Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

We put on a 100 mile ride for 25 years.  This year's attendance was great, partly because the Tevis was cancelled and partly because we said this was to be our last year.

Before that, attendance was spotty, but mostly poor.  In 2006, we had 12 riders in the 100, three times that many in the 75 that accompanied the 100.  I would say there would be more 100 mile rides if more riders would attend and support them.  It's a huge project to put on a 100 miler, and if riders don't attend, then why should ride managers work that hard to put them on?  Someone told me that one of the reasons more riders don't attend 100 milers is that multi-day riders are more fun, give the riders more points, and offer a lovely 5-day vacation.  I have to agree that 5-day rides are wonderful, but the downside may be the disappearance of the 100s.  Think about it.  If riders need more 100s to become nationally competitive, show support for the rides that ARE offered, or they will (and perhaps already have) disappear.

 

Barbara

----- Original Message -----

From: Dunn, Meghan

To: ridecamp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Sent: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 3:25 PM

Subject: [RC] 100 mile rides are disappearing

I have been trying to do a hundred mile ride for several months now. It seems though that in the central region all 100 mile rides are disappearing. I counted yesterday and figured out that five years ago there used to be 8 hundred mile rides in our region. Now there are 2 a year. This year one had to be cancelled so there was only one. What is the reasoning for this? Do people not want to do them anymore? Also, the number of rides a year is diminishing as well. It seems now that if you want to be nationally competitive in our sport you have to travel to the east or west coast. Is this just me or do others feel the same way.

 

Meghan Dunn

Central Region