Bleu Kaundi 600K Ride Report

Twenty-nine riders, including three pre-riders, rolled out from Chamounix for the 2026 Bleu Kaundi 600K. By the end of the weekend, twenty-two riders would complete the course within the time limit.

Photo by Phil Luong

The statistics only tell part of the story.

This year's 600K reinforced a lesson many riders discover for themselves: a 600K really is a 400K followed by another ride the next day. The challenge, however, is that a big first day still has to be completed. Riders faced temperatures in the 90s, relentless humidity, powerful thunderstorms, and plenty of Pennsylvania climbing before ever reaching the overnight control. Seven riders abandoned during the first day, one following a crash and injury, and six due to the extreme heat. We wish the injured rider a speedy recovery and hope to see him back on the road soon. Despite the challenging conditions, every rider who left Chamounix for Day 2 completed the brevet within the time limit.

Thunderstorm, late Saturday afternoon (photo by Dan Powers)

A group of riders found shelter in an old barn during the storm (photo by Dan Powers)

The most dramatic weather arrived late Saturday afternoon and into the evening, when severe thunderstorms swept across the course. Most riders found shelter wherever they could as lightning, heavy rain, and strong winds moved through the region. Some decided to continue riding through the conditions, appreciating the rain cooling things off. In response to the extraordinary conditions, an additional sixty minutes was added to the overall time limit. In the end, no rider needed all of that extra time, but the adjustment ensured that riders could prioritize safety.

When the RBA arrived at the Boyer's Food Market control in Orwigsburg in the middle of the storm, the scene looked less like a brevet control and more like a field hospital, with riders sprawled across the floor and occupying an entire grocery store aisle. A quick glance suggested a crisis, but the smiles and laughter that followed revealed something very different: despite the heat, storms, and long miles, spirits remained remarkably high.

For those who continued, the reward was a true 600K experience: oppressive heat, torrential rain, unexpected moments of beauty, a precious period of sleep, and the satisfaction of returning to the road on Sunday morning knowing that another 200 kilometers still awaited.

Left to right: Jimmy Karadagli, Anton Lindberg, and Josh Brown refuel at the Sheetz control in Shoemakersville. *They rode into and through the storm right after this photo.

One of the most impressive aspects of the brevet had nothing to do with finishing times or distances. The riders who abandoned remained overwhelmingly positive throughout the weekend. Several stayed at Chamounix to support riders returning from the course, while others came back later to cheer finishers and celebrate their accomplishments. More than a few were already searching the RUSA calendar for other 600Ks later this year and several signed up for next week's Keystone 200K. That attitude speaks to something special about this community. Randonneurs understand that success is not defined by a single ride, and they share a deep appreciation for the experience of spending long hours on a bicycle, facing challenges alongside friends, and returning to ride again another day.

Dan Powers writes...

It’s like when you play a video game and it takes a couple tries to beat the level. Instead of Goombas it’s hills. There’s no lava but there’s plenty of rain. It’s frustrating, but it’s stupidly satisfying. The boss battle got me this time but I’m coming back for more.

SR Series Milestones

The Bleu Kaundi 600K marked the conclusion of the 2026 Pennsylvania Super Randonneur Series. Completing an SR Series requires riders to finish a 200K, 300K, 400K, and 600K brevet within the same season, and it remains one of the most meaningful accomplishments in randonneuring.

Jasen Lo and Maria Thomson (photo by Jakub Piven)

This year's series was especially rewarding because so many riders progressed through the distances together. Riders who completed their first 400K at the Four State 400K returned just a few weeks later to take on their first 600K, demonstrating the steady progression that makes the SR Series such a powerful challenge.

Left to right: Ben Keenan, Sayantan Khan, and Nick Manta display their completed series punchards

Seven riders completed their first SR Series: Jimmy Karadagli, Sayantan Khan, Owen Kobasz, Jasen Lo, Samuel Tarlow, Maria Thomson, and Erik Wright. Congratulations and well done to all these new Super Randonneurs. David Coccagna and Matthew Willet completed their first Pennsylvania SR Series with their pre-ride of the 600K. Chapeau to each of them for their dedication, perseverance, and commitment throughout the season.

Pat Gaffney completed his ninth SR Series, tying Bill Olsen atop the club leaderboard for the most PA Rando SR Series completions. Ben Keenan earned his fourth series, Bill Scanga his third, Nick Manta his second, and yours truly his sixth.

Front to back: Alexa Ringer, Tracey Hunder, and Celia Feal Staub

A special congratulations goes to Tracey Hinder, who completed her second PA SR Series. Tracey played a major role in the success of the 2026 series, encouraging friends and teammates from New York to join our spring brevets and helping mentor many of them through their first SR Series and first flèche. Her support, encouragement, and experience helped foster the strong sense of camaraderie that became a defining feature of this year's rides. As if that were not impressive enough, Tracey arrived at the start of the Bleu Kaundi 600K just five days after completing a New Jersey 1200K. Not content to stop there, she is already signed up for the Keystone Brevet Co. 200K less than a week after finishing the 600K. Chapeau, Tracey, on an incredible season and for the countless ways you have helped strengthen our randonneuring community.

Several additional riders remain within striking distance of their SR Series completion and can still earn the award by returning later this year to complete a ride. Celia Feal Staub has completed a RUSA SR Series this year, but needs just a 200K to make it a PA Series. Alexa Ringer and Cecilie Gaffney need a 300K to complete theirs. Kate Sparacio and Anton Lindberg only need a 200K. We hope to see them all back on the road soon.

Josh Brown's season deserves special recognition as well. While he completed the 200K and 600K events in our series, he spent the weeks in between tackling two SR600s, a particularly demanding challenge that requires riders to complete a 600K route with at least 10,000 meters of climbing. This may at least partially explain how Josh was able to climb back on his bike around 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning to get an early start on the final 200K of the event. Meanwhile, Sean Rich completed the Bleu Kaundi 600K as his first ride with PA Rando. After completing his first 200K and 300K in New Jersey last month, Sean jumped straight into one of the most demanding events on our calendar and showed from the start that he was ready for the deep end. Chapeau to both riders for impressive accomplishments this season.

Bill Scanga displays his series punchcard

The 2026 PA Rando SR Series produced an impressive fifteen SR Series finishers, making it one of the most successful seasons in club history. Five additional riders remain eligible to complete the series with just one more qualifying brevet. The club record stands at seventeen SR Series finishers, set in 2011, meaning this year's group has a legitimate chance to establish a new benchmark before the year concludes. Whether or not that record falls, the growth in participation and the number of riders progressing through the brevet distances together has been one of the most rewarding stories of the season.

