High Country Brevet

Though the racing season is winding down, I still wanted to spend time with Cerulean this weekend. So, I gave him the option of racing Skull Valley on Sunday or participating in the High Country Brevet on Saturday. He said he didn’t care, as long as we were together (swoon!). Thus, on Friday afternoon, Cerulean and I climbed in Shannon (my Accord), and traveled to Show Low. Now, this was Cerulean’s first brevet. As such he’s asked me to share his ten most favorite things about today’s event.

First: It’s called a brevet (pronounced brah-VAY). Were I to compose a really cool rap song, I could rhyme brevet with words like ‘okay’ and ‘Champs-‰lyses.’ Or, for the ironic effect, I could actually contest a brevet on a Roubaix. (Don’t worry, Cerulean knows I’m a Tarmac girl at heart!)

Second: The brevet is a throw-back to childhood scavenger hunts. In this case, we were collecting signatures and receipts from 6 different locations along the course. Perhaps I’ll have a bike scavenger hunt for my 30th birthday party…seems fitting.

Third: Brevets are ideal for strong-headed, independent people. (My boss claims most graduate students trust no one and have problems with authority. I’ll allow you to draw your own conclusions.) Though you can purchase things from businesses during the brevet, it is actually illegal to accept help from anyone that you know. Rather, you’re expected to be entirely self-sufficient and self-supported.

Fourth: 200k = 125 miles + 6000 ft of climbing for a total time of 9 hours with stops. (And this is considered the short distance.)

Fifth: The brevet is the complete antithesis of your average Saturday morning group race. Excellent pavement, no stoplights, no 4-abrest, no attacking across double-yellow, no stray dogs wandering into the middle of the pack, and lots of camelbacks. I actually suffered a brief bout of bento box envy.

Sixth: The weather gave us the opportunity to hear aspen leaves rustle in the breeze and to practice our handling skills on descents in the pouring rain.

Seventh: I got to wear LOTS of pink’arm warmers, water bottles, the whole nine yards. This was particularly humorous when we stopped at the Sunrise Ski Lift eighty-five miles into the ride. Apparently, this is a favorite location of the downhill mountain-biking crowd. In the off-season the lift carries bikes and riders up the mountain so they may descend the ski routes. We needed to collect a signature from said ski lift. So, Cerulean and I marched his skinny tires and my 100% matching Specialized D4W/Bicycle Haus kit (with short shorts of course) into the midst of the multiple muddy, mostly male, black-clad mountain bikers. (One of these things is not like the other’yeah, it’s me.) Though I was also soaking wet and a bit muddy, we still stood out. I’m pretty sure I was the only one with white bar tape. They graciously offered to let us attempt the descent, which I politely declined. Now, don’t get me wrong, I know that Cerulean is a very capable bicycle, but I don’t want to be known as an abusive partner.

Eighth: It’s not a race (and not in the way that El Tour is not a race’). We stopped at a Circle K, talked with people along the way, and took time to smell the proverbial roses (or in this case, the pines of the high country).

Ninth: Apart from a bit of moisture, the weather in the high country was amazing!!! It was in the 60′s when we started with overcast skies and a pleasant, gentle breeze. It never got much above 80. Take that Tucson’

Tenth: The best thing about today was the effect it had on my heart. I’ve been told by many that I seem to ‘misplace my confidence’ from time to time. Today allowed me ample opportunity to practice and realize what Neil calls ‘positive self-expectation.’ It is virtually impossible to complete a ride like this without learning to believe in yourself just a little bit more.

So, thanks to Susan, Paul, Tom and all of the Arizona Brevet folks. It was an amazing day that Cerulean and I won’t soon forget!