The 2007 Norman Conquest is now behind us, and all of the
WAACO's completed their chosen rides! The Easy Riders Garage Sale Club did their
shortie. Shana did the 26 with Kim and both finished strong. This was a tough 26 and a real training milestone for both of them. Sonny,
Nez and I did the 45, which turned out to be 48.6 due to a detour caused (I think) by some road damage from recent flooding. This picture is
Nez and I at the last rest area, about 5 miles out from the finish. We were riding at about the same pace, so we met up at most of the rest areas during the day. Sonny rode along at about our pace for just short of 30 miles, then she dropped us to ride on at her most comfortable pace - lots faster than I ride. The picture captures our feelings at that point - we were hot, tired, sweaty and relieved because we were pretty sure we were going to finish. After all the anxiety I felt before the ride I am
relieved, and
proud of the improvements in fitness and skill I've been able to make in the last year.
By the time I got in some of our party had already finished their ride and their lunch. Shana had already won a gift certificate to a new local bike store. I went in for lunch and a visit while Shana had a massage. Once she was finished with that she very kindly went out to bring to car up closer to the building. She knew that on the way in I had put my bike on the car, taken off my shoes and helmet, and put on the shoes I had stashed under the car. What she did not know was that when I took my sandals out from under the car I put my cycling shoes, water bottles and helmet under the car because I did not take keys with me on the ride. I had briefly mentioned before the ride that I was stashing my shoes because I would not have any keys and would be getting in later than Shana, but at the time it did not seem to have any particular significance. As soon as she backed the car up she realized what had happened. The helmet is a total loss, the shoes actually look OK (we'll see on the next training ride), and one very nice
Polar Bottle was squashed completely flat. Shana came in looking sheepish and telling me she had finally gotten her revenge for my dropping her bike off the car before the Hotter N Hell last year.
All's well that ends well, and Shana's gift certificate went for two new
stylin' blue Polar bottles for me; I'll just wear the white helmet that Shana used before she bought the pink helmets she wears now. Sharon offered her extra blue helmet, but it is sized for her giant hair and therefore fit me in a way that
threatened to cut my ears off. Sharon suggested that I could enjoy this very nice helmet if only I would trim my ears but I declined. Shana will use my surviving white bottle so she will have two nice insulated bottles and we are all happy.
The 2007 Norman Conquest is now behind us, and all of the WAACO's completed their chosen rides! The Easy Riders Garage Sale Club did their shortie. Shana did the 26 with Kim and both finished strong. This was a tough 26 and a real training milestone for both of them. Sonny, Nez and I did the 45, which turned out to be 48.6 due to a detour caused (I think) by some road damage from recent flooding. This picture is Nez and I at the last rest area, about 5 miles out from the finish. We were riding at about the same pace, so we met up at most of the rest areas during the day. Sonny rode along at about our pace for just short of 30 miles, then she dropped us to ride on at her most comfortable pace - lots faster than I ride. The picture captures our feelings at that point - we were hot, tired, sweaty and relieved because we were pretty sure we were going to finish. After all the anxiety I felt before the ride I am relieved, and proud of the improvements in fitness and skill I've been able to make in the last year. 
By the time I got in some of our party had already finished their ride and their lunch. Shana had already won a gift certificate to a new local bike store. I went in for lunch and a visit while Shana had a massage. Once she was finished with that she very kindly went out to bring to car up closer to the building. She knew that on the way in I had put my bike on the car, taken off my shoes and helmet, and put on the shoes I had stashed under the car. What she did not know was that when I took my sandals out from under the car I put my cycling shoes, water bottles and helmet under the car because I did not take keys with me on the ride. I had briefly mentioned before the ride that I was stashing my shoes because I would not have any keys and would be getting in later than Shana, but at the time it did not seem to have any particular significance. As soon as she backed the car up she realized what had happened. The helmet is a total loss, the shoes actually look OK (we'll see on the next training ride), and one very nice Polar Bottle was squashed completely flat. Shana came in looking sheepish and telling me she had finally gotten her revenge for my dropping her bike off the car before the Hotter N Hell last year. 
All's well that ends well, and Shana's gift certificate went for two new stylin' blue Polar bottles for me; I'll just wear the white helmet that Shana used before she bought the pink helmets she wears now. Sharon offered her extra blue helmet, but it is sized for her giant hair and therefore fit me in a way that threatened to cut my ears off. Sharon suggested that I could enjoy this very nice helmet if only I would trim my ears but I declined. Shana will use my surviving white bottle so she will have two nice insulated bottles and we are all happy.
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