Thank You to Our Volunteers

A brevet may be ridden individually, but events like this are only possible because of the generosity of volunteers who give their time to support riders throughout the weekend.

On course support at Mile 103 (photo by Dan Powers)

On Day 1, Greg Kowal helped get things started by preparing breakfast and sending riders off. Support was available at several points along the course. The RBA spent portions of the day providing water, ice, and encouragement near Peace Valley Lake (mile 34), on Lower Smith Gap Road (mile 103), at the Boyer's Food Market control in Orwigsburg, and later at the Sheetz control in Shoemakersville.

Chris Nadovich staffed the penultimate control of Day 1 at the Redner's Quick Shoppe in Bally, ensuring that riders arriving late into the evening had a welcoming face, food, water, and encouragement before tackling the final miles back to Chamounix.

The overnight control was the heart of the event. Travis Berry and Woody Felice staffed the first half of the overnight and welcomed riders with dinner as they rolled in after long hours on the road. Later in the night and into the early morning, David Coccagna and Matthew Willet took over, helping riders prepare for the second day and serving breakfast burritos that quickly became one of the most appreciated features of the entire weekend.

Day 2 support continued with Sean Martin greeting riders at the Wallingford train station with homemade cookies approximately twenty miles into the day, and Jake Prosser staffing the Christiana control with pizza, water, and encouragement for the final push back to Philadelphia. Afterwards, both made their way to cheer on riders at the finish.

As usual for big PA Rando events, it was a festive scene at Chamounix as riders finished the course. Iwan Barankay staffed the finish control for the early finishers who arrived from late morning into the early afternoon. Later in the afternoon, Joey Doubek, Greg Kowal, and Noah Indegoat greeted riders with ice pops and cold drinks as soon as they pulled in. Riders lingered long after finishing to celebrate with one another and cheer on friends still out on the course. As the afternoon went on, more friends and family arrived to welcome riders home. After a weekend of heat, storms, climbing, and very little sleep, the atmosphere at the finish was a fitting celebration of the accomplishment and the community that made it possible. 

Every volunteer helped create an atmosphere that reminded riders they were not facing the challenge alone. On behalf of all the riders, thank you for making this event possible.

Jasen Lo and Maria Thomson (photo by Jakub Piven)

Rider Stories

Ben Keenan writes...

Thanks to Brad, Matt, Dave, Travis, Woody, Chris, Iwan and all volunteers for organizing this ride.  I had a great time.  This was a beautiful course that presented a fair share of challenges.  I recently saw a Little Feat concert and as we rolled through conditions that included heat, dust, headwinds and then a thunderstorm with big wet cold drops of rain and thunder that had Nick and I counting the time between the flashes and booms (“five is good, right????”),   I thought of one of the band’s songs about a long haul trucker who has to face all kinds of challenges (warped by the rain, kicked by the wind, gets hit in the head, etc.) but still keeps going for some mythical reason.  My journey was not quite as songworthy.  My challenges consisted of getting dehydrated, drinking some horrible “Tropical Refresher” juice at Boyer’s Market, feeling like I was going to barf for the next 50 miles and then fixing three flats trying to get to the overnight control, the last wondering if tube repair glue dries enough in the rain to hold a patch (it does!).

With apologies to the songwriter Lowell George, I “composed” my own randonneuring version of his song in memory of the seemingly endless final few miles on the first night:

And if you give me; dynamo light, water and chicken nuggets for $3.99
And a GPS that will show me a sign
I'll be willin' to keep movin'

This was a great SR series and special thanks to everyone that shared the miles.  Hope to see everyone on a ride soon!

Photo by Phil Luong

Pat Gaffney writes...

Brad, thanks to you Greg, Chris, Woody, Travis, David, Mathew, Jacob, Noah, Joey, and any other volunteers that I am missing for a wonderful event.  The support on this ride was great, always seeming to be there right when we needed it.  The route was beautiful and challenging, and frustrating, and joyful; as a 600 should be.  It had it all from the perfect starting temperatures to the hot hot heat, strong winds, driving rain, thunder, lightening, and fog. It was like an entire summer season in one ride.  I am proud that I matched Bill Olsen's 9 SR's. It seems poetic to me, now, that I puked on this ride not too far from where we came across him puking up a strawberry milkshake on a 400K in 2010.  I'm going to say that Bill's was more visually dramatic.  Thanks again for all the hard work and the great rides.  Hope to see everyone down the road soon!

Celia Feal Staub writes...

Bleu Kaundi gave me everything at once: a thunderstorm that turned the sky violent and then left a rainbow so surreal I had to stop believing I was hallucinating it. Ninety degree heat. Unrelenting climbing. Losing my phone in a gas station bathroom and having Brad recover it for me like the miracle it was.

Somewhere around mile 149, with the day already long and many many miles to go, Tracey and I rolled into Boyer's just as the sky opened up into an absolute deluge. When I said I needed to rest, and proceeded to lay down on the grocery store floor, she said: ""That's a great idea! We have to eat into our sleep time, so get rest while you can"". Words of wisdom.

We got 1.5 hours of sleep between "days". The volunteers at Chamounix greeted us at 3:30am saying "you have plenty of time, you have enough time," exactly what I needed to hear at exactly the right moment. 

The next day had a lot of caffeine pills, raspberry Wawa smoothies, and abundant generosity of every volunteer and fellow rider who had what we needed when we needed it most.

Photo by Phil Luong

Sayantan Khan writes...

The motto playing in my head as I rode this long hard brevet was "I am living my life control to control", with the added understanding that the overnight control was the best control, and every minute I saved on the intermediate controls on Day 1 would be an additional minute in bed in nice clean dry clothes at Chamonix.

The being said, the suffering didn't really start until I was well through the Wind Gap, and making my way to Orwigsburg. Until then, I had enjoyed climbing into the Blue Ridge Mountains, and was having a thoroughly good time.

The good times resumed again when I made a possibly foolish decision to leave Sheetz just as the storm was rolling in: I would do anything to ride in cool weather again, and the gamble paid off, as I cooled down, and managed to tackle the remaining hard climb in relatively pleasant conditions: climbs are best enjoyed in the cool and humid post rain conditions.

As I rode the last 60k of the first day alone with my thoughts in the dark (my mp3 player having fried itself with water damage), I considered how easy it would be to quit once I rolled into Chamonix: my own home a mere 2 miles away.

I decided to postpone the quitting decision to after I'd had my shower and nap, and that worked out in my favor.

