We mailed your Bike Number and Wristband on September 1st or 2nd.  Look for the envelope in your mailbox in a few days.  If you don't receive it by September 13th send us an e-mail so we can track it down. 

Bike Number and Wristband Envelope

Do not use 2010 cue sheets because there are several cue sheet changes this year, so make sure that your cue sheet says 2011 at the top. 

Our 2011 Cue Sheets and Route Maps are now posted online.   

Please print the cue sheet for the ride you plan on participating in, and bring it with you.

We also posted printable route maps, which will show you mileage and rest stop locations for each route. 

Every year we continue to improve our ride in order to give you the best possible experience.  This year we've added a new rest stop called Church of Transfiguration.  It's located between the White Post rest stop and the finish at Clarke County High School.

Previously there was a 22 mile gap between White Post and the finish.  We decided that this was too far for some cyclists, so the gap between rest stops has been reduced to 13 miles.

Church of Transfiguration will be a welcome sight for tired riders looking for one last break before pushing through to the finish.

Church of Transfiguration is noted on all cues sheets, and it's located at the following mile markers -

• Mile 91 of the 100 Mile Ride
• Mile 56 of the 65 Mile Ride
• Mile 41 of the 50 Mile Ride
• Mile 20 of the 30 Mile Ride
• Mile 16 of the 25 Mile Ride

Just before you conclude your ride, you'll go through the town of Berryville and then continue along Business Route 7, before turning left on Westwood Road towards the high school.  See the map below. 

Business Route 7 (W Main Street) becomes a narrow two lane road and can get pretty busy.  The good news is that there's now an optional bike path which you can ride on, avoiding a short stretch of the busy road.

The bike path starts at Early Drive and West Main Street.  The Red Line on the map above designates the path, and the Red Arrows show what direction you'll be traveling.

All cue sheets make note of the * Optional Bike Path * so be sure to use it if you prefer to avoid traffic.  We highly recommend the bike path for families and less experienced cyclists. 

We don't want anyone getting injured at our ride, so please ride cautiously and defensively.

• Obey all traffic laws
• Come to a complete stop at all Stop Signs 
• Never assume a car will stop at an intersection
• Ride single file on primary roads (yellow line down center)
• Ride no more than two abreast on secondary roads
• Slow down on the downhills - some of them are steep
• Slow down when crossing Rail Road Tracks 
• Call out hazards to other riders - "Car Back", etc.
• Ride in groups for safety - don't ride alone  
• Call 911 if you're injured 
• Call our Support and Gear to come pick you up if you can't continue for any reason.  The phone number is on your cue sheet.  We're here to help no matter what you need.    

Bring a Gym Bag With a Change of Clothes

It's important that you prepare for your day and bring everything necessary for a long ride.  It will make your day more enjoyable; and in the event that you do have an issue, you'll be able to resolve it faster and with less hassle.  If you happen to forget something, we'll have merchants selling accessories at the ride start.

Here is a check list of items that you should bring.  Please print this page and refer to it when you're scrambling to get out of the house, and can't find your keys.

