rustycool7

As a fan, I want to hear the good, bad and ugly of your ride. From other reports I've read, the conditions were horrible. I hope to read about it soon.

sch

Probably having a great time touring/vacationing. She didn't go over
just for PBP. I am sure, in due time, we will get a report once the
experience has faded a bit. Reports by others suggest a horrorific
ride.

rustycool7

I only ask becasue I've thought much about this PBP and the struggle it must have been. Hour after lonely hour riding in the rain can torture your soul. Some insight into this from Machka would be valuable for all of us. How does one come to the decision to abandon after so much given. I rode the DC Randonneur 600K this year so I have some idea what it must've been out there on those desolate chipseal roads in the rain. I don't mean to call her out our judge because I may have done the same. In fact, hope to participate myself in '11. Perhaps we can enjoy the Randonneur smile together at that time.

papawizo

I leapfrogged with rowan and machka for many hours. I actually shared the bus depot with them in Loudeac. I can't speak for them but for me, I was slower than I wanted to be (rain?..not a big deal but it did slow me down) which put pressure on the clock. I felt tired at the start. I was way behind on getting to loudeac and than started to lose it with sleep deprivation. I tried dozing at the side of the road twice, and finally went into a wet and muddy ditch, with eyes closed. Found a place to sleep. Slept for 30 minutes and got to loudeac wasted. I had no time and wasn't thinking clearly , slept a bit too much, headed out behind in time and hit big rollers with a significant headwind. I wasn't going to make it in time, or so I believed. My average speed was terrible. My stomach had been a problem for many hours and was having a hard time with any food. I stopped and had a desparate moment. Tears don't really describe the pain of the moment. Very very low. I wan't going to make it to Carhaix or to brest or paris in time. Grief and despair. I headed back to Loudeac. I ran into machka and rowan at a bus depot later on. The answer for me is get stronger. Friends who were middle pack riders in Seattle (faster than me) finished with little or no time to spare. A few slower riders finished and they were very efficient. I obviously wasn't. I needed to get my controles done earlier and sleep for three hours straight....it didn't happen.

rustycool7

Papawizo....Great report from the road. What an epic event. I consider myself one of the "slower riders" so your insiight is valuable. Do you plan to make it back in '11? I hope others will post their stories as well.

Herman47

...curious about how her trip went.

banerjek

I have never attempted a ride of this magnitude, but regardless if you are cycling, writing a book, learning an instrument, or whatever, there is always a point at which you have to ask yourself why you are doing it and what you get out of the experience.

We all need to get some satisfaction out of riding, and hopefully it is fun as well. While testing the limits of your mind and body can be part of that experience, it's perfectly reasonable to come to the conclusion that all you're doing is torturing yourself and that it's time to hang back for a bit. Nothing wrong with that, and it's good for your sanity in the long run.

Six jours

From the sound of it, PBP is the sort of thing I would do once, primarily for the satisfaction of having done it. It's not exactly sounding like Disneyland, at this point.

ConstantRider

For anyone interested, here's a Flickr set I came across with hundreds of photos from PBP. Lots of great shots -- I think this one really captures the spirit of the event.

claire

Wow these pics are truly beautiful! Thanks!

papawizo

It is like a disease that has changed me. I'll be there faster and stronger, barring injury and the unplanned.

papawizo

SIR had a fellow photographing the event. He did an amazing job. Many of my good buddies are there in thier blue wool SIR jerseys. Nice to see so many I know.

spokenword

Honestly, if not for the rain, I think it would've been an utterly fantastic experience. The people on the route were some of the kindest, most hospitable folks you can find. The terrain was gorgeous and the food was excellent. Part of what the ride work for me was taking time to stop at roadside stands and the various patisseries along the route (I joked with others that they were doing a brevet, and I was doing a survey of Bretonnian pastry craft by bicycle). Meeting so many people who were keenly interested in seeing you continue made the event for me, and riding with cyclists from all over the world who weren't focused on beating you but on sharing the magic of the experience was, itself, exhilarating.

Yes, the rain made it hard and miserable, but I've done 'short', flat charity centuries rides in driving rain and had an equally terrible time. Don't let temporary circumstances dictate your future perspective of the event itself.

rustycool7

Well said spoken word, I think you captured the spirit of the event. On my first Brevet (a 400K with the DC Randonneurs) my rear der got caught in my spokes, ripping it in half, breaking the chain, and pulling the threads out of the dropout. I was only 25 miles into the ride. As other riders came up behind me, they stopped to offer advice, and help in trying to convert my bike into a single speed. This ultimately proved to be a failure but the gesture of support meant the world to me.

So much so that I was determined to finish the ride to honor their kindness. I coasted back down a mountain sans chain, hitched a ride back to me car, drove to a bike shop, bought new parts, made repairs, drove back to the start point, and finished the ride (taking a slightly shorter route). Of course I was officially a DNF on the Brevet but great feeling after finishing was the same.

Any of you "long distance riders" that haven't experienced the camaraderie and teamwork on a Brevet should try one sometime. You will not regret it.

rustycool7

Read this story:

https://zecher.org/clare/PBP2007RideReport.html

JohnKScott

What a great read!

Scummer

Incredible ride report!

rusty993

That report was amazing, really inspirational stuff. Maybe in four years time some of us may have our own stories.

bmclaughlin807

I wasn't able to go this year for financial reasons... I'm starting to save now for the next one, though!

Six jours

Perhaps you were inspired to learn how to work on your bike, improve your bike handling skills, and maybe receive anxiety disorder counseling?

Or maybe I'm just being too cynical, for this thread. She did finish a ride I've never even started...

bmclaughlin807

Oh... on topic: I know Machka DNF'd the ride, as did her friend Rowan.

Edit: Hmm... I remembered incorrectly... her father posted a little about the dnf. I'm sure we'll get a great ride report when she gets back!

ronsmithjunior

I have put together my ride report:

https://web.mac.com/ronsmithjunior/pbp

ronsmithjunior

Going through Loudeac the first time I got a plate of food and sat at a table where all the other occupants were sleeping. I tried to eat quietly.

Btw, apparently a surprising number of people decided to just sleep wherever they could, with seemingly little thought about potentially rough conditions. I tell you, a sleeping bag and mat can give you some quality sleep. What the guys in the photo are getting is not.

Sanulaw

Ron, I read your ride report and found it fascinating. It's pumped me up to the point where I'm thinking I could do this in 4 years. Problem... I'll be 62. Not sure if I'll have the mental fortitude to suffer through the conditions and I've never ridden at night before. All in all, I could be in for a really big challenge. But for now, really enjoyed your experience.

pidda

Is that a blind cane on the table in that picture?