Saint Louis Randonneuring

Calendar of Events for 2012

2011-11-11T11:41:00.002-06:00

The Calendar of Events for 2012 has been updated on the website. Ralph will be hosting a 200K in March and a 300K in April in the Springfield Missouri area. For the St. Louis area, we will be hosting two full ACP series (200, 300, 400 & 600K) out of Edwardsville Illinois.

I know winter is creeping up on us, and this morning is was below freezing for the first time, but I suggest everyone take a nice break from cycling then come back and prepare for next season.

Wrap It Up

2011-08-16T19:21:00.004-05:00

Yes, I know, there is still one more brevet this weekend. But I am also assuming some of you are wondering where your brevet cards are. I did get an email a week ago from RUSA. They just received a big shipment of brevet stickers. However, RUSA is a little busy with PBP.

I would expect the stickers sometime early September. I will then spend some mind numbing evenings watching tv and applying stickers to all those cards and get them in the mail to you as quick as possible.

Even before the final brevet in St. Louis is ridden, I want to say a thank you to the solo rider who braved a 4-5 inch snow storm to ride and finish, to those who rode in the rain, those who rode through flooded roads after a massive downpour, and finished, to those who rode into headwinds, and a few tailwinds, to those who rode in the heat and humidity in June and July and finished, and to every single person who came out and tried their best and had a good time despite the results.

600K and Wilkey's Diner

2011-06-09T14:46:00.002-05:00

I just got off the phone with the good folks at Wilkey's Diner in Belle Rive. The restaurant is open for business and will be open on Saturday as riders pass through.

While Wilkey's is not an official checkpoint this year, I do highly recommend stopping in and having something to eat and refill your bottles for the trip down to Thompsonville.

These are very nice folks who run this restaurant, and are very accommodating to us crazy two wheel pedallers. Be kind to them and they will bend over backwards to encourage you to get back on your bike and down the road.

Results Posted for 2011

2011-05-19T19:10:00.001-05:00

Okay campers, or cyclists, as the case may be. I have posted the results of all 2011 events through last week. I have also been able to load all results of all events going back to 2000.

600K Route Map Updated

2011-05-14T18:34:00.001-05:00

I have posted an update to the 600K route map on my site. If you are planning on riding any of the 600K events, you should download this file.

600k Brevet Route Update

2011-05-13T15:23:00.002-05:00

Update on the St. Louis 600K Route

I was able to contact Wilkey’s Diner in Belle Rive, our normal checkpoint. The restaurant will NOT be open until after our first 600K on May 21. I will move the official checkpoint south to Thompsonville and will have the brevet cards updated for this ride.

It is VERY important to note that with Wilkey’s closed for this first event, there are limited opportunities for food and water stops. At mile 111 in the town of Dix there is a 24 hour gas station. At mile 132, Markham Lane, there is a gas station/mini-mart which closes at 3:00 PM on Saturdays. If you miss this refuel opportunity, your next chance will be at mile 166 in Thompsonville. Please plan your fueling strategy accordingly with extra waterbottles, foods and hydration systems.

If you have questions, please contact me.

600K Route Notes Important

2011-05-11T19:46:00.000-05:00

In case you didn’t see it on the STL Brevets website home page, I have some information to share regarding the upcoming 600k events.

Fellow rider, Dennis Smith and I drove the 600k route on Saturday May 7. The route is in good shape with the following important notes:

1. The Belle Rive checkpoint at Wilkey’s Diner is closed for repairs. The note on the door said it would reopen soon. There are no alternates available in Belle Rive. This means if you plan on riding the 600k on May 21, be prepared to around 50 miles without ANY services. With Wilkey’s closed I will either have riders sign their own cards and mark their time of passage, or will move the checkpoint to Dix (mile 111) or south to Thompsonville (mile 166).

2. Tunnel Hill Trail was closed due to flooding, but was reopened last week. Dennis and I rode from Vienna north to New Burnside, then back down to Vienna. This section of trail is about 15.5 miles long with the first three miles having some soft spots and a few rough patches. After about 3 miles, the trail is in good shape for the remainder of the trip to Vienna. As a note for those who have not ridden Tunnel Hill Trail, it generally goes uphill for the first 7 miles to the tunnel, then 9 miles downhill to Vienna. It is crushed limestone surface. Dennis agreed that the last nine miles to Vienna is in the best shape either of us has ever seen it. Let’s hope and pray that continues. Should it rain much in the next week or so I do have an emergency reroute already predriven and cue sheet addendums available.

