Advice for my first century: Civil War Century Ride Report and Photos

[rugbysecondrow]

I am riding the Civil War century next weeken and is m looking for any advice you all might have for riding such a distance. I know this is open ended, but I appreciate it.

Paul

[Wilkinson4]

What is your longest ride? Advice is to have fun, stay hydrated, and eat a big bowl of noodles two days before;) That looks like a great ride with some really nice scenery and a generous amount of climbing!

Enjoy yourself and the views!

mIKE

[paulh]

What's your longest ride so far?

I would ride about 70 miles tomorrow. Ride some most days this coming week.

The old story lines:
Eat before your hungry.
Drink before your thirsty. Lots!
Don't start out too fast.

[thegunner]

What's your longest ride so far?

I would ride about 70 miles tomorrow. Ride some most days this coming week.

The old story lines:
Eat before your hungry.
Drink before your thirsty. Lots!
Don't start out too fast.

best piece of advice. not unlike a TT, your sense of speed will be skewed based on what you normally ride. everything might feel slow, but you'll be thankful when you're not bonking at mile 80.

i'll also tack on, drink in sips... it keeps you from drinking too much water at once.

[Elefantino]

Make sure you draft behind a really large, strong rider. Preferably, a paceline of really large, strong riders.

And eat a lot. And drink a lot.

And talk a lot. Helps pass the miles. Nothing more boring than a YOYO century.

[rugbysecondrow]

I did 70 miles last weekend, 65 today and I will do a few 30 mile rides on Mon and Tues. I am used to training for triathlons, so I have trained to purposefully go slower (lower gear, good solid spin) and I put a compact only Bedford for the ride. Fitness wise i know i can do it, just a different sort of ride for me. Keep the advice commg, I can use it. Thanks

[chuckroast]

Plus a bunch on the advice to not start too fast. Whatever your normal pace, back off a little for the first couple of hours. You'll be happier in the second half if you roll easy in the first half.

[mcallen]

I don't have a wealth of experience to draw from, but I just road my own first century last weekend, so I can relate my experience.

1. I went pretty easy at the start, which was mentally harder than I thought since I'm used to racing crits, where everyone jumps from the gun. But by mile 85 or so, I was glad I hadn't burned my matches early.

2. I rode with some friends for a while, which helped some time pass quickly and pleasurably.

3. I road most of the time by myself, so I had to make sure I maintained a focus. I generally did this by trying to gradually catch riders.

4. I hit a wall about 85 miles in, where I just kind of lost focus and motivation. I really had to work hard mentally to keep myself motivated until I got a second wind. I think the little goals helped, like riding steady until that sign or until I catch that rider.

5. I ran out of liquid during one long stretch between sags, and that was not fun. I don't think I hydrated enough beforehand and during the early legs.

6. I felt sick to my stomach afterward, like I was going to throw up, which was weird because I knew I needed calories and liquid. I drank a Coke and that made me feel much better.

Have a great time. After a few days rest, I felt really great once I got back on the road.

[xjoex]

That looks like a fun ride, and if you can ride the rolling hills of ellicot city you can ride anything.

It always helps me to eat salty things, pretzels and potato chips on a longer rides.

Oh and don't forget the chamois butter!

Have fun.

Joe

[MattTuck]

Don't want to turn this into a whole discussion about chamois cream. But I'd bring a little xtra with you just in case you need to apply some mid-ride. (this is doubly true if the weather looks wet. I'd bring some bag balm with me if it looks like rain, that stuff is indestructible)

Nothing can ruin a good ride (short or long) like chaffing.

Only other comments. have a good time, ride safe, move around on the bike (ie. relax your shoulders, move your arms, keep from getting in one position for too long or stiffness will set it), hydrate and fuel properly and don't feel like you have to keep up with faster riders. Ride your own pace.

Good luck! (and if safe, take some pictures)

[akelman]

As everyone has said, start considerably more slowly than you think you need to -- and then cut a mile or two per hour from that. Plan to go that slowly at least through mile 40. Then find people to ride with -- this is especially useful for miles 40-80 -- and spend a good amount of time drafting. Drink much more than you think you should or than you normally do. Get your calories from foods that you know won't make you sick. If you don't have weak kidneys and your stomach will tolerate ibuprofen, consider taking a couple of Advil an hour before the start and then again after four hours in the saddle.

Finally, it'll probably be much easier than you expect it to be. So have a great time. And then plan to go faster the next time.

[93legendti]

Late in the ride, can of Coke can give you a real nice jolt.

Some Tums on hand can save the ride if your stomach gets upset.

