Super Randonneur Medal!

I was excited to get a small envelope today. I knew what was inside, and roughly what the small medal looked like, but unwrapping it was like receiving a gift.

But unlike a usual gift, this one requires a good deal of work to get. "Work" such as a 200k (grinding the hills of Tahuya), a 300k (big wet loop down south), a 400k (the mountains!), and a grueling 600k (I hate headwinds). It was well worth it!! And big thanks to Nick B. for handling the paperwork and getting these out.

The congrats letter said that there were about 1,100 111 other Super Randonneurs for 2008 (in the USA) - congrats to all! I definitely want to earn another one next year, maybe two. (And go for the R-5,000 as well, maybe)

Super Randonneur 2008!

I qualified for the "Super Randonneur" award! Congrats to all the other Super Randos (some even did a double-series, R-12, R-5000, etc). Can't wait to get that shiny medal at the end of the year.

My official stats listed on rusa.org read Super Randonneur, RUSA 2300 km. That's 1,429 miles "official" pedaling this year. It's been a great first season of brevet riding, and I've met many randonneurs along the way, and learned a lot about long distance riding from them. Here are a few tidbits I've picked up:

• It's OK to sleep in a ditch, on the side of the road
• Lighting is important, as is reflective gear
• Ensure isn't just for older folks
• Limits are set in your mind, for the most part
• You can get away with riding on some pretty crazy roads (e.g. Interstates like I-90)

A recap of the brevets I've done this year:

• 3/15: Kent-Black Diamond "Chili Feed" 200k. DNQ'd the ride since we missed a control by 10 or so minutes. But it was a great first brevet! Rode to the start, in the rain. 
• 4/6: Lacey-Vader-Chehalis 300k. This was a cold one, and it took us quite a while to finish, but it was a great ride! 
• 5/3: Bremerton-Elbe-Bainbridge 300k. This ride ended up being one of my fastest overall finish times, and was another fun one. 
• 5/17: North Bend-Cle Elum-Leavenworth-North Bend Three-Pass 400k: Up to this point the brevets had just been rides smaller than I'd done before, but with paperwork. But this one would be different. Way different. I'd done Cougar Mountain before, but never a a mountain pass. And we were about to do three of them in one ride! To top it off this was going to be 80k/50mi more than I'd ever done before. Pretty daunting. But in the end it turned out to be one of the best rides I've experienced. (pics)
• 6/7: Issaquah-Leavenworth-Ellensburg-Enumclaw-Issaquah Four-Pass 600k: One of the toughest things I've ever endured. Or attempted to endure, anyway. My first official DNF, and oh did it sting! Not to mention the DNF was ~530k into the ride.. I hope we're doing this route again next year! (pics)

At this point in my season I had everything needed except a 600k to get the SR award. My season wasn't over yet! Other brevets:

• 7/26: Tahuya Hills 200k: Another great ride, and it was tough too. Can't wait to do this one again, and would be a good day ride to do any time of year.
• 8/17: RUSA 10th Anniversary 200k: DNFd to help a friend out, but still got to see some great hills & roads. 
• 8/23: Redmond-Granite Falls-Marblemount-Baker Lake-Snohomish 400k: Ended up being a lot tougher than I thought! Also the first time I really had to navigate at night, by myself. Mark Thomas really knew how to throw together a great route on this one!
• 9/13: Eatonville-Paradise-Packwood-Windy Ridge-Ellensburg-Eatonville "Ramrod++" 600k. Ended up DNFing this one due to mental deficiency. I so wish I'd conquered this one!! Next year, perhaps.
• 9/20: The Dalles, OR-Pendleton-Richland-Mabton-The Dalles 600k: Not to be put off by a failure the previous week, I successfully did a 600k!! Had to travel to Oregon to do it, but in the end the extra travel was worth it.

Mixed in with these rides were some other rides that were pretty fun too:

• 5:26: Hills of Kirkland Century
• 6/23: Tour De Blast
• 6/29: Seattle To Barlow Pass
• 7/12: Seattle To Portland
• 7/31: RAMROD 2008 (Starting/ending in Seattle)
• 9/7: SIR's "Mountain Populaire" 100k

I think next year will look similar, but with of course a whole new host of routes and experiences. And possible a 1200k such as the Gold Rush Randonnee down in CA.. and more permanents as well.

But the year isn't over yet!! Even though the weather is changing and the days are getting shorter, my enjoyment of riding isn't decreasing. I'm planning on riding to Leavenworth this weekend, mostly following the route in this 200k permanent. I didn't have time to really plan this out, so I'm just doing the ride for fun. Well maybe fun isn't the correct word, but I'm not doing the ride for "credit." Just for the challenge.

But I can't wait to get credit for a bunch of rides next year!  Thanks to SIR for getting me hooked on these crazy-long rides!