A Century Ride is an objective of many recreational cyclists and today I completed a 163.5 km cycle ride which equates to 101.59 miles.
The last time I rode over 100 miles in one day was 1972, when aged 17, I cycled from Lydney, Gloucestershire to Ongar, Essex, a distance of 152 miles.
If I adhered to my planned route I knew I would exceed the 100 mile objective so today’s ride was really a question of endurance, stamina and a healthy dose of determination.
I left home a little before 0400, about 2.5 hours before sunrise.
It was my hope that I could get at least halfway before the forecast high temperatures appeared. In the event I was home long before the daily high of 29 degrees.
Baarle-Hertog is a Belgian community consisting of around 30 small territorial enclaves entirely located within the Dutch community of Baarle-Nassau in North Brabant.
In turn there are several smaller Dutch enclaves located within the Belgian enclaves.
This historic state of affairs has resulted in a somewhat confusing series of borders in this community which is better explained here.
The ride itself was great fun, with fabulous canal views at sunrise and many new roads explored.
I’m particularly pleased that I maintained a decent average speed of 19.9 km/h today.
A truly wonderful day’s cycling…..what’s next?
