Self-Supported Centuries and What's Your Favorite Century

I've been hunting around for another century to do after LRRH because I really like how having an event to look forward to gets me out the door even on days when I am, by all rights, way too busy to be riding. I've come across several centuries that are described as "self-supported." Why would someone do a self-supported century? Isn't that basically just like any other time when you go for a long ride? What am I missing?

I'm also looking for recommendations for really great centuries in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, California, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Oregon or Washington. Any recommendations?

Thanks.

Alex

care to provide us links on these "self supported" centuries?

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Originally Posted by Alex

...because I really like how having an event to look forward to gets me out the door even on days when I am, by all rights, way too busy to be riding. I've come across several centuries that are described as "self-supported." Why would someone do a self-supported century? ...

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You answered your own question. Because it's something to put on the calendar and look forward to and train for.

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Originally Posted by Alex

I'm also looking for recommendations for really great centuries in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, California, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Oregon or Washington. Any recommendations?

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If you check the Northwest, California, Southwest, and Rocky Mountain region sections of this forum, you'll find lots of discussions about various centuries in those regions.

Jobob,

Sorry, no links. I just saw the rides listed in the event calendar in the Utah Cycling newspaper. I was taking the easy way out by posting here because I didn't want to have to post in each individual regional forum! :eek: I'll peruse the threads there and see if that gives me the info I need. Thanks!

PW,

I guess I wasn't clear. A self-supported century sounds to me like something you could do any day. It is self-supported, after all, so there are no aid stations or anything. So, I'm wondering why? Is it just because you might have the company of other riders???

Alex

I personally like the Amtrak century in California. There were some other ones in the San Luis Obispo area (like the Lighthouse Century) that were really great! I don't know how many are still in existence and I don't know of any great ones in WA yet but if you want me to go through my stuff, PM me and let me know! I can also provide websites, if you want.

There was a really great one in Paso Robles (Calif) but I have to check to make sure it's still around :D

Companionship's a part of it. Also, I suppose if an event benefits a charity, there's that.

Were those self-supported rides that you saw called "brevets" ? Those are unsupported (or minimally supported) endurance rides, although they tend to be longer than a century. We've been talking about brevets here a lot lately and many have posted about their brevet adventures recently, especially the uber-long distance crazy women like maillotpois and Fredwina. (I consider myself merely a crazy woman in training).

I can't say I've actually heard of any wholly self-supported organized century rides. There's one in my area called the Mt. Hamilton Challenge (which was held last weekend) where riders are supposed to bring their own food, and place it into bags to be delivered to various rest stops where the riders can get at it, but even so the MHC has those rest stops manned with volunteers, and roving SAG support as well (I think)

It turns out Cycling Utah has on on-line event calendar.

Here it is:

http://www.cyclingutah.com/html/roadtourscalendar.html

The rides are not called brevets on the calendar.

I've been reading the ultra-distance ride reports and I am in awe! :eek:

Alex

Well, I checked the info on one of those unsupported rides, (the Color Country Century on May 12) and it's basically a free, 100 mile club ride.

If you'd like to come to the Bay Area in August, registration for the Holstein Hundred opened up today, but it will likely fill up fast. It's a very nice ride in Marin County. There's a thread about it in the California section.

I do century rides by myself. So I quess you could call them self supported century rides.

I've done 3 total. There is a course marked out by the local club in my area.

I do it to enhance my training. I do it to push my limits and make me stronger. I do it when I see that the weather is going to be beautiful and I want to be outside all day. I don't have to travel anywhere to do it, no extra time involved.

I rearrange my errands and work and obligations so that I can spend the daylight hours on the road. my route goes through little towns that have little convenience stores so that I can refuel. Mr. is home on the weekends and so I try to keep the weekends open for spending time with him, so I do my long rides during the week.

I've gone out a few times to try to ride a century and just wasn't feeling it. The weather wasn't inspiring or the training didn't feel right, or I got a call that I needed to go do something, so those days maybe I only got 50 or 70 miles, but that's still good training.

My question to you is why NOT do a self-supported century ride. The ones that I've done are some of the best riding days of my life.

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Originally Posted by Alex

I'm also looking for recommendations for really great centuries in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, California, Arizona, Colorado, Montana, Oregon or Washington. Any recommendations?

Thanks.

Alex

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Alex - one of my all-time favorite centuries is the Colorado Eagle River Ride in July. http://www.sosride.net/riverride.cfm It is amazingly well-supported, the scenery is to die for & there is even an ice cream truck at one of the stops! The whole event is followed by a party with free beer, margaritas (one per rider) & dinner.

Like Silver, I try to ride when it has the least amount of impact on my family. I do several 70-80-90 mile rides solo each season. There's nothing more rewarding or empowering. I learn alot about myself during those rides and certainly gain the confidence to do anything my heart desires. Try it.

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Originally Posted by Alex

I've come across several centuries that are described as "self-supported." Why would someone do a self-supported century? Isn't that basically just like any other time when you go for a long ride? What am I missing?

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The other benefit to a self-supported century - which, at this point, I interpret as a long group/club ride with no registration fee, and hence no support provided - is that you get to try out new routes with the benefit of a route slip, and in the company of others who might already know that route.

I used to go on a lot of club rides through unfamiliar areas. Nowadays since I know those areas, and I'm more confident in planning out new rides for myself in unfamiliar areas, I rarely go on club rides anymore. I enjoy the freedom and flexibility of riding solo.

Here's a list of California rides by date: http://www.bbcnet.com/RideCalendar/RideListDate.asp

It's been a while since I did a century but I've done the Sierra Century. It was a beautiful, well supported ride.

A friend of mine organizes the Tahoe Sierra Century. It's for a great cause: music instruction in the middle and high schools.

The America's Most Beautiful Ride around Lake Tahoe is just that. Unfortunately it's already full. The Team in Training has basically taken over that ride.

You can check out the whole list. There's a ton of them.

Check out www.bicyclepaper.com for all sorts of rides in the Northwest.

Thank you to everyone for the recommendations and the ride calendars!

Alex