WA 3136 Wesley D Cheney Norfolk VA 3122 Teresa Murphy Seattle WA 3137 Edward Roberts Silver Spring MD 3123 Rufus Woods Wenatchee WA 3138 Robert Cyr Duluth GA 3124 Nick Gerlich Canyon TX 3139 Lee Blauvelt Lansdale PA 3125 Becky Gerlich Canyon TX 3140 Lola Jacobsen Kirkland WA 3126 Charles P Wessel Endwell NY 3141 Daniel Hoover Watchung NJ 3127 John Ordway Alexandria VA 8 November 2005 www.rusa.org 9 American Randonneur 2006 RUSA Event Schedule Region 200 km 300 km 400 km 600 km 1000 km 1200 km flèche other

AK: Anchorage 4/29 5/13 6/3 6/24

AZ: Casa Grande 01/14 04/22 2/11 3/11 4/15

AZ: Desert Camp 03/08 03/22

CA: San Diego 1/28 3/18 4/22 6/17

CA: San 1/28 2/25 3/18 4/22 Francisco

CA: Santa Cruz 3/19 4/1 5/6 5/27 4/15

CA: Santa Rosa 3/11 4/8 5/13 6/3

04/23 05/06 07/29 05/20 07/08 06/10 06/24 CO: Boulder 6/10 6/24 9/13 5/13 08/12 09/16 09/23 08/05 08/19 07/15 09/13

DC: Washington 03/25 04/22 5/6 5/20 6/3 4/15 01/07 06/10 07/01 04/01 FL: Central/South 08/05 09/09 10/14* 2/4 3/11 4/15 05/06 11/12* 12/02*

FL: Gainesville 1/14 2/4 3/11 4/1

FL: Northwest 01/01 01/28 02/25 02/25 03/18 03/18 04/22 4/22 05/13 10/13 10/13

GA: Atlanta 04/15 09/09* 4/29 5/13 5/27 6/10

(130 km) 09/09* IA: Cedar Valley 4/22 5/13 6/3 7/8 (208 km) 09/09* ID: Yellowstone- 5/20 5/27 6/10 6/24 Tetons

IL: Chicago 04/29 08/26 5/13 6/3 6/24 (100 km) 08/26*

KY: Lexington 4/1 4/29 6/3 6/24 4/15

01/01 02/25 04/15 LA: New Orleans 9/9 06/10 11/04* MA: Boston 5/6 05/27 07/29 6/17 7/8

MA: Boston- 8/20 8/17 8/17 Montreal-Boston (100 km) 03/19* 04/08 05/14 (100 km) 08/26* MA: Westfield 03/26 04/30 6/3 6/24 5/6 07/30 09/17 (170 km) 08/26* (170 km) 10/08*

* Items marked with an asterisk indicate domestically sanctioned brevets.

10 November 2005 American Randonneur 2006 RUSA Event Schedule Region 200 km 300 km 400 km 600 km 1000 km 1200 km flèche other

MN: Rochester 5/6 5/20 6/10 7/1 7/28

05/13 MO: Kansas City 03/11 03/25 4/8 4/29 5/13 4/15 06/03

MO: St. Louis 04/08 04/22 04/29 05/13 5/20 6/3

NC: High Point 4/1 4/14

NC: Raleigh 4/8 4/22 5/13 6/3

(120 km) 04/02* (140 NJ: Princeton 04/02 04/23 04/29 04/29 06/11 5/13 6/3 4/8 km) 05/27* (100 km) and NYC 05/21 09/10 10/15 06/24 09/10* (115 km) 10/01*

NY: Saratoga 4/2 4/30

NY: Syracuse 04/29 07/16 5/13 06/03 07/08 6/24

(564 km) 07/29* (645 NY: Western km) 07/29* 07/01 OH: Columbus 04/22 10/28* 05/20 10/14 06/10 09/09 9/9 09/09

OK: Tahlequah 4/8 4/29 5/13 5/27

04/22 06/10 06/10 OR: Portland 04/01 05/20 07/15 05/20 09/09 08/19 09/30

SC: Spartanburg 3/25 4/15

SD: Black Hills 5/7 5/21 6/3 (100 km) 04/23*

TN: Nashville 03/25 10/07 04/08 10/21*

03/13 04/22 08/05 TX: Amarillo 03/17 07/21 08/06

TX: Austin 2/4 3/18

01/21 02/11 01/01 01/21 02/11 03/25 05/06 03/25 05/06 05/06 (100 km) 04/09* (160 TX: Dallas 03/25 05/06 05/27 5/27 4/15 05/27 06/10 05/27 05/27 km) 04/30* 06/10 08/12 08/12 01/14 03/04 04/01 02/18 04/01 TX: Houston 05/13 10/21* 4/1 5/13 4/15 06/03 11/18* (100 km) 02/25* (100 03/11 04/30* 03/25 08/05 06/03 06/24 WA: Seattle 05/13 08/26 6/24 4/7 km) 05/01* (100 km) 06/27* 07/22 08/12* 09/16 08/24 07/08* (100 km) 09/23*

* Items marked with an asterisk indicate domestically sanctioned brevets.

www.rusa.org 11 American Randonneur

RUSA Board Member Candidates It is time again for our annual elections. These RUSA members have been nominated for positions on the RUSA Board. The general board members serve three-year terms, while the RBA Liaison, nom - inated by the RBAs, serves a one-year term. (Remember, only RBAs can vote for the RBA Liaison position.) Read on to learn more about each nominee, then use the Election Form on this page to cast your votes. RUSA depends on our volunteers to provide its leadership and operations, and in turn these good folks depend on your vote.

Three positions Ron thUe RSUSA Bo aErd olf eDircecttoris oaren on thBe ballolt. lMoemt bers may vote for TWO candidates from nominees listed below. The third position is for RBAs only. Check the box to cast your vote.
Candidate #1: Peter Noris
Candidate #2: Jim Solanick
Candidate #3: Lois Springsteen
Candidate #4: Mark Thomas
Candidate #5: Terry Zmrhal Your Name:______RUSA #: ______

This section is to be filled out by RBAs only.
Candidate: Tracey Ingle
Candidate: Jim Wilson

Your Name:______RUSA #: ______

Please send this form to: Don Hamilton RUSA Secretary 3078 Wakeshire Drive, Dublin, OH 43017

All ballots are due to the RUSA secretary by December 1.

12 November 2005 American Randonneur

RUSA Board Member Candidates PPEETTEERR NNOORRIISS My experience includes Super around the country to provide an Randonneur 8 times; Last Chance excuse to travel to interesting locales 2004; PBP 2003; RM1200, 2002; or opportunities to make up rides BMB 1200, 2001, randonneur missed for personal reasons. My since 1991 (including, alas a DNF approach would be to expose poten - at PBP that year). tial riders and RBAs to our sport by I believe the best way to seeking publicity in sports pages, improve our sport is to bring more sports magazines, local club newslet - riders into randonneuring by estab - ters and bicycle industry publica - lishing more regions and rides. This tions. My experience is that provid - will benefit current members by ing rides nearby will bring out new increasing the number of rides participants.

LLOOIISS SSPPRRIINNGGSSTTEEEENN

I started cycling in 1983 and I the American national organization, rode my first brevet in 1990 in so when I had an opportunity to preparation for the 1991 Paris Brest become an early member of RUSA, Paris du Centenaire . If it wasn’t for I jumped at the chance. It’s been my my mentor and now husband, Bill privilege to serve RUSA since its Bryant, I surely would have failed! I inception with a very fine group of got hooked on randonneuring and dedicated individuals. I’ve served on I’ve been riding brevets ever since. the Membership Committee, been I’ve been fortunate to complete Paris Vice President, and currently serve Brest Paris four times, the Gold as Brevet Coordinator, preparing all Rush Randonnée in 2001 (after of our ACP results for homologation coordinating the route design), I in France. I’ve represented the USA regions and over 1,650 current earned the R-5000 medal in 2001, at the quadrennial RM meetings in members enjoying this beautiful and if my luck holds, I’ll try Boston- Paris, too. In addition to my active sport by riding or volunteering or Montréal-Boston next year. In addi - involvement in RUSA’s day-to-day doing both. We recently won the tion to riding for myself, with the operations, I am one of the Regional Brevets Randonneurs Mondiaux 1 er help of my friends and family, I’ve Brevet Administrators for Santa Pays Organisateur 2004 trophy for raised over $70,000 by riding for Cruz Randonneurs and was a con - which we can all take pride. As a charity during the past 10 years. trol organizer at the most recent RUSA founder, director, RBA and Randonneuring has given me the GRR. I’m proud of my active role in rider, I would be honored if you gift of some fine memories and very keeping randonneuring strong, both would allow me to continue to serve precious friends. in northern California and across the another term on the Board of In the early years of my partici - U.S.A. Directors. pation in ACP events, I felt frustrat - Thanks to the dedication of the Lois Springsteen ed by the lack of responsiveness by RBAs, we now have 41 active RUSA #8

www.rusa.org 13 American Randonneur RUSA Board Member Candidates JJIIMM SSOOLLAANNIICCKK Occupation: Yacht Captain it? I rode my first two brevet series During the evolution of my edu - in 1994 and 1995 to qualify for PBP. cation I have learned a few things Yes, the good old days when that I can pass along to the RUSA Americans had to do two years to membership. The learning curve was qualify! A few years later, almost 60 a steep one at first and Victor and brevets, 13 finishes in 1200km Gladys Gallo taught me many useful events and 8 years as an RBA are his - things. My years as an RBA were a tory. There must be an allure, some - busy time where people came to thing magnetic that drives me to Florida from all over the country to train, travel and ride these long dis - escape the cold and get in some early tance rides. I do enjoy seeing my brevets. These people brought ideas RUSA the excellent organization that ultra friends and exchanging stories, and I learned from them. it has grown to be. If elected to the training ideas and ways to cope with Now is the time for me to help board, I will, as I have always done, individual rides and courses. The continue the good deeds of hard do my best. open road is a wonderful place isn’t working volunteers that have made Thank you.

