Date: 7 March 2026
Distance: 400km
Start Time: 0400
Official Finish Cut-off: 0700 Sunday (27h) **NOTE: This ride will be run on EST (ignore the time change occurring Saturday night)
Location: Comfort Suites, Tavares, Florida
Climbing: TBD
Cost: $40
Cue Sheet: coming
Check-in: Evening of 3/6 or starting 0330 on 3/7 in the lobby; details to follow
Registered Riders (1): Rozelle P
Other Requirements: Current RUSA membership; sign the waiver at the ride start
Food & Drink: We’ll have snacky things at the start and dinner at the finish. Bring your own coffee. Riders will be on their own for food/drink on route.
SAG: None. There is no event/volunteer SAG. Riders need to make their own arrangements for return to the start/finish in the event they abandon.
Brevet cards: Use is mandatory; this is not an electronic-proof-of-passage brevet.

Ride Description: This is the out-and-back to Gainesville through the Ocala National Forest last run as a stand-alone brevet in 2019. (It also appeared on a lightly ridden 1000K in 2022 and was Day 1 of the first-ever cover-style 1000K in 2014.) It’s lightly rolling. It is very remote, other than at the start and finish. It can be very fast or a real slog, depending on the wind. You may see a bear.

Why does this start so early? To get off of CR 452 & CR 42 before they’re too busy. Note that, especially if you are a fast(er) rider, those roads will likely be busy on your return and the shoulder sucks or is nonexistent.

Registration

You MUST pre-register for this event! No day-of registrations. Preregistration must be completed by no later than March 6 at noon.

There are two steps to completing your registration.

Step 1. Please fill in the information here.

Step 2. Send in your $40 payment using Zelle (most US banks support this) or contact me for instructions for check/money order or wire transfer instructions. Registration = completed form + payment.

Last revised: 10 November 2025