Newsletter - 2003 Archive

BC Randonneurs Cycling Club

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The riders of the Rocky 1200 provided great comments, suggestions and atta-boys in response to our questionnaire. The responses are sorted, but are unedited and anonymously reported below. The suggestions received will also be used in preparing for the next Rocky 1200. Thank you, and I hope that all of you who contributed your time and assistance along the way will find these comments of interest.

Pre- Ride Information

* It would have been beneficial if we had known earlier that sleep pads would be available. Glad you had them, but I spent time needlessly trying to figure out how I would get a pad, and which drop bag to put it in.
* Through emails, Danelle clarified for me what food was available, the cost, and method of payment before the ride. It would be nice to have this information in the information packet without having to ask. This is especially important for us non-Canadians to ensure we have enough cash with us.
* Not being used to riding in the mountains, more emphasis on how cold some of the long downhills could get would have been helpful
* it would have been good to circulate the names of others from my country who were entered, so that we could phone each other and perhaps share accommodation.
* I feel I got all the necessary information before I entered the RM1200K.
* Route sheets sent out ahead also would help as many riders including myself like to laminate them and adjust there size to fit the individuals holder and eyesight. the more info a rider has ahead of time the better prepared he can be.

Registration/Bike Check

* We felt that the Registration could have opened earlier in the evening, it ran smooth but we felt rushed after to get back to the hotel and bed.
* Registration and bike check went well, though I didn't understand that I had to bring my bike up the ramp and inside for inspection. I locked it up outside and then strolled in to find out. No big deal and I probably didn't read some very large sign I should have.
* Registration I felt was a good time for those of us leaving in the ninety hour group. It allowed us to plan our day to get as much rest as possible. > I would like to see the ninety hour starting time stay the same.

Assistance to Riders

* I was lucky enough to have my bike taken to Kamloops by Danelle, but could this be a service offered for a certainty in future. I was concerned about taking it on Greyhound with all the packing involved etc. Perhaps you could run this service for a small fee.

Route

* More: Route signs in Jasper , the one off the main road was visible but the rest were difficult to find and between 3 of us we couldn't get the route sheet and the location of the building to match( yes we were tired ). More signage from Salmon Arm to Vernon which also seemed confusing. The road near Armstrong had the highest per capita of red neck drivers and rental R.V drivers in there world yikes. Also they was a shortage of mats for sleeping as both groups arrived together for sleep.
* First, it is far enough past the town of Clearwater that it caused stress amongst the riders that we might have missed the turnoff. A note on the route sheet stating that it is past the town would be helpful. The route from Salmon Arm to Vernon was fun, but very poorly marked. Please clearly mark this section in the future.
* When going into Jasper, the route sheet says turn left on Connaught Drive (into Jasper). There was no Connaught Drive sign at this intersection. Maybe this will be fixed by 2004. Another suggestion would be to state to turn left at the stop light by the highway 93 entrance. How many stop lights are there? I believe this was the first one since Tete Jaune (or was it the first one since Kamloops?).
* Route: Parts of Highway 5 and 1 were too deteriorated and with too much traffic, but you may not be able to provide much control to those factors on the next brevet.
* If I knew that I'd have to follow a cue sheet, I would have brought my map holder and map light. I've got a terrific set-up for BMB, but did not think that I'd need it. That may sound stupid, but from the descriptions I had beforehand, it sounded as though there wasn't any need to be concerned about directions. Usually I get cue sheets prior to the events, and I prepare them (re-type to an appropriate size and then laminate them) so they fit on my map holder. Having at least text of the cue sheets would have been helpful.
* We vere afraid of having problems with the route in clearwater. We come to Clearwater and thought it should be here. We thought, that we have missed the control. To find the Golden control was difficult for us. It will have been easier for us if there have been more signs and maybe signs with lights in the darktime. O.K. it is also a sport to find the way. Vhen we ware biking in the evening in Amstrong it was nice to meet a secret control. then we knov, that it vas the rigt way.
* a repave job would be nice.
* most important - some one should drive the route and verify all road signs match the cue sheet.
* excellent route
* The ride has a couple of differences to other rides : 1. its a round circuit, meaning that you need more dropbags because one place can't double up. You only see your dropbags once. I liked seeing new scenary for the whole ride, but couldn't double up dropbags. That is I would have needed two sleeping mats/sleeping bags etc. As it was I had one and used yours on the second night.
* The fact that its remote from Vanc.... had me wondering how long to stay at each place. I was glad I opted to stay longer at Vancouver.
* I really hated the section of the route from Salmon Arm to Vernon. As I am a slower rider, I hit this in the dark. The road was unlit, with no marked edge and for most of it no centre line. This made it difficult to maintain ones bearings, especially in the face of oncoming headlights. It was one thing to ride through the night along a properly marked road with a paved shoulder from Kamloops to Clearwater. It is quite another to pick ones way along a narrow back road with no shoulder and no lane edge in the pitch black, unable to determine if the road is rising ahead or descending. Frankly, it felt unsafe much of the time. In addition to the lack of road edge markings, the road signs themselves were often misleading. I felt that this section was unnecessarily difficult and confusing to navigate. The route also took us up and over every hill and dale that fell anywhere in the general area between Salmon Arm and Vernon. I kept thinking to myself that there must have been a flatter and safer road.
* There is probably no other way but the traffic and roads were very rough on the Trans Canada. I would also have liked very much to have seen Lake Louise. That was my major disappointment.
* A complete route map emailed out to us in advance, especially because that was my very first time in a lot of the area and when you are by yourself. I ended up doing a little back tracking because of a couple of mistakes that I made.

