Lanterne Rouge: My Coffeeneuring Wrap-up

To say that the Coffeeneuring Challenge was not my highest priority this fall does not convey my fondness for this unique and growing phenomenon. I feel honored to be one of the original coffeeneurs and set out this fall with plans to build upon my past accomplishments to take this challenge to a new level. The trouble is that life simply got in the way. To begin with, October has become a harried month in my calendar with school accreditation visits to supervise as well family demands that have grown rather than lessened now that my daughter has begun her first year of college. With a few six-day work weeks and a trip to Ohio, it's been nearly impossible to squeeze in even the most rudimentary coffeeneuring excursions.

Yesterday, for instance, I was committed to riding a 100K permanent populaire to keep my monthly streak going after dropping off my wife to teach a workshop for childbirth educators in New York City. I selected JB's Yorktown Heights 100K, which begins and ends in Yonkers. The route itself is both pleasant and challenging with over 20 miles of rail trail and additional miles along sleepy (hollow) backroads throughout Westchester County. The only way I could fit in a coffeeneuring ride while staying true to the challenge rules, however, was to add on a two-mile loop after completing the permanent ride. 

Today, with the curtain closing on the 2014 Challenge, I managed to fit in a five-mile loop beginning and ending at the state park where my son was playing in an Ultimate Frisbee tournament. While I was able to succeed, I did not excel -- and this, sometimes, has to be good enough. Out with a whimper rather than a bang. Lanterne rouge it would be.

I can tolerate a Dunkin' Donuts coffee, but I typically don't enjoy it unless I've ridden several hundred miles before drinking one. This was not the case here, it was simply the best I could do under the circumstances. As with randonneuring, not all rides are inspired, but the satisfaction of completing a series is very sweet indeed. So with gratitude and humility, I thank MG for her fine organization and inspiration and promise that I will put in a superior effort in 2015. 

#6
November 15
Dunkin' Donuts, Yonkers, NY
Dark roast coffee and a Pumpkin Pie donut
2 miles

#7
November 16
Dunkin' Donuts, Arlington, NY
Regular coffee
5 miles

The Otisville 108K: My Quest for the P-12 Begins

Several years ago, RUSA added the P-12 Award to celebrate the accomplishments of those who ride at least one event or permanent route in the 100K - 199K range (also known as a "populaires") in each of twelve consecutive months. It occurred to me recently that one way to keep my mileage up as I build a strong foundation for PBP 2015 will be to add the P-12 to my list of goals for the coming year. I am already working on another R-12 this year, so this additional challenge will require that I ride at least one 200K and one 100K each month between now and July 2014.

To get started, I reached out to my pal Doug H. who manages the Otisville 108K, which begins and ends in New Paltz right next door. Luckily, Doug was happy to oblige me at the last minute and I was able to squeeze this ride into the last day of August. The Otisville 108K is a pleasant out-and-back route along the Shawangunk Ridge that also comprises the first and last 33 miles of the Dingman's Ferry 209K that I've ridden and enjoyed in the past. On Sunday, the skies were heavy and grey and not particularly photogenic, but trust me, it's a pretty lovely ride.

One of the nice things about a 100K is that it's basically just a nice long training ride and takes less than half a day to complete, which leaves plenty of time in the day for other activities. This should make the P-12 a whole lot easier to attain than the R-12, but it will also keep me motivated to get out and ride in the bitter cold months ahead. Completing both the R-12 and the P-12 at the same time will give me just the boost I need to build a strong base. To make this challenge even more manageable and to increase the frequency with which I ride, I plan to submit several of my favorite training routes to RUSA as permanent populaires in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more details.

Up next: The Princeton 200K on September 13.