Zinger

JTGraphics

Congratulations and job well done sounds like you accomplushed your goal and even with the suffering you had a good time.

SammyJ 

Awesome!

Jim from Boston

I was intermittently following this thread, and enjoyed reading of your experience. I’ve never ridden a cold century (at least not after about 9:00 AM) so that was an added burden.

The mental focus is an interesting consideration. I try to leave early to increase my chances to get with, or form a group to draft, but I too often ride mostly solo. I need a little music or a talk show to occupy my head, but not while in a group.

I checked out the website, and it looked like an excellent ride. I never saw one that showed the menu at food stops. The route looked complicated, though I suppose the turns were obvious, especially on a midwestern grid pattern, as opposed to crazy road patterns in New England. How was the signage?

Finally, no apologies needed for your (not too) long post. I like to write up my rides, as do others on a local discussion thread here in Boston, and for me, it’s more a journal for myself, than for the amusement of other subscribers, though I hope others would find it interesting. Of course we in Metro Boston all know the region, and each other, at least electronically, so we are a ready receptive audience for each other.

I have thought of that thread as the cycling equivalent of “apres-ski” after a day on the slopes, where we gather to exchange stories, routes, photos, ribbing, and (?) tall tales. Similarly, see also ”A Chronicle of the 50+ Annual Rides.”

I once received a reply to a long post, the initialism, “tl, dr” (too long, didn’t read), to which I would reply, “dr, wc” (Didn’t read? Who cares?).

OldsCOOL

Congrats on finishing a tough ride!

bruised

Thanks guys!

@Jim from Boston - Jim, the signage was excellent. Two little points to add - I live in the area of the ride. In fact at various points of the ride my home was within 5 miles or so of the route. That added a little mental pressure as I could have easily ducked home and called it quits. But to be honest that was never really on the cards. Failure was not an option, as they say!
Also, when I first looked at the route it was listed as 99.85 miles total. That was bugging me for a couple days. I use MapMyWalk and was determined to see a '100' on the list of workouts. So I figured I would need to ride around the parking lot a few times when I got back, to tip me over the 100!. However, around mile 70 I was riding alone and missed a marker. I was only half a mile beyond the turn, completely oblivious, when a woman in a SUV with Illinois plates overtook me, pulled over and waved me down - 'you've missed a turn, and you're not the first rider to miss that turn!' Sure enough a half mile or so back the turn was clearly marked, but it was at the bottom of a hill and I'd been riding head down to try and cut the air for some extra speed!. I figured at the time she was my guardian angel - had she not stopped I would have merrily pedaled my way into Bailey's Harbor, a 10 mile or so detour.
So I ended up with 101 as the ride distance, I expect most people showed just under 100

Cheers

Bruised
PS - I'm feeling great this morning, no soreness or stiffness. I'll take a cool down ride later. Not surprisingly the weather is so much nicer than yesterday, very little wind and a few degrees warmer!!

Jim from Boston

I note that you post at 7:20 AM (Central Time Zone, I think.) I always find that after a long (over 40 mile) ride, I wake up earlier than my usual (4:00 AM), feeling depleted in my legs, but overall particularly refreshed and energized.

On one Century Ride I had a ride ending accident at about mile 97, while just trying to get to 100 miles, but I felt I accomplished the Century.

Gerryattrick

Well done! Excellent time for a first century - especially on an mtb.

Did you find any aches/strains on the arms or wrists during the ride as many people write on here that long rides on straight bars are not as comfortable as on drops due to the greater variety of positions on drops? I'm happy with straight bars, using ergo bar-ends for varying hand positions.

bruised

Thanks Gerryattrick!
Nothing too uncomfortable at all, really. I use basic end bars which helped a lot. I've never ridden a road bike but that crouched over riding position doesn't look at all comfortable to me !
I like my straight bars.
My neck and shoulders are a little stiff today, but nothing to complain about, all just a healthy reaction to physical exercise...

MikeD1

Way to go Bruised! I really enjoyed your write up. As a fellow Wisconsinite who did a Metric Century yesterday, dang it was cold! And you are so right, people can drastically change the direction of their lives with a strong effort as you have so clearly shown over the last year or so. Be proud and start working on your next goal(s)!

himespau 

Great Job

bruised

Thanks MikeD and Himespau,

I took a slow ride today, planning on maybe 12 max but ending up with another 33 miles on the clock. I need to work on getting my miles up before taking on another distance ride, but with Winter just around the corner it's going to be tough.
So my plan is to try and keep riding the trails over Winter, and hit Spring at a reasonable fitness level.

Although, there's a trail from Green Bay to Shawano that's caught my eye, involving 230 miles over two days ... We'll see!

Cheers!

qcpmsame 

Well Done, Sir, Very Well Done!

Bill

Over50

Excellent Job!!! Congratulations on your milestone. Feels great; doesn't it!!!