"Good luck to you -- you are going to have the time of your life!!"

I'm baaaaack. So much to say, yes it was lots of fun but very hard work. I'll be updating my homepage over the next few weeks right now, sorting my thoughts out about the ride, as well as catching up on huge amount of toxic waste laundry ;-)

I had a goal to do every mile of the ride at least under my own power (cross training was allowed) didn't acheive that. But I rode every mile of day 1, 2, bonked on 3 (hydrate-hydrate-hydrate) back in the swing of things on the "short day", then 5 & 6. Sagged 7 because they rolled up the rug on the back of the pack to get everyone in on time for the closing ceremonies. So I got to do 2 centuries, and an 85 and a 90 mile and that's not bad for someone who previously had only done metrics and would choose ones with few hills. Felt fine on the "short" day with the "evil twins" which I'd dreaded.


Things I learned:
* pack everything you think you'll need-then toss 1/3 out I packed waaay too much
* You can scrimp on a lot of things but not on bike shorts. Can we talk? One day on the "sale shorts" from REI I payed the price in saddle soars for the last 4 days.
* I will never be a "bike snob" again, I've been passed by Huffy's, folks on K-mart bikes with tennis shoes, 76 year olds, one brave rider who showed up with a US Postal edition bike-helmet and NO IDEA how to shift or brake the thing-he'd never ridden a road bike-he completed every mile, a double amputee with a hand bike...and Traci Chapman (she's a good group rider! Fast)

How's everyone else doing?