ks1g

To me, at least. Did the 104.6 miles "more hilly" option (~5300 ft of climbing according to my Polar 720)

- Didn't beat my 2005 time (: - riding solo is clearly slower than riding with as fast/faster people who help pace and encourage you.
- Didn't die on Stumptown (came close - standing on the pedals was simply NOT an option)!
- I think I was the ONLY bike with a bike flag (I have to hang the 2M radio antenna on SOMETHING - I was also helping with the comms support for the ride). This has probably cost me ALL my OCP points for life. #1 question was what's with all the gear (2-way radio, headset, antenna)? Usual response to my explanation from the other rider was "cool." #2 question was "how much does it weigh?" (not THAT much, but I'm afraid to check.)
- Plenty humid but at least it wasn't as hot as 2005 or ESPECIALLY 2004!
- Bananas at the rest stops were actually fresh this year!
- Food, water, and ice supplies to the rest stops were better this year. Didn't hear of anyone running out.
- I liked the salad/chicken/pasta after-ride meal better than last year's pizza.
- Didn't care for the gatoraide snowcones at Waterford rest stop. Acquired taste?
- Ice cream at Ashburn - heaven!
- So did anyone like the Hooah bars? I thought they were OK. Or the drink? I wasn't going to try it myself for the first time on this ride.
- Boy scouts helping at Hillsboro rest stop had a new "service" - they'd hold your bike for you while you refilled bottles and grabbed food.

Gotta obey ALL the rules moment - when the police started issuing reckless driving tickets to riders blowing through stop signs (especially onto RT 7 at Hamilton) and tickets and warnings to other behavior in conflict with Virginia laws (riding abreast, right turn on red w/o full stop, etc.). Some folks are going to be VERY p-o'd but with two recent articles in local and regional papers about problems on the bike trails, a lot of cyclists have been expecting an enforcement crackdown.

Strangest but coolest bike I saw - recumbent low-rider with disc rear wheel. I'm wondering how he managed on the climbs and if the crosswinds on the bike trail coming home were a problem.

Strangest but coolest rider - a "kid" (OK, probably late teens/early 20s) who rode the hilly route on a fixie. Saw him at the after-ride food; he told me he was riding a 48x14 gearing! Also admitted he damn-near "died" from terminal leg cramps going up Taylorstown and Stumptown. Carried all his gear in a messenger bag. Youth is clearly wasted on the young!

Wish I had a camera moment - when the teenage sons of 3 acquaintances (they & their dads and one mom did the century together) all sort of finished eating and fell asleep at the tables at the end of the ride.

Kudos to Reston Bike Club, American Red Cross, Loudon Amateur Radio Group, several Boy Scout units, and everyone else who helped.

So who else rode?

cc_rider

My report is in General Cyling
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/223285-reston-century-update.html
My full report will be on my livejournal site. Will post link.

The ice cream at Ashburn was a nice suprise.

I hope the police were also cracking down on cars harassing cyclists. Saw some agressive dangerous behavior by pickups on Harmony Church, and I was buzzed 3 times on Airmont Rd.

roadCruiser76

I also rode the Reston Century. My observations were very similar to yours. I also did the "hilly" section of the century. I'm not sure if I saw you or not - I saw one rider with a tall flag - the flag was a small orange triangle. For a while I rode alongside the kid with the fixed gear bike before passing him. It's amazing he was able to finish - he was expending an enormous amount of energy on the hills as he moved side to side, standing on the pedals in order to get power going up the hills. Also, coming down one of the big hills, his feet came off the pedals and he had to dangle them off to the side while the pedals whirled around, all the while riding at about 25 mph.

I noticed there were not very many people who did the "hilly" section - when I was doing it I only saw two other riders on that section. As soon as I rejoined the part of the course shared by the "less hilly" route, I saw groups of riders.

I thought the markings on the ride were very good - I didn't get lost at all and most of the time even on straight sections every couple of miles there were arrows to reassure you that you were on the right route.

The weather, for the most part, was fine, although it seemed extremely hot going up the hills on Taylorstown rd. and Stumptown. I swear it felt like you could have fried an egg on my face when I was riding those hills. I had my bike in first gear and was ascending those hills at about 5 mph - and was proud of myself for not walking the bike. My cadence then was around 55 rpm.

I started the ride a little after 7 AM and finished the ride around 3:15 PM. My time riding was about 6 hours and 50 minutes, with my total time being about 8 hours and 10 minutes. I spent a little bit more time than I would have liked at the rest stops. Part of the reason for this was that I was riding with a friend whom I was ahead of, so I tried to wait at the rest stops for him to arrive.

roadCruiser76

- Food, water, and ice supplies to the rest stops were better this year. Didn't hear of anyone running out.
- I liked the salad/chicken/pasta after-ride meal better than last year's pizza.
- So did anyone like the Hooah bars? I thought they were OK. Or the drink? I wasn't going to try it myself for the first time on this ride.

I was kind of disappointed at the food at the end of the ride. Funny that you mention it was better than last year's pizza - I was hoping to find pizza there when I finished the ride. Not caring for the looks of the pasta, chicken, and salad, I ordered a pizza when I got home.

I did have two of the Hooah drinks - they were quite refreshing. I wish they would have had more at the other rest stops.

twahl

I didn't ride, but I did part of the route on Saturday. I found the sign posted on the abandoned building at the intersection of Lovettesville and Taylortown amusing. It said "Please remove all graffiti from the road after the bike tour". I guess someone doesn't like the yellow paint on the road...no wait...

cc_rider

But if the arrows are still on the road, you can do a self-paced century any time you want.

ks1g

Yep. That was me. So how dorky did it look?

He seemed to have recovered by the time we hit Sterling. Youth is clearly wasted on the young!