Waking up, and getting fueled by David's excellent breakfast burrito, I crawled slowly to the first Wawa control of the second day, and ran into Nick Manta: we decided without exchanging words that we'd ride together for the rest of the day, and would stop at all the controls and eat a lot, and eat slowly.

The second day would have been significantly harder if not for Nick's company. 

I learned a lot about myself, and my fellow riders on this brevet, and kudos to everyone who even set out on Day 1: "this was extremely hard but rewarding." Somewhere on the SRT on day two, with Philly getting closer and the miles finally feeling like a countdown, I knew with certainty we were going to finish. That final climb up to Chamounix was unreal. Thank you Brad, all the volunteers, and everyone I was lucky enough to ride with!

Ice cap (photo by Alexa Ringer)

Alexa Ringer writes...

Day 2 - I woke up with saddle sores and chafing, and the pain was intense. Cyclists I consider stronger than me were dropping out, rightfully saying the heat was too much. It gave me anxiety. I was crying at Chamounix as I waited for Jasen to finish getting ready, unsure how I was going to get back on the bike, but as Tracey said, 'It's a beautiful day for a bike ride.' So I hopped on and kept going.

As texts pinged on my Garmin throughout the day, I was reminded how supported I was and how grateful I am to have a community that enables me to push myself to my limits. I thought about why I really love biking: how it shows me little corners of the world, how it makes time pass slowly and quickly at the same time, and how a single joyful minute can make hours of suffering wash away.

Someone texted me to have fun. I bombed a winding descent into a covered bridge and smiled a lot. I started having fun.

At the Turkey Hill before the final Wawa control, I chugged my first-ever Celsius energy drink. It revived me like it was suddenly a new day. The worst hills were behind us, the sun began to cool off, and we started cooking.

When we reached the Schuylkill River Trail, my legs started pumping with recognition. The trail was brilliant, the sun was shining, and it really was a beautiful day for a bike ride. Jasen and I rolled up the final climb to Chamounix to the sounds of cheers, cowbells, and Sandstorm blasting from my speaker. We had 15 minutes to spare. I couldn't have done it alone, and that's what makes the randonneuring community so beautiful.

Jasen Lo pauses for a break (photo by Dan Powers)

 Jasen Lo writes...

Thanks to Brad Layman and the other organizers and volunteers for their work in making this event happen. It was a proper finale to the Spring Super Series, and one that I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to participate in and complete.

I've never logged so many miles so early in the cycling season, and I approached the 600k with a creaky knee and a bundle of nerves about the sheer distance, elevation, and sleep deprivation that were bound to come. After a first day of relentless climbing, heat exhaustion, biblical rain, and extreme knee discomfort, I woke up in Chamonix after three hours of sleep ready to call it quits. My right knee was swollen and virtually locked in a bent position. It wasn't until Gilbert suggested applying Icy Hot to my battered knee, followed by a hearty breakfast, that my knee and I regained some semblance of function.

At that point, I knew that any additional mile I covered was simply extra credit. If I was forced to stop, I felt I had already made a good account of myself by digging deep, overcoming enough adversity, and attempting the remainder of the ride.

I recall Michael Burns telling me that, with so many resources available and so much time afforded to us, I needn't worry. In that respect, his prediction proved prophetic, as I rolled into Chamonix on Sunday evening as the lanterne rouge after a grueling day of saddle sores and persistent knee pain that made seated climbing impossible, aided by an additional hour time allowance due to the earlier storm.

Looking back, I'm overwhelmed by the generosity everyone extended to me: the encouragement and assistance of Brad Layman, David Coccagna, Jacob Prosser, and the other volunteers at key checkpoints and the overnight control; my fellow riders Alexa, Maria, Jakub, Tracey, Celia, Owen, Dan, Phil, Gilbert, Erik, and Kate, for their steadfast resilience, shared lumens, and invaluable drafts; and Aaron and James, whose company brought me back to life on the final stretches of the SRT, as my morale and stamina wavered.

Finishing on the cusp of the cutoff meant that every act of help I received was the difference between a DNF and earning the SR credit. While I understand that randonneuring is ultimately a self-supported endeavor, I can't help but think about how much support I received, and how much this SR is as much an accomplishment of my worthy, admirable peers as it is of mine.

Selfie by Kate Sparacio with Erik Wright

 Kate Sparacio writes...

This ride felt like a real “best of Eastern PA tour”- we truly got a little bit of everything along the way in terms of terrain, scenery, weather, joys and challenges. Highs included being rewarded with huge rainbows after the storm, peaceful late night pedaling under a gigantic golden moon, and sweet, supportive volunteers popping up at just the right time with just the right snacks. Lows included a mangled front derailleur, losing access to my granny gear, and the times that it was so hot that I found myself briefly grateful for a headwind, because at least there was a breeze?

For a sport that heavily stresses independence, self-sufficiency and in many ways is defined by a lack of support - I sure finished this ride feeling that my cup was overflowing from all the support and encouragement of my fellow riders and the many dedicated volunteers who made this gigantic feat of a ride possible! I feel so lucky to pedal among experienced riders who are so generous with their hard-earned knowledge, as well as folks who were navigating new territory for the first time and eager to bond over the uncertainties and new milestones we encountered along the way. The generosity, camaraderie, support and good vibes are unmatched! Enormous thanks to all - looking forward to whatever's next!

Looking Ahead

If there is such a thing as "randonesia," it appears to set in quickly. Eight Bleu Kaundi riders are registered for the Keystone Brevet Co. 200K less than a week later, suggesting that memories of heat exhaustion, thunderstorms, and sleepless nights fade remarkably fast.

While the SR Series may be complete, there is still plenty to look forward to on the 2026 PA Rando calendar. Our July and August 200Ks will head north to provide a welcome break from the urban heat of a Philly summer. September will feature a full brevet weekend in Philly with 200K, 300K, and 400K options. In October, we plan to bring back the Covered Bridges 200K as our fall classic, along with a populaire. We are also working on plans for a Philly-based holiday soiree as part of our December 200K. Whether you join us as a rider, volunteer, or both, we hope to see you at a future event. And if you have an idea for a new route or event, reach out to me at dblayman@gmail.com—we are always looking for new ideas and volunteers to help bring them to life.

Check out more photos from the ride in this Google Folder.

Brad Layman
RBA, Pennsylvania Randonneurs

Keystone Brevet Co. 200k Course Notes

We’re really excited for the fourth edition of the Keystone Brevet Co. 200k this Saturday, June 13!

The event starts and ends at 1800 North American Street.

