NoRacer

Did my first 'century' ride Friday, 11/04/05. The weather was great, working well to my advantage, especially considering that I rode alone, unsupported:





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gapowermike

Dude, you are going to catch so much flak for the .84. You've got to ride around the block to get it over 100 before you post pics. That being said, congrats to you. That is a heck of an average for a solo, first century. Doing my first on this coming Saturday in Claxton, Georgia.

cc_rider

Congratulations! Still working up to my first 100 miler.

Could you post your route? Looks like part on 40 and part on 1.
How are the hills? Would your route work to bikes touring through the east coast?

Albany-12303

I Did my first last fathers day. At the 92 mile mark, I crashed after I clipped the curb while trying to avoid a car that was too close. Someone called 911 and I rode away just as the Ambulance was coming - I even rode the wrong way down a one-way street to avoid them.

Anyway, I rode home while bleeding from my hand, arm and legs and even went around the block a few times to get to the 100 mile mark.

My wife drove me to emergency where I received 5 stitches to my hand. Otherwise I just had a few 'minor' cuts and alot of road-rash.

God I'm stupid - but I made the 100 mile mark!!!

LA_Rider

Good job on your partial (99.84) Century.

NoRacer

Route Summary
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Route 40 to Edgewood, Route 24 to Belair, Route 1 across the Conowingo Dam, Route 222 to Port Deposit and then some (but, apparently a little short of 50 miles). Hills are not bad, imho, but that's subjective. I did find myself in the lowest gear on some of the climbs, but the hardest climb was the mile long (? maybe) 7% grade (posted) on the south side of Port Deposit.

Details
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Route 40 has a bike lane (55 MPH posted), but to get onto Route 24 at Edgewood, you have to make a left hand turn requiring a road crossing to do so. The 'side road' that I used to accomplish the left turn is posted at 30 MPH--the name of the road escapes me, at this point.

Route 24 has a decent shoulder, has a junction to Interstate 95, has several right-turn lanes, and the speed limit is posted at 55 MPH. Negotiating the right turn lanes is the 'hairiest' part of this portion of the route. I ride the dashed lines between the lane going straight and the right turn lane. I do not cross at the last moment from the shoulder to the straight lane. This puts me right in the middle of 55 MPH traffic at times. Some folks may find stopping at the intersection and crossing when clear to be less frightening.

Once you get to Belair, MD the speed limit is 40 MPH. You continue riding 24 until you reach Route 1 (50 MPH). Route 1 has a decent shoulder until you reach the Conowingo Dam. At the dam, the speed drops to 30 MPH and there is no shoulder for the first few yards. After that, the shoulder varies from one foot to two and a half feet wide until the end of the bridge. Route 222 intersects the end of the bridge. You go South to hit Port Deposit, but Route 222 has no shoulder, just a white line all of the way to Port Deposit. The road surface is not in the best shape either, as it shows damage from the Susquehanna River overflowing it's banks.

Port Deposit, itself, is a sleepy, quaint, little town not unlike those found in Pennsylvania. It shows signs of once being a center of trade for the area, but has since declined. The town is interesting and would be a good place to stop during a bike tour.

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SteveAZ

Congrats on your first century, WTG, great accomplishment, especially riding solo.

Dang Albany, you have some determination!

I will be doing my first on the 19th, the group I'm riding with is shooting to make platinum , yikes, I'll be happy to make gold but we'll see what happens.

EURO

So is this a loop, or did you drive back?

chipcom 

I guess the heading over the map isn't clear enough?

timmhaan

that's a good average speed for a first century.

NoRacer

It's an out-and-back.

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chipcom 

Good job, nice average speed too.

NoRacer

Thanks folks!

I have to say, this is much easier on the 'bod' than running marathons. I may do this one again, sometime in the future, but I'll try pushing the pace a little. I stayed conservative on this one, decreasing intensity any time I started to feel muscle tension building (except, of course, on hills), because bonking so far from home was not an option.

Also, I'm looking at this one--Queenstown to Ocean City--100 miles one way:

kosherdave

nice job! You had some great weather for it!

jazzy_cyclist

Yeah, lots easier on the joints than a marathon.

That looks like a good route for a century. I live in the Boston area, but I grew up around D.C. and I remember driving across the Eastern shore to Ocean City many times. I'm guessing that it is quite flat?

Excellent average speed; congratulations!

SDRider

Congrats!

jschen

Cool!

Lucky07

99.84?! You were SOOOOOO close!

Sooner Rider

Methinks there might be a computer calibration error. Or perhaps it was a COLD day and THE EARTH SHRANK, giving an accurate - but low - distance reading. Hmmm.

Ostuni

too bad you didn't make it - better luck on your next attempt...

kidding. well done. but, umm, seriously, didn't you just want to spin around the block a time or two to make that mileage look nicer?

NoRacer

Jeez, guys. I guess I'm going to have to do it again just to get that stinking 0.16 miles!

zac

Ok, if 62 miles = a metric century and 100 miles = a century, that begs the question: What is 99.84 miles?

All kidding aside, Good job NoRacer, sounds like you had a fun day in the saddle. Trust me, those of us who have many centuries under our belts, end a lot of rides at 95..98...99, whatever, just shy of a 100.


peace
zac

cc_rider

Thanks for the info.

I remember route 222 from a few years ago. Pretty, but nasty to drive. I can imagine how it is to bike.

Always thought that 1 might be better than 40 for getting across the Susquehanna. May try it someday.

JBar

You're right! My wife and I were cruising around town Sunday and she got home with 59.98 miles on her computer (her previous long ride was 50 miles). I told her, "Ok, 106 feet to go!" and made her ride down the street and back. Saddle up, there, big boy!
Congratulations on a very good solo ride. JB

NickExxon

Yeah, that's right. No legitimate OCPer would let that 99.84 qualify for a century!