PBP Contrôles

A Tenderfoot's Guide to the PBP Contrôles

With the hope of being of some assistance to English speaking randonneurs attempting PBP for their first time in 2011, I am documenting the controls as I remember them—I rode PBP in 2003 and 2007, the controls were roughly the same, though the route changed. In '07, I felt that my familiarity with the layouts from '03 were helpful, and it seems fair to pass that advantage on to new riders in '11. Though it appears controls were similar in 1999, they MIGHT be entirely different in the future. Bonne Route!

Signs:

• Les étrangers — Foreigners (you and me)
• Douches — Showers (yes, guys too)
• Couchage — Sleeping (beds)
• Dortoir — Dormitory (beds)
• Sortie — Exit
• Interdite — Forbidden
• Pousser / Tirer — Push / Pull
  (You don't want to look like an idiot at the door)

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St-Quentin-en-Yvelines at 0km & 1228km

Spelled like the prison near San Francisco, but pronounced like "Sohn Keh-Tohn in Eeve-eh-lienz" (I think), SQY is really an agglomeration of seven towns (Élancourt, Guyancourt, Magny-les-Hameaux, Montigny-le-Bretonneux, Trappes, La Verrière, Voisins-le-Bretonneux), largely contiguous they'll look like one city to you, but the locals make a distinction. Make sure you specify "en-Yvelines" as there are other St. Quentin's all over France. They say there is an ancient hamlet in Guyancourt, but mostly this is a modern "new town". Pizza Pino is underneath Hôtel Campanile. Turkish "fast food" has become common in Europe (in the U.S. too, but here they call themselves "Greek") and there are little "Gyro" joints nearby selling Donner Kebab. "Go Sport" is something like an REI or Dick's Sporting Goods. The wisdom of participating in the official but optional pre-ride supper is questionable—In '07 lots of Americans could not find the place, adding to pre-ride stress. By all means DO participate in a pre-PBP test ride to shake out your newly assembled equipment and get a feel for navigating France. Camping is at the pond (aka Tank), built in the 17th century to power the fountains at the nearby Royal Palace of Versailles.

Mortagne-au-Perche at 140km & 1084km

You'll climb up into the cobblestoned town plaza way past midnight and find an outdoor stand grilling meat, and selling sandwiches & drinks. The real stop is another kilometre down the road. Even that is not an official control, so do not try to get your control card stamped. Entering the building, the bathrooms are straight ahead, food and drink to your right, a bar first (selling beer & wine), but after that is real food—green beans (haricots verte), mashed potatos (pomme de terre), soup, yogurt and lots more. When you reclaim your bike, continue in the prior direction—do NOT go out the way you came in.
Turn left and go downhill.

Villaines-la-Juhel at 223km & 1002km

It will probably be morning when you get here—this is my favorite control. As you enter town, bike racks are straight ahead, control card processing up the steps on the right. Food, showers and beds are across the street. There is a line to buy pastries at the card processing, but the real food is across the street. Don't try to lie down in the card processing room, they'll shoo you out.

Though we pass through countless thousand-year-old French towns, most
of the controls are in larger and more modern communes. Villaines-la-Juhel is a beautiful example of the former (the only control town NOT located on a national road), and though its population barely tops three-thousand, you'd swear every single inhabitant must be volunteering or just cheering the cyclists on at the control. Villaines-la-Juhel control opens on Tuesday at 3am and doesn't close until 11pm on Thursday—that's a lot of voluntarism! They take lots of photos here and post them on their town website, so smile!

Fougères at 311km & 914km

Pronounced "Foo-zhjehers", I think. When you pull in on Tuesday afternoon, there is bike parking on your right, but ride past it and up the hill to get to the bike parking at the card processing area. There are showers up there too. Ride back down the hill and re-park your bike in the other lot, then cross the driveway for food. Don't dally, the leg to Tinteniac is short and fairly flat.

Be extra careful around Fougères, I felt motorists there to be the worst. Maybe it was evening rush.

Tinténiac at 365km & 859km

Pronounced "Tin Tohn eeYak", rhymes with Cadillac, I think. Park your bike then walk ahead. Card processing is on your left. Farther ahead is food, indoor and outdoor. Outdoor might be sandwiches and indoor plates of hot food (upstairs?).

On the edge of Tinténiac you climb up into Bécherel then dive out of town. After that, I think its relatively flat to Loudéac. The sun will probably set long before you get to Loudéac. This leg is nearly twice as long as the last one—don't let that discourage you. Somewhere near Loudéac, expect to see the fast guys heading back already.

Loudéac at 452km & 773km

Also rhymes with Cadillac, I think. Around midnight, you'll ride in through the long maze of barricades and park, or lay your bike down at this, the most crowded of controls. To your left and up the steps is card processing and food. To your right is drop bags, showers and dormitory. Need a bed? Bonne chance! Mais, il est possible. Behind you is beer and mechanics (who likely do NOT speak English). Get ready for hills tomorrow.

Carhaix at 529km & 696km

Pronounced "Car-hay", I think. You'll get here Wednesday, mid-morning, if you slept at Loudeac. I think the Carhaix control is in a school that is closed for summer. If its cool (likely) you will be forgiven for forgetting that it is summer. Ride to the back of the parking lot, stop, dismount, turn right and WALK your bike through the hedges and onto the narrow sidewalk. Some folks try to ride through the hedges, in both directions—neither can see each other and the crashes can be ugly. Card processing and food are inside. If you need a bed or shower, grab your bike, walk back to the parking lot, turn left at the road, go down about a block (or two?) and there is another building on your left.