[spiderman]

I have to stay very focused on eating...
I ride better if I eat real food every twenty miles or so...
To eat at mile 80 to finish strong really helps
And even eat toward the end
To start fueling your recovery after the finish
So you're able to enjoy your accomplishment.
For double centuries I start eating something every 10 miles
After about the 140 mile mark!
Don't forget sunflower seeds and twizzlers...
...I always feel good with those...
A mouthful of seeds and a swig of gatoraide
At the start of a climb forces me to slow it down
And find a steady rhythm that really works for me.

[henrypretz]

No advice, but since I'm riding my first century on 9/25 (http://www.slobc.org/lighthouse/index.html), I'm watching your thread closely :)
I hope that you have a great ride ... and look forward to reading a report on your experience.

Henry

[Bob Loblaw]

If you can ride 70 miles, you have the legs to do a hundred, it just takes a bit of planning. Remember to eat absolutely at least every hour. Some people find that after three or four hours or so of hard riding they have a hard time ingesting solids, so you may have better success with gels or liquid nutrition late in the ride. I never had that problem, have always been able to eat on the bike, but I know a lot of riders struggle with that.

Chamois cream, yes. Also, sunscreen.

Take advantage of the rest stops. Getting off the bike for a bit can do wonders for your mental and physical state. Even if I'm doing a solo unsupported century, I always stop at a convenience store or cafe with an outside table and have a coke and a muffin at some point after mile 70.

Enjoy yourself and take it easy. Don't kill yourself trying to break a world record on your first century. Just look at it as a learning experience to build off of next time.

BL

[palincss]

I am riding the Civil War century next weeken and is m looking for any advice you all might have for riding such a distance. I know this is open ended, but I appreciate it.


Talk about jumping in at the deep end of the pool! What's the farthest you've ridden so far, and on what sort of terrain?

OK, now we know your current longest distance is 70 miles. Just remember, there's a lot of difference between the long, steep climbs in the Catoctin Mountains and "rolling hills".

[palincss]

Make sure you draft behind a really large, strong rider. Preferably, a paceline of really large, strong riders.


Drafting isn't apt to help very much on the Civil War century, not only those long climbs. And drafting a paceline of strong riders is a great way to get in over your head. Better, I think, to go with Velocio's Seven Rules for riders:


1. Make your stops short and infrequent so as not to lose your drive.
2. Eat lightly and often. Eat before getting hungry, drink before you are thirsty.
3. Never ride until you are so tired that you cannot eat or sleep.
4. Put on extra clothing before you're cold, and take it off before you're hot. Don't be afraid of exposing your skin to the sun, air, and rain.
5. Don't drink wine, eat meat, or smoke---at least during the ride.
6. Never rush things. Ride within yourself, particularly during the first few hours of a ride when you feel strong and are tempted to force the pace.
7. Never pedal out of vanity, don't be a show-off.

[dogdriver]

+1 all of the above, plus...

Put a Casio, Ironman, etc on your wrist. Set the timer to 30minutes/ count down/ repeat.

Every time it beeps, eat something, whether you feel like it or not.

Even more is better.

[Elefantino]

Drafting isn't apt to help very much on the Civil War century, not only those long climbs. And drafting a paceline of strong riders is a great way to get in over your head. Better, I think, to go with Velocio's Seven Rules for riders:
Addendum: Get in behind a paceline of lithe, great climbers who are willing to slow down and pull you up the hills.

Preferably with bungee cords. Works every time.

[rugbysecondrow]

Talk about jumping in at the deep end of the pool! What's the farthest you've ridden so far, and on what sort of terrain?

OK, now we know your current longest distance is 70 miles. Just remember, there's a lot of difference between the long, steep climbs in the Catoctin Mountains and "rolling hills".
I know it will be hard, but I can do it. I have already signed up for, my training is what it is what it is and I know I can do it. I have done some hard things, not sure how this will stack up, but I will report back. I did quite a few hill rides, both gear and fixed to build leg strength so we will see how I finish. I have a few buddies rolling with me, so we will have fun.

[Jack Brunk]

I know it will be hard, but I can do it. I have already signed up for, my training is what it is what it is and I know I can do it. I have done some hard things, not sure how this will stack up, but I will report back. I did quite a few hill rides, both gear and fixed to build leg strength so we will see how I finish. I have a few buddies rolling with me, so we will have fun.
Your mentally taxing yourself which is perfectly normal. Ride 40-50% slower than your used too during the first fifty. You will have up and down mental periods which is normal. Around mile 85 your mind will open up at which time you will start to rip the legs off the riders who started too fast. Cross the line and you will be a different rider. Soon you'll want a 200 miler and so on. Welcome to the club.

