A zen-like experience with Unicyclists, Afrikaaners and Tutus
I honestly don’t know where to begin with the MS150 bike ride. It was the experience of a lifetime!! Such a complicated experience, full of pride, exhaustion, exhiliration and joy. The first day I thought I would die…I’ve never done a sport for 8 hours with only a few stops! I am an agility athlete, not endurance, for god’s sake! I definitely had doubts about whether I could do it or not. There were times I kinda wanted to stop, but then I remembered why I was doing it, and who I was doing it with (Brother! Friends! Unicycles!) and I kept going.
For most of the second day, we were either in the boiling sun on a flat road, or in the shade on extreme hills. I actually preferred the shady hills, although my legs did not so much prefer this option, and at one point I had to stop mid-hill because my calves literally gave out and would not pedal any more. There were all kinds of people on the rode, 13,000 of them to be exact. We saw unicyclists, lots of tandems, little kids, older men and even a hand-cyclist (pedaling with a hand crank the whole way- no legs).
Oranges have never tasted so good before- free food, including oranges, were waiting at each rest stop and all the snacks/ Gatorade your little heart desired! It was like backpacking, where everything tastes ten times better than in normal life. Pretzels were like a gift from God and don’t even get me started on the Easter candy!
On the overnight break, we got to stay at a beautiful ranch house with a charming South African couple with a funny poodle. We also had a pool that we all jumped into in our bike clothes, and Cathy made the best guacamole! So all these great things kept us going when I felt like peacing out on the 180 mile journey.
It was really special for me to cross the finish line with the whole Gardere team, and right next to my brother, and two good friends (Mark and Maggie). And, our wonderful support team friends Nicole and Robin are riding with us next year. Heck, maybe I can even recruit a student or two…you never know : )
It was so much fun! I biked with a crown taped to my helmet on the second day, and John Pearson wore a pink tutu across the finish line! It was fabulous. The whole experience was almost zen-like at times, leaving school behind and riding out in the country. I would do it again in a heartbeat and I am kind of mourning the fact that it is over, to be honest!
MS 150 2007, here I come!
-Sarah “I have worn spandex all my life but never with padding” Bliss
For most of the second day, we were either in the boiling sun on a flat road, or in the shade on extreme hills. I actually preferred the shady hills, although my legs did not so much prefer this option, and at one point I had to stop mid-hill because my calves literally gave out and would not pedal any more. There were all kinds of people on the rode, 13,000 of them to be exact. We saw unicyclists, lots of tandems, little kids, older men and even a hand-cyclist (pedaling with a hand crank the whole way- no legs).
Oranges have never tasted so good before- free food, including oranges, were waiting at each rest stop and all the snacks/ Gatorade your little heart desired! It was like backpacking, where everything tastes ten times better than in normal life. Pretzels were like a gift from God and don’t even get me started on the Easter candy!
On the overnight break, we got to stay at a beautiful ranch house with a charming South African couple with a funny poodle. We also had a pool that we all jumped into in our bike clothes, and Cathy made the best guacamole! So all these great things kept us going when I felt like peacing out on the 180 mile journey.
It was really special for me to cross the finish line with the whole Gardere team, and right next to my brother, and two good friends (Mark and Maggie). And, our wonderful support team friends Nicole and Robin are riding with us next year. Heck, maybe I can even recruit a student or two…you never know : )
It was so much fun! I biked with a crown taped to my helmet on the second day, and John Pearson wore a pink tutu across the finish line! It was fabulous. The whole experience was almost zen-like at times, leaving school behind and riding out in the country. I would do it again in a heartbeat and I am kind of mourning the fact that it is over, to be honest!
MS 150 2007, here I come!
-Sarah “I have worn spandex all my life but never with padding” Bliss
posted by MissBliss at 9:26 AM
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