Head to Brest, via Monts d'Arrée National Park and Roc-Trevezel (great vistas!). Avoid the road edge, I think there are little but sharp pieces of flint in this area. Also, try to hold your line and not weave, or, at least be concious of cyclists trying to pass you.

Brest at 615km

Wednesday afternoon, you cross the Albert Louppe Bridge where the Élorn River ends at the bay. Looking inland from the Louppe you see the landmark Plougastel bridge. Continuing, you skirt the bay again, turn right and climb to the control. You never get to see the actual ocean, just the bay. Card processing, showers, food, etc. are all inside. There may be more food across the street. You ride out of Brest on a different route than coming in—no Louppe bridge. You rejoin the "allez" route somewhere after Landerneau. After Roc-Trevezal, I felt like there was loads of downhill to Carhaix—you should get there before dark.

Dreux at 1161km

Dreux was not a control in 2003—Nogent la Roi was. I did not make it this far in 2007—sorry.

Secret Controls

Expect a couple secret controls. The secret controls will likely also offer food. Bonne Courage!

News of a friend from Down Under

I’ve been saddened by a tragic accident halfway around the globe.

There’s a bit of a set-up, but here goes. Paris Brest Paris officials customarily schedule a mandatory bike inspection the day before the event. PBP 07 was no different, although ultimately the inspection was canceled because of rainy weather.

My wife and I were staying in Paris before PBP07, so the morning of the bike inspection I took the RER train from the city out to St. Quentin, where the ride started.

I wasn’t the only rider who did this and the PBP participants with their fully rigged randonneuring bikes were easy to spot. As we waited on the platform for the next train, I struck up a conversation with another rider. We were both equal parts of nerves and excitement. We only shared 15 minutes, a thin sliver of time, but it was enough for the first threads of friendship. When you're getting ready for a life-changing event like 1200K of cycling, friendships form easily.

He told me his name – Bjorn – but I got in my head that he was Ian. I snapped a picture of him on the platform.


Here he is. His gesture says it all. A fellow rider brimming with life and enthusiasm and confidence.

There are also a couple photos of him on the PBP photo site. His frame # is 4966.

I did not see Bjorn again, but I had his picture in my PBP folder. I had it in the back of my mind to email the photo to him so we could reconnect for a laugh or two.

Last week, an Australian rider named Ewen posted about this Research Trailer Park item. I saw the post, thanked Ewen for it, and took the opportunity to forward the picture of “Ian” and ask for help in hunting him down.

Ewen emailed back with the bad news:

This is a picture of Bjorn Blasse from Western Australia. Sadly Bjorn is in a coma in hospital after a parachuting incident a few months ago.

I was stunned. I had not expected anything like this. I’d so looked forward to surprising Bjorn with the picture and reliving our PBP adventures.

There is some information about Bjorn’s condition on the Audax Website, and Ewen has promised to keep me updated.

I also found Bjorn's Web site.

My heart goes out to Bjorn and his wife. I look forward to the day that Bjorn and I get to share another easy laugh.

Caption Contest Closed -- We Have A WINNER!

Thanks to all who participated in the recent photo caption contest. The Cap'n has pored over the entries with a fine-combed tooth and selected his favorites.

First Place goes to Adrian Hands. His entry:

Never one to trust arrows nor cue sheets, Cap'n scans the heavens for celestial navigation, like the randonneurs of the golden age.

Second Place goes to Anonymous for this entry:

"That's a long seatpost. How tall did you say you were?"

Prize packages are on their way.

PBP Photos

Thanks to friend Ed at the Daily Randonneur for this info. As you'll see, the good folks in France have been compiling photos taken during PBP07. Type in your frame number on this page and see if any photos pop up you haven't seen.

Click on the link at the bottom of that page to learn about some of the photographers who contributed to the photo database.

I found this shot of Capn Ende...I believe this is by photographer Gregg Bleakney.



Is he cursing the heavens or looking for divine intervention? The betting money says both...


I also found this great photo of JD, Glenn and Branson. I'll guess Le Roc, but maybe Branson can verify that for us.

PBP Medal In the Mail

Yes, here it is at long last. I also got my PBP brevet card, a results booklet that features Capn Ende's family on Page 51, and a DVD of the event.

I've seen a few reports of medals being lost in shipping. Mine almost suffered that fate -- the envelope had a five-inch gash in it.

Gregg Bleakney Photos Online

Photojournalist Gregg Bleakney took some of the best PBP pictures I've ever seen. He recently posted them on this blog site.

Here's how he described his mission:

In August of 2007, Gregg Bleakney, along with motorcycle driver Stephan Schier, set out from Seattle to photograph the Paris-Brest-Paris ultra-endurance bicycle randonee. Documenting the ride from the seat of a motorcycle was an adventure in itself but in no way compared to what these cyclists experienced as friendly locals cheered them along the 1,200 KM route through the wind, rain and cold weather that plagued this year’s event.

Did he get a shot of you? Have a look. You'll also find information about downloading and using the pix.

PBP 2007 Survey

RUSA has just posted an online survey to collect data on the latest PBP. If you participated in this year's event, you can help out by heading over to RUSA's home page.

Here's the survey announcement, copied from the RUSA Web page:

Win a RUSA cycling windvest!! Take the PBP 2007 survey.