MMAARRKK TTHHOOMMAASS

I am running for re-election to nessed a 3-fold increase in member - the RUSA Board out of love for the ship and an 8-fold increase in rider - sport and a desire to help nurture its ship (measured by RUSA points). I continued growth in the US. I have helped to organize (and then had been a randonneur since my first the privilege to ride) the inaugural brevet and first Super Randonneur edition of the Cascade 1200 this series in 1998. past June. As a rider, I have enjoyed and With RUSA, it has again been endured the ups and downs of over my privilege to work with a great 30,000 kilometers of ACP, RM, and group of talented and dedicated RUSA events, including PBP twice, volunteers. My roles have included London-Edinburgh-London, serving as a Board member (since Boston-Montreal-Boston, the 2003), administrator of the RUSA Cascade 1200, and the Rocky distance awards, and coordinator Mountain 1200. for the Flèches USA. shop), son Philip, and daughter In 2000, I became the RBA in When not riding, I work as the Elena. Favorite saying (repeated Seattle, where a large group of dedi - CFO of a wireless data services often—on cold, wet brevets and cated volunteers has built one of the company and hang out with my warm, sunny rides alike): “It’s a world’s most active randonneur exceptionally tolerant family—wife beautiful day . . . and we’re on our clubs. Since 2000, we have wit - Chris (with whom I own a bicycle bicycles.”

14 November 2005 American Randonneur RUSA Board Member Candidates

TTEERRRRYY ZZMMRRHHAALL

I’ve been a cyclist since 1984 including the past three as Treasurer and randonneuring since 1991. In and organizer of the Cascade 1200; that time I’ve met wonderful, serving with the UMCA for the past friendly people all over the US and 10 years; and organizing at least 20 had amazing experiences and mem - events in that time. ories—all because of cycling. In RUSA has had an amazing start that time I’ve also accumulated a and I would hope to bring my expe - breadth of experience to support me rience and my passion for cycling to as a RUSA Board member both on the RUSA board to help RUSA ful - the bike and off. This includes fill its purposes of promoting ran - completion of PBP, BMB, BAM, donneuring and serving its mem - and many other events; serving on bers. the SIR board for many years

RBA Liaison Candidates TTRRAACCEEYY IINNGGLLEE

Greetings from New England! thing to share and contribute, My name is Tracey Ingle and I have whether we’re long-term veterans or been running the Boston Brevet brand new RBAs. In the past 4 Series since 2002. By day, I am a years, I have had the opportunity to self-employed attorney and active interact with the Board. I look for - on several volunteer boards. On a ward to the opportunity to be a daily basis I rely on and utilize com - voice for the RBAs to that Board. munication and networking to per - Thank you for taking the time to form my duties, and succeed in my read this. I would appreciate your business. As RBA Liaison, I would vote, and look forward to building translate those skills to the running on the foundation put together by of a brevet series. We’re all great at the previous RBA Liaisons. something, and each have some -

www.rusa.org 15 American Randonneur RBA Liaison Candidates JJIIMM WWIILLSSOONN

Growing up in northwest Although I’m a fair engineer, Arkansas in the early 1960’s didn’t I’m a lousy manager, and I was get - exactly put me in the hotbed of ting very tired of shoveling snow to cycling, but an article in “Boys’ get to work. I solved both prob - Life” describing a cycle tour of lems by acquiring a smaller compa - Europe intrigued me so much I ny and installing its owner as CEO. decided to duplicate the feat after I This worked so well, I left the day- graduated high school in 1965. I to-day operations in his hands and was lucky enough to find a French- began telecommuting from Florida. made ten-speed bike with rotting My descent into the seamier sew-ups hanging up on the wall of a side of cycling began one dark classmate’s barn. I negotiated a night when my wife locked herself price of $20, and began training for out of our car, and I pedaled off in my trip. a valiant attempt to rescue her. West Palm Beach Club. It was a It was a wonderful adventure Halfway down our driveway, my long drive to participate in these prior to college, but upon returning, Bottecchia threw me to the ground events. I got miserably lost on the I was able to limit my cycling to and broke my collarbone. A little 400K, and when the RBA, Jim occasional recreational use or com - research revealed the reason. The Solanick, asked for help designing muting to class. Tragedy almost bike was designed with little or no the route for his 600K, I volun - struck one day when my front brake steering trail. Not wanting it to teered, knowing if I laid out the cable failed and I ended up on the happen again, I began the search route, I’d be less likely to get lost. I rear deck of the car in front of me. for a less twitchy replacement. finished the series that year and went My $25 bike’s down tube was crum - Unfortunately, the search lead on to complete BMB 2000. pled beyond repair. me to experiment with recumbent In exchange for my route find - Sticker shock set in when I real - bicycles. After one test ride, I was ing, I convinced Solanick to hold a ized that a similar quality bike hooked. I no longer even consid - couple of brevets in Gainesville in would now cost me north of $200, ered a conventional machine. the years leading up to PBP 2003. I but I scraped together the funds to Before, I was strictly a no-nonsense rode his series, did BMB again in buy a new Bottecchia with the latest transportation cyclist. Now I began 2001 and finished PBP in 2003. Campagnolo down-tube friction to ride for fun. I began to go on Under Jim’s tutelage, I became an shifters. It was a great bike, but I “club rides” and associate with RBA and ran my first series in 2004 was always curious why I couldn’t other bicycle users. in conjunction with the Gainesville ride it with no hands. The new-fangled internet did - Cycling Club. After flunking out of Purdue n’t help either. I fell deeper into the Although I know of no 12-step University where I was pursuing a cycling “culture”. I learned, too program for cyclists, I may be on the Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, I late of PBP to qualify for the 1999 road to recovery. I completed only went to work for the professor who event, but my fate was sealed when the three shortest brevets this year; I flunked me out. I spent some 10 I read Kent Peterson’s description. was able to resist the allure of the years in Lafayette, Indiana and even - I knew I had to do it the next time. 600K. tually ended up buying controlling At the time, the only brevet interest in his company. series in Florida was put on by the

16 November 2005 American Randonneur

WWhhaatt WWee RRiiddee

The rider: Glenn Himstedt

The Bike: 2004 Mercian Vincitore Special

Frame details: Reynolds 853 tubing; 73 degree seat and head tube angles; 42cm seat stays; 42mm fork rake.

Components: Campagnolo Record 10 group; 36 hole rear, 32 hole front hubs; Mavic Open Pro rims

Glenn’s commentary: For the longer brevets I’ll change out the Campy crank for a 52-36 or 52-34. I also use a Schmidt hub and dual Lumitec Head tube with fancy lug s headlamps. The frame has clearance for Honjo fenders if needed. I use a Carradice Barley bag with a Bagman support to carry gear. After completing my first series in 2004 on a Cannondale CAAD5 I Radially-laced front wheel is replaced with a Schmidt hub was very pleased with the comfort of a more relaxed steel frame. In on longer brevets. spite of all the reasons I gave my wife why I needed this frame, more efficient, more comfortable, etc., the real reason I ride the Mercian is because I enjoy owning a classic frame built the way frames have been built for over 100 years.

Ready to roll. Bike with Schmidt hub, lights, Carradice bag. Detail of bottom bracket. Got an interesting brevet bike? Send details and high resolution photos to [email protected] for possible use in a future newsletter. www.rusa.org 17 American Randonneur

BMB: An ‘Improvisational Masterpiece’ BY SANDY WHITTLESEY

The 14th Boston- those late-summer rural fra - Montreal-Boston took place grances, or just feeling the on August 18-21, 2005. force of the wind? Call it a Ninety-one randonneurs bike ride, a party, a Zen mis - came from 20 states, Canada, sion, or a vision quest, it’s all the UK, and New Zealand. part of an exceptional event Our northern neighbors were in a corner of the world that particularly well-represented is inanely conducive to with 17 entrants. 71 riders cycling. braved BMB, 4 took on the It must be said, too, that 1000K, and 16 rode the while all manners of course “Quad Centuries.” The latter description can be accurate, group was a mix of BMB so much of BMB lies in the ‘retirees’ and neophyte ran - idiosyncrasies of the particu - donneurs looking to get the n lar year. For example, the big o n e

flavor of the big event before r gaps always stand in their G

attempting it. As always, the s place, but in a way they are i o night before was very festive, c not the major obstacles n a with widespread friends r because they are so pre - F

n

reconnecting for another epic a dictable. Ultimately, the most e J ride. As the 60-rider 4 trying elements are unknown y b a.m. group departed variables like pavement con - o t o

on the Boston h ditions, wind, rain, and even Marathon course, the P the exact point of nightfall. unforgettable rolling Left-to-right: Kevin Main and Gerry Goode at the In this way, a well-ridden cluster of bright lamps BMB turnaround point in Canada. BMB is no less than an created a holiday improvisational masterpiece. atmosphere. The R E P O R T This year, some notoriously group remained intact RRR EIIPDDO REE T busted sections of pavement for 2-1/2 hours, were resurfaced in July. socializing until the ing that there camaraderie in its truest However, the little lanes nasty hills of Sterling and is nothing else like it. For form, appreciates the slightest approaching the Huntingdon Princeton forced the sure, BMB is a big dose of favors, reveals extremes of turnaround seemed gnarlier inevitable fragmentation. green hills, clear breezes, personality, and overall than the finishing miles of BMB has a certain mys - sweet rains, bumpy little spends four days in a rather Paris-Roubaix. The ever-fick - tique because neither num - roads, hot days, and crisp surreal social context. Just as le winds blew out of the west bers, description, nor pictures nights—each of which can be surely, a BMB’er gets rubbery on the first day as the riders convey the event well. BMB wonderful and terrible at the legs, a raw ass, afternoon worked eastward, and it then has a little bit of everything, same time. Boston and sweats, nighttime chills, lead - switched to the south and and yet you come away feel - Burlington are rather franti - en eyelids, and voracious howled for the riders’ return cally busy, but Quebec is appetites. One’s view of BMB southward. Rain made its achingly lonely. In between, ultimately depends on one’s guaranteed appearance early Editor’s note, the author, the little villages unexpected - mental state: do you appreci - on the third morning, spat - Saunders Whittlesey, set a ly offer everything from good ate the rolling backdrop, or tering riders for about eight new BMB course record of 46 food and cafes to worthy bike are you just feeling the gradi - shops. A BMB’er experiences ent? Are you savoring all
Continued on page 20

