This year Randonneurs USA is celebrating it's 10th anniversary. To honor that event 200K brevets were held the 16th and 17th of August. It didn't take too long for me to decide which 200K to ride once I got the ok from Kristin. I posted on the local list and Dana decided to give a 200K another shot. After the Lost River "Horror of Hills"he bravely signed up and was propery rewarded. I made it clear that this was a great route and that he could finish it and not have a cardio implossion.
Kristin and I had a meeting with my sons school at lunch time and then I loaded up the car and left around 3:00PM for North Carolina. I forgot to take a departure shot and when I stopped at a Wawa store in Virginia I snapped a picture. Somehow peotic that I stopped at a Wawa after the "Tour De Wawa" last month.
Note the bike is on a rack hanging off the back of the car now? While it's been nice having the bike safe and dry in the trunk, the hour of setup and takedown doesn't work everywhere. I love the Hollywood Sportrak but haven't had a hitch on my car for near two years. I decdided to get one and JC Whitney had one for a DIY install. It took about an hour total and fits the veggiemobile just right. I locked the bike to the rack using the cuff lock and felt the bike was safe and secure for the trip.
Priceline once again came through with a $50 room at the Extended Stay just a few miles from the start and a burger at Hooters made for a nice evening meal before bed time.
At 5:30AM I drove over to the start and was able to take advantage of having the bike loaded with all but the seat pad on the rack. This let me sleep in an extra 20 minutes.
It was still quite dark out and I waited about 20 minutes after the official start to leave, that way I would not need to carry lights. Everyone was busy and happy getting ready, Bob O. was there too. This is the third brevet I have been on with Bob, he is a great guy. I got to meet his wife and daughter at the picnic later in the day too. Nice folks!
Even more randonneurs getting ready to go;
It was nice relaxing a bit before leaving, I know this route and know that it is not hard to make up twenty minutes of time. More of the start;
At 6:18AM I hit the start button on the Garmin and Dana, his freind Bob and I head out, we make a wrong turn, the cue sheet is a little funky at the start and finish. We correct the error, get in some early bonus distance and off we go. This is one of the most pleasant brevet routes I have ever seen. The terrain rolls enough to keep you interested and levels out out in sections. None of the hills are really steep but a couple are long.
Jack Bennet Road is the longest climb on this brevet. It's a mile or so at 4 or 5 percent. When I got to the top I caught Dana and Bob as the crested it near route 15-501.
A quick jaunt down the highway and onto Andrews Store Road putting us back onto quiet roads. We make our way through the mist and the sun slowly burns off the moisture. After 55K we find ourselves at the famous "Frosty Trading Post."
I can not say for sure if it really is famous, but it's an ideally placed store on this route. That is another nice thing, this route has a nice number of stores. Bob's knee is bothering him and he stops at a store about 12 miles from Siler City. Dana and I roll along the road at a good pace and head to Siler City as returning riders wave hi. Here is a map of the route from Motionbased;
We make it to Siler with plenty of time to spare and a volunteer meets us and signs our brevet cards. I get a quick sandwich and Dana and I start the return trip to Morrisville, we will pick Bob back up along the way.
Once again we arrive at the Frosty Trading Post. This time the stop is a little longer, I sit inside and wait for them to catch up, it isn't long and I get to enjoy sucking down some air conditioning.
Along the way back Dana and I crest the century mark and I snap an on the road picture;
We roll along, the miles are ticking down we come off of 15-501 and enjoy the fast descent on Jack Benett Road. 20 or so miles left, plenty of time and lots of sunshine. As we pass the lake there are fishermen and water skiers having fun.
In the distance I see a DF rider approaching. He turns up Marthas Chapel Road as we do. For the next few miles I play cat and mouse with him and then finally kick in the overdrive dumping him along the road, he cracks on the rollers. It was kind of fun and we chatted a bit as I stopped at the next turn to make sure Dana and Bob did not miss it. The rider was on his normal Saturday run and was surprised to be dropped by a bent. Heh, as slow as I am so was I!
Along the way I passed the spot where my seat stay cracked on the 300K in April. I know it's a picture of a Stop Sign but it is unique spot in my randonneuring history.
We get near the finish and ride several bonus miles as the ques sheet had two, not one mistake at the end. We made it and finished the ride. Here Dana is at the pavillion, a successful 200K brevet under his wheels.
