Century Challenge
The undeniable resurgence of endurance racing is taking Michigan by storm. With events like the Lumberjack, Marji Gesick, and Coast 2 Coast Gravel Grinder on the horizon, we have a fabulous training ride at your fingertips for those looking to get the miles in. Once again we will host the official Milford Trail Challenge!
The Details
Your ride must include all 5 trails that are part of the Milford Bike Festival: Highland, Milford, Island Lake, Proud Lake/Kensington Connector, Hickory Glen. You must travel to all 5 trails on your bike; no driving in between trails! Ride them in any order you choose, or follow the provided .gpx file loaded onto your Garmin or similar GPS device (official file will be available a week or two before the event). Be aware of and respectful of other events going on in the area (e.g. the Island Lake Triathlon will use the paved paths that connect the state park and Kensington earlier in the day, so this may be a better trail to save for later in the day). Please visit our "Trail System" section if you would like to learn more about the trails themselves!
You must ride the ENTIRE TRAIL'S SYSTEM. That means ABCD at Highland, all 4 loops of Proud Lake, etc. Please familiarize yourself with the trail systems ahead of time so you don't miss a section! Is it 100-miles exactly? Nah, but we promise its close enough!
New route for 2023 here: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/43047329
Note: The section in Proud Lake is new and may not exactly line up with the actual trail. Please follow the signs and please don't go off trail. A section of the new loop is ridden twice to keep you off of the gravel roads in the area.
No additional cost with registration, however you must check the box when you register! PRE REGISTRATION ONLY! NO DAY OF CHALLENGE REGISTRATION WILL BE AVAILABLE! We recommend starting with the sun (or before - bring lights!) for this one. YOU MUST DROP OFF A COMPLETED WAIVER AT THE REGISTRATION TENT DURING THE DAY.
You must find some way to provide proof of your ride. Garmin, Strava, etc. needs to be used so that you can provide a file to the organizers who can review your ride. This is a self-supported ride with no aid stations or SAG support. Fortunately there are a handful of party stores within shouting distance from a few of our trails. Have an emergency plan in place in case you need a ride to bail you out. Please visit the "How to Prepare" section of this page to brush up on your self-supported ethos.
We STRONGLY RECOMMEND you choose park roads, dirt roads, and bike paths where available. Using busy thoroughfares such as Milford Rd. is unnecessary as there are several safer, lighter traffic options to get between trails. Our safe trail connectivity is part of what makes Milford such an incredible Michigan trail town, so take advantage of this!
THIS IS NOT A RACE. You will be judged on route completion only on June 4, 2022. Ride your ride at a pace that you can maintain for the day. E-mail proof of your completed ride to tom.hermann@mcmba.org by midnight the same day so you can be recognized for your efforts!
Why do I want to do this?
Why does anyone do any of this stuff. If you're the kind of person who will ride ~100 miles on the knobby tires in one day, that question likely doesn't exist in your brain space. At this time, your reward is bragging rights and the stories you'll ultimately get from your day's journey. Our team is assessing our current resources to see if we can provide a cool handmade award to be mailed out to those who complete the challenge. As of right now, we are not planning on handing out physical awards, but if this changes, we will let you all know!
