Finally, a 1200K brevet offered in my neck of the woods! Since completing my one and only grand randonnee in 2015 in Paris, I was hopeful to try out one of the number of RUSA long brevets offered each year. Traveling across the country while still trying to keep family and work commitments can be a challenge which is why when Great Lakes Randonneurs announced a 1200K I could drive to, I figured this was an opportunity I should not miss.
I'm always looking to get something on my calendar at the end of each year so that I can find the motivation to get out in the early dark and cold spring mornings to train and search for what level of fitness I had lost from the previous year. Since the Mac & Cheese was not until Labor Day weekend, I didn't get a lot of early season miles in, figuring I cold ramp things up during the summer months. Adding to my training challenges, I was not able to commute by bike to work this year as my office was under renovation and our temporary office had no showers, so no commuting! Lost a ton of base miles that I usually get just by going to work each day.
But heck, as 1200Ks go, the Mac & Cheese was largely a flat course at only about 17,000 feet of total climbing, so no worries, right?. I was successful in convincing two of my local riding buddies, my PBP buddies, Mark and Michael to sign up for the ride as well. This being the inaugural event, the field limit of 55 or so riders was reached very quickly, like in the first day.
The ride concept was quite cool. We were based out of Manitowoc, WI and would begin the ride by taking a ferry across Lake Michigan to Ludington, MI for a 5:00 am start the following morning. We would follow the Michigan coastline north to the Mackinac bridge crossing into the Upper Penninsula, continuing further north to Whitefish Point and then begin our return to Manitowoc down the west side of Lake Michigan.
Our trio left early Thursday morning to get to the start, register and most importantly to catch the once per day cruise on the SS Badger which departed Manitowoc promptly at 2:00 pm.
Prior to boarding the Badger, we spent a busy hour or so at the ferry terminal readying our rides for bike inspection and gathering our gear for the designated overnight control stops. Everything we needed for our four day excursion needed to be packed into two small 14" X 18"drop sacks
which would be shuttled to various overnight hotels on the route.
Following inspection, we boarded the Badger, an enourmous boat, and quickly lost contact with our group. After we set sail, RBA Michele went over "the rules" and how things were planned in terms of support. Given the remoteness of much of the area we were going to be riding in, it was not recommended to skip overnights and ride solo deep into the night and off of available support. Almost nothing the upper peninsula is open 24 hours so if you wanted to go it alone, it would be difficult to find places to refuel.
As we set sail on our 4 hour journey across the lake, cloud cover cloaked a mild sunny afternoon and things got chilly as we hit the open water. We head inside for some distinctly Wisconsin entertainment including polka music and a few rounds of "Badger Bingo" to pass the time. Distinctly Wisconsin, meaning cheezy. We just missed seeing the Happy Schnopps Combo, bummer.
Following our arrival in Ludington, it was a short one mile ride with all of our gear to the overnight hotel at the Ludington Pier House. I was assigned an apartment style unit with 4-5 other guys which had plenty of room for bikes and gear. Wound up rooming with another Illinois guy Kent from Crystal Lake who I believe we shared the road on a brevet a number of years ago. Once settled, we took a walk out onto the breakwater to watch the sun set and got to see the Badger leaving port for the return trip to Manitowoc. After that it was off to bed to ready for the 5:00 am start.
Day 1 - Ludington to St. Ignace: 237 Miles
Early morning was a hive of activity as scores of volunteers readied riders with breakfast, loading trailers with bags and getting our traveling caravan ready for a prompt departure at 5:00 am. Dark and quite cool, riders assembled in the hotel courtyard figuring out clothing choices, preparing lights and donning reflective gear. The forecast called for a beautiful day, free of storms that had socked the Michigan coast just days before. Little did we know, a rain coat would have come in handy at the start, as the hotel sprinklers activated 2 minutes before rollout!
