DC Randonneurs

The second running of Gappity Gap was held on August 4th. Seven randonneurs returned from the first year’s total of 17 finishers. They were joined by 17 riders attempting to complete Gappity Gap for the first time. Randy Mouri was the first one back to Sperryville in a time of 9:05. Roger Hillas and Keith Krombel were the only other riders able to finish in under 10 hrs. This was similar to the inaugural run in which John Nusbaum, Jeff Magnuson, and Keith were the only finishers under 10 hrs. Gappity Gap is an extreme challenge and anyone completing the course should feel good they were able to finish and be proud of that soreness I’m sure you had on Sunday. George Winkert should feel especially good for completing the course that he had came up short on last year and at the same time became the latest DC Randonneur to achieve R-12.

The inaugural Appalachian Double Cross 1000K will take place on Columbus Day weekend Oct 6-9. This will be a true epic event. Think Gappity Gap over and over again and again. The Fall Foliage should be spectacular and the downhills exciting. If you can’t make it to France this is a challenging way to top off the year. More Details coming soon.

The September Brevet of the Month will be the Slanesville 200K on the 8th leaving from Lebanon Church Community Center @6:30 a.m. Floor space for sleeping will be available at the community center on Friday night. The Brevet fee is $5. Registration begins at 5:30 A.M.

There will be a General Meeting beginning @ 8:00 p.m. We will review the year. Outline plans for the coming year. Choose volunteers to assist the RBA in implementing the brevets and promoting randonneuring in the Mid-Atlantic Region.

Hope to see some of you at the PBP send off get together at Dave Bernings.

PBP is upon us, and many DC Randonneurs will be going to France for the premier amateur cycling event in the world. Everyone should be physically prepared for the terrain. The true challenge of PBP is not as physical as it is mental. Try to arrive at the starting line not only rested, but also confident that you are prepared for the challenge you are about to undertake. Bring your desire, determination, and perseverance to get you through the inevitable low moments you will experience. If you find yourself considering quitting…quit considering it. If you find yourself thinking you must quit, consider again. You probably have some options that will keep you going. Becoming a PBP ancien will be worth the struggle and hardship that you must endure to achieve this cherished title. Crossing the finish line at PBP for the first time is a moment you will always remember and can’t adequately be described in words. Bonne chance, Bonne route to all the PBP hopefuls.

Matt Settle, RBA

The Middletown 600K was the finale to the ACP qualifying brevets for the 2007 PBP. We experienced excellent cycling conditions and a nice tailwind for most of the first day. Many of us rode through a very pleasant night. I hope everyone was able to enjoy the beauty of the Shenandoah Valley in completing a very challenging brevet. 50 riders completed their brevets on my 50th birthday. The first rider to finish was RUSA number 678 the last rider to finish was RUSA number was 876.

Thank you to Chuck and Sally for shuttling the drop bags to Raphine. Thanks to Bob Sheldon for helping with the registration. Lynn Kristianson, Gordon Meuse, and Fred Robbins made the Hobson Guest House control special with a great buffet breakfast before the final 100 miles. It was great to see Mary Gersema checking in riders at the finish. Mary’s studies have kept her away from her sexy randonneur lifestyle this season and her presence has been one of the few missing highlights of the year. Finally I want to thank Liz for her enduring support through this first year and for doing whatever was needed to ensure that the brevets went smoothly.

The Bears Den Weekend Brevets were successful with 27 members completing 34 200K brevets. Thanks to Lynn Ho for providing excellent catering under primitive conditions. To her sister Wendy, husband Steve and the other hikers who helped on Sat afternoon, a big thank you as well. There was much camaraderie and talk of PBP. I also began receiving input for the fall brevets and next year. Is there much interest for a full series in the Fall? How about a 1000K? The Brevet of the Month will of course continue…any interest in Darts or Arrows? Let me know what appeals to you.

The next Brevet will be the Gapitty Gap 200K on Aug 4th. This is a very demanding course that goes from Sperryville, VA over 5 gaps to Lost River, WVA and returns on the same route. Permanents are available for riders who didn’t do the Brevet of the Month in July and don’t feel up for Gapitty Gap, but still want the R-12 or DC-13 recognition.

