Tri-State Seacoast Century, September 24-25, 2011
In Review - Our 38th Annual Seacoast Century
Our 38 th annual Tri-State Seacoast Century event started on Saturday morning with light rain and drizzle which prompted an unbelievable number of flats – over 100 fixed by the Hampton Beach State Park bike mechanic in the first two hours – and we heard there were a lot more on the road! Our bike mechanics and sag drivers were more than busy, but with better conditions later our riders said the weather was very good for cycling under overcast skies and temperatures in the mid-70s. Sunday was the better day and many people opted to ride then instead of Saturday, one of benefits of our event being offered on two days.
We did have an unusual problem of our route markings being washed away by four days of rain prior to the event. The spray chalk we use to be compliant with local regulations can withstand a typical rainstorm, but not four days of rain. Many riders followed markers that were not ours and subsequently became lost or at least added some extra miles. Our map s and cue sheet s were used much more than usual. Our committee is considering additional route marking options in case we encounter so many rainy days again another year.
On the positive side, some 1,360 cyclists were logged as actually riding over the two-day event in spite of what was forecast to be a very wet weekend. And they came from far and wide! NH, MA, and ME riders were expected, but we had many cyclists from RI, CT, NY, VT, and even some from CA and the UK. The local economy also benefitted given the need for lodging and food for many people. Everyone seemed to have a good time and our volunteers received many words of thanks for their efforts – that’s what keeps us going year after year!
Improvements at the Fort McClary rest stop (used twice on the full Century route) included four portable toilets, extra 10-gallon jugs for water and Gatorade, and four water hoses for filling water bottles, washing grit off bikes and bodies, and all helping to keep the lines very short. Many compliments were received on the PB&J (and PB & banana) sandwiches made with all-natural “When Pigs Fly” Tuscan Wheat bread plus the usual offerings of oranges, bananas, and four kinds of cookies. At no time did the rest stop or headquarters (which is also a rest stop) run out of snacks or Gatorade.
Our on-line registrations via Active.com worked well while some people were “locked out” when we reached our cut-off date of August 31. If you were not able to register this year, plan to sign-up earlier next year – and benefit from the “early bird” rate as well. The registration period will open in April 2012.
Many riders reported other cyclists using headphones, not wearing helmets properly, passing improperly, and “hogging the lane” as motorized vehicles approached from the rear. Everyone was informed of the laws several ways, and our event is not a race with the roads closed just for cyclists. We stress having shared roadways and expect everyone to be courteous and practice common sense. Some 25 “Share the Road” signs were in place and we had more police details tha n ever , but certain “road warriors” still caused problems by ignoring the rules of the road and common courtesy.
Concerning volunteers, we could not run this event without you! Our Volunteer Coordinator Jean Manning did a great job of lining-up our weekend volunteers plus the bike mechanics from Buchika’s Ski & Sport Shop in Salem, S&W Sports in Salem, DG Cycle Sports in Epping, Goodale’s Bike Shop in Nashua, and Gus’ Bike Shop in North Hampton. Behind the scenes during the event plus many hours before and after it were committee members Bob Koehler, Lonnie Little, and Dave Topham. The GSW Board and SCC committee members thank all the volunteers and bike mechanics for their time and effort to make this event a success.
In looking ahead to next year, mark your calendars now for September 22-23, 2012, the third weekend after Labor Day, for our 39 th annual Seacoast Century. We will have a major route change since the Memorial Bridge between New Hampshire and Maine will not be an option until a new bridge is finished in 2014. Check the GSW web site for details and be sure to sign-up early!
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