Conquering Fools

Today was a good day. If you've been keeping track, you know that today was our redo of the Shawnee Mission Ride (the hardest MS training ride offered by the Society). Recall that last time we did this ride I fell off my bike after being defeated by the hill from hell. This time was a different story. We made it to the top! I was pretty pumped. After two weeks of seething over this hill beating me the first time, I was pretty ecstatic when we finished without incident. Take that! While I was savoring that victory, I was thinking a lot about how people with MS struggle with everyday movement all the time. Depending on the type of MS and the progression of the disease, anything from taking a shower, getting dressed, walking, driving a car, and being able to work and have fun with friends and family can be a challenge. So the determination that folks with MS exhibit in the face of such daily unpredictability is truly amazing. With a lot of training and conviction this Summer I can confidently say I'm ready for the MS 150. What's hard for me to accept is the fact that no amount of mind-over-matter changes how difficult it can be for people with MS to make their way in the world.

This brings me to my fundraising. I'm $99 short of my goal. I know I'll make (and exceed) it, so I'm just asking you to please, please, donate. Your tax-deductible donation will go to help folks with MS, and help fund research to find a cause and cure for this disease. If you need some concrete examples, your donation can provide educational materials for newly diagnosed patients, emergency assistance for families struggling to make ends meet after a breadwinner is no longer able to work, respite time for a caregiver that needs some time for self-care, and ultimately, the scientific inquiry we so desperately need to understand this disease.

So if you're able, consider donating $10 or $20 or more. Please know that your donation means a lot to me personally, and will make a difference in someone's life. Thank you for your support.

Seventy Mile Celebration

Tour de Country - Long route

Share your bike routes @ Bikely.com

Yesterday we participated in the Tour de Country 70 mile ride. The route started in Liberty, and took us through Orrick, Camden, Richmond, Rayville, Excelsior Springs, and Prathersville. We had intense lightning and some rain that delayed the 7AM scheduled start, but we were rolling by 7:45. Aside from the early morning, the rest of the day was pretty nice weather-wise. What wasn't so nice, according to Justin, was the terrain. He did not like the hills one bit, and we didn't either, after mile 60. The ride was sponsored by the Missouri Farm Bureau, and I really would have preferred it if they would have called it the Tour de Farm. Our registration entitled us to a Farm Bureau membership, which, among things, enables us receive 10% off Grainger Industrial Supplies - everything from nuts and bolts to electrical supplies, motors, and more! Plus, 10% off the already low prices at dungarees.net. Check back soon for pics of us sporting our new Carhartt bibs on the bikes. In all seriousness, the ride was well planned, and the Farm Bureau volunteers truly wonderful. They made us PB&Js and had the Gatorade ready at each stop, and were great to talk to before, during, and after the ride. We appreciated all their help and wouldn't have done a ride of that length unsupported, so we think they're pretty cool. MFB rocks!

Today we're just taking it easy. We'll be doing a bit of relaxing in the next two weeks, keeping our rides at moderate lengths and resting up. After this 70 mile ride, we're confident we're ready.

Getting Tipsy

Last weekend we had some good rides. We just got our clips last week, so it was our first chance to get out on the road and try things out. The best way to do that, we thought, was to go on the hardest ride offered by the MS Society all Summer, the night after the Jack Johnson concert. You could say we could have selected a different route or a different morning to complete it, but then you wouldn't be as fearless as these Duck Dales. Anyway, the Shawnee Mission Route is a 5, on a scale of 1 to 5, due to the hills (Matt says "extreme hills") and overall difficulty. Cyclists on this ride assured us that there's really nothing similar on the weekend in September, except for maybe one hill on day 2. We thought there was no way we wouldn't rock it. Well, there were a few mistakes. First, I did not drink my full cup of coffee before. Matt was smart enough to slug his down, but I only got halfway before it was time to go. My lungs on those first 4 miles were still waking up, and it definitely required some focus to get them up alive, alert, and enthusiastic. After those first few miles things mellowed out for a while, and we passed some really neat scenery as the terrain evened out. We were warned about the big hill at the end, so when we hit a huge hill mid-ride, I thought we weren't yet at the biggie. That was mistake #2 - failure to recognize that hill as the biggie, and consciously pace myself up. The guy we were riding with encouraged us to go ahead of him, since he thought we'd probably want to pass him anyway (he also complimented our climbing skills, by the way). So there we were, Matt leading us, me in the middle, and Justin bringing up the rear. Justin clipped out at some point up that hill. I was about 75-80% up the hill when my body said it was done. Usually I just talk myself through whatever objections I come up with, and the self-talk has always done the trick. I had no reason to believe it wouldn't Saturday, so I just kept telling myself I was going to do it. That was okay for a little bit. Then I heard my body say it was done again, and I just didn't believe it. That was mistake #3 - not trusting what my body was saying. I was determined to make it up that hill. Then my body was really done and it was a bit late to clip out. I tried to fight the fall just like I tried to fight having to walk my bike up the hill, then my body just helped me along and I fell off.



