I pre-rode my buddy Rick's 200k route to check out the navigation cues for his upcoming brevet, open to all registered randonneurs next Saturday April 30, when I will be a volunteer working one of the controls.
I rode basically that same course during the brevet with a lot of other randos back in 2019, the last time it was held before Covid-19 (I think). It was also the last time I rode such a distance, and I wanted to see if I could still do it. Things went pretty well; I felt satisfaction that my body was still up to it. I did find myself shaking my fist and cursing the double-digit winds, especially late in the ride when the Hammonton blueberry fields I was riding thru provided no shelter. And early on my fingers went a bit numb; the earlier forecasts showed 46F at my start time, but at ride time the thermometer read 37F and my hands were under-dressed for at least the first hour.
My end-of-ride reward was a most welcome bowl of chili and a beer at the start/finish of the route, the Lower Bank Tavern, owned by a randonneur, Bill Reagan, who graciously allowed me to park my car there for the day.
Solo, on the Spesh Roubaix.
Course map, elevation profile and pics here:
https://ridewithgps.com/trips/87809432
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