Personal Worst.
Huge downpour in camp just as we were trying to get things packed up to leave, slowed everything down trying to get out. Everything that had dried out was completely soaked again.
I did NOT want to go out there.
But, got on the bike anyway and headed out, squishing shoes and all.
Couldn’t get up any speed to save my life.
Stopped and helped with a flat on the way into the first pit.
Later, stopped and checked on Tim who was waiting for a sweep after his second flat of the morning.
Paced very slow for a while with a gal who seemed to be having some problems, wanted to make sure she was doing ok.
Then stopped to check on a gal who had decided she was done for the day, but saw her pretty much fall off her bike when she pulled off the road and wanted to make sure she was ok.
At this point I realized I wouldn’t have enough time to get to the pit and decided to wait w/ her for the sweep van.
Moral of the story: Don’t get off the road until they TAKE you off the road - as it turned out, they left the pit open late and I probably could have made it in time. Argh.
Got sagged to the lunch pit just in time to see Tim taking off - somehow, even with the two flats, and helping two other riders, he’d managed to squeak through. It was all I could do not to cry from frustration.
Tim assured me it’s better to be sagged cause you stopped to help people than to make it and not help people. His words: “Riding by someone and not helping when you can means you’re a prick, and you’re not a prick”
3 days, no freakin’ finishes….
Back at camp, weather was BEAUTIFUL for a change - everyone hanging up their soggy undies on the fences to dry out. I hit the showers, not feeling like I’d really earned a hot shower with the 28 miles, but I was gunky anyway. Undid any and all good hydration practices with at least three Cokes that afternoon.
This was also when I really started feeling like a RIDER and not just a spectator. Many goofy comments about my biker tan. Looking around the dining tent and realizing what a SAFE place the ride is for so many people. Bought a hat to make up for the lost sunglasses.
Unfortunately, overnight the temp dropped a LOT. I had my sleeping bag, Tim had this little fleece thing and was freezing his ass off. I told him he should have woke me up and we could have put the fleece on the bottom and the sleeping bag on top, but apparently there had been a battle for the blankets already while I was out cold - he said he didn’t want to wake me and see how much meaner I could be in NOT sharing the sleeping bag.
