This was the fourth year I was doing this event, so I knew the ropes and had a pretty good idea of what to bring, when to get there, etc. I arrived plenty early to Hastings (where the bus was loading to take us and our gear to the start). They parked us in a grass field fairly near a pond which was perilously close to filling up and overflowing into the parking area! With all the recent rain, the lot was mushy, and any more rain could hav been disaster! (My worries were later found to be excessive...the lot was dry upon our return :-)

Meeting up with a few of our group (District 622 has a group of teachers and friends that get together for this event), I tossed by gear onto a baggage truck and carefully gave my bike away to the bike handlers, then hopped on a bus and prepared for the loooong and tedious ride to Pipestone....We eventually arrived in our host town after the ride that took us into Marshall for lunch, sidestepped the interstate, and even took a detour!

We found the earliest arrivals from our group staked out in a good locale and waited for the others to arrive. We settled into eating and discussing the ride for tomorrow, then organized our camp for the evening. I knew I was going to need a good night's sleep, since I was tired from the boooooring bus ride. By 10 p.m., I was in bed and thinking about the first day's ride, from Pipestone to Worthington.....

Because I'd pushed so hard trying to complete this day, my right IT band was sore and I could feel some pain in the left knee. I hoped I would be able to continue onward the next day, an even longer one from Worthington to Fairmont....Sleep came easily, and I was out even before I realized it....

Took it slow today, still sore, but I completed the additional miles without incident. My same body parts were aching, and I needed to rest EVEN MORE than yesterday. It was much less humid today, and we breezed along with less wind! Needing the rest for the longest day tomorrow, Fairmont to Waseca, most riders turned in by 10 p.m. and were snoring soundly before too long!

Smartly, the organizers had placed more rest stops on this day than any other. This was necessary, because most riders were by now very tired, sore, or both! Unfortunately, this did little to help riders while they were out on the road....six injured today, and mostly broken bones! OUCH!

I was still sore, and had someone adjust my seat height and move it forward a bit at one of the rest stops. WOW! My right knee stopped hurting, and my left was dulled a bit! I felt rejuvenated, and started tearing up the route. By the end of the day, I had spent the same amount of time on the road as yesterday, but travelled an additional seven miles, and almost pain-free! Yahoo!

We coasted through the day, and were into New Prague before we had even begun! I steadily had moved up through the day, and met up with our lead group just prior to town. My speed was rapidly improving, and I felt MUCH better!

Camp setup was quick, and soon we were enjoying the town and taking our well-deserved break! I enjoyed seeing the sights, strolling through downtown, and eating lots of good food! Soon enough, though, I was tired again, and I decided to sit back and read, then fall asleep when I was ready! Just in time.....

As I readied for relaxing reading, the rain began, slowly at first, then eventually getting fairly heavy. I noticed a small leak in my rain fly (just an annoyance), but was glad I was dry and not wet! A fitful night of sleep, and filled with dreams of going home to a real bed the very next day....

This day seemed to go on forever, due to our being sooo close to the Twin Cities, seeing signs for towns I knew, and just knowing I could have been home for real instead of going to Hastings first! (There was just the little problem of my car and luggage :-) I struggled on some of the hills in Scott County, but regained momentum when approaching the last rest stop. Only 12 miles to go! I raced as if I was competing (once a triathlete, always a triathlete) and made the entire trip at just under 18 mph, making the last stretch with speeds of around 23 mph.

Hooked up the bike onto my car (dry!) and drove to the luggage area, picked up my gear, and drove home. I knew there were two warm fuzzy bodies waiting for me after a week of isolation (my cats, Casper and Felix), so I just HAD to get back, instead of dawdling at the end. I was back home by 10:30, cats rescued, and had a glorious nap the entire afternoon! What a ride this year! Next year, I'll do more training (so I can be faster, like I was in 1996), and then I can take my time if I want and not feel so wiped out! Thanks, MS Society, for putting on a fundraiser that's as fun to do and be a part of as this!