3. The route from Pinckneyville east to Eden has been on Route 154 for several years. I have rerouted this along farms roads just north of the previous roads. Mueller Hill Cemetery Rd has much lower traffic and the hills are gently rolling with one or two short steeper sections. I am working on changing the maps as I write this. I will try and have the “final” map online by the weekend.

Please check back to see about any updates. Again, May 21^st riders should expect and plan for at least 50 miles or so with no services (no food or water). Bring extra food, water bottles and or a hydration system to get you through this stretch.

April 30 Events - Flooding

2011-04-28T07:39:00.002-05:00

I have been on the Illinois Highway Department websites, and have checked the 200k, 300k, and 400k routes. As of right now, Thursday morning, it appears the 200k and 300k routes are okay.

The 400k has flooding south of Pinckneyville to Ava. Two of the three roads down there are under water and closed. The third alternative is not listed, but I will be calling the highway department today for verify.

There may, probably will be route changes on the 400k. If we can not get into Ava, I may turn the 400k into an out and back to Pinckneyville. I will look for options and let you know.

Waivers of Liability

2011-03-06T20:11:00.000-06:00

It is just one week prior to the first brevet, Saturday, March 12. It seems to me this has just snuck up on me and reminded me that ... "It's time to ride brevets again". After a long, cold, snowy and stormy winter, I am looking forward to getting back on the bike, clearing the cobwebs from my brain, the rust from my legs, and the fat I have packed on all winter long.

If you are planning on riding in March and/or April, I have the Liability Waiver online. The file is an interactive PDF file which you can download, fill out, print and bring with you the morning of your event. If you forget to do this ahead of time, I always have Liability Waivers on hand.

Check our calendar of events page for dates, distances and time for all of the rides. As always, if you have any questions, drop me an email or give me a call.

Lighting Update

2011-03-02T08:21:00.000-06:00

I have been getting some emails about lighting requirements for the upcoming events, and I wanted to clarify a few points.

I do not require lights or reflective gear on the March 12 or March 19 200k events. Many riders can easily finish a 200k event in ten to eleven hours, which is before sundown. However, and this is a big however, some riders ride slower, take longer breaks along the route, and may not only be pushing to finish before sunset, but by cut off time, which is 13 1/2 hours, 8:30 PM.

You know your ability to ride in the rain or wind better than I do. If you think there is any possibility of pushing a 200k finish beyond 6:15 PM, then please mount, and use your front and rear lights, and have your reflective gear with you as well.

As reminder on this subject, Illinois State Statutes, indicate that riding a bicycle after sundown without front and rear lights is illegal. Don't put your left at risk because you don't want the extra half pound of lights.

Updated Results Coming Soon

2011-02-07T11:56:00.000-06:00

I have been working on the STLBrevets website again. I have received a full database dump from RUSA for all brevet finishers that rode in any St Louis regional event since 2002. This, interestingly enough includes a 1,000 kilometer brevet held back in 2002.

I am working on adding this data and will have the result pages updated in the near future.

Photo Update

2010-12-06T09:23:00.000-06:00

First I want to say a happy holidays, and a merry Christmas to everyone.

It is December, it is cold and a challenge to ride outdoors these days. I have brought my bicycle indoors and have it on my trainer in front of the TV. I have some Spinerval videos as well as movies and television to keep my mind from numbing.

Now for the important stuff. Thanks to George Jarad I have added a new photo gallery for 2009. George provided bag drop and roaming support on the June 600k brevet. George was kind enough to take some photos during the event and forwarded them to me. They are now up on my galleries page, under 2009. You can click here view them now if you like.

Do you have any brevet photos you would like me to add to the St. Louis Randonnering web site? Drop me an email and I would be happy to add them, and give you full photo credit.

