My frist Brevet!

[RudAwkning]

Well, I finsihed my first Brevet yesterday! 300km or roughly 188 miles. I'd missed the 200k due to illness, and decided to go ahead and give the 300k a try anway.

This was only my second ride above 80 miles. The first being a ride from Pacifica to Moneterey in September, which had full support. Talk about trial by fire :D

The ride was AMAZING and weather couldn't have been better. Sun was shining all day long. The route took us out accross the Golden Gate bridge, to Petaluma, then Healdsburg (riding through wine country was beautiful but no time for tasting!) and out to Jenner. And finally arriviving at Pacific Coast Hwy1 was eye opening, cresting that climb and seeing the beautiful coastline. Surreal really. The fellow that my buddy and I were riding with at the time put it best when he said, "That's what this is all about".

Had headwinds the whole way out but had a pretty smart paceline of 4-6 of us which made things easier and more efficient. Winds at our back for most of PCH1 til we hit our last Checkpoint. Had serious left leg cramp from miles 120-145, so I was forced to one leg it for that stretch. Usually the rollers are my forte, but they weren't making my life easy. Luckily I brought my only bike with a triple so i was able to spin more. We managed to have daylight up until the last 35 miles. My friend and I arrived back at the Golden Gate at 9:33PM. 15 1/2 hours on the saddle.

That was easily the most physically demanding, completely stupid, and most satisfying thing I've ever done.

Legs felt a little wooden today, but got out there anway and did some high cadence spintervals on my fixie for a couple hours to work out that lactic burn.

I will no longer look at any ride under 100 miles as "a long ride." :D

[justinf]

Excellent. Congratulations and now get down to some celebratin'.

[cw05]

Congrats, that is quite an accomplishment!

[Ginger]

Congratulations! I'm glad you recovered from you NAHBS limp enough to take on a ride like that.

Sounds like a beautiful day.

[R2D2]

Congrats!
The last 30 miles can seem long on a 300K.
Then you get off and wonder where all the miles went. :beer:

[vaxn8r]

And here I thought you were on your Waterford the whole time...

Sounds fun. What were you riding and what was the setup?

[Blue Jays]

Wow, that is a great achievement. Congratulations! :beer:

[RudAwkning]

And here I thought you were on your Waterford the whole time...

Sounds fun. What were you riding and what was the setup?

I was on my Waterford....just not >that< one :D

Here's the beast. She weighed 29.5 lbs after I loaded up the little loaf in the back. I brought everything under the sun, from extra batteries for my lights to spare chainlinks. I didn't use any of it, but better safe than sorry. No SAG wagon on these rides :p

I'll post some pics of the revised build when I have a chance. Finally got a silver Tubus rack :banana:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=38090

[julia]

fantastic ride, wow. congratulations

you got me thinking about those sublime roads around petaluma & the coast...thanks!

(funny it's called a "brevet" eh? makes it sound short and breezy, somehow...)

[RABikes2]

Yahooooo!!!!!!! BIG TIME CONGRATULATIONS! :banana: :banana:

Your ride sounded like a blast. Isn't it sweet when you realize what you accomplished? And even sweeter that you overcame a leg cramp and completed the brevet "in style"! Great report and again, congrats!

RA
P.S. Your bike is beautiful!

[znfdl]

Congratulations.

[ericspin]

So, did you end up needing the triple?

[shoe]

great job. it is funny when the distances start getting longer and your perceptions of what a long ride is...it is only easier from here...or is it harder..good luck on the next one..you know once you do one you have to do the whole series...dave

[RudAwkning]

So, did you end up needing the triple?

Oh yes. And that's coming from a guy who's entire road fleet is outfitted with 53/39 or 52/42 doubles.

I had no shame in dropping to the inner ring. I actually had a 26 front and a 27 rear for greater than 1 to 1 gearing.

[RudAwkning]

great job. it is funny when the distances start getting longer and your perceptions of what a long ride is...it is only easier from here...or is it harder..good luck on the next one..you know once you do one you have to do the whole series...dave

I don't know if I'm ready for the 400k yet. The thought of an overnighter sounds a little daunting. :)

[Dave Wages]

Way to go on the Brevet, I just got out for my first outdoor ride of the year yesterday. 50 big degrees after alot of snow and cold, your description makes me want to move to Cali.

[willy in pacifi]

I don't know if I'm ready for the 400k yet. The thought of an overnighter sounds a little daunting. :)

A 400k is not much different length wise. If you can ride 300k you can ride 400k. It just takes longer.

I also rode the 300k with you. I was on the green fendered Vanilla. This was my 3rd time on this route and last year it pored. I really like the 400k and 600k because you get to ride more at night. There is something special about riding in the quite darkness.

Consider the Santa Cruz 300k coming up that starts at 2pm. You will get lots of night time riding.

I rode the whole way with a friend who just got a new pink Steve Rex brevet bike. She has an 11-23 in the back and a 42-32-22 up front . I kept calling them "Cute" gears.

