I hear chimes.

I hear two chimes. Its not my watch which chimes twice on the hour though I can't spare a glance so focused am I on keeping the pedals turning. Its my GPS. I've set it to stop recording when I drop below 3 mph. It chimes politely to let me know its on the job, a kind of electronic salute.

I can see 16% grade showing on the GPS. I must have dropped below three for a second. I'm at 102 miles and climbing the last hill up from the Spokane River Centennial Trail route west of Spokane. Behind me Tibbals is just starting this climb on his recumbent with legs he claimed had been pushed too far 25 miles ago.

"The climbing's not so bad," Dave reported before we started this morning. "I used Map My Ride to map it." And he is right. This scenic ride along the Spokane River has no Spiral Highway, no Wawawai Canyon, no Old Winchester Grade. Spokane cyclists always ask if we really ride the Spiral Highway. They are impressed by the length.

The Lilac Century does include one long climb of 11 miles ending in Reardon, WA, but it is 2% to 4% rising through a twisting tree lined valley. This is a ride in the park by comparison with our climbs.

On the other hand the ride along the Spokane river rollercoasters suddenly and steeply, leaving quads quivering. Even 5,000 feet of climbing spread out over one hundred miles of short climbs can look pretty flat on an elevation map. Don't believe it.

Dave and I are pretty much dead last. That doesn't mean we are alone. The Centennial Trail along the river is only a few miles from downtown Spokane and popular with cyclists, runners, families. The river is runs wide and smooth here and offers dramatic vistas from forested slopes.

But the rest of the century riders have pretty much left us behind. We started at the back of the pack to be sure and we did average over 17 mph most of the way to Reardon. But somewhere along the line we got dropped. Recumbents don't do well on those 12% climbs and Dave's legs were played out. I stopped at the tops of the hills and then chased him on the downsides. We were having fun and didn't need no stinkin' racers anyway.

We made that 10 mile loop seeing only a single rider ahead of us. Just before the last rest stop we caught a single woman rider. She's from Colfax and I gave her a club card. She seemed tired but pulled off before us saying she'd see us when we caught her again. She was at Fort Wright when we got back. She probably found new strength trying to get away from two old men.

Once again, Linda did the 50 miler starting an hour later but not before she went to Lourdes Cathedral for a little pre-ride helping. You train your way, I"ll train mine.

I'm pleased with my ride. I felt strong the entire way though the legs complained, they never quit. Two weeks ago I wasn't sure I could do this ride. My foot was better but the only post injury century I had done was with Dave the Saturday Steve was here. The last 30 miles was flat and I was tired. The foot still troubles me walking but on the bike, its never an issue and with Lilac I've completed a century in just over six hours. Chris wouldn't be satisfied, but I am.

Is that a chime, I hear?