Let’s run out the month of March with an annual tradition. It’s the Errandonnee, a challenge designed for the utility cyclist and transportation runner with errands to do, no matter the season.

The short version of the Errandonnee is:

Errandonnee: Complete 12 errands in 12 days, and ride or run a total of 30 miles between March 20-31, 2017.

Since we must run errands anyway, let’s take the opportunity to recognize the active transportation we often do, but seldom celebrate.

The term “errandonnee” 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.

You don’t have to ride your bike, as this challenge also features the Errandonnee: Run Option!

You can choose to run or ride your way to the Errandonnee finish line – or a combination of both. Same rules apply to the Errandonnee: Run Option (or “Errundonnee” if you’re fancy), as the bike version of the Errandonnee.

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

Categories

Below are the 9 Errandonnee categories (or controls) in order for you to plan and map your Errandonnee accordingly:

• Personal Care

• Personal Business

• You carried WHAT on your bike (or back)?!

• Arts and Entertainment

• Non-Store Errand

• Social Call (includes restaurants, coffee, and other social activities)

• Work or Volunteering, School (includes dropping off kids)

• Store (includes bike shop, running store, grocery store, etc. You know, a store.)

• Wild Card (surprise me!)

As this is a Chasing Mailboxes challenge I added some rules. I think after you read them you will find this challenge quite manageable.

Rules

1. Complete 12 errands by bike or feet from March 20 through March 31, 2017.
2. Keep track of your errands and miles. (I only need the cumulative number of miles you completed for the entire Errandonnee, NOT the distance per errand.)
3. There is no minimum length for each errand, but you must complete at least 30 total miles of cycling or running over 12 days to successfully qualify for the Errandonnee. (You can go multi-modal. You can also combine running and riding, if you like. You can also walk! Just note the number of bicycling miles vs. running miles on your control card/submission.)
4. Complete all 12 errands by the end of March and from at least 7 of the 9 categories. You can ride or run all 12 errands in one day, do one errand per day, or any other combination that works for you. Each category may be used a maximum of two times. For example, you may count a ride or runcommute to work a total of two times.
5. Wild Card is any trip you make that does not fall into any of the categories listed on the control card.
6. If you carry a baked good for the “You carried WHAT on your bike (or back)?!” please provide a before and after photo. For the run category, please briefly describe your main Errandonnee shoes and pack you use for carrying stuff around. If you ride, please provide a photo of your main Errandonnee bike.
7. 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 in the following ways:
   • The Errandonnee Facebook Group.
   • The Errandonnee Strava Group.
   • If you have a blog, you can post them there and send me the links.
   • You may also use a site like flickr and link me to your photos.
   • Instagram! Hashtag #errandonnee
   • Tweets! Hashtag #errandonnee
   • Finally, I will accept 12 photos via email if that works best for you.
8. The Earth limitation on participation still applies. All participants must be from somewhere on Earth.
9. 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 that is not what the Errandonnee is all about.
10. Deadline for all Errandonnee submissions is around midnight in your area, April 10 or so, 2017. Email me when you’ve finished (gersemalina “at” gmail “dot” com), and tell me where you’ve posted your errands. I’ll verify them. Send all qualifying rides together.
11. Everyone who successfully completes the Errandonnee is eligible for a prize, which is $5, or the costs to me to purchase and mail the item. To purchase your prize, you may PayPal me at the gmail address above, or send your money by snail mail like grandma used to do (email me for my address). International entries pay $6. Please include an address with your submission so that I may mail your Errandonnee treasure.

If you have a blog and errandeur, please let me know in the comments so we can follow along!

Additional questions?

Ask in the comments of this post or send me an email.

The Errandonnee: March 20-31. March is going out like a lion, and it’s time to ride or run and get stuff done.