New Schedule Posted - And Congratulations to all our riders!
Next Year
Many of you may or may not have noticed that the new schedule has been up for about a month! We have a really awesome year planned including:
- 2 full series including one full series out of Woodstock.
- Fleche/Dart weekend over Memorial Day
- Our second 1200k, the Great Lakes Iron Porcupine
- Labor Day Riding weekend
- New routes!
Check it out just to the right or here: 2020 GLR Routes
Thanks so much!
GLR is lucky to have great volunteers. This was my 5th year as RBA and it was also the best. I had great people helping me and I think it showed. A lot of things got better. Even though it takes me 6 hours to get to the start, I never tire of doing it because I get to hang with such awesome people. In particular, I want to thank ...
The GLR Board - these people are just awesome and they are all coming back next year!
- Kingston Smith - Treasurer
- Regina Schurman - Secretary
- Mike Welsh - Roving Board member
Other volunteers and pre-riders this year
- Hollie Long - Volunteer for Puff the Magic 600k
- Mike Hauptman - Rider support: My Hip is Bleeding, My Nose is Bleeding, My Eyes are Bleeding, My Ears are Bleeding
- George Mickleson - My Eyes are Bleeding Volunteer
- Paul Danhaus: Million Meters Pre-Ride Support and making sure Michele made it out of the meth house
- Jennnifer Danhaus: Pre-rider: Psychedelic Turtle
- Mike Nichols: Pre-rider: Puff the Magic 600k
- Tony Wilkins - Pre-rider: Psychedelic Cow
- Ted Fay - Organized the Closer Party
- Kathy Metzker - Million Meters and you would not have an RBA without her!
Volunteers from other clubs (yep they flew all the way here just to help us out!)
- Vickie Backman (Million Meters) - San Luis Obispo Randoonneurs
- Lisa Nicholson (Million Meters) - San Diego Randonneurs
- Terry Hutt - Pacific Coast Highway Randonneurs and our stellar route committee advisor from RUSA
GLR Awards
After a super soggy closer, we had our first GLR awards and party at Temerpence Beer in Evanston. The wet weather did not diminish the high spirits. Our awards are customized to the year so you never know exactly what they will be! All of them reflect the year in general and you have to actaully be there to receive one.
The Bleeding Randonneurs - Sam Kling, Brian Lewis-Jones, and Kingston Smith
The Bleeding Randonneur series was out of Oregon and won't return in its entirity until the next PBP. Meant for making you suffer more than PBP (which is a super tough ride), the 300k/400k/600k have about 60,000 ft of climbing together. Unlike out west, this is relentless, you don't get those 20 mile downhills following the graded 20 miles of uphill. My Nose is Bleeding, My Eyes are Bleeding and My Ears are Bleeding are the 3 toughest routes that I know of period. I said at the beginning of the 300k that anyone who finished all of them would get a trophy. Only 3 people made it, Sam Kling, Brian Lewis-Jones and Kingston Smith. The trophies were donated by the RBA.
The Volunteer of the Year - Mike Welsh
Over this year, one guy has been a sight on nearly ever brevet. He's been the official SAG driver for nearly everyone that needed a lift. He also masterminded our new location at Woodstock and created the Barrington Boomerang. A better friend I could not ask for and his words really helped me enjoy my fifth year. The whole board, except him, easily voted for him on this one. You can't have a great club without a Mike!
Best Picture - Iter Saygin after finishing a solo 400k through a tough night (taken by Regina Schurman)
The look on his face says it all!
Other awards and notables!
Like I said, this was an awesome year. Everyone who came to the finisher got a certificate. Among the notables:
- Regina Schurman - Queen of the 200k - she did all of them (and there where about 8)
- Paul Kellog - First SR series after many years of trying
- Todd Hoskins and Keith Bowersox - Save The RBA for helping Michele during her many hip misadventures
What Awards will be next year?
Safe to say that the Volunteer of the year is here to stay. But the rest are up for grabs. Michele will make them up as we go along. GLR's core values are : Perserverence, Cameraderie and Safety so you can bet they will be about them!
