veloellen

Way to go Don. We know each other from back CAM days. I did the metric - my century days are behind me. I'm probably in better shape than I was 10 years ago but just find 100 miles drurgery....wind was a drag literally for the last 24 miles. Everyone around me was going either at 12 mph or 18 mph. So I'd catch some wheels, sit for a mile or 2 and chase down the next group ahead of me. We left the school at around 8:15 and I was back by 1PM - my kind of day! My husband, who did the century - was not too far behind me.

donhaller 

I got a late start and didn't get out of the gate until a smidge past 9:00 I finished around 4:15 or so. My Garmin says I did it in 6hrs25min not counting in the rest stops, but I tried to not dilly-dally around the rest stops too much, maybe ten minutes at most, just enough to get a water refill and quick bite of the offerings.

Yah - the wind was kicking some butt, however I expected that. When it would blast hard on those open fields, I would just get down on the drops and tuck as much as I could to try to help lessen the drag. I also think that a lot of wind noise is more of a psychological "drag" than we realize. An experienced rider friend told me once that if you tried riding in the wind with earplugs it would seem easier and I tried it and he was correct. I know that wind drag is drag, but for some reason with the earplugs the wind didn't seem half as bad. I didn't use any plugs this weekend but several times I wish I had them.

barndoor

Oh yahhh.....the wind just about did me in too....until I tried the drops on one of those endlessly long straight stretches after lunch.....not only did it pick me up 1-2 mph, it felt pretty good! ... it's been years since I've used the drops...mostly because of back issues.....but for now, I'm going to use them more often. I'm 6'7" 255 and certainly wasn't the most aerodynamic thing on the road Saturday...so getting down in the drops made a HUGE difference!

zoste

Hey! I saw you guys on the ride! You even commented about my Acorn Bag - your son had a slightly larger Acorn on the Quickbeam. I never did catch up to chat with you guys - you were much stronger riders.

Thanks Roger! That has quickly become my favorite jersey

beachcruiser

Zoste, I do remember seeing you and the Acorn bag. Another coincidence, the Quickbeam kid next to me on the Seagull is applying to Drexel next fall.

zoste

Good luck to him! Drexel is an excellent school!

Oh...and thanks for the info on the soybeans.

torotech

What an awesome ride!!!!

This was my first full century. I did 1 hilly metric century and 1 half-century this season to prep for the seagull and I think the training paid off. I was able to keep a 16mph pace most of the time and rode for a while in some 20+mph pacelines. My final rolling time was 6hrs and 18 mins although I'm pretty sure I was right at 6 hours (I kept resetting my clock accidentally at the rest stops and I didn't notice what time I really crossed the finish line).

I was expecting the wind and rain, so it didnt really bother me. Next time, I plan to anticipate those areas better and will make sure I have someone to ride with on the long windy straightaways. I was caught out on my own at each of the major "windyfarms".

Great job to SU for putting together a great ride. Can't wait till next year.

FLN333

I just heard about this - when should I look for information to be posted for next year - I heard it gets filled quick.

Tx

kissTheApex

To be honest, they don't have an upper limit like some of the other events, so they had a computer/ cc payment station 10 yards from the start registering people when we started last saturday, so I don't think you're in danger of being left out. The only advantage of early registry is that you save $20 on the registry fee. We have seen rider numbers all the way up to 8113 during the ride and that rider said he registered the night before the event.

And in all honesty, the only other events I can compare this to are the Cumberland Valley event and Reston Century, I'm sure both had nowhere near one thousand riders and both had better facilitated rest stops IMHO. However, all day police/ranger presence at major intersections and keeping the rest stops well stocked for 8000+ is no easy job. The only reason I may not ride the Seagull Century next year would be the number of riders attending I guess, I didn't like bumping-into-someone-every-minute type of riding. Felt a little claustrophobic a bit.

I'm thinking of riding the Cumberland Valley, Reston, Potomac Pedalers and Civil War centuries next year.

barndoor

I do the Cumberland Valley and Civil War every year.....love 'em both....but I'll do the Seagull again for sure......it's definitely a challenge with the wind and "fatigue" factor.....you really don't have any "rest" time like on a hilly century on the downhills.....

barndoor

Look me up next year....I live in Williamsport Md and we ride about the same pace.....and you'll LOVE to draft me lol.....

FLN333

I love love to do this in 2010 - does anyone know the dates yet or when they will post the dates? Also when will registration open - I dont want to miss it. Tx Any tips appreciated!!

pmt

https://lmgtfy.com/?q=seagull+century

Roland Owens

The website doesn't have the 2010 dates posted yet but I'm pretty sure it's October 9, 2010.

Roland

amybatt

This was my first century also and I loved it. I clocked in at 6:06:56 and was thrilled. I'm already planning on it for next year!

zoste

I got an email from the Seagull...next year is the weekend of October 9.