the last of the MS Ride pictures (I think)

The first one is on the road, on the way to Daytona. It was into the wind, but we had no rain yet, and I'm feeling really good about it all. It feels like I've trained enough, and I'm pulling a group, and all's right with the world. I'm looking and feeling like one of those real cycling people. I think I'm the only person who can still see the word 'rookie' stamped on my forehead.



This is from the finish line in Daytona after 100 miles in wind and rain. If you look real close (you probably have to click on the picture to see this amount of detail), you can see the helmet is wet, and the socks are soaked and filthy. I don't look all that tired, but I am. I'm anxious to get to our team tent and show off the patch that says I did the 100 mile ride, instead of the standard 80. I had talked about maybe doing it at the team dinner Friday night, and nobody thought I would, especially in that weather. They asked if I was serious and I said, "I don't know. I've never done this before, but if I get to that fork in the road, and I feel pretty good, I'll go for it. Anyone think they might go with me?" I had one "maybe", but that was it. I knew the others doubted my resolve, and I knew none of them did it. My one "maybe" finished the 80 miles after I finished 100, so I was all full of "na na na na na". Lots of other people did the century ride - just nobody else from my team. Some guy wiped out in front of me while high five-ing somebody on the sidewalk just before this was taken. Word to the wise. High fives are cool, but make sure you still ride the bike.



This one is making the turn onto the runway at the Saint Augustine Airport, where they hand you your medal, and people are clapping, and the reality of the feat you just accomplished hasn't quite sunk in yet. Your calves, thighs and yes, your ass aches. This is what I look like after two days and 181.67 miles on a bike The one thing I want to do more than any other, is to get off that bike, but I'll ride it back to the car because I really don't want to walk it through the parking lot either. It's dark because...well...it's about to rain, again. Yes, I wore different clothes on Sunday, unlike some. I, too, thought our team jersey was very cool, but not cool enough to spend Saturday evening in the hotel room sink with a bottle of Woolite, just so I could wear it two days in a row.