Along the coast, around Bodega Bay, there were a few sheep. Did you get to see the tiny baby lambs? Normally I would not mention baby lambs in a post but man were they tiny and so cute. I guess that is the father of three girls coming out in me.

willy in pacifica

[mschol17]

I can only imagine riding brevets in California... our 600k was like 85% humidity and a high of 95 degrees. It was the first really hot day of the year and the weather won.

Congrats! 300k is nothing to sneeze at. Good riding companions make the miles fly by.

[RudAwkning]

A 400k is not much different length wise. If you can ride 300k you can ride 400k. It just takes longer.

I also rode the 300k with you. I was on the green fendered Vanilla. This was my 3rd time on this route and last year it pored. I really like the 400k and 600k because you get to ride more at night. There is something special about riding in the quite darkness.

Consider the Santa Cruz 300k coming up that starts at 2pm. You will get lots of night time riding.

I rode the whole way with a friend who just got a new pink Steve Rex brevet bike. She has an 11-23 in the back and a 42-32-22 up front . I kept calling them "Cute" gears.

Along the coast, around Bodega Bay, there were a few sheep. Did you get to see the tiny baby lambs? Normally I would not mention baby lambs in a post but man were they tiny and so cute. I guess that is the father of three girls coming out in me.

willy in pacifica

You rode with my friend Lisa Susan McPhate! Her husband, Jason McPhate (they both ride in my club) arrived before 6:00! I think last year they attempted this one on their tandem in the torrential rain. That ride really screwed her up and she had to ride a recumbant for a few months as her back was a mess. Rain rides = :no: :crap:

My friend Alfie, who does these same style endurance type rides on his fixed gear, was waiting for me at the finish line and has been a pretty big inspiration to me this past season. I'll have to ask him what rides are coming up next. I think he also mentioned the 300k Santa Cruz this or next weekend?

I saw the lambs. They made me hungry :D

Perhaps I'll see you on a future brevet!

[goonster]

I don't know if I'm ready for the 400k yet.

Of course you are. ;)

Give it a couple of days. Your mind will wrap around it, no problem. Each time you do one, the next one seems possible.

Good job. :beer:

[RudAwkning]

Of course you are. ;)

Give it a couple of days. Your mind will wrap around it, no problem. Each time you do one, the next one seems possible.

Good job. :beer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iXP9yoc4VY

[dauwhe]

Congratulations!!!!

Dave

[beungood]

How fast are these brevets ridden? Are the stops planned out ?

[shoe]

i think the thing is not to think whether or not you can do it but just sign up and go ride them...if you get tired you just pick a slower pace. the one thing doing the brevet series taught me was that we are more capable than what we think we are....that bike is too nice not to be logging on some brevet miles....have fun out there ....dave

[handsomerob]

A 400k is not much different length wise. If you can ride 300k you can ride 400k. It just takes longer.

I also rode the 300k with you. I was on the green fendered Vanilla. This was my 3rd time on this route and last year it pored. I really like the 400k and 600k because you get to ride more at night. There is something special about riding in the quite darkness.

Consider the Santa Cruz 300k coming up that starts at 2pm. You will get lots of night time riding.

I rode the whole way with a friend who just got a new pink Steve Rex brevet bike. She has an 11-23 in the back and a 42-32-22 up front . I kept calling them "Cute" gears.

Along the coast, around Bodega Bay, there were a few sheep. Did you get to see the tiny baby lambs? Normally I would not mention baby lambs in a post but man were they tiny and so cute. I guess that is the father of three girls coming out in me.

willy in pacifica

I read the above and immediately thought of this one. It has burned its spot in the back of my head... in the yeah Rob, keep dreaming section.

http://www.vanillabicycles.com/frames/randonnee/1/lrg/4.jpg

Is this yours? If so, stunning. If not, post pics or links to yours pretty please.

[Tom Byrnes]

I read the above and immediately thought of this one. It has burned its spot in the back of my head... in the yeah Rob, keep dreaming section.

http://www.vanillabicycles.com/frames/randonnee/1/lrg/4.jpg

Is this yours? If so, stunning. If not, post pics or links to yours pretty please.

Rob - I am the lucky owner of that special Vanilla.
:banana: :banana: :banana:

I would like to see photos of Willi's Vanilla, also.

RudAwkning - Congratulations on your ride and thanks for the nice ride report. Brought back memories of Northern California.

Tom

[handsomerob]

Rob - I am the lucky owner of that special Vanilla.
:banana: :banana: :banana:

I would like to see photos of Willi's Vanilla, also.

RudAwkning - Congratulations on your ride and thanks for the nice ride report. Brought back memories of Northern California.

Tom

Tom, as pretty as it is I would understand if it is hard to get it out on the road to get dirty.... but I sincerely hope you are absolutely riding the mess out of that beautiful machine. It is really one of my favorites and I would give a kidney for a rig like that (although I think yours is a little too tall, is that a 58cm or so?). Any other pics or ride reports? A fellas got to dream you know. ;)