A century for me, too!

No big deal for you long-haulers but I finally got to ride my first century! It was a club-supported ride and they treated us very well. There were some big hills (for Illinois) and so I also got to use my "granniest" granny gear. Not ready for Alpe D'Huez yet... ;)

I tested a new long sleeve shirt (for total UV protection I've decided to go long sleeve all the time). Interestingly, it was a paddling shirt made out of that swim-suity material but it didn't make me feel hot. On the contrary, it breathed but it held in just enough sweat to make the breeze coming through it cool me all day long. I highly recommend it to anyone concerned about sun exposure (it was a Lotus Core Skin Shirt). Now to work on getting knickers for the tops of my thighs.

Anyway, thanks to everyone here for all your encouraging advice - couldn't have done it without you! ;)

Way to go! Spread your wings and fly!

Congratulations! And my own humble opinion is that the granny gear is there for a reason. Why not use it?!

good job!!!! hey... i use my baby gear! that's what it's there for!!!!!!!!! i've been known to use it in a stronge headwind on flats even! just to keep spinning!!!!!!!!

would you have rather walked up the hill??????? :D :D

nuthatch way to go! Completing a century is a great accomplishment... you must be thrilled... :) glad your first century experience was a good one and well organized... that makes a HUGE difference to me in whether or not I really enjoy it!

As to the granny gear... I agree, it's there for a reason! I use mine all the time!

Congratulations! I completed my first solo century this year so I have fresh memories of how great it felt.

I've stopped calling it a granny gear--it's my "climbing gear"--it sounds much more positive and it reminds me to use it when my knees start aching.

I just did my first century a week ago! :D

It was on a ride with friends. We rode though beautiful Unaweep Canyon near Grand Junction, CO (western CO). This canyon is unique in that it has two mouths, hence a divide in the middle. Some of the friends just rode to the divide and turned around. My bf John and I decided to ride to Gateway, the town at the other end of the canyon (downhill!). It was 44 miles to Gateway, had lunch there, and then rode back, and rode a few more miles to make it to 100. I just checked the map and the divide in the canyon is about 2400 ft higher than the mouths of the canyon. I did a bit of climbing! (4800 ft of climbing total). I have quite the granny gear on my road bike (by request). I have a 12-34 cassette; a 30-34 lowest gear, which I use a lot. We have a few hills here! :p

Nuthatch, congratulations! So proud of you! My longest ride to date is 62 miles, and doing a century still seems like a major stretch. Way to go!