An unspoken part of the distance riding scene is the fact that it starts early. This makes a lot of sense given that most of the rides are in summer when the midday heat can be a problem. The more of the ride you get done before noon the better.
A foggy sunrise heading to the start
The Harvest Century, as one of the latest rides of the season, is pretty chilly to start but this year the foggy views kind of made up for it.
Views like this make the early start easier
I first rode the Harvest Century 2011 on a rented road bike (I’d just started with my hybrid which I would soon replace with my trusty Cannondale). Since then the ride has moved its starting point from Hillsboro to Canby, although some bits of the ride still overlap. One common point with many Portland area centuries is a stop off in Champoeg State Park. My family showed up there this year to cheer me on in old-fashioned style.
Go Daddy Go!
Although the hills weren’t as intense as the Ride Around Clark County 2024, there was still plenty of climbing. I’m happy with my time although my rear-end sure wishes my times were closer to the 6 hour marks I used to be capable of.
And we’re done
Here’s to a season of biking in the books. Bring on the next!