Fwd: [SFRandon] 2012 Flèche NorCal

[Rob Hawks]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Roland Bevan <fle...@sfrandonneurs.org>
Date: 2012/1/11
Subject: [SFRandon] 2012 Flèche NorCal
To: San Francisco Randonneurs <sfra...@googlegroups.com>


Hello, riders.
This year's edition of the Flèche NorCal will take place on the weekend of April 7-8. The web page can be found at: http://www.sfrandonneurs.org/fleche-norcal.htm
Whether you've participated in the past or are considering it for the first time, now is the time to start rounding up team members, choosing a captain, and deciding on a route.

Because it's a team event, registration for the Flèche is handled a bit differently than other SFR events. The captain is responsible for registering his/her team, submitting the route, paying for team members, and receiving/distributing brevet cards; thus there is no formal registration entry on the SFR brevet signup page. Instead team captains should contact me directly to receive the link to the team registration page. Riders should work directly with each other to create a team, choose a captain, and decide on a route.  Once you have formed a team please let me know of your existence, as one of our concerns is ensuring that we have enough room to accommodate all riders at our preferred finish location (Crepes on Cole)  and we'll need to make alternate arrangements if the Flèche becomes too popular.

If you're new to randonneuring here's a brief description. The Flèche is a unique randonneuring event where teams of cyclists ride for 24 hours from multiple starting points and all converge on a common finish location, where tales are swapped, calories are consumed, and delirious, and much fun is had by all the delirious, sleep-deprived cyclists. Towards that end, SFR will sponsor a breakfast for all registered riders on the morning of Sunday, April 7th. Please note the following:

1) This is a team event, and rules are a bit different than for a regular brevet. Please check the official rules on the RUSA web site:
http://www.rusa.org/teamrando.html and http://www.rusa.org/flecherules.html

2) SFR does not create teams or place riders on teams. Riders must work with each other to create a team. If you'd like to participate but don't know anyone else who's riding, please post a message to the SFR list stating that you're looking for a team, and your preferred starting region. Captains with room who are looking to fill out a team should watch the list for these messages and contact these riders directly.

3) If you're having trouble making sense of the rules or have any questions, please email me at fle...@sfrandonneurs.org. I exist to serve!

Let the games begin!
--
-Roland Bevan
SFR Fleche Coordinator
fle...@sfrandonneurs.org

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[Aaron Little]

I'm interested in doing a flèche this year and am looking for a team, or team members for a south bay start location.

I am willing to captain if needed, although I've never done one of these, and the rules are still a bit confusing to me. (I'm still confused why it's "useful" to make the route longer than 360km)

The route I scoped out starts at Camden/Almaden Expy in San Jose (my perm start location), goes to Hollister using first leg of the Evergreen-Uvas permanent route - Aptos - Marina - Pescadero (post card) - Pacifca - (using SCR routes) then to the Finish.  Route is just over 360km. - Caltrain back to San Jose post breakfast.

Email me offline if interested.

--
Aaron

---

From: Roland Bevan <fle...@sfrandonneurs.org>

To: San Francisco Randonneurs <sfra...@googlegroups.com>

Sent: Wed, January 11, 2012 9:10:41 AM

Subject: [SFRandon] 2012 Flèche NorCal

[Kevin Foley]

Howdy, I'm a North Bay fleche candidate. I've never done a fleche
before but have done my share of brevets and would like to be
considered for a team. Please let me know offline. Thank you.

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"Life can only be understood backwards, but it must be lived forwards"
Kierkegaard
“ ..reality is illusion. But it never looks that way" --- seen at Zuccotti
Park, NYC
__o
`\<,
*)/(*)

Kevin Foley KF6YUF PBP Ancien 2007

[Roland Bevan]

Hi, Aaron. The reason it's useful to have a route longer than 360km is a bit strange, but has to do with what happens if something unexpected happens during your ride (accident, major mechanical, etc.) Having a longer route means your ride schedule should have you passing the 360km point earlier in the ride, and then if something delays you from finishing your entire route within the 24-hour period, you're still able to get credit if you can satisfy the 22-hour and 24-hour criteria:

1) Ride at least 360km within 24 hours. So no matter where you are at the 24-hour point, find some approved way of verifying your location at that time.
2) Cover at least 25km between the 22 and 24 hour points. Again, no matter where you are at the 22-hour point, find some approved way of verifying your location at that time.

So if your route is 380 km and something unexpected happens causing you to arrive at the finish 25 hours after you started, your team is still able to get credit for the ride if you can satisfy those two requirements.

2012/1/11 Aaron Little <aarond...@yahoo.com>

[Colin McNamara]

Looking forward to the Fleche to top of my R5000. This should be an active topic on the lighthouse 200k in a couple weeks.

[Thomas Haggerty]

Wow, I hadn't realized this!  This opens up the option of setting up a more challenging distance for a fleche route that may be tougher to finish in 24 hours without any extra worry of losing credit for the ride.  And the promise of the fantastic breakfast will be the perfect motivation to push on through and finish that >500k distance in 24 hours.

Thanks for clearing that up Roland!

Tom

2012/1/11 Roland Bevan <fle...@sfrandonneurs.org>

[Roland Bevan]

Of course, it's still a 24-hour ride - explicitly picking a route which will take you 28 hours to realistically finish is a Bad Idea, as well as making it very unlikely that anyone will be there to buy you breakfast at the finish. So if you're able to comfortably finish a 400k in 20-22 hours, then a 400k flèche will probably work for you. On the other hand, early spring is a notoriously unstable weather period, so it may be prudent to keep the route on the shorter side (offering longer opportunities for shelter as needed), or you and your team-mates may be cursing each other the whole way.
  -Roland

2012/1/11 Thomas Haggerty <tdhag...@gmail.com>

[MarkGunther]

And it's supposed to be a fun, relaxed ride, sit down meals, hanging out, telling bad jokes, rescuing brutally abandoned, lonely Sponge Bobs from the side of the highway . . . . .

Mark Gunther

(415) 515-4733

[banks...@gmail.com]

My lonely Spongebob now sits on my desk, keeping an eye on me and all Rivet work daily!

Lonely no more…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Debra C. Banks

banks...@gmail.com

720.933.1252

[Laurie and Doug Wainwright]

Sponge Bob rescue is key to the ride experience.  2AM meals at Denny’s are a regrettable necessity. 

 

Doug