It seems that a lot of the discussion here right now is about the recent tragic deaths of cyclists, and that's as it should be.  I hope no one minds if I interject a little personal thank-you note.

In December, 2015 I put up a post saying that I had decided to try to ride the 2016 Apple Cider Century.  I had never participated in a century ride before.  I received many thoughtful and helpful responses from Chainlink members, which formed the basis for my preparation for the event.  I could have done better at my training, and I did some stupid things that caused me grief (such as drinking wine up to about 2:00 a.m. on the day of the ride, forgetting my gloves, changing my shoes and saddle at the last minute, and underestimating the amount and grade of the hills involved, among others.)  But, because of the things I actually did right, and which I had learned from Chainlinkers, I am happy to say that I made it through the entire 100 miles.  It wasn't easy and it certainly wasn't pretty.  Some of those hills had me gasping like a dying fish.  But my 59-year-old self and 30-year-old Centurion Ironman made it to the finish, and the experience was unforgettable.  I'm just a simple recreational and city rider, and this was a big deal for me.  

The organization of the ride was superb.  I sometimes get lost finding my way out of people's homes, but the route was marked out so clearly that I never lost my way.  Kudos to all involved!  And I was tickled by the fact that every time I pulled over, even if just to swig a few electrolytes, other riders would ask if everything was OK.  Cyclists are good people, a real band of brothers and sisters, and that is important in these recently sad and difficult times.

I have learned immensely from this website.  I would never have completed the ACC without the knowledge I received from the responses to my posts and from the hundreds of other posts I have read.  Thank you all again!