18 November 2005 American Randonneur

www.rusa.org 19 American Randonneur BMB 2005 (continued) hours. While it was nothing like the 20-hour tornado- laden deluge of last year, many riders once again reported that the downhills became harder than the

climbs because they got so n e g cold. f a G As a side note, the leg - e c r

endary guarantee of rain on e i P BMB is no coincidence: if y b

you study the Vermont map, o t o you will notice that the ski h areas seem to be clumped P into three bands — southern, The Bullard Farm control at BMB. central and northern. Skiers know these as the three snow averaged an impressive 4:40 are steeper on the return course difficulty. belts of the state; BMB’ers for these hilly 78 miles except for Quebec’s vertical Sun, Rain, Fog experience them as the rain despite the net elevation gain. Chemin de Covey Hill . The first day of BMB belts, where moisture from However, on the return, rid - Countless little walls appear 2005 was a sunny, 80-degree Lake Champlain and the ers averaged 6:30 for this that the rider never remem - joy ride. Most cyclists Adirondacks wrings out on same leg. In addition, out - bered. The prevailing south reached the Middlebury con - the central spine of the state. bound riders only spent an winds in the Champlain trol (mile 230) between 7 No matter how dry the New average of 12 minutes at the region only complicate the and 11 p.m., with many tak - England summers and win - Bullard Farm control; howev - picture. While the annual ing both meal and sleep ters get, these regions of er, on the return, riders spent requirement of a full brevet breaks. Riders who continued Vermont get frequent precip - an average of 52 minutes as series has improved the DNF into that first night were itation. the urges to sleep, eat, and rate dramatically, it remains treated to great beauty and Perhaps BMB is not a recover asserted themselves that a 600K brevet barely great challenges. The moon 1200K so much as it is two despite the end of the ride prepares BMB’ers for what was full, and Lake different 600K’s back-to- being within sight. Needless the second half is like. Champlain sparkled more back. This may sound like a to say, the Bullard Farm staff Certainly, enormous credit is than the stars in the crystal- ridiculous statement consid - had very different workloads due all riders for staying with clear sky. The Adirondacks ering the out-and-back on the first and last days. it, although one might sus - and Green Mountains silhou - course. However, the return Why is the second half pect that the position of etted the distant skyline, cre - leg is far harder, as evidenced so hard? Traditional statistics being stuck 300 miles from ating an incredible sense of by the split times. This year do not provide the full home with goofy shoes and place among the topography. the average rider reached the answer. While the total an inconvenient piece of lug - However, this stretch is awe - Huntingdon turnaround in climbing has been variously gage has kept many a ran - somely lonely, and riders 33:15 (almost RAAM-quali - reported between 30,000 and donneur from seeking alter - noticed the wind switching fying pace); for the return 38,500 feet, the exact num - native transport home. A and felt a growing chill as the leg, the average time was ber is irrelevant because the very revealing stat: of the 14 fog settled in. In fact, it was a 45:30 — 40 percent slower. pitch of the hills is the key DNFs, only 3 occurred after few degrees colder than pre - Or, to put this differently, the statistic. BMB has hundreds the Rouses Point control at dicted, and the fog in the return leg required 12 more of hills with 10-15 percent mile 325. Surely this is not lower areas was enough to hours — 2 extra hours for grades. Sooner or later, they due to the second half being dampen clothing. The first each 100K! The same is true catch up with the rider; gal - easier — rather, all BMB fin - numbed rider back from for the first and last leg lant dashes uphill become ishers deserve serious kudos Quebec told disbelieving between Boston and Bullard impossible. It is also the case for hanging in there despite

Farm. Heading out, riders that all the named mountains increasing fatigue AND
Continued on page 23

20 November 2005 American Randonneur

BMB 2005 Results First Name Last Name Town State Country Result Age Gender Bernie Amero Gloucester MA USA 84:33:00 42 M Colin Anderson Palmerston North New Zealand 74:33:00 57 M Denis Beaudry Reading MA USA 86:18:00 50 M Brian Berry Mount Tremper NY USA 85:47:00 45 M Timothy Bol Maitland FL USA 83:16:00 30 M Ken Bonner Victoria BC Canada 59:38:00 62 M Elias Brettler Toronto ON Canada 84:02:00 58 M David Bundrick Tucker GA USA DNF 61 M Richard Bunt Middlebury VT USA 84:02:00 37 M David Burdette Willimantic CT USA 77:21:00 52 M Lisa Butkus Orlando FL USA 83:16:00 45 F Laurent Chambard Englewood NJ USA 82:56:00 40 M Robert Choquette Ottawa ON Canada 84:29:00 66 M Bill Cisek Onancock VA USA 85:22:00 39 M Dan Clinkinbeard Columbia MO USA 82:44:00 56 M Mary Crawley Villanova PA USA DNF 48 F Mike DeLong Dunwoody GA USA 83:47:00 55 M Tom Dugdale Glastonbury CT USA 78:07:00 50 M Scott Dura Cumming GA USA 87:41:00 42 M Melinda Dura Cumming GA USA 87:41:00 39 F John Fessenden Horseheads NY USA 74:54:00 44 M David Gillanders Vancouver BC Canada DNF 73 M Gerry Goode Tucson AZ USA 85:47:00 66 M Kurt Hackler Bolton MA USA 64:22:00 28 M John Hankins Mansfield Ctr CT USA 77:21:00 46 M Guy Harris Asbury NJ USA 83:25:00 48 M Chuck Howes Holliston MA USA 87:56:00 55 M Vytas Janusauskas Nepean ON Canada 78:34:00 49 M Eric Jensen Falmouth MA USA 58:36:00 36 M Ken Jobba Ancaster ON Canada 68:25:00 52 M Kevin Kaiser Evans GA USA 59:21:00 37 M Robert Kassel Whitby ON Canada 86:40:00 48 M Fred Kniffin Middlebury VT USA 84:02:00 44 M Pascal Labine Whitby On Canada 84:36:00 30 M Ted Lapinski Northfield MA USA 59:38:00 32 M Bill Legere Kingston ON Canada 84:36:00 40 M Mitchell Lesack Hatfield PA USA 63:23:00 46 M Jean Longtin Whitby On Canada 84:36:00 51 M Virgil Luca St Leonard Quebec Canada DNF 47 M Kevin Main San Luis Obispo CA USA 85:47:00 52 M Michael Martin Baltimore MD USA DNF 46 M David McCaw Ottawa ON Canada 62:32:00 48 M John McClellan Concord MA USA 57:58:00 43 M Fred Nehrling New Berlin WI USA DNF 50 M William Olsen Califon NJ USA 85:36:00 49 M Mark Olsen Rochester MN USA 85:36:00 50 M Walter Page Lincoln MA USA DNF 60 M Susan Plonsky Black Canyon City AZ USA 84:33:00 52 F Ralph Pruitt Holmes NY USA 82:56:00 51 M Glen Reed Medway MA USA 86:18:00 51 M Steve Rheault Mississauga ON Canada 87:56:00 45 M www.rusa.org 21 American Randonneur BMB 2005 Results First Name Last Name Town State Country Result Age Gender Steve Scheetz King of Prussia PA USA 80:48:00 35 M Bill Schwarz Kinderhook NY USA 79:52:00 60 M Jeffrey Scornavacca Bellingham MA USA DNF 43 M Paul Shapiro Princeton Jct NJ USA DNF 46 M Mark Sheehan Elmira NY USA 74:55:00 57 M Sylvain Simard Dartmouth Nova Scotia Canada 89:00:00 42 M Glen Steen Tillsonbury ON Canada DNF 58 M Erez Tamari Mississauga ON Canada DNF 49 M Richard Thomas Eastbourne East Sussex UK 85:22:00 60 M Jim Tolbert Winter Park FL USA DNF 60 M Christopher Tracey Seaford E Sussex UK 85:22:00 49 M Douglas Truesdell Bettendorf IA USA 81:36:00 54 M Patricia VonNiessen Carleston Pl On Canada 85:04:00 F Quirijn Vos Boyds MD USA 77:58:00 44 M Bob Waddell Grove City OH USA 85:04:00 50 M Dan Wallace Winter Park FL USA DNF 48 M Cary Way Murfeesboro TN USA DNF 55 M Jeff Weible Wildwood MO USA 74:37:00 48 M Saunders Whittlesey Deerfield MA USA 46:03:00 36 M Marc Witkes Durango CO USA 83:16:00 38 M

