Super Sunday Century - Lincoln to Nebraska City and back.

Patches recently had the idea that we ride another century yet this year and wanted to go to Nebraska City. I was game and invited others to come along for part of the way, or the whole day. Six of us met up at Holmes Lake at 7:00 this morning even though it was only 35'F.

We took the Antelope Creek Trail out to Highway 2 and turned east. By about 9:00 all but Patches and I had peeled off to ride to Eagle or back to Lincoln.

Patches and I rode into a light headwind to Nebraska City and made a b-line for downtown. We found a great restaurant and had dinner (not to be confused with supper). Then we rode around Nebraska City a little. We made our way to Arbor Lodge and the Lied Lodge then rode down some of Nebraska City's bike path.

We got back on Highway 2 and with a breeze at our backs we rolled back to Lincoln. We got back a couple of miles short of a century so we rode a lap around Holmes Lake to hit 100 miles for the day. It was Patches 3rd century after the one on TDN and Gravel Worlds earlier this year. Today was my 2nd for 2010 after the one I got on TDN. This was the first time either of us had rode to Nebraska City. It was a great day to spend on bikes and definitely the easiest century I've ever done. Today's miles = 101.3

A hundee!

We rode 12 miles South into a tough headwind then turned back and returned to Cambridge fast. Tonight's spin gave me an extra 24 miles for a total today of exactly 100.0 miles. That's my first century this year, and my first century on the Felt.

The true definition of a friend!

After a break I wanted to go for a spin and Patches offered to tag along. Even though he'd already rode 100 miles today. After our ride he ended up with over 126 miles for the day, that's a full 50 miles more than most everyone else on TDN!!! What a guy!

The 100 mile Nacho Ride!

Had the day off so I took the long route to Eagle for the Nacho Ride.

I made up some sandwiches and headed into a stiff S.E. wind across Holmes Lake and down the Antelope Creek Trail to Hwy. 2 then East to the Bennet exit.

I went South through Bennet, but needed some water.

Low and behold, about two miles outside of town this hydrant was ready to fill my water bottle and I was good to go.

I pulled into Panama feeling tired of the wind and ready to eat.

Their park was a good place to catch my breath and rest a little.

Downtown Panama.

Got to turn West and cruse into Holland with the wind, lots of nice new homes and acreages.

I needed water again, and sure enough a hydrant at the cemetery outside of Holland was at my beckon call.

I then continued North West into Hickman to find this bait shop on the South side of town.

I was surprised to find that Hickman had a really nice trail system.

I took some time to explore their trails. Their really neat and Hickman should be real proud of them.

An overgrown windmill along the road.

After Hickman I continued West till I got to the Homestead Trail and jumped on it going North back into Lincoln. I took it to the Jamaica North Trail then on the Rock Island Trail to the Zoo, then took the Billy Wolff East. By this point I had about 50 miles, the Nacho Ride from my house is almost 30, so I figured I'd ride a bit more and see if I could get a century in today.

I continued East down the Antelope Creek Trail to Hwy. 2 again, then turned around and took it back toward the house, I threw in a lap around Holmes Lake and then home for about a 1/2 hour break before leaving for the Nacho Ride.

On the Nacho Ride I saw lots of regulars and some 1st timers too. Even several Taco Ride regulars came out of Omaha to Nacho Ride tonight. I met up with my personal trainer / blog photographer as well as my pit crewman. By now, I knew that if I went strait home I'd be about 5 miles short of a century, so my personal trainer / blog photographer suggested we ride the Mopac another 2 1/2 miles East of Eagle after supper at the One Eye'd Dog Saloon to tack on the 5 miles I needed. My pit crewman offered to join us. Lucky for me! Because when we walked out of the OED my front tire was flat. We headed for the aircompress0r at Casey's, patched the tube and were good to go.

By the time I got home it was dark and we were using our lights, but by golly, I did it. This is my 3rd (and FINAL!) century this year. It was a fun, albeit tiring, day.

