10 Wheels

Much Thanks for The good Pics.

jppe

Terrific!

“The clerk at the store asked, How far are you riding today? I answered about 100 miles. She replied, in one day?”

Tomm Willians

I have an old friend who is a serious motorcycle rider. When I told him what I wanted to do he said that kind of distance wasn’t even easy on a Harley, he couldn’t imagine doing it on a bicycle.

GAtkins

Looks like your heart quit working there at the end of the ride!

You still OK, man? Many congratulations on one of hopefully many milestones.

Glenn

Tomm Willians

Didnt sleep very well as EVERYTHING hurts but I’m already looking at maps of Oregon to see where I can do another!

shelbyfv

Good job! I never sleep well after, seems my legs want to keep moving.

Iride01 

Great! Liked the juxtaposition and some word I can't quite think of at the moment (not anachronism), of the bike next to the "CHAINS REQUIRED" sign.

Keep doing a long ride like that every so often. Don't worry about how long it takes.

I usually sleep very well after such. However if it's going into hot weather and I happen to get a little dehydrated I don't sleep well. Think it's partly an electrolyte imbalance while rehydrating, but just speculation on my part.

kaos joe

Outstanding! Great pics.......I can smell that sagebrush....

257 roberts

Congratulations!!!

CommuteCommando

What was the total elevation gain? My first was two laps of the coast from Oceanside to Sorrento Valley at 55, and I still managed to do about 1000 feet.

And I love the bike. Want to get a touring setup myself.

Tomm Willians

The entire route was around 5000’ but the total gain was probably less than 100 !.This route is FLAT

GAtkins

You get credit for the 5,000'. If you end up where you started of course the total gain is around zero or so.

Glenn

Tomm Willians

My mistake, I’m thinking in different terms but yes I returned back to my start point, the various small hills along the way only caused a change of 100’ (max)

Squeeze

Really cool. Inspiring. Thanks for sharing the story and pictures.

blt

Don't sell yourself short!

I looked at what I think was your intended route back in August after reading a post from you in the Northern California forum. I'm assuming you went Sierraville to Sattley, then Westside Rd./Beckworth-Calpine Rd. to 70, 70 to 49, and 49 and back to Sierraville, then repeat and stop at Loyalton.

If that is correct, then mapping your route on a couple of sites (different sites always give different numbers), while the difference between maximum and minimum elevation is close to 100 feet, the total elevation gain/loss appears to be around 1200 feet. Those imperceptible grades can add up. It looks like Loyalton may be a little lower than Sierraville, so you may have had a whopping net loss of about 10 feet.

Sure, even total elevation gain/loss of 1100-1200 feet is a pretty flat century, and that elevation gain was pretty spread out (I'm seeing your worst uphill grade at 2.6%, and that probably didn't last long). Still, "over 1000 feet of climbing" sounds a lot more impressive than "probably less than 100," and better yet, it is the truth!! Glad the smoke went away enough on Saturday for you to get your century in, looks like a nice ride!

Tomm Willians

With only one slight deviation to add a few miles you are 100% correct on figuring out my route!

DiabloScott

Gain is gain! And 5000 ft qualifies as a pretty hilly century.

davester

Congratulations. Now we need to sign you up for the Davis Double Century. Onwards and upwards!

Wildwood 

Always a big achieve - 1st anything truly challenging.
Good solo time as well.

It is amazing the things one can do on/with a bike given training, determination and reliable equipment&tools..

edit: try next one with narrower, high end tires. For me = Heavy wheels over 100mi is more tiresome than the cush of fat tires. Pavement dictates the best width and with chip seal roads I'd run 27/28mm. Less unused racks of course.

re-edit: next century - if you go west, Santa Cruz to Monterey is 100miles, round trip.. Flat. I did it at least a dozen times, it was my Annual Century in low mileage years. Enough legitimate sight seeing stops to make it an all day century if you please. Or North on Hwy1 toward San Francisco for a more challenging ride. But remember, Keep Santa Cruz Weird.

diphthong

now it's time for a night century and a mountain century. extra credit bonus points for a night mountain century.

Tomm Willians

I’m assuming the SC to Monterey is straight down 1 and back? How’s the shoulders and typical trafffic ?

Wildwood 

Not that much on Hwy 1. i would have to check the route again it’s been ~20 years since my last.

Hwy1 north toward SF is definitely all hwy1 but light traffic and shoulders.

GamblerGORD53

Great ride, nice bike. Keep it up. What was the wind like? That can be the killer. No traffic = no wind boost either.
I had a similar ride with my CCM SA 3 speed this year. Plus 7 more with my SA 5 speed on my tour bike. My bikes won't win any pretty contests. LOL.
We had a great summer after June.

blt

I can't tell if you are joking or misunderstanding. The 5000 feet was the altitude of the ride, not the gain. As you say, however, gain is gain, and if the total gain is 1,200 feet, even if the difference between minimum and maximum altitude was not much more than 100 feet, then he should take credit for 1,200 feet. Even if he lived at sea level, however (and it looks like he does not), there is no credit for the gain in driving up to 5,000 ft to start the ride.

While I mostly do Bay Area rides with some climbing, I do know the joys of accomplishing a good flat ride like Tomm did, even if not as hard as Tomm's ride, in length or in altitude. Early September 2019, I had an indeterminate cause grand mal seizure so got out of shape for a bit, and in late December 2019, got in my first post-seizure ride of over 30 miles, while visiting my mother-in-law in SoCal. The rides I had done in November and December were hilly, so I figured I could do double my recent high mileage on a flat ride (and I only had 2-3 weeks left to ride my age before the next birthday). I did a flat 100K with around 600 feet of total climbing, with a minimum elevation of about 10 feet above sea level and a max of about 120 feet above sea level (and added benefit, only about 20K involved meaningful headwind). Towards the end, I was pretty darned wiped out, and very happy I finished it. But if I moved the same profile ride to 5,000 feet higher in altitude, I would not take credit for a hilly metric century.

Tomm Willians

Wind was virtually non existent most of the day only reaching 5-8? Mph in the afternoon.