It's Up and Running

2010-11-08T20:39:00.000-06:00

STLBrevets has an all new look and feel and is now up and running. For those riders already chomping at the bit for the 2011 calendar you can see that online now.

I hope the new site is easier to navigate and I do my best to keep it all up to date. A special thanks to Randy Johnson for his in depth testing of the site.

2010 Brevet Cards

2010-11-01T20:55:00.001-05:00

All brevet cards are in the mail and on their way back to you. I look forward to seeing you all in March.

New Website Coming

2010-10-26T10:52:00.000-05:00

That's right! An all new stlbrevets.com website is in the works. There will be no change in address. You will still go to stlbrevets.com, but the site will have a new look and feel as well as much more content.

Personally, I am very excited to have this project just about done. I am currently running the site through Internet Explorer, FireFox, Google Chrome and Safari (for Windows) and making sure everything works. I do know that you will need to enable javascript for everything to look and work its best.

Unless I run up against something unforeseen, the new site should go live around November 13.

End of October Wrap-Up

2010-10-19T07:41:00.000-05:00

I received the last of the brevet stickers from RUSA over the weekend. Last night while watching some mind-numbing episode of something I can't remember, I sat and attached those stickers.

I will be sorting all the brevet cards for the season, and packaging them all up. My plan is to get them out the door and into your hands by the end of October.

End of the Season

2010-09-19T14:22:00.001-05:00

Wow, time has been flying. Each year the time feels like it is speeding up and flying by. All events for 2010 have finished. The last one was... well... about a month ago.

Next year's calendar is in the works and will be submitted to RUSA before the end of the month. I am looking at a minimum of two full ACP super series, with additional events thrown in.

The ACP requires all riders preparing for Paris-Brest-Paris to have completed their qualification no later than June 26th. Any brevets held after that date will be RUSA sanctioned events, and will NOT qualify you toward PBP or ACP awards.

I have been receiving some of the ACP certificates and have been sitting in front of the TV matching brevet cards and certificates. I do not have all certificates however, so sending them back to you will happen once I have the final certificates, mostly likely the end of October.

In the mean time, just kick back, ride your bicycle for fun, fitness, and mental health, and be safe.

One Last Time

2010-08-10T12:59:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it? The final St. Louis event of the season is upon us. If you avoided our July 17 ride due to the heat and humidity, you have one last chance to complete a local event.

St. Louis Randonneuring is hosting a 200 kilometer and a 300 kilometer event starting in Edwardsville IL on Saturday August 21st. Registration for both events opens at 5:00 AM and closes at 5:45 AM. Please make sure you have completed your registration by 5:45 AM so as not to delay the start. Both events will depart at 6:00 AM.

As a reminder, the 200K (125 miles) gives you 13 hours, 30 minutes to complete the event. The 300K (186 miles) gives you 20 hours to complete the event.

I look forward to seeing you there.

July 17 Recap of Events

2010-07-21T13:25:00.000-05:00

On Saturday morning, July 17 St. Louis Randonneuring held two events; one a 200 kilometer (125 mile) ride, and a 300 kilometer (186 mile) ride. The 6:00 AM start had 75 degree heat already, and by mid afternoon had topped 105, with the heat index.

For the 200K event, we had eight starters and six official finishers. One rider took a short cut back to the start, and another rode past the cut off time, but finished anyway.

The 300K event had three riders start and all three managed to finish, all well within the cut off.

Congratulations to all riders those who came out in spite of the weather challenges and gave it their best effort. Preliminary results will be posted to the website in the next few days.

There is a 300K ACP brevet which starts/ends in Marion IL. Registration for this event is 5:00 AM to 5:45 AM, with a ride departure of 6:00 AM. This will be the first running of this event and we desire your feedback.

Our last ACP events of the year will be August 21 leaving from Edwardsville for a 200K and 300K option. Let us all pray for a bit less heat and humidity for these.

Saturday, June 26 Brevet Recap

2010-06-30T13:01:00.000-05:00

What can you say about a day that begins at 4AM and the temperature is already 75 degrees. By mid morning it would already be in the 90’s and top out (depending on who you listen to) near 100 degrees with a heat index (humid-temp) around 107 to 110 degrees.

