KATY TRAIL

"My goal at 60 to ride twice my Age...and 5 others joined me.

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PICKING THE DAY: This was scheduled to be on Friday April 17th the eve of my 60th. With plans to ride 13 hours come back to a celebration of the 120/birthday party and ringing in the milestone at the landing dancing at midnight. What the heck was I thinking. As it turned out. That day brought rain, wind and heat the three "NO-NO's" for riding. With age comes wisdom and I moved the ride to Monday. Bonus giving me to celebration days. I do like celebrating the week and month is even better. it was a great call. We had 62, sunny, light wind, no humidity or rain. 

 

THE STATS:

WE DID IT!!!!! Not just me but 5 other amazing riding. Something I never expected.

MILES: 120 

RIDING HRS: 9:15 

MPH: 13.0

CALORIES: 4600 calories - let's eat cake

SLEEP NIGHT BEFORE: 0 hrs
WRITING RECAP: 3am the  morning after ( when is the crash?)

EMOTIONAL LEVEL: Happy it's over but sad I don't have it to train and anticipate. 

MARK'S EMOTIONAL LEVEL: Thank God it's over and it's never happening again

 

SO IT BEGINS: 

Always a story on these rides I wish it hadn't been about me. My sweet husband, in his need to be over prepared, realized I probably should have new tires The ones on my bike were over 2 years old with over 6,000 miles. This was not the time to have a blowout. With all the recent business the tires were installed the day before and ordered from Amazon and such a deal. This should have been my first red flag. I tested them with a lap in the driveway. On ride day as I set out for a 12-hour riding day it took one block of riding to know I was in trouble. Let's just say I feel like I was on a mountain bike on the Katy. My thighs were hurting immediately as I tried to grind it out. Why is this bike so hard to pedal? I'm dying already. Our first stop at 32 miles. I insisted Mark take my old Trek off his truck and just let me ride that. Although it wasn't prepped - I had no place for my phone to navigate, no mirror, no comfort accessories at all and a really jacked up seat. But at least it rolled. We made a plan in the moment for him to dart head to Portage De Souix and swap out these new tires with my old one. Thank goodness he had all this planned and prepared  on the truck. It was like the NASCAR pit crew. We rolled in 10 miles later, just as he finished, and swapped out giving me my old faithful bike. Now we're talking! Problem is I just spent 42 mile burning up my thighs. And they were barking at me every pedal stroke. I never work so hard on a ride and painfully. I was popping ibuprofen like candy. I didn't care when I took the last one. I had to get through this ride. Everyone else is riding like the wind. At one point in the farm fields they were riding 20 miles an hour into the wind. I could not get past 17.5 and catch any of them. I would roll up behind someone trying to draft but before I knew it they were gone and there was no way I could catch them. It was truly humbling and nothing I could have imagined would happen when I visualized doing this for over 2 years.

 

The ibuprofen and the numbness finally kicked in about mile 95 after 7 torturous hours of riding. Now I could ride forever like the girl I recognize. I'm so glad I got that moment and thank God I was doing 120 so I could have a chance to feel it. It made the last 16 to New Town hard because I was finally ready to blow it out. But had promised everybody a super slow roll. They should have been on the 1st 90. I could have easily accommodated that.

 

We had 20 join that last leg. We all rode rolled in and made our goal. I am so proud of the five that join me on this adventure they absolutely rocked it I've never seen anything like it. Put me to shame.

 

CELEBRATION TIME: One of the girls commented how amazing it was to see so many come out to two huge parties in 4 days. I know you all have other things to do then celebrate yet again with us. I truly felt the love. 

 

GOING FORWARD: I’m hoping to dial things back a little making sure I respect your time — and your legs. I want to be more tuned in to everyone’s pace and what you need to actually enjoy getting out and riding with us. I just experienced first hand how hard it is to keep up -  when you just can't. God likes to show me things. Now that the chaos is behind me, I’m hope to roll out some more easygoing, slow‑jam rides for anyone who wants fellowship with this awesome crew. You all came out and supported me. It's the least I can do. But that being said we're still doing one 40 every week. I got a personal goal - yet to be revealed. Although most know if you asked.  Lol

 

SPOTLIGHT ON MARK:  I know he's my husband and I'm biased but Mark knocked it out of the park taking care of us on this ride. The girls absolutely loved him trailing in the truck behind us. The best part was he would honk when a car was passing so we all new to get over and stop our chatting. Many girls commented on what a comfort that was. He absolutely all our needs met in the truck. We were never short a cold bottle of water or place to shed clothes put clothes on change clothes get lotion. It was like a traveling closet.

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BONUS VALUE:

Mark at the bonus job of retrieving lost riders. As you know I spent most of the first 95 mi in the back ass end so it was really hard for me to lead. Mark Volkman, in natural gate of 25mph hour, would get ahead when he would not pause at a turn and keep rolling he would miss the turn. Mark had to go retrieve them in the truck.

​TO CLOSE: Each time I do this it  brings new and exciting challenges and new riders who experience reaching a new lofty goal. But what will the next challenge be?

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