Jarrett2

It was a neat experience. Definitely worth doing once if you have the chance.

This was my second century. My first was at 16.6mph and 6:02 moving time. This was one was at 17.9mph and 5:38 moving time. Definitely a faster moving ride.

I understand the name now. I saw lots of people having heat related issues. One guy just fell off his bike while riding. Another lady was vomiting uncontrollably as she was getting an IV in the medic tent. I made sure to do everything I could do to stay cool and hydrated.

Beachgrad05

I'm very impressed by your time. I can't come close to that on a century

Beachgrad05

Was it really "only" in 80's?

glider54

Wow....very impressive time...especially in that heat. Kudos.

Jarrett2

Thanks, its a pretty flat ride so easy to get speed there. Plus everyone is flying, so it makes you want to push.

When I got back to my truck, it read 99 degrees on the temp. So I don't think it hit 100, but it was close.

The thermo on the Edge 1000 is "optimistic"

texbiker

I rode the 75 mile route. The weather was nice with the wind light compared to last year and the temperature feeling mild. You can read about my experiences at this link:
Bicycling Texas | Bicycling news, Texas | , Texas

Flatbroke

Great job.

Francis73

I am going to do it next year, looks like a great time!!!

Jarrett2

The temps and wind picked up after the 75 cutoff. It was nice and mild when I rolled through there. Out there around mile 80 or so, it started getting less fun and I started regretting my decision some

I didn't decide to do the 100 until Pyro Pete. I really wanted to see the AFB base, thanks for posting those pics by the way, but I felt like I was obligated to do the 100 on my first time, so I made the turn.

I think next year I'm doing the shortest route that gets me through the AFB

Jarrett2

More pics:

I was blown away how big of an event it was




This was the first hall of the bike expo


This is the main hall. People were buying stuff like crazy here.

Jarrett2

The 6pm races through downtown Wichita Falls were cool to watch


You could sit right on the curb at the turn. They were flying. One guy had a blow out in the turn and managed to not take out the crowd


Specialized was there doing demos of their carbon road bikes



This is my post pic. Trying not to look like I was about to faint

Fangowolf

Where did everyone stay the night before? I think I could get to the gate by 12:30.

Jarrett2

Hotels if booked way in advance, tents, RV's, YMCA, rented houses, etc.

Cheese Head

Nice job! I can't wait till I can ride at those speeds for a century. Thanks for the pic.s too. You know how we all like pic.s!

FBinNY 

Like doing it in Manitoba?

Jarrett2

Got some of the pro pics in today. These guys are on top of their game with getting ride pics to you:



I carried too much stuff in my jersey Wasn't sure what all I'd need.

Really don't need anything but gels and water on this ride. They provide a ton.

LGHT

Great time and looks like a really fun event.

Nikon shooter

Very cool, I'm extremely impressed. In a few years maybe I'll be able to try something like that.

Jarrett2

There were so many there, I was hoping that some other Clydes were in attendance and might chime in.

Jarrett2

I forgot to mention something about the experience. Everyone told me before I went that I would see lots of water bottles on the roads. I wasn't sure why this would be the case, but after doing the ride, I now understand why.

Some of the roads there are nice and smooth, but as you get on the outer parts of the route in turns into the infamous Texas chip seal. There was a part that literally made me laugh out loud. I ride on those types of roads every time I ride, so I'm very used to them. I also ride a steel frame bike which is slower than the modern carbon bikes, but it is really comfortable on rough roads and long rides.

We were riding along and there were folks passing me and we made a turn to head to another little town and the road turned to chip seal. I didn't think much of it and kept pedaling. At first, I started noticing water bottles littering the ground, then I started noticing that I was passing some of those that had passed me earlier. Then it dawned on me. These folks were not prepared to take their aero/TT/carbon bikes on this type of road.

Various things started falling off their bikes. Water bottles and then later even some accessories started shaking off. I literally watched a guy on an expensive carbon bike have his empty (assuming the water bottle fell out earlier) carbon fiber water bottle holder vibrate off his bike. Looked to be a fairly expensive part and someone asked him if he was going back for it and he said no.

I heard a couple of other riders at some of the stops asking rest stop workers if they had any water bottles they could take with them and they did not. I can't imagine doing a 100 mile ride in 99 degree weather after my water bottles rattled loose somewhere back on the course. If someone had a touring bike with some panniers, they could have easily picked up $500-600 worth of expensive water bottles on that route. Not to mention some nice carbon fiber parts.

It just gave me a bit of a chuckle all of these super expensive carbon bikes and riders being shaken apart and slowing down, while me and my old steel bike just kept pushing forward without issue

PhotoJoe 

Then made triple that filling them and selling them back to the riders!

That group photo is CRAZY. I do the Marathon Crash Ride every year, and I thought there were a million or so riders the first year I did it. This photo makes the Marathon ride look like an average Sunday morning club ride!

Jarrett2

Maybe I need to do that next year!

I noticed this on my Garmin stats today:

My Garmin thought it hit 100 out there somewhere.

I've officially decided that I don't like doing centuries in 100 degree weather

ColaJacket

And think of how much you could make selling them back to the people that lost them.

Edit: PhotoJoe and I think alike.

GH

dr_lha

Slow off the mark here, but that's a great time and average speed. Sure it's flat, but it's also 100 miles. Great job!

Jarrett2

Gracias. It was kinda silly how flat it was compared to where I live/ride.

The part I found funny was that there were a LOT of folks in race kits and aero carbon bikes really struggled with the few hills that were out there.

I wanted to say as I was going by, "C'mon guys, you're not supposed to let the fat guy on the slow steel bike pass you on the hills."