1000K First Name Last Name Town State Country Result Age Gender Chris Burkhardt Woodbine MD USA DNF 44 M John D’Elia Middletown CT USA 63:32:00 43 M Bill O’Mara Bristol RI USA 49:51:00 46 M Ben Robinson Ann Arbor MI USA 63:32:00 30 M 200K Chris Burkhardt Woodbine MD USA 10:22:00 44 M Dave Buzzee Dublin OH USA 9:07:00 63 M John D’Elia Middletown CT USA 12:53:00 43 M Bill O’Mara Bristol RI USA 7:36:00 46 M Ben Robinson Ann Arbor MI USA 12:53:00 30 M Quads Daniel Aaron Long Beach NY USA FINISHED 50 M John Bayley Watertown MA USA FINISHED 36 M Pamela Blalock Watertown MA USA FINISHED 44 F Dave Buzzee Dublin OH USA DNF 63 M Maarten Byl Reston VA USA FINISHED 34 M Greg Conderacci Towson MD USA FINISHED 56 M Dave Cramer Brattleboro VT USA FINISHED 43 M Ray Foss Lisbon CT USA FINISHED 57 M Bruce Ingle Framingham MA USA DNS 36 M Richard Joray Norwich CT USA FINISHED 54 M Brad Kenyon Sleepy Hollow NY USA FINISHED 59 M Robert Rampolla Dix Hills NY USA FINISHED 40 M Elizabeth Roach Towson MD USA FINISHED 41 F Klaus Schreiber Tarrytown NY USA FINISHED 65 M Dick Seebode Columbus OH USA FINISHED 72 M Rhonda Wilson Springfield OH USA FINISHED 53 F

22 November 2005 American Randonneur

BMB 2005 (continued)

the highest climb on the course — as heavy rain set in! Staff, Staff, Staff Be it said over and over again that the three most wonderful parts of BMB are the staff, the staff, and the staff. It is hard to call the event “unsupported” ‘when energetic, understanding, warm, outgoing people meet you every few hours and take care of you at this level. And t

t it seems like half of them are e s

p people you have heard of: m

o your control card accumu - T

s i

r lates more familiar signatures h C

than the Declaration of y b Independence. A BMB’er can o t

o receive a time stamp from a h P West-Coast RBA, lunch from Front to back: Richard Bunt, Laurent Chambard and Quirijn Vos pass Barre, Massachusetts, day one. a RAAM champion, a hug comrades at Rouses Point to Hampshire and was able to winds gusting to 35-40 mph, and “be safe!” order from a put even more layers of snap a picture of it! many groups reported that PBP champ, and family treat - clothing on. Many BMB’ers once they only managed 11-12 ment from someone they’ve Quebec produced its again related that the four mph despite full effort. After never met. usual menagerie, including main passes in Vermont, the Isles, the impossibly ran - Boston co-RBA Tracey countless farm dogs and cats, while long and steep, general - dom 50-mile sequence of Ingle rang a cowbell at the wild dogs, and even near-col - ly did not present the tough - steep rollers baffled riders’ finish to announce each lisions with deer and a bear. est segments of the ride. best efforts at pacing. The rider’s return home. With However, the most thrilling Many fingers pointed at the Middlebury control staff had each ring, as riders gathered sighting went to Ohio RBA 90-mile stretch from Rouses their hands full preparing for the picnic, the cheers and Bob Waddell, who came Point back to Middlebury as exhausted riders to start the across a cow moose in New the hardest. This year, with final third of the ride with
Continued on next page

DDoo nn’’tt FFoorrggeett ...... To renew your RUSA membership! Memberships run from January through December.

Use the convenient form in the inside back cover or download the form at www.RUSA.org .

www.rusa.org 23 American Randonneur BMB 2005 (continued) n e g f a G e c r e i P y b o t o h P

Covered story. Ah, New England, land of the covered bridges. Melinda Dura of Cumming, Georgia at mile 95 on day one. applause grew louder. The BMB. Adding to this mile - course within the time limit. included Ken Bonner, once nature of the moment creat - stone is the fact that Bill Most-improved awards again recording a time small - ed a neat sound — not rau - suffers from peripheral neu - go out to John McClellan of er than his age, and John cous stadium bravos, but ropathy, a degeneration of Concord, MA, and Kevin D’Elia and Ben Robinson, rather a very sincere, ener - the nerves in his legs. The Kaiser of Evans, GA. who had recovered from their getic appreciation, the sort unsteadiness of his gait at McClellan was 11.5 hours rookie RAAM outings and that Carnegie Hall would the post-BMB picnic had faster than last year, finishing were enjoying the 1000K offer Glenn Gould upon per - little to do with the effort of in an impressive 57:58 on his together. forming the Goldberg his sub-80-hour ride: his usual lugged Hetchins with BMB 2006 will be the Variations. It was an lower legs have atrophied dimpled chrome fenders. last under the directorship of acknowledgement from those and have little feeling any Kaiser recorded a 59:21, 20 Jennifer Wise and Pierce who understood the difficul - more. Bill has entered sever - hours better than his effort Gafgen. They are planning a ties: “Congratulations, al UMCA events on a hand- last year (yes, we double- “special edition” for their (brother or sister), you have cycle and recorded an unof - checked)! Honorable men - final outing. While the future just conquered the Big ficial world 24-hour record tions go to John Fessenden of of BMB is foggy, Wise says Monster Beast. Great job.” of 254 miles on it. His plan Horseheads, NY, 10 hours that “it ain’t over, ‘til it’s A particular hero of this is to be the first to cover faster than last year, and over,” and thus another year’s event was Bill Schwarz BMB on a hand-cycle, Scott Dura of Cumming, grand outing is in store for us of Kinderhook, NY, who although he doubts that it is GA, who avenged his 2004 next year. completed his eleventh possible to cover such a hilly DNF. Other familiar faces

24 November 2005 American Randonneur

Product Review Lantiseptic Skin Protectant

who pointed me to the magic potion I’d without a crippled keister. BY MIKE DAYTON been searching for. He’s a doctor in real Okay, we asked, how’d you do it? I was deep into my first 400K when life, and I think there’s a class in medical One word, he said: Lantiseptic. my ass caught on fire. And what did I school, Balms 101, where those guys Actually, it’s three words, I’ve since expect? Shorts rubbing directly on the study up on all the hush-hush lotions and learned: Lantiseptic Skin Protectant, seat for 200 miles. With all that friction, creams. The ones they don’t want us to described as “an emollient ointment I was lucky I didn’t burn the whole bike know about. intended to protect the skin, promote the down. We pried the secret out of Ende dur - healing of skin injuries, and serve as a first Back then, I was still learning the ing our flèche ride (see May 2004 aid treatment.” ropes. I’d never heard of a Schmidt hub. American Randonneur). Of the four The product contains 50 percent lano - I’d never heard of PBP. team members who’d done PBP, Cap’n lin, the natural, protective oil of wool. It And I didn’t know the first thing was the only one who returned home also contains beeswax and petrolatum to about butt creams. produce “a fine emulsion of out - Success in long distance standing tenacity,” according to biking depends, in part, on the company’s Web site. mastering the pressure Tenacious indeed. It nearly points. That means avoiding takes a chisel to get the stuff off the hot spots on the feet or — the very thing I want protect - the raw blisters on the ing my flank steak halfway hands. through a 1200K. And yes, the saddle Lantiseptic is typically used sores on the old derriere. in nursing homes and other elder Lord knows, I’ve had care facilities to treat minor my share—and I have the burns due to incontinence and pictures to prove it. But I’m adult diaper dermatitis. delighted to say those It’s also used to treat stage I painful memories are finally and II pressure sores (read: saddle … well, finally behind me. sores). Therein lies its value for Riding buddy Chet long distance cyclists. Buell was the first to suggest One nice feature: Lantiseptic a soothing balm for the but - is available in 0.5-ounce packets tocks—more specifically and four-ounce tubes, as well as Bag Balm, the stuff that’s various jars. The packets are sold at garden shops. The especially handy for single-use problem is, I could never applications on a long ride. figure out how to carry that Interested? Get your local phar - big green tin. macy to order some, as most So I searched in vain for stores don’t stock it. My four- something else. I tried A+D ounce tube cost under $6.00. Be ointment and various tubes sure to ask for the Skin of Vaseline. Those did not Protectant, not the softer really do the trick. The suf - Therapeutic Cream. fering continued. Tail winds. And remember, as It was Cap’n John Ende always, your mileage may vary. Photo by Mike Dayton www.rusa.org 25 American Randonneur

2005 GOLD RUSH RANDONNÉE REPORT

BY BILL BRYANT

here were four American 1200k events during 2005, including Gold Rush Randonnée in northern California. July saw the second run - TnTing of this quadrennial event hosted by the Davis Bike Club. Its out-and-back route goes north and east from Davis to the Oregon border region and turns around at the hamlet of Davis Creek. In between these two points riders have Photos by Don Bennett to cross the mighty Sierra Nevada mountains, so all GRR participants need to bring good climb - ing legs and a lot of determination.

The heat, not the humidity. A view of Shasta along the route.

