Third Annual "Accidental" Century

Well folks, it's January, and that can only mean one thing - seriously, one thing and one thing only, and we'd better not find out it means something else! - it's time for the traditional Rutgers Cycling "Accidental" Century!

In its first edition, alumnus Jay #1 promised us an easy 60 mile cruise, only to be shocked when we hit the halfway point at 50 miles. Back then, it really was an accident, and we were exhausted. The more recent editions have had safer routes and bigger groups, but we continue to be exhausted. It's great!
25Jan09 - Rutgers Century at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail:GPS Geotagging

Even with sunny skies, temperatures were never higher than 32 degrees, and the cold was a constant challenge. Good company, warm coffee, and a little something we like to call "drafting behind Chris and the Wills" kept us strong. Our water bottles froze, but our spirits were high.

Twenty-five miles into our journey, we passed a Road Closed sign. Bridge Out. Blah, blah, blah. Detours are for wimps and Rutgers Cycling are not wimps. What we found was that the bridge really was closed. Did not exist.

The descent to the river - okay, creek - was simple enough, but the far bank was steep and frozen. Like a hokey "cooperation" exercise from middle school or perhaps part of Navy Seal training, our teamwork was put to the test. With a little ingenuity and a lot of laughter, we all made it safely across.

Two miles later, a sign announced that the next bridge was closed. Not eager to ford another river, we opted to follow the detour signs, only to find that we could've crossed this "closed" bridge blindfolded. Still, the detour afforded us some beautiful views of central NJ, plus some extra base miles.

I can't tell if the owners of the coffee shop love us or hate us. We took up every single seat in the place, trash-talked and joked and were generally loud, and were sweaty. We walked around barefoot to get blood back in the toes. We ordered small coffees, then took as many free refills as our stomachs would hold. Still, I'm pretty sure the proprietors love us... we do eat a LOT of pastries.

The ride back saw its share of adversity, with flat tires and mechanical difficulties and uncooperative joints. To keep our spirits high, we sang a stirring rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody", in its entirety. I'd like to think that somewhere, Freddy Mercury was smiling.

The cold weather - or, more directly, the multiple gloves each of us was wearing - prevented much photography. Eric R (aka Asphalt Eric, aka Big Papa) took pictures at every opportunity, and he synced them with his GPS map (see above).

Having finished the traditional, official, first Rutgers Century of the new year, we'll be doing regular centuries every Sunday. Fitness or Bust! If you see us out on the roads, wave hello... or roll down your window and join us in song!