Following a group rollout, within the first 5 miles we broke into smaller clusters on the road. Mark, Michael and I were in a group of 10 or so keeping a steady pace off the front to keep us warm in the cool morning. I dropped back a bit as the pace got a bit too enthusiastic for me shortly before arriving at the first control at mile 33 after passing through the town of Manistee. We managed a pretty efficient control stop and were able to depart just as the next wave of 30 or so riders were pulling in.
By now daylight was finally coming into view and I was hopeful that the temps would begin to climb with the sun. We connected immediately with M22 which followed the coast along the eastern shore of the lake. We would be on this stretch for the next 50 miles making navigation a breeze. It was still early so traffic volumes were light and there was pretty good pavement and shoulders making for pretty care-free riding. Up until this point, things have been pretty flat but we were treated to several mile plus long climbs along this leg, nothing terribly steep but a first taste of things to come throughout the day. Today had the most climbing of any on the ride, but at only 7,000+ feet nothing too extraordinary by any measure. By this point, our group was pretty much Mark, Michael and myself and a guy Larry from Ohio. In typical fashion, we would get separated on the climbs and reintegrate on the descents and flats. As we left a quick stop at the top of a vista for a picture, we noted the larger group of riders behind us was now laboring up the hill we just climbed. It was pretty neat watching their headlights bobbing side to side as the group slowly ground up the hill.
The next control in Franklin at mile 62 came quickly. Whew! 100K down, only 1,100K to go! We grabbed some hot egg sandwiches for the road, shed some layers and were quickly back on our way. The next formal food stop/control was in Traverse City about 55 miles away so I thought we might need a quick pit stop at a town in between.
Continuing north on M22, the scenery did not disappoint on this crystal clear day. While there were not a ton of Lake Michigan views, we did pass through a number of small towns along the way which had their own smaller lakes which offered interesting things to look at as we snaked our way north toward the town of Empire and Sleeping Bear Dunes. Michael and I stopped to refuel in Empire so we lost Mark and Larry for a half an hour or so. We regrouped at an information control at Sleeping Bear Dunes and crested a hill that revealed an awesome dune-top view of Lake Michigan. A great reward for our efforts thus far.
From here, the route turned eastward as we passed through the picturesque town of Glen Arbor continuing on our way toward Traverse City. We were treated to more climbing as well, but by now the day had warmed up quite a bit so the sweat was flowing! Looking forward to a break, we were treated to a 400 ft grind of a climb just before entering the outskirts of Traverse City. Just out of town we were routed onto a bike path for a slow roll down to our next gas station control for some lunch at about 1:00 pm. We took a bit of an extended break here as we enjoyed a picnic table sit down to recharge and take the shoes off for a while and watch other riders come in.
Leaving Traverse City, we had about 7 miles of local city riding to navigate our way out of town along Traverse Bay. Fortunately, much of this was along bike path which I had been on before so things were looking pretty familiar. We continued northward again with a non-scheduled stop in Elk Rapids to refuel before taking a spectacular ride along picturesque Torch Lake. Our trio hung together, occasionally integrating other riders and sharing some pulls along sections of busy Highway 31 for a time before losing contact again. Pedaling was easy and aside from a few short highway sections, our master route designers put us on scenic and quiet country roads.
As afternoon waned, we made a quick pit in Charlevoix for some burgers with mustard and extra pickles and next it was on to some awesome bike trail as we rolled onward to the next control in Petoskey, our last before the overnight in St. Ignace. The faster group ahead of us indicated they were headed for some micro-brews up the road in 4-5 miles. I opted for a Sponge Bob popsicle instead! I did not consume a lot of calories at this stop as there was a promise of BBQ and Mac & Cheese at the Mackinaw Bridge in about 40 miles, so let's get moving already!