26 November 2005 American Randonneur GRR (continued)

Overall, the event went Germany, Finland, and drivers patrolling the route at Riding 1200 mountainous well. At the start there were Sweden. The Davis Bike all times. Almost every kilometers in 90 hours or less 101 randonneurs and ran - Club put 75 volunteers into checkpoint was organized by is never easy, but excessive donneuses from all parts of the field to help the riders. PBP veterans and their col - summer heat made this GRR the US, along with foreign The controls were generally lective experience showed. harder than other similar riders from Canada, well run and there were sag The GRR workers stayed events. After a 6 p.m. start to busy through - allow nighttime riding in the out checking hot Central Valley lowlands, riders through riders began ascending the the controls Sierra foothills around mid - and making night. The climbing after the food. There 120-mile mark was constant were also and overall riding speeds some unex - dropped. Worse, during the pected tasks first day the heat was brutal; to fulfill. At things were a good 10 Taylorsville a degrees hotter than four years sleepy rider ago. Temperatures topped put on some - out at around 105 in one else’s rid - Susanville at mile 249, while ing shoes by temps at altitude were only mistake and marginally cooler. Of the 101 left the check - starters, 74 finished for a point, proba - 27% DNF rate. Four years bly marveling ago the DNF rate was about at how his 18%, which is probably a swollen feet good indication of how hot felt so much things were this time. Having better after his the turnaround 5000 feet rest. When higher than the start/finish the other fel - certainly makes the first part low realized of the ride tough, but it (usu - that his shoes ally) offers a little relief from had mysteri - summer temperatures in ously shrunk California’s vast Central one size while Valley. Outbound times for he slept, a most riders were a little slow, driver was dis - but overall finishing times patched to ended up being good com - retrieve the pared to other 1200k events. missing shoes Perhaps it could be said that and get the if the GRR isn’t the hardest correct ones 1200k event—BMB proba - back to their bly earns that dubious dis - proper owner. tinction—it likely has the The riders hardest first half. had a good Most DNFs happened in event—con - the first 20-24 hours of the sidering the circumstances.
Continued on next page The pause that refreshes. Jerry Khorll takes on fluids. www.rusa.org 27 American Randonneur

GRR (continued)

stop became a bucolic otherwise bustling popular place to California could be. Along pause a long with fine scenery, they also while. The saw quite a lot of wildlife, empty 16-foot including some black bears at rental truck used Antelope Lake. Riders also to transport the reported seeing porcupines, riders’ drop bags bobcats, and deer in various was frequently spots along the course. As we full of sleeping were packing our gear after randonneurs. At the last rider passed through times we had to Grasshopper, the local forest lay sleepy (or ranger was chatting with us sick) riders and remarked that he was down under pleased that none of our rid - space blankets ers had had problems with on the smooth mountain lions. It seems asphalt driveway these beasts frequently prey of the adjacent on the cattle and other live - fire station. stock in the region. Lois and And who I exchanged looks of relief— Good news, bad news.... would have but then wondered if a thought some smelly randonneur would lowly Cup have been very appetizing. ride before the majority of tional miles they had ridden; O’Noodles cooked on a Better than the scenery riders reached the lonely by then the heat had moder - camp stove under the light of or wildlife, we saw lots of Grasshopper water stop ated somewhat. The club had kerosene lanterns would ever randonneur tenacity and where Lois and I were sta - planned for Grasshopper to be so popular? There was a camaraderie throughout the tioned (miles 282 outbound be just a simple water stop at nice sense of gallows humor event. We saw (weary) smiles & 480 inbound). Quite a the halfway point in an oth - from the fastest riders to the no matter how tired the rid - few riders looked absolutely erwise empty 70-mile moun - slowest and we enjoyed work - ers were, or how much pain ghastly going outbound, but tain section north of ing at our dusty outpost in they were in. The GRR was a most of them looked better Susanville, but as the second the desert. The randonneurs really hard ride but time after coming back 18-24 hours night fell, and riders’ fatigue also liked the full moon for time we saw riders gird their later despite the 200 addi - accumulated, our little water night riding, but perhaps loins and start cycling again. there was more of that than We found it inspirational anticipated due to the exces - how they would arrive shat - sive daytime heat. At our lit - tered, rest a while, and then tle encampment out in the quietly rouse themselves to boonies, coyotes’ nearby resume the battle. Strangers howling added to the night - before the ride, quite a few time ambience. We worked riders gathered into little most of the event without groups to survive the rigor of sleep, so by the end we were the event. We also saw expe - howling with them. rienced randonneurs encour - We frequently heard aging new riders to keep from the out-of-state entrants moving forward, or small about how scenic the GRR groups of friends from vari - Offer expires November 30, 2005. route was. They seemed sur - prised at how rural and
Continued on next page

28 November 2005 American Randonneur

GRR (continued) ous brevet series around the nation stick together to help each other in various ways. There was a sprinkling of RBAs in the event: Kevin Main (San Luis Obispo), Dave Bundrick (Atlanta), Bob Waddell (Ohio) all did fine rides and set good exam - ples for others to follow about sensible pacing and persevering in the face of tough conditions. Randonneuring veteran Gerry Goode was there and it was nice to see him riding so well. He and Kevin Main did the entire ride together and seemed to have a fine time. It was also great to Sun screen. GRR riders take a shade break. finally meet various RUSA members after so many years Otherwise I’m sure he would of e-mail correspondence or have finished with a fast posts on Randon. RUSA time. He got some nasty webmaster and GRR sag facial cuts but didn’t lose driver Don Bennett went consciousness. Luckily a rider beyond the call of duty— a little ahead heard him crash some 48 hours into the event in the darkness and returned he drove hot pizza 35 miles to help. Since they were in out to Grasshopper on the middle of nowhere at 4 Thursday night, whereupon a.m., the Good Samaritan it was instantly devoured by got Scott to stay still, and famished riders. Overall, we then rode to the next control had only a few whiners; the for help. After an ambulance vast majority of riders com - ride to the little mountain ported themselves admirably town of Quincy, Scott got considering the test they were another ambulance ride and enduring and we figured the underwent plastic surgery in others were just cranky from Chico. He looked pretty a lack of sleep and nutrition. good at the finish line all The GRR had two bad things considered—but talk accidents, alas. Both riders about having a rough ride! were from the Randonneurs The other Ontario fel - Ontario, but they were low who crashed was Henk unconnected incidents. Scott Bouhuyzen. After a parking Chisholm’s carbon forks lot mishap early in the ride failed catastrophically and that injured his shoulder without warning as he was and made him climb the descending out of the moun - tains—what a bummer!
Continued on next page www.rusa.org 29 American Randonneur GRR (continued) Sierras with only one good but he quit the GRR with Kern symbolized the deter - were awarded and the weary arm, he then crashed heavily only 16 flat miles to go. He mination and courage all event volunteers got a nice with about 100 flat miles to developed a serious the GRR riders showed dur - salute of appreciation from go. Hank did a face-plant bronchial condition and was ing four hot days and nights the riders. It was a good way on the final descent of the coughing up blood by the of arduous cycling. Some to end the 2005 GRR and ride. After the doctors in end of the ride. After med - rode the event in only 59 everyone seemed to have a Oroville cleaned / patched / ical treatment and bed rest hours, while others took nice time. GRR organizers stitched / stapled / glued while the medications ten, twenty, or thirty hours Daryn Dodge, Dan Shadoan, him up, he insisted on being kicked in, he asked to be more—but they’re all heroes and Ann Lincoln did a terrif - taken back out to the crash driven back out to resume in my book. Hats off to ic job overall and deserve our site and resumed the ride. I his ride. He found he could them all! praise. I hope the next event saw him at the finish and cycle without insult to his The GRR ended with an in 2009 will be similarly suc - his battered visage was gris - lungs if he kept his pulse enjoyable banquet at a cessful. ly. Henk is a gutsy guy for below 100 bpm, so he rode Mexican restaurant in Davis The list of GRR finish - sure. leisurely and finished with on Saturday at noon just as ers, a route profile, and other Another tenacious rider about 20 minutes to spare the event clock ran out, and information can be found at: was Jim Kern of Sunnyvale, before the ride’s 90-hour while everyone seemed happy http://www.davisbikeclub.org California. Jim was the first time limit was up. He was to be done, perhaps some /goldrush/ rider on the course during the last rider to finish the were a little sorry to be going much of the second half, 2005 GRR but to me Jim home too. Various trophies

personali - Edinburgh-London, Dave Barker wrote UUnneexxppeecctteedd ties, and on the AUK list, “When Chris one can see Crossland and I parted yesterday morn - BBeenneeffiittss various ing we agreed that running the Lincoln styles of control in 2005 had been as exciting, randon - satisfying and fulfilling as riding the BY BILL BRYANT neuring at event in 2001; you get the same high work. The from feeling that the job was well done While working a rest stop at the back-of-the- as you do when you finish. And that is GRR last July I had some time between packers are because the team has been fantastic and riders to reflect on various aspects of interesting the riders appreciative, chatty, friendly, randonneuring. Previously I’ve written too. These good-humored; and you finish up about the physical and psychological guys are meeting far more people, most of them benefits our sport can bring the partic - battling the twice.” So whether you are a new ran - ipants, but I also realized much can be Bryant: Tanned, rested, clock more donneur learning the ropes or a veteran gained by volunteering to help too. ready... than the giving something back to the sport, Unlike being a rider, a checkpoint others and one can see it weighing on give it a try, okay? Many of our events worker sees the event from a wider per - them more. But no matter their speed, need checkpoint workers; won’t you spective and it is a first-rate show, espe - every brevet rider has to deal with his or consider helping out? The riders will cially on the longer events over 300 her own limitations—both real and per - appreciate it a lot, as will the ride kilometers. ceived—and this is what makes it all so organizer. And it isn’t just “work”; You get to see it all—the good, bad, engaging. New randonneurs in particu - you’ll learn a lot about determination and the ugly—and it’s educational to say lar have a lot to gain by working a few and audacity, get to see a great show, the least. Of course you’re pulling for brevets as they hone their long-distance and meet some terrific randonneurs everyone to finish, and hopefully you riding skills. They’ll learn from others and randonneuses. When I finished will contribute to their eventual success. more quickly than they could on their helping at the GRR, I was reminded of The fast guys and gals are interesting to own. something my pal Dave Nawrocki once observe, what with their focus on cycling And it is fun and rewarding too. wrote: “I went out to a brevet, and speed and efficient stops. The middle- After working at the recent London- found so much, much more.” of-the-pack group tends to be a mix of