[Elefantino]

I know it will be hard, but I can do it. I have already signed up for, my training is what it is what it is and I know I can do it. I have done some hard things, not sure how this will stack up, but I will report back. I did quite a few hill rides, both gear and fixed to build leg strength so we will see how I finish. I have a few buddies rolling with me, so we will have fun.
Again, make sure you chat with your buddies while you ride. Don't just ride. Have a rolling conversation, or at least as much as is possible. It really makes the miles go by fast.

You'll do great. A 100-mile ride is really more of a state of mind, anyway. And when you're done, you'll wonder what all the fuss was about. :banana:

[tuxbailey]

Have you been doing your training ride on hills? That route is about 7400 ft in climbing.

[Louis]

I've found that after say, three or four hours, I really have to force myself to eat and drink. A sports drink that is normally fine eventually tastes way too strong. At that point I dilute the water-to-powder mix. It also helps to have a variety of things to eat, not just energy bars, so when you get tired of those you have an alternative.

As others have said, keep track of how hard you are going at the start to not burn out. Monitor your HR. If I'm not careful I find myself up at 150-160 BPM without even trying, as the initial excitement of the event takes over. That's a recipe for all sorts of problems later.

Good Luck

[gdw]

As many folks have already stated, have fun. Centuries are social rides not races so check out the scenery, talk to the other riders, and ride at a comfortable pace. Stop at the aid stations and sample the food. Drink a cup of water or whatever sports drink they offer to help insure that you're staying hydrated. Make sure to top off your water bottles every time you stop in case the next aid station has run out. Carry a couple packs of gel for emergency fuel for emergencies.
If your bike is working well right now...leave it alone. No new components, tires, tune-ups, etc. Clean it if its dirty, oil the chain, and pump up the tires the morning of the event. Same goes for clothes. Wear stuff that you've tested on several long rides. Good luck.

[palincss]

Besides the social aspect, the scenery in many places on the Civil War century is quite splendid, and worth noticing. Doing it "head down, eyes on the butt of the rider in front of you", would be a real missed opportunity.

[chuckster12]

For long rides, I have had great results with one 24 oz. bottle of Perpetuem per hour - mixed per the label instructions. Adding in some solid snacks and straight water at the rest stops seems to put me in the sweet spot as far as on the bike nutrition goes.
I rode an early season century in Santa Fe this year without a good mileage base. Nailing the nutrition allowed me to finish feeling strong.

As others have said, be sure to enjoy the day. Snap a few pics and thank the volunteers at the rest stops.

Good luck and have fun!

Chuck

[CNY rider]

One thing not to do:

Treat yourself to new bibs/jersey/gloves etc.

It seems like a good way to treat yourself extra nice for the big ride but it's not a good idea.
You don't want to try out new stuff on your first hundred miler. Everything on you should be stuff that you are used to wearing and you know is comfortable.

Have fun. :)

[sjbraun]

I rode my first fixed gear century last fall. Since we didn't give a whit about out ride time, we made a point at stopping at most of the sag stops along the way. Stopping for a few minutes every 20 miles was brilliant. We got to talk to other riders, eat something more satisfying than Clif bars (be careful to not eat too much, I gorged on PB&J sandwiches at a rest stop on my first century, not fun 5 miles later,) and give the legs a break.
I think the extra stops contributed greatly to a very easy day of riding.

Good luck

[OtayBW]

I will just re-emphasize the food and drink. Do not understimate this aspect in the least. I'd say that the number one problem that new century riders face is not lack of conditioning, but bonk or mini-bonk due stricty to dehydration or low blood sugar. Have your snack(s) handy in your jersey pocket, and keep the the pack open for easy access. Maybe carry a few of those chewy blocks if you tend to cramp or think you might need an electolyte (or caffeine!) boost.

If you've done 70 last weekend, I'd say that you can do this - it's just an additional short training or recreation ride that you can do with your eyes closed, right? Start slow, drink/eat and you'll finish strong. Have fun.

[dsimon]

One more thing I just finished my First yesterday and let me tell you on the nutrition. Pickles. dont know why but pickles at the sag stops were awesome..

[1centaur]

The one century when I felt sick was when I ate a little bit every 30 minutes - my stomach needed less to deal with eventually. These days I would probably eat a Clif bar at 40 and at 75 and be fine, as long as I was hydrated.

Prehydrate - make sure your body is well hydrated over the two days before the ride by over drinking water then.

