PBP Route Sheets, Directions and Roundabouts
Jim Runkel and Ron Himschoot

Posting From Jim Runkel on the discussion forum: For the seasoned PBP'er the route sheets that came with the PBP package seems a bit vague (no left, right, SO etc). I have found some US Rand versions with a more traditional turn by turn format (in miles) but then when I compare them to the official PBP map they also seem "close but wrong". Does anyone have a turn by turn type route sheet that they have seen or created for this year?

Response from Rom Himschoot: The PBP route sheet will make more sense when you get to the round-about. The concepts of left turn and right turn start to fall apart at round-abouts where you always bear right to get onto the round-about, bear left to go counter-clockwise around the round-about, and turn right to get off the round-about. At the round-about you will find two signs. One sign will mark the road you want to take and probably the next town it goes to. This sign should agree with your route sheet. The other sign will be a PBP arrow (reflective so you can see it at night) pointing you in the correct direction. With only 50 riders on a brevet there's a good chance you may be the only one at an intersection. With 5000 riders, there's a much better chance of following another through the round-about. Just keep circling the round-about until another rider comes along. With any luck, the other rider wont be a German cyclotourist on his way to Italy. Finally, there may well be a spectator to point you in the right direction. The French turn out in much greater numbers to spectate a cycling event than do Canadians.

If you still don't feel confident in your ability to follow the unfamiliar route sheet, check out the maps on the PBP site. Or just roll with it -- after all, what's life without adventure?

August 14, 2011