30 November 2005 American Randonneur GRR 2005 Results

First name Last name City State Country Time Paul Bacho Aurora OH USA 87:38:00 Charlene Barach Red Deer Alberta Canada DNF Daniel Barcellos Davis CA USA DNF Bernie Barge San Miguel CA USA 82:11:00 Jeff Bauer Nashville TN USA 79:04:00 Timothy Bol Maitland FL USA 87:52:00 Ken Bonner Victoria B.C. Canada 63:36:00 Henk Bouhuyzen Toronto Ontario Canada 81:41:00 Dana Bradshaw Tahoe City CA USA 70:33:00 David Bundrick Tucker GA USA 77:04:00 Robert Buntrock Discovery Bay CA USA 78:34:00 Lisa Butkus Orlando FL USA 87:52:00 Laurent Chambard Englewood NJ USA 84:29:00 Scott Chisholm Tottenham Ontario Canada DNF Janet Christiansen Tustin CA USA 79:19:00 Dan Clinkinbeard Columbia MO USA 80:24:00 Daniel Dickinson Augusta GA USA 88:06:00 Achim Dickmanns Guentersen Germany 78:01:00 Derek Eukel Campbell CA USA 76:38:00 Brad Flickner Fort Worth TX USA DNF Keith Fraser Vancouver B.C. Canada 58:26:00 Christian Fritze Alameda CA USA 78:01:00 Gerald Goode Tucson AZ USA 77:46:00 Alan Gosart Smyrna TN USA 79:04:00 Charles Grabiak Fort Myers FL USA 78:06:00 John Guth Stafford VA USA DNF Nancy Guth Stafford VA USA 77:43:00 Paul Guttenberg Davis CA USA 75:11:00 Robert Habdas El Cerrito CA USA DNF Hada Sterling El Sobrante CA USA DNF Christopher Hanson Redondo Beach CA USA 86:45:00 Peter Hewitt Sacramento CA USA 66:29:00 Kenneth Holloway San Jose CA USA 70:33:00 John Holmgren Oakland CA USA 81:41:00 Timothy Houck Pleasanton CA USA 80:01:00 Doyce Johnson Grovetown GA USA 88:06:00 Ken Johnson Sacramento CA USA DNF Paul Johnson Tumwater WA USA 88:08:00 Charles Jonas San Francisco CA USA 85:27:00 Greg Jones Moorpark CA USA 82:11:00 Christopher Kaiser McDonough GA USA DNF Kevin Kaiser Evans GA USA 86:42:00 James Kern Sunnyvale CA USA 89:31:00 Jerry Khorll Lake St. Louis MO USA 78:12:00 Daniel Kinkade Sparks NV USA DNF Ken Knutson Tracy CA USA DNF Michael Koth Wachtendonk, NRW Germany DNF John Kramer White Salmon WA USA 82:11:00 James Kreps Chicago IL USA 77:40:00 Ed Kross Framington MA USA 65:51:00 Tom Lawrence Mountain View CA USA DNF 0:00:00 Earl Magpiong Newbury Park CA USA DNF Kevin Main San Luis Obispo CA USA 77:46:00 Aron Mason San Mateo CA USA DNF Donald Mayne Fayetteville GA USA DNF Ray McFall Kent WA USA 86:45:00 Scott McIntosh Chicago IL USA 64:53:00

www.rusa.org 31 American Randonneur

First name Last name GCity RR 2S0tate 05 RCeounstry ults Time Tony Mellsop 21620 Malmo Sweden 58:26:00 Lawrence Midura East Syracuse NY USA 77:24:00 Peter Morrissey Oakland CA USA 69:54:00 Davis Nakai Fallbrook CA USA 82:11:00 David Neff Fair Oaks CA USA 76:38:00 Ove Nilsson 21526 Malmo Sweden 70:41:00 Eric Nordman Palo Alto CA USA 82:11:00 Peter Noris Denver CO USA DNF David Oliphant Medicine Hat Alberta Canada 81:56:00 Anne Pokocky Whitby Ontario Canada 87:54:00 Marc Pritchard Cattaraugus NY USA 77:43:00 David Pyle Ft. Lauderdale FL USA DNF Dave Read Tumwater WA USA 82:11:00 Steve Rheault Mississauga Ontario Canada DNF Jukka Salonen Tampere Finland 76:14:00 Jeffery Sammons Brentwood TN USA 86:41:00 Michael Schmit Norman OK USA DNF Kari Silpio Espoo Finland 79:04:00 Eric Simmons Colorado Springs CO USA DNF Bradford Smith Redwood City CA USA 78:34:00 Sean Smith Huntington Beach CA USA 78:00:00 Patty Jo Struve Sonora CA USA 80:01:00 Michael Sturgill Phoenix AZ USA 64:18:00 Bruce Taylor Alta Loma CA USA DNF Claudio Vacas Bloomfield Hills MI USA DNS Merry Vander Linden Bloomfield Hills MI USA 77:43:00 Joel Voelz San Francisco CA USA DNS Bryce Walsh Chicago IL USA 58:26:00 Jeff Weible Wildwood MO USA 70:31:00 Andreus Wimmer Neuotting Germany 77:04:00 Wayne Woodside Mather CA USA 75:54:00 Timothy Woudenberg Moss Beach CA USA 58:26:00 Duane Wright Seattle WA USA 88:01:00

1000K + 200K Lisa Antonino Belmont CA USA DNF Mark Behning San Leandro CA USA 76:18:00 Bruce Berg Berkeley CA USA 78:12:00 Peter Burnett Chicago Park CA USA 75:54:00 David Burns Granite Bay CA USA 80:24:00 Rob Hawks Richmond CA USA DNF David Penegar Reno NV USA 86:30:00 Robert Pompeani Oakland CA USA DNF Amy Rafferty Woodland CA USA 86:30:00 Ken Shoemaker Los Altos Hills CA USA DNF Dan Tupper San Jose CA USA 88:58:00 Robert Waddell Grove City OH USA 81:41:00 Laurie Wainwright Cameron Park CA USA DNF Doug Wainwright Cameron Park CA USA DNF

32 November 2005 American Randonneur

THE American Randonneur Award Once a year, the RUSA Board of Directors and the RUSA Awards Committee present an award to a member of the organization who has made a significant and outstanding contribution to randonneuring in the United States. This person is to be recognized for having gone above and beyond the call of duty to help our niche of cycling grow. It can be a RBA who has dramatically increased brevet participation, a hard-working RUSA volunteer, or someone who has helped randonneuring flourish by a selfless act, good sportsmanship, camaraderie, or by being a good samaritan. RUSA wishes to recognize that special volunteer and inspire others to do the same. This is a most prestigious award, a high honor of American Randonneuring. It is the only award we have that names a single winner; all other awards can be earned each season by any num - ber of our members who qualify successfully.

This person must be a RUSA member. (Check the RUSA website Members Search to see if the person that you have in mind is a current member and note their membership number).

The American Randonneur Award is given by the RUSA Board. The nominees’ names come from the general membership. The Board then votes on the award winner. Please note that the Board has decided to exempt itself from any active nominations for this award in order to avoid possible conflicts of interest that could then affect other Board matters. If an American Randonneur Award nomination comes in for a sitting Board member, it is held over until that person’s term of office is ended and then placed among the next batch of nominees.

You may nominate a member by email. To make a nomination by email, send your name and your RUSA membership number with your nomi - nee’s name and RUSA membership number to Johnny Bertrand. Or fill out a candidate submission form and mail it to the address below by December 15th.

The previous recipients of the award: Year Recipient 2001 Johnny Bertrand 2002 David Buzzee 2003 Jennifer Wise 2004 James Kuehn

NOMINATION FORM Your name: ______Your RUSA #______

Your American Randonneur Award Nominee: ______Nominee’s RUSA #______

Brief reason for nomination: ______

______

______

______

Send this form to: Johnny Bertrand, 858 Carrick Pike, Georgetown, KY 40324

www.rusa.org 33 American Randonneur

TROYES 1000K By NICOLE HONDA Riding through the Champagne Region of France

Quite a number of to fetch me because they lat , still warm I normally try to American randonneurs and were afraid I couldn’t find the from the oven. spend as little time randonneuses have ridden brevet start. What nice folks. Yum. But set - off the bike as possi - Paris-Brest-Paris, but only a After much talk, none of ting back out in ble, here each stop is handful have ridden a French which I understood, it was the rain was less R E P O R T about an hour, either brevet put on by a regional time to roll out. And, as than yummy. RRIIDDEE in a restaurant for a club, and it is a very different usual, the minute I click in, Jean-Pierre, three-course meal, or experience. Last July, RUSA all is right with the world. the guy I was in a bar or café where member Nicole Honda of Let it rain! Let them speak riding with at the time, tried you chat with the locals. I California completed a 1000- French! I’m here to ride. to point out the historical used this time to rest my kilometer brevet in the We started as a group. and interesting sights, but I head on the table, fingering Champagne region of France, Cars honked their greetings have to admit that I wasn’t me as a foreigner for sure! starting and ending in Troyes. along the road, no rain yet. very interested during the The second night was Here’s her report: At about 9 p.m., we stop to downpour. When it finally hard. I hadn’t slept the first eat and fill our water bottles. cleared up to scattered show - night and was hallucinating Friday, high noon, five I was told to stock up since ers, I noticed how lovely the by Saturday night. We hours to the start of my first there was limited water at route was. All night we had stopped to sleep in a barn, 1000k. I watch the rain night and no food. We ate in ridden through a forest. Now but it was so cold I slept just pouring down and wonder a little bar. One guy, an we were passing through cute over an hour. But even such a why I traveled across the eight-time PBP finisher, old towns with carved stones short rest was refreshing, and world to do a brevet in ordered a beer. that had dates like 1572 at least pedaling keeps you France. I feel pretty low Back on the road, in the carved on them. Everything warm! about my chances for success: dark. The roads are quiet, was old, and so rural. There The second day was No sag, no route markings, few cars to bother us. The weren’t even many medium- Sunday and we were hard no drop bags, no support. cars give cyclists lots of room sized towns on the route, pressed to find lunch, since Predictions of unrelenting so I felt very safe. Two riders mostly small villages, and no stores are closed and we did - rain. Very rusty high school were ahead of me and the crowded roads during the n’t pass through too many French. I should just order a other two had stopped for whole brevet. We passed over towns. We finally ate pastries nice bottle of wine and forget coffee about an hour after rivers, saw chateaux on the from a bakery. By dinner all about the whole thing. dinner. I would pick up the hillsides, passed through time, I was ready for my But I love to travel, I love to guys ahead of me at some rolling fields of wheat—it three-course meal, and sever - ride, I love to put the two point and, after that, I was was incredible. The brevet al Cokes. Since the rain had together. And the worst thing never alone at night again. route was a big loop so every stopped, I had a chance to that could happen was that I The French riders were kilometer brought new views. appreciate the scenery and would fail, and I’d rather fail absolutely fantastic in that By the end of the first enjoy the beautiful French in the French countryside regard. I have been left all day, I had settled in with countryside. than in my own backyard. alone at night on rides 10-20 Didier, a nice guy from The third night was the It’s 5 p.m., and the sky times this size in the US. Orleans. The rest of the rid - worst! We climbed from din - has miraculously cleared. The Friday turned into ers never caught us again and ner until about 6 a.m. the ride organizer greets me and Saturday. At about 3 a.m. it Didier and I stuck together next morning. We had long the other four riders (yes, started to rain. By 7 a.m. until the end. steady grades followed by that makes five total) with when the bars opened, I was I started to become long steady descents, all night coffee and chocolate. His desperate for a hot café au accustomed to the “French long. From about 9 p.m. it wife had gone off to my hotel lait and some pain au choco - way” of brevet riding. Where rained. For several hours