Randonneurs USA is conducting a survey to learn more about our members. experiences at the 2007 Paris-Brest-Paris. If you participated in PBP 2007, please take the survey. Have your RUSA number and PBP frame number handy before you begin the survey. Three randomly selected survey participants will each receive a RUSA windvest. Results and analyses of the survey will be published in the American Randonneur, our member newsletter.

All surveys must be submitted by December 31, 2007.

Click Here to take the survey. (click here to Find your frame number)

Tar Heel Riders in the News

N&O reporter Joe Miller has just wrapped up his PBP series with a fine article that details the ups and downs of three Tar Heel riders -- Branson, JD and Glenn -- during this year’s ride. (Okay, Glenn’s technically from Virginia, but we claim him as our own.)

The three hung together for much of the 760-mile event, sharing many of the same pleasures and pains. Among the article’s highlights:

* Mountaineer extraordinaire JD Stewart claims this year’s PBP was harder than his climb of the 26,901-foot Cho Oyu, the world’s sixth highest mountain. That puts things in perspective, no?

* Branson describes the hallucinations he had during the ride. As sleep deprivation took its toll, Branson thought he was riding in Quebec. Perhaps that explains a one-hour detour during the event?

* Glenn describes the emotional lows he experienced during the ride, saying he got downright grumpy. And I thought that only happened to me…

If you still want more after reading the article, check out Joe’s blog for a few more anecdotes that didn’t make the print edition.

Bikes, Bikes, Bikes

When I traveled to France in August for this year's Paris Brest Paris, bikes were on my mind. I saw them everywhere -- on the streets, on the PBP route, at work and at play, in art and in advertising. As you'll see, les vélos are a big part of the French culture.



Here's a rack of the Velib bikes, a new self-service bicycle transit system launched by the city of Paris in July. More than 10,000 bikes, equipped with baskets and generator lights, can be rented at 750 locations around the city for as little as 1 Euro a day. The program looks to be wildly successful. We saw the stylish bikes everywhere we turned.

While touring the City of Paris Museum, I spotted this painting of a track race.



What better way to announce that La Samaritaine department store is closed for renovations than with a bicycle poster. Check out the dog in the basket.



This poster was in the door of an art shop just down the street from our hotel near the Bastille. Unfortunately the exhibit ended a few days before we arrived in Paris. That cyclist is in a very unorthodox riding position. Good posture, though.


Here's my very own steed on the train to St. Quentin for bike inspection. Certain train cars are equipped with hooks to hang the bikes out of the way.


You'll see lots of shots of bikes parked outside the gynasium in St. Quentin, where PBP check-in was held. I liked the way theses bikes lined up on the railing beside the soccer field.



Ende took this shot of English rider Drew Buck's vintage bike with a "retodrive" transmission, a two-speed set-up which required Drew to pedal his bike backwards uphill! Read more about retrodrive bikes here.



Here's Drew in action. I snapped this shot of him just outside Brest. Why the onions and the unusual bike garb? Read more about "Onion Johnnies" here.


Here's Cap'n Ende lifting his bike in a victory celebration on the Brest pedestrian bridge. "Careful," I warned him, "I've read that can cause kidney stones."


I took this shot of a postal carrier's bike in St. Jean de Luz. Notice the official emblem, La Poste, on the front bag and the down tube. Does the USPS use bikes? If they do, I've never seen 'em.




I took this shot of a bank poster in St. Jean de Luz. Why does this remind me of my buddy JoeRay? Hmm... that grade looks steeper than 3%....

Wet Weather Essentials

In the days leading up to this year’s Paris Brest Paris, my wife and I strolled the streets of Paris, riding La Grande Roue, ducking in and out of ice cream shops and patisseries. Life was sweet.

But as we did the museum circuit, I was slightly alarmed by how unsettled the French weather seemed. Yes there were patches of sun, but there were also heavy purple clouds, thick and low, sweeping across the sky. Twice we got caught in afternoon downpours.

Meantime, the weather predictions for PBP had turned from glorious to gloomy. Initially, various forecasts called for a slight chance of rain on Day 1, with lots of sun for days 2, 3 and 4. The sun icons were now gone, replaced by ominous rain clouds and a call for gusty winds.

Having ridden through the sun-filled days of PPB 03, I was hoping for the same this year. But as the start drew near, it was clear the ideal weather of four years ago would not be replayed.

I began preparing for the worst.

I’d brought half fenders, the kind that attach with rubber straps. I put them on about six hours before the start, followed by a quick shakedown ride to make sure nothing rubbed.

Next, I laid out my wet weather accessories. I had decided not to carry an extra bag on my bike for clothes. Simply put, I’d overpacked in ’03 and this time arond I opted for the minimalist approach. My plan was to either wear or carry what I needed in my jersey pockets, or in a Camelbak with its bladder removed.

My goal was to stay reasonably warm. I’ve largely given up on trying to stay dry on rainy rides.

Here’s what I wore or packed:

* Wool long sleeve undershirt. I consider my medium weight merino wool shirt by Smartwool essential cycling clothing for cool weather riding. Even when I was soaked to the bone during PBP, the wool kept me warm.

* Arm warmers. I carried the same pair of Campy arm warmers that I used in PBP 03. A no-brainer: they’re easy to carry, light and warm, and they can be pushed down around the wrists when the weather dries out or heats up. I often wore them under my wool shirt for added warmth.

* Leg warmers. I carried two pairs -- REI knee warmers and Campagnolo full leg warmers. There were times when I wore both pairs. They’re a good option because, like arm warmers, they can be pushed out of the way when not needed.

