WHAT A FANTASTIC WEEKEND!!! For almost a decade (8 years to be specific) we have been heading up to The Lot so that Jeff and frat brother, Dave Carlson, could ride the Cool Breeze Century together, we would get the families together, and have a wonderful weekend. There was the ride in 2004 that was really tough for Jeff... took him a few hours longer to finish than normal... his last ride before diagnosis just a few short months later. Then there was 2005 when Dave and another frat brother, Dan Dawson, did the ride to celebrate Jeff and the end of chemo... and we were there to support Dave and Dan and their friendship! Then, I (finally) decided to throw my hat into the ring and joined the boys for my first ever bike ride in 2009... and finished the metric! So here we are... for the 2010 event...
Let's back up just a bit... we drove up to The Lot on Thursday so we could enjoy the last weekend of summer... Anna would start FIRST GRADE on Monday! Anna's new tradition is to set up "her desk" as soon as we arrive at The Lot! Her coloring books... her crayons... it might have been Grandma Louise's desk, but it is Anna's "office" during our stays! ;-)
Friday... We took a 13+ mile ride from The Lot to the ice cream parlor in downtown Ojai. It was a GREAT pre-race ride and a wonderful morning! That afternoon, we went to Dave and Mari's house for a yummy carbo loading dinner (thanks, guys!). I did a quick photo shoot with Anna and Shane (goofballs!) and then Anna stayed the night so that Jeff and I could get an early start on the ride. (Thanks, Mari!)
Saturday... I had planned to go for the full century this year, but due to the year end commitments at the high school, I had to take over 2 months off of training and just didn't feel ready to do the full century. I decided to do the mini metric and add 10 miles onto the end... 48 miles in all for me. Jeff rode the first part of my ride with me and then did the metric... so about 70 miles for him. Dave and friend Paul did the full century.
Oddly enough, I am LOVING spinning, but I am afraid of riding on the real road... I've heard too many stories and don't want to get hit or be run over... so, I only got in (2) 16-mile road rides before the 48 miles and was thinking it would take me around 5 hours to finish. I had a FANTASTIC ride and finished in 3:10... almost 2 HOURS FASTER THAN EXPECTED! I finished soooo early that I had time to go back to The Lot, get a shower and change before heading back to the finish line for the boys. 15.1 miles per hour average for me! WOOO HOOOO!
Me, Jeff, and Dave just before the start...
Jeff and Abby... waiting for Dave to finish so we could all go enjoy our finish line BBQ!
Jeff, me, Paul and Dave... the 2010 riding group!
We always head up to The Lot for a BBQ and family afternoon after the Cool Breeze... this year was no exception. It was the perfect way to end the summer and get ready for another crazy school year! Here is a photo of one of the most iconic items at The Lot... it isn't the original wagon wheel (that already fell apart), but this one looks just the same, and is in the same spot that Granddaddy put it all those decades ago... ;-)
On a strange side note, the part of the Cool Breeze that always freaks me out is the section that we have to ride ON THE FREEWAY! About 3 miles going north and about 4.5 miles going south... and my worst fear happened this year... two female riders were hit by trailer... THANK GOD they are going to be alright...
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