5 AM comes early on ride mornings, especially when nerves made it hard to sleep. My dog didn't help waking me up at 2 AM for an urgent potty. Nonetheless I put on my pretty new kit and marched into the kitchen to feed the dogs. They went straight back to bed as if to say, "Moooom, it's too early!" I actually succeeded in eating which is a big change from my days of mountain bike racing when I wanted to puke everything up.

I didn't even get nervous on the ride there or as I was registering. The mood was jubilant and that was hard to resist. Sitting at the starting line was overwhelming. Being in a group of 200 riders passionate about riding and doing good, well that's intense. As we moved out and cleats clicked into pedals I was all smiles. Riding in one big pack was not nearly as scary as I thought, and I didn't get left behind.

Barely a mile or so out someone flatted and didn't have a pump or tube. That should have been my first clue but I stopped and loaned them mine. When he didn't know how to use it I should have given it him and called it good. Neither of the guys, the owner of the flat or his friend knew how to change a flat. Fortunately the sag came along and I was reprieved of my duties, and now all alone.

I resisted catching them and motored along easily. I got passed by a few late starters but in the interest of making it the whole way I just chugged along. As we got into a more rural area I started catching and passing some riders which calmed my panic.

Then it happened, I had to pee, bad! This would become a recurring theme and I think there must be oodles of B vitamins in Clif Shots because the amount I was sweating compared to how much I was drinking it just didn't make sense. Needless to say there are some greener trees along the route thanks to me. Fortunately the first rest stop came early and I bombed down the hill and all but dove off my bike.

Back on the course I got company for a while and much enjoyed it. My first thrill came from a downhill set of slight switchbacks that immediately dove back uphill. Ooof da! Good thing I had some speed going into them.

Later in the ride I met up with a father son team who were working a nice steady pace and I rode and chatted with them for a while. The Frankenbike gets a lot of looks and questions so it makes it easy to make friends. They were a little too slow on the hills so I eventually broke away from them, but it was nice.

I checked my cat eye at about mile 15 and remembered that my biggest climbing stretch ended at mile 20. What I didn't pay attention to is the big climbing started at mile 16. We grunted along a nasty false flat with pebbly type pavement that ate my speed like none other. I looked up the road and saw a wicked set of switchbacks. "Tell me we don't have to go where that brown van is," I pleaded with a rider next to me.

"Yep, it switches back all the way up," she replied. Ugh, this was not in my plans for today. I decided the best course of action instead of wimping out and walking was to break it in chunks. I have never been more grateful for my triple in my life. I dropped down into my small chain ring and saved one last gear in the rear. Mentally knowing I could still go lower helped immensely. I rode to each corner and dismounted to have some water and uh, enjoy the view. Others joined me in this plan so I figured it must be good. When I stopped at the second corner some jerk in a car yelled comments about my rear. Oh to have energy and a U-Lock I would have chased him and busted out some windows! Let's see him do this ride!

The top of those switchbacks was incredibly rewarding. The view of Carter Lake full of sailboats made it worthwhile. The road followed the lake easily for awhile reminding me why I ride. I stopped at a campground and used the potty. Two cuties with british accents were stopped there too and they asked about the ride, and whether or not Polar bottles worked. I'd talk to them about anything just to hear them talk! Up the road further a group ride that had ended warned me of two big hills upcoming. "Oh don't tell me that! I yelled."

"No, downhill!" they hollered, "With 90 degree turns at the bottom!" Oh, well that's better! Sure enough after the next rest stop was a sweet downhill that sent me sailing at a top speed of 38mph even with me feathering the brakes! "Weeee!" is putting it mildly. I wanted to let it rip the whole way but with the curves in the road, and me not being an some 21 yr old Italian stud practicing for the TdF I decided to slow it down a bit. 38mph is still a lot of fun.

From there the ride went through some gorgeous country with lovely shade trees lining the road and light flickering through. I got a little misty eyed in some parts, it was emotional for a lot of reasons. I dealt with a lot of self doubt demons, and every red rider reminded me how much I miss my grandma.

There were some dull parts that made me seriously debate quitting. I made it a game of ticking off miles on the Cat Eye. I have no clue why, but it helped. I guess it gave me something to do other than think about quitting, or being tired. When that failed I'd start singing which inevitably made someone ride up behind me and chuckle. Oh well, at least no one saw me peeing behind trees, that would have been worse.

As I started to recognize terrain my spirits picked up and it got a little easier. At the final rest stop with 8 downhill miles to go a volunteer asked if anyone needed a ride back to the fairgrounds. Every rider there laughed and said yes. We were all a bit tired, and it felt good to be in it together.

Sure enough after one small hill it was downhill sailing. I got behind a pack and let someone else pull me for a change. I had someone fallen for pulling two girls I kept running into and I was tired of it. "Oh, no, you go ahead, you have a better pace!" That's not flattery, it's a trick!

Pulling into the fair grounds I summoned everything I had left and sprinted into the finish line. I slowed across the line, pumped a fist in the air and gave a victory howl like none other!

In the end it was worth it. I tested myself, pushed myself, conquered some fears, and had a good time. I met a lot of amazing people. Those switchbacks might have seen me walking on a different day, or heading back. Somewhere in me something changed and I gave it all I had. Sure I was bringing up the rear, but what a good looking rear it was!

Hope this link works, I am so buying the picture, and can't wait to get my jersey!

http://www.printroom.com/ViewGallery...47&image_id=17