52 Centuries in 2013

In 2010 I set a goal for myself of a century-a-week but could only do 46 due to a leg injury in November that year.  This year I succeeded in my “century-a-week” goal.  I was able to complete 52 by October 26th, the day after my 60th birthday.  No more centuries in 2013, I’m stopping at 52.

The rides were mostly in the San Francisco Bay Area where I led or joined Almaden Cycle Touring Club rides and participated in organized centuries as well as brevets with the San Francisco Randonneurs.  I was able to get in several centuries on my trips to Singapore, Penang, Northern Ireland, Colorado, Oklahoma, and Georgia.

These are the centuries I completed in 2013.  This video is a brief explanation of my plan for 2013 which I succeeded in executing.

January

1. January 1 – Santa Cruz to Monterey, a ride I led for the Almaden Cycle Touring Club (ACTC), a ride I lead 4 or 5 times a year.  Photos from this ride at this link.  This is the first ride I’ve ever uploaded to Strava.

2. January 12 – 100 miles in Singapore with ANZA Cycling. I was able to complete this century on the 12th but didn’t connect with the ANZA Cycling folks.  Photos and GPS output from my first century in Singapore, 2nd for the year.  Strava results are here.

3. January 19 – 100 miles in Penang using the G-Group route twice.  I completed this century uploaded to Strava but with only once around then an out and back through tough traffic.  Photos from this ride with my Malaysia friends are at this link.

4. January 21 – An ACTC ride led by Leo Hartung if jet lag is kind to me.  Jet lag was nice and I added miles to make it a Crankin’ for Caffeine on Steroids-photos.  I’ve uploaded this ride to Strava here.

5. January 26 – Pt Reyes Lighthouse 200K.I completed this fun ride with some good friends and posted my photos at my Picasa albums.  Strava results from this ride are at this link.

January Centuries Video Summary on Youtube

February

6. February 2 – Santa Rosa Novato/Caz 200k Brevet. Had a great ride with some of my cycling buddies, some of whom are featured in this album.  I was a lot faster this time according to Strava.

7. February 10 – ACTC Ride – 100M, a 40-mile ride I led for the club.  Kirsten and I left from my house at 6:40, rode 30 miles then met up with a bunch of riders at Avid Coffee in San Jose.  We then rode 20 miles down to Morgan Hill and back 20 miles.  Then Cindi, Kirsten, and rode the remaining 30 miles for my 7th century of the year. These are my Strava results and the photos I took on this beautiful day are at this link.

8. February 16 – A ride similar to our old Tierra Bella Century. I was joined by 13 club members for this ride and took lots of photos as usual.  Afterward I uploaded my GPS data to Strava.

9. February 17 – The Two Rock/Valley Ford 200K brevet put on by the San Francisco Randonneurs which I recorded on my GPS and uploaded to Strava.  My photos are on Picasa.

10. February 23 – ACTC ride to be led by Jon Kaplan from San Jose to Hollister and back.  I had planned to do the Santa Rosa Randonneurs’ Hubba 200K Brevet but I rode with Jon Kaplan’s crew from my house.  My photos are at this link and I uploaded my Strava results.

February Centuries Video Summary on Youtube

March

11. March 2 – Santa Cruz to Monterey with ACTC.  I was the leader. My Strava results are here and my photos have been uploaded to Picas at this link.

12. March 16 – A century in OKC plotted by my son Chief CS Parker  and the weather was great.  I borrowed his Trek and he drove the route leapfrogging me up to each turn.  My photos from the ride are at this link and Strava results are here.

13. March 30th – Due to weather and my work schedule I could only get in one more ride on my trip after Oklahoma.  The ride was an easy one on the Silver Comet Trail. My Strava results are uploaded here.  As usual I took some photos which I’ve uploaded to Picasa.

March Centuries Video Summary on Youtube

April

14. April 6 – I lead one of my favorite rides for ACTC, The Legion of Honor ride from Los Altos to San Francisco and back.  Got some great photos of the six club members who joined me and I uploaded the ride to Strava.

15. April 12 – Decided it was best to knock out an easy century on the Silver Comet Trail since I was so sore from the PT at the McChrystal training the previous two days.  My brother was a great guy as usual and accompanied me on this ride.  Photos are here and Strava output here.

16. Apri 21 – Primavera Century.  This is the first time I’ve ridden this one but I should have done several by now.  It should become an annual ride for me.  Photos from this one are at this link.  The Strava results.

17. April 28 – ACTC ride I lead from San Jose to Morgan Hill.  The ride is only 40 miles long but I added 30 before and 30 after as I’ve done before to come up with this route.  My photos from the ride are at this link.  Strava results are here.