One mental trick is to ride at a pace where you can tell yourself "I could ride 15% harder right now if I wanted." That helps cover you in all circumstances, rather than looking at hard metrics.

I find miles 80-90 the hardest mentally; freshness gone and finish too far out there, bored, not having fun. Easy to self-talk yourself down, especially if you have chafing or something that hurts or is uncomfortable. Then you get to 90 miles and you know it's going to happen and the negative self-talk goes mostly away.

Fastest century I have done I set out to be smooth, regardless of anything else. That made me faster without a lot of perceived effort. It helped that the weather was high 60s - not overheating is very important for longevity on the day.

The drinking you do in the first 40 miles will create your relative freshness at mile 70.

[Smiley]

I think the century on the Civil War is something like 107 miles, Karen and I have done the metric several times, very nice but enough hills for us tandemists to say No Mas but the full out century does have many steep hills so take what Jack Bruck tells you and start slower and stop and get re-fuel as the rest stops have plenty of good eats. Enjoy and hope you have great weather and we know you can do it...your riding a Bedford afterall :)

[Ray]

Paul,

If you're comfortably riding 65-70 hilly miles, you'll be fine for 100. When I did my first century, about 13 years ago, I'd never ridden more than 65 before, I was only planning to ride a metric that day, I wasn't smart about starting slow or eating right, missed the turn for the metric and ended up on the full century. And basically had no problems anyway.

But based on the many centuries I did between 1997 and about 2007, I learned a few lessons. I'd say for the first 60 miles, its not a bad idea to ride one gear lower than feels right and then your legs will still have some snap in them later in the ride when other folks are dying. Don't even think about speed except to stay away from fast pacelines. I used to find myself going too hard in big group rides like that just because there were always so many people around that your natural competitive instincts try to take over. Don't let them - always ride your OWN pace and you'll be fine. Try riding someone else's and you may be spent after 40 miles. When I started too hard, I was frequently suffering for the last 10-20 miles. When I started easy, I'd usually end up pulling a lot of people for the last 10-20.

No matter how strong I felt at the start or finish, there was always SOME point in the ride where I felt like garbage and wondered about the wisdom of the endeavor. Sometimes it came at 30 miles, sometimes at 70, sometimes right near the end. But until and unless you get a lot of huge miles under your belt, its likely to happen at some point. Don't worry too much, just fight through it, and the odds are you'll come out the other side stronger and you'll be just fine.

Sorry I won't be joining you, but I'd be VERY hard pressed to even finish a metric this year - haven't done a full century in a few years and don't have any plans for future ones. But enjoy! There's nothing quite like the feeling of finishing your first one - its really a pretty big accomplishment. Yeah, there are a lot of people who have done them and do them, but compared to the general population..... You tell most people you rode 100 miles on a bike and they think you're some sort of super-human. And its sort of fun to go along with that for about five minutes or so before reality intrudes again. :cool:

Have fun - good luck!

-Ray

[OtayBW]

One more thing I just finished my First yesterday and let me tell you on the nutrition. Pickles. dont know why but pickles at the sag stops were awesome..
aka...salt.

[malcolm]

The one century when I felt sick was when I ate a little bit every 30 minutes - my stomach needed less to deal with eventually. These days I would probably eat a Clif bar at 40 and at 75 and be fine, as long as I was hydrated.

Prehydrate - make sure your body is well hydrated over the two days before the ride by over drinking water then.

One mental trick is to ride at a pace where you can tell yourself "I could ride 15% harder right now if I wanted." That helps cover you in all circumstances, rather than looking at hard metrics.

I find miles 80-90 the hardest mentally; freshness gone and finish too far out there, bored, not having fun. Easy to self-talk yourself down, especially if you have chafing or something that hurts or is uncomfortable. Then you get to 90 miles and you know it's going to happen and the negative self-talk goes mostly away.

Fastest century I have done I set out to be smooth, regardless of anything else. That made me faster without a lot of perceived effort. It helped that the weather was high 60s - not overheating is very important for longevity on the day.

The drinking you do in the first 40 miles will create your relative freshness at mile 70.

I don't mean to be argumentative or even start a debate but I would be wary of prehydrating. If you look at most deaths secondary to hyponatremia during endurance events you'll find a repeating pattern of usually weekend athletes somewhat undertrained and overhydrated. You will find they start pre-hydrating several days before an event thus start with low Na+, drink more than they need during the event and lose more to sweat, become symptomatically hyponatremic with cerebral edema, seize and often die. Most of these folks will have some evidence of pre hydrating.

[palincss]

Well, maybe so, but drinking a bottle of water in the car on the way to the ride start isn't going to hurt and may very well help. The fact that the forecast for next Saturday calls for a high of 84 will help, too -- a whole lot.