My main duties as RBA are to promote randonneuring, report results, and enforce the rules. I have had to DQ riders for not having lights, for being outside the time limits, not having their brevet cards properly documented, lost brevet cards, etc. This is the hardest part of the job for me because it at times seems counter to promoting the sport. Unfortunately, many riders’ career end with a DNQ or a DNF. This is especially true of some of the new members.

IT HAS BEEN AN EXCITING FIRST YEAR! I look forward to offering varied, challenging brevets and to building the volunteer base that will ensure that we have many more quality brevets in our future.

Matt Settle
RBA, DC Randonneurs

Newsletter Special Edition: Bears Den Details

This is an update on the Brevets at Bears Den. The cottage at the Bears Den is a rustic cabin. There is no indoor plumbing. There is an ORF and a water spigot outside. A shower is available at the lodge. If you plan to overnight, bring your sleeping bag and mattress pad. Consider “roughing it” as part of PBP training. For more information visit: http://www.bearsdencenter.org/about.html. Other accommodation options can be found in Berryville and Winchester. The Battletown Inn in Berryville 8 mi. west has private rooms (phone 540-955-4100).

Lynn Ho is coordinating the catering and we are planning on grilling out on Sat night. Since purchasing and preparing of the food are dependent on who and how many are expected. Please RSVP to Lynn Ho by 6/26 so that we can make preparations. We can use some help with setup up and clean up.

The Brevets start at 8pm Friday with an overnight 200K. This ride will be along the Shenandoah River at twilight, followed by the full moon lit Fort Valley. After climbing Edinburg Gap we will have a late night ride up US 11 to an early morning dining experience at the Triangle Diner before finishing the final 20 odd miles back to the Bears Den in the early morning glow. I encourage anyone planning on the 90hr PBP start to do this brevet to experience the overnight riding. I would also like to make an attempt to ride semi-audax style with other riders.

On Saturday, the brevet starts at 8am, partly to allow most of the over nighters to finish and ride again if they wish. The route will go north along the Shenandoah thru Harpers Ferry to Sheppardstown to a turn around in Hancock. This out and back route will allow us to stop twice at the Sweet Shop in Sheppardstown.

Sunday’s Brevet with a 5am start, will head East on Snickersville Gap into the dawn. After stopping in Haymarket to control the ride turns West on US 55 to Marshall and then takes Cresthill Rd to Flint Hill before going on to Sperryville for a turn around control at Burgers and Things. After back tracking the riders will head up and over Chester Gap to Front Royal and along the Shenandoah River before the final climb back up to the Bears Den.

If you want a break from your bike, there are great hiking options. Check out the Bears Den website for more information.

Hope that everyone can find their ideal relaxing/training options in the above choices. I especially hope some of the new members that we haven’t seen yet, will find their way to the Bears Den. Parking for the brevets will be at the Parking lot at the corner of RT 7 and Blue Ridge Mountain Rd. This is also were the brevets will officially start.

We hope to see you there!

Matt Settle,RBA

The ACP qualifying series continued with two very different, but equally scenic and challenging 400K randonees. 82 starters earned 74 brevets. Thank you Lynn Kristianson and Chris Mento for coordinating these outstanding events and recruiting the excellent volunteer staff. Three CHEERS for all involved in making these events special.The final test, the 600K qualifier is this SAT/SUN from the Super 8 in Middletown, Va. This ride will certainly test the randonneurs desire and determination as it traverses the Shenandoah Valley with its endless undulating terrain. Pacing and time management become more important as the randonees grow longer and fitness becomes less a factor in completing the course. The weather forecast for this weekend is for very warm temps on Sat. Please remember to hydrate and pace yourself. The object of the sport is to finish, so respect the heat and humidity and save some energy for later in the brevet. Remember, randonneuring is about overcoming obstacles, so flexibility and adaptation to the conditions are key. Try to be rested as much as possible at the start.

The Brevet of the Month returns to the calendar with 3 200K Brevets from the Bears Den Lodge on June 29,30, and July 1. The brevet on June 29th will begin at 8 pm. This will allow us to follow the sunset west and then ride with the full moon thru the night to a sunrise finish, if we are fast enough. Saturday the brevet starts at 8 am. On Sunday it’s a 5 am start with the sun rising as we climb along Mt Weather Rd. These brevets, use of the cottage, and lots of munchies is free to all DC Randonneurs and their families. Everyone is encouraged to come out and share their experiences and aspirations for PBP. Keep in mind that there is more to life than brevets. The Bears Den is a great place to hike, located just steps from the Appalachian Trail and the sunsets from the overlooks of the Valley are spectacular. Also, it is just a nice place to relax. Hope to see you there.

