41st ANNUAL NCBC BREVET SERIES

2023 BREVET SERIES

Raleigh Region brevet protocols

Directions to the start of all brevets.
These brevets are held rain or shine – no refunds of entry fees.

This year I am starting the rides from the garage at my house. Parking will be at the Historic Christian Church which is no longer a church but a town building located at 222 Church Street one block north of my house.

DO NOT PARK AT THE BAPTIST CHURCH PARKING LOT ACROSS CHURCH ST. FROM MY HOUSE!

A few words: organized bicycle rides are not going to be the same as they were for the foreseeable future. Randonneuring is a challenging activity that requires extensive personal planning and preparation for all conditions. Covid-19 has added another layer of difficulty to every aspect of the already complex demands.

If you aren’t able or willing to modify your approach to these events, then please do not participate. Do not argue with the RBA, ride organizer, or volunteers about this. Changes made regarding how these rides are organized has developed after months of consideration and is based upon plans from other groups around the country. Key point: Anyone who is ill, thinks they might be ill, thinks they have any symptoms, or thinks they might have been exposed to someone who is ill or someone who has tested positive for active COVID-19 needs to not ride and must stay home. If you’re awaiting a COVID-19 test result, do not ride, regardless of the circumstances that caused you to be tested. Participating in a brevet under any of these circumstances is irresponsible for your own health and the health of everyone else you with whom you come in contact.

Brevets will be unsupported. There will be no support on the route or at the controls. While the RBA or ride organizer will be at the start, there will be no event volunteers and no one will be available for assistance during the ride except by phone conversation. Although advice by phone may be available, SAG will not be provided under any circumstances. Each rider needs to be fully prepared to participate in the brevet without any organized support of any kind, including if they DNF in-route. Riders are reminded that it is permitted to have your own support/SAG, but that it is forbidden to take support other than at a control

Pre-and-post-ride food as well as on the road water and food will be the responsibility of riders. It is strongly suggested that riders bring adequate water and food to limit the need to stop during the ride.

At a minimum, riders are encouraged to wear masks when entering a store. Having hand sanitizer with you is recommended. Riders should exercise “social distancing” both on the road and when stopped.
Since participants must still sign any waiver in ink, these will be available to download, print and sign so that you can drop them off at the start. The rider can pay the ride fee in cash or check.

Brevet cards will be used by all riders at the start and finish. Cards can also be used at all route controls or riders can take pictures of the control showing time and location and e-mail them to me at alanmj306@gmail.com. Riders finishing after we have gone to bed must take a picture of the RBA’s front door and emailing it to the RBA or ride organizer within 48 hours.

. Fill out the brevet card and enter times at start, finish, and controls. For the rides originating / ending in Morrisville, the card can be left in a zip lock bag on RBA Alan’s door. (If a rider is unable to download the waiver or brevet card, contact the RBA or ride organizer well ahead of time and the RBA or ride organizer will try to have it available at the start. But DO NOT anticipate that unless you have contacted the RBA or ride organizer well in advance.)

Since receipts are not required, “Control Proof of Passage” will be obtained via:

Take a photo identifying the control location (be sure to take photos at the START and FINISH). These are then to be emailed to the RBA or ride organizer (as instructed prior to each event) with a time notation made in the image name (please limit the image size). Note: the photo mechanism for proof of passage does not require a “smartphone.” Any small digital camera or even a flip-phone with camera can serve this purpose.

All proof of passage must be emailed within 48 hours of ride completion.

All rides are contingent on state and local pandemic regulations.

Due to insurance requirements for RUSA, all participants on the brevet rides must be current members of RUSA. Any person who is not a current RUSA member will not be allowed to ride. Please let me know before the brevet if you plan to ride so that I can verify membership with RUSA.

Randonneuring is a sport of adventure that takes place on open roads and under prevailing weather conditions. The events, called brevets, take place over long hours during both day and night and are an extreme test of endurance. They are self-supported long-distance cycling events that celebrates self-sufficiency and require you to be are responsible for your own pace, your own nutrition, your own repairs, and, above all, your own safety.

I have tried to keep the brevets to mostly quiet country back roads, but there are some locations with heavy traffic and those are noted on the cue sheets. There will be some locations with dogs but that can be almost any place out in the country so be careful.

Every rider and volunteer must sign the accident waiver form for each ride.

ANSI or Snell approved Helmets MUST be worn at all times on course.

Routes are not marked but cue sheets will be provided. The phone numbers of the organizer will be on the cue sheet. If you can’t continue on the ride, call a friend or family member pick you up. If you abandon the ride, be sure to let the organizer know.

TO REGISTER, PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND FILL OUT THE REGISTRATION FORM / WAIVER. SEND THE REGISTRATION AND CHECK TO THE ADDRESS ON THE REGISTRATION FORM.

Please make checks payable to the North Carolina Bicycle Club (NCBC), and mail to:
Alan Johnson
308 Ashe St.
Morrisville, NC 27560.

Pre-registration is not required, but extremely helpful to the organizers.
Any comments or questions about this brevet site, please e-mail them to Alan Johnson at alanj@live.unc.edu or alanmj@mindspring.com .

For the 300k, 400k, and 600k there will be a bike inspection at registration. At minimum, a steady burning front and rear lights and reflective gear are required for the 300brevet and recommended for the 200k. Tail lights must be steady burning and a spare bulb and batteries are required for all lights that use them. A backup lighting system is highly recommended.

Your bicycle should be in good condition. All riders must carry at least one spare tube and a pump.

Personal sags are not allowed on the route. They are to be met at the designated checkpoints only.
Check the regulations page or RUSA for a complete list of brevet rules.

There will be a minimum amount of food and beverages along the route and most stores are closed at night, so come prepared. There will be limited coverage of the route by organizers, riders are expected to be self-sufficient.

I have added a Tips page with information I hope will be useful for riding the brevets and will add to it as I find more useful tips.