200 KM Ride Report, January 3, 2009
by Susan Plonsky

Thirty eight riders took part in the first brevet of the 2009 season. There were many new faces and many were attempting their first brevet ever. Eleven riders were women. (You rock!) The Bullshifters brought a peleton and their presence and laughter always livens up the lunch stop. Our sunny weather provided a refuge for Rick Blacker from Washingon, Jason Karp from Montana, Paul Danhaus from Wisconsin, Chip Keyes from Idaho, Dennis Wolcott from Oregon, and Leslie Sutton and Irene Takahashi (Team Title 9) both from Boulder, CO. Jim Smith as the only Utahan shouldered the responsibility of representing his state by himself.

Any time we meet out at the reservation, the riders who rode the original brevet back in 2004 will glance down the road to the place where we watched reservation dogs eating a dead carcass. Well, everyone's gotta eat I suppose. (See that blog.)

Same Route - Different Ride

We've run this brevet a number of times now, but the challenges are different each time.

Riders will remember the headwinds out on the reservation, but I had a blast of mine own from the angry shop owners next to the Round Trip Bike Shop. Part of their parking lot was roped off and the closest spaces to the bike shop were in front of their shops. One shop owner was satisfied with an apology and a promise it would never happen again, but the other shop owner stomped off and threatened to call a tow truck. On my way out to the reservation, I stopped briefly at the Casa Grande Police Department to discuss the situation. From the police perspective the parking lot is public parking and therefore we have a right to use that space. Furthermore, a towing company would call the police department before hauling off any cars. With that in mind, I could race off to the lunch stop with an easy mind.

On a happier note, the Round Trip Bike Shop has a new owner - Matt who is happy to support us randonneurs. (You met him in the morning.) Our pal Rick is still there (think: wild hair)- he signed your cards in the afternoon.

Ride safe.

Susan Plonsky
Southern Arizona Regional Brevet Administrator