Laissez le bontemps roule!

Matt Settle,RBA

The qualifying series is going smoothly with 86 riders earning 112 200K brevets and 90 riders earning 124 300K brevets.

As always seems the case, the “Old Rag” 200K featured a bit of rain. The Warrenton 300K the following week had much better weather, as conditions were close to ideal. On both brevets from Warrenton, all riders finished well within the time limits and many recorded personal best times for these distances.

The Middletown 300K was next on the schedule and despite the difficulty of the course, there were no DNF’s. And for Andrea Hogarth, who did 30 solo bonus miles this was her first brevet ever! Congratulations Andrea. The Frederick 300K completed the 300K qualifying with very scenic and spring like conditions. Several randonneurs earned their first 300K medals including at least one rider on their first ever brevet. We also suffered our first DNF since the Urbana 200K.

Still to come are the longer qualifiers where fatigue and the mental challenges of randonneuring begin to take precedence over fitness. Many of the newer randonneurs will experience extensive night riding for the first time. Also, they will have the experience of extreme mental lows that can occur when you are dead tired and still have 40-50 miles to go before you are done. These are two of the myriad of challenges that randonneurs must overcome. Overcoming difficulties and persevering to the end is what being a randonneur is really all about. I hope everyone is successful in their efforts.

I would like to thank Bill Clayton, Roger Hillas, and Jeff Magnuson for coordinating events this past month and also to the other members who volunteered or offered to. Volunteers are always needed to perform many tasks. Many volunteer opportunities are available for the Lebanon Church 400K and the Middletown 600K. Please contact me if you are able to help on either of these brevets for check-in, finish line control, intermediate controls, or bag drop on the 600K. To the riders who are using the bag drop, please keep the size of your bag reasonable i.e. no larger than a typical sport bag about 24″x12″ round/square.

The club has reserved the cottage at the Bears Den Youth Hostel for the weekend of June 29,30 and July 1. This post ACP qualifying weekend is FREE FOR ALL DC Randonneurs and their families. There will be 200K brevets offered for members looking for training and the R-12 award. Members are also encouraged to do some cross training by hiking on the AT or watching the sunset. This is meant to be social weekend with the sharing of our PBP dreams and memories. Once again volunteers are needed to help with making this event a success. Please contact me if you think you might be attending or can help so that we have an idea of how many people we will be accommodating and how much food to buy. To check out the Bears Den go to: www.bearsdencenter.org.

Bonne route,
Matt Settle,RBA

After getting through the winter with relatively mild weather on brevet days, we have had some pretty challenging conditions for our early spring brevets. This past Easter weekend five teams completed the 24-hour Fleche’ Centre-Atlantique in cold, windy and at times snowy conditions. In some cases they encountered record-setting low temperatures.

The challenge of teamwork, combined with the tradition and camaraderie of the Fleche, always makes it one of the most memorable rides of the year.

On St. Patrick’s Day our first ACP 200K brevet went off in windy and cold conditions. The previous day’s snow storm kept many at home, but some 15 of us forged onward to complete a beautiful brevet, despite the the added challenge of the weather. The enhanced scenery made the route a winter wonderland.

On the last day of March we had fairly normal weather for the Urbana 200K. A total of 60 riders completed the ride, including organizers Nick Bull, Tom Reeder and George Winkert, who did the volunteer ride the Saturday before in miserable weather.

The course was continually hilly and scenic. Special mention goes to Ben Bassett and Jeff Radan who rode fix-gear bikes. Jeff and Paul Donaldson get a tip of the hat for riding to the event.

This Saturday we have the “Old Rag” 200K brevet from Warrenton, Va. This is a popular route and by far the longest-running brevet in the Mid Atlantic. It features redbuds and dogwoods in bloom. As I write this, the redbuds are out in force but the dogwoods are not at their best yet.

It is also the last of our 200K ACP qualifying rides.

The following three weeks will feature the 300K ACP qualifying brevets. There will be lighting inspections before each of these brevets. Riders must show mounted lights front and rear and have replacement bulbs and batteries, or, a second set of lights. They must also show reflective wear for torso and ankles. Early inspection and check-in will be available on Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the start hotels, as well as one hour before the ride start.

