Rob,  The e-mail that Dan referenced is where I got the impression that the number of brevet miles rather than length were going to be the means of determination.   I do understand that RUSA is doing the best they can to deal with a new situation. I am not trying to be critical, just to understand how to best maximize my chances of perhaps going back to PBP one more time. Since my state does not have a brevet series, it does require planning on how to best use limited time. I have nothing but respect for people willing to give of their time to cover volunteer positions.  Melissa

On kinda the same note.  With the need to accomplish a 400K as big
part of the mix, will a 400K fleche count for a 400 or just a little
longer fleche?
Mike G

On Oct 28, 4:44 pm, Melissa Hall <lissa...@yahoo.com> wrote:

Mike,

Good question ... and one that will ultimately need to be answered by the
ACP.  But I would be very surprised if the ACP would consider a fleche + 40k
the same as a 400k.

Regards,

-Tom Rosenbauer
Eastern PA RBA

Melissa,

I have little doubt that you will be able to secure a spot for the 2011 PBP.  The concern that I have is that the means of determing how the quota will be filled within each country is still not clear.  While the 2011 edition of PBP is a little over 21 months away, the 2010 brevet season, which it looks like will be used to determine prioritization, is only 63 days away.  There are 20 ACP brevets scheduled in January.  I hope that we learn sooner rather than later as to what the plans are so that we can all make plans for next year.

Steve Rice

On Oct 29, 10:47 pm, Steve Rice <sr...@insightbb.com> wrote:

----------

Audax Australia has spent quite some time over the past year
communicating with the ACP regarding the method of allocating the
Australian PBP quota.  The ACP has explicitly stated that, once the
PBP pre-qualification has been achieved (400, 300 or 200 in 2010), PBP
entry prioritisation for Australians is done by Audax Australia, as
per their original communication.  Audax Oz's PBP entry prioritisation
methodology was fixed prior to the 2010 calendar being set and has
been available on the Audax Oz website for weeks.

I'm surprised that RUSA is only now going through this process.

RUSA is ~not~ only now going through the process as you incorrectly
write (below).

The RUSA Board has been thoughtfully discussing this matter and
communicating with the ACP about PBP 2011 entry for as long as the
leaders of the Audax Australia. The Australian group has has chosen to
follow one route for their group, while the RUSA  leaders are
considering other ways to organize the American contingent. Also
remember that being in the southern hemisphere, our Australian
colleagues have to get their qualiying done six months sooner than we
do, so they may feel a time pressure we don't.

In any case, I'm not worried about the RUSA leadership handling our
entry into PBP 2011. If others are, by all means emigrate to Australia
asap.   ;-)

Bill Bryant

On Thu, Oct 29, 2009 at 12:25 PM, LittleWheelsandBig

For those interested in reading what process Australia will use to
allocate their PBP quota, here is the link. This has nothing to do with
RUSA and the American quota, but is interesting, nonetheless.
http://audax.org.au/public/images/stories/MajorRides/PBP/Australian%2...

On Oct 29, 2:14 pm, Bill Bryant <bill.bryan...@gmail.com> wrote:

Bill,

Thanks RUSA board update and Australia comment noted, too.

But what RUSA president Lois S wrote 2 days ago describes RUSA's role
as much more likely to be passive that what your board update advises,
and easy to see confusion and why this thread has carried on...

Regards!
Mike

After reading the Australian rules, they seem to have the benefits of
being easily understandable, fair, and quickly arrived at.

If there is pressure within RUSA's Board to allow those with the time,
effort and inclination to ride multiple series OR time cut-offs
priority in registration, I hope this is open for discussion on the
list. As I realize that I am at or near the end of my randonneurring,
the thing I regret most is taking the sport too seriously; I think
many of us do. If the largest randon community in the world moves
towards distance competition or stratification it will be sad.

If it becomes difficult or impossible for a club rider to go to PBP
with a two year effort, it will slow growth of the sport. I have heard
others talk about the churn in RUSA membership. Some of this is
inevitable - this is a physically demanding, time intensive and
expensive sport. Scuba diving has the same problem.  On the other
hand, outside of a listing as a new member and a ride calendar what
encouragement do they get from RUSA - not the RBA - if they do a 200
and 300...???

I love the sport, and after I stop riding, I'm sure I'll be at events
doing support - so, still, see you on the road.

On Oct 29, 3:44 pm, Mike Biswell <mikebisw...@comcast.net> wrote:

For reasons of climate, many brevets in the South West region of the
USA tend to take place in the earlier months of the calendar year.
(The Southern Arizona Randonneurs' first brevet of 2010 is on January
2nd: http://www.azbrevet.com/routes.html ). So, it would be
particularly helpful for riders in this area to know the RUSA's
allocation procedure as soon as possible - thanks.

On Oct 29, 2:14 pm, Bill Bryant <bill.bryan...@gmail.com> wrote:
  ............. Also

Bill Said:  "...If others are, by all means emigrate to Australia
asap."

