Just to let the 2.5 people who check in here every month know, the 100 Grand Bicycle Tour is tomorrow, Saturday June 5th. Until I became aware of the fine machinations of the Rapid Wheelmen bicycle club, I always assumed that the 100 Grand was just a delicious candy bar. But not so. It is also a delicious bike tour that's been going on forever, though I could be incorrect about forever. I don't know if that's an Evolutionary Forever, or a Biblical Forever, but my guess it's been around a little after the advent of the bicycle. Below you'll see the Tour originator Mr. Grand Rapid, on his "Wheel" about to roll out for the first club century. Well maybe the last century.
As bicycle design developed, but before high-speed carbon bikes and new-fangled aero-bars , the 100 Grand was a romantic frolic on two-wheels, with lots of singing and bowler wearing involved. While there's still some of that today, hardly anyone does this kind of thing anymore (below). Sitting on aero-bars would make me sing off-key, how about you? But maybe not Katherine Ross. She was such a great actress in her day.
Kidding aside, here's the real thing. I'm going to be there (like that's an inducement to ride) and I promise not to yell at anybody. Even if they jerk their bike out in front of me to sprint for some of the delicious food that will be offered all along the various routes.http://www.lmb.org/rapidwheels/100_Grand/100grand_ride.htm
Here's some other helpful where, when, what stuff, like where it starts and where you can register, and what you can ride:
West Side Christian School 955 Westend Avenue Grand Rapids, MI 49504
The BEST food. Scenic, low-traffic roads. Friendly, helpful SAG. 17, 35, 65, and 105 mile options. Registration opens at 7:00 am, the course (I guess that's the road) opens at 8 am.
Thankfully the 100 Grand is run by responsible people, unlike me, so the chances of you running into a gaggle of riders that looks anything like this (below) is extremely unlikely. See you there!
