RUSA (Randonneurs USA) is a long distance cycling organization with local groups all over the country. I belong to RUSA and also the local group Seattle International Randonneurs.
RUSA offers a variety of Awards for cycling achievements. Many are based on riding various groups of distances, over certain time periods. One of these is the "American Explorer" award, which is given for riding approved rides in a minimum of 10 different states. One ride that enters multiple states will count those states toward the award, so it is possible to get the award with fewer than 10 rides.
I've been riding with RUSA since 2014, and by 2018 finally accumulated my first 10 states. I thought I'd document some of the memories I have. The states below are in more-or-less chronological order.
Washington: I live in Washington, and have ridden dozens of rides here, so it's hard to pick out just sizione. My first official RUSA ride was the Spring 200k in 2014. I was nearly the last person to finish, and I recall my first ride up Newport way - it is a 4 mile climb up to about 400 feet and when it's at the end of the ride, it just seems to go on forever. I was happy to get to the finish and have some chili in the off-the-alley garage where some of the rest of the riders were hanging out and brevet cards were being signed.
Oregon: I've ridden in Oregon twice. My first ride was the 2014 Three Capes 300k, not long after the 200k above. It was my first ride with Narayan Krishnamoorthy and also Lynne Fitzsimmons. We kept together early on the ride and split apart in the middle when we got to the windy coast. I fell behind but they waited for me up ahead, and we rode the rest together. Early on in the ride, as we ascended the coast range, the rain started. Narayan said "Let's stop and put on raingear." I had no raingear. I was wearing everything I brought already. I just waited while he and Lynne donned helmet covers and other raingear.
Also on this ride there was a control at a Safeway at the coast. I got a cup of coffee. The rest of the group bought other easy-to-eat items, and I had no time to drink the hot coffee. Lesson learned!
Colorado: Later in 2014 I had some business trips to Boulder, and found some time to
wedge in a 100k ride. I rented a bike for a day and registered for the
Cherryvale Cruise, a square loop starting and ending in Boulder: east,
north, west, south. I remember the wide open spaces and views. I
rememember heading west on a long straight road that had "right turn
only" lanes popping up every 1/4 mile and making staying in the right
place hard. I remember stopping once to see a whole field of prairie
dogs popping up. My work shift started at 8pm and I finished the ride
barely in time to drive to the site, (nearby) and change in the parking
lot, grab a slice of pizza, and head over to work in the nick of time.
Oh, and I recall stopping at a school playground in the hopes of finding
a water fountain, but no luck.
Maryland/DC/Virginia: 2016: Belle Haven Boogie (old perm system). This was a three-for-one state ride that was really fun. I was visiting relatives in Baltimore and planned an extra day to ride, and one had a bike I could borrow. It started on a bike trail that had been recently flooded and had mud in spots, transitioned to a road through a park that was full of patched potholes and impatient drivers, and then became relaxed to the turnaround in Alexandria. It then returned through DC right past the back steps of the Lincoln Monument, up some railtrails, and then back to Maryland. Not a lot of climbing, and a nice mix of roads and trails, this was a great route for anyone working on American Explorer to pick up three states in one go. Look for the Belle Haven Boogie route.
New Jersey/Pennsylvania: Another two-for-one ride, also in 2016. I was able to rent a
bike and was in town for work, scheduled an extra day, and rode the
Liberty Bell 100k from Princeton to Philadelphia. I recall a few
things: long straigh flat roads in bright sun with an unrelenting
headwind. I recall riding along the Delaware river, with a long city
park on the river side of the road. Riding over the bridge was fun, and
the route ends just a couple of blocks from the bridge. And NO Liberty
Bell! It was out for 'maintenance'. A few things to note about this
ride: it's a one-way trip, and you take the train from the other side
of the river to get back to the start. I was short on time to catch
the next train so I took a cab from Philadelphia to Camden. 2nd note:
the train ride is not just 10 minutes. 3rd note: it might be dark when
you get to Princeton, have lights. 4th note: be sure you know how to
get from the train to the start - there is a main road that cuts across
town and you need a plan to get across it. I didn't have lights, and I
didn't have a route planned, so riding to the car in the dark without a
good plan was a bit of adventure. I will never ride again without
backup lights.
California: One ride, the Pitter Patter Pop. 2017. I was down in CA for some
company training and booked an extra day so I could do the ride. I had
the loan of a bike from another rando, so off I went. I discovered I had
forgotten my cycling gloves; conveniently there was an REI next to the
start. I still have those gloves.
The weather had been windy and raining the day before and I was worried
but it held off for 2/3 of the ride. The ride starts with gentle
rollers though wide open hills covered with green grass and spotted with
cows (cattle). Then it gets a bit hillier, and you go through a
varitey of windfarms. Then it hits Patterson Mountain, and you go up
and up and up and UP with one false summit after another, and every time
you see the next part, it's actually steeper than the part you are on,
until you're really on a very steep road up to the summit. Once past
that, you zip down to the flats past wineries. Then the rain started
and kept me company all the way to the finish. At the finish control (a
Safeway) my purchase was a roll of paper towels to dry off with in the Safeway bathroom before I
changed back into my street clothes.
Georgia: My 10th state. I was in Atlanta to visit coworkers I had never met in 10 years, and also needed my 10th state; I hooked up with Audax Atlanta to ride their Ironic BBQ ride - ironic because it was supposed to feature BBQ restaurants on the route but most were closed or gone. I was able to borrow a bike, and got a very nice lightweight one with electronic DI2 shifters. about an hour in, I noticed the right one wasn't shifting right; turns out the housing on the shifter had cracked. For the rest of the ride I had to hold it with my right thumb while I shifted to keep it stable. I managed to hang with some riders and make it to the end some time before the very last riders came in (being not-the-last for me is doing well). Met some very friendly people along the way, hung around at the end for pizza on a picnic table (shoved under cover to avoid the shower that we were afraid was coming sooner. I remember Georgia as a state with very little flat ground, but the hills are gentle, and short, and give you a downhill for every uphill without too much waiting. This in contrast to Washington that has long uphill grades that just keep going mile after mile, and then dump you into a downhill that may be thrilling but is over far too soon.
And that's my 10 states! 2018 Notes: I don't know which state will be next; I suspect Idaho but we will see. If I get sent east again for work (it could happen) I will for sure add NY to the list.
As it turned out I hatched a Grand Plan to get more states. Read about it here
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