I had some conflicting emotions on Day 7. I was looking forward to seeing Keli and the boys, but I was also bummed that BRAN was almost over. So when I got up in the morning, I didn’t know if I should get an early start, or just hang back and take my time getting to Waterloo. I had also told Keli I would not arrive in Waterloo until sometime between 9:00 and 10:00. So I had to make sure I didn’t go too fast or start too soon and get there before she was there and could see me finish.
Mark and Kim started about 30-60 minutes before I did that morning. I figured I might catch them before Waterloo if they also timed their arrival for some time after 9:00. I ended up leaving Waterloo at the same time as the Bike Masters team did, so I decided to ride with them on the last day. Phil left shortly after I did, because he had to pack up his tent and I had arranged for Tony and his kids to do that again for me.
During the first half of the ride the group got held up at some construction. While we waited for our turn at the one-way traffic section, a large mass of BRAN cyclists formed and we all took off at the same time when we got the go-ahead from the flag man. I would guess we had a group of 75 or more cyclists going down the road in one pack. I took this chance to get ahead of the pack and use the entire road (since it was one way traffic). I accelerated and the Bike Masters team followed. I ended up leading a group of 50 or so cyclists for about 3-4 miles. I think we were clipping along at about 23mph or so. When I finally got tired and let somebody else lead, I got a bunch of “nice pull” comments from the other riders. That made me feel pretty good, so thanks for all the kind comments from my fellow riders (you know who you are). I was a good 10-15 riders back before I got a chance to pull back into the pace line.
We stopped at about the halfway point for a restroom stop. That is were I took the picture of the Bike Masters team (see below). I was a bit nervous about our speedy progress at this point. I didn’t want to get into Waterloo before 9:00 and run the risk of Keli not seeing me finish.
The group got going again and we skipped the next SAG. At the final SAG before Waterloo I pulled off but the Bike Masters team kept going. I needed to waste some time before finishing the ride into Waterloo or I would get there too early. While I was at the SAG I asked the SAG driver if anyone with a handlebar mustache (that would be Kim) had gone by yet. Not only did he remember him, but he even knew that he had gone by about 10 minutes ago. So I was WAY behind Kim and Mark, and they would probably get in before me AND before our 9:00-10:00 time frame. No fair. So I was back on the bike and on my way about 5-10 minutes after stopping.
By this time the Bike Masters crew was also way ahead of me. So I turned on the juice and cranked up to about 26mph for the final 6 miles or so. That’s pretty fast solo but there didn’t seem to be a headwind, so it wasn’t too bad. I kept looking at my watch to make sure I wasn’t going to pull in before 9:00. At about 1 mile out I had to shut it down and just coast in so I would not arrive before 9:00.
I pulled in at 9:01 and right as I was pulling in I noticed a white van coming towards me with this really hot lady driving and to strikingly handsome boys in the back seats. Keli was pulling in right as I finished. She didn’t get to set up and get the “Welcome Home Daddy” sign out before I got there, but she did get to see me finish. That is the white van I was swerving in front of in the pictures below (just in case you thought I was playing chicken with a van).
Man was I glad to see Keli and the Boys. I helped her find a parking spot and walked back to where the rest of our EBC group was congregating. Nick (our guest blogger) was also there along with his family. Tony’s family showed up shortly there after and Mark and Kim were already there. Kim’s wife was there as well. Phil showed up just a couple minutes later and we all went together to go get some food.
As we were eating, we found some of the Bike Masters team. Steve did some magic tricks for B&B and they really got a kick out of that.
After eating we all said our goodbyes and Keli and I packed up the kids and my gear and headed for home. And thus ended my BRAN adventure.
Caught napping on Day 5
2 comments:
Ok...so other than the obvious biking a lot on the roads, my mom told me you pretty much bike to work 24/7 now...how do you get in the kind of shape to have the kind of endurance that this takes! Seriously! I wanna know, I need that secret :-P! - Dani
Probably the worst part about getting started is the butt pain. Bike shorts with a pad in them and TIME IN THE SADDLE should solve the posterior problems.
Step one is to get a decent bike and have a bike shop fit that bike to you. The wrong sized bike or the right sized bike set up the wrong way can make the experience very negative.
When I started, I just biked once a week and occasionally a bit on the weekends. I just added from there. If the commute is too long for a round trip on one day, you could drive the bike to work, ride home, then ride back the next day and drive home that night. After a few weeks of that, you should have no trouble making the round trip.
After that you just add days as you feel up to it. Riding to work isn't bad if you don't swet much. But if you do, you may need shower access when you get there. I just ride earlier and relaxe more to avoid swetting on hot days.
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