[TMB]

Good thread all.

I am doing the Whistler GranFondo next weekend and one of the things that this thread ( and my lovely wife ) have hammered through my thick skull is this .......

slow down
have fun
it isn't a race

So, I'll throw a camera in my pocket.

If anyone else is there and you see a fat guy on an orange pegoretti ....... say hi as you zoom on by.

[malcolm]

Well, maybe so, but drinking a bottle of water in the car on the way to the ride start isn't going to hurt and may very well help. The fact that the forecast for next Saturday calls for a high of 84 will help, too -- a whole lot.

I don't think a bottle in the car qualifies as pre hydration, the post I was refering to said a couple of days. There is a fair amount of decent literature to support its dangers.

[Dekonick]

Paul, be careful with hydrating too much - as Malcom points out it can be a bad idea. One thing you DO NOT want to do is drink plain old water - you need to make sure whatever you drink it has a balance of electrolytes. You are fine from a fitness point - no worries there.

Wish I could have gone with you yesterday...

:)

Take lots of pics!

Oh - and remember to make sure you keep stops short...

I know you don't need to be concerned with eating. You always snack when we ride... I am the one who is more likely to not eat enough...

:)

[rugbysecondrow]

Thanks, I am excited. I feel good today and when I finished riding yesterday, I felt like I had plenty left, so I think I have a good pace/pedal tempo that will work. Good advice about eating and fluids. I normally hydrate well, so I will just try to be consistent with that hydrate continuously during the right.

Thanks all, I will keep reading for anything else that is good advice, photos and riding buddies is great advice!

[Pete Serotta]

If you "hot dog" in the first 50 or ride the speed you normally ride 50 at _ YOU WILL PAY DEARLY TOWARD THE END. EAT AND HYDRATE AS OTHERS HAVE SAID> And enjoy and be happy at the end!!! Great accomplishment! PETE

best piece of advice. not unlike a TT, your sense of speed will be skewed based on what you normally ride. everything might feel slow, but you'll be thankful when you're not bonking at mile 80.

i'll also tack on, drink in sips... it keeps you from drinking too much water at once.

[pbbob]

get some decent sleep during the week. it won't matter if you sleep poorly the night before.
take off the computer so you don't become a slave to it and some sort of time schedule and average mph
keep the heart rate down
take a little bit of food of your own liking with you just in case
think safety when you're tired
show up and have fun.

[1centaur]

Note I am not talking about OVERhydrating in the two days before. More I am saying watch to make sure you are not dehydrated slightly from not paying attention to the issue. Medical issues seem to come from overdoing the water during the event, diluting the correct electrolyte balance. If you are fully hydrated before and use electrolyte drinks during, neither of the two causes of medical issues is present.

[malcolm]

Actually most of the cases of death I've reviewed from cerebral edema secondary to hyponatremia during endurance events involved noted increases in the fluid intake in the days prior to the event in an attempt to pre-hydrate leading to proposed hyponatremia even before the event started, worsened by extended time on the course thus increased heat exposure and sweat loss as well as possibly too much intake during the event with further dilution. Granted it was a small number of cases but prehydration seemed to be a significant part.

I don't think any ot these people thought they were over hydrating and I know you wouldn't advocate that, but people being people go to extremes.

[Sam in VA]

-+1 Use a heart rate monitor to pace yourself. Avoid going into the +85% zone for any length of time
- Make sure your bike and bar tape are clean - that new Bedford will be a nicer distraction if its clean
- +1 Don't linger any longer than needed at rest stops. You don't want to stiffen up
- +1 Avoid the temptation of fast pace lines. They might feel good at the start, but you'll pay for it later. Use the HRM to gauge
- Carry a Powerbar (original) in a flavor that you don't much care for in a jersey pocket or seat back. You won't be tempted to eat it unnecessarily and it will be there if you get off the route or run out of steam between rest stops

You'll do fine. Most century training guides only take you up to 70-80 miles the week before the event

[cnighbor1]

I suggest start at 90 mile point!!!!
No what you have to do is ride at around 80% of your normal riding speed.
than if still have some legs left at 75 miles kick speed up to your normal speed. If you burn out doing that just slow down and ride the 10 or so miles to finish
the big key is not going out faster than normal. If very hot you need an energy drink that your used too and doesn't cause stomach and badder problems. Fresh fruit just has good.

