Utah MS 150

[yellow]

I will be riding the MS 150 here in Utah this weekend. We will stage in Logan, Utah and ride around the Cache Valley, into Idaho, and into the northern Wasatch Mountains. I have been "coaching" a group of people that I work with, and we're all excited for the event. It's been a fun and interesting, if not sometimes challenging, road. But we're almost there, and I think that everyone is ready to try their goal mileages. And yes, everyone will be wearing a helmet.

I want to use this message to thank all of those who have supported me either financially, or with friendship, or just by thinking about me. If you made a donation, I wrote a little something about you on my personal page. ;)

You are all inspiring, beautiful, strong ladies. I am thankful that I can call you friends!

Now, just hope we have a li'l cooling breeze on Sat and Sun...

[maillotpois]

woo - hoo!

Have fun - and great job on the fundraising!

"The Other Sarah"

[Veronica]

Stay cool and enjoy the ride!

V.

[SadieKate]

Whoosh . . . . just trying to encourage the cool breezes.

And pat yourself on the back from a coaching job well done, particularly with Mr. YouCan'tMakeMeWearAHelmet.

[Shiraz]

I love ya man!!!!!!!!!!!;) You are the inspiration and set the bar for the rest of us to try to reach. I am always amazed at what you accomplish and inspire others to do.

[Lifesgreat]

It is now Saturday night and I hope you and your team are resting and having fun. Remember, life is supposed to be fun (with a bit of tough thrown in)!

Half the fun would be knowing you are riding for such a great cause. You are an inspiration.

Let us all know how it goes. Yay!

[Flybye]

How did it go? I thought of you, sweating, huffing, grinding, eating endless shot blocks, and drinking accellerade as I sat under the shade of the tree and pet snuggly little puppies:D.

[Alex]

Hey, Yellow! How was your ride? I looked for you, but never did see you. It was nice to know that all those folks had raised money for charity, because so many of them were making me absolutely crazy with their appalling bike manners. :mad: I probably shouldn't have started riding between 7:30 and 7:40. I'm guessing (hoping) that things were better if you started closer to 7:00.

I can't see how the Highway Patrol can threaten the Little Red Riding Hood Century because of safety issues and yet continue to permit the MS150. What I saw this past weekend on any given stretch of road eclipsed everything I saw during all of LRRH. It was downright dangerous out there.

Hope you and yours made it through safely and congrats on your effort!

Alex

[Flybye]

Hey, Yellow! How was your ride? I looked for you, but never did see you. It was nice to know that all those folks had raised money for charity, because so many of them were making me absolutely crazy with their appalling bike manners. :mad: I probably shouldn't have started riding between 7:30 and 7:40. I'm guessing (hoping) that things were better if you started closer to 7:00.

I can't see how the Highway Patrol can threaten the Little Red Riding Hood Century because of safety issues and yet continue to permit the MS150. What I saw this past weekend on any given stretch of road eclipsed everything I saw during all of LRRH. It was downright dangerous out there.

Hope you and yours made it through safely and congrats on your effort!

Alex

How did you do? We want details!

[yellow]

We all had good rides and a good time. What a great event that was. Alex, I didn't see too much bad behavior. In fact I was surprised at just how well everyone seemed to be behaving! Maybe you were in a bad bunch??!!

Anyhoo, here's one photo of me with some of my riders. I'm the one in the middle in the blue tank top. Rousing success, for sure!

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/tasdan/Rides/MS%20150%202008/053.jpg

[Flybye]

Yellow - You look fantastic! What a great shot! Glad to hear that your ride went well!

[Alex]

I'm glad you had a great ride, Yellow!

Did you go up the canyon on Sunday? I've been battling some knee and tendonitis issues for the last couple of weeks, so my MS 150 was really an MS 85. The loop around Hyrum Reservoir sure was gorgeous. It made me glad I pulled the plug at mile 42 on Saturday so that I could ride on Sunday.

Alex

[yellow]

Yeah, I did go up the canyon on Sunday. It was GORGEOUS. I thought the Sunday route overall was prettier than the Saturday route (and Saturday was pretty too). The downcanyon wind was pretty fierce on the way up, but I eventually got into a good paceline and we zoomed up to the top. Of course by the time I started descending it had switched, but not fiercely, but I found a very fast downhill paceline as well. That was a blast. I toodled the rest of Sunday's ride. I really enjoyed the scenery. It went by really fast.

To fill in some of the details about my team, the Team Curmudgeon did 75 miles on Saturday, which is amazing considering he hadn't been on a bike for about 10 years before we started training for this event. Two gals (the ones in the HDR jerseys in the photo in my previous post above) did the 100 on Saturday because they missed the 75/100 split and figgered hell, they might as well (!!)...and that was the first organized ride for both of them. My other teammates discovered the joy of pacelines. Genuine smiles all around. Only 3 of us rode on Sunday. I told the rest of the crew that next year they should do a shorter ride on Saturday and save all of their ooompah for Sunday.

I can't say enough good things about the event organization and overall attitude. Collectively, without corporate matches, the event was up to $1.5 million on Saturday evening. Wow.

Everyone on my team is all fired up to do it again next year. I told them to start training now!!!

Here's another shot of me and the Team Curmudgeon behind me. He's the one in the split open jersey (his own modification).

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c1/tasdan/Rides/MS%20150%202008/017.jpg

:)

[Lifesgreat]

Hi Yellow

Looks like the ride was a success! Congratulations! I want to look like you when I am on my bike. :)