Friday night’s Pasta Dinner drew a full crowd as event guest speakers entertained and mingled with riders.  After some announcements and a weather report, an honoring of cancer survivors present at the dinner reminded all of the greater purpose of cycling for the weekend.

Saturday morning was met with a change in weather expectations as riders departed under cloudy skies and light rain.  At mid morning some riders were approaching the challenging hill climb section of the Century and Climbing 70 routes.  A quick check of weather indicated very difficult weather conditions and the main climb section of the route was closed by event organizers.  A moderate number of riders already on the climb encountered chilling temperatures.  An ambulance was dispatched to the climb as precautionary; happily no riders required medical attention.  (editor note: a pint of hot chocolate, hot tub, and complete change of fleece cycling wear would have been welcomed!) The ambulance returned to Moab later in the day empty.  Some riders completed the climb and descended off the mountain while others were evacuated to lower elevations.

Once in the presence of more moderate temperatures and sunshine, these hearty cyclists recovered their bodies from the cold mountain experience then continued in spinning pleasure the remaining miles of their chosen route.

Read more about the weekend in the upcoming eNewsletter and here at the Skinny Tire Events website.

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Another stunning Moab trip Written by ejcass51 on 2007-10-19 11:37:43 A tip of the Helmet to the workers on the Moab Century ride! At least biking we were able to stay warm but just standing at rest stops must have been brutal. Now back in the flats of Illinois. I said it on sunday recovery ride and I'll say it again - after 10 years of biking Moab, a rainy ride thru the canyons is still better than a sunny ride in cornfields and urban sprawl west of chicago! Also century ride is for a great cause. Hope you all got a chance to hang out in Moab and really see the sights as special place indeed.  Missed the sights? I put up pics of hiking/biking over 2.5 weeks including some of "training rides" in colorado on way out.  Only rain day out of 2.5 weeks was the century ride day. Hmmmmm.  http://pictures.aol.com/galleries/ejcass51    Now looking forward to March Skinny festival again!   HUGE THANKS to all the event workers. Well done again !!!!

CRAZY BIGTIME FUN Written by tarmactom on 2007-10-13 20:18:18 Oh yeah! This was the first Century Tour for me. Being a flatlander from Kansas, I have to admit that the difficulty of the climb was a concern. One hundred mile days are fairly common, but there are not many mountains around home, just a lot of wind.  Of course, it wasn't the elevation that was nuts ... it was the cold and snow. I was able to do the whole enchilada, and the climbs went well. Next year an extra dry pair of gloves will be in order.   Isn't it strange ? ... how a little misery can turn into just about the most fun you have ever had.    Best to all,  tarmactom

