10 starters and 10 finishers rode the Paradise Valley Parcours 100k - Populaire. Mike reports: "Most paradise like weather for a January brevet in a long time. So nice to see a new face, Jake, on our ride…and a couple of folks who were out on injury, Corinne and Dave. It was a reunion for 4 of 5 Original Lanternes Rouge 2015 Flèche members… too bad Pascal is suffering in miserable 70F weather in Marin County with SF Randos or we would have been complete. "Two groups formed just north of Hygiene, (perhaps it was the large group of fast cyclists from Boulder a few of us decided to follow for about 100 feet)… anyway, we rolled north on familiar roads, occasionally detouring for some new scenery. We thought we were fast, but alas it was a tailwind which greeted us as a headwind on the return. One nice part of out and backs is catching site of the other group coming the other way. We also had a John Lee sighting but didn’t snap a picture in time. "The usual Gang of Loveland Elk were completely unbothered by our passing, even posing here for an upclose picture. The rest of the ride home with slight detours for scenery, was uneventful, except for Dave’s foray into single speed, which delighted Beverly as she hung on his wheel. A few of us gathered at Fritz for a post ride celebration, regaling the new kid of PBP stories and rides past."

Thanks to Mike Turek for leading!

-jle