April Centuries Video Summary on Youtube

May

18. May 5 – Completed a Singapore Century but I was jet-lagged.  I did this route but in reverse direction. I took a few photos and uploaded them here at Picasa but it rained too much to take many photos.  My Strava results are here.

19. May 18 – Rode my second Penang century.  The route I took was created by my buddy KC Loong.  It was a double loop that I rode counter-clockwise with KC from my hotel back to the hotel.  Then I rode alone on the same route but clockwise.  My Strava results are at this link and my photos are here.  I also made a video with my GoPro.  The first lap was fast and easy, the second lap was brutal in the heat.

20. May 25 – 100 miles with my club ACTC.  I rode 35 miles then met up with Ahmed Masood and his gang of 40 riders on their “Rollin’ Hills Century”.  I rode 40 miles with them then heading across the valley back home.  Photos from the ride and my Strava results.  I also uploaded a video riding through downtown San Jose.

21. May 27 – Memorial Day ride with ACTC. I rode 38 miles before meeting up with Mike Stein’s “Crankin’ for Caffeine” ride with 50 other club members. I rode about 30 miles with them then finished the last 30+ with Gary Barnett who nearly killed me as I chased him north to Campbell then east to San Jose.  As usual, I took a lot of photos and uploaded my results to Strava.  I’m exactly on track for 52 but I hope to put some in the bank this summer.

May Centuries Video Summary on Youtube

June

22. June 1 – This was a solo ride from home along this route down to Gilroy and back over some familiar roads.  The photos I took are at this link and these are my Strava results.  I also made a Coyote Creek Video.

23. June 8 – I was able to raise $300.00 to find a cure for Parkinson’s disease on the Pedal 4 Parkinson’s bike ride in the Denver area,  Their longest ride was 50-miler which I added miles to complete my first Colorado century.  As usual I took a lot of photos.

24. June 9 – A solo ride from Longmont west, south, east, north, and west back to Longmont along this route.  Thanks to Deb Banks for helping me make this route more scenic, safer, and on better roads.  My photos are here and Strava results here. I also took a video descending the back side of Allens Lake and Lefthand Canyon.

25. June 15 – My second Century in OKC was Miles for Smiles, a 56-mile ride I added 44 miles to complete my second Oklahoma century.  Thunderstorms with lots of rain hit after the M4S ride so I took fewer photos than usual.  I uploaded my Strava results here.

26. June 22 – The Tour de Cure in Oklahoma with Team Seagate, still accepting donations to help find a cure for diabetes.  The photos I took turned out great but the Strava results not so much, I’m sloooow.

27. June 30 – Russian River 200k with 63 other members of the San Francisco Randonneurs.  My GPS results indicate I’m not getting any faster and my photos indicate that I should be pedaling more and shooting less.

June Centuries Video Summary on Youtube

July

28. July 4 – A century with the club from the pancake breakfast with Stan Lim and his crew.  I added miles to Stan’s route to get these GPS results and I took a few photos.

29. July 6 – Rode from home to join Donny Axtel’s ACTC Polhemus Loop 50-miler.  As usual I took some photos and uploaded my GPS results to Strava.

30. July 7 – My usual recovery century from San Jose to Morgan Hill. Photos of most of the 18 riders who joined me are at this link and my GPS results are on Strava.

31. July 13 – Point-to-point 200K San Francisco to Cloverdale.  This was a fun ride with about 50 randonneurs.  My photos are at this link and my Strava results are posted, too.

32. July 14 – Point-to-point 200K Cloverdale to San Francisco.  Another great ride and I think I got a photo of every rider this time and posted them at Picasa.  Also uploaded my results to Strava.

33. July 20 – Santa Cruz to Monterey with ACTC.  I’m the leader and lead I did.  My photos are uploaded as are my Strava results.

34. July 21 – ACTC ride I led.  40-miler that I added miles to get a century.  My photos are uploaded to Picasa and GPS results to Strava.

35. July 27 – Ice Cream Social Century, a ride I led for ACTC from San Jose to Morgan Hill to the ice cream social then back.  I took these photos and these are my Strava results.

July Centuries Video Summary on Youtube

August

36. August 3 – I completed the Santa Cruz Mountains Challenge for the seventh time.  A took fewer photos than usual and captured my GPS results at Strava.  I need more cowbell.

37. August 4 – An easy ride up to Dublin for Becky Berka’s birthday celebration.  My photos are here at Picasa and I uploaded my Strava results.

38. August 10 – Los Gatos to Half Moon Bay, a ride I lead once or twice a year.  This time only three people showed up but we had a great ride.  I uploaded photos to Picasa and the GPS results are at this link.  I made a short video descending some of the hills (Skyline, Alpine, and Kings Mountain).