• Check-in begins at 6:00 AM

• Rider meeting at 6:50 AM

• Departure begins at 7:00 AM

Please refer to the Event Page for all pertinent details.

KBC worker-owners Nick and Zack on the pre-ride. Photo: CJ Arayata

This course has had some significant edits since last year. Please make sure that you have the most up to date cue sheet and gps file. The beginning of the course will be familiar to those that rode Ronde Van White Clay as it mostly follows the end of that route in reverse. Hopefully this section has less Saturday morning traffic than Goshen Rd. 

The course returns to the original route on Green Hill Rd. a few miles before the Downingtown Wawa just in time to climb Skelp Level Road. 

The winter weather has been rough on roads and there are several sections of road, especially on descents, that you should take caution. 

Mile 21 - After turning on to Darby Paoli Rd., take caution to avoid riding near the storm water grates. There are large tire-eating gaps between the grate and the pavement. 

Mile 37.8 The descent on Skelp Level Rd. is fast and has several potholes and ruts. 

Mile 68 - The descent on Harmonyville Rd. has many potholes.

Note about Perkiomen Trail and SRT - GPS base maps often diverge from the actual trail due so rerouting. Follow trail signage if in doubt!

The route through Pottstown provides some additional options for services between Morgantown and the Zieglersville Wawa before getting on the Perkiomen trail.  

The ride will finish at the Sor Ynez patio afterwards for food and drinks. 

See you Saturday!

FINAL Course Update: Bleu Kaundi 600K Course Notes

Final Course Notes: Heat, Logistics, and Pre-Ride Updates

Heat Is the Story This Weekend

The biggest challenge of this year's Bleu Kaundi 600K may not be the distance or the climbing. It may be the weather.

Please make heat management your top priority throughout the weekend. Refill your bottles at every opportunity, even if they are not empty. If your bike can comfortably carry three bottles, this is a great weekend to do it. Bring sunscreen and reapply it throughout the day. Both pre-riders came back with more sun than they intended.

Just as importantly, take advantage of opportunities to cool down. Sit inside when you stop. Find shade. Soak your cap. There are plenty of creeks along the route - jump in if the opportunity presents itself. The time spent cooling down is often time well invested.

Once heat exhaustion starts to set in, eating and drinking become much more difficult, which only makes the problem worse. Pay attention to early warning signs such as dizziness, unusual fatigue, nausea, poor coordination, confusion, or a noticeable drop in performance. Don't wait until you are in trouble to start cooling down and hydrating.

For additional information on recognizing and preventing heat illness, I recommend reviewing this helpful resource:

https://koreystringer.institute.uconn.edu/heat-stroke/

To help riders stay ahead of the heat, I plan to be out on the course with water and ice at approximately Mile 34 and again around Mile 101. These are two areas where services are more limited, and hopefully a quick opportunity to refill bottles, cool down, and regroup will help.

Pre-Ride Updates

A huge thank you to David Coccagna and Matt Willet for pre-riding the course and sharing their observations. The cue sheet (Version 3) and RWGPS (last modified 2026-06-3 08:50:15 EDT) have been updated with their notes and can be found HERE.

A few items worth highlighting:

• Watch for a large gravel pile at the bottom of Headquarters Road.
• Use caution near highway on-ramps and off-ramps where traffic speeds can be high.
• The descent into Bowmanstown has several ruts and potholes. Keep your eyes up and call out hazards if you are riding with others.
• After Orwigsburg, many of the railroad crossings are rough and should be approached carefully.
• (Day 2) The roads through East Nantmeal have some rough sections and ruts.

Some GPS devices have difficulty loading or processing routes of this size. Here is the route broken into Day 1 and Day 2:

Day 1 Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55474323

Day 2 Route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/55474329

Please note that the official route, cue sheet, and controls remain unchanged. These files are provided solely as a convenience for riders whose GPS devices perform better with shorter routes.

Important Note About the Redner's Control (Mile 198)

One logistical detail worth highlighting concerns the Redner's control at Mile 198. The store itself closes at midnight, while the control closing time is approximately 1:12 AM.

Hopefully everyone reaches the control before midnight and can take advantage of the store's food, drinks, restrooms, and air conditioning. However, if you arrive after the store has closed, you will not be stranded. Chris Nadovich has generously volunteered to staff the control and will have water and snacks available for riders passing through after midnight.

Please plan accordingly, especially if you expect to be riding near the back of the field. The control remains open even after the store closes.

Overnight Logistics

We are expecting a full house at Chamounix on Saturday night. Fortunately, most will be too tired to notice the steady stream of riders arriving and departing from the overnight control.

If you are not staying at the hostel on Friday night, I strongly recommend arriving early on Saturday morning to claim a bed and get your sleeping area set up before the start. We are going to need every available bunk bed on Saturday night. Please do this not only for your own convenience, but also as a courtesy to your fellow riders. The less time spent sorting out sleeping arrangements when you arrive at the overnight control, the quieter and more restful the hostel will be for everyone trying to get a few precious hours of sleep.

There will be riders arriving throughout the evening and others departing before sunrise, so ear plugs are strongly recommended. We have the bottle of ear plugs that David brought to the 400K, so feel free to grab a pair.

One final reminder: finishing a 600K is often more about good decisions than raw fitness. Stay ahead of the heat, keep eating and drinking, take care of yourself and each other, and enjoy the adventure.

See everyone Saturday morning. We'll have coffee and breakfast ready at 3AM.

***Pre-Ride Update #1***

The Bleu Kaundi 600K got a full pre-ride over Memorial Day weekend, and the route is looking good heading into the event.

For experienced riders who have completed the Blue Mountain 400K or New Bleu Redeux 400K, it will be nice to revisit parts of those routes. The section between Wind Gap and Orwigsburg is particularly memorable and has a real Pennsylvania wilderness feel to it. There are several other especially enjoyable sections on Day 1 as well, including the early morning riding through Bucks County and Hunterdon County, NJ, the SRT through the mountain gap (used on the Hawk Mountain 300K), and the rolling terrain of the Reading Prong later in the day.

Day 1 contains a good amount of climbing, but there are no truly major climbs. I think the most difficult section will be between miles 185 and 190, where riders encounter three steeper pitches while climbing into the Reading Prong. Mentally and physically, this may feel somewhat similar to the Staats Road climb on the Four State 400K. By this point in the ride, it will likely be dark or beginning to get dark, and riders will already have a long day in their legs. Fortunately, there is a very rewarding descent afterward as you approach the first day's penultimate control in Bally.