Leaving the Petoskey control, we were again on bike path which overlooked Little Traverse Bay and some pretty incredible looking resort communities. The sun was getting low in the sky and the temps were beginning to slide with the coming of nighttime operations which would be in full swing within the next hour or so. Once we left the bay and head inland for some more rollers, we were enveloped in darkness within the next hour. As with most rides, the last few hours for the day are usually the most challenging as you are consumed with thinking about food, a hot shower and some shut-eye. Mark, Michael and I kept within eyesight of one another as we continued to navigate rollers on some pretty rough pavement. I hear Michael yell out behind me as he pulls over after taking his wheel into some sort of pot hole. As he assessed his bike, he noticed a slight bit of movement in his bars. Without a lot of light to further examine the situation, we decided to plod along the remaining 10 miles into Mackinaw City conservatively and have the ride mechanic assess the situation. We rolled up to the Mackinac Bridge just before 10:00pm, 17 hours after we began that morning.
Leaving Traverse City, we had about 7 miles of local city riding to navigate our way out of town along Traverse Bay. Fortunately, much of this was along bike path which I had been on before so things were looking pretty familiar. We continued northward again with a non-scheduled stop in Elk Rapids to refuel before taking a spectacular ride along picturesque Torch Lake. Our trio hung together, occasionally integrating other riders and sharing some pulls along sections of busy Highway 31 for a time before losing contact again. Pedaling was easy and aside from a few short highway sections, our master route designers put us on scenic and quiet country roads.
As afternoon waned, we made a quick pit in Charlevoix for some burgers with mustard and extra pickles and next it was on to some awesome bike trail as we rolled onward to the next control in Petoskey, our last before the overnight in St. Ignace. The faster group ahead of us indicated they were headed for some micro-brews up the road in 4-5 miles. I opted for a Sponge Bob popsicle instead! I did not consume a lot of calories at this stop as there was a promise of BBQ and Mac & Cheese at the Mackinaw Bridge in about 40 miles, so let's get moving already!
Leaving the Petoskey control, we were again on bike path which overlooked Little Traverse Bay and some pretty incredible looking resort communities. The sun was getting low in the sky and the temps were beginning to slide with the coming of nighttime operations which would be in full swing within the next hour or so. Once we left the bay and head inland for some more rollers, we were enveloped in darkness within the next hour. As with most rides, the last few hours for the day are usually the most challenging as you are consumed with thinking about food, a hot shower and some shut-eye. Mark, Michael and I kept within eyesight of one another as we continued to navigate rollers on some pretty rough pavement. I hear Michael yell out behind me as he pulls over after taking his wheel into some sort of pot hole. As he assessed his bike, he noticed a slight bit of movement in his bars. Without a lot of light to further examine the situation, we decided to plod along the remaining 10 miles into Mackinaw City conservatively and have the ride mechanic assess the situation. We rolled up to the Mackinac Bridge just before 10:00pm, 17 hours after we began that morning.
Time to eat! RBAs Michele and Jeremy had arranged for a BBQ place to stay open to greet the riders with a calorie-lovers banquet of pulled pork sandwiches, BBQ beans, and Mac & Cheese and other sides. Our wonderful volunteers whisked our bikes away and loaded them onto trailers for the trip over the bridge and the overnight at St. Ignace. We ate like kings for the next half hour and caught a shuttle across the bridge as bicycles were prohibited. Bummer! Once we got to the hotel, we got down to the business of collecting bags, showering and preparing for rest. Michael checked his bike in with the mechanic who appeared to be backlogged with a variety of mechanical issues that riders were able to dish up along our first 400K. We went to bed hoping to arise by 5:00 am to assess the mechanical situation and hopefully be moving down the road shortly thereafter.
