(and isn’t even a race anyway)

by Justin Reid

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Lawyers and the litigious – what’s with them? It’s a sad state of affairs when a club called CENTURY Road Club can’t publicize its annual Bear Mountain New Years Day Century Ride for fear of someone slipping, falling, or crashing and suing the Club. Understandable from the Clubs point of view but a pity nonetheless. That said this year was no different from many previous and in the cold, dark 32 degree, lets not forget icy New Years morning 17 hardy souls clipped in and set off on 2 laps of our beloved Central Park, then out to Bear Mountain and back. Any route you fancy any speed you like.

A lot of the usual suspects were present including last years first returnee –Thomas Pennell of Blue Ribbon, along with his teammate Mat Howard, a Sakonet trio led by team manager Basil, a couple of Axis’ old faithful Geoff Bickford and Kurt Gustafson and CRCA’s own Jens Voight Ken Harris along with 2 teammates.

As in previous years all 17 riders kept together to Nyack through slush and ice – and those bloody GWB steps. A Ken Harris surge trimmed the group down to 11 then in contrast to previous years the pace remained steady and dare I say it sensible to Bear Mountain Inn, which played the ultimate prank on Century riders by being closed, no water and no potty breaks. (Well no water anyway, if they are gonna close the inn we’ll leave them with yellow snow).

On the return no sooner had we left the confines of the Inn and Ken put in a hard move. Last I saw of him till Engineers Gate. But not so some of the other intrepid riders, a more than steady pace was set with largely the Blue Ribbon duo, Basil and Geoff Bickford doing the lions share. What happened at the business end after Haverstraw frankly I’ve no idea as I was out the back with a bad case of…not being good enough. But rumor has it…Basil, Geoff and the surprise of the “event” Chris Loudon of Visitbritain dropped the last of their companions Matt Howard just after State Line, then in the cruelest of ironies caught Ken just after the turn off from 9W before the GWB. These 4 stayed together till the last 20 blocks up 5th Ave. Now thats just plain cruel, having to sprint at the end of 100 miles in an event that isn’t.

Final list of all returnees who made it back to Central Park

Geoff Bickford – around 5hours 45 min, Chris Loudon, Ken Harris, Basil Moutsopolous, Matt Howard, Kurt Gustafson, Jonathon Bloom (nice one), Thomas Pennell (bonked), Justin Reid

Special thanks to Eric Berend who got up very early and made it to Engineers Gate before 7am to hand out the cards and send the riders on their way as well as meet them on their return. And Ted Neu who counted them all back in and brought cans of sweet, nourishing Coke (full fat), PowerBars and Gatorade for all the finishers.