Day 2 is a delight. Traffic should be fairly light on a Sunday, and the Turkey Hills and Wawas along the route are spaced out nicely for steady refueling opportunities. After a long weekend on the bike, riders will also appreciate that the final 30 miles are flat and mostly car-free along the SRT.

One major topic I did not discuss much in the first post was nutrition. Staying on top of hydration and fueling becomes even more important during a 600K. On Day 1 especially, riders need to think beyond simply fueling for the miles immediately ahead. You are also fueling for the next day. Eat early and often throughout the ride and study the route ahead of time to identify where you would like to stop and refuel.

During my pre-ride, I made a longer stop at the Bowmanstown Diner close to the halfway point of Day 1. It was a cold and rainy day, so a bowl of soup and a waffle really hit the spot. About 50 miles later, I also appreciated taking another longer stop at the Sheetz control, where indoor seating provided a nice chance to reset. The weather for the actual event currently looks much warmer, so riders may prefer different food and hydration strategies. It might still feel nice to sit inside for a bit if it's a hot day.

Volunteers will have dinner ready for riders arriving at the overnight control, and additional volunteers will be helping with breakfast as riders head out for Day 2. They will encourage everyone to eat as much as possible before getting back on the bike.

I mentioned in the earlier post that there is a bathroom and water fountain along the Perkiomen Trail around Mile 214, located within one of the longer stretches without refueling options directly on route. During the overnight hours, the bathrooms are locked, but the water fountain remains available. I have marked a couple of porta-pots for along the trail on RWGPS. One other bathroom-related note: Skoogy's Deli (control at Mile 80) does not have one.

For riders attempting their first 600K, remember that nobody truly feels fully prepared for this distance the first time. The ride unfolds one control at a time, one sunrise at a time, one meal stop at a time. Trust the fitness and experience that got you here already. A month ago, many riders on this start list had never completed a 400K either.

David Coccagna and Matthew Willett are planning their pre-ride on May 31-June 1, so be sure to check back for any additional updates or observations. After their ride, I will also split the RWGPS route into separate Day 1 and Day 2 files and post those links here.

***Original Post***

The Bleu Kaundi 600K is coming up quickly, and riders are preparing for all kinds of goals and challenges. For some, this will be a first attempt at the 600K distance. Others are continuing their SR Series journey, building fitness for longer events later in the season, or simply looking forward to another big weekend on the bike. Last month, 15 riders completed their first-ever 400K, and we are hopeful that many of them will return to tackle the next milestone.

Time to earn the final stamp of the series!

If you rode the Four State 400K, it is completely normal if you are still feeling a bit sluggish. It has only been about two weeks since that ride. A hard 400K effort can take time to fully absorb and recover from, especially if it was your first time at the distance. Continuing to ride, while also prioritizing sleep, nutrition, and recovery, is usually better than trying to force yourself back to feeling “normal” immediately.

One reassuring thing for first-time 600K riders: many experienced randonneurs believe the 400K is actually the more difficult distance. The 400K sits in a difficult place where most riders are still trying to push through with very limited rest while riding deep into the night. Once you have a 400K under your belt, a 600K becomes more about managing your time, sleep, and energy across two days. In many ways, a 600K is simply adding another ride onto the following morning.

The biggest thing to think through ahead of time is your timing plan. How much sleep do you realistically need at the overnight control? How long do you expect the second day’s 200K to take, considering you'll have tired legs? Everyone approaches this differently. Some riders are comfortable with very short sleep stops while others benefit greatly from getting a few solid hours of rest before heading back out.

Event	Distance (K)	Climbing total (ft)	ft/mile
Ronde van White Clay	200	8,956	70.5
Hawk Mountain	300	11,703	61.6
Four State	400	15,268	61.2
Bleu Kaundi	600	22,282	59.4

As with all PA Rando SR Series rides, expect plenty of climbing. But riders should know that the Ronde van White Clay 200K earlier this spring actually had the most climbing per mile of any ride in the series. Day 1 of the 600K contains slightly less climbing than the Four State 400K while also being about five miles shorter overall. That should give riders a chance to reach the overnight control a little bit earlier and settle in for some rest before the final leg.

Day 1 does include two longer stretches without major refueling opportunities at the beginning and end of the route. The first intermediate control does not come until 57 miles into the ride. Riders should consider grabbing a couple to-go snacks at Chamounix before the start and make sure bottles are fully topped off. Fortunately, this section will likely be cool and dark for most riders, making it a good opportunity to settle in and complete a substantial portion of the route before the first stop. The first intermediate control is a bagel shop in Milford, NJ, and makes for a nice breakfast stop. There is also the Milford Market and a gas station convenience store in town and along the route.

At the end of the day, there is a 47-mile stretch between the Redner's Quick Shoppe control and the return to Chamounix. Riders should stock up well before leaving Redner's. There is a park water fountain and restroom (marked on RWGPS) along the Perkiomen Trail, approximately 18 miles after the Redner's control, providing a chance to top off bottles before the final 30 miles back to Chamounix.

The remainder of the Day 1 controls are fairly well spaced out. Riders should note that the Bowmanstown control at mile 118 is a postal control, though Relly’s Deli and the Bowmanstown Diner are nearby and directly along the route for anyone looking to stop for food or supplies.

Waffle with cherries at Bowmanstown Diner (Mile 118)

Day 2 follows the Tscheschter Kaundi 200K route. While no ride in southeastern Pennsylvania is ever truly flat, the second day is relatively manageable at roughly 7,000 feet of climbing.

Riders who have previously ridden the TK200 will notice a few changes to controls:

• The Wawa in Dilworthtown has been added as an official control. Previously, it was simply marked on RWGPS with a recommendation to stop.
• The Christiana control, which serves as the midpoint of Day 2, has changed from a postal control to a pizza shop that opens at 11:00 AM on Sunday. Since Day 1 already includes a postal control, there was no need for a second one. However, the Christiana control is now an info control, so riders who arrive before opening time do not need to wait for the pizza shop to open. Riders looking for alternative refueling options should note that there is a Turkey Hill approximately 7 miles before Christiana and another about 15 miles after; both are along the route and marked on RWGPS.
• The Ludwigs Corner Wawa has been added as a control, replacing the Sheeder-Mill covered bridge control. The goal here is to encourage riders to stop, refuel, and reset before the final stretch home. Note that the route does not pass the Wawa in Phoenixville anymore in order to use roads with less traffic.
• All of the Wawas and Turkey Hills along the Day 2 route are open 24 hours. This is especially noteworthy for riders planning to ride straight through.
• The intermediate controls on Day 2 are all info controls, meaning they do not have closing times listed on eBrevet. This gives riders a bit more flexibility if they get a later start on Sunday morning and need time to settle into the second day.

