I was initially sad that another MS Bike Roundup was going to pass me by in 2011. Since I've taken the job as Clinic Supervisor at Phoenix College I'm often stuck working Saturdays when events like these come around. But in January just as the semester was starting, I realized that the current class had been overbooked for their clinic session by a couple of weeks, which would actually free me on Saturday! Plus I managed to drag Josh with me!
I was happy to help raise money for the MS Society again, and although Josh was not interested in riding he did volunteer for our local HAM Radio group who always run this event. Our friends Mike and Susan joined us from Tuscon as well so we had other people to camp with. My goal this year was to do anything better than I had done in 2009. That year I had ridden the Saturday only 35 mile course on a borrowed bike which was much to small for me. It was the slowest 35 miles of my life and by the end my right knee was in such pain I probably should have just been SAG'd in from the course. So my plan for 2011 was to do the minimal distances both days....should I mention I had my own bike this time, but it was a singlespeed? Also, that my back wheel had all but imploded just two days before the event so I was riding on a borrowed $500 wheel? (Thanks Slippery Pig).
We arrived late Friday night, found Mike and Susan in the park, set up camp and went to bed. Josh had a 5am wake-up call for the radio group and racers needed to be out by 8. After Josh headed out, Mike, Susan and I got our annual 'talking to' by the HAM sweep who didn't like that we weren't out on the course by 730a! I was stoked to have raised over $500 this year so I finally got my MS jersey, and off I went hoping to complete the 35 mile course by noon, which still would have been a few hours earlier than 2009! Just before I left there was a crazy guy doing the full mileage for the weekend on one of those giant joust bikes, which you can kind of see here.
It was a bit chilly but I was feeling good, and as I passed more and more people on several thousand dollar road bikes I felt even better. I guess that commuting on singlespeed was finally paying off. Of course I had to ding my singlespeed bell every time and over heard many say they wanted a bell too! Unfortunately Josh was stationed out on another part of the course that I wouldn't pass this day so I didn't see him until later in the evening. It seemed like forever getting to the first aid station, and this is where I would start to see the differences in the event this year...the snacks they had kind of sucked compared to 2009. No energy bars or gels like before, just stuff from Sam's Club who was the main sponsor. I was glad I had decided to carry my own stuff. Before I knew it I was cruising through rest stop two and arriving back at the main camp around 1030a! Plus it was more like 40 miles according to my cyclo computer. I had so much left in the day I didn't know what to do with myself. Oh wait, take a shower and get a massage? Yes please. Followed by lunch and a nap? Oh yes. When Josh got back we joined the festivities and dinner which was kind of sad compared to years past, and no vegetarian option for dinner this time around. We stayed up chatting for a bit and then it was off to bed to prepare for more riding on Sunday.
Sunday seemed to be a more quiet day, with a majority of people packing up to leave or have already gone. I was not feeling as good that morning, I think in part to just not getting enough fuel for dinner the night before. I would continue to feel that way the rest of the day riding. It was chilly and the wind was getting worse by the mile. I pushed and pushed on my little singlespeed, still passing a few but just not having the legs I did on Saturday. I made it to rest stop one and saw again that the mileage we were supposed to have for the day was different than what they had posted there. I had some snacks in hopes of regaining enough energy to make it to the second rest stop which was supposed to be where Josh was. The wind continued to be brutal, only enhancing the lovely smell of cow poo as I passed by the dairy farm. Finally in sight was rest stop two...but no Josh! I was so disappointed. By this time I was just ready for the ride to be over, so I motivated myself back on the bike and just about a mile later there was Josh stationed at the turn. After a hello, a smooch and his words of encouragement I made the turn and the last few miles back to base camp.
Overall I think we all had a good time, considering the organizational problems the event seemed to have at every turn this year. I did better than I could have expected considering I had really only been back on the bike a short while...I think it was the rear wheel!! Rumor has it that Bike MS 2012 will be returning to the old format of the MS 150 where you ride both days from a starting point to a finishing point, rather than the Round Up which is more of a 'choose your own adventure' from a base camp. Personally, I prefer the base camp scenario, so I'm not sure I'll participate again next year if they change it, but considering my summer goal is RAGBRAI 2012, it might be a good idea.
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