200K
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A House Cat Rides the DC Randonneurs Both Sides (Not Now) 200K
There’s nothing like peak bloom of the DC cherry blossoms to motivate a person to leave the city for an all-day bike ride. It also helps when the ride start happens to be 7 miles from your house. Add that to an urge to put off homework as long as possible, and it’s a perfect… Continue reading
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Cracking the Perfect Ride Code
This is an article I wrote for the March 2021 edition of American Randonneur. It evolved from a piece about our club’s fall 200K that I wrote here. Enjoy, and hope you all are well. My home club, the D.C. Randonneurs, has quite a few good courses in its brevet library, thanks to the expert… Continue reading
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Old Rag 200K Fall Edition: Time Sandwich
My. Feet. Are. So. Cold. Even though Felkerino and I waited to start the Old Rag 200K with the sun, it’s one of the first chilly mornings of fall. I had booties in hand, but left them home at the last minute, thinking they would just take up space for the majority of the day. … Continue reading
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Go Time With the D.C. Randonneurs: Nokesville Nomad 200K
Like many randonneurs, Felkerino and I have decided to throw our hat in the ring for this year’s edition of Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP). (We plan to be part of the 84-hour starting group.) This great ride, which kicks off in August, requires that riders complete a full brevet series – that is, a 200K, 300K, 400K,… Continue reading
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A Dose of Reality on a 200K
Felkerino and I met up with bicycling friends Eric, Jerry, Barry, and Joel to ride the classic D.C. Randonneurs “Old Rag 200K” route. Jerry had some weird rattle in his rear wheel that would not go away, Barry was riding a loaner bike since his main rando ride was in the shop for repairs, our Schmidt… Continue reading
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Devil’s Daughter 210K Permanent
The emerging warmth and green of spring days tempt us. Long days at the office interrupted by relatively brief spates of outdoor time urge us to spend weekends actively exploring. This weekend Felkerino and I joined bicycling friends Andrea and Jerry to revisit the Devil’s Daughter 210K permanent, a ride carefully crafted by RUSA permanista Crista… Continue reading
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Old Rag 200K Permanent: Hills, Vistas, and Math Word Problems
This weekend Felkerino and I hightailed it out of the city to escape the crowds that have descended on Washington, D.C., and arranged to do the lovely Old Rag 200K out of Warrenton, Virginia, with bicycling buddies Andrea and Mike. Continue reading
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D.C. Randonneurs Wilderness Campaign 200K Brevet
A summary by the miles of the D.C. Randonneurs Wilderness Campaign ACP 200K Brevet. Continue reading
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Harvest Time and 200K Brevets
Growing up in rural Iowa, the harvest was always an intense and busy time. Tractors constantly moved through the fields, and it was not unusual to catch sight of the lights of a tractor shining over the dirt clouds raised up by someone working into darkness. Kids missed school to help their families. Crops had… Continue reading
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Trail Ridge Road on Tandem
There’s nothing that kicks off a bike tour better than riding the highest continuous paved road in the United States. Continue reading
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D.C. Randonneurs Flatbread 200K Brevet Roundup
This past weekend, Felkerino and I broke the tandem in two and took off for the Eastern Shore to ride the D.C. Randonneurs 200K Flatbread brevet. While I’ve ridden this brevet once or twice before, this time was unique because instead of the usual tandem routine, I rode it on my Rivendell Romulus.See? Continue reading
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D.C. Randonneurs Urbana 200K: Feels like the First Time
Ride summary: Ride the rollers out of Urbana. Whee! First control in Union Bridge, Maryland. Pedal pedal. Climb 77 in Catoctin National Park. Climb. Climb climb climb. Descend. Grind through the rollers out of Smithsburg. Stop for a couple pics. Pedal through the fragrant countryside. Whoah, stinky! See eight cats in someone’s driveway. Eight! Control… Continue reading
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Weekend Roundup: Two Shorties, a 200K Brevet, and the D.C. Tweed Ride
If you were in the D.C. area over the weekend, you know that we had some choice cycling weather. A pinch brisk in the mornings, giving way to sun and warmth in the afternoon. Long-sleeve, no-jacket temperatures. With weather like this, who can stay inside? Not me. Continue reading
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D.C. Randonneurs Old Rag 200K Brevet
I know Felkerino will be doing a roundup of this brevet on my favorite news source, The Daily Randonneur, but until he does, here’s a quick summary from the stoker. Continue reading
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D.C. Randonneurs Urbana 200K Brevet
I had a great time this Saturday, making my way 128 miles from Urbana, Maryland, around the Catoctins and South Mountain on the D.C. Randonneurs Urbana 200K (full route description here). Felkerino and I had not ridden a brevet since November so it was fun to carry a card around on an official event with… Continue reading
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Pennsylvania Randonneurs Stillwater 200K
Tandem partner Felkerino, friend Lane G., and I packed up our bikes and our randonneur passports this past Friday and headed to Pennsylvania for their November 200K brevet. The ride up was a solid five hours, but the trip was worth it. Tom Rosenbauer, the RBA, put together an awesome 200K course, full of beautiful… Continue reading
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We interrupt this tour for the D.C. Randonneurs 200K Brevet
Felkerino and I ditched the bags for the day and rode the Cacapon 200K brevet out of Middletown, Virginia. A group of around 35 people participated. Even though we rode much of the ride alone, it was great to see and ride in the vicinity of fellow riders. This route has about a kerpillion feet… Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 