Saturday morning at 3:30 a.m. came quickly! No, my alarm wasn’t set to go off at 3:30, but that is about the time I gave up on trying to sleep. We were supposed to be in the lobby at 5:10 a.m. ready to load the buses, so it was going to be an early morning regardless.
There were a million reasons why I couldn’t sleep. My mind was racing, I was afraid I was going to miss my alarm, and my daddy was on my mind. I was reminiscing about the day I decided I wanted to do a Century Ride, and the time when a Navy Seal said “Your body can physically do anything, it’s your mind that stops you from living your dreams.” How could this adventure be coming to a close?
About 3:45 a.m. is when I got out of bed. Because I needed to kill some time, I took a shower, did my hair, and put on makeup. Yes, I was that girl wearing makeup for a 104-mile ride. My poor tummy was feeling the effects of nervousness, but I choked down a bagel with peanut butter and banana and headed to the lobby.
Unfortunately, Team Texas missed the bus. By bus, I mean a yellow school bus where we had to put our bikes and bodies. It was a 30-minute ride to the start line, so the team was forced to hang out in the lobby for the next hour. A lot of people were upset because they could have gotten another hour of sleep, but I was thankful to be with company. Seriously, what would I have done with another hour confined to my thoughts?
Mom and Casey planned to be at the start line, so they weren’t very happy when we missed the bus. They hung out with us in the lobby, taking pictures, making jokes, and practicing some of the stupid P90X moves that Casey’s golfers hate. I was as hyper as could be with only a couple hours of sleep under my belt and no coffee.
Getting on the bus was amusing. Each bike got its own bus seat while we had to double up on the other side of the bus. Once the seats were taken, bikes lined the aisles of the bus. The 30-minute ride didn’t go fast enough, so when we finally got there, I was ready to go!
We started as a team, riding in a single file line through the beautiful trees and scenery of Solvang, California. Somehow, I lost my riding buddy in the pack, but we found each other around mile 10. It was really foggy and cold, but I knew it wasn’t going to be long before the weather turned beautiful.
Riding up to the first rest stop is probably one of my favorite memories for the entire ride. Team in Training was well represented and as we rode in; they were cheering loud and proud for Team Texas. My mom and Casey were there, and Casey had made posters for Misty and me. I can’t describe the moment simply because I will never do it justice. Saying that I felt blessed is a huge understatement.
We continued to ride through beautiful and not so beautiful scenery. At one point, we rode by a landfill, and the nasty fish smell lingered for about five miles. But, every time we came to a rest stop, there was my mom and Casey as well as other TNT supporters. As much as I typically dislike spending time at rest stops, I LOVED them in California. They would have snacks for us, sandwiches, and a thousand encouraging words for motivation.
Mom and Casey also would stop on the side of the road to cheer for us. They booty-danced to some rap music (a little embarrassing but hilarious) and Casey made up cheers (she was channeling her inner cheerleader) about cycling, 104-miles, and many other things. She even ran up the huge hill at mile 85 next to me.
By the time mile 95 rolled around, I was starting to get tired. The sun was starting to set, so the temperatures were getting a little chilly. But, at the same time, I didn’t want the ride to ever end. I loved every part of the experience, and I wasn’t ready for it to be over.
I learned a lot through my journey with Team in Training. Being surrounded by a group of people who had also been affected by Leukemia or Lymphoma helped in the healing process. Listening to someone give their mission moment every Saturday at practice showed me that I wasn’t alone in the hurt and pain caused by cancer.
This event was probably the best thing I have ever done. I smiled through the entire ride because the environment, atmosphere, and people made it so special. At times, I could hear my dad laughing in my head (as I was climbing hills), and I could feel his presence with me. I can’t wait to sign up for the next event to keep my daddy’s memory alive and living in me as well as helping fund research to get rid of this terrible disease.
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