Luckily I fell into the grass and have only a few bruises to show for it. As climbing skills guy passed me he asked if I was okay. Of course I was, I was laughing about it. At the time it didn't really bother me a bit, but I did find it strange that I wasn't able to overcome that hill with my trusted willpower. The things I learned will hopefully come in handy again soon. I must admit that later that day I was a little flattened by the falling experience, and I just felt like I've put too many miles in for that kind of thing. So the Shawnee Mission ride is going on again the weekend before the MS 150, and if I'm feeling like a glutton for punishment, I might just go for a re-do - armed with extra sleep, a huge dose of caffeine, and the understanding that the biggie better not mess.

Sunday we went for our standard Grandview ride, breakfast and all. I didn't get to eat nearly enough of Matt's chocolate chip waffle, which was a supreme disappointment. Almost as big a letdown as the fall the day before. So I tried to make up for it by making the Garver boys ride super fast behind me. We were going too fast for them to complain, and Justin barely says a peep anyway, so it worked out well.

A wobble, a waffle, and a weekend well done.

P.S. If you laughed at me for falling off my bike you have to donate double.

Cowboy Boots and Clips

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. The one Matt's Aunt Delores sent definitely is. His birthday letter is pretty funny, too. Anyone with spectacles can easily click on these and they'll blow up bigger for your viewing pleasure.

Fire and Rain

Last weekend was pretty nice overall. Saturday we did a 28 mi group ride - and experienced a great deal of rain. We were only riding for about 10 minutes before it started, and toward the middle of the ride I felt like my feet were swimming in my shoes. I decided to call that ride a success if none of us fell off - and we came close. All of the Duck Dales finished unscathed, but about a mile from the end after yelling "slippery" twice to the guy behind me, he came to a crashing halt. Poor guy was absolutely covered in dirt and gravel, since this pesky section of road was under construction. Luckily he had some chaps to cover his driver's seat for the way home. I kid you not.

Sunday we went for a 44 mi ride out in the country. We started in Grandview and rode down around Raymore, Belton, and Peculiar. Highways Y and YY were particularly terrifying. 55 mph speed limits, hills, and an abundance of trucks with trailers encouraged us to get that part of the ride done quick. You're probably going to give us crap about this route, so let me just head you off by saying that this one will be provided to cyclists for the Summer Breeze 45 miler coming up later this month. Oh yeah, and we got chased by another crazy little dog. Again, on Prospect, this time way out South. But they better watch out, because I'm working out the details for my patent -a secret weapon to ward off those little devils.

Sunday excitement

Sunday's 28 mile ride was filled with excitement. Heading down Prospect we noticed a medium sized dog in a front yard. He looked innocent enough, but when we passed his house he shot off toward us. First I thought he was on a stake. He wasn't. Then I thought he would stop running when he reached the street. He didn't. I just heard Matt yell "GO" - then looked back to see that this guy was about six inches from Matt's back pedal, yapping and air biting all the way. I figured that if we continued straight he'd just keep going, so I took a very quick left turn. My heart was racing and it was pretty intense. Luckily that turn fooled the little dude, and he went back home to chase the next poor stranger to pass by. All the while I was thinking how my mom gave me not one, but three pepper sprays for just this purpose, and I'd left them all at work. You were right mom.

After escaping from the feral dog we continued on our journey to TJ's for breakfast. Our orders were standard and everything seemed pretty ordinary until it was time to go. We asked our server for our check, and she told us the guy in the next booth had already picked it up for us. We just kind of stood there for a second, wondering why this guy would buy breakfast for two sweaty cyclists he didn't even know. It was a really cool thing to experience, and when we thanked him and told him about our training and how we wanted to give him a shout out on our blog, he asked that we not even mention his name. So we won't, but we will say that his kind and totally unexpected act was just damn cool.

The final kicker for Sunday's exciting ride was the flat we had to fix. Matt's front tube was in dire straits. Luckily we had a spare tube and everything we needed to fix it. You could say it took us a few minutes to fix, since it was our first time. We assumed that since we'd changed a mountain bike tire, this would be the same. A bit different, but we got it done.

So, we beat off a foam-mouthed dog, enjoyed a gifted breakfast, and fixed a flat all in one day.

weather advisory!

Hi guys. Recall that during the Okoboji Cycling Classic 50 mi ride we did, the weather was crazy, and a wind advisory was in effect? Well, see if you can pick up on this pattern. There's an excessive heat warning in KC until Monday night, and this morning we rode 44 miles. Yep. It was a training ride for the MS 150, so everyone was ramping up like we are. We started at 135th and Roe, then went deep into Kansas. I know that people say that state is flat as a pancake, but this route had some serious hills, especially for about 10 miles near the middle of the ride. At one point I almost ran over a dead armadillo. I looked down and for one second thought someone ahead tossed out a rubber chicken to play a trick on me! All I saw was that poor guy's belly so the resemblance was striking.

Speaking of playing tricks and being funny on the bike, I think it's time to mix up the signalling. Instead of shouting "hole" and pointing down to indicate a break in the road, I prefer to yell "fire in the hole" while doing a hand grenade tossing gesture. When riding as the team lead, hand windmills are much more fun than yelling "clear" when approaching an intersection. This really keeps things more interesting, I think. Any other suggestions? I'm sure Grant's got something...

So now we're just chilling on the couch in the a/c. Woohooweeeeee.