* Wind vest. I tend to get chilled when riding, even in warm weather. I wore a wind vest for most of the ride, even on the sunny portions of Day 2.

* O2 rain jacket. This thing is worth its weight in gold. It folds up small in its own little pouch, costs about $30 and weighs next to nothing. I pulled it out every time the rain turned heavy.

* Rain paints. I debated whether to carry a pair of goofy Performance rain paints. In the end I rolled them up really small and stuck them inside my Camelbak (I’d removed the bladder). Ende laughed when I pulled em out. But the longer it rained, the better they looked. They didn’t keep me very dry, but they did keep me warm, and they kept road grime off of my riding shorts.

* Ear warmers. I’ve gotten in the habit of wearing ear warmers to keep my neck warm. I don’t like the constricting feel of a balaclava. The ear warmers, in conjunction with a knit cap, produce the same result.

* Knit cap. I carried a knit cap that is essentially a lightweight winter cap that covers the ears. I wore it constantly at night and in the rain, but took it off during the relatively warm Day 2 as we headed out to Brest.

* Wool socks. I typically wore two pairs of thin wool socks. I did this for reasons other than warmth. I’ve found two pairs provide extra padding and help prevent numb toes.

* Neoprene shoe covers. These are not much different than the neoprene socks I sometimes wear for cold water surfing. They velcroed in the back and had an elastic band across the bottom with an opening for shoe cleats.

* Newspaper bags. I carried four newspaper bags -- the ones the carrier puts around your newspaper on rainy days -- and used two for the trip out to Brest and two for the inbound leg. At their very best, they managed to keep my feet relatively dry during the heavy rainstorm as we neared Loudeac on Day 2.

* Long-fingered gloves. Besides regular cycling gloves, I also carried a pair of light fleece gloves. They kept the hands warm, if not dry, during rainstorms.

The weather and the distance took its toll on the long-fingered gloves and the neoprene booties. Both were tossed at the hotel. I’ll replace both before the next long ride in similar weather.

PBP Photos

Resting before the start: Jimmy + Ende.

Five hours before and Im still working on the bike.

More rest before the start: Jimmy + moi.

Capn, Jimmy + me in the tunnel at the start.

Eating great soup at a town just after Loudeac.

Wes

Capn + Glenn.

Branson

Glenn

JD + Branson

Me atop Le Roc.

Me + Ende on the Brest pedestrian bridge.

Capn + ride.

Capn + hay.

Chris + Branson in town past Tinteniac.

Town Square

Capn + Pizza.

Capn fires.

Chris + JD + Branson. Glenn in background.

Me fini.

Back In

Quick note: In successfully. Bad weather. Now off to a proper vacation; full details and pix when we return.

Tracking PBP riders

At the time of this writing, it’s not entirely clear how rider tracking will be done. Your best bet is at the official PBP site or RUSA’s site.

You can look at the rider identification or frame plate number (mine is #4821; dossier is #6619). If you scroll down at the RUSA link above, you’ll see the frame numbers of all U.S. riders.

The ride starts Monday evening, Aug. 20, and finishes Friday, Aug. 24.

Note: As the comment indicates below, the PBP site now includes frame tracking #.

Wig OUT!

Let’s see…

I lost the 15 extra pounds I’d been carrying, like the Michelin Man, for about a year. Check.

My pre-PBP training is over, including a full brevet series, a few extra events and lots of centuries. Check.

The bike has been overhauled. Check.

Packing is under way. Check.

So, what’s left to do?

FREAK OUT, of course. Check.

Happens every time I do one of these long rides. With more than 40 brevets under my Sam Browne belt, including two 1000Ks and two 1200Ks, you’d think I’d build up a little confidence.

Nope. Circle a ride date on the calendar, any date, and I start to question everything, including my sanity.

Am I really fit enough to do this? Why didn’t I train more? Will those rain pants work? Where am I going to carry all the stuff I need to carry? What if I break a spoke? If I taco the front wheel, will my dynohub still work? Why didn’t I work out that shoe issue? Do I even know where my passport is?

On and on it goes, a little mental merry-go-round of madness.

On Sunday, I couldn’t take it anymore. I picked up the phone, called my buddy, Capn Ende.

His wife Amy answered.

She said: "Are you wigging out like my husband?"

Ahhh….a fellow tortured soul.

Suddenly, I felt better.

PBP Bike Maintenance

Through all of my July rides I’ve largely ignored the shape of my bike -- until this week, when I put it up on the stand and knocked off six months of road grime.

Then came the pre-PBP tune-up.

* New drivetrain. I have an estimated 5,000 miles on my chain, chainrings and cassette. The chain had so much slop in it that Ed, my LBS mechanic, was able to bend it -- sideways -- in a full circle. He installed an 11-27 rear cassette, a 50-T large chainring and a shiny Ultegra chain. Ed also put a hex wrench on the crank arms and tightened them down.

* Derailleur cables. After hearing horror stories about cables fraying and breaking inside the shift levers, I switched out both derailleur cables. I’ll ride this weekend and check for stretching and indexing issues.

* Tires & wheels. My rear tire showed signs of wear during the ride to Mount Mitchell. Last week I installed a new Michelin Pro Race. The front tire on the Schmidt wheel appears to be fine. I’m leaving that one on but will carry a spare tire just in case. I put both wheels in the truing stand and checked for loose spokes.

* Lights. I bought three new bulbs for my E6 light from Gilbert. I installed one and am carrying the other two. I’m also putting new batteries in my two taillights.

I think I’m good to go on the bike front.

