From the Archives: National Century Patch, 1994

On Sunday 2 October 1994 I "went up to Frazier Park with Mitch and Dave (a fourth, Andrzej, suffering a change of plans) to do the Five County Century. It was tough with some steep granny gear climbs and some flyin' no-brake descents. We got there late and were some of the last to start but caught everyone and were the first in to the lunch stop as well as the finish. Had to wait for my legs to come around, and had to use my 23 for the first time ever, on the initial climb. Recovered though, and on the steeper climb up to Heartbreak was on form to reach the top first. That cooked me but good, and on the last roller before pulling back into Frazier, I blew up and could only watch Dave and Mitch ride away - until they realized I wasn't with them and they slowed to wait." That is what friends are for.

The old saying "such and such went to ... and all I got was this lousy tee shirt" springs to mind when I look at this patch - "I did this hundred mile ride, and all I got was this lousy patch" - but only because the sentiment is far from the truth. I've got the memories, and they are worth far more. Speaking of which, I have this vague memory of the organizers running out of the actual event patches by the time we got there, and were give this alternate instead; maybe it was pins that they ran out of and we had to settle for the patch. I don't know.