Welcome to our 2020 Minnesota Randonneurs season in the Covid era. We appreciate your participating in our event.
Due to the Covid Pandemic there are a number of changes now in place in how RUSA and Minnesota Randonneurs do our events to ensure the safety of our riders, organizers and the communities we are riding in.
Please read and understand the following criteria. If you are not willing to comply with these rules, you will not be permitted to ride the event.
At the current time there are no significant restrictions on bicycling in Minnesota and most services we would use on our routes are open. Depending on the path of the Covid Pandemic this could change and more restrictions may be applied that will require us to curtail our scheduled events.
1. Stay home if you are not feeling well, have tested positive or have been in contact with a Covid positive individual recently
2. Carry a mask and hand sanitizer with you on the ride. Rubber gloves are also a good idea
3. Wear your mask whenever you are in a public location, e.g. c-store, public restroom
4. Plan to ride on your own or with 1-2 others, preferably members of your household
5. Pre-register for the ride online – no exceptions. This enables us to communicate with you before the ride and minimizes additional contact at registration.
6. If you are from ‘out of town’ and are not a regular Minnesota Randonneurs rider, be prepared to receive an email from the ride leader asking for more information. RUSA is not encouraging riders to travel long distances just to do randonneur events.
7. Plan to be as self sufficient as you can to minimize your contacts at c-stores, etc. by carrying extra food and water.
1. Expect an email from the ride leader a day or two before the ride with pre-ride notes and suggestions. Respond directly if there are any questions. There will not be a formal pre-ride briefing.
1. Riders will need to sign two waivers (a general liability and a covid form) at registration. These will be placed in a box and stored. A hand sanitizer will be available.
2. Brevet cards will be available – but should only be used if you are not using a GPS that can upload to Strava. You should fill these out yourself as you pass through each control. It is not necessary to get a receipt or signature from the control.
3. Controls are identified on the route for food & water but no receipts or signatures are needed
4. GPS links for primary navigation are highly recommended
5. If you need it, print your cue sheet ahead of time from the RWGPS link.
6. Proof of Passage – to verify you have completed the route
a. EPP (Electronic Proof of Passage) – GPS link
i. Upload your completed ride to Strava
ii. Be a member of the Strava Minnesota Randonneurs Club.
iii. Name your ride appropriately so the ride organizer can easily find your result
iv. If you rode the entire route with another person(s) that did not have a GPS track, send an email to the ride leader with the additional name(s).
b. Brevet card. If you do not use RWGPS or can’t upload your route to Strava
i. Print a brevet card from the website for this ride and initial and record the time at each control as you pass through the location.
ii. Scan and email the completed brevet card to the ride leader within one day of completing the ride.
1. Riders can start as soon as they are ready after arriving at the ride start, within ½ hour before the official ride starting time.
2. Riders should plan to be on the course by the official start time. There may be a short delay if there are a number of riders ready to start at the same time to spread out our riding groups.
3. At the check-in table
a. Sign the waivers and place them in the box/envelope.
b. Hand sanitizer available at check in table
c. Cue sheets – print ahead of time
d. If you are not using RWGPS + Strava upload, ensure you have your brevet card and note your starting time.
4. When you are ready, let the ride leader know and depart. If there are multiple riders/groups ready at the same time, stagger your start, leaving 3-5 minutes after any preceding group
1. Practice social distancing with anyone not in your group. This means at least 6’ between you and other riders. Riders/groups should be at least 100’ apart on the road
2. If you pass other riders, give them extra room and notify them of your passing
3. If you are only very gradually catching up with another person/group, consider backing off your pace to maintain an appropriate distance
4. No drafting with those not in your group
5. No expectorating while near other people
6. If you meet other rando riders on the route
a. If you are interested in riding with them ask immediately if this is ok. Respect their response if they are not comfortable. Note groups should not be larger than 3 members.
b. If asked, or if a rider joins your group without saying anything, be polite but clear if you are not comfortable with them riding with you.
c. The best approach is to work out ride partner relationships before the ride
1. Remove your riding gloves before entering a public place
2. Practice appropriate social distancing around and in the control
3. Clean/sanitize your hands before and after entering a public place
4. Wear your mask while you are in the control and in the parking lot
5. Do not congregate around the entrances to the control
6. Avoid large numbers of riders circulating in a c-store
7. Credit cards are preferred vs cash
8. If there is seating at the control (preferably outside) practice safe social distancing 6’ between each other.
9. Be considerate and polite to others particularly in smaller towns. We are in their home, we are the visitors.
1. EPP
o Save your ride immediately on finishing so it will upload to Strava
o Don’t forget to be a member of the Minnesota Randonneurs Strava Club
o Name your ride so the ride leader can easily find your result. Use the event name.
2. Brevet cards
o Ensure you have timestamped when you reached each control, including the start and finish
o Scan and send the completed brevet card to the ride leader within one day of the ride
3. If it is not socially safe, do not remain at the finish control. Meeting at a socially appropriate bar/restaurant (outdoors is much preferred) or an open park, with distancing may be ok, but this is not part of the ride event.