Easy there big fella, that's not very good advice.  Emgre's ought to
pick Japan, or Brazil, China maybe, best to move to a country with no
quota.

As for the qualifying etc, maybe it's time for a little
introspection.  Lets all put down the sports bottle full of Kool Aid,
step away from the window and maybe turn and look in the mirror for a
moment.

The 2010 RUSA ride calendar represents an embarassment of riches.
Even so, I understand that access may be a severely limiting factor
for some riders, riders who otherwise might make great candidates for
completion of PBP.  And, given that, we all want to know the formula
as soon as possible so that we can plan our entry qualification
strategy.

I have faith that the Board is, and has been trying to sort out the
most equitable criteria, and I also believe that the'rules' will be
available in time to l make a smart plan.  I'm sure that me, a back of
the pack rider with no connections, declaring that "it's all going to
work out' probably does nothing to lessen the anxiety. But focusing on
your frustration won't help a whole lot either. Just as an
observation, I gotta say that the discussion sounds like an effort to
try to figure out what the minimum requirement for entry will be.

So I think it is reasonable to change the focus a little, turn that
microsope around, use it as a telescope to try to look almost two
years into the future.  Do this and I think (I hope!) you'll find that
there are LOTS of things you can be doing to get ready and lots of
time too.  May I just suggest here that between today and the start of
PBP there are about 650 days at your disposal to 'get ready".

Besides the as yet unknown ride qualification requirements, what else
do you think you need to do to get ready?  I would not suggest packing
your bag, that needs to be done, but obviously, now's not the time.
But what else?  Wat is it that you should do to better prepare
yourself for the PBP experience that might take a little time, or
which might best be undertaken in the 'off' season'?  here are a
couple suggestions:

Par Lay Voo?
Can you speak Fench?   If so, could your French be a little better?
Let me tell you it is not at all necessary to know one lick of
French...but I also know absolutely for sure,that the more Fench you
know, the better your PBP experience will be.  First, you will be a
much better ambassador.  This you may not think of as a part of riding
PBP, but sometimes people hang expectations on you that you maybe
didn't want.  Just comes with the territory, get ove it and get on
with it. More than just being a good citizen of the world, French also
has some very obvious practical applications.  Learning French is not
something you can do on the plane ride over.  Get a cassette, get a
book, put that commute to wrok to better use, My wife and I did that
in '03 and it helped.  in 07' we took a conversational French class at
the local communty college, that too helped.

Get cold and wet
Here in the Northern hemisphere we are heading into the 'rollers'
season.  Let me suggest that you make an effort to ride outside, at
least a little and maybe a lot.  If you've ridden a 200K or a 300K
event thorugh a New England winter (or MInnesota, or Bozeman or
Portland [either one])you are eminenlty better prepared for a long
ride through Brittany in the 'summer'.  All jokes about August in
Brittany aside, I think we would agree that if you've ridden through
winter weather here, you are better prepared  (physically AND
mentally) for a summer ride in Western France.  I gotta tell you, I
think that would have helped a lto of people finish in '07.

Passport please
Do you have a passport?  if so, when does it expire.  I've already
checked mine and i';s good for the ride, but I remember the last time
I got one: it took longer than I expected, longer than the post
office  people said it would.  I bet it takes longer now.  How busy
are you RIGHT NOW?  Too busy to check your passport?  Too busy to
start the process?  Remember, there is getting those pictures and
completing the application, all of that.  Not something to put off
until the last minute.  I doubt there will lbe any mercy at the gate
if you let that slip.

Mental prep.
I am sad to report that I personally spoke with people who quit PBP in
07' because in their words "it just stopped being fun".  I've made
this rant before but it bears repeating.  Here I'm not looking at you,
I'm looking in the mirror as I take this personal little pledge: If I
am lucky enough to get to the PBP start line, I will do everything I
can to finish.  I would feel terrible knowing that I got in and
someone else didn't if I gave up before I had done all that is
possible to finisih.  I'm not talking about taking runreasonable
risks, but I do believe that good prep would include doing some things
that test your resolve.  Ride throgh the night in March, shoot ride
through the night two days in a row.  How bout this:  Borrow your
brothers shoes (that are a size too small) and ride a 200K in them.
If you can finish, you're probably ready for  PBP! Knowning that you
can alwas quit and get a ride home,...  ride through, make yourself go
out and do somethng that tests you mental prep.

Ride lots, but ride long.
 A SR serieds is generally required ot quilfy for most 1200K's.  In my
mind, it is not enough to prepare you to finish a 1200K brevet.  After
I finished my first 600K brevet (and earned my first SR) I really had
no idea if I had what it would take to finish a ride TWICE AS LONG!
So I rode a 1000K brevet.  Almost Killed me.  I doubt that I col dhave
ridden anothe 200K in tme to complete a 1200K.  But it was enormously
useful in two ways:  First  It was a great confidence booster: I
DIDN'T die, just almost.  And second, if generated a long o'l list of
things I knew I had to work on to better prepare for PBP.  I'm not
proposing that a 1000K brevet be added as a qualifier, but I do
believe it is one of the best things you can do to prepare to
finish.

