Looking Back: Trek100 Ride Report '08 Version

The Setup

Last minute I signed up, avoided missing my daughter's first ballet recital, got some great donations, and decent ride weather.

Who?

I rode with a couple pals. We all kept an eye on each other. We hadn't bike together much (once), but we mustered through it.

Why?

To raise cash to fight childhood cancer.

What?

100km (63 miles for the metric challenged) bicycle ride on the road.

The Good

Aside from the obvious fund raising/helping aspect, it was a beautiful if not slightly hot day. I got to hang with some peeps and say "Hey!" to some other peeps. Win/win. Automobile traffic was 99 to 1 wonderful. Thanks. That one guy, we'll give him a pass and just hope he thought better of it once he got home.

The Bad

This wasn't really my year for traffic (bicycle) negotiation. I'd heard plenty of "oh be safe around those 'century riders'" and such. Whilst I think, "hey, I'm one of them you're giving the business". Yet, I was in the wrong place and time for much of the ride this year. Riders blowing by unmanned stop signs were the norm from were I sat. Even some weirdness at the end where 3-4 riders would fly past us then all but stop in front of us.. Just plain silliness. I hope in future years I don't run into these folks, as normally I'm not around them. I just got my share this year. I trust the folks reading this are not the ones that need to be told. But, please don't act like "I'm out here for a sponsored event, so I can do what I want". It's going to ruin someone's Christmas one day. Enough of my rant pedestal.

The Ugly

Some time after my ride, after all the free ice cream, mocha's, food, massages and such. The storm of the decade rolled in. You've seen the "Midwest Floods" headlines. I hope no one got stuck out there at mile 75 of the 100. It was nasty. By this time, I was at home watching the end of my road go under 4 feet of water.

What I Can't Say Enough

It's easy for me to ride, thanks for donating.