Up next: the packing list.

Ten Small Things I’ll Carry on PBP (that Weigh Next to Nothing…)

1. Valve adapter. A presta-to-schraeder adapter is a carry-over from the days when I rode tubular tires. The plastic pump that came on my Raleigh International had a hard time hitting 90 pounds, so I often relied on the service station air pumps, where an adapter was needed. Air was free back then, and nearly every station had a hose. Old habits die hard, and I still carry an adapter, usually installed on the presta valve, although I can’t remember the last time I used one.

2. E-caps. My riding buddy Dean has convinced me that I often exhibit signs of mild dehydration on the longer brevets. His recommendation: take electrolyte tablets. I’ve been heeding his advice this season and it seems to be helping. I’ll continue the habit in France.

3. Skull cap. My bald melon gets chilled at night. Along with arm and leg warmers, I’ll also carry a thin skull cap tucked away in my jersey pocket.

4. Shoe cleat and bolt. Occasionally, I’ve had a cleat loosen up on my SPD pedals. I can’t imagine losing a bolt or a cleat, but you never know. I’ve seen it happen to other riders, and it’s a show-stopper.






5. Spoke wrench. I consider this an essential tool, especially on the frame I’m using, which has minimal clearance between the rear wheel and the chain stays. I’m also carrying a spare spoke or two, but if necessary I can true around a broken spoke on the drive side until I reach the next control.

6. 2-gig memory card for my camera. That gives me enough memory in my camera for lots of still pictures and a short movie or two.

7. Plastic bags. I was saved on a rainy mountain century by a trash bag I found along the Blue Ridge Parkway. It kept me warm on a five-mile descent. Lesson learned, I may pack it for France. I also carry several long, thin newspaper bags -- you know, the ones the carrier puts the paper in on rainy days. I’ve used those bags to keep my feet warm when the brevets turn wet.

8. RUSA lapel pins. I have about 20 RUSA pins that I’ll give out to the children who work the food and drink stands along the route.











9. Chain links, extra pin. I just installed a fresh drive train: big chainring, cassette and new chain. I had four or five extra links left over as well as a spare rivet. They'll be in my rear bag.

10. Lantiseptic packets. Have you seen those new 5-gram packets of Lantiseptic? Perfect for carrying on the bike. My buddy Capn Ende got a box and passed along a few.

Going for PBP #2: a Q&A with Paul Smith

Charlotte rider Paul Smith is heading to Paris this month for his second Paris Brest Paris. He successfully completed PBP in 1999; the picture shows him in the official jersey from that year.

I rode with Paul for the first time on a warm Lake Loop permanent last fall and discovered an amazing fact: he is one of four geography majors among the North Carolina randonneurs!

I asked Paul about that in an e-mail Q&A. His responses follow.

Is this your first PBP? No. I rode PBP in 1999. In 2003 I was set to go but had to cancel my trip two weeks before the event.

Why do you want to do it? I like the challenge and sense of accomplishment that an average cyclist like myself gets from completing long rides. Throw in a foreign country, nice scenery, good food and a few thousand other riders and its hard to resist.

A finish time in mind? In 1999 I had 16 minutes to spare. I'd like to have a little more cushion this time in case of a flat or some other problem in the last kilometers.

How long have you been randonneuring? My first brevet was in 1999. I've been doing long rides and an occasional self-contained tour since the early 1970's.

What got you interested in doing your very first brevet? I had been wanting to ride PBP for some time and knew you had to ride qualifiers first. My first was Richard Lawrence's Sauratown 200K. I was very fortunate to meet up with a group of 3 near the end of that ride, Woody Graham, Ann Mullins and Liz Crotty. They jokingly said that if I could finish this ride then PBP should be no problem and I believed them.

Most scenic brevet route you've ever ridden? I recently rode a 400K in Ohio through the Amish country that had wonderful scenes of American farm life. The most scenic, however, had to be a Boulder, CO ride that went from the plains up one canyon to the Peak-to-Peak highway then down another. I dnf'ed after surviving the most terrifying thunderstorm of my life.

How do you spend your 9-5 weekdays? I work at a Geographic Information Science research center at UNC Charlotte and teach in the geography department there.

Is there any good explanation as to why the N.C. randonneurs apparently have 4 GEOGRAPHY MAJORS? Maybe it’s all the time we spend working with maps and wondering what's where and why it’s there.

Does your professional life ever come in useful while you're on the bike? Eventually, every randonneur needs good map reading and wayfinding skills, so that background helps.

C’ing Double...A Q&A with Chet and Cyndy

Well, well here’s a first for the Trailer Park: a Tag Team Q&A.

We’re delighted to have caught up with Raleigh’s very own tandem randonneurs, Chet Buell and Cyndy Van Der Wiele. They're veterans of the 2003 Paris Brest Paris. Cyndy says they were so elated when they crossed the finish line in 03 that they vowed, then and there, to go back in 2007. They’re among the 21 Tar Heels heading to PBP in August.

Did you know Chet and Cyndy are the ones responsible for both of North Carolina’s “1000Ks from Hell”? They say next year’s course will be really hard….Early registration is now open.

Read on to find out how this dynamic duo got started in randonneuring, how tandem riding helps their marriage, and what goals they have in mind for this year’s PBP.

What got you started doing brevets?