34 November 2005 American Randonneur

Troyes 1000K (continued) there we were in the heart of a DOs & DON’Ts lightning storm • DO come prepared to be self sufficient, especially ting up with my demanding American-ness and to and had to take taking into account the lack of all-night 7-11 stores Claude Lepertel of the Audax Club Parisien for shelter two sepa - and the more limited food/drink options you’ll helping me, too.) rate times. Believe find. Things close early, don’t open until 7 a.m., and me, we were the most stores are closed on Sunday. • DON’T expect any support on the road, no drop biggest, most bags, no SAG, no staff at controls. And don’t expect metallic things out • DO be prepared with excellent maps of the entire to find little things that you may be used to having. in those French route, as the route sheet may not be sufficient. Very French grocery stores don’t sell Gatorade or Cliff fields! And the detailed maps are sold in bookstores or travel stores bars. Lesson here: if you think you may need it, route map, at this in France. Didier, my fellow rider, had maps photo - bring it! point, was no copied so he could mount a single page for each sec - help. We were on tion of the route on his handlebar rack. Without his • DON’T worry that you don’t speak the language tiny rural roads, maps, we would have never found the way the third very well, but knowing a few basics will make the circling the town night. (Special thanks to Didier for being an incred - experience more pleasurable. squares in little ible riding partner, tour guide and friend.) villages two or • One more DO: Do enjoy yourself throughout the three times to find • DON’T worry if the ride organizers seem to be course. You will probably never see these little vil - the right direction less organized or slower to respond than our brevet lages again so take a few extra minutes to soak it all to the next village. coordinators here in the US. They will get back to up. By midnight I was you eventually. I e-mailed for months and was very really cranky and frustrated at the lack of response. But when I got to If you want to find a brevet in France, check the fol - forced Didier to the start, everyone was very friendly and helpful. lowing site: stop. We tried to (My sincere thanks go out to Michel Viard for put - http://www.ffct.org/pratiquer/cn_ran.htm sleep in a bus shel - ter but I was too cold and wet to bits, and lots of other Troyes. We arrived at the fin - drunk on two paper cups of get more than another hour wildlife, and entertained each ish Monday afternoon in excellent champagne. The of rest. I was miserable and other by making barnyard high spirits. Didier and ride was fantastic, the most exhausted by dawn. But all sounds as we passed cows, Monsieur Viard, the ride scenic brevet I’ve ever been bad things come to an end. sheep, etc. (Did I mention director, chatted while I got on. It was certainly an adven - The rain stopped around 2 my French was bad? Didier’s a.m. and the climbing English wasn’t much better stopped at about 6 a.m.. We and by this time we were get - were on the home stretch. ting pretty tired. Barnyard Didier was such a great guy noises were about as good as to put up with my snappish - communication was going to Attention ness and whining that last get.) When the bars finally night. He was faster than me opened at 7, we had some Members and could have finished well-deserved rest. But, since hours earlier but he decided many bars don’t have food The RUSA newsletter is mailed we were a team and we that early, we ate damp left - via third class mail to the address on file would finish together. over bread from the previous of all current members. It is critical that The last day was dream - day. you inform the membership office of any like; I hit that point where By mid-morning it was change of address, so that your newsletter will reach you you are in another world and it was getting hot but we in a timely fashion. can just keep on pedaling cycled through beautiful forever. That morning we country. Some final climbing Please send notification of change of address to Don saw a hedgehog, a fox, rab - and then a flat run back into Hamilton at [email protected]. www.rusa.org 35 American Randonneur

Dirt 8 / 2 7 / 0 5 Road Randonnée

way through this 113 By KRIS mile dirt road ride o t t e KJELLQUIST through Western Mass l o P

and Vermont. In both ” x a M

cases you just might “

etting o n a

finish, enjoy the i l i m i

Sandy course, and appreciate s s a M

the talent of the y b Whit- designer. o t o h

L Sandy spent 12 P tlesey design years exploring the a century roads to put this course route is like together and it shows. He weaved an incredi - Back to nature: The author makes time for a forest photo op. ble network of dirt letting Tiger roads to cover well cross two roads. The Many are closed 6 a.m., so I was up at 3 Woods over 100 miles with more I think about the through the winter. I a.m. to eat breakfast minimal pavement course the more I am had a feeling this ride and get there with design a golf and virtually no traffic struck with the would be epic from the plenty of time to spare to contend with. In amount of effort and day it was announced, after a 90 minute course. fact, the entire time Sandy put into but I had no idea what drive. I arrived in the This is the analo - Vermont portion of this ride. These really we were in for. dark and fog to find gy that popped into the ride never touches are roads that are not The ride started in my head about half pavement except to meant to be found. Old Deerfield, MA at
Continued on next page

36 November 2005 American Randonneur

Dirt Road Randonn ée (continued) Sandy and Don “road.” The vast major - The section is tons of everything is steep, LOR RD. at mile 101. Podolski setting up a ity of sections were a fun, great roads, but it rough, and it was get - It’s easy to miss when table for registration. dream to ride and the creates a false sense of ting hot at this point. you are tired and miss - Don is the Western, others were just more security for the day. You also are getting ing it will surely add a MA Regional Brevet of a challenge. In fact, There’s a nasty climb to more and more miles nice 1-mile climb to Admin and he put in a as the roads got worse I the first checkpoint, in your legs as you get back! I know, we lot of time helping think the smiles got and at this checkpoint approach each climb. did it. Not too much to Sandy promote his first bigger. you see your time and Sandy listed 5 major add here, but the finish ever Randonneurs The ride itself was realize it’s going to be a peaks on the cue sheet is interesting. Sandy USA event. I signed in, broken up into 4 sec - long day! It’s a long, in this 30 mile stretch, traditionally ends his paid my entry fee, and tions and 3 check - fun day! including a bear of a personal rides in a local received my brevet points. Even as we were Stage 2: 28.4 climb to finish the cornfield and he takes card. This ride is a riding I found it hard miles, 77% dirt, 2800‚ stage at the top of us through it on this RUSA Populaire which to distinguish individ - climbing . Stages 2 & 3 Patten Hill. You are ride. It’s a lot of fun generally means a ual stretches or roads are “brutal” according rewarded 10-fold with and surely adds to the shorter easier ride often and I knew a detailed to Sandy. Again, imag - the view at the top. mystique. You cruise held at the beginning accurate report might ine a hole of golf that Mentally the stage is back into Old of the brevet season. At be tough. It was an Tiger would call bru - easy in one way. You Deerfield feeling like just under 200K this endless series of roads tal. You have to trans - just count off the you’ve been gone for a ride was on the shorter that tunneled through late to your own ability peaks and when you weekend of camping. end it but it certainly trees, steep climbs in and terms. Brutal is a hit #5 you are done. There’s an odd sense of was not going to be the warm sun, and great word! Especially There’s always a point returning to civiliza - easy. amazing views as you challenging is another in each brevet where I tion. You’ve completed I said hello to crested the peaks! description. Three realize, barring a major an incredibly hard and some of the usual sus - Because of this I am peaks over 1700‚ and incident, the ride is “in brutal ride that you pects and we were off going to go through massive descents after the bag”. In this stage didn’t want to end. into the early morning each section with some each. While they are approaching Patten This was probably daylight and fog. The details and highlights fun, just remember Hill you get that men - my best single day on a air was damp and cool, in note form. you climb right back tal boost from realiz - bicycle. It was great to but most dressed light - up again. Two high - ing the last major hur - ride with some familiar ly as the forecast called Stage 1: 34.8 lights included the dle jumped over. faces like Max, for a dry warm after - miles, 47% dirt, 3700‚ 25% dirt climb at mile Luckily, there is a con - Melinda, Rick, and noon. Sandy led us out climbing. This was the 42, and Arabian horse venience store just The Blayleys (wish we with a car escort for a second easiest section running with us at under a mile from the saw more of you). It few miles until we of the day. Legs are mile 44! There’s a great start of Patten Hill. I was also nice to meet turned right onto the fresh, excitement was place for swimming at highly recommend a some new people like first dirt section where high and air was still the end as well. It’s a Coke or other quick Bob Powers of Long he sent us all off with a cool. Early on you are nice place to wash up fuel just before this Island. If you ever want wave and some encour - taking it all in and just as you’re pretty dusty climb. to sell that X0-1 give aging words. getting a sense of how and grungy by this me a call! The dirt sections great this ride is. I point. Stage 4: 17.9 Sandy Whittlesey on this ride ranged in think we saw less than miles, 51% dirt, 700 should get some kind condition from hard 10 cars total and only 1 Stage 3: 32 miles, climbing. Aaaaah, the of award for this ride. packed clay to roads or 2 were passing us. 70% dirt, 3000 finish is in sight. 12 years of planning only an experienced The remainders were climbing . Although Nothing but a few and exploration really Jeep or off-road driver seen at intersections. there’s less climbing small paved hills and showed and really would tackle in a car. None of the soon-to-be listed I found this to some nice downhills earned some good bike Some stretched the def - infamous climbs be the hardest stage of and you are done. Just karma! Thank you and inition of the word appear in this stage. them all. It seems DON‚T MISS TAY - see you next year! www.rusa.org 37 American Randonneur 2006 RBA Directory

