Arizona Brevet & Randonnee - 300km

Spiffy!

Looks like it is supposed to start getting up to the low 70s towards the end of the month. I hope it holds up and we have nice weather. Of course I can always draw off of your poor weather riding experience. You are the king of cold bike ride!

It has dropped down to 32 degrees here and I ran in a rain/snow mixture. Usually don't see anything like that here. Looks like the 10 day forecast has dropped all of the 70s days into the 60s with high 30s in the AM.

There has been a warming trend here so I hope it remains the same in AZ. If there is cold and drizzel/rain or whatever they will still hold the event

Aggg, an interloper onto our brevet string!

Now that you have accessed the secret forum you HAVE to do a brevet, otherwise....

I agree... Mike, you have to do the brevet now, otherwise...

Hey Brian,
I stumbled across the route on RouteSlip.com
http://www.routeslip.com/routes/17354

Now that is very cool

Oh my god, I just went to the website...did you take a look at the elevation profile?

Sure, now I need to do one?  I can't believe Brian is goign to do one two weeks after IMAZ.  CRAZY!  I do think doing ine would be fun, but we're getting into the distances that I don't drive all week.  Have fun guys and be safe.  I promise to lurk next time and not jump into your glory. 

Yep, looks like we have some climbing to do.

It is gradual though. I don't think it is as bad as the graph makes it look. The only actual climbing climb is around mile 100 with a couple hundred foot climb about 10 miles later and it is downhill from there.



Edited by chile7473 2007-01-29 10:03 PM

Here is the map for your 400km Brevet on March 4.

http://www.routeslip.com/routes/17365

It is a balloon loop with part of the course being the 2nd 1/2 of the 300km loop.

The down hills should be a welcome respite.

Be sure to make yourself a cue sheet holder!

I looked cue sheet holder up and saw what one looks like. I'll just follow you and keep mine in my jersey pocket. j/k... I'll come up with something.

I took the light I bought back today. On the 2nd try to use it, it did not work. I bought a better and brighter one too. Also since I tore my bike shorts on Saturday, I bought some Gel shorts!

I'll see if I have some spare parts to make another cue sheet holder. I made one for my brevet in Dallas and liked the way it worked. I've also made us our own cue sheets that will be easier to change out at the conrtols.

Misty let me know yeserday that she had a late meeting and we probably will not be able to leave Albuquerque until 3:00, which will probably put us at your place around 11:00pm...ugh!

See you soon.

I looked at the brevet site and there are 56 people registered now.

Did you do the brevet in Dallas on your tri bike? Just curious if there will be others on tri bikes.

Bummer that you won't be able to leave as early. Sleep time may be minimal.... even more of a mental test.

Well, I've heard that the most important day of sleep before an event is two days before the event. Actual sleep the night before an event is less important. I'll sure test that theory. anyway, I am focusing on getting a good sleep in these next couple days. I knocked myself out at 8:30 last night with some valerian and slept in to 5:30!

I did my brevet in Dallas on my other comuter bike, an aluminum frame road bike, though I did throw some areo bars on it. There weren't any Tri bikes at the brevet but it was about half as large a field. the other thing I've noticed when I've done marathons in Arizona this time of year is that there seems to be a lot of entrants who are doing it as part of their IMAZ training, I wonder if the same will be true of the brevet?

Anyway, this is a PBP year so all the hard core Randonneurs are out in force trying to qualify. We will probably see mostly road bikes and a couple tandems. However, any bike is allowed including recumbants. I would ride what ever you can ride a long way comfortably.

If you are most comfortable on your Tri bike but are still a little worried about long-ride comfort you may consider throwing on some 23 to 25 cm tires and relaxing the fit a little but don't tweek it too much because your body has adjusted to riding in a certain position and a big change could mean ude of different muscle groups or use of muscle groups in slightly diffeent ways.

I got pretty good sleep last night. I am pretty darn excited. I rode about 1/2 mile around my condo complex last night just because I wanted to use my headlight.

I stopped at the tribe too and picked up some extra tubes, gels, and cliff bars!

Have a good safe drive... I'll see you late tonight.