When did you last cycle 100 miles in one day? For most of us such a question would only raise an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right?”

Well, five current and retired RRC employees and three spouses drove 478 km from Winnipeg to Park Rapids Minnesota the weekend of September 26 to do just that. The Headwaters 100 is an annual one-day, 100-mile (161 km) bike ride through Itasca State Park, source of the mighty Mississippi. The route is stunningly beautiful in the fall, and this year’s sunny 27 degree weather certainly added to the enjoyment.

Our Head Honcho, Wayne Ferguson, was the first of us to ride the Headwaters some fifteen years ago. Retired from RRC in 2012, Wayne was the inspiration for this team trek that included current employees Lisa Case, Guy Dugas, Dayna Graham, and Mike Poitras. 2014 marked Lisa’s and Dayna’s 1st Headwaters, Mike’s 3rd, Guy’s 5th, and Wayne’s 8th.

Did we all ride the full 100 miles?

Actually, only Dayna and Mike can boast completing the entire 161 km. And this was the first time in eight outings that our Head Honcho did not go the full distance.

But what made this year particularly significant was the fact that Wayne had undergone hip replacement surgery this past spring. So he hadn’t even started riding again until late July!
Oh, and did I mention that Wayne is 75? Sure, he had pronounced before his operation that he intended to cycle the Headwaters again this year. “Yeah, right.” I thought. But, true to his word, there we were again.

In the end, the spirit was strong but the flesh weak(er). Wayne did complete a “century”, but he quit after only one hundred kilometers, not one hundred miles.

Still, not too shabby I think.

Maybe next year…