PASKENTA CENTURY RIDE! my first century (and soon to be second)!

The plan was simple. Stick together (my brother and I) and draft off riders better than us. Stick together - Fail.  Draft off riders better than us - semi success. It sounds like my brother did better at staying in a group.  I stayed with a group for maybe the first half and then solo for the last thirty miles or so.  I figure near 300 riders showed up for this FREE epic century ride/race.  It's a ride, but it turn into a race once you get out of town.

Everyone meets up at One Mile at Bidwell Park in Chico, CA prior to 8:00am on Super Bowl Sunday.

So last year things were starting out nice, I seemed to have stuck with the main pack going down the Esplanade after someone crashed (having lost my brother almost immediately - as he went off talking to someone he knew), but as we were picking up speed someone almost took out my front wheel by swerving violently to the left (no idea what they were thinking) sending me into the centerline which had reflectors and was graded making for a bit of a bumpy ride until someone let me back into the group.  All would have been well but my saddle bag had come undone and was beating against my right leg.  I had to stop and lost touch with the main group. 

Someones shot of the promenade down the esplanade. ( I forgot where I got this picture)

I think the worst part was that we (the main group) had already made big gap between us and everyone else and I thought my bro was in the main group still.  So i had no one to ride with for quite some time.  I tried in vain to catch up but just wasted A LOT of energy. Soon I was caught by a group of riders, some of whom I recognized from the area, who were getting on quite nicely.  I dropped in behind them and took a sort of break. I made my way along with them taking my turns in the rotations when I realized I was already wasted. We were moving pretty good and I was still tired from my chase attempt.  After under 30 miles I wasn't able to hang on and was dropped.  I for maybe 5 min with no one until a UC Davis clad guy came screaming by me.  My first thought was DRAFT! So I did a little sprint and tucked in behind him.   The plan was to get back up to that group I was with.  It Worked!  This guy was cruisin'.  He dropped me off when we caught up to the group, I thanked him for the ride, and he continued screaming along. 

Ian Boswell @theboz91 · Feb 1

It's a big sporting day back in the USA today, Paskenta Century and some Superb Owl game. Let freedom ring...

  Everyone  stopped in Corning at a gas station which was nice.  I ate some food and had some drink and waited for everyone to be ready to go.  Here began my semi solo ride.  The group was going to be split into smaller groups because not everyone was riding the full route through gravel.  I was determined to ride the full route and maybe find my bro along the way.  I set out with a group and soon a few people broke off to shorten the route.  Next I decided I'd just spin at my rate to my own liking since there was still a long way to go which caused me to drop of the rear.   I road alone and was passed by a few people until the Paskenta market where the group I was with had stopped again.  Instead of stopping and grouping up with them I continued on since I still felt good having been going at my own pace.  I was passed by them again before we hit the 4ish/5 mile strip of gravel road in Paskenta.  In the gravel I picked people off one by one and finished the gravel before most of the group that had passed me.  They passed me again after the gravel and that was the last I saw of them. I lost one of my new Camelback insulated bottles while rattling along in the gravel. 

One of my favorite pics from the Paskenta gravel showing how it makes you feel.  This is actually from the Chico Stage Race which takes the gravel road on in the opposite direction from the Paskenta Century.

 After riding 20-30 min. alone another small group which was moving pretty good came up behind me.  I rode with them for quite some time until the group disintegrated.  Again alone I pedaled along the 32.  Me and another rider then played leap frog as I would stop for water, or to eat, or just being tired, and I guess he was doing the same.  I was very tired at this point.  I finished off the last of my food and drink and stood on the side of the road watching cars pass by knowing I was only 10 or so miles from the finish.  I finally felt like I could continue on and it must have been after the gatorade etc. got into my system because I felt pretty good and was able to maintain 20mph (which was very impressive to me at the time) the rest of the way in.  Happiness was having my bro and his wife there waiting for me to give me a ride home!  All the time I thought my brother was ahead of me when apparently he had gotten behind me when we were still on the Esplanade.  I guess he had spent the beginning of his ride trying to catch up to me!  He ended up taking the 80 mile route and riding with a group not from the area.  
       I think a day later, my brother called and said he thought someone had found my water bottle.  It turns out they had!  Big thanks to the Wentlands for finding, picking up, and returning the bottle!

Date's wrong.  Me, alone, somewhere before Corning.  The news was there covering the ride.

Things I learned and would recommend to others :

- Know yourself and how much food you need! If you're not sure, bring more.

- Either be in the leading group which has a Motorcycle lead out or be in a group who knows where they're going at least until you get to corning! After that it's pretty simple.

- Leave at least some water in both of your bottles so that they'll be less likely to rattle out in the gravel (the water bottle I lost was empty).

- Stay seated in the gravel! You need the weight over your rear wheel or it will just spin and you will be likely have to stop.

- Don't pick a gear too low.  Again all of the torque will cause you're wheel to spin in the gravel.

- Go your own pace.  Taking it easy will likely make the ride more enjoyable.  You'll be able to take a look around and enjoy the beauty.

- Don't ride alone.  Coming from someone who almost exclusively rides alone this should have some weight to it.  On long or difficult rides it is all around better to be with someone.  Not to mention it will be easier.

- Do the Paskenta Century Ride/Race! It's fun !

Big Thanks to Rodney for putting this on!