Riding 100 miles in a day, or a century as cyclists call it, is a solid ride. Riding 100 miles in a day when you’re hauling bags, or panniers as cyclists call them, is freakin’ outrageous.
As an incentive, a friend offered to donate $100 for every 100 mile day we rode.
Disclosure: Have we ever ridden a century? Yep. On lightweight carbon bikes. The RAINSTORM ride in southern Indiana is five centuries in five days finishing with the 160 mile RAIN ride on the sixth day. Steep elevations, hot temps, tasty food and deluxe state park inns at night are included in the price. BTW if you’re into cycling, ride RAINSTORM. It’s an unforgettable, well-organized, arduous ultra cycling adventure.
Back to the 100 mile challenge on our coast to coast ride. Tom’s two back panniers weigh as much as the 21 pound Specialized bike he road on RAINSTORM. Now that’s going to be a challenge. Is a century ride even possible if he’s hauling 85 pounds with bike, bags, fuel and water? We’re going to find out over the next two months.
And then there is me. Deb. I’m not doing the math on that for my Cannondale and bags. #disincentivizing
Find our trip data here. Would you like to match our friend’s 100 mile challenge for a donation to St. Vincent de Paul or Back on My Feet? If you’re in, click on Contact (located at the top right of this page) and message us on the blog. Knowing there are folks willing to make a donation if we push ourselves a little harder is what I call incentivizing.
Keep Calm and Pedal On 