Northeast - NYC Members: Our Own Private Century

Bklyn and I have been toying with this idea because we think there are plenty of NYC riders to make it happen. Who wants in? Thoughts so far from the NYC Members thread:

[Bklyn]
"Let's do a century! We got nearly 90, let's pick a Saturday and head to Montauk."

[metr0area]
"i'm in ridgewood and i'd be down for a century..."

[40 Cent]
"Yes, our own private century. We could all ride to Montauk, or take the train to Montauk and ride back, or we could plan a big 100-mile loop and just each donate $20 to spouses or friends who like to cook more than ride (I'm torn) to have a group cookout at the finish. If we get enough people to ride, there should be small groups for each pace."

[Bklyn]
"Yes, let's do it. Mid-Augustish? Anybody out there with experience in running a century? I'd personally vote for a loop that lands us back at Prospect Park or Gateway or somewhere we can have a barbecue. A loop would seem to require the fewest logistical leaps. But what do I know?"

I'm in.

Nice! Knew we could count on you, Air. It'd be nice to get a solid 25 people to make it a real event. I'll wait for more responses until we start talking routes and dates.

I'm in for sure. This should eat up just about all my free hours. I mean, think of the potential for time wasting: coming up with a route, persuading noncycling loved ones to wait at the ready with the barbecue . . . designing the T-shirt! My God, the possibilities are endless.
And we'll ride bikes.

August and early September is a bit busy for me, so depending on the date I'm in. Keep an eye out for me as you drop me... :)

I've vote for a loop if possible, 'cause the trains aren't always very affording to a boat load of cyclists hitting them up at the same time.

August and early September is a bit busy for me, so depending on the date I'm in. Keep an eye out for me as you drop me... :)

I've vote for a loop if possible, 'cause the trains aren't always very affording to a boat load of cyclists hitting them up at the same time.

If you plot a route up to bear mountain using back roads and less hilly alternatives to 9W, with an optional climb of the mountain, and across the bridge and back through west chester... then I'm in.

It would be a great chance to find new routes.

I may be interested. How many miles we talking and how "in shape" do you have to be? I've been riding more and more but not sure I'm up to the level that some of you are.

-Tina

I may be interested. How many miles we talking and how "in shape" do you have to be? I've been riding more and more but not sure I'm up to the level that some of you are.

-Tina

Can you do 100 miles on rolling terrain in 5 hours? J/k... I think regardless of whether we're in shape or not, we can always find a group to ride in.

Tina, it's 100 miles, which means you probably should have done say a 60- or 70-miler before and not felt you were going to die if you pedalled one more inch.

Can you do 100 miles on rolling terrain in 5 hours? J/k... I think regardless of whether we're in shape or not, we can always find a group to ride in.

That's true. Don't be too intimidated by the number. Contrary to my last post, many people dust off a bike they haven't ridden in a few years and do a century. Not recommended. If you ride regularly and have a bike that's comfortable enough for several hours in the saddle, give it a try.

If you plot a route up to bear mountain using back roads and less hilly alternatives to 9W, with an optional climb of the mountain, and across the bridge and back through west chester... then I'm in.

It would be a great chance to find new routes.

Up 9W (or alternates) and back down Westchester...

The North/South County trailway in Westchester might be a good option for a relatively flat route back into the city. I did a hefty chunk of it a few weeks back. A nice off road rail trail and not too crowded. Still have to watch out at times though. This Westchester site http://www.westchesterny.com/parks/Trailways.htm has the pdf maps.

I was thinking of connecting it up around 202 to head over to the Bear Mtn. Bridge but haven't gotten a chance yet.

100 miles??? Hmmmm...considering I'm the competitive type...I may just have to give this a try.

I've done the 5 boro bike tour a few times which is about 42 miles. The local trail I do on the weekends is about 21 miles round trip - a few hills here and there but nothing major. During the week, I do about 10 miles a day but it's mostly flat.

I'm in, depending on the date.

