Thank you for supporting our ride :)

I just wanted to offer many thanks to all who supported the harbor to the bay ride for MAC and I.

Not only did you help us have an incredible ride and growing experience, you also helped us to save the world!

It is a true fact that a fair number of riders bagged the ride altogether because of massive downpouring rain that lasted most of the day.

Fear not tho, Mac + I love rainy weather! In fact, riding in the pouring rain was my absolute most favorite part.

I love Boston in the AM… no traffic. So quiet. So peaceful. We bikers owned the roads. The rain reminded us we are alive.

It felt so good.

And when times got tough… and my tires seemed permanently flat (3 flats total before 11am!)… we were reminded of the Michael A. Tye mission (he founded the ride)… it was at this time that we ran into his brother and sister while getting my last flat fixed. That was so cool to me. And thoughts of ending the ride because of my bike soon vanished…

Mac and I were remembering her brother by riding with butterflies on our bikes and helmets. The coolest stickers ever, really, complete with wings that flutter… and the Tye family was remembering their brother. They so inspired me. Truly.

When you ride for a good cause, you are golden. AND we had butterflies and angels watching over us the whole way, so we were in the clear from the start, to be sure.

I am so proud of MAC for hanging in there and for being the one to sign us up for the ride and for all the summer training… and for all the down hills after the uphills.

Biking is the bomb. Biking for a cause, even better. Biking with MAC, the absolute best. Biking for you and for H2B–an honor

Thank you!

Love,

Wuggs

H2B-A Wet And Wild Time

Making time for a quick lunch break at the Sagamore Bridge.

Although our big ride was just over one week ago, Wuggs and I are still reeling with excitement and adrenaline.  We have so many friends and family members to thank for helping us reach our fundraising goal:

We managed to raise $1,340–surpassing our collective fundraising goal by $340.

With  the cheering, kind words, and encouragement of so many friends and family at our back, Wuggs and I cycled over 100 miles from Boston to Welfleet.*  We still have one more ride, El Tour de Tucson in November…

While our support of Harbor to the Bay 2009 went directly to Fenway Community Health Center; combined with the efforts of 350 riders, we collectively raised almost $260,000 that will go directly into the programming and research budgets for Fenway Community Health Center, AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod, Community Research Initiative of New England, and AIDS Action Committee.

Though I could never capture the entire experience and wonderful high I felt to be a part of something so big–I’ve included text and photos so you can get a snapshot of our experience.

The ride was truly a remarkable experience:  I experienced some great highs from the endorphins that our bodies produce when pushing the physical limits–I also experienced doubt and insecurity…would I have the self control to brave the rain and cold and persevere?  And I finally experienced great joy that the ride ended in Wellfleet (19 miles I didn’t have to ride) because the rain was flooding Route 6.  All-in-all it was a great day.

Wuggs models her new jersey and fuels up on a chocolate muffin. Thanks Trinity Church for providing us a warm place to prepare for a long and wet ride!

After rising at the ungodly and dark hour of 3:30am on a Saturday morning, we slowly and carefully pedalled in the cold rain to Trinity Church in Copley Square in time for a 5:00 am breakfast and registration.

Once we picked up our riding jerseys, we bulked up on oatmeal, bananas, chocolate muffins (Wuggs’ favorite), OJ and coffee.

Motivational speeches and “thank yous” were blasted in between flashy dance music from loud speakers in the center of Copley Square.  At 6am, we were off in three rounds of fastest, followed my medium paced, and then slow riders at the tail.

And they're off! The first round of H2B Riders departing from Copley Square.

There was one traumatic moment in between the start of the ride and the UMASS Boston Campus, where there was a deep pool of water (more like a lake!) that collected at a backed up gutter.  Several riders went down in the first 5 miles and 30 minutes.

Though Wuggs and I safely passed this section (we are the queens of safety!  Yeah!), I lost my dear wife for the next hour.  Unbeknownst to me, Wuggs experienced her first of three flat tires near here.  I plugged ahead thinking that my little speed racer had out paced me (it wouldn’t be the first time).  We caught up with each other at the first rest stop in Quincy where Wuggs caught me up in between cookies, trailmix, and…the discovery of her SECOND flat tire (ugh).

We were a little behind–but still making pretty good time, considering.  The bike tech fixed her tire and inspected the wheel closely for any more damage:  it would appear that we were safe to go.  So we mounted our aluminum ponies and were off.  It would be another 15 miles (and another flat tire) before our next rest stop.

7 miles later, Wuggs and I pulled over and hailed the nearest SAG car to help with another tire casualty.  I’ll be honest–we were 30 miles into the ride, I was wet and cold and my mood was spiralling downhill quickly.  At this point, I was beginning to use her faulty front tire/wheel as a good excuse to stop the ride and head directly to p-town.

We get by with a little help from our friends…

I have to take a moment to thank all of the incredible H2B volunteers.  They kept saying, “Thank you!” to the riders…  But these volunteers made what would have been a horrible, achy, nasty and otherwise crappy day into an upeat and really fun experience.  The SAG volunteers not only fixed Wuggs’ wheel and tire for good–but they fixed my bad attitude.  It just goes to show how a smile, a pat on the back, a cheer can really make a difference.  Thank you H2B volunteers!

