Brevet-Pops: Dec-2019, Jan + Feb-2020

December-2019 

With what was hopefully only a temporary demise of the Permanents program,
I requested / offered Raleigh Region RBA Alan that I'd organize / host a brevet-pop for December.

Admittedly, I had stopped "worrying" about my R-series, but
I had an active P-streak that I was trying to keep intact, and
My frequent riding buddy, BobB, had completed his R-120 on December-02, so
I wasn't concerned about a December R-ride, only a brevet-pop for the P-series.

My Excel log indicates that on December 7th,
Bob and I did a pre-ride of the brevet-pop that Alan and I had scheduled for December 14th.
Using the usual Raleigh Region Brevet-Pop:  "route 655 (unnamed)".
RWGPS map link:  click here.

I had a photo or two from our pre-ride, but I seem to have miss-filed it / them.
[As I type this on Jul-02-2020] I recall that I had tired legs from the git-go,
Certainly due to a late end to my work shift on the 6th.
Bob had to slow-down considerably or wait for me throughout the ride.
My Excel log indicates:

• 9 am start, 
• 69.6-miles (112-kms) in  5h42 elapsed, 
• 4:49 in-motion (i.e., nearly an hour of stoppage time), 
• for 100-kms RUSA credit.  

I guess I stood ready to host whomever wanted to ride on the 14th, but
The results, as shown on the RUSA website, indicate that no one did the ride. 

Region	Club	Type	Distance	Date	Finishers	DNF
NC: Raleigh	North Carolina Bicycle Club / 933045	RUSAP	100	2019/12/14	2	0

Cert#	RUSA#	Name	Club / ACP Code	Time	Medal
RUSA-P16334	5843	B__, Bob	Randonneurs USA / 933095	05:42
RUSA-P16335	6218	S__, Martin	Randonneurs USA / 933095	05:42

January-2020

Still hoping the Perms demise was temporary,
Bob and I arranged to host a January Brevet-Pop,
Promising Alan that there would be no extra work for him
(Unless he wanted to do some (and of course, he would submit the results to RUSA)).

We decided to use the route that had been created / approved during the previous Perms suspension.
To wit:  "Mt. Tirzah Populaire".
RWGPS map link:  click here. 

Bob and I purposefully did not suggest putting on a 200-km (or longer) brevet.
Bob wanted to break his R-streak and Tony (High Point Region) had a couple brevets in January.

The brevet-pop event was scheduled for January 18th.
Bob and I pre-rode on the 16th.
So that I could properly host / volunteer on the 18th.
And I recall that Bob had a conflict on the 18th, so he rode as a ride-along partner. 

One photo from the ride.
I tried to pay homage to the photo one can see at the bottom of this blog.

The composition of the photo at the bottom of this blog is much better than that for this photo.  That "bottom photo," from about 10 years ago, got a MUCH better view of the scenery -- maybe I can do better next time (and I am confident that there will be a next time!); however, this might get points for better capturing the person in the photo.  Short sleeves in January -- wow!  And, of course, there is Bob trying to intimidate me again by wearing a PacTour jersey; however, I think this jersey originally belonged to Richard Lawrence, and Bob received it as a gift when Joel parceled out Richard's jerseys.  [credit for this photo to me]

 My Excel log indicates:

• 8 am start, 
• 67.3-miles (108-kms) in  6h05 elapsed, 
• 5:01 in-motion (MORE than an hour stoppage time ???), 
• I think we took advantage of the warm sunshine to sit on the benches at the Timberlake control. 
• And based on the in-motion time, we were rather slow (almost certainly Bob slowed to accommodate my snail's pace). 
• All for 100-kms RUSA credit. 

Bob and I enjoyed our ride(s).
 
And two days later, I was on-hand for two riders that the did the ride on the date of the event.
On-hand at the start -- then did my own thing -- and then on-hand at the finish. 

