I rode 100 miles. Actually according to my clock... 107.2. (My friends clock said 105... so of course I'll pick mine, but who's counting). It was the first time I had ever attempted anything like it and I did it as part of a big group. There were probably about 2000 bikers all on the road, but only the craziest did the 100 mile loop.
I was on my bike by 7am. My friend Taylor signed up for the same event and was nice enough to be the photographer. It was so nice to not be alone all day and he made sure I didn't crash, get lost, or loose my momentum.
I'm not sure if you can see how beautiful this was.. but the low lying fog over the fields was perfect. There is a quiet peace there. The air is fresher than normal, and all the noise from my life becomes deafened. I am certain I will go to this picture in my mind the next time I feel stressed.
I still look fresh and energetic here. I'm not sure I knew what was ahead.
This was our first stop on the way. It was at the top of a pretty good hill.. so stopping for a few minutes seemed great!
Do the texting laws apply to bicycles?
I am texting, drinking a smoothie, and drinking a energy drink all at the same time. Talented? For someone who hates texting... this was funny and multi-talented .
Then the sun came out! Look at those beautiful clouds.
The picture below is right about the point where I started really getting tired. We rode across a ferry with only a fraction of the riders that wanted to get on.. and right after this is a massive hill. My legs were already toast, as were my hands, shoulders, back, neck, butt... everything. I was pleased to didn't crash and burn up that hill!
Then it was an endurance game. Getting off the bike is almost harder than staying on at this point. If we get off... you feel the pain and your muscles are dying to rest. I keep telling myself that if I go slow.. this prolongs things. If I go fast... it is over quicker. At this point... 30 miles left (the hardest 30 I have ever done!).
We made it to the final rest stop. 15 miles left!
The sweetest part of the day was my Bestest biking friend in the world! She waited and waited for Taylor and I to come in. Once we were there she was the fresh air that I needed. She rubbed my shoulders, gave me a calf massage, and convinced me that the next 15+ miles would be a breeze. She is so believable that I got energized all over again. I started to doubt her wisdom about 7 miles out of this rest stop. :D
Thanks Marcie!!!
This is my victory shot. My darn eyes are shut... but I did it!
Our total ride time was 6 hours and 40 minutes. I think this is pretty darn good considering some of those hills we climbed. Avg mph = 16ish
It is about the accomplishment. I did something that I didn't know I could do. I pushed myself harder than I ever had, and I survived. I feel so alive! The scenery, the people, good friends, and beautiful weather make this experience all the better.