Day 2 - St. Ignace to Manistique: 186 Miles
We awoke shortly before 5:00 to a knock at the door. It was Mark. "Michael, your bike is toast". Our fears were realized, his carbon handlebars were broken. We ran through all of our options. There were few. While we wanted to deny it, there were no guarantees that we would be able to purchase new bars, get them installed and continue the ride together with enough time on the clock to finish. Michael located a bike shop in town that opened reasonably early. After much debate, we decided that Mark and I should continue on with the hopes that Michael can get his ride fixed and rejoin us on the route. He is a strong rider, and today was flatter and shorter than yesterday, thus there was still hope that he would be able to make it to Manistique late in the evening and turn it around without much sleep for the beginning of day 3 to Green Bay.
It was a beautiful morning to ride. While the legs were tired, they were still responsive after a 15-20 minute warm up. Navigation was easy this morning. We rolled down the main road leaving St. Ignace to the north, right turn on Mackinac Trail, and then a left in a few more miles on M-123 for a 50+ mile ride to the town of Paradise. Mark and I traded pulls for the first 30 miles along some pristine highway where most of the scenery was marshy scrub brush peppered with low growth pine, much of which was skeletal or dead. Most of the discussion involved our hopes that our third would be back on the road at a reasonable hour and able to catch up. We caught up with a few riders from Colorado along the way who helped the early miles pass quickly. Winds were light from the south and would be growing as the day progressed so we were likely looking at headwinds as we would be heading south and west after reaching Whitefish Point.
We stopped in the small town of Trout Lake at mile 32 to refuel at a small grocery store, joining a half a dozen other riders doing the same. Mark split half of an Italian sub with me that went down quite nicely this early in the morning.
Leaving Trout Lake, the road bent slightly so we were now heading due north toward Paradise over the next 30 miles or so. Our pace picked up quite a bit as we were getting more of a direct tail wind at this point. I noticed in my mirror that one other rider had latched on to Mark as we left town. After a few long pulls between the two of us, I noticed my roomie Kent had joined in for some of the fun. This was a fast and smooth leg as we got to Paradise in no time flat! Once we got into town, we needed to hit the "reset" button a bit as we were starting to cook a touch.
Throughout the morning, the skies had continued to cloud over and darken from the west. We pulled over to check the radar and see if there were any messages from Michael. It appeared as though Michael was able to find some new handlebars and they were in the process of being installed. It was already 11:00 am so he'd better get moving soon or it was going to be a very late night for him.
Storms were also coming in from the southwest so we appeared to be in store for our first rain of the ride. From Paradise, it is only an 11 mile ride out to Whitefish Point for lunch. We pressed on at a decent clip hoping to get to lunch before the rain hit. Within the first mile we already began to feel light sprinkles falling which only increased our pace a bit more. After several more miles it was getting pretty heavy, enough to pull over and put rain gear on. It continued to rain steadily out to the point as windy and choppy Lake Superior greeted us. Things were pretty soggy. We relaxed and warmed up inside while taking on sandwiches and steaming hot ramen which went down wonderfully. RBA Michele's mom came out to help, on her birthday no less. She and all of the other volunteers were so wonderful in helping the riders get checked in and fed. Before we rolled out, I went to the bathroom to try to dry my gloves and arm warmers from the hand dryers. We took in a brief visit at the lake but were not feeling up for a trip through the shipwreck museum.
We could definitely feel the southern headwind on the 11 mile trek back to Paradise where we would then head west toward Tahquamenon Falls State Park. By the time we reached Paradise, the rain had stopped so we pulled over to shed the rain gear and dry out a bit. Heading to the southwest through some heavily wooded forest buffered the southern winds which would likely be a factor as the day wore on. We took a brief pit stop at the falls to stretch the legs and grab some drinks. Getting to the falls required about a quarter mile hike. In cycling shoes, I could have probably skipped this part but the falls were nice nonetheless.
After about another hour of tree-lined roads, we turn a corner to the south, trees disappear, road widens out and wham, instant nagging head wind! Our speed immediately dropped and what was once pretty easy pedaling was now becoming some real work. I was the first to volunteer to Kent and Mark that we shorten the duration of our pulls so that we don't fry ourselves trying to get back to Manistique. We had 120 miles down and still almost 70 to go to get in for the night.
