Marshfield Cranberry Century Ride Reports 9/16/07

[kpumpy]

Turned out to be a pretty nice day. Bit of a stiff south wind helped to keep my speed down through the first half, but that last 35 miles after hitting Babcock was sweet and fast! :) The course was great. Support was wonderful. Seems like I saw the sag van every few miles. Numbers were up from last year, apparently. I asked when I finished what the numbers were for this year, and a total of 35 did the 100-mile course and about 175 total were entered, all of which was a nice increase from 2006, they said.

Unforeseen equipment malfunction made me miss the supposed 100-mile 8 a.m. start by an hour-plus, so I left with a few 20/40-mile route riders, but past Powers Bluff and the 100-mile turnoff, it was just myself, the cows, and nature. Thanks to my late start, I can unequivocally say that I was the final finisher of the entire event. :(

But earlier that day, I wasn't sure I'd be able to ride at all. And a great course made up for it all. Wonderful ride. As a local, I'll be back for sure next year, and starting on time this time. :D

(And if anyone in Marshfield area wants to ride, send me a PM.) :)

[Brian Anderson]

Well, it did turn out to be a nice day, but at 7:30 am when I started it was something like 45 degrees and cold!! I could tell when my toe warmer accidentally flipped up on me and was wondering why my right toe was so dang cold, and that was after having ridden 60 miles. I rode in about 3.6 miles to the start, then rode the course. Always a beautiful route, and a bit of a change in some sections since the last one I did a few years ago, which was a nice change. After the second rest stop I grabbed on to a group of 15 or so riders and headed out with some much needed drafting. However, there was a flat, so being close by I stopped to assist, but as we headed back (now three of us), my computer just plain stopped working. Cadence worked fine, but no speed, time, nothing. No amount of fiddling could get it to work. For a numbers junkie like me this was pure hell. Being 50 miles out with no data was torture.

The tailwind for the last 40 or so miles was much appreciated, and had I not been feeling some pain in both my knees would have made for a real quick return, however, I think it was about 3:00 by the time I strolled in for the post ride feast. So, no fast PR, but I succeeded anyway.

Good to see so many riders, and some much needed course changes to reflect riding on some safer roads. I will be back next year, just hope it's not going to be so blasted cold and windy at the start again. :)