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

The tweet version of The Errandonnee is:

Errandonnee: Complete 12 errands in 12’ish days and ride a total of 30 miles by bike between March 7-19, 2014.* 

*Technically, this is 13 days, but I encountered some issues with math along the way. And with the weather this year, I’m building in a snow day.

Since we must run errands, anyway, let’s take the opportunity to recognize 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 initially 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?

Categories

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, riding to the start of a bike ride)
• 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.

Rules

1. Complete 12 errands from Friday, March 7 through Wednesday, March 19, 2014.
2. Complete the Errandonnee Control Card as you go.
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, March 19. 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 and you somehow cannot figure out how to fit into the Personal Care category.
8. It is suggested that you complete two errands after dark (or before daylight), but this is not a requirement. Please note the lighting method used.
9. To evidence your errand, 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.
   • You can send me the links to your Errandonnee tweets.
   • Finally, I will accept 12 photos via email if that works best for you.
10. There are no geographic limitations on the Errandonnee. OK, Earth. All participants must be from somewhere on Earth.
11. If the Errandonnee stresses you out or offends you or makes you feel bad or sad or competitive, you should stop. This is supposed to be fun and if you are not having fun then please do not continue because feeling stressed out or offended or bad or sad or competitive due to the Errandonnee is not what this is all about (that’s what family is for, KIDDING!) and it’s no way to live.
12. Deadline for Errandonnee submissions is midnight in your area, March 25, 2014.
13. Submit all Errandonnee paperwork, including your Errandonnee Control Card to me at gersemalina “at” gmail.com.
14. Send all qualifying rides together. That is, send me all 12 in one go, 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.
15. Everyone who successfully completes the Errandonnee will receive a prize. But, as in coffeeneuring, it is not a mountain of money so don’t quit your day job. Please include a snail mail address in your submission so that I may send your Errandonnee swag to you.

Also, please feel free to tweet as you go using the hashtag #errandonnee. Two r’s, two n’s, two e’s.

If you have a blog and errandeur, please send me a link to your write-ups!

Additional questions?

I have an additional Q&A post here. If that still doesn’t address your question, ask in the comments of this post or send me an email if you’re shy.

The Errandonnee: March 7-19, 2014. Winter’s last gasp (fingers crossed). Let’s do this.