Region	Club	Type	Distance	Date	Finishers	DNF
NC: Raleigh	North Carolina Bicycle Club / 933045	RUSAP	100	2020/01/18	4	0

Cert#	RUSA#	Name	Club / ACP Code	Time	Medal
RUSA-P16645	6218	S__, Martin	Randonneurs USA / 933095	06:05
RUSA-P16646	5843	B__, Bob	Randonneurs USA / 933095	06:04
RUSA-P16647	13590	M__, Bryan D	Randonneurs USA / 933095	05:53
RUSA-P16648	8218	W__, Bradley J.	North Carolina Bicycle Club / 933045	05:53

February 2020

Still hoping the Perms demise was temporary,
Bob and I arranged to host a February Brevet-Pop,
Promising Alan that there would be no extra work for him
(Unless he wanted to do some (and of course, he would submit the results to RUSA)).

We decided to again use the route that was used in January.
To wit:  "Mt. Tirzah Populaire".
RWGPS map link:  click here. 

Tony (High Point Region) was putting on 200+ km brevets in February, so
We did not offer a 200 (or longer) brevet. 

The brevet-pop event was scheduled for Sunday, February 23rd.
Bob, Cyndy, Chet, and I pre-rode on the 22nd.
So that I could properly host / volunteer on the 23rd.
Cyndy had a conflict on the 23rd, so she joined Bob as a ride-along partner,
And also brought along Chet.

One photo from the ride.

We had delayed our pre-ride start until 11 am so that the snow from the 20th
Would be mostly melted, and any re-formed overnight ice would have also melted.
However, somewhere around the 40-mile mark,
Cyndy and I began discussing the possibility of using the well-shaded road-side ditch
To find some snow and carefully compose a snow-filled photo
To "combat" the fat-tyre bike parked in snow-bank photos
That our mutual fracquaintance, PamelaB, RUSA #12, frequently posts on Facebook.

The completion of our discussion was very timely,
Because we'd barely had time to voice the idea, when we encountered a good location. 

The high temperature on the day was about 50F -- maybe a couple degrees warmer.  This was the ONLY location on the whole route where there was enough shade-protected ditch snow to pose for a photo such as this.  Cyndy posted this to Pamela's Facebook "timeline" -- a few comments were exhanged.  :-O    [photo snapped by me, using Cyndy's smartphone]

 My Excel log indicates:

• 11 am start, 
• 67.6-miles (108-kms) in  5h50 elapsed, 
• 5:11 in-motion (slower in motion that January, but much less stoppage time), 
• For 107-kms RUSA credit.  [Alan and I had done some research and figured out how to get brevet-pops on the RUSA schedule for the actual distance of the route instead of being forced to schedule as exactly 100-kms.] 

I'm confident that three-and-a-half of us enjoyed our ride(s).
The half is because Chet had some difficulties early on, and maybe later, too.

A couple riders had indicated that they wanted to do the Populaire at the scheduled date/time.
I was, however, skeptical since they were doing a Tony 300 the day before.
I went to the start in case those two (or even only one of them) showed up, and
Also in case anyone that had failed to pre-register showed up.

No one showed.

Region	Club	Type	Distance	Date	Finishers	DNF
NC: Raleigh	North Carolina Bicycle Club / 933045	RUSAP	107	2020/02/23	4	0

Cert#	RUSA#	Name	Club / ACP Code	Time	Medal
RUSA-P16853	608	VDW_, Cynthia F	Randonneurs USA / 910095	05:50
RUSA-P16854	6218	S__, Martin	Randonneurs USA / 933095	05:50
RUSA-P16855	1015	B__, Chet	Randonneurs USA / 933095	05:50
RUSA-P16856	5843	B__, Bob	Randonneurs USA / 933095	05:50

  
I drove down to Alan's in Morrisville to give him the brevet/control cards, and
To discuss putting on a continuing Brevet-Pop Series.

Although it had previously been agreed to put on a "Pi Day" brevet-pop,
Alan agreed to allow me to host said Brevet-Pop Series
(With my promise that no new / unwanted work would be foisted upon Alan).

During the discussion with Alan, he inquired about also doing a 200-km Brevet Series.
My response was that North Carolina (NC) was pretty well covered through October,
Although May and June could maybe use a 200 each
Since the available central NC brevets in those months were only Alan's 400 and 600, but
We could put off a decision on those months and a Brevet Series for a bit.