One of the more beautiful route’s I’ve made, many riders thoroughly enjoyed the routing, some new roads, some hot weather, some tight timelines. While Mike and Dan had enjoyed randonesia after the Rocky re: climbing, Nigel & Ed rode a tour-de-meals. Other riders seemed to really enjoy* the climbing but were happy to be done, while the island visitors managed a full extra 40km! And Jeff experimented with the super-sleep schedule of: ride hard for 0:45, sleep for 0:20 repeat; for the last hundred kms, which lead to a mad sprint finish uphill to the control, and near collapse. Quite exciting!

Quote of the day from Dave King: “We arrived at the Ferndale Denny’s to see Ed and Nigel who were following up an ice-cream course with an ice-cream course [banana split + milkshakes]"

• randonneur enjoyment isn’t for everyone. Consult your local sore-legged rider before use

This summer's 400 is a slightly altered Mount Baker ride. The route is simple: get to Baker, climb the mountain, go check out some Washington. You get up the mountain when you're refreshed and the light's good, then you get to explore.

Notes after the pre-ride.

Please note the start time has been moved up until 5am. The first section is easy riding and is better to do in the before-light I think.

There are many little quirks about riding in the lower mainland that will help you on this ride when you're tired (e.g. the expansion joints on the port mann, how to get onto the bridges, light timing) so hopefully you can all get through :P

I have chosen to include a trail section from the Alex Fraser over to Kitson Parkway. It is gravel, it is stoney, there is sand, there are chunks of pavement. However, early in the morning it is beautiful, and quiet. Ride slow, safe and enjoy. If the weather is bad I will re-route.

Bypassing the Aldergrove border crossing can be confusing, so read the instructions, turn left and don't piss off the border guards :)

Construction. Construction. Construction. :(

When I rode to Baker, pretty much every section of road from about 2ks from the Sumas crossing, up until Glacier had just been re-chipsealed. So basically a gravel fondo of fun. Talking to one of the construction workers at a forced stop, she figured that this was the bulk of the work (wasn't planned at all that day) and that during the week, the driving of cars would pack down and vastly improve the surface. So here's hoping it's better for the riders! Additionally, some of the later roads in Surrey (after exiting the Fraser Hwy) have construction on them, of which I hope is done for the ride. But just be cautious.

There should be sufficient services and places to stop that there are no planned manned controls en route. Riders will be on their own until the finish. This will become more challenging in the last sections however, as in Ferndale, well... it's not a happenin' city after 10pm, so at least visit the Denny's, and be careful about riding in the next sections in the dark.

Aldergrove road is lovely, but there are gates that close off the road to traffic that should be circumnavigated with care (read: walk your bike), and large potholes in the rough pavement that won't be fixed. Just don't be falling asleep.

And of course there are hours to the Birch Bay roads, that cyclists can easily ride around the gates of.

Apart from that, the route is full of beautiful roads and very short highway sections that make for a lovely ride :)

Parking is best found on Sardis St., and on Bond St.