After 11 years of organizing the brevets for the great St. Louis Missouri area I have retired as Regional Brevet Administrator.  I want to thank every rider who has come and supported these events over the years and ask that you continue to support them in the future.

Dennis Smith has graciously accepted the role of Regional Brevet Administrator and will be heading up the rides this year.  Check out our “Calendar of Events” for the 2016 dates.  AS a new RBA, Randonneurs USA (RUSA) only permits new RBAs to host a few events their first year.  This makes sure they understand the duties and do not become overwhelmed by the process.

Dennis is a great friend and loves the brevets.  I am confident he will do a great job.  If you would like to welcome Dennis, his email address can be found on the contact page.

Hopefully I will see you on the road!

Reset your computers, make sure your cars are locked and you are free to ride.  Those, or similar words will be spoken as we kick off our first 200K tomorrow, Saturday March 29^th at 7 AM. The forecast has settled down in a day in the low 50’s with 10-15 mph winds out of the north.  If this pans out, the ride south in the morning will be glorious!  The return trip back north to Edwardsville is where you will need your strength and patience.

As a reminder, lights and reflective gear are optional (but recommended)  with a 7:30(ish) twilight.  If you think there is ANY possibility you may be on the road longer, PLEASE bring front and rear lights. I have already mounted mine for the season, they don’t weigh much and I rather be safe than sorry.  and be on the safe. I hope to you see during registration between 6:00 AM and 6:45 AM.  The ride will start at 7:00 AM. 

Our first event of 2014 is now just a few days away.  In case the date has slipped your mind, it is Saturday March 29. Registration opens at 6:00 AM and closes at 6:45 AM. In order to ride, you MUST arrive and register during these times. We will have a brief pre-ride meeting to discuss the route, rules and answer any questions around 6:55 AM.  The ride starts promptly at 7:00 AM.

I have posted the 2014 waiver on our site.  To save time Saturday morning, you can open the waiver online, fill it out, print it and bring it with you.

The weather forecast for Saturday (currently) is for temperatures to reach upper 50's to 60 degrees with mostly sunny skies.  I am HOPEFUL with the forecast that we will have great weather.  Feel free to obsess over the weather just like I do.

While lights and reflective gear are optional, Illinois State laws require lights and reflective gear be worn after dark.  Plan ahead and think about your fitness level for this time of year.  A front and rear light do not weigh much, why not just put them on before the ride.

I look forward to see you Saturday.

2014 Season is Less Than 90 Days Away

I was talking with my friend Dennis this last weekend and he reminded me that the first brevet of 2014 is March 29th.  That is less than 90 days away!  I think it was a reminder that 1) I needed to post the Calendar of Events for 2014 to the website and 2) it is time to set up some goals for this year.

After taking 2013 off and only offering a few 200K and 300K events, the 2014 season will host a full series (200, 300, 400 and 600K) of ACP events.  My Calendar of Events is up to date as of this posting.  I hope you will check out the calendar and join me and other riders from the mid-west for some or all of these events.

I have kept the ride prices the same for the last four or five years.  This year the 200K remains at just $10 per rider.  The 300K and 400K events remain at $15 per rider.  I did raise the 600K event from $20 to $25 per rider.

Yes, it is 2013. It is January, the weather is cold and rain is on the way. I wanted to give a quick note to tell you the 2013 calendar of events has been posted to the St. Louis Randonneuring website.

You will certainly note that for the first time in eight years I am not offering a full ACP Brevet Series. I am offering an abbreviated schedule of several 200 kilometer and two 300 kilometer ACP events. I am offering two 200K events in April and dual 200K/300K events in May. Prices for the rides remains the same as it has been for many years, $10 for a 200K and $15 for 300K events. I certainly appreciate every rider who attends and keeps our sport alive in the greater St. Louis area.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. My contact information is located on my "contact" page on the website.

April 14 Brevet

Hello riders. It is now just 24 hours before the April 14th brevets. I have been checking the forecasts for the St. Louis area and the weather is going to be a little more challenging than the last brevet. Currently the morning forecast is for temperatures around 58 degrees with a 50% chance of scattered storms. By noon the temps should climb to near 72 degrees, still with chances of scattered storms. By evening the temps should be 77 and yes, still those pesky chances of rain. Winds all day are mostly out of the south growing in intensity later in the day. That should make for a nice tail wind north!

First, if you are riding the 300K, you will need lights (front and rear) as well as reflective gear. Lights for the 200K are optional as the sun will be up before we head out and not set until nearly 7:45PM That said, lights and reflective gear are always a good idea. If you think you may take longer that 12 and a half hours to complete the event, then make sure you DO have your lights and reflective gear.

Second, all riders, 200K and 300K should think about rain gear and visibility in the rain.

Registration will begin in Edwardsville at 6:00AM, closing at 6:45. Please make sure you register during those times. The 200K distance fee is $10, and the 300K event fee is $15. Exact change is much appreciated. See you there.

Calendar Update ** Important **

It was brought to my attention that my April Calendar of Events did not properly list the dates and start times. If you are already looking at events for St. Louis and Springfield MO, please check the Calendar of Events page to make sure the event you want is listed and what the registration and start times are. I apologize for the confusion and any inconvenience this error has caused.

The brevet season is off to a good start

March 31 was the season opener for the St. Louis brevet series. The morning temperature was in the low 50’s with the rising sun and blue skies early on. Not being a fast rider, this RBA took up the rear position (lantern rouge) heading out of the Edwardsville IL parking lot.

16 riders started at 7:00 AM as they headed along the Madison County IL trail. As with most brevets the early pace was quick but riders settled into their rhythm and found other riders to talk and ride with. The group broke into multiple groups. Fast riders itching to put in a fast time were quickly off the trail and heading east towards Pocahontas and Greenville.

While St. Louis brevets have been ridden in temperatures ranging from 14 degrees to over 100 degrees and precipitation which varies from snow, sleet, sprinkles, rain and downpours, today’s event topped out at 76 degrees with no precipitation and a light breeze. You could barely ask for a better day to ride.
Of the 16 riders who started the 200K event, 14 finished, and all finished under ten hours.

Thank you for supporting the St. Louis and Springfield MO events, and I look forward to seeing you on the road again soon.

Calendar of Events for 2012

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

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

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

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

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

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**

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

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

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

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

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

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.