Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - centuries in MD/VA

Hi All

I'm new to the forum (been lurking for awhile) and just did my first century on Saturday--the Culpeper Century. I loved it. I'd done some back to back unplanned centuries while touring in the mid 90s (Pacific Coast, Seattle to Missoula, Great Divide), but not gone longer than 60 miles since then. So, of course I'm now hooked.

I'm looking for names of some other centuries in MD/VA. I'm in Charlottesville. I've heard of the Seagull, Mountain Mama, a couple of others, and am learning about the Rando clubs. I'm just curious what else is out there. And yes I know about Google. Thanks a lot

Christian

Civil War Century (Thurmont, MD) is pretty challenging. Check the DC Randonneurs web site. They run an entire series, but it's loaded up in the spring - so 2010 is the next real opportunity there.

link to october rides (http://ohbike.org/perl/rides.pl?month=10;published=20090924)

I saw the signs for the Culpeper ride as I was driving past there on the way to the Blue Ridge Parkway. Wish I had known it was on. I check the bikepptc.org sites, active.com, bikeride.com etc., but always seem to miss a few. Usually my list grows from year to year, so there are fewer new ones that I didn't know about previously.

Civil War Century (Thurmont, MD) is pretty challenging. Check the DC Randonneurs web site. They run an entire series, but it's loaded up in the spring - so 2010 is the next real opportunity there.

Uh, USAZorro, what are you talking about? :-)

Take a look at the Calendar page at www.dcrand.org. We (DC Randonneurs) have brevets scheduled every month for the rest of this year, and although not posted on the website until the schedule is approved by RUSA, we have rides scheduled for nearly every month next year. I think there might be a month without a ride scheduled, but there will be plenty of R-12 riders out riding permanents. There is no "season" anymore, because around here the whole year has "good" randonneuring weather :-) Also, FWIW, all of the brevets scheduled next year will be ACP brevets, owing to the PBP qualifying rules.

Best regards,

Nick Bull
President, DC Randonneurs

Hi All

I'm new to the forum (been lurking for awhile) and just did my first century on Saturday--the Culpeper Century. I loved it. I'd done some back to back unplanned centuries while touring in the mid 90s (Pacific Coast, Seattle to Missoula, Great Divide), but not gone longer than 60 miles since then. So, of course I'm now hooked.

I'm looking for names of some other centuries in MD/VA. I'm in Charlottesville. I've heard of the Seagull, Mountain Mama, a couple of others, and am learning about the Rando clubs. I'm just curious what else is out there. And yes I know about Google. Thanks a lot

Christian

Hi, Christian,

There are century rides nearly every Saturday and Sunday in MD/VA (often going into PA or WVa) that are organized by some of the members of DC Randonneurs (usually by Crista Borras). Usually there are shortcut options if you want a somewhat shorter ride. See "Weekend and Training Rides" on the home page of DC Randonneurs, www.dcrand.org. These rides are not official DC Randonneurs rides, and no membership is required nor fees charged. Since many of our members participate in them, we are happy to have them posted on the home page.

Hope to see you on a Crista century or DC Randonneurs brevet!

Best,

Nick Bull
President, DC Randonneurs

Hi, Christian,

There are century rides nearly every Saturday and Sunday in MD/VA (often going into PA or WVa) that are organized by some of the members of DC Randonneurs (usually by Crista Borras). Usually there are shortcut options if you want a somewhat shorter ride. See "Weekend and Training Rides" on the home page of DC Randonneurs, www.dcrand.org. These rides are not official DC Randonneurs rides, and no membership is required nor fees charged. Since many of our members participate in them, we are happy to have them posted on the home page.

Hope to see you on a Crista century or DC Randonneurs brevet!

Best,

Nick Bull
President, DC Randonneurs

Thanks Nick!

I have been looking over your club's site quite a bit and plan on doing the 11/14 Flatbread 200k and perhaps, if I can get away, the 200k on 10/24. Both look like great rides. I've got the site bookmarked and will check often for updates on ACP brevets and group rides.

Best wishes

Christian

PS: Thanks to others' for tips too.

Late August-September- early October seems to be "high season" for organized century rides around here. Seagull (10/10) and LaPlata MD (10/11) are coming up, and there is a fall foliage ride in Staunton (10/17 I think) that would not be too far for you. I think that's about it for the "organized" century rides for 2009. The Oxon Hill bike club (in MD) has a good calendar of events, and I'd check other club sites. dcrand sounds like a great suggestion for year-round rides.

Thanks Nick!

I have been looking over your club's site quite a bit and plan on doing the 11/14 Flatbread 200k and perhaps, if I can get away, the 200k on 10/24. Both look like great rides. I've got the site bookmarked and will check often for updates on ACP brevets and group rides.

Best wishes

Christian

PS: Thanks to others' for tips too.

I can't think of two brevets that have more contrast ... the Flatbread is on the Eastern Shore and should have very little climbing. The Cacapon 200 is based on a 300K that became known as "The Mother of All 300's" after the first time that it was put on in 2005. (The "Mother" was my first 300, with over 17,000 feet of climbing, and it came very close to being my last rando event ... but the designer assured me that the 400 would be much easier and more fun, and I should really give it a try, and she was right.) Flatbread is a new brevet, and I couldn't ride the Cacapon the only other time it's been run, so these will both be new events for me. I'm really looking forward to them.

Nick

I can't think of two brevets that have more contrast ... the Flatbread is on the Eastern Shore and should have very little climbing. The Cacapon 200 is based on a 300K that became known as "The Mother of All 300's" after the first time that it was put on in 2005. (The "Mother" was my first 300, with over 17,000 feet of climbing, and it came very close to being my last rando event ... but the designer assured me that the 400 would be much easier and more fun, and I should really give it a try, and she was right.) Flatbread is a new brevet, and I couldn't ride the Cacapon the only other time it's been run, so these will both be new events for me. I'm really looking forward to them.

Nick

Indeed. I think it'll be wise of me to do the Flatbread for my first 200K brevet. Very excited. Thanks for your help. I'll likely be in touch before the ride and will introduce myself that day.

Thanks again to everyone else for the info.

Best wishes

Christian

Cannonball Century (moderatly hilly; rides between Quantico, F-burg, Nokesville, and Catlett), Bay Country Century in Maryland (hilly; I didn't like this one that much, though--organization wasn't as good), St. Michael's Historic Century (supposed to be pretty flat; haven't done this yet), Reston Century (hilly).

Then there's the fundraising events: Tour de Cure out of Reston, VA, and Bike MS out of Middleburg, VA.

The Fall Foliage Festival is next weekend in Staunton: http://www.shenandoahbike.org/

I won't be going because I'm not going to pay $85 to do a bike ride, but I've done a lot of riding in Staunton, and the roads and scenery are great.

Indeed. I think it'll be wise of me to do the Flatbread for my first 200K brevet. Very excited. Thanks for your help. I'll likely be in touch before the ride and will introduce myself that day.

Thanks again to everyone else for the info.

Best wishes

Christian

I'm hoping to do the Flatbread ride myself if I can get away...