Although I am an endurance junky, I do not participate in a lot of cycling specific events. Bike touring is a different beast than most other sports. They generally are not races, do not have a defined start time, or an explicit finish line. Well they can be enjoyable, currently I am too driven by the clock to embrace their relaxed atmosphere. Nonetheless, I still have done a few cycling specific events, mostly of it in support of triathlon training. I might try to pick up some local time trial races as well.
The Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, a week-long ride consisting of almost 10,000 people cycling from one end of Iowa to the other. It is quite an event and for many people mostly an excuse to drink beer. I have not done the whole week, and just picked up a day here and there. Nothing too spectacular to recount from those days though.
A couple thousand bikes stored overnight
Tour of the Mississippi River Valley—a two-day ride from the Quad Cities to Dubuque, IA and back totaling about 200 miles. Great scenery, some major hills to fight located specifically at cruel spots during the ride, cheap, and a TON of food and support. A famous dinner the evening between rides itself makes the event worth while.
In Canyonlands National Park outside Moab, Utah, there is an infamous 100 mile trail known as the White Rim Road. Read about my adventure completing the entire thing in one day (WRIAD).
