9 hours 13 minutes
Brevet means 'certificate' and refers to the card carried by randonneurs which gets stamped at controls; it is also used to refer to the event itself, ie: a certificated ride. (wikipedia)
I arrive a bit after 6AM. I register, paying my $10. I fill out my name and address on the brevet card and step to the left to allow the next registeree to squeeze in. The Regional Brevet Administrator (RBA) reminds me that I need to sign the card. Oops. I sign the card and step to the side again. “Bob!” I step over to the table again. “You need to take your card with you.” Oh yeah, I guess I will need that.
7AM in the Pizza Hut parking lot
7AM and we’re off- 38 riders and 38 brevet cards into a beautiful morning. It’s kinda chilly and I’m glad I brought my wind-blocking vest. I was thinking that I’d be putting it back into my bar bag after an hour, but I never did take it off. The air stayed brisk for most of the day. I get up to cruising speed on the Coho, but immediately have to slow down for something going on further up in the group. Riders are pulling off to the side of the road at a small civil war memorial. This is just one memorial in an area of hundreds, maybe thousands. I’m thinking “sheesh, this is going to be a long day if all of us are stopping to read each memorial” Then I notice that everyone is getting out their brevet cards. I glance at the cue sheet. This is an "informational control”. We must answer the question related to this memorial and write it down on the brevet card as proof that we’ve passed this point. This seems dumb I think at first- a control that is a 1/4 mile from the start. I write the answer down and ride off. Then I realize that if the first control had been 10 miles down the road when riders are separated by longer distances, I probably would not have even noticed the control and blown right past it. I wouldn’t have gotten the answer to the question and I wouldn’t have gotten credit for the brevet- even though I might have actually ridden it. Then another mile down the road it starts to occur to me what a great idea that was to put the first control within a 1/4 mile of the start. It’s an early reminder that we’re not just on a bike ride. We’re riding a brevet. I also realize that the organizer must have a good sense of humor. Nice.
I suppose I qualify as a bike geek and the wide variety of frames, gearing and components is an exciting part of the landscape for me. Bikes are often like pets and are of similar attitudes as their owners. Randonneurs, however, can keep you guessing and I like that. I met some go-fast people on slo-mo bikes and vice versa. Good stuff.
Entering Antietam
We wind our way into Antietam. I'd never been there before. Scrubby fields and more angular markers. Lots of history. Lots of death. The day and the ride are so beautiful and I'm smiling and because of this I'm wondering whether that's disrespectful to the soldiers. By the way, who's that guy up in the road ahead with the pen in one hand and a camera in the other? Oh, it's the RBA and he's set up a "secret" control. One that's not listed on the cue sheet, but is just thrown in there for fun. It's paperwork for sure, but it's kinda like the paperwork in a scavenger hunt. Just for fun.
From here the route takes us northeast through Boonsboro with South Mountain to our near right and Hagerstown to our more distant left. A right turn onto Raven Rock begins the 4 1/2 mile climb up towards Gettysburg. I first rode this hill last year during a club ride version of Baltimore Bicycling Club's Civil War Century. It felt grueling then and was mostly likely the culprit of my bonk later that day. Today, my legs decided to make it a fairly easy climb for me. Thanks. Perhaps it was that tasty pasta with mussels I ate for birthday dinner the night before.
The Summit of Raven Rock
At this point in the ride I am beginning to see the same 5-8 faces again and again as we are all riding similar speeds, but occasionally leap-frogging one another during climbs. I actually get in some nice conversations with some very interesting riders. It is a strange feeling to pass a rider on a climb while you're feeling strong, then later you discover that this person has completed handfuls of 1200k rides and super randonneur series.Whoa. Sure, you might be going faster than they are right now, but for how long? I think to myself that if I was on a 400k ride today I'd be toasted at the 250k mark and that that rider I passed a mile back would be cruising past me with the same easy expression on their face that they had 100 miles ago.
My stomach is telling me that it's about lunch time. We're getting into the big daddy of Civil War battlefields, Gettysburg. The traffic gets heavier and in the park I'm having to keep an eye out for pedestrians whose entire field of vision is their point and shoot cameras. Car traffic is often moving so slowly that I am having to carefully pass. In the town of Gettysburg the lunch control is the ye olde 7-11 convenience store. I grab some grub, stretch out, and set my butt down on the curb. I try to be quick about my stop, but I notice several riders pull in to the parking lot after me, buy food, and roll out while I watch them come and go. These are the hi-tech methods of the real long distance riders. Quick stops. Eat on the bike if you can. These riders are relaxed and deliberate about their schedule. To a non-randonneur it would seem hectic, but to a racer it would be outrageously leisurely. This is the power of the brevet card and the time limit. Oh yeah, the brevet card. I forgot to get mine signed. A quick initial from the kind 7-11 employee and we're off for the last 45 miles.
A piece of the vast Gettysburg Battlefield Park
The last "little bit" of this ride was a mixture of self congratulation along with hints from my legs that they might be done for the day. We had two more informational controls in quick succession in Gettysburg and I began to appreciate how thoughtfully the controls were timed. Instead of the controls making the ride seem like a long goal-oriented video game, they were spaced close enough together so you could easily concentrate on the "paperwork". This alternated with sections of many miles without controls so you could enjoy the carefree side of riding the bike.
Some nice socializing while riding with a small group got us to the very final hills. I got some distinct protest from my legs on these last few climbs. It could have been real or maybe the legs just knew we were real close to the Pizza Hut finish. One more informational control just before the end and just like that I'm done. And hey, someone bought pizza and drinks for me. Thanks RBA!
As I reread my ride report here I am mostly seeing descriptions of a ride my friend would have loved to ride. However, he didn't. And for valid reasons too. I can understand why a rider like my friend wouldn't want to come on an official brevet. It taints the purity of the thing. It's not just getting on a bike and riding. The "official" part of it gives it this artificial context. It's for credit. It's more than just a bike ride, or, depending on what you like in a bike ride, maybe less of one. But for now, I'm good with the paperwork. I'll choose to see the larger context- that it's all just for fun.
More pics here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27976837@N00/archives/date-posted/2009/09/21/detail/
