Terrierman

Congratulations to The Historian for completing his first Century Ride. Remember, you read it here first.

Neil_B

Yes, Terrierman was the first BF person I contacted. I then posted a brief comment in the Charity forum. 106 miles, 8 hours 54 minutes rolling time, 10 hours 25 minutes total. I skipped the 75 mile ride back today - too much too soon. That and my right shoulder was upset it spent 8 hours in an elevated position. Someone from my bike shop saw me about mile 60 and said I looked like I was really suffering. I either need to get a great deal faster, ride in a much better posture, or develop a poker face so it's not obvious I am suffering. I'm not sure which is easiest.

Special thanks are due two Bike Forums posters who were on the ride - my team Captain, mentor, and friend Uncadan, and MTBLover, who I met at the rest stop on the century loop. MTBLover's advice that I didn't need to complete a century before the MS ride helped restore my faltering confidence a couple of weeks ago. He reminded me of that when we met in the NJ Pine Barrens yesterday. Thanks, MTBLover.

soma5

Congratulations, Historian! Now bask in your well-deserved glory!

-soma5

cranky old dude

Congratulation on a great accomplishment!

jppe

You are one really persistent dude. Congratulations on getting the big one!!

cyclinfool

This guy is amazing!

maddmaxx 

Well done.............

George

Congratulations on a job well done.

Metric Man

Congrats! I'm really getting the bug to do this...perhaps this winter, since I live so close to the Palm Springs area, I might be able to pull it off.

The Weak Link

One hundred miles sounds like a very long distance.

Beverly

Congratulations! This is one fantastic accomplishment.

Neil_B

I suppose it is. :-)

doctor j

Well done, Historian. You're a great example for the rest of us!

skiffrun

I logged in last night looking to see the ride report from The Historian. Not finding one, I considered starting a thread asking where the report was, but demurred because ... well ... what if something bad had happened ... or if TH simply had no legs on Saturday?

Congrats!

I hope you go back to more rational distances with continued zeal and wonderment of your surroundings. The ongoing training and health benefits are prob better from the 40-60 mile rides, anyway.

MTBLover

Bravo, bravo, bravo, Neil!!!! And my pleasure- it's kind of you to say thanks, but I was far from from the only one giving you advice. Lots of people in here pulling for you! It was great seeing you on the loop- you were lookin' good, and I had every confidence that you were going to make it! i couldn't tell you were suffering. Re: Grahny's comment in the charity forum- yeah, we could have used more hills, but the wind (from every direction) made up for that .
Here's to many more centuries!

epcolt

Neil, I knew you spent the last month worrying, but I knew you would pull it off this weekend Congrats

Louis

Good job, Historian. You're an inspiration for so many BF readers.

cgallagh

"One hundred miles sounds like a very long distance."

It is! Congratulations on your accomplishment(s). You did not let stuff hold you back. You took your lumps and kept going. You should be so very proud of this big ride.

Here's to many more milestones in your rear view mirror.

BluesDawg

Success! Congratulations.

Neil_B

Thanks for the interest. I didn't have Internet access yesterday, and I would have been too tired to post anything coherent. Heck, even with a day off, I haven't posted much.

As for distances, my goal is to be able to ride centuries or longer rides faster and in less discomfort. Next year I want to be able to ride the century route to Ocean City on Saturday and then back to the start on Sunday.

Neil_B

Yes, you are correct. I certainly didn't mean to slight anyone, and I hope no one took offense. Much advice and many good wishes have been offered by many Bike Forums posters over the past few months. I'm fortunate to receive it. Thank you everyone!

guybierhaus

Great to read of your success. Out Friggin Standing!!

jiminos

if i ever grow up, i wanna be like the historian.... that is one impressive dude.... well done, Historian.

be,

and be well,

jim

Bill Kapaun

".... or develop a poker face so it's not obvious I am suffering.

I want EVERYBODY to know when I'm suffering!

Great job!

Neil_B

A century timeline:

September 28 - I take off from work to relax the day before the ride. With that thought in mind, I am sharing a hotel room in Cherry Hill, NJ, a few miles from the ride start. The MS Society hasn't sent me my rider number, so I'll need to be at the ride early. (My rider number arrived at my home Saturday, 50 miles and 6 hours after the ride start.) I get thoroughly lost trying to find the hotel, and a two hour trip turns into a three hour trip. Getting directions from the locals was impossible, as there was a language barrier at every 7-11 I stopped at. The person I was sharing the room with, Phil M. of Bicycle Club of Philadelphia, could offer little additional help, as he was riding to the hotel, and unless I wanted to drive his cue sheet.... Fortunately I found a map and reached the hotel by 9:30 PM. Unfortunately that night I received less sleep than I wanted and needed.

September 29 - I arrive at the Woodcrest PATCO station at ten minutes after 5 AM. After running around from booth to booth getting my rider number and VIP Cyclist jersey, I put the bike together. I pull on arm and knee warmers to guard against the chill. The cyclist parked next to me helps me pin my rider number, 8123, to my back. Roark, my flat bar road bike, has the rider number tied to his top tube and his water bottles filled with diluted Gatorade.

6:00 AM - The parking lot quickly fills up with cyclists. The dark of night is broken by the riot of colorful jerseys and helmets in before the ride start. Teams begin to congregate for the mass start and for team photos. Team J & J stand out as an enormous sea of red jerseys. The PA system announces instructions while a thousand conversations take place. Team Campbell's members chant "Soup! Soup! Soup!" as the team photo is taken. Team Copaxone goes into the tent for the team photo about 6:30 AM, and I'm so nervous I take the bike in with me. A few minutes later, the top three teams in fund-raising from the previous year are sent off as the sun rises, and I and a few thousand others await the start.

6:50 AM - Our group is released onto Woodcrest Road. The road is closed to automobile traffic this morning, but bicycle traffic creates its own problems. The large number of cyclists forced onto a small road with an up grade means speeds are slow. I feel like I'm executing a track stand continuously for the first half-mile. I stop and dismount once, and then gingerly reenter the broad stream of cyclists. Once over the top of the hill the pack begins to spread out, pick up speed, and I become more stable on the bike.

To be continued.....