The final control at the Chamounix Carriage House closes at 8:00 PM on Sunday.

Two riders have already mentioned that they plan to ride straight through without sleeping at the overnight control. If you are considering riding straight through, please let me know ahead of time so we can make arrangements for volunteers to be available for your finish.

Pre-rides are also planned over the coming days. I will be completing a pre-ride over Memorial Day Weekend, and David Coccagna and Matthew Willett are planning a joint pre-ride for May 31-June 1.

Check back on this page for route updates after the pre-rides. I will also break down the RWGPS route into a Day 1 file and Day 2 file and post the links once the route is confirmed.

The registration fee increases this Saturday, May 23. Final registration closes on Wednesday, June 3, at midnight. Looking forward to seeing everyone back out on the road soon.

Brad Layman
RBA, Pennsylvania Randonneurs

Tscheschter Kaundi 200K Ride Report

A few hours after the Four State 400K riders rolled out into the darkness, another group gathered at Chamounix for a very different, though no less memorable, adventure. Seventeen riders, counting two pre-riders, clipped in for the 2026 edition of the Tscheschter Kaundi 200K, heading west toward the rolling roads of Chester County and Pennsylvania Dutch Country.

Caught in a downpour (photo by CJ Arayata)

Unlike last year’s sunny and windy edition, this year’s ride was defined by rain. Riders encountered multiple rounds of showers throughout the day, including a true downpour arriving at perhaps the least convenient moment possible, just before the Ludwigs Corner Wawa. Yet despite the wet roads, soaked gear, and muddy spray kicked up from buggy-worn farm roads, spirits remained remarkably high throughout the day.

Riders make their way up to the South Street Bridge (photo by Matthew Altea)

The route once again delivered everything that makes the Tscheschter Kaundi such a classic PA Rando ride: winding roads through quiet farmland, covered bridges, Amish buggies, smooth rollers through pastoral countryside, and long stretches where it feels impossible that Philadelphia is only a few hours away. Riders fueled themselves with convenience store snacks, Amish pretzels, and plenty of shared camaraderie while navigating the constantly changing weather conditions.

Snacks at the Maple Arch Farm Market (photo by CJ Arayata)

Of the 17 starters, 16 riders completed the route, an impressive 94% finish rate despite the challenging conditions. Chapeau to all the finishers.

One of the highlights of the day was seeing newer riders continue to build confidence and experience in the sport. Small groups formed naturally throughout the ride, with experienced riders helping newer participants pace themselves, manage the weather, and navigate the long miles back toward Philadelphia. We had three riders become official randonneurs by completing their first brevet: Josh Forrest, Jackie Means, and Jenine Pilla. Congratulations and welcome to randonneuring!

Jackie Means signs her brevet card, marking her first brevet complete! (photo by CJ Arayata)

The weather may have soaked riders to the bone, but it also created the kind of shared experience that tends to become part of randonneuring lore: waiting out storms at Wawas, testing improvised fenders, grinding through puddle-filled farm roads, and eventually rolling onto the Schuylkill River Trail muddy, exhausted, and smiling anyway.

The ride also served as another reminder of how much the Philadelphia randonneuring community has grown over the past few years. Riders spent much of the day discussing upcoming goals, including first 400Ks, 600Ks, and even future dreams of Paris-Brest-Paris. Many of the riders on this year’s 200K have already begun progressing rapidly through longer and more ambitious events, and it has been exciting to watch newer riders quickly become an important part of the community.

Jenine Pilla and CJ Arayata display their completed punchcards for the Road-to-200K Series

This ride also served as the finale of our Road-to-200K Series. Congratulations to CJ Arayata, Graham Lexie, and Jenine Pilla for being the first finishers of this new series, which included the International Women’s Day 107K and Ride Your Butt(er) Off 162K earlier this spring and was designed to build progressively toward the 200K. While it was not CJ’s or Graham’s first brevet, they still deserve a shout-out for seeing the full series through from start to finish.

Comparing stashes (photo by CJ Arayata)

Thank you to Patrick Gaffney, Travis Berry, Sean Martin, and Matthew Willet who helped support the event throughout the weekend. Sean and Travis were also our pre-riders who made sure the course was clear and ready for the event. Woody Felice made an appearance at the finish to cheer on riders. These rides only happen because people are willing to dedicate their time and energy to making them possible.

And finally, congratulations to all 16 finishers. Rainy brevets have a way of amplifying both the challenges and the rewards of long-distance riding, and this year’s group handled the conditions with resilience, humor, and a tremendous sense of community from start to finish.

Jackie Means writes...

So much rain but so much fun

Graham Lexie writes...

After a year of setbacks in 2025, feels great to finally complete my second brevet and I look forward to many more.

We got pretty well sogged in the afternoon, but at least my freshly jerry-rigged rear fender passed the test.

Looks like you had a big turnout with 100% finish rate on the 400k route results. Congrats!

Big thanks to everyone who made it happen

The shiny sticker makes it official (photo by CJ Arayata)

CJ Arayata writes...

Thanks so much to Brad, Pat, Travis, Sean, and others who organized and volunteered for this weekend's 200k (and 400k!).

I admit I felt a bit silly on Friday night packing everything in plastic bags and opting for my proper fendered-and-dyno'ed bike instead of my faster road bike, but once the actual ride started panning out, that silliness turned into appreciation. Myself, Jenine, Greg, Josh, and Olivia had a pretty steady and fun ride for most of the day, enjoying the very scenic route, Amish pretzels, and each other's company despite the multiple bouts of rain that turned the buggy-worn smooth roads into an E. coli filled water park!

It started downpouring right before we arrived at the Ludwigs Corner Wawa. Olivia made the tough decision to abandon while the rest of us decided to wait it out. It was worth the wait, as it quickly warmed back up and we picked up Jackie at the Sheeder Hall Bridge to grind out the last leg down a relatively empty SRT. It was a 'proud rando dad' moment for me leading the newer riders to eternal randonneuring glory and sharing in the accomplishment of their first brevet finishes!

Speaking of proud rando dad, I also wanted to give a few more shout outs:

1. The Rando Raccoons (Alexa, Jasen, Maria, and Tracey) for letting me talk you all (...tricking you?) into organizing yourselves into an all-rookie fleche team, absolutely crushing it, and THEN TAKING ON A 400K THE WEEK AFTER!

2. Everyone tackling their first 400 / their longest lifetime ride to date. So many buds on that list: Joey, Owen, Jasen, Phil, Dan, Jake, Alexa, Kate, Maria, Erik.... way to go!!

