First I should say, I did this ride last year, I was dropped before mile 2 by Scott (spin class instructor) and several other in our bike club (Katy Cycle Gang, aka KCG). I did not see them again until the end of the ride. This year, I wanted things to be different.

The race began at Bastrop High School, and ended after the parks, about 20 miles. After that, it is just a 43 miles of very hilly charity ride.

I started at the front of the pack, with Bonnie. I agreed that I would do the park race and wait for her at the exit of the park.

I started in a pack and it was a little slow. After about 1 mile, it started a long slow climb. We entered Bastrop State park in less than 3 miles. There, a fast breakaway began. There were six of us, 1 on a nice tri bike, 4 that were on a team and me! We all paced off each other. I tried to stay in the big ring as much as I could, it was the only way to keep up with these guys! We hammered up the very challenging hills as fast as we could, downs were not for rest or coasting, we switched to a lower gear and just pushed as hard as we could. There were times we got up to speeds in the high 30's! I looked back several times and there was no sign of Scott, but I knew he would come barreling past at any moment. I looked at mile 5, 8, 12...no Scott. We finally made the last down hill to the race portion finish! The six of us were the only ones there! We all basically finished together, it was sooo cool!! I made the whole park in just 49 mins of the fastest, hardest riding I have ever done! The six of us shook hands dismounted our bikes, chatted a bit and got some water and Gatorade. I really thought I was going to puke. But wait, Holy Cow, I beat Scott!!!! He was the next to roll in, 6 freakin minutes behind me! He came up to me, shook my hand and said he and the others thought I would do it, in fact, he said they had made bets about if Scott, Steve (IM Wisconsin finisher) or I would win.
After a few more minutes Bonnie and the other rolled in, then there were hundreds.
What a great time!

We all took off together out of the park. We had another 43 miles to go, so we just kinda took it easy. Steve, Scott, Shaun and I had a decent pace. Bonnie, Kim, Amanda and Miriam were not too far back.

The next part was to climb Suicide Hill, a daunting 2 mile climb. Steve came cruising past me about half way up with Scott close behind. So I caught up and stayed with them. At the top of the hill, there was a 65 or 50 mile route split, we all took the 65 option. About 4 miles up the road was a rest stop, we decided we would wait for the ladies. After a few minutes, Kim, Amanda and Miriam rolled up, but no Bonnie. I called her only to find out she took the wrong turn! I told her I would go back and meet her. At first, the guys said the at I should just keep going with them, they said they needed me to do the 4 man pace line thing, but there was no way I would leave Bonnie. They said they would go to the next rest stop and wait, I said we would haul butt to catch up, and off I went.

I went a little further than the split till I found her. She was not real crazy about the idea of catching up and wanted to ride at her pace, which was slower than I was doing.

We continued to ride mostly together, there was one section that had a very strong head wind and the pace dropped to about 11 mph. I just could not go that slow, it was exhausting, so I got down in the drops, shifted and picked up to 20mph and hammered through the wind. Yes I dropped Bonnie, but I had to. I waited for her at the rest stop and she was not happy about being dropped.

The rest of the ride, at least while we had a head wind, I rode on top of the bars or in the hoods, I kept the pace between 13-16mph. I did not go any faster because I did not want to drop Bonnie again. I GOT PASSED BY AN OLD GUY ON A FRIGGIN RECUMBENT!

For about the last 15 miles we finally had a tail and/or cross wind. Bonnie decided it was time to pick up the pace, but my ride was way over, so I just let her ride on. She stayed in front of me for most of the rest of the ride. This part of the ride was a loop and we now came to the TOP of Suicide Hill. This was the one part of the ride I had looked forward to the whole time, but I was just in no mood to try speed record, so, I stayed on top of the hoods and just coasted down slow (OK, slow was about 35mph, but I have been in the high 40's here before). I just rode at a medium/slow pace for the rest of the ride.
One interesting note, as I was riding slow, I passed a guy on a 2006 QR Caliente, it was his first ride on it, in fact, it was his first bike! He said he is doing an IM this summer, but has not even started running yet. He was going about 10MPH! Good luck dude!

We finished the ride with 73 miles. Bonnie finished a few lengths in front of me. The parking lot was empty, there was one cooler with dirty oranges an warm bottled water in it. The organizer was about to sweep the course. We were not last to finish, but very close. Our friend Kim and her 16 Y O daughter came in a little behind us, then the guy on the QR.




Nothing.

No warm down needed.


My need to be a man of integrity and a gentleman.
It is VERY dificult to ride at someone else's pace that is much slower for this type of distance.


We packed up, found Scott, Steve and Shaun in the back. They had been there for over an hour.
I am a MUCH better cyclist than this.
Nuff said.