Centurion!

Pete trained well.

Sauvie Island to the Pacific 
on a bicycle.

by

Pete Kirby 

I completed the 100 mile ride for the Children’s Cancer Association yesterday.  It was lots of fun, and though challenging, I felt strong the whole way (except on the last part of a 3.6 mile climb).

Pete's trusty wheelman, Tim

The ride started at 7:40am for me and my trusty wheelman Tim Bergmann, who came along for the first 20 miles.  He offered friendship, encouragement, and most importantly a 20 mile per hour lead out letting me draft him.  We ended up with some hanger-on types who saw the pace Tim “Train” Bergmann was laying down.  They drafted behind me until the first rest stop when Tim regrettably had to turn back home.

The rest stop was pretty well appointed, but I brought my own “secret recipe” snacks to ensure a well fueled ride.  They committed the ultimate “sin” in my book that points to a cheap organized ride: they put out off brand energy bars (first part of the sin) and they CUT THEM UP! Don’t give those riders a whole bar, they say…that will encourage them to eat a whole bar!!!!

Pete prepared for this century ride with a summer of speed work on his track bike. As pictured here when he entered the fray for Mother Ireland (3rd from the back on The Rail in a practice Points Race at Alpenrose Velodrome this Summer)
click photos to enlarge

The weather was cold, like mid 40s for a good part of the ride, warming up to maybe the mid 60s later.  I was pretty well bundled up and never needed to shed layers.

Pete trained with kids this summer.

I got to feeling warmed up at about the 40 mile mark and at 50 miles, they put on a pretty good lunch spread at a cool place.  It was a market/café that looked like cowboys frequent.  I sat on the back deck and munched a sandwich with ham and turkey, pasta and regular salad, two diet cokes and I put some M&Ms in my jersey (as of this morning, they are still in there).  The next rest stop was 29 miles away, so I had to load up!

Pete helped the kids.

For most of the ride, I was all alone on the road.  I would occasionally pass someone and never see them again.  I got passed only one time by some dude that made me feel like I was going backwards on a tough hill.  Probably some 20 something on steroids.

I hit the point where I knew I would make it at about the 80 mile mark.  Only one more hill to climb and it was not too big.  Some great downhill stuff and then the 2 mile climb, then the home stretch.  I arrived in Gearhart OR and thought the town looked great!  Cute stuff there.

Pete did yoga.

Pete built champions.

The finish line was at a golf course with a McMenamins restaurant.  For those of you not familiar, McMenamins is a chain of properties the McMenamin brothers refurbish into brew pub, restaurant, hotel and spa joints.  Barb knows the Grand Hotel McMenamins since when she visited, we rode our bikes 50 miles then ate on the lawn.

Nupur and Ayan were on hand to congratulate me and drive me home.

First, I had to have my free beer they offered.
Ayan had a delicious pepperoni pizza and Nupur had the Hummus plate.  I got what I could when they weren’t looking.

We then loaded up the car and headed home for a quick shower before heading over to our friends Chris and Maria’s home for some food and drink.
Home after that for some shut eye!  Great day!!!

Ayan supported  his father's cycling all the way.

Thank you all for your support and encouragement.  I could have done it without you, but what’s the point of that???