With 8 miles to go to the next control at Roberts Corners, this short trek seemed like an eternity. I was definitely working harder than I wanted to but wanted to try to keep our collective effort as smooth as possible. We opted for a Subway sit down stop to rest up and recover a bit. Leaving Roberts Corners we did get a bit of a break as the route was on another 25 mile predominantly westerly segment, Along this we were treated to a well paved, meandering river road "10 Curves Road" which was a delight. Turning to the south again for another 10 mile slog into the wind, I began to unravel a bit. By the rime we hit the last control before Manistique in Blaney Park I was starting to feel some pain in both my left Achilles and knee. Not good.
Twenty miles to go for the night, I was now needing to ride more conservatively to try not to aggravate the knee any more than necessary and hopefully some Aleve, ice and a good night's sleep would put me right for day 3 to Green Bay. We rolled into Manistique at approximately 9:30 pm to a Mexican feast at the hotel. Shortly after checking our bikes in we learn that Michael was a DNF. We were told he left at just after noon, however missed a critical turn onto M-123 within the first 10 miles of the day and wound up staying on Mackinac Trail and rode almost to Sault Ste. Marie and the Canadian boarder. Well now that just sucks. As with able-bodied DNFs, there was an expectation that Michael would provide crew support for the duration of the ride. Michael was still out on the road in the SAG van. He finally arrived a few hours after we got to the hotel.
Day 3 - Manistique to Green Bay: 200 miles
Mark, Kent and I planned on an early departure of 5:00 am, knowing that continuing southern winds, threat of rain and a 200 mile day were going to test us for sure. My knee was no better than when I finished the prior evening so for me I figured today was do or die. If I could manage to survive the day, somehow I would find what was needed to finish the final 200K on Sunday. I had become an Aleve junkie, figuring I would be needing a liver transplant by the end of the ride. This was providing little relief however as I was in pretty nasty pain from the moment of roll-out. I told Mark and Kent to leave me behind to plug away at my own pace. They would have none of it. Any attempts to stand out of the saddle were met with excruciating pain.
The only consolation I could try to take was that today was not supposed to be terribly hilly. We had a 95 mile trek to the west to the town of Faithorn, where we would break for lunch at a local tavern, then turn to the south for a 105 mile ride to the Green Bay overnight control.
As with most of the ride, there was no shortage of scenery. In the early miles we had a pretty long stretch on US Highway 2, which had fast traffic but a wide and clean shoulder. Mark and Kent did their best to protect me from the wind and did all of the pulling ALL day, but not even this was enough as I would frequently drop back if the pace climbed too much or the knee was not cooperating. I told Mark it would probably be easier for everyone to let me fade back and do my own thing as I was trying to get into my own rhythm and to dull my senses a bit to try to block out the pain. I asked them simply to keep an eye on me and we would always regroup at the controls. This seemed to work a bit better for me because I didn't have to concentrate on the wheel in front of me. It was even worth giving up the benefit of riding tucked in the draft.
We plodded along off and on of Highway 2 for what felt like most of the morning. There were a number of times we would be routed off of the main highway to "Old Highway 2" which paralleled "New Highway 2" most of the way. We picked up Larry for a spell along this stretch as well. I survived most of the morning on egg sandwiches and even picked up an ace bandage to wrap the knee at one of the gas station stops. I thought that this would provide some stability, which it did, but really didn't help with the pain. Shortly before our lunch stop we were greeted my some moderate rolling hills, which made me curse audibly. My knee was blowing up and I was very close to packing it in and quitting at this point of the ride. Fortunately, lunch was just a few more miles down the road and rest always makes things feel better. We had a solid rest break here with boxed picnic lunches outside on the porch as I contemplated what the rest of my day would be like.