1. Your Wrist Band and Bike Number - You need to wear your Wristband and attach the Bike Number to your handlebars.  You may not ride without these two items.
2. Bike - Who wants to walk 100 miles?
3. Helmet - This is required for our ride.
4. Cycling Shoes - Don't forget your shoes!  We've all done this at least one time.
5. Cycling Socks - Your feet will hurt without them.
6. Cycling Gloves - Your palms with thank you at the end of the day.
7. Cycling Shorts - You don't want to ride 100 miles in jeans.
8. Cycling Jersey - Long sleeve if it's cool and short sleeve if it's warm.
9. Cycling Jacket - Bring a cycling jacket as late September mornings tend to be cool.  Vests work especially well this time of year.
10. Leg and Arm Warmers - Bring warmers to stay nice and cozy in the morning.
11. Cycling Glasses - Keeps the wind out of your eyes while you're going 30mph downhill.  Plus, you'll look cool too.
12. Bike Computer - You'll need this to follow the cue sheets and prove that you rode 100 miles.
13. Cue Sheet - Print out the cue sheet on our web site and bring it with you. If you forget, we'll have extras.
14. Cue Sheet Holder - Bring binder clips from your office or get a fancy cue sheet holder from a bike shop.
15. Cell Phone - Indispensable for getting help or ordering pizza.
16. ID and emergency contact information - Carry this with you during the ride.
17. Sun Screen - Get that perfect "100 mile tan" during the day.
18. Leg Ointment - Many cyclists like to apply a heating ointment or sports cream to their legs before a long ride.
19. Chamois Ointment - Putting chamois ointment on your cycling shorts can help prevent chafing during long rides.
20. Water Bottle(s) - We recommend having two water bottles.  It's a long ride.
21. Energy Bars - If you have a favorite energy bar or gel, be sure to bring some for the ride.
22. Spare Tube - Please carry an extra tire tube with you.  Even if you're unable to change your tire, someone else can assist.
23. Mini-Pump - Carry a pump or CO2 cartridge for that inevitable flat.
24. Mini-Tool - Even if you can't perform repairs yourself, a passing cyclist may be able to help.
25. Gym Bag - Bring a gym bag with a change of clothes, towel, soap and shampoo.  The high school locker rooms will be open for use, so you'll be able to shower after the ride.
26. Bike Lock - After the ride, you may want to lock your bike when you attend the post-ride cookout.  Otherwise, just lay it on the lawn like everyone else.
27. Smile - You must bring a smile and carry it with you at all times.  We want you to have fun and enjoy the day! 

Note: The 100 mile course is a figure 8 with two separate loops, leaving and returning to the High School.  After completing the first 50 miles, you can change clothes in the school locker room, or grab something from your car.  This makes it easy for you to dress in long sleeve clothes in the morning, and switch to short sleeve gear in the afternoon.

* Staggering ride starting times is very important * 

It's important for cyclists riding different distances to start at different times.  That way you'll be paired up with riders going the same speed and distance as you.  This makes it more fun for everybody.     

Faster Century riders (20+mph) don't want to be passing casual cyclists who are riding at 12 mph.  It creates congestion.  And slower riders can become uncomfortable with groups of fast cyclists zooming by.

That's why it's best for everyone to stagger their starting time, and we've developed the following guidelines after many years of experience -  

• 7:00am - 7:30am - 100 Mile English Century Riders
• 7:30am - 8:00am - 65 Mile Metric Century Riders
• 8:00am - 8:30am - 50 Mile Half Century Riders
• 8:30am - 9:00am - 30 Mile Extended Quarter Century Riders 
• 9:00am - 9:30am - 25 Mile Quarter Century Riders 

By following these starting time guidelines, not only will you have a more enjoyable ride, you'll encounter less congestion at rest stops.  When everyone starts out early (7:00am - 8:00am) lines tend to form.   

Also, our post-ride cookout starts at noon, so you don't want to finish your ride too early; especially if you plan on doing the 25 or 30 mile rides.

We have plenty of free parking, so don't worry about arriving later.  We actually encourage it!  

Group Rides at the Back Roads Century

* Please register for Group Rides by Monday Sept. 12th *

Potomac Pedalers ride leaders will be leading group rides at the Back Roads Century in all distances - 25, 30, 50, 65 and 100 miles.  Each group ride is tailored to a specific level of rider which corresponds to the distance.  Whether you're an experienced cyclist going 100 miles at a fast pace, or if you're a family going 25 miles for the first time - we have just the ride for you!

Below is the full ride listing with start times, distances and speeds.  We ask that you review the rides in detail to find the one appropriate for your ability.  Then register online so that we have a firm count of Group Ride participants.   

You must be registered for the Back Roads Century in order to participate in one of these group rides. 

Click on each ride leader's name to view the ride details, and to register for a group ride. 

We've got just a few jerseys left in stock in limited sizes.  You can still place an online order for pickup at the Century as long as your size is still available. 

If we've run out of your size, you can place an order at the Century and we'll ship the jersey to your home in late November.

You'll be the envy of your fellow riders when they see you in this beautiful cycling jersey, which highlights some of the unique features of our ride.  

On the front are rolling hills, farmland, horses and cyclists.  And prominently displayed, is the White Post street marker which you'll see at the intersection of White Post Road and Berry's Ferry Road.  The post was originally placed by George Washington, under the direction of Lord Fairfax in 1750.