While it is a challenge to ride 50 miles on a day like this, nine riders gave a 375 mile brevet a go. Three riders chose the 252 mile event, one rider a 186 mile ride, and two riders (the smartest of the bunch) did a 125 mile ride and were done before noon.

The heat did five riders, including the RBA, John Jost in, and they decided to retire before being buried alongside the road or becoming food for birds and wolves.

This was the second 600K of the season, and unfortunately the last opportunity in the St. Louis area to earn your Super Randonneur medal. Some of us will need to wait until next year, or will need to drive to another venue and pray for cooler weather.

June 26th Limited Inn - Share Available

2010-06-21T08:56:00.000-05:00

Hello riders!
I have been contacted by one of the faster riders who has reserved a room at the Limited Inn in Vienna for the 600K. If you are interested in sharing the room and expenses, contact me and I will provide the rider's contact information.

The weather for this coming weekend's events is ... well... just darn hot. Be smart in your riding, hydration and food choices, bring plenty of strong sunblock and take your time.

See you Saturday.

St. Louis Brevet Updates

2010-06-17T10:58:00.000-05:00

Happy June. I hope you are riding, and more importantly, enjoying your riding. I wanted to send out this email for several purposes.

First, is an event reminder, June 26 is the last opportunity this year to complete a 400K and or a 600K. June 26 also have a 200K and 300K option. Registration for all of these rides is 3:00 AM to 3:45 AM with all riders departing Edwardsville at 4:00 AM. You can, of course, register the morning of the event. Lights and reflective gear are required for all riders.

Next, I am looking for a volunteer to help with the bag drop on the 600K ride. Bags will be dropped at the Limited Inn in Vienna (mile 212 or so) by 6PM, and will be delivered back to Edwardsville the following morning between noon and 1 PM. The volunteer can either drop bags off and head home (returning in the morning) or stay in a shared room in Vienna. If you are not planning on riding, and would be willing to volunteer, please contact me via email and we can discuss the details.

I would also like to reminder riders of several 200 and 300K opportunities later this summer. July 17 in Edwardsville is a 200K/300K option.

July 31 will have a 300K event (new this year) starting in Marion IL (southern IL). If at all possible, please come down for this Marion event and provide feedback on the route. This may be good hill training for those wanting to head to Paris, or those who think the other 300Ks are just too flat.

On August 21 in Edwardsville is a 200K and 300K option and this will be the final events on the 2010 calendar.

Please check my website for registration and ride times for all events. Thanks for your time, and keep riding strong, and safe. Again, if you would be interested in volunteering, please contact me. Your help and support for the St. Louis brevet series is greatly appreciated.

May 29/30 Vienna Hotel

2010-05-25T14:55:00.000-05:00

I have had several riders inquiring about sharing hotel rooms in Vienna for the 600K this weekend. If you have a room in Vienna, and are willing to share with another rider or two, please give me a call or email me and I will pass along your name and contact info.

600K Cue Sheet Updated

2010-05-25T08:08:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Dennis Smith who pre-drove the 600K route last weekend. Several updates have been made. The only changes from the previous map are as follows:

At mile 128.3 "Turn left on Fairfield Rd (stop light). The road name sign is missing. However, it is the ONLY stop light you encounter as you head south on Harmony Lane.

At mile 150.4, there is road construction on Frisco Lane a little before Ewing Rd. The road crew is replacing a few culvert pipes across a low area and the road, for about 100 feet is currently dirt. There is a sign saying the road is closed, but Dennis was able to drive across it, and you should be able to safely walk your bike, or pedal carefully.

At mile 257.6 The road name has been updated to reflect IL-127/Old Hwy 13.

Updated maps has been posted to the registration page of my website.

The weather for Memorial Day is looking good. I hope to see you there.

May 8th Brevets

2010-05-12T11:00:00.000-05:00

Edwardsville hosted three events on Saturday May 8, 2010. We had four riders enter the 200 kilometer ride, three riders entered the 300 kilometer event, and 11 riders entered the 400 kilometer event. Of the total 18 riders who started, 15 finished within the respective time limits. Results will be posted to my website and submitted to RUSA by the end of the week.

