My fellow riders and I regrouped at the lunch stop. I had an ice cold apple, and it was delicious. I should have stopped at that, instead I also ate part of a wrap from Jason’s Deli. This was the first meal that I had ever eaten before or during a ride, and before we even got back up onto our bikes I felt like I needed a nap. The shade was nice. The sun was brutally hot for a weekend in April even for Texas.
While we ate, I asked how far the ride was that day. Family Guy pointed out that it was at least the third time that I had asked. I guess my confusion was over the fact that we were so close to Austin at that point. I knew I was going to make it, and I was getting really excited, but some part of me could not believe it.
Off we went. I could not wait to see the capital of Texas. I did not zip along, I was stuck among the sea of riders. My co-workers, being more comfortable on bikes, left me behind. At one point, I turned my ipod radio on, and cruised along to Ryan Adams’ Ashes and Fire album. My entire focus was staying up and staying safe on my bike.
My co-workers and I regrouped at rest stop four, the second to the last stop on the day’s ride. We had already planned to skip the last stop. We talked about the weekend’s ride, and we talked about getting to Austin. I was only half tuned into the conversation. I was thinking about hugs with Little Chirp and Brainy Bird at the finish line. I wondered how their favorite uncle was doing with them the whole afternoon.
I got left in the dust once we were back on our bikes. Lunch weighed heavily in my stomach, and I was exhausted. I needed a good night’s sleep not another seventeen miles on a bike. Passing the last rest stop, there was a sign that said Austin was just over 8 miles away. A flood of excitement came over me. At that point I had ridden just over 150 miles on my bike, and I had so few to go. I thought back to January when I could not even ride a bike. Back in January, I had tried not to think about the day at hand. It was only impossible if I thought about it.
I thought about the weeks prior to the ride. I thought about throwing up from nerves. I thought about the sleepless nights. The day that I had dreaded was finally here, and everything was going my way. I was just a few climbs up some major hills to the finish line. I was even getting a free lunch at work. Cowboys Fan bet me lunch that I would fall at least once. I wanted to bet something more major, but I was sure that I would crash too. After I made the bet, Egal and I exchanged IM’s on just how bad an idea the bet was as I was sure to lose.
I pushed hard up the hills. I passed by riders that look spent. I stopped and started with confidence at the intersections backed up forever with excited people on bikes and less than excited people in cars. I was less than an hour from the moment that I had not dared dream of.
Less than four months ago, I sat at Flying Saucer downtown with my brother’s best friend, and he was busy telling me everything that was horrible about the MS150. His one token of encouragement was how incredibly good it felt when you turned that last turn and faced the finish line in front of the capital building. All through my up and down training adventure I had tried not to think about it. I was afraid that the moment would never be mine, but it was!!!!!!!!!!!!
I zipped around that last turn faster than I had ever taken a turn on my bike, and I felt the bike slide out from underneath me. I felt numb, months ago, I would have applied my breaks and crashed out. Instead, I pulled the bike upright and I didn’t fall. There in front of me was the capital building and the finish line. I do not know how, but my bike Blue and I did it!!!!!!