Last year, you may recall, that there was a monsoon that poured down upon us the entire day, leaving my Klein as a single speed thanks to the mud that choked the drive train. It was cold. My hands hurt because I went for warmth rather than padding, and I really hadn't trained for it.
So what did I do last November when the registration opened again? Why of course I signed up. Did I train? Not at all. I think I've been on my bike twice since October and one of those times was in November. I've not ridden at all in 2009. So, I really thought this was going to be IDID10MILESANDBAILED instead of IDIDARIDE. Turns out it was IDID36MILESANDBAILED because the ride organizers shut down the lunch sag before Kim and I got there. Yes, we were slow, but dangit, I can't finish a 50 mile off road ride on two granola bars alone.
We were slow. I stayed with my group and that involved some good samaritan work by Craig, helping an injured rider out to a sag stop. Because we were riding the single track at our own pace, we'd get stretched out, but regroup when the route took another trail. Once we waited 45 minutes because of the injured rider, and did I mention also that we're slow? One half mile from the lunch stop, which was at mile 30, Kim and I (the group had dwindled to the two of us by then, with Ralph and Craig opting out after the second sag) were stopped by the ride organizer who was driving down the double track in his Honda Element. He told us he'd closed down the lunch site. Aaaarrgh! Riders still out on trail and he closes it down. Don't get me started on how I really felt about this. He pointed out a paved, bike trail not 100 feet through the woods paralleling our double track and said that it would get us back to the main highway that leads into White Springs.
Yes, I was tired, but until then I really thought I might make it. My inner three year old was not having a tantrum, unlike last year, but without food, there was no way. So, reluctantly Kim and I rode back to White Springs, about three or four miles away. I got extra mileage also by back tracking looking for Craig when we thought him lost, but instead he was being the good samaritan. So, all in all I got about 36 miles. Not too bad and yes, I am tired today and taking it easy, but I have been to the grocery store and doing laundry and I've watched Friday night's episode of Battlestar Galactica and ohmygod!Becky, if you have not been following this series you have missed out on one of the best stories. Really, Netflix it if you haven't seen it, but I digress.
Part of the entry fee pays for a meal after the ride. Kim and I checked in and got our meal ticket and found our way to Telford Hotel, and this almost made up for missing lunch. The buffet wonderful and I would have said that had I not been running on fumes. My first pass through I had a huge serving of creamed spinach, homemade mac & cheese, and green beans. On my second trip, I got more spinach, more mac & cheese, and wonderfully moist and yummy baked chicken. The waitresses kept bringing me more diet Coke (first caffeine I'd had and I really enjoyed it, oh yes!). I was still hungry when I finished that, so I got a plate of spaghetti and after eating that, I had the apple cobbler. I could have eaten more, but three trips through was enough and maybe I lost a pound and maybe I kept an ounce off after that meal.
Kim coming out of the woods at IDIDARIDE
Craig at IDIDARIDE
Ralph at IDIDARIDE
And yours truly somewhere along the IDIDARIDE
Stay tuned for pictures of horses and poems. Promise that there will be a lot more of that in the weeks to come.
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