I was going to ride a century next weekend, but apparently the Left Coast Velomobile Group has been invited to ride in the Grand Floral Parade of the Portland Rose festival.

The Rose Festival is a pretty festive show, but I'm quite attached to my regular rides -- this year I was going to try to catch one of my friends who's taking the 70 mile option before he reaches the end. But velomobile people are a fun bunch and riding in a swarm of whacked out HPV's though I'd get no exercise whatsoever.

What should I do?

The fun one.

Yes

...none whatsoever? Go with the regular.

Since you won't be getting exercise... why not do the century right after?

mount a set of rollers to a rolling frame. hook them up to a big belt-driven fan ala airboat, and do both.

Do the Rose ride, and then keep going until you reach 100.

That would be ideal, except the events are more than 80 miles apart and it would definitely be well into afternoon before I could hit the start line. I could do a solo ride the next day -- I've got a century tomorrow so it's not like I don't get to ride in groups or by myself as I like.

But trying to catch my buddy is fun. Last year, I just barely caught him less than 5 miles from the end. He decided to try to drop me since he figured my legs were toast, but I still had enough gas in the tank Though my prediction for this year was that I probably would suffer plenty and never catch him.

This gives me an idea. Just park way far out and ride in. Unfortunately the velokit is not a great ride to take in heavy traffic but I might be able to figure something out.

Is it possible to link the end of the Rose to the end of the other century... just fill the 80 mile gap Actually kinda serious... if you could get a ride to pick you up since its not a round trip.

Don't use big words, BJ, you're confusing them.

If you get a conundrum make sure it's ribbed and lubricated for her comfort and pleasure.

I'd actually consider this on my racing bike or commuter. The problem is that the velokit is a really crummy distance hauler. Aside from being slow and having crappy handling, it's really hard to communicate with the motorists. I have ridden from almost that far south into Portland and back, but the highways are no joke when you get with 15 miles or so. Imagine taking this thing in heavy fast moving traffic...

I thought it was a primitive percussion instrument.