The real story of the day was the weather. Basically, the weather was an instant-replay of 2009. We had morning temperatures around 46 degrees and warmed up to 60 degrees with mostly sunny skies. This isn’t really too bad, but the wind…. The wind… Winds were out of the north, north-west and west-north-west all day long. According to official data, winds averaged 14-17+ mph all day with maximum sustained winds between 25 and 27 mph and gusts to 32 mph.

This gave a wonderful tailwind most of the way south, but nasty winds to fight all the way back to the finish. Personally, I think the 200K riders had the worst winds, followed by the 300K riders. I was glad to be on the 400K event as I could continue south with the wind, and hope and pray the wind would die down at some point. With the sun setting, the winds did indeed die down.

I have not heard of any problems with riders driving home as yet, and hope that everyone took my advice to get some rest before heading back out.

Thoughts for a 400K

2010-04-19T20:51:00.000-05:00

As the 400K is just around the corner, I wanted to take a few minutes to make some suggestions. Whether you are experienced or new to night riding, I hope these suggestions get you thinking and planning.

As a reminder, all riders MUST have front and rear lighting, reflective vest or sash AND reflective ankle bands on BOTH ankles. These items are not optional. Rules are clearly stated on RUSA’s website as well as mine. Don’t have the proper lights, and reflective gear? You have two options, get what you need (buy or borrow) or choose a daylight only event.

Lighting: If your lights are battery operated, make sure your batteries are fresh, and you have spares available. If you have a generator system, it is a good idea you check your connections and perhaps have a backup light that is a battery light in case your primary light fails. While on the subject, a helmet light, something like a Petzl or a clone at Home Depot, Wal-Mart would help in case of a fl*t or reading maps at night.

Clothing choices: Once the sun goes down, it doesn’t matter how warm the day was, it is going to get cold. Dress in layers and make some room in your bike bag for an extra layer. Watch the weather, watch the internet and dress accordingly. Be prepared for rain, sun, wind and cold. We can get it all.

Hardest Distance: Depending on how you look at it, and who you ask, the 400K distance is the most difficult of the series. You do not get any sleep like a 600K, and will be up late, late, late.

With a 5 AM start and a 27 hour time limit, riders may finish anywhere from 11PM to sunrise and everywhere in between. It is not only dangerous to yourself to drive when you are not alert; it is dangerous to other people on the road. I highly, Highly, HIGHLY recommend that once you get back to your car, you take a few hours to nap before driving any distance. Your life and your family are worth getting rest before you drive. Put a change of clothes, a blanket and pillow in your car and get adequate rest so you don’t endanger anyone.

Final thoughts: Your RBA also rides many of these events, so SAG support is not offered. If you are not able to finish, call a loved one for support. It is your responsibility to make it back to the start/finish.

April 10, 2010 - 200 & 300K Brevets

2010-04-12T15:31:00.000-05:00

Another beautiful day for a brevet or two. St. Louis Randonneuring hosted a 200 and a 300 kilometer brevet out of Edwardsville IL. Six riders chose the 200K and 14 riders rode the 300K. Only one rider did not finish the ride.

Challenging all riders was the usual stiff breese (wind) out of the south. The winds lasted all day and slowed progress until making the turn back toward the north. Once the sun set, temperatures dropped and riders donned additional clothing and made it back to Edwardsville. For the 300K event, the last riders pulled in before 12:30 AM, well in advance of the 20 hour cutoff.

Congratulations to all finishers. I look foward to seeing you on May 8th for another brevet. We will have a 200K/300K and 400K options available.

300K Route Update

2010-04-03T15:18:00.000-05:00

Just an update, I received an email from one of last week's riders, (Miles Stoneman) and he pointed out an error on the cue sheet (around Damiansville). I have just got back from pre-driving the southern loop of the 300K and have also updated one additional error there.

As it is very important to keep maps correct, I have updated the 200K, 300K, and 400K maps accordingly and have posted updates to the registration page on my website (check out the links above).

Please make sure that you use the correct map for your respective events. As usual, I will have updated maps available during registration.

I look forward to seeing you Saturday.

