I only found out about the event a few days before, but I was there for their first informational meeting. Besides laying out the itinerary for the week, they also discussed the details of the first event — a century ride on antique bikes of various designs. I was intrigued. I've done plenty of century rides, but I couldn't imagine riding such a distance on an old penny farthing (or high-wheeler or ordinary as they are more properly known). The idea seemed ridiculous, which is why I fell in love with these people immediately.

Any thoughts that I had of doing the ride on my own modern penny farthing were quashed the next morning when I woke to pouring rain. In the end, because of the weather, fewer people undertook the 100 mile ride than initially expected. However, I was still impressed that 18 people actually took to their high-wheelers and other assorted antique bikes for the grueling ride in the rain.

People came from all over the world for this event, I met people from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, New Zealand, Scotland, Slovakia, Switzerland, and from all across the United States. Diane Blake from Florida offered me a chance to ride her own hand-crafted high-wheeler reproduction. Diane builds these bikes under the Victory Bicycles brand name. I was totally impressed with Diane's work.