The first NC Rando Year-End Party was held in Greensboro in November 2009.
I was not yet a RUSA member, but I did get an invite (as almost alluded to here).
As I understand it, with some supposing added,
The initial organizing group included:
- MikeD,
- Jerry,
- Branson, and
- likely others (such as RBAs Tony and Alan among others).
Parties were also held in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017.
The organizing group each year was the same as that first year, OR
A subset thereof.
In 2011, the Year-End Party was moved to Durham and/or Raleigh.
A few years the party was held at a local establishment,
But since 2014, the festivities have been hosted by JohnM and his wife Laura.
[Oh my, I didn't realize until I typed the immediately above sentence just how many years John and Laura have been hosting the parties.]
It was always my opinion that the closest thing to a "blog of record" here in North Carolina was MikeD's "Research Trailer Park." [but Mike's blogging significantly reduced about the time he became RUSA Prez, and there is nothing new since late 2015] If one searches Mike's blog, one can find some information about (some of) the early years and the Award Recipients.
[I'll not attempt to list the "historical" awardees. I can recall some, but not all, and I don't want to leave anyone off an attempted catalogue of awardees. Note that in 2017 there were no "Awards" as no one stepped up to replace (primarily) Jerry and MikeD -- until some time in November(?), JohnM announced a plan to get together to ride a Perm or Perm-Pop and party at his and Laura's house afterward -- it snowed here the day of the party, so the rides were cancelled, and only about 10 people showed for the festivities. That made for an intimate circle in which stories and lies of past experiences were shared -- a good time! ]
Awards have varied some over the years, but mainly included, in no particular order:
- Volunteer of the Year,
- Rookie or Newcomer of the Year,
- Comeback Rider of the Year,
- Randonneur of the Year,
- Randonneuse of the Year.
2018 Awardee Thought Process
There was no Year-End Party in 2018.
Again no one stepped up to "organize" a party or rides or awards.
However, BobB and I did discuss the potential for a party and the awards.
Three-quarters of the way through our November R-ride,
While sitting in the control gas station / c-store, eating and drinking whatever,
Bob mentioned that it appeared there would be no Year-End Party.
I replied that JohnM was on an extended visit to Spain(?), and
Neither Bob nor I have an abode suitable for hosting such an event.
Bob then asked who I thought ought to be the 2018 Award Recipients.
I had given the subject some thought, so I had my answers ready.
Bob agreed with my Comeback and Randonneur of the Year Suggestions.
I did not have a suggestion for Randonneuse nor for Rookie/Newcomer,
Indicating that I would have to look at the data to inform myself on those.
Bob disagreed with my Volunteer of the Year suggestion.
He had a different candidate in mind.
We each put forward the reasons for our respective suggestions.
Bob then agreed that my candidate had done more than his candidate.
Those agreed-upon-suggestions became the 2018 Awardees (at the 2019 Party).
After considerable searching of the 2018 RUSA on-line data,
I was unable to come up with a potential 2018 Rookie,
Nor even a 2018 Newcomer.
[Two people that I had in mind had been doing RUSA rides since 2016,
Had done quite a few rides, and
I think they had too many rides and "time-in-service" to still be a "Newcomer."]
I also searched the on-line data for a potential Randonneuse candidate.
Unfortunately [and unlike the Lone Star Randonneurs],
The population of female RUSA members riding here in NC has plummeted,
Nearly to extinction.
No Randonneuse candidate seemed reasonable for the potential Award.
The Awardees, and the rationale, are shown near the bottom of this post.
2019 Party and Awardee Thought Process
At the September Brevet and Picnic Party (celebration of RUSA's birthday),
Delayed from the usual August date because of the PBP ride,
JohnM was asked if he and his wife would be interested in again hosting a Year-End Party,
With Awards?
A month or so later, John and Laura offered to host a mid-November event.
A committee was recruited to provide thought / insight onto potential Awardees.
Okay, it was more like I DRAFTED the others.
The committee: me, BobB, McDave, Alan, Tony, and Luke.
(The latter three being the three NC RBAs).
Suggestions for and agreement on for Randonneur, Volunteer, and Comback of the Year
Were quickly reached.
I searched the RUSA on-line data for a potential Randonneuse and Newcomer candidates.
- The process for 2019 was just as frustrating as it was for 2018.
Branson agreed to create the 2018 and 2019 Awards Certificates,
But blah, blah, blah, and my non-work time leading up to the Party was spent in that fruitless research described above, so to save time, I created the certificates on my computer and printer.
[I think I forgot to let Branson know why I created the certificates.
I just didn't have time to go pick up laminated certificates from ...
the commercial establishment which name escapes at the moment.
I hope he doesn't think I "blew him off" -- I should send him an apology.]
2018 Awards -- Names and Rationale
- Comeback of the Year
- MikeD
- As BobB put it: "Need I say more?"
- For those that might not know: Mike was on the receiving end of a bashing by vehicle in Feb-2016, was off the bike for a long time, but accumulated 1524 RUSA kms in 2018, including eleven-fifteenths of a Series (dnf on the 400 when his pre-ride partner had heat related health issues).
- Volunteer of the Year
- BobB
- [Bob was also Volunteer of the Year for 2013.]
- For hosting a Lumberton weekend for Tony (High Point Region), and
- For hosting the White Lake overnight control on Alan's (Raleigh Region) 600 brevet, and
- For owning and operating several Permanents, and
- Generally for volunteering wherever needed.
- Randonneur of the Year
- McDave
- In recognition of outstanding achievements in 2018, including:
- Completing an ACP Super Series, a 100-k Brevet-Pop,
- A 1000-k Brevet, the 1600-k "Tip to Tail" Grand Randonnee,
- Earning a RUSA Cup, and attaining K-Hound status (2nd consecutive year).
[Hmmn, ride often and it seems you might get drafted to the Year-End Awards Committee.
Or, get named for an award one year, you might get drafted for the next year.]
2019 Awards -- Names and Rationale
- Comeback of the Year
- RickR (R^2)
- For returning from his severely broken leg (while training for PBP),
- Which ended his plan to ride PBP,
- By riding the "Bahama Beach" perm-pop on October 5th, and
- Riding the “Road to Hicksboro” permanent on November 2nd.
- Volunteer of the Year
- JohnM and LauraB
- For assisting Alan regarding the Raleigh Region 400 brevet.
- For owning and operating Permanents, and
- Most especially, for repeatedly hosting the year-end party.
- Randonneur of the Year
- IanH
- [Ian was also Randonneur of the Year for 2011.]
- In recognition of outstanding achievement in 2019, including,
- Completing two ACP Super Series-es, a Fleche, and
- Completing PBP, earning the RUSA Charlie Miller designation.
- [The latter book-ending the "Adrian Hands Society" membership(s) earned in 2011 and 2015 -- though the 2011 qualification is a little suspect (scroll down to the bottom of the linked-post).]
[Note: no information regarding standard RUSA 2018 and/or 2019 awards / achievements by North Carolina randonneurs (e.g., K-Hounds, RUSA Cups, SR status) was prepared for the party-goers amusement.]
