saviourag

My first century was from St Quentin to Chalons en Champagne in France. I was bored of the flat landscape of the north of france so I wanted to clock a few miles and make some progress. I was riding a fully loaded mountainbike.
My longest ride though was about 150miles, from Nice in France to Genova in Italy. That was also fully loaded and on the same trip. I did this to catch a ferry, which I missed for 5mins thanks to the burocracy at the harbour in Genova!

The Octopus 

The 43rd TOSRV (Tour of the Scioto River Valley -- the original supported long-distance ride in the United States) in May 2003. I rode it on a Fuji hard-tail mountain bike that I put slicks on for the occasion. The ride is back-to-back centuries on a basically flat course. I had such a blast that I bought a road bike the next weekend (the Giant TCR that I'm still riding, nearly 20,000 miles later!). I quickly rode another century and then started to wonder what might lie beyond 100 miles. I discovered the Ride Across INdiana (RAIN) and rode that -- 158 miles -- in July 2003, my 4th century ever. Needless to say, I've been totally bitten by the long distance bug!

poopncow

My first century was the Seagull Century a year ago this week, it was rainy and windy. My latest century is the Seagull Century 3 days ago, it was slightly less wet, but twice as windy. Looking forward a double metric and then a double century. Now to clean the sand and salt off my ride.

tomacropod

USAZorro, that's a cool story.

My first century was on a 48/16 fixed wheel from here in Canberra out to Gunning across the state border and back in. 161km in around 8 hours which I was happy with. A very hilly and windy ride too, with water and food in my backpack.

a few since then, but my most recent one was at this past weekend's Scott 24hr mountain bike race in Canberra. I rode 8 of my team's 14 laps, totalling 164km on rutted, rocky, bumpy and very very dusty singletrack. On a 32/16 singlespeed hardtail with a practically rigid (seized) suspension fork. My wrists are still giving me grief!

- Joel

neutral

1st century was the Sea Gull in MD a few days ago. 49th B'day gift to myself. Brutal wind and some rain but felt extra good to get it done in those conditions and the upside was the high-wind and flood warning conditions kept bike traffic down. This century gets traffic jammed w/riders I've been told - in nice weather years, 1/4 mile long packs of 300 riders and mucho accidents are common. This year= ~6500 registrants, ~2500 riders showed, estimate no more than 1500 finished the hundred. Next Oct. will opt for the nearby Water-to-Water Century tour which has several hundred instead of several thousand riders.

USAZorro

Yes. The Sea Gull was not a ride that I enjoyed this year - due to the conditions.

Rowan

You share my outlook on events with large numbers of riders. PBP is the exception, of course.

poopncow

Did I ride with you guys this Sat at the Seagull? bk & red w yellow helmet on a smoked chrome Austro Daimler

jcm

I started riding only last July (2005). I stepped up from my '88 mtb very quickly and soon bought a 98 Trek 520 from a local seller. First thing I did was ride south to Seattle to meet up with a group I ride with. We did a half Lake Washington ride over the floating bridge. I never bothered to check the mileage on a map til I got home. I was fine until I discovered it was 111 miles round trip. At that point I sort of slumped to the deck, a quivering, gelatinous mass of non-distinct parts and appendiges. Knowledge can be a terrible thing.

stapfam

We have an "Epic" ride in the South of England called the South Downs Way. Runs along the Chalk ridge that makes up the South Downs along the southcoast of England. Not a bad ride and some people take it as a 2 or 3 day trip as hotels and Youth Hostels are just about placed correctly. The real challenge is to do it in one day. Not that easy but 100 miles and 10,000ft of climbing should be do-able in a day- providing the weather is right and not not too much wind. Still sound easy- It's offroad.

First did it in 94 on a day when the 20mph wind was in the wrong direction and it started raining at 9.20am, from a 6am start, and it did not stop all day. Have attempted it 10 times now and done it 7 times- Latest attempt was this year in high winds- very deep mud and no grip. Got to about 55 miles and the weather got worse so me and my co- rider stopped at 65 miles. That was enough- Co-rider- See the attachment

garden_lark

penny farthing century ride across tasmania, australia.
held every summer by the tasmanian velocipede society.

hawkijohn

In my previous 55 yrs, I probably had not ridden a total of 100miles. Bought a bike in Jan and have ridden 6 centuries with a long of 160 miles. When I was younger, I was into long distance motorcycle rides with a long of 1731 in a single day. I find it really takes a similar mindset to do long distance on a bicycle but with all the physical conditioning. My first century was tough because I was not yet prepared physically and did not yet understand proper hydration and nourishment for me. In July I did a ride of 550 miles in 6 days with every day getting over 100 degrees F. It was two weeks after that when I did a 160 mile day and found it to really be relatively easy and would have gone on to a double but short of daylight and I don't have lighting. Right now I'm really getting fired up to ride across Ia next summer in a day. That thought will keep me motivated thru-out the winter as I build up for it. Looking back on what has really been my first year of riding a bike, I'm just SO glad I fell into it with the only regret....What took me so long to find this great sport?

newsace

My first metric century was the 2003 Assault on Marion (https://www.geocities.com/thornhillmo...cycling03.html). I had done a couple of 40-50 mile rides beforehand, riding a department store mountain bike with semi-slick tires. For Marion I borrowed a friend's wife's road bike. It was the first time I'd ridden a skinny tire bike since I left behind my 10-speed when I moved from Florida to North Carolina for college 19 years earlier. It was also my first experience riding in the rain, which was pretty much nonstop, though never really heavy.

