Century riders to tour Illinois, Wisconsin in Sept. events
The month of September offers the biggest selection of century rides in the Midwest.
A century ride involves riding your bicycle 100 miles in a day. They are non-competitive, recreational rides that usually offer a variety of shorter distances over portions of the main route.
While new or infrequent riders may think of 100 miles as unattainable, one season of riding a few times a week can prepare you to accomplish this feat. Gradual, 10-percent increases in weekly mileage are commonly recommended as the best way to prepare for completing a century.
According to John Duvall of the League of American Bicyclists, the first recorded century ride in the United States occurred on Dec. 19, 1880, in Louisville, Ky.
The two riders involved started at 3:15 a.m. and finished at 9:45 p.m. during a snowstorm. With today's bicycles, the average time for completion falls in the five- to 10-hour range.
The challenge of the 100-mile day became quite popular in the late 1800s, but its popularity dwindled as automobiles became prevalent in the early 1900s. Chicago became the site of a national century ride revival in 1942 in which 42 riders completed a course from Chicago to Aurora to Elgin and back. Since then, hundreds of thousands of riders have completed century milestones and met new friends along the way.
Upcoming local rides include the 37th annual Harmon Hundred on Sept. 9, a non-competitive tour through northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin. The ride is named after Phyllis W. Harmon, former executive vice president and director of the League of American Bicyclists. She started the Wheeling Wheelmen bicycle club (sponsors of the ride) in 1970 and has long been a nationally recognized figure in bicycling volunteerism and advocacy.
One of the longest-lived century rides in the country, the Harmon Hundred attracts a large Midwest participation and many use it to complete their first 100-miler. If you haven't prepared for a century ride though, there are 25-, 50-, and 75-mile rides available as well.
The ride starts and ends at Wilmot Union High School in Wilmot, Wis. For more information, call the hotline at (847) 520-5010 or visit www.wheelmen.com.
North Shore Century: Then on Sept. 16, there's the 23rd annual North Shore Century. Riders start out at Dawes Park in Evanston and are invited to choose from route distances of eight, 25, 50, 62 and 100 miles.
It is a chance to tour some of the North Shore's most luxurious residential neighborhoods, view unique architectural treasures, and pedal out into the flat to rolling countryside between Chicago and Wisconsin.
The ride includes nourishing snacks and drinks at every rest stop, bike mechanics, road monitors (on bikes) sweeping the route all day, Sag wagons in case of emergencies, free bagels and coffee at the registration area, and live music. For more information, visit www.evanstonbikeclub.org or call the hotline at (847) 604-1225.