3. Basically the entirety of the 400k roster! It was awesome to see so many group photos, the tight check-in times, and knowing everyone was in the trenches together to finish a very challenging ride for a 100% completion rate brought a huge smile to my face when I woke up at 6:55AM to check the results on Sunday.

It's been awesome seeing the seeds of the Philly randonneuring scene truly blossoming lately, and I can't wait to witness folks tackle their first 600k and even PBP next year. Thanks again Brad for your leadership and creativity in your first few months to carry on the torch. Until next time!

Next month, the club has two events: the Bleu Kaundi 600K on June 6-7, which uses the Tscheschter Kaundi 200K route for the final 200K of the ride. The following week is the Keystone Brevet Co 200K on June 13. We hope to see you there. 

If you're not feeling ready for a distance like 600K but are interested, we encourage you to consider volunteering at the event. It is a great way to learn about how to tackle longer brevets while supporting the club. Reach out if you are interested or have any questions.

FYI, we are putting together an order for Woolistic PA Rando jerseys! We want to make sure everyone is prepared for PBP 2027 and any other big rides ahead. Check out the club store for more details. Ordering will remain open until 15 July.

There were too many good photos to include from this ride. Check out the rest in this Google Folder.

Brad Layman
RBA, Pennsylvania Randonneurs

Four State 400K Ride Report

A 400K is always an epic ride. It sits at the edge of what most randonneurs can realistically fit into a single day on the bike. But this year’s edition felt especially significant because for nearly half of the field, it was both the longest and hilliest ride they had ever attempted.

The sun came out in time to create long shadows in the evening (photo by Alexa Ringer)

Riders roll through Philly in the early morning hours at the start of the ride (photo by Doug McLerran)

31 riders, including five pre-riders, rolled out from Chamounix and into the darkness of Fairmount Park. By the time the final riders returned to Philadelphia, every single rider had completed the course within the time limit. A 100% finish rate on a route like the Four State 400K is extraordinary. Chapeau to all the riders for such an incredible accomplishment.

Riders approach the Ashland Covered Bridge in Delaware (photo by Doug McLerran)

15 riders completed their first 400K: Michael Burns, Joey Doubek, Celia Feal Staub, Jimmy Karadagli, Sayantan Khan, Owen Kobasz, Jasen Lo, Phil Luong, Dan Powers, Jake Prosser, Alexa Ringer, Kate Sparacio, Samuel Tarlow, Maria Thomson, and Erik Wright. Congratulations and chapeau to all of the first-time 400K finishers for tackling one of the most demanding milestones in randonneuring with grit, resilience, and an incredible spirit throughout the day and night.

We also had several very experienced randonneurs from other regions complete their first PA brevets: Chris Gross (DC), Doug McLerran (Illinois), and Brian Feinberg (Bay Area, CA). Welcome all, and we hope to see you back for another ride soon!

The nervousness at the start was palpable, not only because of the threatening forecast, but because everyone knew they were about to take on a challenging course. Yet that nervous energy was quickly overshadowed by the overwhelmingly positive attitudes and supportive atmosphere shared throughout the group. Having so many riders attempting the distance for the first time gave the day a special feeling, and the supportive culture of the club was on full display from the opening miles onward.

Joey Doubek and Phil Luong

The route delivered everything that makes riding in this region so special. Riders drifted through the rolling roads of Delaware at sunrise, crossed through quiet farmland and covered bridges in Amish country, climbed steep and remote roads deep in Pennsylvania hill country, and eventually returned home along familiar roads beside the Delaware River. Along the way, riders encountered foxes near Wawas, horse-drawn buggies, scooter-bikes, ponies, skunks, rabbits, llamas, and every variety of farm life imaginable.

Dan Powers changes into dry socks. Always good to be prepared! (photo by Alexa Ringer)

The weather added another layer to the experience. Mid-morning rain settled in as riders crossed Lancaster County and the Amish countryside, forcing difficult decisions about whether to stop and risk getting cold or continue pushing onward. Yet many riders described the rain as strangely beautiful, transforming the farmland into long sweeping bands of vivid greens, yellows, and browns beneath soft gray skies. By early evening, the clouds finally broke open into dramatic sunset colors as riders crossed into New Jersey and prepared themselves mentally for the final overnight push back to Philadelphia.

Riders tackle one of the gravel sections (photo by Doug McLerran)

One of the defining characteristics of this year’s ride was how interconnected the field remained throughout the day and night. Riders formed rotating groups, leapfrogged one another at controls, and shared miles with a constantly changing cast of companions. Nearly every control became a lively gathering point filled with stories, encouragement, and the collective relief of making it through another difficult section of the route. For the many riders tackling their first 400K, that shared experience proved invaluable. The event felt less like dozens of individual rides and more like one long communal effort unfolding across four states.

Luckily none of these dogs attempted to chase the riders (photo by Maria Thomson) 

The route itself remained as demanding as ever. The steep rollers through Amish country and the remote climbs beyond Birdsboro extracted their usual toll, while Staats Road, kicking off the final 100K, once again earned a reputation as one of the day’s most memorable challenges. Yet the difficulty of the route was balanced by moments that remind riders why they keep returning to events like this: endless sightlines across farmland after the rain, quiet descents beneath tree canopies, conversation carrying riders over climbs at sunset, pacelines forming in the dark somewhere deep in New Jersey, and the surreal final miles back through Manayunk in the middle of the night.

Cheers to late night soup (photo by Kate Sparacio)

As always, events like this are only possible because of the volunteers and community supporting them. Patrick Gaffney and David Coccagna welcomed riders at Chamonix on Friday evening. Pat returned early Saturday morning and was joined by Matt Willet as they checked riders in and sent them off into the pre-dawn morning. Travis Berry, who was at Chamounix to handle the finish control of the TK 200K, stuck around to cheer in 400K riders along with Jakub Piven. Iwan Barankay came to staff a late night shift at the finish and even returned to Chamounix the next morning to help clean up.

Riders cross the Lumberville Bridge (photo by Maria Thomson)

We were very lucky to have two experienced randonneurs - PBP anciens in fact - Ed Bernasky and Chris Nadovich out on the course for support. Chris provided a sweep between Coopersburg and Bloomsbury, while Ed staffed the Bloomsbury control. It was invaluable support as the riders entered their final 100K, with many riding in the dark. These volunteers certainly contributed to our amazing finish rate.