Peter said we may be taking this too seriously.  I know what he means,
but by the same token, I think some don't take it seriously enough.
The will to win means nothing without the will to train.  (goole that
and you'll find some real inspiration)

Plan for the finish
If you make Finishing PBP, your goal, as opposed to qualifying, I
think you're next 650 days will be filled with more accomplshments and
less frustration about the uncertainty.  So, as you prepar for this
audacious task keep in mind that qualifiyng in not the same
finidhng.   Qualifying means you are ready to sart but only you can
figure out if you are prepared to finish.

Yr Pal Dr C

I'm not sure I can express how pleased I was to see this entry in the
thread. For someone
that is already looking *forward* to 2010 and lots of kilometers, this
post is added inspiration.

There is one thing I might add to the list. In general the list below
is trying to phrase the next two years
as an opportunity instead of an obligation but one opportunity not
mentioned here is this: for me, riding brevets has
allowed me to meet an incredible number of riders that I would not
have met otherwise, and
to spend time riding with them, and later sharing stories of rides
with them. Given the increased number
of rides available to us all, this means increased opportunities to
spend more time with those
riders we've met and to meet new riders.

Instead of looking toward 2011 and then working back and seeing 2010
as the year of obligatory
tasks, use 2010 as a way to enhance the whole randonneuring
experience. One other way to
plan ahead for 2011 and prepare in 2010 is to travel to some other
part of the country to do a brevet, long or short.
In the Bay Area, there are four full series being run. Come visit us.
In 2009, SFR had out of state riders
for several of our rides. It was a real kick for us to have 'company'.

You plan to go across an ocean and ride a really long ride, why not do
a test run of that in 2010?
Get out of your own timezone and see what it is like to do your last
minute prep and then ride in a place
that isn't exactly like where you live.

rob hawks
richmond, ca

Codfish, Rob,

thanks nice randoneering posts - in context, regret, these posts are
only 'talking down' to all the randos, and not on topic.

subject is pbp reg and possible quota, and what rusa is doing with it
- a new challenge for rusa.

Regards!
Mike

A minor correction.

Australia's period for a PBP-qualifying SR is November 2010 till June
2011.  In my particular part of the world, winter is our main riding
period, it is too hot in summer.  Further south, they prefer to do
their longer brevets in summer.  So my local SR brevets would be held
around the same time as most of the USA's but Aussies can ride long
brevets year round.  For example, the upcoming Sydney-Melbourne 1200
is in the first week of December and overseas riders are always warmly
welcomed.

Regards

Dave Minter

On Oct 30, 7:14 am, Bill Bryant <bill.bryan...@gmail.com> wrote:

A minor correction.

Australia's period for a PBP-qualifying SR is November 2010 till June
2011.  In my particular part of the world, winter is our main riding
period, it is too hot in summer.  Further south, they prefer to do
their longer brevets in summer.  So my local SR brevets would be held
around the same time as most of the USA's but Aussies can ride long
brevets year round.  For example, the upcoming Sydney-Melbourne 1200
is in the first week of December and overseas riders are always warmly
welcomed.

Regards

Dave Minter

On Oct 30, 7:14 am, Bill Bryant <bill.bryan...@gmail.com> wrote:

Hi,

to my opinion it is not necessary to know the rules right now for
planing. Brevets early in 2010 will be 200k anyway, so try to attend
those. When longer brevets arise, the rules will be known and you will
be able to use them for further planning.

Andreas - trying to ride 200k in January in England

If interest is high in PBP, and ACP's early registration system is not
adequate to limit the number of riders, then they may implement other
systems to do so. These may be things that are out of your control
(lottery, for example) or things that are within your control
(completing a 600KM and a 1000KM brevet, for example). If a 600KM or
1000KM brevet is not used to sort out who is selected to go and who is
not, then having ridden one or more will have had a beneficial effect
on the RUSA quota, and would have been enjoyable in their own right.
If ACP and/or RUSA uses longer rides as a criteria, then riders who
complete a 1000KM brevet, for example, would have (a) positioned
themselves better for selection, and (b) prepared themselves better
for a successful completion for PBP.

So, there's no downside to riding a 600KM and a 1000KM brevet in 2010.
If the rides are not used as selection criteria, you have helped
others in a sort of cooperative capacity. If the rides are used, you
have also help yourself in a self-sufficient capacity. It's not ironic
that cooperation and self-sufficiency are two pillars of
randonneuring.

My two cents only...

Greg

Entries are already coming in for my spectacularly 'scenic' 600 in
late May.
I'll be doing the usual annual SR series and not worrying about 2011.

Ian H
www.ukcyclist.co.uk