[Pete Serotta]

Your mentally taxing yourself which is perfectly normal. Ride 40-50% slower than your used too during the first fifty. You will have up and down mental periods which is normal. Around mile 85 your mind will open up at which time you will start to rip the legs off the riders who started too fast. Cross the line and you will be a different rider. Soon you'll want a 200 miler and so on. Welcome to the club.


In my opinion on this topic... Thanks JACK!!! Pete

[Ray]

Your mentally taxing yourself which is perfectly normal. Ride 40-50% slower than your used too during the first fifty. You will have up and down mental periods which is normal. Around mile 85 your mind will open up at which time you will start to rip the legs off the riders who started too fast. Cross the line and you will be a different rider. Soon you'll want a 200 miler and so on. Welcome to the club.
Jack's ridden more than I've even THOUGHT about riding, so its tough to question his judgement, but I have a quibble here. I fully agree to go easy early and then you'll really surprise yourself with how strong you feel at the end. When I've done this, I was riding stronger at the end than a lot of guys I know who were and are much stronger riders generally (of course I wouldn't have found them on the road if I hadn't started earlier and they caught up by about 75 miles after going too hard too soon).

But the part about "soon you'll want a 200 miler and so on" I've never experienced. Even a little bit! Even when I finished centuries feeling strong, like I could keep going, its just NEVER occurred to me that "this would be a great time to ride a century"!!!! NEVER happened. I've thought "I could certainly handle a double metric today, and I've even done those a couple of times, but never never never never did it seem like a good time to start another 100 mile ride. I'm not saying it can't happen or that it might not happen to you - I'm just saying it might not.... :cool:

-Ray

[zap]

Don't over think centuries.

It's a 100 mile ride..........4 25 mile rides (depending on where exactly rest stops are) in one day.

The route also skips the hardest climbs in the area (beg to differ :) , very much a tandem friendly cue) so good, easy tempo up the gradual to moderate climbs will serve you well.

Soo, take it easy, get out of the saddle every so often, be wary of pacelines (I've seen a lot of novices crash hard), eat and drink, make friends and best of all, enjoy the scenery.

[Jeff N.]

My advise is to take your sweet time and take it all in. Hit all the SAG's, check out all the babes/scenery/bikes. Stay well hydrated. Keep some beer on ice for the end of the ride...that'll give you the extra incentive when you get to mile 85 or so. Enjoy!!! Jeff N. :beer:

[Ray]

How'd it go? I saw a post late yesterday so at least we know you survived! :cool:

-Ray

[rugbysecondrow]

First things first, I survived. Even more important, I really had a great time. The weather was about 52 degrees at the start, finish temp was around 75, and it was fantastic weather all day. Sunny, no rain, no humidity, just the absolute best riding weather anybody could hope for.

The ride was about 104 miles, so I did a century and then some. For those who have skipped ahead in this thread, the ride was the Civil War Century which had about 7400 feet of climbing and is one of the more challenging centurys in this area. In addition, it stretches from Maryland, to WV, to PA...loops you through both Antietam and Gettysburg, in addition to some wonderful Mid-atlantic cities. The roads were in great shape (some new chip seal and some new asphalt that would have been bad had it been hot out) and I cannot emphasize enough that the conditions were optimal. Support was fantastic as well, SAG vehicles o'plenty and the support stations spread out at the 25, 50, 70, 85 mile marks. The food was o'plenty as well with PB and J, tomato and mayo sandwiches, bananas, oranges, pears, bars, g-rade and water.

I probably took to much, but that is due to my own sense of security as I did an olympic distance triathlon once that ran out of water (I heard Ironman Louisville ran out this year as well as did the Chicago Marathon a few years back) and I decided that I need to be prepared. So, I had a full compliment of cliff bars, nuts and m and m's, gu bottle, water etc. For the first 1/2 I ate in between rest stops and ate at each stop, but scaled that back as the stops became more frequent towards the end. I also took advantage of my new Bike Roll (now road tested) by bring 2 tubes, chain, chain tool, bike tool, some toilet paper, extra plastic baggie. I also was able to use by frame pump and bike roll for the first time as I got a flat about 45 miles in, no issue at all plus the SAG truck showed up as I was pumping up the tire. Their pump only showed pressure in BARS which I am not sure what the PSI/BAR conversion is, so I think a little more that I am used to was added, but no worries, I made it.

We had a nice steady pace, not to fast and not to slow. My friend (in the Old Syle Jersey) has done an IronMan tri and wanted to focus not on training this year, but actually enjoying his rides, so that is what we did. We stopped at the battle fields, took photos, enjoyed the scenery and had some good conversation. My same friend also has a Masters in History and has extensivly studied Gettysburg, so that was fun hearing about it and the sites we were riding past.

