tour de tucson - pix and "results"

[slmdunc]

Hi! I'm not sure if I should post here or start a new one - but Mimi - I'm just gonna follow your lead and post my pics here...

El Tour was so much fun! This was my first century and I had a blast. I did it with Team in Training, and I tell ya - I'm hooked. I did the full 109 miles, and I am proud I finished, although my time is probably nothing to be impressed by with a lot of you gals!

I finished with an official time of 9:18:37 and place # 3709 - but at least I finished! I did rank enough to get a silver medal - so that felt great. The ride time shown by my group's computers showed that we had actual RIDE TIME of 7hours and 25 minutes, give or take. Between SAGs and river crossings... the final time was obviously more. (anything to make us feel better, right??? )

MY computer (garmin 305) decided to STOP WORKING the day before the ride. Figures. I'm not sure what it was. I only got it this past July, but it was as if it was getting no juice from battery. Just... nothing... I am now trying to figure out if it was better or worse to ride without a computer. I couldn't count down the miles - I just asked at SAG stops where we were and held on and pedaled through the rest!

It was a hillier route than I expected. At first it took me offguard and as I struggled up the first of them, I had a cute gal from North Carolina pass me with a twang, hollering "wee got sum heeels in North Carolina, gurl!" It was all good natured, and I cheered her on. Later, I did quite a bit of passing of my own as I got my groove going up hills - and that felt great.

Here are some pics:
(I can't figure out how to comment under each one - so - 1-4 are as follows: My partner and I at the start line; Me at the first river crossing - Still Fresh!; Me at mile 85 SAG - the endorphins have me over the edge!; and finally - my partner and I happy and FINISHED!

P.S. - Mimi - I hate I didn't get to see you or meet you, but congrats on your success with the ride!