Cyclegeography 101 If you point your bike in one direction and keep pedaling, one eventually covers alot of ground, er, pavement. Naturally the writer would prefer this aspect of century rides was more complicated so as to increase the potential for journalistic depth, but it is not.
Cyclegeography 201 Loyal Torontonians aren't supposed to say this, but the scenery tends to improve further from the City. Further is past about 40k of suburban sprawl from every postwar period and then billboards and "model homes" promoting future sprawl. If this is out and back, then 40+40=80, see, you've already committed to half the century before seeing your first tree. The other 80k just come naturally, and often includes travel over recognizable landforms covered with indigenous vegetation or cultivars in season.
Gastronomy 101 The great irony of cycling in rural Ontario is that the best cycling routes tend not to have any food stops unless your diet is based on alfalfa or raw corn. Sometimes even water supply is a challenge of sorts. Lord Baden-Powell had two words for these situations, and the second was 'prepared'.
Touring Metaphysics The Essence of cycle-touring is getting from Point A to Point B. If you are concerned about your ability to do that, don't worry, you will finish, for whatever the real or apparent difficulties may be in arriving at Point B, or returning to Point A, the consequences of leaving but not arriving are worse, generally unthinkable actually, so the cosmic path of least resistance virtually ensures that you will finish. Still with me?
Cyclediplomacy TBNers are tactful. No-one will ask you directly how long the ride took, and of course they already know that you finished due to Touring Metaphysics. If you require reassurance before the ride, someone will suggest you bring lights.
Economic Rationalization There is a reason you bought a $2500 bike. It was to ride a bike that isn't failing faster than you. If you don't do the longer rides, you have just become some marketing wizards' dream customer.
Climatology The cold/wet/windy weather in April is all too soon followed by the uncertain weather of October, so if one follows one's instincts, a comfortable recreational ride schedule will get you fit for century rides just as the cycling season ends. Ignore your instincts, and train early. And it is possible to miss more rides due to bad weather forecasts than due to bad weather. Apologies to the nice computer at Environment Canada, but the forecasts tend to be painted with a pretty broad brush which tend to translate the possiblity of any rain anticipated south of Sudbury as rain on your ride.
Chemistry 101 There's no need for discussion of appropriate post-ride refreshments because they are all appropriate.
Fame Your non-cycling friends and family will always be dazzled by the news you are completing 100 mile rides. They will not remark on how flat the Toronto area tends to be, that the Toronto Randonneurs regularly schedule even longer rides or that modern manufacturing technology has certainly improved bicycle tires and reduced rolling resistance. You'll just be famous.
Escape from Responsibility Having cycled 100 miles, no-one expects you to now mow the lawn/paint the porch/clean out the garage, and you yourself may not even feel like doing any of those things until the next day. Just one century ride thus fills a whole page in your Daytimer.
Bruce McCormick rides at a pace that permits simultaneous preparation of submissions to Quick Release. At the risk of preaching to the converted, he hypes the Toronto-Niagara Falls-Toronto Overnight, which in 1995 was two great century rides from all viewpoints, route, maps, economy, conviviality, and post-ride journalism.