Controls

* All the controls were done well with excellent volunteers.
* The biggest disappointment was Clearwater. First, it is far enough past the town of Clearwater that it caused stress amongst the riders that we might have missed the turnoff. A note on the route sheet stating that it is past the town would be helpful. Secondly, the food at Clearwater was sparse. Who would pay $5 for a rice crispy bar, a cookie and a bag of chips? This seemed more like "freebie" food, not a meal.
* Although I didn't use it, having the sleep area isolated from the eating area in Golden was a great way to go. I'm sure it was quiet. Next time I'll probably take a nap at this spot.
* Which facilities were rustic? With the exception of Tete Jaune Cache they were all really great! Tete Jaune Cache would have been OK if there was a separate area for getting water and using the washroom. It wasn't pleasant waiting for someone to finish their "duty" so we could get water.
* Control facilities: The control facilities at Golden was too small, without showers and less than adequate.
* All were very good except Vernon which I thought to be too crowded. Perhaps another venue is the answer.
* In golden I need a varm bath. the sleppeingmat was very small. It was a nice thing when a volontarery dropet a blanket at my bone in the nigth. In Vernon it was god to have a warm bath and I was luky to have a good big bed. the controls had quiet sleeping areas, and were well run
* It was overall a well run ride, pity about the showers at Golden not working, and I'm sure some folk missed out at the first control if they came in later
* Clearwater - This control was early on so we didn't need too much. The volunteers were friendly and the food fine.
Blue River - We had breakfast here and the restaurant was great. The service was quick and the food good. If there is an opportunity to pass along any comments to the restaurant, please thank them for us.
Tete Jaune Cache - We had sandwiches and soup here in the restaurant. They had a great vegetarian soup and (per Ken Wright) an equally great chicken soup. The service was friendly and pretty quick although they seemed a bit understaffed. I think we arrived in the midst of a busy time. Again, please pass along our appreciation to the restaurant staff if the opportunity arises.
Jasper - We slept here in a motel just down the street. Again, the food was good. Rainy and Joe had a great vegetarian chili and the potatoes were excellent. Potatoes are a good fuel for riding as they are easily digested and help to absorb any acidity developing in the stomach as a result of sport drinks. For any riders with a queasy stomach, salted potatoes will often alleviate the problem.
Icefields - We arrived after Tim and Rita had had to pack up their buffet so ate in the restaurant dining room. The service was a bit slow but the food was good.
Lake Louise - Alex & Val and their team did a great job here (#2 overall). The pasta was good and the mashed potatoes were magic. I arrived with a bit of an upset stomach but the potatoes settled that and I am convinced that it was the potatoes that got me through to Golden. All the volunteers at this control were great and waited on us which was wonderful.
Golden - This was the best control for food (#1 overall). Patty and Bob did a fantastic job. They also had great volunteer staff who again waited on us as had happened in Lake Louise. It helped us to get through the control with minimum wasted time. The vegetable soup, grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches, stuffed potatoes (dinner), French toast, scrambled eggs and hash browns (breakfast) were all high points. The peach juice was fabulous. Unlike apple and orange juice, the peach juice was satisfying and sweet without being acidic so it didn't upset the stomach. We all had 3 glasses each, it was so good.
Revelstoke - It was very hot when we arrived in Revelstoke so the chilled pasta and potato salads they were serving were great. The corn chowder was also tasty. Susan and Doug did a great job of getting people checked in and served quickly. Harold kept us on schedule and tracked our time at the control.
Salmon Arm - These people had ice, it was absolutely divine. If I could make one recommendation, it would be that every control has ice for the water bottles. It made a huge difference to taste of the drinks. They had a big orange container of ice and another of ice cold water. This made filling the water bottles very easy and quick. It was a real advantage on a hot day. We would be happy to lend our big cooler to the event in future for use at a control to store ice. This control also served pasta. By this time, I was looking for either baked macaroni and cheese or potatoes. The tomato sauce didn't appeal initially however it was what was being offered and was very good. The volunteers here were very helpful as well.
Vernon - We stayed with Ken Wright's in-laws here so didn't eat or drink at the control. Everyone was very efficient in processing us however.
* Most controls were very good especially Lake louise and onward. Tete was the worst for food services. The restaurant was totally unsatisfactory as we had to wait over an hour for food. Riders should have been warned of this and Valemount suggested as a restaurant stop. Most facilities were adequate.
* All the checkpoints were OK. However, the checkpoints in Clearwater and Golden were difficult to find. The facilities were OK. I could get a mat to slep on and a shower - and that was all I needed.
* The Jasper control was crowded and tough to sleep at
* I thought all the controls were great. The mosquitos at Blue River were terrible, but you could easily escape into the building.
