I'm not guilty of being a serious randonneur, but I liked what Jan Heine had to say (below). But I wonder a bit about his group 2, "Those who just like riding their bikes."
>From the perspective of Pirsig's "Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" and our own experience, these folks tend toward one of two extremes: "romantics" who love riding and the trip itself, and "classicists" who love the machines (and tinkering/tuning), too. Do the randonneurs tend toward the former (whom we might parody as "credit card tourists," typically found on guided tours), or those the first group would call gearheads, always greasy, about to get greasy, or just cleaned up, mostly?
harvey sachs (whose Peter Wiegle is finally about "dialed in," which I thoroughly enjoyed) mcLean va.
I think randonneurs and long-distance riders fall into two groups:
1. Those who have to prove something, and move on once they have achieved their goals.
2. Those who just like riding their bikes. The more the better. Those are the guys who ride for decades.
Also, most clubs offer a 100 km (64 mile) "populaire" where you don't need to be a member or pay a fee - just for trying it out. And a 200 km brevet is 125 miles, which is within the possibilities of most cyclists. I know many randonneurs who never do a 600 or 1200, and they are no worse randonneurs for that! It's a big tent, and everybody is welcome.
Some randonneurs like to play up the "Xtreme" part of the sport, but realistically, it isn't extreme at all. It takes some dedication, but it's neither only for the gifted or the foolhardy. Give it a try!
Jan Heine, Seattle