Today's miles = 100.23

Century Tour for 2009 Cornhusker State Games

The Cornhusker State Games Bicycle Tour had it's century riders meeting at 6:30 and we got started at 6:45. Riders could also ride 25 or 50 mile distances. I heard something like 110 cyclists total with 37 in the century, but I don't know if I've got that right. The ride began in Elkhorn, went west, then north, then east into Herman, we then went south into Blair, then North into Tekamah, before turning back to Herman and back to Elkhorn the way we came. Click here for the map.

I was happy to get started, hours later... maybe not so much, but 1st thing in the morning, I was stoked!

A couple of other Lincoln cyclists slowed down and let me ride with them the whole day. The three of us have rode together on the Nacho Ride, TDN, Ride of Silence and he and I rode in Seward on the 4th. Ever notice how much faster and better you ride when your with others than you do alone? I couldn't have completed the ride without their encouragement. We always have fun together, and the century was no exception! At our first SAG stop we checked out the 'rest rooms' (corn field) and hamed it up for a "bikers of the corn" picture. The Bike Rack, Tour Director Jim Carveth, many volunteers, and CSG staff did a great job organizing and putting on the Tour!

Riding with those "cycling animals" from Lincoln was tough, but to try to fit in, and show my mite, I executed my best "Ggggrrrrr!" for the camera as a show of my strength and stamina.

As usual, they dusted me, he would usually do it without even pedaling! They even look fast in pictures!

The chance to visit and build friendships with like minded people that understand your struggles and appreciate your accomplishments is one of my favorite aspects of cycling.

Once in awhile they'd even use their brakes and let me pull ahead to stroke my ego and for a good photo opp. Look at them tear up the road between Blair and Tekamah!

This cemetery was conveniently located adjacent to the tour route for anyone attempting a century. Ha! Really, the weather was pretty good. We drank a lot, but the heat wasn't terrible, we had to push through some pretty good wind toward the middle of the ride, but had it push us through the last 30 miles, and that was a blessing, because the end of the long ride is the hardest part.

The road is marked so cyclists know where to turn. This was our turnaround point in Tekamah at about mile 60 (?) she and I couldn't pass up the opportunity for a pic to celebrate the moment, and more importantly, to celebrate our chance to turn out of the wind and have it push us.

On every big ride some door knob has to get a flat... today... yea, it was me.

But hey, I did get a job offer out of the deal! The guys from the Bike Rack were so impressed with how fast I changed out the tube, they offered me a job back at the shop. Hmm, bikes + pay, don't temp me, I'm a weak man!

Signs lined the road with everything from sweet corn to puppies.

But this took the cake! Here was a rooster and hen carved out of bushes in the front yard of a home in Elk City. What a hoot!

Proof! 100 miles on the trip setting on the odometer just before arriving back in Elkhorn.

The three of us rolled into Elkhorn around 3:30 together after a long exhausting day of fun on two wheels. I believe it was his first century, and the first one she'd done in many, many years and her first ever on a road bike. This was my first century on an organized ride. I want to thank her for the pics and thank them both for making this epic ride so fun!

Today's miles 100.95 Whew!

My first century!

Yea! 100 miles today!

I began early by taking the Billy Wolff to the Rock Island then South to 14th St. I got on the Jamaica North and took it to the Homestead. I stayed on the Homestead to Prinston then rode on the sholder of 77 to Cortland for breakfast and continued on to Beatrice.

At Beatrice I tooled around downtown before eating lunch then took Hwy 77 to Cortland then got on the Homestead and took it back to Lincoln.

Once back I went North on the Rock Island to the John Dietrich to the office at 56th & Superior and did some work. I then took the Murdock Trail East. I hit 100 miles on just South of the 84th St. Trail and Murdock junction.

The wife met me there for a picture and offered to take me home. I said 'yes'. And ended the day with 100.40 miles.