BikeMS 2022

I really need to write this blog within a week of coming home from BikeMS. Luckily we have pictures. That's the best part of the blog anyway, eh?

The riders with support crew minus Scott, Stephen and Jacob

This year we had 9 riders. Five Dolinars, Marianne and Emily Lara, Kathryn and Jacob. Two riders under 18. And one of those, Annalisa, almost 18. Things have changed a lot over the years.

The riders

One of my favorite pics of M

Breaking the rules :-)

I wasn't sure how far I would be able to go this year. I thought perhaps this might be the year that I went to the first rest stop and turned around. Two things happened to change that. Reid ended up not coming this year. He did however send his bike. I brought my mountain bike and was planning on riding that but as the event got closer I got more and more nervous about riding such a heavy bike. When Jacob mentioned that he had brought his dad's bike for anyone who might need it I eagerly accepted.

Look who found pickle juice :-) First rest stop.

Pickle juice packs a punch!

It was so nice to be on a road bike again. I didn't realize how much I had missed it. The second thing that changed my mind about turning around at the first rest stop was Marianne and Annalisa's desire to do the 100 mile route. At the first rest stop we decided to split up. Part of the team decided to go to Newton and then turn around. 30 miles total. The other group was going to try and do the 100 mile route. Crazy, I know. I felt really good riding Reid's bike. I knew I could do more than 30. I didn't think I could do 100 though and I knew Bill could definitely do the 100 miles so it made sense to send him with the 100 mile crew and I would go with the 30 mile crew. Then I realized something. All the 30 milers were over 18! They didn't need me. And that is how I ended up on the 100 mile crew.

And they are off!

Our three young adults. First to finish.

Hyabusa! :-)

Looking at the time I knew we had to fly. We had to make it to a certain part in the route by a certain time in order to be able to even ride on the 100 mile route. I felt really really good. I had a fast, light bike and I just felt good. Marianne was riding dad's electric bike so I knew she could keep up so I just took off running. It felt sooooo good to go so fast.

That's something that I noticed this year. It just felt good to be alive. Even climbing the hills felt good. There was pain but it reminded me that I was alive and that felt so good. I can't really explain it. I was just more grateful this year for health and strength and the ability to keep riding. I didn't realize how afraid I've been of slowing down. Age, etc. has really hit me hard this past year and, well, it's good to be alive :-)

I thought I would be super jealous of Marianne riding dad's electric recumbent bike. It was a bit annoying to ride flat out only to turn around and there she was, not even winded :-) I thought though about how many years we had done this and how hard it must have been for her. She says that I would ride circles around her because she went so slow. I hadn't realized it then but that was probably super annoying for her. I was glad that she was able to actually enjoy the ride.

Marianne riding the beast

Even though I was feeling good and enjoying going so fast, before we reached Newton I knew I couldn't keep that pace up. Matthew had decided that he didn't want to do the 100 mile route too so we partnered up and decided to do the 43 mile route. Bill, Annalisa and Marianne kept moving forward to try and do the 100. Marianne's bike started to slow down a bit. Foreshadowing. She really wanted to do 100 miles though so they kept on trucking.

At the lunch rest stop (mile 56)

Jacob left us early on at the start line. So I was really surprised to see him shortly after we split from the 100 milers. He had decided to cut his ride short because he needed to pick up his roommate at the airport. Matthew was glad to see him. I had slowed down considerably and Matthew was glad to have Jacob to ride with. Shortly after that Bill came biking by us. He had decided to leave Annalisa and Marianne. So Jacob and Matthew paired up and Bill biked with me. It was kind of the way life has been going these past few years. Our kids go off in different directions and it's just me and Bill.

Enjoying Newton the second time around

Jacob was team mechanic this year :-) Very helpful.

Anyhow. It was really hot and just kept getting hotter. I kept getting slower and slower. It got to the point that I had decided to call Lisa at the last rest stop and have her come get me. I was done. Then something crazy happened. They closed the last rest stop. Seriously. It was all closed down. I could have called Lisa and waited in some shade. Not sure why I didn't. What made the difference? Could it have been that stupid quote about persistence on this year's jersey? Who knows but I decided to just keep biking (ignoring the obvious wisdom of stopping :-). We were less than 10 miles to the finish. I could do this. I had to make a lot of stops though. We stopped wherever we could find shade. Eventually (after stopping at a yard sale -- that's another story :-) we made it to the finish line.

This year's jersey. Persistence is highly overrated btw.

I was really worried about Marianne and Annalisa. It was so hot. And then it happened. Marianne's bike lost power. Luckily she found a really nice lady who let her charge her bike. The lady even gave them a couple little pine trees :-) I'm sure Marianne will tell you more in her blog post. Thank heaven for good samaritans. Even though they were able to charge the bike a bit they decided not to continue riding. Definitely a good decision. Nobody wanted to be stranded in that heat! They ended up getting a ride with a SAG vehicle. They didn't make 100 miles but they did go farther than any other Iron Eagle team member. Way to go guys!