I selfishly suggest a weekday "Skip Out on a Work Day Century" since I'm out of the city most weekends. :D

Locally there are at least 4 centurys/rides coming up that I know of: Glen's Farm Ride (Aug 4-5) North Fork Century (Aug 26) Harlem Valley Rail Ride (July 29) and Woodstock Century (Aug 26). I'm doing the last 2 rides...

[QUOTE=Lucky07;4883855]I'm in, depending on the date.

I selfishly suggest a weekday "Skip Out on a Work Day Century" since I'm out of the city most weekends. :DQUOTE]

"Skip Out on a Work Day Century" is a great idea, if enough people could commit. I think we're looking at Sunday, August 12th or 19th. Early Sunday mornings you can just cruise north through Manhattan (with the rest of the Nyak-bound folks).

just name time and place. i'm in.

me too!!!

I do admit I'd be scared of the climb up to Bear Mountain - hoping I'll be in shape for that by year's end but by the descriptions not sure if a few weeks will be enough.

I'd be in depending on the date.

I do admit I'd be scared of the climb up to Bear Mountain - hoping I'll be in shape for that by year's end but by the descriptions not sure if a few weeks will be enough.

What if I told you that they were putting a Nathan's on top of Bear Mountain?

edit: And would it really matter, once you made it to the summit, that I was lying?

I do admit I'd be scared of the climb up to Bear Mountain - hoping I'll be in shape for that by year's end but by the descriptions not sure if a few weeks will be enough.

The great thing about a Bear Mountain climb is its guaranteed to be OPTIONAL. The only way out is back down the same road. Just wait at the bottom until the masochists come back down.

The great thing about a Bear Mountain climb is its guaranteed to be OPTIONAL. The only way out is back down the same road. Just wait at the bottom until the masochists come back down.

There's an idea, a mountain option. How many miles are we talking from say Battery Park to the foot of Bear Mountain and back?

There's an idea, a mountain option. How many miles are we talking from say Battery Park to the foot of Bear Mountain and back?

From 60th and 5th (Central Park) it's right at 100 miles.

What if I told you that they were putting a Nathan's on top of Bear Mountain?

edit: And would it really matter, once you made it to the summit, that I was lying?

Depends how tasty you look and if I had mustard on me.

Depends how tasty you look and if I had mustard on me.

And what if I had ketchup on me? Or did you mean if you had mustard WITH you. In your backpack, or on your face?

In any case, my machine and I will take on a century. Any time. Any place. (Actually, it depends. When were you thinking of going again?)

Depends how tasty you look and if I had mustard on me.

"Penguins is practically chickens."

What we can do is, plan 3 separate rides. Everyone chips in 5-10 bucks to cover the BBQ afterwards.

We can either leave at separate times or leave together early in the morning around 7-8am.

For the slower riders, they can ride to piermont, then hang around at the gazebo while the others get back.
For the medium speed riders, they can ride to the base of bear mountain and wait at the lower picnic area.
If you really want to torture yourself, do the alpine climb, then go to bear mountain, climb that too and come back down to regroup.
Everyone meets up at piermont and rides back to prospect park.

A few people who don't want to ride can set up BBQ in prospect park. My girlfriend says she's definitely in for either helping with the BBQ or doing the piermont option.

After school starts might be a good idea to avoid people and traffic, plus it'll be a bit cooler. Friday or saturday is great cause we won't have work the next day.

I'd be interested depending on the date...

[QUOTE=Lucky07;4883855]I'm in, depending on the date.

I selfishly suggest a weekday "Skip Out on a Work Day Century" since I'm out of the city most weekends. :DQUOTE]

"Skip Out on a Work Day Century" is a great idea, if enough people could commit. I think we're looking at Sunday, August 12th or 19th. Early Sunday mornings you can just cruise north through Manhattan (with the rest of the Nyak-bound folks).

I'd be willing to skip out if it was a day that I could. A weekday (semi-)orgnanized century could start a whole new trend.

