Century bike ride

I'm hoping to participate in a 200K bike ride in August, so I though I'd better get some long rides under my belt. This morning, I took off at 4:30 AM, by myself, to do 100 miles (a Century). I snapped a few photos along the way with my Blackberry. The photos aren't great, but they do capture a moment. This was my first Century.

5:36 AM, Sunrise over the Superstition Mountains. This was along Baseline heading east. 11 miles out.

6:30 AM. At the top of Idaho in AJ there is a hill we always climb. This is at the top of that hill. 26 miles out.

8:01 AM. This is at the top of King Kong, Bush Highway right where you can see the Salt River. It's a good climb. I'd climbed Usery Pass frontside and raced down the backside. From here I went down Bush (Power) to McDowell where I hit 50 miles and then turned around. This photo was at 48 miles out.

10:06 AM. Ellsworth and Brown. At Power & McDowell I turned around and rode down King Kong and then up the backside of Usery and down the front. It was time for more water. From here I continued east on Brown heading for AJ. This is at 67 miles out.

11:45 AM. Goldfield and Baseline in Mesa (where Baseline ends). I learned that by this point the temperature had risen to 103°. I was pouring as much water on me as I was in me. 85 miles out.

1:14 PM. Home at last. I burned 6,196 calories, but lost no weight. It was 108° by this time and I just got into my board shorts and sat in the pool while I consumed two Big Macs and a large chocolate shake. The two little fingers on each hand are still numb, but other than that, I'm pretty much OK. I've been invited to do another Century next week. Still thinking about that.

If you're interested in seeing the route and my metrics, follow this link: Lost Dutchman/Usery Century