C'est fini (for now!)

You don't survive a ride like RainSTORM on your own. Especially when you start undertrained with as few cumulative miles as I did. I tried to do everything right to recover each night, to protect my body (sunscreen, butt butt'r, massages, food, stretching, etc.) but it's more than that. You need friends, team mates.

And fortunately I have Teamroll: -- they are absolutely the best. Starting out -- Heidi and Jim are great travel partners. You'll most likely be surprised to know I did a good share of pulling during the week. But don't get overly impressed -- the hills and climbs take out alot of the need for pulling and quite honestly Heidi was too strong for either Jim or I and when she pulled she'd inevitably drop one or the other of us!

Fortunately on RAIN 6 new mates showed up -- and yes other than 10-12 miles I didn't pull at all -- I couldn't of course. At times all I could do was stare at the wheel in front of me (which they tell you never to do but I was too tired to do much else!). With their help we were able to finish the last 155 mile day.

I'm now at that point where the scenery was getting monotonous (cornfields and bean fields while beautiful do get tiresome after this long of a bike trip!). But there is always something to amuse you on a ride. In one field a herd of horses took flight as we scared them with our passing. And Mike set up one of our aid stations at the John Deere dealer -- porn for Mike and Jim of course! They were in heaven.

And teammates aren't just pulling us along on the road. Mike is leapfrogging us on the road, setting up aid stations complete with tent for shades, chairs, misting water, re-filling water bottles, making repairs, and most importantly -- a cheerful face, full of confidence and support for what we were doing. Never doubting we would finish strong he lifted my spirits each time we stopped (and as the heat continued we stopped more!).

We weren't blessed on this day as last year with a good stiff tailwind and cooler temperatures -- we had a SW wind most of the time and it was still hot. Combined with three tired riders we averaged only 19.4 not the 21 they accomplished last year. Still a wonderful accomplishment.

I feel sometimes like I know what the Tour riders feel like. Hot and uncomfortable for days on end, flying behind their teammates, missing as much scenery as they see. Working hard each night to recover to do it all over again. Ok they go 25+ mph not 16+ and they ride 125+ miles per day not 100 and they ride 21 out of 23 days not 6 out of 6 but you do get that sense. And the supporters -- we didn't see thousands but the supporters are every bit as important to us as to the Tour riders.

I wonder if the folks on the side of the road know how much they mean to us. The clapping, smiling faces, cheerful waves, concerned comments. The families that got their kids to form and impromptu band to "serenade" us as we road by. Each time spurning a thank you back, another strong pedal stroke, a little more courage to continue on.

Twittering a successful RainSTORM

Still Smiling at the Finish

I made it!

Coming into the finish line there were many many people clapping, cheering, pulling us around the corner and those last few feet to the finish. The Bloomington Cycle Club that puts the ride on probabyl had many of their volunteers out to balance out the families that come and go -- and they were much appreciated. There is always that sense of accomplishment and it is so wonderful to have others cheer for your hard work. I love those people!

Yes it was hot -- check out the salt stains!

So a hard week done -- a sense of accomplishment shared with teammates. Dave reminds me (once I recover of course!) that I will be a stronger rider from this. Now I have to make sure I can get out on my bike enough around work to take advantage of it!

To Heidi and Jim -- you are the best. Heidi I might still be a little mad at you for pulling us in but I am glad I tried (and succeeded!). Jim -- your calm demeanor and support all week was invaluable. To my mates at Teamroll: -- I never would have gotten through Saturday without you and your pulls. Your amazement at our ride make it seem that much more real. To Mike Perakis -- you are the best SAG in the history of SAG. You were so much more then we would have expected -- you got us through the day.

Yea I gotta go rest now.