Arizona Brevet & Randonnee 300K - CycleOther

I really enjoyed the Brevet. At the start you receive cue sheets that have directions and a card that you have to get signed at the check points along the way.

We started off and it was 36 degrees and cold. I kept my sweat jacket on over top of my long sleeve thermal shirt and bike jersey. It was like a bike caravan taking off that stuck completely together for about 7 or 8 miles or so (hard to tell because... well it was dark and I couldn't read the bike computer).

After that a lead group took off and Brian and I stayed with them. Well, I had to take a leak about 25 miles in and I stopped and let the pack go. It took about 8 miles for me to catch back up. There was a headwind on a gradual uphill so it was not easy to catch them. I caught up to one other guy that had fallen off and we worked together to get back in the pack.

We then made it to the first check point about 44 miles in. At the first check point the lead group split all up. Brian and I shed a little clothing and ate a bike. I had a banana and a blueberry cookie. Then Brian and I left and found that the next section of the course was long long gradual uphill with a strong headwind blowing at us.

About 75 miles into the ride I started getting a cramp in my left quad so I eased off and drank some GU2O and it went right away, but only to return about 8 miles farther down the road. Brian and I stopped and I ate a Power Gel and drank some more GU2O and the cramp was gone and would never return.

At 88 miles we made it to the 2nd check point. This was at a ladies home and the kitchen had a full spread for us. Many different kinds of cookies, sandwiches, wraps, and fruit. I ate 2 bananas, filled my bottles adding GU2O mix, ate 1/2 a ham and jalapeño cheese wrap, and ate 2 oatmeal cookies.

We left again and this time had 2 others with us. One was named Sandiway and we would ride basically the rest of the ride with him. We rode through Tucson and started climbing up to Gates pass in the Saguaro National Park area. Gates pass had a lot of climbing with a very steep section at the end. Isn't it nice to have a big climb after you have already ridden 100+ miles.

Brian and I had looked at the elevation chart which made it look like after the Gates pass climb it was all a gradual downhill from there. At the top of Gates pass we mentioned the gradual downhill to Sandiway and he told us there were a lot more hills left.

The hills were mostly rolling, but they were definitely not short rollers. On one of them I took off on the back side as I saw the next hill was really steep. I really did not want to climb it so I built my speed and it worked. I cruised right up it, even as steep as it was. A little later I checked my bike computer and saw my top speed was 49.3. No wonder I made it right up that hill! New speed record for me. Fun stuff.

We kept moving along towards the 3rd check point. Brian ate some cliff shot bloks that did not agree with his stomach. He had also just lead us through a long windy stretch. We slowed down a little bit and rode into the check point. He had a ginger ale there and was feeling better again.

After the 3rd check point we found that again the wind had changed directions on us and we had 30+ miles of more headwind ahead of us. About 15 miles into the segment I was leading and Brian's front wheel touched my back wheel. I though I had just gotten a flat but then when I stopped I looked back and Brian had gone down and Sandiway went right over his leg. Brian's leg cramped and as we gathered ourselves together another rider caught up and joined us. Brian had to adjust his handle bars as they had turned but then as a super trooper he was riding again and we were on our way.

At this point the guy that had joined us started riding next to Sandiway and caused for us to ride like a pack. With the nasty headwind it was made the draft almost worthless. It felt cramped and after we had just had a incident I didn't feel like riding in a tight group. The road got bumpy though with a smooth section in the middle and we lined up into a pace line. We stopped at a Dairy Queen and used the restroom and then a tandem and another ride caught up. We all rode in a pace line to the final check point.

At the last check point, Brian was tired of riding in the pace line and told me to go ahead with them and that he would see me at the finish. Well, one guy left and then another, so I then went and decided to time trial the last 14 miles. I was pretty proud of myself as I was able to keep my speed between 21 and 25 mph over the last 14 miles.

Grabbed my bag


not applicable as this was a timed ride but not a race.


After we finishing I fisted Brian and he said congratulations "you are now a randonneur!" Sweet!

Big accomplishment to ride 193.95 miles after my longest previous ride was last weekend's 73 mile ride.

I feel really good and even though it was pretty easy to do, I am glad Brian talked me into doing this ride.

I will definitely do more Brevets.