* The controls were well staffed and had enthusiastic people who were tremendous in helping us riders. I must admit the best control I found was Salmon Arm, which after asking me if there was anything else I needed, I decided to blurt out a wish,,,,,"I would like a butterscotch milkshake". After the initial gasp, one person spoke up that McDonalds was close by and he went and got a vanilla milkshake for me. I appreciated the milkshake and the effort they went to satisfy my needs and wish.
* I chose to sleep at 3 controls: Jasper, Golden, and Vernon. Both Golden and Vernon provided very good sleeping areas ( an actual bed at Vernon!) and I had good sleep. Jasper was problematic. The sleeping area was rather close to other activity, making sound sleep difficult. To add to the frustation, I arrive at the control after the building with showers had closed. Had I known that this I would have chosen other accomodations, such as a local motel. Otherwise, all the other stops were quite acceptable. Even with the lack of hot water, I quite enjoyed my stay at control in Golden. Karen and Ian were very helpful, and I had 5 very restful hours of sleep, and good quantities of food. Revelstoke was also a pleasant stop ( I only stopped to eat). Another was Salmon Arm, where the volunteers were very attentive to riders. The control at Vernon was nice, but the kitchen area a bit cramped.Still, many thanks though to the HI hostel for donating one of their rooms to provide beds for a very restful 1 hour nap. I quite enjoyed the quite well paved roads from Salmon Arm to Vernon, although it seemed to meander quite a bit. The secret control was well stocked with goodies.
* I rode straight through from the start to Clearwater, and spent very little time there except to grab a few sandwiches and water. A nice sign at the left turn would have been a good idea as a number of us blew past and rode down to the flats and then back up again to find the road to the B&B. Blue River was also a very short stay for me, though I noticed many enjoying some hot food and an indoor seat to escape the mosquitos!
Tete Juane Cache was perfect but the stretch from there to Jasper would have been less nerve-racking in the heat knowing there actually was a place to get water at the campground before Jasper. Maybe that should be noted somewhere. Jasper was just fine and I stayed at the control for a few hours and ate two helpings of delicious soup and had a shower. I didn't have a towel, but was able to rent one at the Rec Center which was really nice! The volunteers were outstanding!
Columbia Icefields was a nice spot to take a break, but finding places to dry out some gear was difficult. It was nice to have access to hot food though! I did have some problems finding the entrance we were to come into, but after reading the cue sheet later, noticed it stated the entrance was further along the road. Maybe a sign to direct riders at the first parking area?
Lake Louise had great food and volunteers! I appreciated the signs leading back to the control. Golden was my 2nd sleep break and it was busy but very comfortable for sleeping. I know some people were bummed that the hot water was unavailable, but I took a cold shower anyway and had no complaints. Adventure comes in strange forms. Volunteers were respectful of those sleeping and provided copious amounts of food.
Revelstoke was a nice cool reprieve from the hot sun and quiet enough to sleep even in the big cavern of a room. The food glorious again and I appreciated the fruit. Salmon Arm was a brief stop for me so I didn't sample the food or sleep accommodations, but volunteers again were great. Vernon was a wonderful stop in the night, though too crowded for sleeping, so I continued on. Those tuna/rice wraps were to die for! A great control.
* I thought all the controls were beyond adequate and some downright luxurious!
* Clearwater; I felt that I didn't get the type of food I needed and I really don't know what to suggest, as there is so many riders coming in there at one time. Maybe toast would go over better (just a suggestion)
Blue river and Tete Jaune Cache with the two restaurants worked out very good and left both of those stops very satisfied. Jasper selection right at the control is very important due to the distance that we have to travel to get another very good meal, as well probably one of the most demanding stretches. Nothing like a very good serving of mashed potato's. Ice fields worked out ok when we were able to have breakfast in the restaurant other wise would of being tough. Lake louise to the end I was very satisfied with the controls felt that I was able to come away with good quality food and excellent place to rest.
* Revelstoke stands out in my mind very clearly. It was just short of Revelstoke that I crashed and faced serious road rash. I'm sorry that I can't remember all of the controls by name, that form that point on played a hugh part in helping to get to the finish. I openly admit that if it was not the controllers stepping up and helping I would not of finished the ride. This involved (I will not mention any names as I do not want to miss any names and to say that I am truly grateful to all) picking rocks out of my butt. Getting to the hospital for medical attention( which has a story all in it's own) and then transporting me back to the spot I stopped at so that I could carry on the ride. Then meeting me at each of the checkpoints. With so much support I couldn't help but carry on, as I felt their support very up lifting. Only to be greeted at the finish with such a warm welcome and to have further medical attention arranged. To every one of those controllers I have a very deep feeling of appreciation of how they stepped up and helped me.
* I had no problems with them (controls). All I want is warmth, good food and a place to lay down when needed.

