David Roderick - 2/8/2014

Randonneurs and anyone else we’ve corrupted, let’s get the season going. Ted Meisky, Ric Noland, David Buzzee, Tim Creamer and I have been busy trying to get everything up and running, approved, and laid out. Ted has done an excellent job with getting our website where it is. David Buzzee has been having fun laying out the routes and getting the cues together. The rest of us have been doing what we can when we can. Let’s hope we have a good season, and that the few changes we’ve made are worth the increase in the fees.

I’ve negotiated discounts at the two host motels we will be using this year. We will be starting the 200k and 300K at The Country Inn and Suites in Springfield, Ohio. Due to the lack of available rooms the weekend of the 400K, we had to move that start to Xenia, Ohio where the 600k will start and the overnight hotel for the 600K will be. Remember that this year’s routes are “out and backs”. More details on the rooms and discounts will follow.

I’ve already had requests for cues and routes. The official cue will be available at the website, and if Ted can arrange it, emailed to each registered rider the Tuesday before the ride. I know that there are riders out there who want to enter the routes on their GPS as soon as possible. Understand, that in submitting the routes for approval to RUSA via Ride with GPS, that there were some errors that occurred in the GPS translation. The cue will be correct, and we may even mark the route. I suppose the GPS could tell you when you might see a route marker, but as I said, the official cue you get at registration will be correct.

There have already been some requests about the Fleche this year. David Buzzee will be the “Fleche Master”, and all routes will have to be approved by him. He may even offer you a few routes too. He has said the finish for the Fleche will be at his place near Bexley. The Fleche team fee will be $60.

Remember our series are ACP approved brevets. Jim Wilson, the rba for Gainesville, Fla. put together a great explanation of why that is significant. I’ll simply quote his notes on the matter as far as PBP goes. If you’re not interested in any rides greater than a 600K, or if you’re only going for domestic awards, Ted has included a long list of Permanents and Populaires on our site.

“If you’re considering the next Paris-Brest-Paris in 2015, there are two reasons why you should ride at least a 200K this season: one is altruistic (or at least patriotic); the other is selfish. Concerned the event has grown too large, Audax Club Parisien limited PBP entries in 2011. It seems likely they’ll do the same thing in 2015.

In 2011, the number of riders accepted from each country was based on total brevet mileage ridden a full year earlier, in 2010. Assuming no changes, brevets you ride in 2014 will allow more USA riders to participate, even if you aren’t among them.

In 2011, riders were prioritized by the longest brevet they completed in 2010. If all stays the same, and you finish a 200K this time, you’ll have a small leg up on riders who only ride the qualifying series. If you ride a 300k this season, your advantage grows bigger.

Back in 2011, the quota was toothless. Because of the financial depression impending at the time, participation was down and the limits weren’t actually imposed. With the slowly improving economy in 2015, they might be. Even so, I’d bet good money that even a 200K completed in 2014 would assure you a spot in 2015.

If you plan to use the brevets to build a priority in PBP or as qualifiers for another 1200K, make sure you join RUSA a week or two before your first event. Otherwise, you need not join RUSA to face these challenges.”