All in all, a great experience, a great ride and I am glad I did it. As I type this with a tender arse, I am not sure how much I enjoy being on the bike that long, but I might do a century again. The Bedford performed flawlessly and I felt very comfortable on the bike for the first 98 miles (those last 5 I was just ready to be done) even though that is not what the bike was designed to do. It really is a testiment to the builder and fitter.

What did I learn:

I brought too much stuff for THIS ride.

Not as many people stopped as I thought. My crew would be the only ones at these battlefields soaking it in, while others would zoom by with thier heads down. Their perogative, they likely have different goals, but still a damn shame. Would they do that if they were riding French Battlefields?

I learned that it was a privilage to be able to ride through these National Parks. These two specific fields hosted two of the most significant battles in our nations history and to have the opportunity to see them, ride through them and enjoy was something special. The National Parks Service grants a special exception for THIS ride and they do not otherwise allows rider through the park, it was fantastic.

I learned that the support staff really do care and deserve our thanks...lots of work.

I learned that good friends make a good ride great.

I learned that cold beer tastes even colder after a 104 mile ride.

I leared that I am fortunate that my first ride was so glorious, just amazing.

Below are photos...I am simply and I-Phone photographer, but I hope you enjoy them anyway...thanks for all the advice leading up to the ride.

Paul

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0547.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0543.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0542.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0540.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0539.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0527-1.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0531.jpg

[rugbysecondrow]

Friend of Mine...Old Style Jersey set the tone for the ride...
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0548.jpg

GETTYSBURG
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0530.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0528.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0532.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0535.jpg

ANTIETAM
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0508.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0507.jpg

http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0506.jpg

POST RIDE
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0553.jpg

POST POST RIDE
http://i413.photobucket.com/albums/pp217/phpeter/cwc/IMG_0554.jpg

[rugbysecondrow]

Let me add one more thing about riding through the battle fields, it was a little odd. Antietam especially since that site was the bloodiest day of battle in American history...the ditch line along the fence/road was where Confederate soldiers were literally plucked off one by one. It was so bloody that the only way to walk through the ditch was to walk/crawl on the bodies. Gettysburg a little less so because it is more commerciallized (golf courses and all) but Antietam looks much more authentic and is more "real" to me than Gettysburg. Gettysburg is more touristy, but Antietam, well I felt mor solumn riding through there. It almost felt like I had to stop to pay tribute...anyway, might just be me though.

[oliver1850]

.

[djg]

Let me add one more thing about riding through the battle fields, it was a little odd. Antietam especially since that site was the bloodiest day of battle in American history...the ditch line along the fence/road was where Confederate soldiers were literally plucked off one by one. It was so bloody that the only way to walk through the ditch was to walk/crawl on the bodies. Gettysburg a little less so because it is more commerciallized (golf courses and all) but Antietam looks much more authentic and is more "real" to me than Gettysburg. Gettysburg is more touristy, but Antietam, well I felt mor solumn riding through there. It almost felt like I had to stop to pay tribute...anyway, might just be me though.

There's that about Gettysburg, but take the strong position behind the famous stone wall and it really feels like it's not much cover at all. And the open field across which the South charged, on foot, slightly uphill, says it all. I dunno. I felt it. There are various places around the park where the geography really does it.

Glad you had a good ride. I haven't done the Civil War Century for a few years now, but yesterday was a terrific day for it and it's a really nice ride.

[oldmill]

Great ride report. I love that century and that area and was sorry to have missed it this year.

[Wilkinson4]

Awesome Paul. You did it right. Head down hammering is not the way to go through life:) Too much to see!

mIKE

[Ray]

Congratulations getting it done - and even more so for doing it right and actually enjoying it. And, yeah, it was a perfect day. I did about a third of a century and was thinking that back in my century riding days, I'd have nearly killed for a day that nice for a long ride.

As for you comment wondering whether you really like to spend that many hours on a bike, I can relate. There was a time when I did, or to the extent that I didn't quite, it was only the last hour that was a bit much and the payoff for that relatively small sacrifice was big enough to make it worth it. Then, after a point, I stopped liking rides of more than 3 hours or so, maybe four on a really long day. So that's what I do now. If you find yourself drawn to do more of them, you'll do them for the right reasons. And if you never do, you'll know it wasn't because you couldn't!

-Ray

[PaMtbRider]

Congratulations on a good ride and making the most of it for you. So many times people on organized centuries get caught up in keeping up with the crowd. I know I am guilty of it and have suffered on longer rides in the past because of it. So are you thinking about your next century, or possibly a double century yet?