Showers

* Facilities : it would be best if they had on site showers at Jasper.
* Showers were great at Jasper and Salmon Arm! Too bad the hot water wasn't working in Golden.
* In Jasper it was a good surprise to be drived to a bath.
* showers at all rest stops
* Lack of showers at Jasper and Golden where a lot of riders end up at the end of the first and second days. End of day points or places where a lot of riders will stop for a sleep break are key points to have showers if they are provided. Turns out my best shower was skinny dip in one of those cold mountain streams- shrivelled things up a bit but it was refreshing.

Food

* Great food except Jasper.
* Hot food was great at all locations (except Clearwater & Tete Jaune Cache)
* The food at all controls was great (except Clearwater). I had a hot meal at all the controls (except Clearwater & Tete Jaune Cache) and enjoyed them all! Really enjoyed having the opportunity to buy a "Denny's Grand Slam" type of breakfast in the restaurant's at Blue River and Columbia Icefields. Loved the "Breakfast Burrito" at Vernon and the pasta with meat sauce at Lake Louise. Having Gatorade powder or other energy drink ingredients available at all controls would be a beneficial upgrade.
* Meals: The meals provided in controls in general were excellent to more than adequate except at Jasper control. At Jasper, we were provided with two bowls of watery beef barley soup for a recovery dinner meal and a diet yogurt and oatmeal for pre-ride breakfast meal. These meals provided only a fraction of the calories necessary and were without significant protein. As a result, I began feeling bonked near the Icefields and had difficulty with the remainder of the brevet (should have finished within 75 hours), see average speeds below:

Control	Kilometers Completed	Arrival Date	Arrival Time	Split Time	Total Days	Total Time From Start	Avg. Speed
Kamloops	0	7/24	0:00	0:00	0	0:00	0.00
Clearwater	133.9	7/25	3:30	5:30	0	5:30	26.8
Blue River	228.7	7/25	8:26	4:41	0	10:26	23.7
Tete Jaune Cache	338.7	7/25	13:57	5:31	0	15:57	22
Jasper	443.3	7/25	19:04	4:44	0	21:04	21.1
Icefields Centre	548.1	7/26	7:25	12:21	1	33:25	16.4
Lake Louise	676.1	7/26	15:03	6:46	1	41:03	16.5
Golden	760.2	7/26	20:36	5:33	1	46:36	16.3
Revelstoke	908.7	7/27	15:17	18:41	2	65:17	13.9
Salmon Arm	1012.2	7/27	23:09	7:52	3	73:09	13.9
Vernon	1087.4	7/28	5:34	6:39	3	79:34	16.7
Kamloops	1204.3	7/28	14:01	7:46	3	88:01	13.7