After departing lunch at the Long Branch Saloon, things were heating up outside. I settled into my new normal, hanging in for a spell and then dropping back, and repeat. The miles clicked along however and within 30 miles we were at a nice riverside park along the Menominee River where we saw Michael in action in support mode. He was hopeful to be able to ride the final 200K with us the following morning. The very slight downhill trajectory we were on, coupled with some afternoon tree cover took the edge off of my woes and I was able to apply a bit more pressure on the pedals. After another 15 miles we crossed the river into Marinette, finally back into Wisconsin. There were a number of riders congregating at this control stop which was hot, without any nearby areas of shade. I downed yet another cheeseburger and chocolate milk to get the calories back in and before too long, a group of 10 or so set out on our last 50 miles to Green Bay.
Our pace was cordial, but I was still riding off the back a bit. Within 10 miles we again rejoined the Lake Michigan shoreline for some fantastic quiet roads under trees and through marshes and wetlands. It was late afternoon moving into early evening by now and the temps were not as hot and the pavement was smooth. Despite my discomfort, this was a great time to be alive and riding a bicycle! The final run-in to Green Bay was for me the highlight of the day, as the scenery and company were fantastic and during the waning miles, I was actually able to put a bit more effort into pedaling. I even took a few symbolic pulls as a gesture of appreciation to Mark and Kent for pulling me through what was a very tough day.
Day 4 - Green Bay to Manitowoc: 135 miles
With a mere 200K to the finish, we got a good night's sleep and readied for a 7:00 am group start. Joining us this morning was Matt, who I believe may have heard of my frail state, asked if he could tag along with our group. He also had been injured and was looking for some company to the finish. Suffering together, the only way to go! Also, Michael was in his kit ready to tag along on the last 200K after crewing for something like 18 hours straight on practically no sleep. We had a calm flat warmup heading south on the bike trail following the Fox River. The knees were screaming again and I knew after we turned off of the bike trail, the hills would begin.
After the first info control at Scray's Cheese, the steep hills began. Matt and I were dropped immediately. We both struggled mightily up each incline. Between my screaming and Matt's praying, we persevered and managed our way up these short but punchy inclines. "Serpentine" Matt would yell from behind as I selected the direct line up the road. At the crest of each hill I would collapse over my bars to get my breath and wait for Matt who was not far behind.
Riding with Matt changed my entire outlook on the ride. We swapped PBP stories and talked current events which made the miles fly by. It was a beautiful day, the views were fantastic and the company was fantastic. While we were bathed in sunshine most of the time, there were definitely storms moving over the peninsula and I thought we were likely not to get through the day without a downpour or more.
As we rolled into Casco, our second control of the morning, we saw crowds heading into church dressed in their Sunday best. At the control, we saw a guy wearing these skinny snakeskin boots with the metal skulls on the toes, just like in Breaking Bad. One of our group asked him if he could take a picture of his boots. He did not respond. Guessing he was not going to church this morning!
The wind continued to blow from the south, giving us some excellent tailwind sections as we stair-stepped to the northeast toward Sturgeon Bay. While tempting, Matt and I did not push it too hard since once we got to Surgeon Bay, we had to go back south along the lake into the wind to the finish. Matt and I were a half mile behind the others for most of the morning which was just fine. We noticed some unexpected gravel construction along the route and the tail end of the riders ahead of us navigating it up the road. We opted to navigate around the gravel in our weakened state so we added a mile or more but rejoined the route in no time. Before long we were rolling into Renard's Cheese for some famous cheese soup. The place was hopping but we were able to be served outside within 20 minutes or so.
Sturgeon Bay was only a couple miles more down the road. This time through town, we just hit the outskirts and did not ride down to the channel, which meant we didn't need to climb back out! Still full from the cheese soup, we kept our stop short enough to reapply sun screen and get bottles filled before we began our southern push toward Algoma where we would again reunite with the shores of Lake Michigan.