Cyndy: It was New Year’s Eve 1998 and it seemed like a good idea at the time. No, seriously, I was doing TT’s at the State Games of NC and thinking about new directions, new challenges and was considering doing triathlons in 1999. I went to the NCBC January 1999 meeting and Gilbert Anderson and friends were giving a program on Paris-Brest-Paris. It sounded like fun, so I had my ancient 12-speed Peugeot transformed into a randonneuring bike with Campy triple, lights, etc. I did my first brevet series, riding the 300km during an unscheduled date and I hit two dogs, got bit, continued, finished within the allotted time, and the rest was history. I was going to do PBP ‘99 with Joel Lawrence on his tandem, but he bailed out in late June (not enough training miles), and I was so psyched for PBP that I sent in my registration as a solo rider. Despite not successfully completing PBP, I was determined not to give up and that’s how Chet and I purchased a tandem bicycle in October 1999. We wanted to do it together.

Chet: Well there are two answers for this, one short the other long, so for the short answer: I was tired of staying home while Cyndy went to all the exotic places. The long answer: After Cyndy’s first attempt at PBP I thought that given enough training and enough effort we could make it. I was the first to suggest that we do it on a tandem then Cyndy got on board with the idea of the two of us on one bike working towards the same goal.

What was the longest ride you’d done before your first brevet?

Cyndy: a century-- my first was the one in Savannah, GA in 1997.

Chet: In my youth I had ridden several multi-day rides, but never with a time limit, I think the longest was about 300 miles over 4 days.

What’s your motivation in heading over to Paris Brest Paris for the second & third time?

Chet: A good friend (Woody Graham) explains randonneuring as proof that you are missing the “This is stupid gene” but in all honesty I want to go back to just have fun, PBP 03 for me was very tough. I ate something that made it almost impossible for me to eat for 24 hours. I lost close to 25 lbs. and struggled with so much the first day that I can not remember much for that time period.

Cyndy: 2003 was our first on tandem and I wanted Chet to experience what I had experienced in 1999. This time, it’s because when we rode into the finish, we were so elated, we immediately said to each other that we were going to be back in 2007. We’ve basically planned our life around it-- university education, work opportunities, etc., all have to accommodate PBP.

Any time goal in mind?

Chet: I am proud of our previous times for all our 1200k rides: BMB in 2000 83:22; PBP 2003 71:27. But as for a goal this year, mine is to have fun and enjoy the ride.

Cyndy: Well, we finished in 71h27m in 2003. We were the 13th tandem out of 65 or 67 tandems. It’d be nice to finish in less than 70 hours, but I’m not going to have a nervous breakdown during the ride and clock watch. We’ll ride as strong and hard as we feel; I think we’re going to go as far as we can before taking a sleep break (Chet didn’t take one during Boston-Montreal-Boston in 2004 until 42 hours into it). In 2003, we took a sleep break in Carhaix on the outbound, and Fougeres on the return-- about 3 hours sleep at each. Now that we’ve done quite a few brevet series and 3 1000km randonnees, we trust each other as far as minimizing time at controls.

What book/music, if any, are you taking to Paris?

Chet: I will probably be taking one or two text books with me, I have one semester left as an undergraduate and my classes begin while we are in France. So even though I will be missing the first few days of class I will need to keep up with my class work.

Cyndy: No books! We’ll probably pick up more French music CD’s. We fell in love with Yannick Noah and Grand Corps Malade [alias of slam poet Fabien Marsaud].

How has randonneuring changed you?

Chet: Physically my body seems to be able to put up with more sustained effort, and prolonged aches and pains. Mentally: I think I drool more when asked questions that require thought. ;)

Cyndy: It’s had a huge effect. Things don’t phase me as much. You learn not to panic but to think through problems. Plus a tremendous amount of self-confidence.

Favorite randonneuring memory?

Chet: BMB in 2000, we were cresting one rather nasty climb, and when I saw the road before us drop in a straight line I called out to Cyndy that we were going to give it everything we had, going from ultra granny to max gear we pushed forward, I think we topped out at 65+ mph. As we reached the bottom I asked Cyndy if anybody was behind us. Her reply was “what?” then we both heard a voice say, “You dropped everybody but the fat man!” A former racer from Scotland (Al Sutton) caught our wheel and drafted us to the bottom.

Cyndy: Lots of memories...watching a red moon rise and meteor showers, the conversations in the middle of the night with friends while riding...crazy sights along the road, the Potomac Pedalers 1000km in Virginia (our first 1000km) and seeking shelter along the road during a severe thunderstorm (we were cold and soaking wet and they offered us ice cream!), some great memories of the 2001 Gold Rush Randonnée, PBP of course. Not so favorite memories: loose dogs at night, hitting a deer on our tandem during the 2007 400km brevet...the cold rain of the 2003 N.C. Flèche, the sleet of the 2007 N.C. Flèche, riding the 600km thru the night with T.S. Barry...

What’s the last song you had stuck in your head during a ride? (And did you sing it out loud on the course?)

Chet: Having a misspent youth mired in rock & roll with no natural singing attributes, I now listen to many different types of music from techno to bluegrass. But for some reason when riding I hear Frank Zappa tunes in my head, and no I dare not sing any tunes from Joe’s Garage while riding along. That is for fear of what my stoker might think if I were to jump into song about Catholic Girls, or a Crew Slut, let alone Why does it hurt when I ………..? Plus my singing has the effect of making people leave wherever I am.

Cyndy: I always have music in my head; the tunes change according to what I’ve been rehearsing/playing lately (I play with N.C. Wind Orchestra, Duke Wind Symphony, Triangle Wind Ensemble, and others) as well as music I’ve been listening to. No, neither one of us sing out loud.