* Water: Water clarity and poor taste seemed to be a problem at most controls. Suggest bottled water be recommended for participants in future brevet!
* On a ride of this length, I need a few stops (~100~150 miles apart) for a "real meal". You did provide that for me. Particularly good was the food at Jasper, Golden, Revelstoke, Salmon Arm and Vernon. And these were where I needed them most so everything worked out well. I would suggest, however, that the apple and orange juice be kept cool, or ice made available. (I didn't see any ice, but then I didn't ask either).
* Food was excellent and for once I was able to eat and not get sick!
* I was a pleasently surprise, that we could buy different foods at the controls. For me it was good to choose different thinks.
* The little bag with dry fruit and biscuits at Colubia Icefield was realy good. It was good to having all the banana
* On the first RM 1200 I did Ted Milner offered a meal ticket, I don't remember the price, he strongly recomended it as there isn't a lot of facilaties in the region. I think that would be better than having to haul around cash. The food was so much better than ever before.
* Thee were a few things that I felt would have been very welcome - hot drinks (with caffeine!)at night time / cold controls caffeinated soft drinks everywhere (ok, I really really like caffeine during brevets) more calorie rich food at controls (i.e., lasagna instead of pasta and sauce, pizza, chinese take out)
* Controls were good, plenty to eat and lots of bananas. Too bad about the tea, not enough teabags, and then the wrong kind, and after all that you pour the water onto the tea bag, not dip the tea bag in afterwards.
* We knew that we would be paying for food at the controls as we went however there was no formal notice of the amount and some riders ran short of cash along the way. Given the opportunity, we would have paid in advance if possible to avoid any hassle or delay. Perhaps an additional column on the check list noting which riders had prepaid for meals? The cost was so minimal, it is hard to imagine anyone complaining if they paid for a meal in advance which they later decided not to eat.
* The food generally good and plentiful. From a vegetarian standpoint, the addition of some protein would have been nice as it helps to maintain the system and fuel the long term. "Yves Veggie Ground" a mock hamburger type product available at Safeway, Save-on, etc. would be an easy addition to the veggie chili and the spaghetti sauce. Lots of parmesan is needed for the pasta, people were very liberal in their use and the riders coming in later were out of luck. Rather than having pasta and tomato sauce a second time, baked macaroni and cheese would have been nice, again giving lots of carbohydrates but with some protein and fat from the cheese to help fuel the body. The potato option was nice at the Jasper (baby boiled), Lake Louise (mashed with melted cheese topping) and Golden (baked and double stuffed) controls. I would happily eat all these as well as the chili, pasta and grilled cheese sandwich options. The grilled cheese and tomato sandwiches (Golden) were very good as they seemed to sit well in the stomach and tasted good. The peach juice (Golden) was also great. Perhaps some other non acidic fruit juices could be looked into as an alternative to apple and orange. Toast, French toast, and hash browns were the breakfast items that sat best with me.
Cubed ice and a readily available water container with ice cold water and a spigot for filling water bottles would be nice at every control. Time was wasted trying to fill full size water bottles from bathroom taps (which were not always available) and we found ourselves craving cold drinks during the ride.
Food served was excellent from Lake Louise onward. Unfortunately Tete and Icefields were abysmal. I expected this. My thought is that the early controls are the places where good food is required most and is least available from businesses. I realize that there are problems with providing it at Tete and the Icefields during business hours, but if you could find a place to operate from at or near these controls it would be the greatest improvement to the ride that I can think of. I think that the situation at Tete is good evidence that the local businesses in such small places can not serve the ride adequately. The icefields is not only expensive but the food in the restaurant is awful. I am likely a bit partial to Lake Louise control since they had the first really good food in a day and a half.
* The food surprised me pleasantly. It was good and the prices were OK.
* Water was not available as easily or of the quality I would have liked. But other than that, unless you can make the mosquitoes disappear at the early controls everything else wasn't bad. I personally would rather pay more for entry and not have to pay for my food at each control.
* The soup at many controls was great.
* I will prefer to pay some more in starting fee so all at the controls was free.
* Some riders thought it would be better to charge extra for the ride entry fee, and then not charge for the food. Paying as you go wasn't a problem for me, but I guess it would be less of a hassle to prepay.
* The food at the controls was generally appetising and nourishing (the only real exception being the Ice Fields Centre, where the restaurant or cafeteria were the only choices).