200K Brevet - March 27, 2010

2010-03-30T13:41:00.000-05:00

Wow! What a great event. 23 riders (22 men, 1 woman) toed the line for our first 200K (125 mile) event of the year in Edwardsville IL. Morning temperatures were in the mid to upper 30’s with afternoon temperatures getting into the mid-50’s.

The story of the day was not the temperatures, but the wind. I have said it over and over again, ‘what we lack in hills we more than make up for in wind’. This was true once again as we headed east for 30 miles into a cross headwind then south for another 47 miles into Okawville (our turn around point).

Being the first event of the season, my legs were burning and screaming as I pulled into Okawville, mile 78 and I was so thankful that I am healthy enough to be able to have sore legs from a ride. Just imagine what you would give for a day of headwinds and sore legs if you were no longer healthy enough to ride.

What we had been fighting all day should have become our friend. Should have, but… didn’t happen. That SSE wind became an easterly wind. This change still was nice heading out of Okawville and back into New Baden. The northern leg back to Marine IL was cross winds, but the final 11 miles heading west along Fruit Road was sheer bliss with a strong tailwind. After 115 miles, I was cruising along at 20+ mph, and I heard other riders saying they had stretches up to 28 mph there.

April 10 is the next date on the brevet calendar, and we will be holding two events, a 200K and a 300K. Registration is 5:00AM to 5:45AM with a ride start time of 6:00AM. Front and rear lights, along with reflective vest/belt and reflective ankle bands are required. I look forward to seeing you there.

Springfield MO Brevet March 20th Postponed

2010-03-19T12:46:00.001-05:00

Due to forecasted ice for Saturday's brevet (March 20) in Springfield MO, the 200K brevet has been rescheduled to next weekend (March 27) at the same time and location. We are sorry to have to change the schedule, but rider safety is paramount!

So... we will have two events on Saturday March 27, one in Springfield MO, and the other out of Edwardsville IL.

Route Updates

2010-03-17T15:15:00.000-05:00

Wow, can you believe it? This year's first brevet is THIS weekend (March 20) in Springfield, MO. I just heard from Ralph and he has updated the route a little due to road construction. Check out his site for information by clicking here.

Next, the first brevet for the St. Louis area is just over a week away. You should note that the route has changed a little here as well. I have posted updated 'Web Route Sheets' to my site for your reference. The change is minor. After the Breese IL checkpoint, you still turn south on Germantown road, followed by a right turn on Breese Rd. The change is here. You will now turn south on Drive Inn Rd, not Linden Grove. This change was made since we have had several issues of flooding on Highline Rd near Route 8 (Albers Rd). This new route is a little flatter, and hopefully less prone to flooding.

If you have not done it yet, check out your tires, your patch kit and tire pump. Make sure everything is in working order. Lights are not required for this 200K, but lights and reflective gear are required starting on the April 10th events.

I look forward to seeing all the riders. Here is to a great, and safe season.

New Website

2010-02-01T15:50:00.001-06:00

Well, I tried, but failed. Late last fall when geocites webhosting ended, I moved my site to hostse, another free hosting site. Unfortunately, you sometime get what you pay for. The site has been down for days at a time.

As a result I have spent money this time to host the site properly. the new url for Randonneuring in St. Louis is www.stlbrevets.com. I hope this site will be up and functional. There appear to be many more options now, so you may see some changes to page layouts and functionality in the future.

As a reminder, the first brevets are now... less than two months away. I hope you are out and riding.

New Website for St. Louis Events

2009-10-27T13:00:00.000-05:00

I had a free site on geocities for the last several years. Yahoo, which owned the geocities sites has discontinued hosting free sites. I have moved all pages and results from previous years over to a new site: http://stlbrevets.hostse.com will take you there.

The calendar of events for 2010 has also been posted.

2010 Calendar of Events

2009-10-20T12:37:00.000-05:00

This morning I received email confirmation of the calendar of events for 2010. I should have these posted to the St. Louis Randoneuring website soon.

There will be events hosted in Saint Louis (Edwardsville IL), as well as a 200K and 300K in Springfield Missouri, and a 200K and 300K brevet in southern Illinois this year. I thank Ralph Rognstad of Springfield and Miles Stoneman from Marion IL for their desire to host brevets in their area.