Have any other obsessive hobbies we should know about?

Chet: Obsessions, Compulsive behavior? Not me……1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9…………

Cyndy: Doing brevets extended my daringness to becoming certified (red card) as a wildland firefighter [forest firefighter]. I also judge orchids through the American Orchid Society, Inc.

Which is worth more: your car or your bikes?

Cyndy: We’ve paid less for our cars than for our bicycles...putting the Litespeed on the 1987 Volvo wagon we jettisoned last August raised its worth by 500% or more...

Chet: That will be true for our 95 BMW wagon when we put the new tandem on it.

Any special challenges in being on a tandem versus single bikes?

Chet: By that question I will assume that you have never ridden a tandem.... The first thing to remember is you do not double your output by adding another person to a bike. My favorite formula works like this: 1 rider + 1 rider on a tandem = .75% total output of the stronger rider. So hills are slower than you might expect and the flat cruising speed is slower than either person can do. What this creates is a sense that the other person is not doing their part. For our first season riding a tandem it was Cyndy who was thinking this. As for me it was all I could do to keep up with her. It was not till our third season that we hit our stride and were able to work very well together.

Cyndy: It works better if both are at a similar fitness level and if both riders have similar objectives regarding riding a brevet. Otherwise it can spell trouble...the advantage is you always have someone to ride through the night with/someone to keep you awake, navigation is way easier, and motivation. Also, making sure that we are both well-hydrated, keeping up nutrition, etc. is easier on a tandem. It’s easier to let that slip when you’re on your own and just keep pressing on (on a tandem, you can feel the other person’s energy wane or the crankiness level increase when they’re skimping...).

Does being a tandem team ever strain your marriage?

Chet: We still have our moments on the tandem when our voices can be heard over long distances, usually accompanied with rough sounding vocalizations of raw emotions, but we have learned that these moments pass and we can work with each other better if we get what is bothering us off our chests.

Cyndy: uh...I think I’ll plead the Fifth Amendment on that one...the first season of doing brevets together on the tandem was the toughest because of the learning curve (it was Chet’s first year), plus we had just started tandem riding and that whole learning curve, and we had to get a feel for each other’s riding styles, randonneuring philosophy,etc. Now, it’s just a matter of the relative stress levels in our life. Ultra-distance riding (and the pre-ride nerves, tiredness, etc.) can bring other issues to the surface; the togetherness forces you to deal with issues rather than ignore them, so it can be good and bad. On the whole, I think tandeming and randonneuring have enriched our marriage because of the trust developed between tail gunner and captain (technical descents), the shared experience of the rides, etc. It would be hard to convey those experiences to a non-randonneuring spouse; we have our own set of inside jokes.

What question do you wish I’d asked you guys?

Chet: Any suggestions for those that have not done PBP or any of the other 1200K rides? Just have them ride with us and ask all they want, plus remember to bank your time so you can finish. If anything happens that may throw you off your planned time remember that a goal is just a target do not get hung up on the fact that you will miss that target. The main target is to ride, enjoy, and finish. If you can do all three then it is a successful ride, two of the three (finishing) the it was successful, only one and you finished then ask others for advice on how to enjoy riding 1200k events. There is a wealth of knowledge out there from those that have done this before, use it to your advantage....(I did)

Cyndy: Do we have a name for ourselves? Team C’ing Double...

Bon appétit: A Q&A with Keith Gardiner

Not all of the bike clubs heading to Paris are bringing their own chef. But North Carolina has Keith Gardiner, the department chair of the culinary program at Guilford Technical Community College.

Even for chefs, sometimes simple is best. Keith says he likes PB&J sandwiches while on the bike. And off the bike? Last year, he cooked 40 filets for his MS team. Quick--somebody sign him up for the N.C. Rando Nutrition Committee.

Now in his second year of randonneuring, Keith is one of 21 Tar Heel riders heading to France in August for Paris Brest Paris. We caught up with him for an e-mail Q&A about his dreams and aspirations for PBP, where he hopes to have his best ride meal yet.

How many years have you been randonneuring? Two. I started last year with the Sauretown 200 in HP, did it again this year, became a RUSA member and decided to shoot for PBP.

What got you started doing brevets? There are a bunch of riders that ride the ST 200K in High Point as a rite of spring, so to speak. I ride with a bunch of them throughout the year so I decided to give it a shot. I love a challenge.

What was the longest ride you’d done before your first brevet? 116 miles

What’s your motivation in heading over to Paris Brest Paris? I was doing the ST 200 this year. Ended up out on the road by myself with a lot of time to think… and said I can do this… or at least give it a shot. So I decided to find out where all the qualifiers were and that is what led me to meet all of you in the Morrisville series.

Any time goal in mind? 80-ish is what I’m thinking now.

What book/music, if any, are you taking to Paris? I will bring my iPod that is fully loaded with everything 1,500-plus songs, books on tape and such. I will bring a France sightseeing book and a Bible.

How has randonneuring changed you? It has made my ass a lot sorer.

Best meal during a ride? I eat anything, but I do not like to eat too heavy while riding. I like bananas, sandwiches of all sorts. PBJ travel well… others you have to get along the way. I’m hoping my best meal during a ride will take place somewhere in France… I have yet to experience it. However last year for the tour to Tanglewood a MS fundraising ride, I brought the grill and some filets and fed the whole team, about 40 people Filet, corn on the cob, salad, Savoyard potatoes, bread and a fresh vegetable medley to tide them over after the first day of riding. So I guess that has been the best so far.

