I would like to publicly thank Susan Plonsky for being our local RBA. Having set up a permanent I know a little of how much effort goes into making a route, much less supporting 20-30 riders along it. Then add to that three more rides of progressing complexity and length (not to mention doing all this as a new RBA by yourself!).
Susan did an excellent job of organizing this inaugural brevet season here in Arizona and I wanted to thank her for it. Susan was always there on each ride to check in and see if you needed help or how things were going, she had an extra $20 for a tired absent-minded randonneur who at the last manned control on a 400k realized he didn't have his wallet (I know, a little late to discover something like that but the stops were so well stocked I hadn't needed it until 130 miles into the ride). She was there at the controls and on the road of a very rainy 300k to give support and a positive word or two. In essence, it is nice to have someone there to run the brevet scene here in Arizona and bring these ultra-distance rides here on a more permanent basis.
Before the season began I had started making a permanent as the Desert Double that used to be held seems to have died out the year before I was ready to give it a go. It was a very pleasant surprise to bring up the RUSA Web page one day and find an RBA for Arizona (not to mention that now I had someone local to submit my permanent to). Thanks Susan.
Paul Layton
RUSA No. 2408
Mesa, AZ