39. August 16 – ACTC Reservoirs from San Jose to Morgan Hill with miles added for a century.  Kirsten McDaniel came to my house to join me for the ride. We did 29 miles before joining up with Leo and his ACTC crew at the Almaden Lake Reservoir.  After the club ride, Kirsten and I rode a few more miles to get to 100.  My photos are here and my GPS results are at this link.

40. August 18 – Tour of Napa Valley I usually ride every year.  My photos are at this Picasa link and my Strava results are here.  I rode this one with Ken Emerson, Steve Saeedi, Chris Frothinger, and Cheryl Becker.  Fun day on the bike.

41. August 25 – Legion of Honor I lead two or three times a year.  Moved to Sunday due to my brother and his wife visiting the Bay Area.  A great group of riders showed up for this one and it was a beautiful day, even with the fog in San Francisco.  My photos are at this link and my I’ve uploaded my Strava results here.

42. August 31 – Coastal Climbs led by Jon Kaplan was a fun ride over some nice roads.  You see by looking at my photo album on Picasa and I also uploaded my Strava results.

September

43. September 1 – Labor Eve Century.  Los Gatos to Big Basin plus miles.  As usual, I took photos and captured the ride results on Strava.  I suffered quite a bit on this one because both my feet were hurting from the pressure from my cleats.  I’ve ordered new shoes that should solve the problem.

44. September 7 – ACTC Ride to Santa Cruz with Jon Kaplan and crew.  Steve Saeedi came down to San Jose for work and joined me for this century. I wish I could keep up with him.  My photos are at this Picasa link and I uploaded my GPS results.  Here’s a video of Steve, Andre, and I descending Old Santa Cruz Road in Los Gatos.

45. September 14 – A ride in Georgia on the Silver Comet Trail with my brother Todd and his friend Dan.  As always I uploaded photos to Picasa and GPS results to Strava.  The most interesting thing about this ride is that Todd broke his leg and recounted the gory details here.

46. September 17 – Another Silver Comet Trail from Smyrna to Alabama and back.  It’ll look something like this.  It turned out to be a series of out and backs from Rambo Nursery and looked like this on Strava and my photos are here.

47. September 28 – I was able to knock out my first Northern Ireland century and nearly get knocked out by the fast boys from the Foyle Cycling Club.  Up until now my overall average speed for the first 46 centuries was around 14 miles an hour with the fastest being 17.4MPH a couple of weeks ago. On this one I averaged 18.5MPH on the first 80 miles then dialed it back to end up with 18.1 for the 100 miler.  My buddy Ciaran Hampson loaned me his blue Trek for about the fifth time.  He and I rode about 14 miles into Donegal and back to the start with the club.  We rode about 66 with them at break neck speeds ending up with a these Strava results, and these photos.

October

48. October 11 – I joined the weekly ACTC TGIF coffee run adding miles before and after to get these Strava results.  My photos are uploaded to Picasa, too.

49. October 12 – Day 1, Bay in Two Days led by Russ & Sheila Stevens.  A great ride where I captured these photos and these GPS results uploaded to Strava.

50. October 13 – Day 2, Bay in Two Days led by Russ & Sheila Stevens. I completely screwed up by leaving my camera’s storage card in my computer.  On Day 1 my camera screen went out. Second camera this year to do that. Since I couldn’t see the screen I didn’t see it complaining about no storage. I took at least 100 shots. First ride in 5 years with no photos. Jeez. And those were great shots I’m sure.  This is a link to the two photos I took and these are my Strava results.

51. October 20 – I lead a 40-mile ACTC ride from San Jose to Morgan Hill and back with miles before and after to get to 100.  I took a few photos before my camera got wet.  Check out my Strava results.

52. October 26 – I invited nearly 100 people to join me for the century and a BBQ at Santa Teresa Park and over 90 accepted.  We had 13 no shows, 1 no shoes (way to go Andrea), 4 people rode less than 60 miles, 20 people rode 60 or so miles, 7 people rode between 70 and 90 miles, and a whopping 44 people rode 100+ miles.  Clyde Butt rode 132 miles so he gets the ultra award for the day.

Photos from this fun day are at this Picasa link and my Strava results are where they need to be.

Tim Lange (Mr iPad Mini) gets the award for most willing to put up with me since he rode on 14 of my 52 centuries this year.  Sylvie Maxwell, Kristin Rozier, Tina Forsman, Manuel Gautho, Barry Schwartz, and Rick Sinclair were next with eight centuries with me. Finally, the folks who rode seven centuries with me were Clyde Butt, Dennis Crovella, Kirsten McDaniel, and Jason Pierce.  It’s great to ride long distances with friends!

No more centuries this year