The MS 72

We rode on Sunday. Erin and I started out together and we dragged those heavy mountain bikes up hills and against wind. I can't imagine how we could have done any of it without all the training. We passed a lot of people walking -- the hills just kept coming and coming and coming! Erin's favorite part was Suicide Hill where she clocked 34mph. I glanced once at my spedometer going down that hill and when I saw it said 31 -- I applied the brakes. It was truly terrifying! (Erin feels differently! But then again, she loves rollercoasters!)



Nathan and I paired up after the second rest stop (he'd had to SAG to that rest stop because he'd broken his chain right before Suicide Hill). He has the lightest bike, weighs the least and has the most energy of the four of us -- so, how did I end up with him??? He chattered away as if he were sitting on the couch next to me instead of pedaling up an incline. (Erin had patiently explained to me earlier in the day that "hills" were things that you also rode down....inclines just keep going up.) He kindly didn't leave me behind -- even when I begged him to.



After another mishap with Nathan's chain after the last rest stop, we headed into Austin as a family. The hills in town are tough to walk up -- even tougher to pedal up -- and even tougher still if you are told by a uniformed officer that it's not your turn through the intersection (immediately before the hill). As we crossed the finish line in front of the capitol building, Nathan and I held hands and Erin and Stephen held hands. As Erin and Stephen passed over the chip mat, the announcer called out their names. THAT was really cool!



We didn't get home until 11:30 PM and each of us has spent the whole day trying to get out of our own ways. I suspect that Stephen worked a nap in somewhere, because he seems far more chipper than he should. I am sleepy more than achy -- I rarely stay up so late, much less after such a busy day!