One of many inspirations along the ride: Will, a Positive Pedaler from Chicago.

It was about this time that we met a lone-rider and Positive Pedaler, Will.  Will was an inspiration for many reasons–his winning attitude, the experiences he shared with me to keep me company between Yarmouth and Brewster, and his bold spirit.  This was Will’s first time to participate in H2B and it was his first time to bike this route and visit Provincetown.  He discovered H2B randomly when searching on the internet for positive, active community people living with  HIV.  Will participated in H2B because a group of riders representing “Positive Pedalers” planned to participate.

Positive Pedalers is a group of people living with HIV/AIDS whose goal is to eliminate the stigma through their “positive” public example.

Around 4:30pm, after 10 and a half hours of hard riding–Wuggs and I made it to the end of the Rail Trail path in Welfleet.  We learned at this rest stop that the remainder 19 miles had been cancelled because Rt. 6 was flooded and unsafe.  I’ll admit–I was fine with this news.  After 105+ miles, 3 flat tires, and one knee scraping fall near Sagamore bridge, and over an inch of rain–we were ready to call it a day!

Done! Wuggs is happy that they cancelled the last 19 miles because rt. 6 is unsafe due to inclement weather.

Checklist for tomorrow’s ride

I can’t focus today.  I’m chilly and I keep looking out the window at the ominous clouds building up.  I just posted an update on FB:

MA  is in complete denial that there is a 60% chance she will have to bike 125 miles in chilly showers tomorrow. She is requesting that all her FB friends do a series of Sun Salutations to increase her odds of blue skies…http://bit.ly/168wi0

…and, as of 29 minutes ago, I have friends in Miami and Meridian Mississipi facing north with their special sun dances and singing, “I’m walking on sunshine,”  while stomping feet.  But my office is cold, the clouds are getting darker, and I continue to lose focus on my work.

So I’m making a list to make sure that I will remember everything:

Already packed:

• Toiletries including tooth brush, floss, and contacts.  √
• Pajamas for Wuggs and Me √
• Undergarments for each of us √
• Blue Jeans: 2 pair √
• Change of shoes for MA √
• 2 long sleeve shirts (and an extra sweater and raincoat packed by Wuggs and a sleeveless fleece for MA) √
• Night guard for Wuggs √

To Do:

• Log onto H2B site and watch safety video.
• Pick up bike from Back Bay Bicycles after work (I get FREE tune ups for life since I bought my road bike there!!!).
• Don’t forget my clip shoes, helmet, bike lock and safety reflector vest.
• Program the H2B emergency phone number in my phone.
• Pick up rider jerseys and number tonight between 4-8pm at Club Cafe.
• Drop off any last donations received in the last week tonight at Club Cafe.
• Drop off the giant back pack loaned to us by Randi (thanks Randi!).  Remember to stuff the book I’m currently reading, The Time Traveler’s Wife in at the last minute so I have reading material on the Ferry ride on Sunday.  Try to remember to have one of us watch the bike while the other jams in the bike lock at the last minute…don’t want any extra weight tomorrow!
• Carb up for dinner but also try to include at least 5 fruits and veggies today.
• Lay out my riding gear: bike shorts, jersey, sports socks, bike shoes, helmet, camelbak, sun block (who am I kidding!), rain gear (more like it), ziplock bag for my cell phone.
• Try to find a way to go to sleep by 7:30pm tonight so I can get 8 hours of sleep (YEAH RIGHT!).
• Double check the riding gear I’ve laid out about 10 times to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything.
• Set my alarm clock for the ungodly hour of 3:30am.
• Double check the alarm to make sure its on.
• Check the alarm again to make sure its set for AM and not PM.
• Check the clock again to make sure that the real time is set for PM setting (or opposite of alarm setting).
• Try to sleep without tossing and turning…doing everything I can including meditating and counting sheep to relax my mind and body so I feel rested for tomorrow’s ride.

Saturday Morning Checklist:

• Wake up (or just roll out of bed if I haven’t been sleeping) at 3:30 am.
• Pad to the bathroom and take a warm shower–try to embed that memory in my head to access when I’m tired, soar, or otherwise cold/soggy today.
• Dress in the first layer of gear.
• Check the weather forecast again.  If the sky has cleared and the sun miraculously is out–do the happy joy dance and thank the heavens for our incredible good fortune.  If the forecast still calls for rain–throw on the second layer of gear:  water proof pants and jacket.
• Fill camelbak that Randi gave me with water and fill water bottle with electrolite drink.
• Remind myself to thank Randi for being my guardian angel on this ride!!
• Make sure Wuggs is awake and dodge her the rest of the morning (my sunny morning disposition only fans the flames of her not-a-morning-person-fiery-disposotion).
• Try to eat some oatmeal.
• Remember to stretch.
• Leave the house by 4:30 am to reach Copley Square in time for a smooth check-in, protein-filled breakfast, and opening ceremonies at 5am.
• 6am–The ride begins!!!

Did I forget anything????

***

This is an entry from th adventurous, thoughtful and occasionally humorous journal of my training escapades in preparation for two great century bike rides: Harbor to the Bay and El Tour de Tucson.  To find out more information or to make a pledge, visit our home blog, The Amazing Adventures of Two Girls on a Bike.