It's been a while since I've participated in any sort of lengthy bike riding. I'm more into the 15/20 miles every day sort of riding. Last weekend was different. I signed myself up for my fourth MS Bike Ride. This year the ride was an 80 mile Saturday from home to Vermillion then 80 mile Sunday from Vermillion to home.
"I didn't know you even owned a road bike."
If I include Sunday evening's unusual appearance at a 4H event I enjoyed 8 pork sandwiches over the course of the weekend. 6 of the loin and 2 of the pulled variety. The Minnehaha County Pork Producers at the 4H event edged out the Texas Roadhouse Finish Line Pulled for blue ribbon. Rounding out the meals were a couple very good pasta selections Saturday night and Not Pancakes Sunday morning. In fact there was no maple syrup in sight Sunday.
The low point of the weekend was day one right before mile 30. Apparently I was making poor food choices and we turned into the wind. I began to wonder if I hadn't made a terrible mistake riding at all. At the 30 mile rest stop I switched to a fistful of apples and The Owner and I made group with Bald/Surly, Irish and President Dirk.
That is when the ride turned into an event. My riding buddies went from 1 to 4. I've never ridden with so much red hair and so many freckles. The banter and the tattoo quickly pulled me from the gloom.
Sunday morning after the start The Owner pulled Irish from the seat of a car and put him on his bike. Off we went pretending to try to catch some of the same faces from the day before. Or maybe we just wanted to ride fast in the breeze known as yesterday's headwind.
Around mile 15 Irish was betrayed by a phone call from his wife. "It hurts" he said. The Owner and I promptly attacked and dropped him on the I-29 overpass. Maybe.
At lunch we found pork sandwiches and the faces we'd been seeking. We left Beresford 8 strong. Accidentally City Billy jersey's on the right, Harlan's B&T's on the left. It seemed like the 10 miles between each rest stop took 10 minutes. Within the hour we'd incorporated Tammy and Cathy and we stayed like that until the gravity of the finish line introduced a bit of disorganization.
It was a beautiful weekend. Thanks everyone especially Mandy & Janey, the rest of the MS Society and volunteers. See you all next year.
6 comments:
Excellent work MC! Way to keep Team CiTy BiLLy together in the pack too while Snakebite and I chose the "breakaway" option from the peleton.
What a great ride and cause and it is nice to see it growing once again. See you again soon!
I love the MS ride, I did it at least 10 times growing up. This year I was lucky enough to do a day of RAGBRAI. Good times, good times.
Road bike? I thought you borrowed one from the Owner :)
Good job, good times.
Next year - single speeds!!!
I 2nd Snakebite's single speed suggestion.
Let me pick up my single speed and get a few miles on it... Then, I will probably vote single speed!
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