It seems the TdPC organizers overestimated the climbing and the distance on the TdPC route. A couple of weeks ago, they changed their website to reflect 8000 feet of climbing over 100 miles.

I did the "century" ride today. It was actually 93 miles. My Garmin shows 6653 in elevation gained. Almost all of the gain was in the first 43 miles of the ride. There were about 32 miles of almost solid uphill that ended at a mountain pass. The pass was at 10,750 feet. The main climb was on the Mirror Lake Highway. Someone had painted the following on the road, "BEGIN TO SUFFER." Cheery, huh?

It was a lovely route! About 200 people signed up for the century and half-century options, which made for a very solitary ride. I rode alone the entire way and I really enjoyed it. I talked to the cows (who were ON the road). I chatted with the goats, "Yo! Goat!" I admired the horses. I screamed at a suicidal chipmunk who I certainly would have hit if he didn't have a sudden change of heart, as I was going about 38 mph downhill at the time.

At a couple of the rest stops, the organizers had trailers that were specially designed portable toilets. The women's toilets had a throw rug, a flush toilet, running water, hand soap, paper towels AND an arrangement of fake flowers AND a basket of mints. Such luxury!

When I started riding it was about 43 degrees. When I finished it was around 70. Gorgeous blue skies. Pine trees. Couldn't ask for anything more!

Alex