Winter got you down, craving the warmth of home? Feel down no more and hop on that bike. It’s time for a February challenge designed for the utility cyclist with lots of errands to do, even in wintertime– the Errandonnee!

If you are a cyclist with places to go and people to see, this challenge is for you!

The tweet version of the challenge is:

Errandonnee: Complete 12 errands in 12 days and ride a total of 30 miles by bike between February 9-20. (103 characters!)

Since we must run errands, anyway, let’s take the opportunity to acknowledge the utility cycling we often do, but seldom celebrate.

The term “errandonnee” was developed in my friend Eric P.’s language laboratory and is a hybrid of “errands” and the French word “randonnee.”

Conceptually, these two words may not initally fit well together, but string 12 errands together for one long ride interrupted by sleep and other diversions, and you have… an errandonnee. Technically, I suppose there should be an accent above one of those last e’s, but it’s too much work to find that character on my computer.

Errandonnee is almost as much fun to spell as Mississippi so how can you not want to participate in this challenge?

Below are the 11 Errandonnee categories (or controls) in order for you to plan and map your Errandonnee accordingly:

• Bike Shop
• Breakfast or Lunch
• Coffee or Dessert
• Community Meeting (e.g., church, parent-teacher conference, board meeting)
• Dinner
• Grocery Store
• Any store that is not the grocery store
• Personal Care and Health (e.g., doctor, haircut, massage, gym, manicure)
• Library (also includes book reading)
• Work
• Wild Card

Of course, a Chasing Mailboxes challenge can’t be too simple so I’ve added in some rules. These may initially look like a lot of rules, but I think after you read through them you will find this challenge to be quite manageable.

1. Complete 12 errands from Saturday, February 9 through Wednesday, February 20.
2. Complete the Errandonnee Control Card as you go. Based on one of the comments, I also created a Google Doc version, which you may find here.
3. There is no minimum length for each errand, but you must complete at least 30 miles of bike riding over 12 days to successfully qualify for the Errandonnee. That’s an average of 2.5 miles per errand.
4. There is no maximum number of errands you must complete each day, provided you complete all 12 by the end of Wednesday February 20. You can ride all 12 errands in one day, do one errand per day, or any other combination that works for you.
5. You must complete errands from at least seven of the 11 categories represented on the Errandonnee Control Card.
6. Each category may be used a maximum of two times. For example, you may count a ride to work a total of two times.
7. The Wild Card errand is for any trip you make that does not fall into any of the categories listed on the control card.
8. At least two errands must occur after dark (or before daylight), and you must describe the lighting method used.
9. To show evidence of your errand, you must take one photo during your outing and submit at least one thing you learned or observed during your trip. Photos may be provided to me in the following ways:
   • If you have a blog, you can post them there and send me the links.
   • You may also use a site like flickr or Picasa and link me to your photos that way as well.
   • You can send me the links to your Errandonnee tweets.
   • Finally, I will accept 12 photos via e-mail if that’s what works best for you.
10. There are no geographic limitations on the Errandonnee. OK, Earth. All participants must be from somewhere on Earth.
11. Deadline for Errandonnee submissions is midnight in your area, February 28, 2013.
12. Submit all Errandonnee paperwork, including your Errandonnee Control Card to me at gersemalina “at” gmail.com.
13. All qualifying rides must be submitted at the same time. That is, send me all 12 together, NOT ride 1, ride 2, etc. If you have been blogging or tweeting your errands, you can send me the links to those as well as the completed control card.
14. Everyone who successfully completes the Errandonnee will receive a prize. Please include a snail mail address in your submission so that I may send your Errandonnee swag to you.
15. Be prepared to be featured as a guest post on this blog if when you successfully complete this challenge.

Also, please feel free to tweet as you go using the hashtag #errandonnee.

Questions? Let me know in the comments or send me an email if you’re shy.

The Errandonnee: February 9-20. It all starts Saturday. 12 errands in 12 days. Have fun and feel righteous while out doing errands on your bike. I know you can do it.

2/10/13 UPDATE: An additional Q&A post is here to address some of the questions people have asked. Thanks!