My first English century was the next year, a ride during our bike club's Spring Fat Burners series. I planned to ride all of those rides leading up to the Assault on Mt. Mitchell, but only started two and finished just one: from Asheville to Rosman, up to the Blue Ridge Parkway, and back to Asheville. 104 miles. My wife went to a mall kiosk and had a baseball cap embroidered for me with a picture of a bike, the date, and "First Century" (and she made a certificate for it, too -- no wonder I let her keep me around). Mitchell that year ended up being my second century. I tried another couple that year, but took a shortcut on one with another rider who was pretty much toasted, and missed a time cutoff for another one. I think I've only done one or maybe two other full 100 milers, although I've ended up with several 85-95 milers on those failed century attempts.

mike

Portis

I rode my first century in May of 2005, shortly after getting my road bike. I road 113 miles to my parents house for Memorial Day weekend. I left on a Friday morning at around 6 AM and didn't arrive till around 1 PM. It was a pretty awful day with lots of headwind and some rain.

But my biggest problem was that I drank too much Gatorade and ended up with a knife in my stomach at about mile 100. I learned a lesson that i should just eat and drink normal stuff on century rides. I had been reading accounts here on bike forums and all different sorts of advice.

I ended up drinking 3, 20 ounce bottles of Gatorade and that was waaaaaaay too much. Plus i was eating powerbars on the way and that was the first time i had ever had one. Turns out that those things KILL my stomach.

On next my ride to my parents that year i ate normal and had a tailwind. I averaged 19 mph for 113 miles.

chipcom 

Mine was in the 9th grade...must have been 73 or so. My typing teacher started a bike club...and man she was hot...a hippie chick with long red hair who never wore a bra. Guys took typing...and joined the bike club, just to get close to her, hoping for a peek or one of them teacher-student flings that seem so common nowadays. (before someone gets offended, I'm just being honest here...I was a kid just past puberty for chris' sake!)

Well she decided to do a century for a field trip...a metric that covered much of what is now known as the Emerald Necklace near Cleveland. I had this old Schwinn cruiser bike that I loved...coaster brake, no gears, big ole spring on the front, balloon tires, 'tank' on the top tube and heavy as a bulldozer. I had taken the fenders and chain guard off when I got it and flipped the bars to make it look cool.

I was thinking I was really cool, keeping up with all the fancy ten speeds for most of the ride, which was flat for the most part, and staying right up there with the teacher...showing off at how macho I was. Then we hit the first big climb...and I made it up, getting dropped, but able to make up the distance on the downside. Then we hit the next big climb and I was toast. On the last big climb, I had to walk the bike up, embarrassed as hell. I think I limped into the finish about an hour behind the teacher's group...just in time to see her kissing her boyfriend, husband or whoever the putz was.

But when she saw me, she got a big smile on her face, came over and gave me a peck on the cheek and told me how proud she was of me for making the entire trip on my old beater...and pointed out that I was not the last one in. Tired as I was, for that moment, I was in heaven.

chipcom 

Oh man, that pic makes me homesick for Raton, NM.

songfta

First metric: summer of 1991 on a Slingshot mountain bike running Specialized Turbo/S ATB road tires and Scott aero bars. Rode with two other riders, both masters road racers (I'd just graduated from high school - much younger than the other two). The route started and ended at East Canyon Reservoir in Utah.

First English: this July, during a Potomac Pedalers ride originating from Riley's Lock, MD. It was cued for 99 miles, so I tacked on a little loop at the end to push over 100. It was lot of fun, and didn't really feel like 100 miles.

Hardest English: the Mountain Mama Road Bike Challenge - a great ride.

Latest English: the Great River Ride out of Westfield, MA.

Shifty

BRAVO!!! This is the best post yet, I don't know that I could do this ride, but what a unique ride

pel-o-ton

My first century was about 35 years ago - summer of '71 or '72. The March of Dimes used to put on Bike-a-thons in the Detroit Metro area. My friend and I decided to give it a try - the intended route that year was from Metro Beach to Port Huron and back. Due to rain, the ride organizers decided it was too dangerous to put 100's of bicycles out on the road (times have changed!), and instead we rode 10 mile loops on the road leading into park (Metro Parkway, for those who live in the area). The route really was kind of boring, but for a couple of 13 year olds, the desire to complete 100 miles was enough to keep us going, and really launched us into 7 or 8 years of great cycling together.

roadfix

My first century was the Solvang Century in March of 1994.

stevelon

Did my first century today. Wind was nasty. Navagation left a lot to be desired ended up doing 107. Blisters on my butt. Can't waite for the next one.

tornado

Mine was in 1995 at "The Flattest Century in the East" in Tiverton, RI. I wanted it to be the easiest I could find so that I could definitely finish and feel good during and after. I was 48 and it was my 2nd year of riding. I followed a 10 week training plan in Bicycling magazine. I'd done some solo 70 mile rides with apprxoimately 3000' of climbing in my local area so I was reasonably confident I could do it. It was a great experience riding with other people for the first time. I was well prepared, it was easy since there were no hills and I had a wonderful time. I was thrilled to be able to complete it in 6:05 including 3 short stops. I've never gone back to do it again (maybe some year) but do a couple of solo centuries in my local area every year just to prove to myself than I still can.

Hambone

Funny, the Montauk Century here in NY claims to be the flatest century too.

Next time I'm visiting RI (Mother in law is in Narragansett), I'll have to check this out...

tornado

I haven't done the Tiverton ride since, but it was very well organized and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it. I have a friend who's done it a few times over the past 5 years and really enjoys it. I do know that it's popular enough that the registration closes early. It's in early Sept I believe. As I recall, this is the club that runs it. https://www.nbwclub.org/

SEAtrain

Weird ... I don't know. Seems like a person should remember something like this clearly. It bothers me that I can't place it.

Thinking back, I remember doing 100+, loaded, on along the Oregon Coast back in '86. I suppose that might be my first.