I survived!!
July ended with a bang as my friends and I completed the Saints to Sinners bike race. The morning started off early. McCall and I were up at 4:00am loading the truck with bikes, bags, blankets and coolers. We left at 5:00am to meet the rest of our truck members at the starting line.
Brayden and McCall at the starting line bright and early. McCall was tired. :)
Me and my teammates Danny and Chris.
Dr. Bromberg and myself waiting for his second leg.
Chris, Brayden and McCall waiting for Brayden’s first leg.
There was a lot of waiting...
... and waiting
and fun
and trying to catch some Zzzzzz anywhere we could.
Brayden’s night ride.
One of the things we were all scared to do were the night rides but they went really well. Actually it was my favorite ride. I think I should have been a little more scared because it was pitch black, pouring rain and cold but the 18 miles went so fast. I got up to speeds of 40 mph and made it down the hill in less than an hour.
Mel’s night ride.
Danny had 4 flat tires on his first leg and got a little dirty. Poor guy.
One thing about all the rides (except the night rides) is that is was SO hot. My first leg was just over 2 hours at 103* but that is nothing on the last 30 miles to the finish line. Thankfully I didn’t ride in those 30 miles. As Melissa says about her portion of that 30 miles, “It almost brought me to tears."
Cory riding the last miles of the race with another rider. The rider he is with was one member of a two person team. WHAT? A two person team? What a stellar guy.
Being in Las Vegas brings the beautiful palm tree.
Brayden so close to the finish line.
Straight up an example of the heat. Ashlee is leaning out of the truck pouring
water on Cory as the heat rises to 115*.
The whole team at the finished line.
I want to take a moment to thank the people in my life who push me to do the things I never thought I could do. I think I tend to hold myself back in many aspects of my life in fear of failure or on the off chance that I could be hurt. In the days after I returned home from Las Vegas I learned a high school friend of mine lost his life in an unfair and unjust way. Learning this news rocked me. I have been taking way too many things for granted. I used to think I lived my life and had a good time and a lot of fun while doing it, but I was so wrong. I wasn't living my life. I was watching others live there’s while I held myself back. This is why I am so grateful I had the opportunity to participate in this ride/race where all proceeds went toward research for ALS/Lou Gehrig’s disease. This ride pushed me outside my boundaries BUT I had the time of my life. Life has a way of throwing a lot of crappy things your way and I hope I always have the determination to get back up.
Tell the people you love and who love you how much they mean to you... everyday.
