September 27-28, 2003 a wonderful weekend for a bike ride. I decided to ride in the fall running of the MS150 when i got my bike at the beginning of the year. I was training for my triathlon and it fell the weekend after so i would be in shape and conditioned for it - at least that was my thinking. A couple weeks before the ride i had the incredible fortune of being able to hook up with the Crutchfield team, up to that point i was planning on riding in it alone and wing it as best i could, but joining the team - Tom took me under his wing and made the weekend tremendously easier for me as far as planning and preparation. I rode up Friday with Tom and picked up my packet and i got a hotel room in Woodstock. Only a couple days earlier i learned that Tim would be able to ride at least the Saturday ride so i at least knew one other person pretty well - much to my relief.

Saturday morning was a little chilly and very foggy. The Crutchfield team left in the first wave (pictured right - David, me, Tom, Joe and Steve) and it was very exciting for me because i had no idea what was to come. The day was strenous riding, but i felt like i grazed the whole day from bananas, oranges, bagels, cookies and all sorts of things. The rest areas were about 10-12 miles for the most part apart and so were certainly do-able distances that gave you a chance to stretch and rest. The gruesome part of the day on Saturday was when i wiped out and found myself sprawled on the road. It was embarrasing more than anything because i was at a dead stop and hit a gravelly spot. I got patched up at the next rest stop and the tape helped the wounds clot - which was good. Tim and i rode together for the majority of the day except when he decided to break away which was right before a HUGE hill - so he suffered for his insurrection. I finished the ride at 2:30 and felt good, but tired and very much looking forward to my shower and massage!!!

Sunday dawned or at least it lightened a little bit to reveal huge cloud banks hanging over the land. It wasn't nearly as cold as i had expected so i suited up in shorts and jersey and went for a huge breakfast - i was starving. Intermitent drizzle was a bit discouraging when we were standing around waiting to be released - it stopped and i was able to remove my rain gear although i left my shower cap on my helmet and it kept my head warm during that first stretch (a neat trick that Tom shared with me - they fit over a helmet perfectly). The body was stiff and aching during warm up - i hit the first rest area and refilled gatorade and grabbed a bagel and ate it back on the bike - i didn't want to linger too long and my muscles get stiffer. The ride back on Sunday was lonelier because i didn't have Tim singing in the background, but i talked with many of the riders and i know quite a few got a kick out of the expressions from my mouth when rounding a corner and finding a HUGE hill. I got frequent queries about my bandaged knee, but it didn't hurt. I finished the ride on Sunday at 1:07 and felt pretty good - glad it was over with and still loving road biking.