Six Pillars Century Ride Cambridge, MD 2015

[Lungimsam]

The Ride:

7th annual Six Pillars Century Ride in Cambridge, MD/Chesapeake Bay area. A flat century from Historic Cambridge through Maryland Eastern Shore forested farmland and Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge. Supported with smallish, but full service, rest stops. I guess about 1500 people were there? Marshy areas and out along and into the Chesapeake Bay via elevated road. That was the best part of the ride. The road became elevated over the water and ran out into the bay over to an island. So much fun riding with water on both sides of the road! Very beautiful.

The weather:

50-74F as best I remember. Chilly at start. Sunny. Blue skies. Perfect spring weather day. Lotsa headwinds after the 40 mile point and through to end of ride. I wore wool and Nike sneakers.

The bike:

53 Rivendell Bleriot with 41 Noodles. Easy to ride. Easy to turn the pedals. Flexy/bouncy feeling. Just as comfortable as my 52 Blue Sam Hillborne, which I took on last year's Six Pillars Century Ride.

Interesting bikes I saw:

1. Banana Bikes. These shelled, three-wheeled, recumbents had single blade forks, so to fix a flat you flip them on their side and no need to remove the wheel. They are from Holland. I saw them at last year's Six Pillars Century. They have stereos and video cameras.

2. My friend's ~1996 carbon Trek with Carbon wheels. Old fashioned looking carbon wheelsets. Quill stem! Homemade bullhorns with brifters.

3. I saw a carbon bike with a drinking tube (like a camelback) coming out of the top tube or stem. I guess the liquid reservoir was in the frame somewhere? I didn't see any bottle cage braze-ons. Looked like a plastic envelope mounted over the bb. Maybe that was the reservoir?

There were no Rivendell's I noticed. I think I saw 3 Surleys, and one man was on a squeaky olde red bike with upright bars.

The people:

1. I met a young man on a black canti Surley. We rode a while and chatted about bar-ends, racks, and bags. He had a nice VO front rack.

2. There was a cyclist with a sign on the back of his bike that read "Deaf Cyclist".

3. Saw a couple people wearing DC Randonneurs jerseys and Severna Park Peloton jerseys.

4. My friend said he saw a blind man at one of the rest stops and he didn't see where he went, but he thought maybe he was riding with someone on a tandem.

The dogs:

1. Dog on bike. There was a lady on a recumbent who had a travel cage mounted behind her head, in which rode he small dog. Very cute!

2. On the last leg of the ride, my friend (Dewey) and I had just made a left hand turn. We passed a house with two young girls sitting out on the lawn, waving unreadable signs and pointing to the road from which we just turned. I couldn't hear what they were yelling at us. But I knew we had the correct turn. I passed by, Dewey following. Suddenly I heard the girls yelling wildly. I looked back to see my friend being chased by a barking Chihuahua with a determined look on its face. His serious face was so cute! I continued on, then looked back again and saw that it was following us down the road, getting away from the kids. I thought I had better stop, collect the dog, and bring it back to the girls before it got hit or lost. I slowed and started turning, when suddenly I saw Dewey in full sprint yelling "Go! Go! Go! Big dog!", and this big dog I hadn't seen before chasing him at full clip. It started to run towards me a little and I felt all I'd be able to do was get the frame between me and the dog. But then he turned again and continued pursuit of Dewey. As they came down the road and Dewey started passing me, I re-mounted my bike and took off after him. We escaped, and then Dewey told me he was once bitten by a German Shepherd in the leg while riding. I wish I had one of those rear mounted camera tail lights so I could have captured that memory! That Chihuahua was so cute with that serious look on his face!

3. Saw on old looking, but sweet dog at the 60 mile rest stop. Looked like a black lab mix.

102 miles. It was a fast paced century up until the 40 mile point, just after the exhilarating ride on the elevated road out into the bay. Then the headwinds started. I was really getting tired by the end.  But despite the headwinds, we finished faster than any century we had done before. It was a perfect spring day and such a beautiful ride. I felt great the whole time and so comfortable on the bike. I am so blessed to have been able to do it and to have such a great time doing it, and the Lord willing, I'll have many more happy century rides in my future.

The Pictures and Video: https://www.flickr.com/photos/70237737@N00/sets/72157651929761689/

[Tony DeFilippo]

Great report, great pictures! Your Bleriot looks super sharp and well equipped in rando attire. Didn't you pick that up from Peter White last year?

[WETH]

Wow, you had wonderful weather to go with the beautiful scenery.  Congratulations on riding the century.  That is on my list to accomplish this year.  Your Bleriot looks great..  

[Deacon Patrick]

Great ride and photos! Thanks for the write up.

With abandon,

Patrick

[Patrick Moore]

Kudos! Nice Bleriot, nicely set up.

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[Lungimsam]

Thanks, everybody. It was so much fun. It is a very friendly and pleasant century, and I highly recommend it. Very pleasant riding as long as the headwinds are few. Last year there were virtually none.

I remember I also saw a black (carbon?) Calfee tandem. So add that to the list of interesting bikes.

Yes, that is the NIB 53 Bleriot frameset I got from PJWCycles last year. He had a couple he was selling off along with a couple Hilsens. I guess he dug them outta the warehouse. Someone named Peter started the thread about them being for sale here, and I contacted PJWCycles.

I have been planning on posting pics and build details.

[Tony DeFilippo]

Nice, well that was a great coming out party for the bike in any case.  Congrats again for the bike and completing the ride!

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[Lungimsam]

Any updates on your Saluki, Tony?

[Tony DeFilippo]

I just spoke to the powdercoater... Sounds like the color is on and repeatedly looks great, british racing green and cream. He is not sure about my request to have it finished flat so he's trying to get a sample done before we commit. I'm excited, can't wait to get it back on the road.

Tony