Paris Brest Paris (PBP) -- Only One More Qualifier Left for Jerome

This weekend Jerome completed the Velo Club Aoba randonneurs' "super 400" brevet.

Lots and lots of climbing

The event had around 6000 meters of elevation gain, hence the "super" designation. It started with the gradual climb to Lake Okutama then on to Yanagisawa Pass (elev. 1475m), then dipped down to Kofu, Elev. low.

The riders then climbed up to Shinshu Pass (elev. 1500m) , with some extra riding around the Crystal Line area on the Yamanashi/Nagano border, before dipping into Nagano through Kawakami-Mura, back through Nobeyama and down to Minami Alps/Kofu area again. 

Finally, there was a climb up to and through the Fuji "five lakes" area - Motosu-ko, Shoji-ko, Sai-ko, Kawaguchi-ko, and Yamanaka-ko (high point "only" elev. 1100), then a descent down Doshi Michi and back to Tokyo.

Only 25km left!

Fortunately, the riders had almost ideal riding weather. Cold in the wee hours up on Mt Fuji, but otherwise fine. None of the ice and snow that hit Jerome last month on a similar VCR Aoba 300k event.

I woke at 4AM and rode out to the Machida/Sagamihara area, past the end of Onekansendoro, to greet Jerome as he came back in. Mindful of the Audax prohibition on assistance by non-entrants, I did not let him draft and stayed away up the road as I rode back in. He was pretty thoroughly knackered, and lay down flat onto his back at the goal.

Reminds me of PBP

VCR Aoba traditional finish at the base of "hospital hill"

We stopped by Seijo Gakuen Starbucks for a quick coffee with the Tokyo Cranks on the way back into town, and I got at least 80km of riding in.

Jerome and I will both try the Okitsu Classic 600km brevet in a few weeks. I am already PBP qualified, but I need at least another 600k to keep up the endurance from Tasmania if I am to do PBP successfully. The Okitsu ride is a very nice course, one I have done twice before but not since 2015, so I look forward to it. Jerome needs this to complete his PBP qualification.