Volunteers/Support People

* I enjoyed the visit to Canada, the brevet and especially the riders and brevet support people! They were really friendly, helpful and significantly contributed to my completing the 1200 km brevet. Special thanks to Ian Stephen for sweeping me out of the McDonalds restaurant at Salmon Arm!
* As implied above, I was very pleasantly surprised by the superior quality of the brevet support. Let me qualify that opinion by saying that I know what it is like to be well supported, since I have been training with the Davis Bike Club in California.
* The staff at all controls were excellent!
* Staff at all controls were most helpful.
* everyone on the support side was very helpful
* The waking up procedures seemed to work well, which I think was due to the dedication of the volunteers. It was also good to see all the volunteers in their special jerseys so you knew who to ask anything of.
* we were delighted by the warmth and assistance provided by all the volunteers and enjoyed the experience as a whole.
* The staff at all controls were truly great. Everyone was supportive and helpful and did their best to get the riders what they needed from the control. Our sincere appreciation to every volunteer, they were wonderful and made the ride possible.
* The folks at the Vernon control stick in my mind as the most helpful.
* Again my thanks to all the volunteers who donated their time to man the controls and in between. Derek and David were a delight as they cheered me one in the sweep van ( although I was a bit nervous seeing it so often). A special thanks to Karen at the Golden control for finding a dark quiet spot on the stage in the gym and giving me a set of ear plugs - I had a wonderful, refreshing sleep. I will try to remember ear plugs in the future.
* Thank you for a good well-preparet run with a beautifull and variety route and nice and helpful crew at all the controls.
* Kudos to all the B.C. Randonneurs and volunteers who supported the ride, including David, Real, Harold, Karen.
* Sharon (and the rest) were absolutely fabulous. You're lucky to have such a great crew of volunteers.
* Thanks for coordinating a fantastic 1200km brevet. I enjoyed the visit to Canada, the brevet and especially the riders and the support people! They were really friendly, helpful and significantly contributed to my completing the brevet.
* I just wanted to thank you and Sharon and all the volunteers for an incredible event! As my first 1200 km I will remember it dearly and will see you in 2004!
* Thanks again for the opportunity to do the most challenging ride in my book. Please extend my appreciation to all the volunteers for the tremendous effort you and they made. If you ever find yourself in Florida, drop me a line and we'll do some flat riding!
* Karen was a joy to run into, her enthusiasm was welcomed after the long ride.
* The volunteers really were outstanding. I was suprised at how much the volunteers went out of their way for riders. Seeing a volunteer fixing someone's rack while they were eating I thought was far beyond the call of duty I thought...hate to see riders get too comfortable!

Pleasant Surprises / Likes

* Pleasant surprise: would have to be the volunteers.
* All the volunteers! What a great group of people. If I was living in the area this would be a group I would want to join.
* I was pleasantly surprised over the helpness from the staff at the checkpoints. They were prepared to help you as soon as you arrived at the checkpoints. - You could just order a hot meal and everything was brought to you - you just had to concentrate on cycling.
* All I can say about Kamloops is that when I came and signed in and someone actually handed me a chilled beer at 7:33 a.m. Sunday I knew this was a ride I would be doing again. I was thinking of a beer for hundreds of kilometers and to actually have one waiting there was sheer glory! ;-).
* The fellow who finished first and came out to meet me on the road. Then drive beside me and encourage me, that I was soon going to be finished. That was a class act. Such a warm welcome at the finish I didn't expect that in any way. Found it very refreshing, uplifting, it helped me to be able to depart with very warm thoughts. This was only made possible by the young lady that protected my bike. She did not let it go back to Kamloops until she herd from me. As a result my ride continued and I was able to get back to Kamloops. So I would like to say a great big thank you to all.

