First Official Century

[Rick Youngblood]

Last Saturday I completed my first sanctioned 100 mile cycling century, Bike Around the Buttes in Sutter CA. This is also the sanctioned event with my Vendetta 2. Last year I did my first 100 mile ride on my Silvio and followed that up with a 125 mile ride within thirty days. So basically this is my third 100 mile ride, all on Cruzbikes.

About a week and a half earlier I gave myself a mild Lateral Collateral Ligament injury which started acting up at about 45 miles in. The last 20 miles of the 100 were painful mostly in the LCL.

Beginning of the ride air temp was just about 50 degrees and ended at about 88 degrees, but felt like it was 110 on the last mile.

All in all, I had a blast, the Vendetta wanted to go fast. I wanted to go fast too, but kept thinking "take care of the knee". It was a long long day for me, up at 1:45 am and drive 130 miles in 2 hours, ride 100 miles, and then drive back home.

I taped my right injured knee to help with stress, and taped the left because I knew it would be worked hard to relieve the left.

My Strava activity.

Here are a few photos taken by the onsite photographers.

That's me standing in line waiting to register, wearing the yellow "Share the Road" shirt. And no I did not wera flip-flops to ride in !

This one is 30 minutes in. Still wearing 3 layers and freezing.

This is me stripped down to full on summer, I even took my gloves off. Taken near the end.

 

[Lief]

Great pics Rick. Never would a recognized you without the bike under ya!
Nice job finishing and NOT hurting yourself.

Congrats.

Bike looks great
You look like you've got it really dialed in… fantastic!

 

[BentAero]

At least the tape matches your jacket.

Good job, man. Hope I'm man enough to ride half that far someday.

What model helmet are you wearing?

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Thanks guys.

Great pics Rick. Never would a recognized you without the bike under ya!

I know, I look to be incognito.

What model helmet are you wearing?

Gary it's a Giros Savant Road Bike Helmet. The visor is from a BMX helmet. I've also got a helmet like Larry's, but when the sun is out and bright, I can't see.

 

[DuncanWatson]

Congrats on the ride. You look great on the bike.

 

[telephd]

Nice job Rick!! Did the tape help and how did you figure out the configuration? Im going to try my first reclined century 5/16 up in Fresno. Today I had some very unusual R knee pain and I think it is the result of new shoes and hard 40 mile yesterday. Want to investigate the taping if it dosent improve soon.

 

[Cruzbike Chris]

Congrats Rick, great job and good speeds for a bum knee.

 

[LarryOz]

Fantastic pictures Rick - and of course a fantastic ride too!
I agree with everyone - I just would not have recognized you without the V under you.
It's funny for me all dressed and ready to ride - I feel and look just anyone. Take me off the bike and helmet off, then I just look like an grey haired old man! haha. All I need is a grey beard! (Not very aero though I'm afraid)
As we have talked about previously your recover is nothing short of a miracle!
Keep up the good work, protect your knee(s) - I know you'll have even more amazing rides, stories and pictures to share!

 

[ratz]

All I need is a grey beard! (Not very aero though I'm afraid)

What? I have to shave? I was going on the golf ball aero theory.

Great ride Rick. To think I year ago you were posting your Silvio build pictures.

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Thank you, guys!

Yep it's been a year, a fast one at that. Time fly's by when you get into your fifties for sure.

I will never know if the KT tape worked, I think it helps support the muscles and ligaments to a degree. YouTube videos shows how to tape certain muscle areas you are trying to support.

 

[LarryOz]

What? I have to shave? I was going on the golf ball aero theory.

Ratz, I didn't know you had than many dimples on your face/head!
Give them time, I'll be helmet makers start making dimpled helmets - heck they might do that already for all I know!

 

[Rick Youngblood]

As we have talked about previously your recover is nothing short of a miracle!

Mine is nothing compared to yours Larry. I'm amazed at how many times you've avoided what could have been a BAD outcome. I think a lot of us here have our own battles we've overcome.

 

[BentAero]

Today I had some very unusual R knee pain and I think it is the result of new shoes and hard 40 mile yesterday. Want to investigate the taping if it dosent improve soon.

New shoes could have caused your pedal distance to change. Did you change brands/styles of pedals/cleats also?

 

[telephd]

BentAero, I changed the pedal distance when I got the new shoes about 200 miles ago. Same pedals (Shimano A600) and new cleats for the new shoes. My R pedal interface does seem to have more float than the L though. The knee pain showed up yesterday during a recovery ride after a hard 40 ride Sunday. I lengthened about 10-15mm more at about 140 and felt a bit over extended so at 160 shortened the reach to the handlebars by about 20mm. If anything I was a tad under extended for the 40. Im in the process of looking for a bike fitter in SoCal. Have a call in to Dana over at BentUp Cycles. Been icing and taking naproxen and a massage today. Will see my Chiro tomorrow for a tuneup.

 

[Robert Holler]

Most excellent!

 

[Eric Winn]

Impressive ride Rick. Elevation profile and Google street view snooping along part of your course looked interesting.

Looked kinda of like a lot of pretty flat combine with that Pass Road hike. How was that part?

It is snowing today.... The more I look at your pictures the more I keep thinking I should migrate to your neck of the planet.

-Eric

 

[Rick Youngblood]

Thanks Eric

It's very flat, the pass is really easy and it's what the ride is all about circling Butte the tiny mountain range, but it's 60 miles just to start that part. Mostly farm and cattle land, very beautiful and a lot of fun.

What? Snowing? Currently sunny and 83 degrees here, cooled down a little from the weekend which hit the low 90's. The end of the ride was pretty hot, being in the sun all day and then getting the afternoon sun. I came home with a sunburn.

Bike riding year round here in Northern California. We get a lot of folks coming from the SF Bay Area, and Oregon to ride our area.

 

[battleaxe0]

Sneaux? I've heard of this! 85 today, low 67. Morning ride will be a little chilly.
If you walk outside and DON'T burst into sweat, it's cold.

 

[SamP]

Looks like about 15 miles north of Sacramento? I used to live in Sunnyvale (silicon valley) and hmm... you could ride almost year round, if you didn't mind getting wet during the winter rains (and sometimes the winter would get cold enough to have some snow...)