Region Organizer Address Tel. E-mail

PO Box 771361 907-694-4683 AK: Anchorage Robert VORIS [email protected] Eagle River AK 99577 Fax: 907-694-4155

Rivers Edge RV Park, Lot #1 AZ: Casa Susan PLONSKY 18801 School House Road 520-450-1335 [email protected] Grande Black Canyon City AZ 85324

AZ: Desert PO Box 303 262-736-2453 Lon HALDEMAN [email protected] Camp Sharon WI 53585 Fax: 262-736-2454

1804 Garnet Ave. #425 858-752-3478 CA: San Diego Barclay BROWN [email protected] San Diego CA 92109 Fax: 619-374-7095

CA: San 172 Tanager Way Todd TEACHOUT 510-799-6015 [email protected] Francisco Hercules CA 94547-1517

226 West Avenue CA: Santa Cruz Lois SPRINGSTEEN 831-425-2939 [email protected] Santa Cruz CA 95060

385 Murphy Ave. 404 CA: Santa Rosa Donn KING 707-823-5461 [email protected] Sebastopol CA 95472

2155 Dogwood Circle CO: Boulder John Lee ELLIS 303-604-1163 [email protected] Louisville CO 80027-1169

817 South Irving Street 703-979-7177 DC: Washington Gordon MEUSE [email protected] Arlington VA 22204 Fax: 703-892-4031

FL: Michael GRUSSE - 5363 Del Monte Court 239-549-7459 [email protected] Central/South MEYER Cape Coral FL 33904 Fax: 239-549-3084

620 NW 27th Way 352-373-0023 FL: Gainesville Jim WILSON [email protected] Gainesville FL 32607 Fax: 850-622-1196

c/o Big Daddy’s Bike Shop FL: Northwest Joe ARNOLD 2217 W CR 30-A Suite C 850-622-1165 [email protected] Santa Rosa Beach FL 32459 4001 Northlake Creek Drive 404-656-5000 GA: Atlanta David BUNDRICK [email protected] Tucker GA 30084 Fax: 404-651-9292

2124 Touchae Street IA: Cedar Valley Robert FRY 319-226-5436 [email protected] Waterloo IA 50702-4126

56 East Aspen Meadow Rd. ID: Yellowstone- 208-354-3984 James SEVERANCE #43 [email protected] Tetons Fax: 208-354-3986 Driggs ID 83422 5038 N. St. Louis Ave IL: Chicago Frank PAULO 773-267-8367 [email protected] Chicago IL 60625

858 Carrick Pike KY: Lexington Johnny BERTRAND 502-863-9975 [email protected] Georgetown KY 40324

8909 Ormond Place LA: New Orleans Patrick HORCHOFF 504-738-1352 [email protected] River Ridge LA 70123

38 November 2005 American Randonneur 2006 RBA Directory

Region Organizer Address Tel. E-mail

10 Irene Road 508-877-1045 MA: Boston Tracey INGLE [email protected] Framingham MA 01701-2718 Fax: 508-481-4415 MA: Boston- 10 Bliss Mine Road 401-847-1715 Jennifer WISE [email protected] Montreal-Boston Middletown RI 02842 Fax: 401-847-1718 55 Franklin St. 413-562-5237 MA: Westfield Don PODOLSKI [email protected] Westfield MA 01085 Fax: 413-562-5237 2133 Margaret St. NE MN: Rochester Martin FAHJE 507-867-4533 [email protected] Chatfield MN 55923 PO Box 1387 816-229-6071 MO: Kansas City Bob BURNS [email protected] Blue Springs MO 64013 Fax: 816-229-6444 4713 Woody Terrace Court MO: St. Louis John JOST 314-416-1299 [email protected] St. Louis MO 63129 Richard 2288 Turner Rd NC: High Point 336-249-1114 [email protected] LAWRENCE Lexington NC 27292 308 Ashe St NC: Raleigh Alan JOHNSON 919-467-8457 [email protected] Morrisville NC 27560 NJ: Princeton 240 E Palisade Ave, #E3 Diane GOODWIN 201-267-0379 [email protected] and NYC Englewood NJ 07631 John J. CECERI 16 James St NY: Saratoga 5185833708 [email protected] JR Saratoga NY 12866 NY: Syracuse 5137 Glass Factory Rd 315-684-7280 Jennifer BARBER [email protected] & Western Munnsville NY 13409 Fax: 315-339-4771 1488 River Trail Drive 614-871-7965 OH: Columbus Bob WADDELL [email protected] Grove City OH 43123 Fax: 866-712-2207 309 Hickory Drive OK: Tahlequah Frank KELLER 918-458-9371 [email protected] Tahlequah OK 74464 25797 SW Neill Rd. OR: Portland Susan FRANCE 503-628-7324 [email protected] Newberg OR 97132 229 Maple Blvd SC: Spartanburg Bethany DAVISON 864-654-7434 [email protected] Clemson SC 29631 4258 Canyon Lake Drive 877-520-3731 SD: Black Hills Tim RANGITSCH [email protected] Rapid City SD 57702 Fax: 605-343-9534 1512 Aberdeen Dr 615-373-2458 TN: Nashville Jeff SAMMONS [email protected] Brentwood TN 37027 Fax: 615-833-3407 P.O. Box 53 TX: Amarillo Nick GERLICH 806-499-3210 [email protected] Canyon TX 79015 40 N IH 35 Suite 9A3 TX: Austin Jean Luc FRIANG 512-698-3548 [email protected] Austin TX 78701 2811 Hollywood Dr 817-460-5734 TX: Dallas Dan DRISCOLL [email protected] Arlington TX 76013 Fax: 817-461-5100 5212 Crawford St #GA TX: Houston Kay OGDEN 713-392-2679 [email protected] Houston TX 77004 13543 160th Ave NE 206-612-4700 WA: Seattle Mark THOMAS [email protected] Redmond WA 98052 Fax: 425-702-8881 www.rusa.org 39 American Randonneur

RUSA SOUVENIRS CATALOGUE Item: Randonneurs USA Sam Browne-Style Reflective Sash Description: Sayre Reflective Sash Fabric: Breathable Elastic. Features a quick-release belt buckle for easy use. Colors: Reflective yellow with Randonneurs USA in black lettering. Sizes: Adjusts to fit any size. Cost: $5.00

Item: Randonneurs USA Reflective Ankle Bands Description: Sayre Reflective Ankle Bands Fabric: Breathable Elastic Colors: Reflective yellow with Randonneurs USA in black lettering Sizes: Adjusts to fit any size. Cost: $2.00/pair

Item: RUSA Lapel Pin Description: Roughly the size of a penny... 5/8” high x 7/8” wide with a gold backing, clutch attachment. Has a clear epoxy dome coating that is weatherproof, as befits randonneuring equipage Cost: 1 Pin: $2.00 2-9 Pins: $1.75 10+ Pins: $1.25

Item: Randonneurs USA Cycling Jersey Description: Lightweight touring jersey with short sleeves Zip: 15 inch long zip Pockets: Three rear pockets with reflective strip across the top Fabric: Microdry Colors: RUSA logo in red, white, blue, and black; blue sleeves, white line, red trim Sizes: S, M. L, XL, XXL (unisex) Side Panels: Blue background with Randonneurs USA in white lettering Sleeve: RUSA in white lettering around outside edge of blue background Cost: $55.00

Item: Randonneurs USA Cycling Shorts Description: Lycra cycling shorts Chamois: Synthetic antibacterial microfiber chamois Fabric: 8.5 oz. nylon, Lycra, spandex blend Colors: Black with Randonneurs USA in white lettering Sizes: S, M. L, XL, XXL (unisex) Cost: $45.00

Item: Randonneurs USA Duffle Bag Description: Lightweight duffel for PBP bag drop Fabric: Nylon Colors: Royal Blue with Randonneurs USA in white lettering on both sides Size: 10 in. x 20 in. (one size fits all) Cost: $10.00

Item: Randonneurs USA Waterbottle Description: Plastic waterbottle Colors: White with Randonneurs USA logo on both sides Cap: Black, wide mouth, screw-on Size: Large (one size fits all) Cost: $4.00

Item: Randonneurs USA Polo Shirt Description: Short-sleeve polo shirt with RUSA logo Fabric: Soft knit, two-ply cotton with banded cuffs, no pocket Color: White with RUSA logo embroidered on left side Size: S(34-36), M(38-40), L(42-44), XL(46-48) Cost: $27.00

40 November 2005 American Randonneur

www.rusa.org 41 American Randonneur

Off the Back

Roadside Attractions

Photographed on a summer 2005 Permanent ride. n o t y More “Roadside Attractions” a Wanted: D

e Randonneurs are in a unique position to chronicle k i M

the oddities of America’s backroads. Got some - y b

thing that might qualify as a “Roadside o t o Attraction?” E-mail your photos to h

P [email protected] .

42 November 2005 American Randonneur CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Randonneurs USA 2266 The Circle Raleigh, NC 27608