# Anybody going to Wenatchee



## Fordy (Feb 3, 2004)

next weekend? It's a fun, well organized century. I just enjoy getting out of the city and out on the open road. Usually better weather than the west side is a benefit in this century.


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## Quadburner (Jan 12, 2005)

*Apple Century*



Fordy said:


> next weekend? It's a fun, well organized century. I just enjoy getting out of the city and out on the open road. Usually better weather than the west side is a benefit in this century.


Hi Fordy,

I've signed up for it this year. Haven't done it since 98. Was a fun century. I'm looking forward to it, it's a nice change in scenery from Western Wa. Hopefully the weather will be good. Usually is this time of year in Wenatchee... 80 deg today.


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## Fordy (Feb 3, 2004)

*My buddy and I have a tradition*

We like to take Friday off of work and ride to Wenatchee. Then do the century on Saturday. If you or anybody else are so inspired we will leave North Seattle/ Edmonds fairly early Friday. Maybe see you on the road?


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## Quadburner (Jan 12, 2005)

Fordy said:
 

> We like to take Friday off of work and ride to Wenatchee. Then do the century on Saturday. If you or anybody else are so inspired we will leave North Seattle/ Edmonds fairly early Friday. Maybe see you on the road?


You guys are hard core! I'm coming from Bellingham (by car) on Friday. If I see you, I'll honk (green subaru outback).


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## bikejr (Jul 30, 2004)

*...*



Fordy said:


> We like to take Friday off of work and ride to Wenatchee. Then do the century on Saturday. If you or anybody else are so inspired we will leave North Seattle/ Edmonds fairly early Friday. Maybe see you on the road?


 Do you also ride back after the century or how do you get home?


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## Fordy (Feb 3, 2004)

*Too old for that*

Riding home is too much any more. I did it in 97 and 95. Sunday traffic over Stevens pass is a nightmare anyway. We hitch a ride with another friend.


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## borregokid (Jun 9, 2005)

*Apple Century*

I was thinking of doing the ride. I cant imagine biking over Stevens Pass though the day before. The only thing I wish this ride would have is a mass start. Instead people trickle out all morning long with most of the "speed merchants" out pretty early. Last year I pinch flatted crossing the Columbia at the start.


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## Fordy (Feb 3, 2004)

*They used to do a mass start*

I think the permiting authorities nixed it after a couple of problems.


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## bikejr (Jul 30, 2004)

Fordy said:


> I think the permiting authorities nixed it after a couple of problems.


 All it says on the web site is:

*Race Day Start Times -- Race day staggered start times are 7:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m. Pick a time and be ready to go!

*Note they call it a race... But it isn't timed or anything.. This sounds to me like two mass start times.. When I did it sometime in the mid 90's it was a mass start, which can be kind of a mess. I don't know why they do that on rides like this. Especially since it isn't a race so who cares when you start. I can see maybe they are trying to discourage people riding the century from starting at noon and being out on the course forever but.... I've always driven over the same day and would just as soon leave when I get there and get ready.

Mass starts on rides like this you always have to be even more careful than say in a race as in these rides you haven even more inexperienced riders, some with no experience riding in a pack. Granted after a few miles it spreads out but....


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## borregokid (Jun 9, 2005)

*Trickle Start*

I did the Wenatchee the past two years. I think they mentioned that 800 am start time both times. I think both years there was no mass start, everyone simply trickled onto the course. I ran the Palm Springs Century and they had a mass start of 7,000 riders feeding from three spots onto two lanes. I must have started a little ways back in Palm Springs because I was passing riders for thirty miles or so, It also took about 8-9 miles before you could really open up. The Apple Valley does have that nice climb out of Chelan where you can drop a lot of bikers that arent into climbing.  If you start at 8am you will pretty much be passing riders till the end.


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