The trip south down Shiloh Road is one not to miss with fine pavement and immaculately maintained farms and a number of quaint churches with attached cemeteries. Despite the headwind, we were riding high as the end of our journey was now only hours away. Skies continued to darken and we clearly missed rain that was now covering areas where we were previously riding. There were significant temperature shifts as we moved from inland (mid 80s) to near the lake (mid to lower 60s).
As we pulled into the final control before the finish in Algoma, the skies were looking ominous. Better have the rain gear at the ready. After a few miles on busy State Highway 42, we turned onto Lakeshore Drive for some more cool lake views and light to no traffic.
We could see the rain in front of us, coming out of the southwest and moving over the lake. Flashes of lightning indicated this was one that might require taking some cover so we kept our eyes peeled for areas that would be well suited for a hideout. It began drizzling to the point that it made sense to stop and put rain gear on, if for nothing else, to help keep warm since it was now quite chilly by the lake. Drizzle became a steady soaking rain and since Matt and I were bringing up the rear, we came upon some of our mates stopped along the road in front of a farmhouse taking refuge under a tree. As we stood there in the road, we were sort of at impasse, with half of us wanting to continue and the other half wanting to duck the lightning. The woman who lived in the house saw us basically hanging out in her front yard and offered shelter in her barn which we all thought would be a good idea, at least until the lightning passed.
After a 20 minute rain delay, the lightning appeared to have moved over the lake and we were able to continue into a pretty decent rain. At this point, just about everything was wet, but no matter, the finish was just about 20 miles away! Along this last stretch, we passed through some secret government nuclear power plant. We were warned to stay only on the road that passed through the site and not to take pictures and to make complete stops at all stop signs, not to mention we would be on camera the entire time. It didn't appear as creepy as it was played up to be. We passed through without incident and didn't even pass any type of guard station.
The rain had created an evaporative fog on the road and particularly over the open water. There continued to be a noticeable temperature difference inland versus riding near the lake. By now the rain had abated, just in time for an awesome roll along Point Beach State Forest. I believe there was a lighthouse a short distance from the forested road we were on, but we skipped it as the fog was so dense toward the lake there was little likelihood of seeing anything worthwhile. We hit the town of Two Rivers cloaked in fog and were routed onto a bike path for the final 6 mile to the finish.
Our pace slowed considerably to more of a processional spirit as we celebrated and reflected on this long journey. Matt and I were elated to have finished given our ailments that had plagued us over the past days. It was wonderful having Michael back with us on this final day as well, given his misfortunes along the way. Most of all it was great to be among friends who all share a common love of cycling and adventure.
We rolled into Manitowoc onto quiet wet streets and up to the host hotel where we were greeted by cheers of ride volunteers and other riders finishing before us. The official finish was in the basement of the hotel where we went to turn in our brevet cards. When we arrived, the party was in full swing, cowbells and all greeting the finishers as they came in. Total elapsed time for the ride was 86 hours 30 minutes. This was later changed to 89 hours 30 minutes after learning weeks later that Mark, Kent and I were assessed a 3 hour time penalty by the RBA, apparently for riding with Michael on the last day. I guess RUSA has a rule about "receiving help" from riders that are not on the ride. Not sure how much help Michael gave me on the last day, but had I known, I would have insisted he tow me up the hills. Pretty odd, but whatever.
The mood at the finish was one of excitement. Excitement that I could now rest my mangled knee, excitement to feast again on pulled pork cake and other desserts, excitement for a hot shower, excitement to share stories with other riders at the finish. This ride was an absolute treat. Many many thanks to the scads of volunteers that helped it run smoothly and keep everybody moving down the road. To the randonneuring purist, this was not a randonneuring event as much as it was a catered tour. We were pampered from start to finish. Full SAG service, meals prepared, full nights sleep, checking riders in, ride mechanic fixing everyone's busted bikes (there seemed to be an inordinate amount of mechanicals). Good thing I am not a purist. For a backyard 1200K, this is one not to miss!