You’re a chef. What’s your best dish? I love to cook anything Italian or ethnic. I do not specialize in any one dish. Having been a Chef in the industry for 17 years I have many great dishes… then having been a chef educator for the past 13 years I have perfected many. I can do it all. I am trained in Classical French cuisine so I am really looking forward to this trip. I prefer hot food, entrees, app’s, soups and sauces, but I also teach cold food, ice carving, sausage making, smoking & curing… you name it, I can do it when it comes to a kitchen.

Favorite randonneuring memory? Getting in out of the rain at White Lake this year… boy was that a welcome stop!!!

What’s the last song you had stuck in your head during a ride? Collective Soul, Simple… I was listening to it on my iPod during the last ride. Great beat to get you up those hills.

Have any other obsessive hobbies we should know about? I like woodworking, gardening and of course cooking… but that is far more than a hobby.

Which is worth more: your car or your bikes? My bike, by far!

"Their simplicity is elegant": A Q&A with Byron Morton

I’d seen Byron Morton over the years, usually working the wrenches at Gilbert Anderson’s shop, but I’d never spent much time talking to him. That changed when, in advance of last weekend’s permanent ride, I drove my car down to Swan Quarter and hitched a ride back with Byron.

Byron’s got one of the c.o.o.l.e.s.t. cars on the planet -- a Suzuki Samurai that screams Third World and apparently flips on a dime. People notice it. As we cruised home, a girl on a riding mower -- and in a bikini -- waved. That doesn’t happen every day. Damned shame, too.

On the drive back to Raleigh, I grilled Byron about his jobs, his cars, his bikes, his rides. The most amazing thing I learned: the man actually knows how to fix a Sturmey Archer hub, the bicycling equivalent of a Rubix Cube.

Byron is one of the Tar Heel riders heading to Paris Brest Paris in August. He graciously agreed to a Q&A and discussed how he got started in randonneuring and how the sport has changed him.

How many years have you been randonneuring? I started riding brevets back in ‘98 when I was working for Gilbert at North Road. I completed my first full series in ‘98 and I’ve done random bevets in the years leading up to this year.

What got you started doing brevets? When I was working for Gilbert, he was always telling these great stories about epic rides and this thing called "P-B-P" -- Gilbert is a grreat storyteller. I liked touring and randonneuring seemed to be a natural extension of that. I’d done a bit of MTB racing, but racing really wasn’t my thing. I like the self-sufficient aspect of randonneuring as well as the camaraderie.

What was the longest ride you’d done before your first brevet? Probably about 75 miles. I was a little scared of my first brevet series -- didn’t know if I could finish the rides -- each one was a new personal record.

What’s your motivation in heading over to Paris Brest Paris? I’ve been wanting to do P-B-P ever since Gilbert first told me about it. I’d hoped to make it in ‘99 and ‘03, but I just couldn’t get all of the pieces of the puzzle to come together.

Any time goal in mind? Just to finish and enjoy the ride. If I’m in danger of missing control cut-offs, then I’ll rush -- otherwise, I plan to ride at a pace I feel comfortable with.

What book/music, if any, are you taking to Paris? I’m reading David Sedaris currently, but I doubt I’ll take him to France with me. I’ll take a cheapo mp3 player with something upbeat to keep me rolling if I get tired at PBP. Probably take a book of sudoko puzzles & magazines (cycling, of course).

How has randonneuring changed you? It’s hard to be a procrastinator and a randonneur. I’ve always been a bit of a procrastinator.... Randonneuring has taught me how to listen to my body and trust my instincts. I’ve also learned alot about focus and determination.

Best meal during a ride? Got to be the hot dog I had in the wee hours of the morning at the Siler City control while on a 400k in
2003 -- it was divine. I was doing the ride with a couple of friends on an alternate weekend -- it was the longest 400k in the history of randonneuring -- we barely made the cut-off time of 27 hours.

Is it true that you know how to fix a Sturmey Archer 3-speed hub? Yep. I love hub gears. I love mechanical things in general -- when I first started working at Bikes USA (before I worked for Gilbert) we had a customer bring in an old Schwinn with a Sturmey Archer hub that wasn’t working. All the mechanics in the shop were standing around like monkeys scratching their heads trying to figure out why the hub wouldn’t work -- we ended up selling her a new wheel. I decided that I was going to figure out how a 3-speed worked. I found an old, small bike repair booklet at Readers Corner that covered the Sturmey Archer in depth and dedicated myself to learning how to repair one. Their simplicity is elegant.

Favorite randonneuring memory? There’s so many. One of my favorite memories came last year (‘06) on the 300k. It had been raining hard for the better part of the day and when we rolled into Andrew’s store on the way back in, I was in a really foul mood. We were all dripping wet and I was the first one to walk into the store. When I entered the store a young boy around 12 years old took one look at me and proclaimed "riding in the rain sucks!" I couldn’t help but smile and agree with him -- that completely changed my mood and I enjoyed the rest of the ride.

What’s the last song you had stuck in your head during a ride? Can’t remember any. It can be the greatest song in the world, but if it’s stuck looping in your head for 200k+ it’s the most annoying song in the world.

Have any other obsessive hobbies we should know about? You mean besides bikes? I’ve taken up gardening lately, which has been going pretty well. My car requires a fair amount of regular tinkering -- I try to tell myself it’s a hobby as opposed to a pain-in-the-ass.

Which is worth more: your car or your bikes? Oh, bikes definitely! But that isn’t saying much! You’ve experienced what I drive!