[Dekonick]

I am with Ray on this one. I prefer a 3-4 hour ride - that is the 'perfect' length IMHO. Anything less than an hour makes me feel unsatisfied.

Looks like you had an awesome time - and to have a history prof to fill in the details really gives perspective to what happened on those hallowed fields. Many a boy came of age on those fields. Too many never left.

Gods and Generals - great flick worth watching. The book isn't bad either from what I hear.

[chuckroast]

That was a great ride report and don't apologize for your pictures, they were fine. Congrats on a fun ride.

You are correct in noting the positive impact of the weather. Centuries in hot or windy (or both) weather are beyond tedious, they are downright miserable.

[dbh]

Great photos. My day at the Civil War Century got off to a somewhat ignominious start when I pulled into to Thurmont at 7am and realized I had left my shoes back at my house in DC. The night before I had carefully packed a bag with all my cycling supplies for the coming days and left my shoes next to my bag. Clearly was still a little hazy when I woke up at 5am. The weather yesterday was so beautiful that I hightailed it back to DC grabbed my shoes and came back rather than call it a day. Of course by the time I got back, my riding buddies had been on the course for a few hours (I told them to go without me) and there wasn't another rider to be found at the start point. By then it was ten after ten in the morning and I hopped on my bike and just tried to make it to the rest stops before they closed down. Luckily I made it to the first rest stop before they closed down. I passed up about four other people the entire day. By the time I made it to mile 65 -- the split off for the bailout -- there was a SAG wagon telling people not to finish the century route but ride 10 miles to Thurmont because the rest stop was closed. So I headed to Thurmont without having finished the century, but it was well worth it. Moral of the story, make sure you have everything you need before you drive off in the morning.

[Norm Swift]

Looks like you had an awesome time - and to have a history prof to fill in the details really gives perspective to what happened on those hallowed fields.

Gods and Generals - great flick worth watching. The book isn't bad either from what I hear.

The book is "The Killer Angels"... if you weren't interested in the key players of Gettysburg before reading the book you will be afterward (especially Col. Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain).

With regards to the Century.... congratulations and thank you for sharing. I was on the bubble to sign up and the Registration closed before I could make a decision.

The weather was awesome yesterday and I'm glad your were able to take fulll advantage of the day.



Norm

[Jason E]

Great Ride! Nice pics!

Glad you made it, it is a tremendous accomplishment.

Got more pics of the bikes?

[palincss]

If it's not comfortable sitting on your saddle for as long as you took, you might want to examine some alternatives to your current saddle. Brooks B.17s and Sella AnAtomicas are very popular in the long distance riding community, and for a good reason.


You may want to ask Smiley, your fitter, about B.17s -- whenever I see someone in Potomac Pedalers with a Serotta and a black B.17 Standard, I know I'm looking at the Mark of Smiley -- and usually they'll tell me how "Smiley saved me, I was on the verge of giving up (or getting a recumbent, which is even worse) until he put me on a B.17".

[rugbysecondrow]

DBH: Thanks, glad you were able to make it and I bet you are glad you were able to. Speaking of making the ride, there was a guy I was speaking with who was riding a mountain bike. He was hit by a car last weekend, totalled his road bike and he still made it out. I asked him if he was hurt and he said his hip hurt a little...this guy was also in his 60's and way more hard core than me. I was I was that bad ass, maybe when I get that age I will be, one could hope so.

Palin: I have a B-17 and my arse was good for the first 97 miles, I think my discomfort was less the saddle and more my arse not being used to the time in the saddle. My longest ride was 70 up until this, so I felt pretty good. However you slice it, that is just a long time in the saddle, but I felt great nearly the whole ride so the saddle worked well for me.

I have other photos of the bike here: http://forums.thepaceline.net/showthread.php?t=74498&highlight=bedford

Like I said, it performed great.

[chuckroast]

BTW, I loved Heilemann's Old Style when I was in college (and Special Export too). As far as I know, it's no longer available here in the midwest, is it still produced?

[Jack Brunk]

Great job rugbyman. It's a sweet time for you and congrats.

[Elefantino]

Congrats on breaking your (century) maiden!

:banana: :banana: :banana:

[akelman]

Congratulations. And thanks for the pics.

[dbh]

Does anyone happen to have the Garmin GPS date for the CWC? I want to go back and complete the course this weekend or next. Like to be able to upload the route onto my Garmin Edge and print out cue sheets (I tossed mine out from the ride).

[djg]

... I was on the verge of giving up (or getting a recumbent . . . .
[/I]

Dude, please, this is a family board. Let's not dwell on topics that might scare the children.