Due to the volume of email, I regret that I am unable to always respond thoughtfully and individually to all the requests for information and advice. I care about everyone’s concerns and hope to encourage you in your randonneuring goals.

Many of the questions can be answered by visiting www.rusa.org or www.dcrand.org. Jeff Magnuson is our new member coordinator and can answer or at least steer you in the right direction for many of your questions.

At times I must make difficult and hard choices regarding the brevets and administration of the rules and traditions. Each time someone will not like the decision and many times it is an unpopular position that I must take. I will continue to do my best based on the information that I have. I know in hindsight that all my decisions are not always the correct ones and I will strive to make better ones as I grow and gain experience in this very demanding position.

Bonne route,
Matt Settle,RBA

The winter Brevet of the Month series concluded on Feb. 24 with the second annual Ride Around Massanutten Mountain, or RAMM. Starting from Matt’s and Liz’s house in Strasburg, Va., a group of 24 riders braved sub-freezing winter temperatures. At the front of the field, veteran randonneur and cycling writer Ed Pavelka reigned again. Last year he finished nearly two hours ahead of the second rider; this year he finished 46 minutes ahead of a group of four riders. He is certainly the “King Around The Mountain!” Tom Reeder was the final official finisher. He completed the ride in 13:06, well within the time limit. James Romer was unable to complete the course within the time limit, but in true randonneur style declined an offer for a lift to the finish and returned to the start in about 15 hours. Way to go Jim!

Most everyone stuck around at the house afterwards for Liz’s homemade chili and lots of randonneur camaraderie, not to mention the warmth of the wood burning stove. My thanks go to Liz for all the good eats. Also, I want to extend a big thank you to Crista Borras and Chuck Wood, and Steve Ashurst and Lynn Ho, for their help in making this another successful event.

Thanks are also due to Paul Donaldson and Susan Auburn for designing and coordinating the Tappahannock 200K on February 3rd in Ashland, Va. We had a great month, despite cold temperatures. A total of 39 riders completed 53 brevets in February. Congratulations to all!

With the winter series behind us, it’s time for the ACP qualifier brevets.

First, everyone needs to familiarize themselves with the Rules for Riders. They are available at the RUSA web site and at the brevet starts. It is critical that every rider follow these rules. In particular, it is the riders’ responsibility to have their Brevet Cards stamped or initialed, with the time noted, at every control. Don’t depend on the clerk to know this.

Secondly, think about pre-registering. The entry form is on the DCR site. You must have your pre-registration postmarked at least five days prior to the event. There is a $5 discount on individual brevets for pre-registrants, and we are offering package deals on a full series of four qualifiers and on the entire ACP brevet lineup of nine brevets.

I have received numerous requests to pre-ride the brevets because of conflicts with other activities. This is not allowed. The only exception to this rule is the “volunteers ride” for those who are volunteering during the event and therefore unable to ride that day. The volunteer rides must be scheduled with me and occur within eight days of the event. Again, they are open only to volunteers on the day of the scheduled brevet.

The ACP qualifier series starts with the Lost River 200K on March 17, St. Patrick’s Day, in Middletown, Va. We will return to West Virginia for the first time since September on this out-and-back course. The route includes spurs to Wardensville and Edinburg, which enable the riders to see each other coming and going three times. As you return to Middletown, keep in mind that the Irish Isle pub will be very lively with St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

The second ACP brevet this month is the Urbana 200K on Saturday, March 31 from Urbana, Md. This route features lots of rollers, a few big climbs, and plenty of historical flavor.

For those of you looking for hotel accommodations, I have arranged group rates with the Super 8 in Middletown, start to the Lost River 200K, Lost River 300K, and the 600K. We also have a group rate at the Days Inn in Raphine, Va. where we will have the overnight bag drop on the 600K.

The Super 8 in Middletown will extend to us the same 10% discount that they give to AAA/AARP. The Days Inn in Raphine has offered us a rate of $59 which is great reduction in their normal rate of $89.95.

Here are their phone numbers. You must call to get these rates, and mention you are with the DC Randonneurs.

Days Inn 540-377-2604
Super 8 540-868-1800

We have a terrific ACP series this year and I want to thank all the volunteers in advance for their help.

Matt Settle
RBA, DC Randonneurs