Yesterday was "the big day"...
Four members of this summers Ride:Well Pacific team, two members of the Ride:Well Southern team, and two folks who will have treasures in heaven for participating "for fun" met at 7:30 AM yesterday for a 100 mile bike ride. Considering this a fundraising tool and a great training tool, we were all very excited to be a part of this....then came the first 10 mile stretch...
After 10 miles, we were all enjoying the great time together, introductions being made to folks we didn't know very well, and preparing mentally (at least for me personally) for what venture I had begun.
Following this short break, we began a 33 mile ride...33 Miles....This time a couple months ago, that would have seemed impossible, and here it was, right in front of me. This stretch was pretty exciting for me personally. It was on this stretch where I passed my previous record of 40 miles. This, for me, merited a one-handed chicken dance while riding. :) This "leg" of the ride was followed up by a friend of Ride:Well (who is participating in Venture Expeditions' Kilimanjaro climb) brining us snacks and drinks.
Heaven-sent. That's what I have to say about her.
After a 10 minute break there, it was time to finish off the first part of the ride, 20 miles..
I can do this...I can do this...Just have to finish this 20, then lunch time!
As a whole, this ride was really great, beautiful scenery there.
And farms...with dogs...lots of dogs...4 of which charged at me and ran right around my bike for a few hundred feet-SCARY!!! Definitely can't be afraid of dogs if you have an interest in cycling! (Go ahead and journal that tidbit away) :)
But...we made it...lunch time at our meeting spot. I was SO proud of everyone who got BACK ON the saddles after lunch. That point, it would have been SO easy to just throw in the towel, but no one did--and we were ALL off for Round 2!
Right now, I wish that I could add something deeply spiritual about getting back on the bike after a 63 mile ride and a lunch break, but I can't. My first reaction when I got back on the bike was that my butt hurt...REALLY REALLY BAD...That is a pain that you can't describe unless you've experienced it!
Our second part was scheduled for 24 miles... We started strong, and about 10 miles in, we experienced "the hill". I had no clue that hills like that even existed in Texas!! Following the "hill of death" as I will label it, we rode, we just rode...great conversations ...great self-reflection time, just a smooth ride. Following this, we realized that due to some minor miscalculations, we were only about 13 miles away from the 100 mile mark--so we just finished it out.
NINE HOURS TOTAL ON THE SADDLE--and we made it. Wow. Unbelievable!
What a milestone. No one that participated had gone that far before ever. Personal records were broken--and it was awesome! A day of personal time, a day to get to know teammates and new friends, and a day that I for one won't forget.
Ride:Well, here we come!!