At the beginning of the series, Nick faced a lot of questions about his shoes. At this point in the series, it's mostly just looks of amazement that they're still going. (photo by Maria Thomson)

And finally, congratulations once again to all 31 riders. Whether this was your first 400K or your tenth, the Four State route demands patience, resilience, adaptability, and a willingness to keep moving forward long after comfort has disappeared. This year’s group met that challenge with remarkable positivity and determination from the opening miles in darkness to the final exhausted climb back up to Chamounix Drive many hours later.

There were too many good photos to include from this ride. Check out the rest in this Google Folder.

Bill Scanga and David Coccagna work on the event board

Ben Keenan writes...

Thanks to Brad, Pat, Cece, Matt, Dave, Ed and all other volunteers for this ride.  Truth: I may have cursed and whined on a few of the hills and whilst experiencing some unrequested “manure therapy” from the wet roads in Amish country.  But even more truth: That was a magnificent route and day.  Thanks to all the other riders for making this a great rendition of the Four State 400 and hope to see everyone next month for the series finale. 

Crossing the Riegelsville Bridge (photo by Kate Sparacio)

Kate Sparacio writes...

 Wow what a day! It kept the spirits consistently high that so many of us were riding in close proximity to each other all day, making every control a delight to roll into and creating opportunities to ride with a rotating cast of friends over the course of the day and into the night. It felt extremely special to be among such a significant number of riders who were pushing their first 400k. So much pride and stoke for this group's huge accomplishment! 

Sayantan Khan writes...

On long rides like these, my brain decomposes the memory of the ride into large distinct chunks with each having a different overarching theme or impression. For this ride there were the

- Swarthmore and Delaware section: I am delighted each time I ride into Delaware on a PA Randonneurs ride: beautiful undulating roads and trails, made prettier by riding through it as the sun rose.

- Amish country: Seeing horse drawn carriages and the Amish folk commuting on their bikes filled me with a sense of safety and camaraderie.

- The steep and remote hilly sections: While the steep hills in this section were punishing, they also immediately paid off as soon as I would crest each one: they were remote, wild, and extremely green.

- Fleecy Dale Road and home turf: As soon as we crossed back into PA, the reward was a delightful little climb (almost a digestif after the main course of all the other climbs), followed by the home turf of familiar PA roads.

With this sort of decomposition, the ride felt less like a 400k, and more like a sequence of four delightful but different 100k rides.

Riders nap before riding home after a long day and night

Alexa Ringer writes...

This ride delivers everything you love about the mid-Atlantic region: drifting in the nooks and crannies of pastoral land, flying through quiet wood covered bridges, and that awesome feeling of being instantly transported away from major cities even though we skirt the edges of several cities. I saw a lot of things on this ride just in the first few hours: lamas, a fox near a Wawa, more Amish buggies and scooter-bikes than I could count, bunnies, a skunk, ponies, and lots of farm life. Maria, Jasen, Nick, Owen and I also unfortunately witnessed a car crash at 9am and mile 60~ from a driver foolishly overtaking us at a blind spot when a car was coming just on the other side. Everyone was ok but it was a sobering reminder of our vulnerability, even when wearing lots of reflective gear and on seemingly quiet roads. Looking at the broken mirror on the ground after both drivers took off, we didn't know what else to do but keep riding. From then on out, I opted to take the full lane if it wasn't safe for cars to pass, and tried to signal to drivers when it was safe. 

Although the mid-morning rain made it hard to stop without getting cold, one of my favorite parts was meandering through sweeping Amish farmland and being so caught up in the long lush sightlines of colorful patched fields, vibrant greens, browns, and yellows from the rain...I forgot it was raining, until I realized it wasn't anymore. It's moments like that I remind myself to smile, even if I'm by myself and I'm wet, cold, or miserable. That's all it takes to make my body feel flooded with gratitude to be on a bike in spite of obstacles and challenges, physical, mental, weather, whatever. Rolled with different homies and it all felt pretty good overall despite some back pain and chaffing from wet bibs (ugh).

By the time I approached the Wawa near Allentown at mile 160, I was beginning to feel exhausted and that the task at hand was insurmountable. I stopped looking at the mile marker because I knew I wouldn't like seeing any number there unless it was 250. I had a breakfast burrito, brushed my teeth and washed my face, and set off again with speakers blasting Bad Bunny in sync with Tracey, feeling invigorated and riding with Dan, Jake, Owen, Tracey, Jasen, Andy...there were probably others. It was a good group. The sun was finally out and warming us up even though it was also going down, so we took it in as much as possible as it warmed our backs. The sky opened up into those perfect cotton candy clouds, dreamy expansive views of Appalachian plateaus in the distance and we danced our butts off to EDM music on the climbs and descents, and even crossing the bridge into NJ on foot.

Jasen Lo and Alexa Ringer at the finish

Lights were on by New Jersey and Jasen, Celia, and I took off together from the last control. We caught up to Andy and the four of us were cooking on a solid paceline until the pothole covered, washed out road gave Celia a flat. We did our best to help but the cold set in from standing still, sucking out morale. We warmed up with chicken noodle soup at the next Wawa. Only 30 miles from the finish but it felt like another 100. Jasen and I set off and just kept it steady, joking about our hallucinations and questioning why the heck we were out here at 3am. It felt easier than the fleche we did last weekend for some reason - whether the route, the 4am - 4am cadence (instead of 9am - 9am), or just that we were getting use to the sleep deprivation on these brevets....I got pissed at the final train track crossing in Manayunk near Port Royal and walked the steep pitch, cursing and telling Jasen surely this has gotten steeper since the last time we were here... We finished just after 4am blasting Sandstorm by Danube and despite having no gas left in the tank, sprinting up Chamonix anyway.

"RBAs sleep too" (caption & photo by Ben Keenan)

Next up is the finale of the Pennsylvania Super Randonneur Series: the Bleu Kaundi 600K. Join us June 6-7 for one more epic adventure. Registration is open until midnight on Wednesday, June 3. We need volunteers! Reach out if you are interested or have any questions. We also have the Keystone Brevet Co 200K on June 13.

FYI, we are putting together an order for Woolistic PA Rando jerseys! We want to make sure everyone is prepared for PBP 2027 and any other big rides ahead. Check out the club store for more details. Ordering will remain open until 15 July.

PS: I’m also looking for photos and stories about how the SR Series punchcards have added motivation to your rides. If you’ve been keeping your card in a special place, such as on your fridge, in your handlebar bag, pinned to a bulletin board, or somewhere else that keeps the challenge in sight, I’d love to collect some photos and stories to share. If you’re interested, please reach out!

Brad Layman
RBA, Pennsylvania Randonneurs