Unpleasant Surprises / Dislikes

* Uphills were too steep and to long and the downhills which were just the opposite. Other than that I can't think of anything else except for Vernon control. Perhaps another venue is the answer.
* Like? Everything. The route, the volunteers, the riders.
* Dislike? Just one comment from one of the top 6 fastest riders who told us to get the f*** off the road when I was stopped with someone who had a mechanical. Not anything you could do about, just gave me my first realization that some people take things events too seriously. I'll kick his butt in 2004...
* Not so pleasant was the crash as it took a pretty good junk of skin and yes it did slow me down for awhile. It is healed now and I have since been back on my bike and done several rides with the club. If you know any one that has any pictures I would sure appreciate some. To this day I didn't look at it, so would appreciate a picture if you know of any one that has one or more. Roughly 5 weeks to heal.

Wrap UpParty

* Perhaps a short word from the organizers at the end of the BBQ would have been nice.
The finish BBQ was a lovely surprise. We didn't know what to expect and enjoyed the time socializing with other riders and volunteers. It was a nice wrap up to the event.

Will you Ride again &/0r recommend Rocky 1200 to others?/General Comments

* For 2004 the verdict is still out , we feel the Trans Canada is too dangerous. Re-routing off some sections of the trans Canada although very difficult would make a big difference. We have already recommended it to several others. There is also the gold rush in 2004 so it would depend on the dates of the 2 events , hopefully they don't conflict and leave ample time for recovery between the 2.
* I will definitely recommend this ride to my friends. I'm doing a 1000Km ride the end of August and I will be proudly wearing my RM1200 Jersey. Hopefully I will be back again in 2004!
* Thanks for providing a fantastic 1200 km brevet. I will recommend the brevet highly and seriously considering the brevet again in 2004!
* Great work and thanks for requesting feedback.
* Will you join us for the ride in 2004 and/or recommend it to your friends? If not, why? Right now, I would say probably not. I loved the ride and it went so well for me that I might be disappointed in anything less. (It's that "age" thing, you know!) When next winter rolls around, I'll see what life brings me then. I do intend to ride the California Gold Rush, and if I have to choose, it will be the Gold Rush. Please don't take that as an insult. I am highly recommending RM1200 to everyone I talk to, though. Many thanks again to you and all of your help in pulling this off so well!
* I will certainly recommend it, not to my friends, but to my enemies . . . Just kiddin! It was very well organized and we were well looked after from the controls to the sweep, altho' thankfully we didn't neet the latter.
* I will recommend the ride in 2004 to friends. This years RM1200 was great . I had a great time as always.
* will probably not be back for a few years because there are many other 1200s I want to ride. I would recommend the ride to friends.
* Overall, it was great experience, we are looking forward to PBP next year and RM1200 the following year. Thank you again for all your wonderful efforts to make this event such a success. We hope that you will continue to manage the event through it's future growth.
* There are a few of us who have been associated with the event since it began in 1996. Although it has become more expensive, it has not necessarily become a better event - I guess sometimes I was left wondering what I got for my $250.00 registration fee. Despite a few dissatisfactions, I think that the event is one of the more scenic of the long rides. 2004 is a way off yet and I may have retired from the sport by then. The Rocky 1200 was my 164th randonnee and they are not getting any easier. I have been recommending this ride to my Prairie Randonneur friends for years, unfortunately, they have not been all that successful or enthusiastic about the event.
* I will probably be participant in 2004. I do not have friends who will be prepared for such an event.
* All in all though I enjoyed the ride and have already recommended it to others. As for myself I hope to do it again.
* Yes!!!
* RM1200 is a wonderful ride and would recommend to anyone!
* Thanks so much for hosting such a terrific event. I took two weeks vacation to drive out through Canada, ride the RM1200 and then drive back through the States home to Massachusetts. I dare say that it was the best vacation since my '99 >RAAM. Please extend my thanks to Sharon and everyone else who helped out to support the ride. I can certainly appreciate what goes into organizing such an event. You all did a great job!
* I thank you for a fantastic event in your wonderful country! I will tell all my friends the great organisation and very nice people I met there.
* I want to say that I found this year' RM100 very enjoyable and am looking forward to doing it again, in 2004 I WILL BE THERE. Do you need me to send in my registration now so I make sure to get a spot???
* my current plan is to be back for the ride 2004

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