Once again a great ride with the North Carolina Bike Club Randonneurs. The weather was nice, the people and roads were great.
Here are the basic stats.
I know I have mentioned this often before, but I do think this is the perfect 200K route for anyone wanting to try a brevet the first time.
Kristin and I had a meeting with my sons school at lunch time and then I loaded up the car and left around 3:00PM for North Carolina. I forgot to take a departure shot and when I stopped at a Wawa store in Virginia I snapped a picture. Somehow peotic that I stopped at a Wawa after the "Tour De Wawa" last month.
Note the bike is on a rack hanging off the back of the car now? While it's been nice having the bike safe and dry in the trunk, the hour of setup and takedown doesn't work everywhere. I love the Hollywood Sportrak but haven't had a hitch on my car for near two years. I decdided to get one and JC Whitney had one for a DIY install. It took about an hour total and fits the veggiemobile just right. I locked the bike to the rack using the cuff lock and felt the bike was safe and secure for the trip.
Priceline once again came through with a $50 room at the Extended Stay just a few miles from the start and a burger at Hooters made for a nice evening meal before bed time.
At 5:30AM I drove over to the start and was able to take advantage of having the bike loaded with all but the seat pad on the rack. This let me sleep in an extra 20 minutes.
It was still quite dark out and I waited about 20 minutes after the official start to leave, that way I would not need to carry lights. Everyone was busy and happy getting ready, Bob O. was there too. This is the third brevet I have been on with Bob, he is a great guy. I got to meet his wife and daughter at the picnic later in the day too. Nice folks!
Even more randonneurs getting ready to go;
It was nice relaxing a bit before leaving, I know this route and know that it is not hard to make up twenty minutes of time. More of the start;
At 6:18AM I hit the start button on the Garmin and Dana, his freind Bob and I head out, we make a wrong turn, the cue sheet is a little funky at the start and finish. We correct the error, get in some early bonus distance and off we go. This is one of the most pleasant brevet routes I have ever seen. The terrain rolls enough to keep you interested and levels out out in sections. None of the hills are really steep but a couple are long.
Jack Bennet Road is the longest climb on this brevet. It's a mile or so at 4 or 5 percent. When I got to the top I caught Dana and Bob as the crested it near route 15-501.
A quick jaunt down the highway and onto Andrews Store Road putting us back onto quiet roads. We make our way through the mist and the sun slowly burns off the moisture. After 55K we find ourselves at the famous "Frosty Trading Post."
I can not say for sure if it really is famous, but it's an ideally placed store on this route. That is another nice thing, this route has a nice number of stores. Bob's knee is bothering him and he stops at a store about 12 miles from Siler City. Dana and I roll along the road at a good pace and head to Siler City as returning riders wave hi. Here is a map of the route from Motionbased;
We make it to Siler with plenty of time to spare and a volunteer meets us and signs our brevet cards. I get a quick sandwich and Dana and I start the return trip to Morrisville, we will pick Bob back up along the way.
Once again we arrive at the Frosty Trading Post. This time the stop is a little longer, I sit inside and wait for them to catch up, it isn't long and I get to enjoy sucking down some air conditioning.
Along the way back Dana and I crest the century mark and I snap an on the road picture;
We roll along, the miles are ticking down we come off of 15-501 and enjoy the fast descent on Jack Benett Road. 20 or so miles left, plenty of time and lots of sunshine. As we pass the lake there are fishermen and water skiers having fun.
In the distance I see a DF rider approaching. He turns up Marthas Chapel Road as we do. For the next few miles I play cat and mouse with him and then finally kick in the overdrive dumping him along the road, he cracks on the rollers. It was kind of fun and we chatted a bit as I stopped at the next turn to make sure Dana and Bob did not miss it. The rider was on his normal Saturday run and was surprised to be dropped by a bent. Heh, as slow as I am so was I!
Along the way I passed the spot where my seat stay cracked on the 300K in April. I know it's a picture of a Stop Sign but it is unique spot in my randonneuring history.
We get near the finish and ride several bonus miles as the ques sheet had two, not one mistake at the end. We made it and finished the ride. Here Dana is at the pavillion, a successful 200K brevet under his wheels.
Once again a great ride with the North Carolina Bike Club Randonneurs. The weather was nice, the people and roads were great.
Here are the basic stats.
I know I have mentioned this often before, but I do think this is the perfect 200K route for anyone wanting to try a brevet the first time.