The # 1 question that we receive is "How hard are the routes".  The answer is "They're not easy".  The Back Roads Century is considered moderately hilly - up and down hills, however there are no mountain climbs.  Here is an overview of each route so that you can decide which one is appropriate for you.

25 Mile - Quarter Century

This is the flattest and easiest route we offer.  There's only 950 feet of climbing which makes it suitable for most casual cyclists.  Rest stop is at mile 13-Burwell-Morgan Mill. 

30 Mile - Extended Quarter Century 

This is the same route as our 25 mile ride, plus we've added a section that parallels the Shenandoah River.  The hills next to the river could pose some difficulty because they're steep, so you want to be sure you can handle the climbs.  There's a total of 1,400 feet of climbing on this route.  Rest stops are at mile 13-Burwell-Morgan Mill and mile 21-Church of Transfiguration. 

50 Mile - Half Century  

There are no long climbs however you'll encounter lots of short, steep hills of 5-10% or more.  The 50 mile route is also the second half of the full 100 mile Century.  Total vertical climb is 2,500 feet. Rest stops are at mile 13-Burwell-Morgan Mill, mile 28-White Post Restorations, and mile 41-Church of Transfiguration. 

65 Mile - Metric Century 

This may actually be the the most difficult of our routes because of the climbs - and it's also one of our most popular!  The Metric Century has all of the short, steep hills of the 50 mile ride, plus one long climb between miles 27 and 30.  We have a rest stop strategically located at mile 30, right at the top of the long climb.  Total vertical is 3,000 feet.  Rest stops are at mile 13-Burwell-Morgan Mill, mile 30-Fairfview Church, 43-White Post Restorations, and mile 56-Church of Transfiguration. 

100 Mile - English Century

The full Century has a total vertical climb of 4,700 feet which is considered moderately hilly.  The first half is 2,200 vertical, and the hills are more gradual than the second half of the Century.  Therefore the first half is the easier of the two.  The second half of the Century has lots of short, steep hills in the 5-10% range or more, so be sure to save some energy for the second half of your ride.  Rest stops are at mile 28-South Jefferson Elementary, mile-50 Clarke County High School, mile 63-Burwell-Morgan Mill, mile 78-White Post Restorations, and mile 91-Church of Transfiguration. 

Our 100 mile Century is a figure 8 course, out and back from the high school.  This makes it easy for you to change clothes or make equipment adjustments at mile 50 when you return to the ride start.

Here is a link to interactive route maps which show elevation profiles.

Here is a link to 2011 Cue Sheets.

Yes, you are free to choose any route at any time.  We realize that you may have planned on riding one distance, and circumstances now dictate that you'll be riding something different.  No problem!

During registration we asked you what distance you were riding so that we can plan food at each of our rest stops.  Different stops are on different routes.  We find that just as many riders move up in distance (65 to 100) as down (100 to 65), therefore it tends to even out.

So don't worry about what distance you told us during registration.  Just pick a route and have fun! 

We've just established a Google Group for you to connect with other Back Roads Century riders. So go ahead and start a new discussion to get the ball rolling.

This is a great way to plan a carpool, find a riding partner, or ask questions about the Century to fellow riders.

You can join the group by first signing in to your Google account.

Click here to connect

 

Is your bike holding you back from a faster and easier Century?  Then consider renting a high-end road bike to ride in the Back Roads Century.

We're offering bike rentals through our partnership with Revolution Cycles City Hub of Arlington, VA.  Revolution has an inventory of Trek 5.2 Madone road bikes for rent at the reduced rate of $145.00, for the weekend of our ride. 

You have the option of picking up the bike at their shop in Crystal City (Arlington, VA) or

they'll deliver it to you at our ride start on September 18th at no extra charge.  What could be easier?

See our website for more details.

Visit our website at www.BackRoadsCentury.org

Our Back Roads Century website contains a wealth of information to help you prepare for the big day.  The address is

www.BackRoadsCentury.org

We have route maps, cue sheets, photos, training tips, what to bring - you name it, and it's on our website.  Please take the time to browse through the site and learn more about our event.  Just about any question you have will be answered here.

2011 Cue Sheets will be posted in late August.

The Back Roads Century wouldn't be possible without the generous support of our sponsors.  Please keep these merchants in mind when you're in the market for cycling products or services.