Just want to point out that 8/19 is the Lancaster Covered Bridge Metric which it seems from the other thread many people are interested in. 8/12 is the NYC Populaire and the Suffolk Tour de Cure but these probably don't attract that many. Three centuries are running on 8/26 in the area.

Weekdays are actually better - but I'll do whatever if the date's right.

What we can do is, plan 3 separate rides. Everyone chips in 5-10 bucks to cover the BBQ afterwards.

We can either leave at separate times or leave together early in the morning around 7-8am.

For the slower riders, they can ride to piermont, then hang around at the gazebo while the others get back.
For the medium speed riders, they can ride to the base of bear mountain and wait at the lower picnic area.
If you really want to torture yourself, do the alpine climb, then go to bear mountain, climb that too and come back down to regroup.
Everyone meets up at piermont and rides back to prospect park.

A few people who don't want to ride can set up BBQ in prospect park. My girlfriend says she's definitely in for either helping with the BBQ or doing the piermont option.

After school starts might be a good idea to avoid people and traffic, plus it'll be a bit cooler. Friday or saturday is great cause we won't have work the next day.

slvoid, I like this plan a lot. Brilliant if we can time it correctly to avoid people waiting for hours. I'm also up for a weekday ride, with my only reservations being (1) more traffic in the morning, and; (2) many of those who commit may [have to] back out depending on how hard it is to play hooky.

I'm game, depending on the date. I know Sept. 9th is out for me, since that's the NYC Century.
And Labor Day is the Donut ride in Philadelphia ;)

I'm interested depending on the date. Will be in South America for all of August so I won't be able to make it then. How about mid-late September?

I'm in as well.

i'd be up for bear mountain. someone pick a date(this will be the tricky part) and i'll try to make it work. sept 9th is also out for me because of the nyc century.
-itty

Count me in!

Mid-late sept sounds pretty good.
The 16th, or the weekend around that is no good cause I have the biathlon.

Yours truly, the resident slowpoke is in.

Mid-late sept sounds pretty good.
The 16th, or the weekend around that is no good cause I have the biathlon.

your bi? i never would have guessed.

He's Xi! Xi's a he! He's Xi! Xi's a he! He's Xi! Xi's a he! He's Xi! Xi's a he! He's Xi! Xi's a he!

At least that's the way you pronounce slvoid's name in official pinyin...

your bi? i never would have guessed.

Damn, I knew I should've said Tri!

Damn, I knew I should've said Tri!

All are welcome on this ride.

All are welcome on this ride.

How did it come to this? I'm not gay!
(Not that there's anything wrong with that).

How did it come to this? I'm not gay!
(Not that there's anything wrong with that).

I'm intrigued by the tri thing, just wondering if you need a special saddle for that...

I'm intrigued by the tri thing, just wondering if you need a special saddle for that...

There's a picture somewhere...

How did it come to this? I'm not gay!
(Not that there's anything wrong with that).

Xi's a he! Xi's a she! Xi's a tri! He is quite capable in more ways than 2! Any way goes baby!!

Looks like it'll have to be towards the end of August for me. I'm going to be stranded in the land of bicycles for a couple more weeks. Despite having a huge biking population, no one here wears a helmet. Not on bikes, not on motorcycles/mopeds. I don't know how cars (worse yet, buses) drive here dodging other forms of traffic. I've witnessed 1 bike accident so far. The pedestrians are just as unafraid of death as the 2-wheel riders.

I'm gonna reserve a special ass kicking just for you at the century!

Xi's a he! Xi's a she! Xi's a tri! He is quite capable in more ways than 2! Any way goes baby!!

Looks like it'll have to be towards the end of August for me. I'm going to be stranded in the land of bicycles for a couple more weeks. Despite having a huge biking population, no one here wears a helmet. Not on bikes, not on motorcycles/mopeds. I don't know how cars (worse yet, buses) drive here dodging other forms of traffic. I've witnessed 1 bike accident so far. The pedestrians are just as unafraid of death as the 2-wheel riders.

Where are you now?

Where are you now?

Sounds a lot like Shenzen or Guanzou.

amsterdam?

Williamsburg?