"A terrible day cycling is still better Written by MoabTrekie on 2007-10-13 07:39:43 I just wanted to thank you all (Skinny Tire folks) for hosting a marvelous event and to applaud you for the selfless work you perform. Not only was the ride a bit rough for the cyclists, but the volunteers along the way also had to deal with the difficult conditions. Aaron, at the gravel pit aid-station above Castleton, deserves a special award for locating 2 wooden palettes, gathering up what sparse wood he could find in the vicinity and building 2 wonderful warming fires.     The Ride: With the wind at our backs and the warmth generated from climbing, the snowy ascent to Fisher Mesa was deceptively tolerable ("this isn't so bad"), but that feeling was short lived. I don't think we were fully aware of what we were getting ourselves into; it was like the subtle trickery some dreadful beast would use to lure unsuspecting prey into its lair. After all, there would be food and shelter at the top, right? (it was too cold to linger and the wind eventually blew down the shelter). The descent was unbelievable with the howling wind, snow and bone chilling temperatures. My body was so cold I couldn't exceed 15 miles an hour or my bike began shaking uncontrollably. At first I thought something was wrong with my bike, but soon realized it was my body that was causing the shakes. My hands were numb and the muscles were cramping from applying the brakes so vigorously. My wheel rims screeched loudly from the grit of my slowly disintegrating brake pads which were leaving black streaks down my forks, frame and wheels. I stopped every 1/2 mile to brush the snow off the front of my body and to rest my arms. There were folks walking their bikes, some huddling together by the side of the road looking for shelter from the wind and cold. A slow feeling of desperation began to gnaw at me, but I knew the best thing to do was just keep going, to get out of this mess. Finally I reached the gravel pit aid-station and found a swarm of riders tightly huddled around 2 fires. Riders were shaking uncontrollably and teeth wouldn't stop chattering, but at least we could feel some warmth. This was a life saver! I don't know what I would have done without this. I was soaked to the skin and the prospect of continuing to ride into the wind, with the numbing wind-chill, was just too much. It took me quite a while to stop shaking. Eventually I warmed up, dried out, and continued on. By the time I reached the River Road I was feeling pretty good, the sun was peaking out, so I decided to turn right and head for Dewey Bridge. The wind was temporarily my friend as it pushed me along, but I knew I would pay for it on the return trip! There weren't a lot of riders on the road at this point. Many had been done-in by the wet and cold, and others likely skipped the 30 mile loop to Dewey, but hey, this is the Century and it only comes to town once a year, so I persisted. Unfortunately, I developed a side-stitch that I couldn't shake, so the last 2-1/2 hours of riding were pretty uncomfortable. The headwind from Dewey Bridge to Red Cliffs Lodge was unrelenting and it made the long ride back into town a final plodding challenge. There were roughly 15 riders behind me and everyone was strung out, battling the headwinds alone. I finally rolled into town at 5:00 in the afternoon (9 hours after I started). It had been a long, rough day. My stomach cramp made it impossible to eat anything at the finish so I sipped some water and visited briefly with a friend (I was really looking forward to the meal!)    So what is the moral to this story? There is a valuable lesson to be learned from all of this. Somewhere along that last stretch of scenic highway through the river corridor, as I was toiling along and thinking how difficult the day had been (I've never been so miserable on my bike before!) a thought came to me. It reminded me of something very real and gave me new insight. My focus suddenly shifted from what "I" was dealing with, to what "others" are dealing with. In less than half-an-hour I would be home, relaxing, resting and recovering. My suffering would be over and the toil of the day would be fading away like a distant memory. BUT FOR FOLKS STRUGGLING WITH CANCER THE RIDE DOESN'T END, IT JUST KEEPS GOING. There is no resting, relaxing or relief from the constant onslaught and furry of the disease. This was a sobering realization and it flooded over me with emotion. I'm sure it was driven home more powerfully because of what I had experienced that day. This thought flipped my whole perspective around, 180 degrees. Instead of remembering the day as a miserable experience I would like to forget, it became one of greater appreciation and turned out to be a most rewarding day. I’m aware that many others have previously come to this realization and that’s why we have events such as this. I guess it took some unusually harsh riding conditions to “open my eyes” and make it personal. I had been riding for my father, who is dealing with cancer. That was the inner force that kept me cranking throughout the day. He hasn't given up, so neither must I.    Now, with a few days to reflect on the experiences and feelings of last Saturday, I have heightened appreciation for the work and effort of your organization. I'm also reminded of things to be thankful for; life, health, family and friends, living in such a remarkable place. Would I do it again, conditions all the same? You bet! Only I would take a backpack full of winter gear with me this time :)    Keeping in mind the purpose and mission of this event (helping find a cure) it wouldn't seem completely just or appropriate to have perfect weather for the event-- fair skies, pleasant temperatures, no wind or rain. A little suffering is good for us. It enhances our understanding, deepens our appreciation, and expands our compassion for others.    Hats off to all of you! Thanks for a memorable, and moving, Century ride.    A post-script theme for the 2007 Century Ride, "A terrible day cycling, is still better than a good day with cancer"     \o/  O%O Keep Riding!

"Chilling temperatures"? Written by steadyrolling on 2007-10-12 13:50:25 How about 'snowing sideways at the top'. Ride on...

Smile and be jolly when it rains....... Written by carbonman on 2007-10-12 10:40:35 for any fool can do so when the sun shines.     Sat. ride up Castle Valley went to the top of my list for most miserable day of cycling, ever. Never have I witnessed such a surreal sight as that at the aid station.   It was a character building day.   It was a day that will provide great tales and lies, to be told around the fires this winter.    It was the grandest of adventures.  I can't wait to get back out there in March.    Feel the burn  carbonman

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