Little Red Riding Hood '09

For the past two years I have rode in the Little Red Riding Hood women's only ride to benefit women's cancer research.

This year I talked my friend Mari into riding with me. Mari and her husband both road bike and we (Mark and I) usually try to ride with them on weekends.

Here is Mari - just before we started. Do you love the arm warmers with the sleeveless jersey?! She's bringin' sexy back!!

We decided that we would have a girls weekend and do the ride in Wellsville. Wellsville is a really small town in northern Utah just outside of Logan. It is beautiful.

We left Friday afternoon and on our way to Logan had a CELEBRITY SIGHTING!! Yep folks, that IS the Jazz Bear on the motorcycle. If you ask me it would take some seriously MAD skills to ride that Harley with the Jazz Bear head thing on!

We got to Wellsville and went to the starting area. They had several booths with vendors selling jewelry, biking jerseys, shorts, etc. and purses. They also had a Hawaiian Luau for dinner and it was really good. We didn't stick around for the entertainment portion because if you've seen one chubby Hawaiian man in a grass skirt - you've pretty much seen them all!

When we got to our hotel in Logan, it was a little weird for me. I didn't have anyone asking to go to the ice machine, needing a snack or begging to go to the pool - what's a girl to do?!?

The next morning we drove back into Wellsville to get ready for our ride. We had made jokes about NOT taking our husbands - - who was going to pump up our tires? What if we got a flat? THEN WHAT?!

Mark didn't think this was too funny - I told him that he didn't appreciate good humor. Usually when we ride he is in charge of the mechanical part (tires, chain, etc) and I am in charge of water and snacks. FYI - I am AWESOME at filling water bottles and getting Gatorade.

I brought our pump and after getting a tutorial from my dear husband, I felt pretty confident in using it. You see road bike tires have long and skinny valve stems and they are somewhat temperamental.

I pumped up Mari's tires without a problem and then moved onto mine. I started in the back and when I went to pull the pump off of the valve stem, the top half came off in the pump! AGGHH!! So I thought I would do the front and then deal with the back again. This time when I took the pump off, the tip came off in the pump. REALLY?!? Are you kidding me? I broke BOTH valve stems?

We decided to ride to the starting line before my tires went completely flat and see if we could get one of the guys from the bike shop to fix them.

When I pulled up and explained to the nice young man that was helping what my problem was, he was like "Wow! You broke BOTH valve stems?! That takes some skill!" Then he proceeded to call some of his other worker friends over to tell them that I had broken both valve stems. I was quite the celebrity for a minute.

Then they noticed my bike and all the pinkness. He said - "well you may have broken both valve stems, but your bike looks good! I like all the pink." I then told him the story about how for Mother's Day I asked for a sewing machine and my dear husband heard "road bike". So then I decided that if I was going to ride, I had to look cute, hence all the pink. They thought it was a great story and all swore they heard road bike when I said sewing machine!

Notice the pink tires that Santa brought to me this year. . . .

Here we are just before it was our turn to start. We did 47 miles this time. We decided that since it has been cold and rainy and both of us have rode maybe 30 miles in one ride, we should play it safe and go for the shorter distance.


The weather was great (mostly). Not too cold and the wind wasn't really an issue until the last 6 miles. Then, the last 6 miles of our ride the wind really picked up. We were going uphill to get to the finish and those last 6 miles felt like 60!

This was my view for the majority of the ride. Mari is an awesome rider and usually faster than me.

I told her that she needed to get shorts with words on the back so I would have something to read!

After we got to the finish we were served a Mai-Tai mocktail, complete with a drink umbrella and then given a lei.

We took full advantage of the free 15 minute massage (heaven to my tired muscles!) and then went to eat.

Besides the usual Subway sandwiches, they had a chocolate fountain this year! Ohhhh, chocolate! That made it totally worth it!!

After we had our fill of chocolate covered everything, we took a short catnap on the grass and then headed home.
All in all it was a fun weekend. maybe next year we'll let the husbands come. . . . or not!

Little Red Riding Hood

Last weekend I participated in the Little Red Riding Hood women's only ride. This is a yearly event with all proceeds going to benefit Huntsman Cancer and some of the most serious issues facing women.

Last year I did this ride and loved it. The scenery is beautiful, the weather was great, and there is a really fun atmosphere throughout the ride. Last year was the first year I had my bike. It was a Mother's Day gift from my loving husband (a biker man himself) Funny thing though, I said "sewing machine" and he heard "road bike". Huh, must be one of those Men are from Mars things. . . Anyway. I did 40 miles last year and was really excited to ride again this year.

So, figuring that I was a more experienced rider this year and I would be able to ride about the same amount as last Spring, I ambitiously signed up for the 64 mile ride this year. Of course things didn't quite work out the way I had planned.

We had a really wet and cold Spring (hard to ride when it's raining) and then if you have read my previous posts about my basement woes and graduation - the bottom line here is that I was nowhere near as prepared as I should have been for this ride.

So let's just cut to the chase: Ride Day

Here I am before the start. Don't I look happy? The weather was a little chilly and there was a slight wind - no big deal at this point. I've got my arm warmers, wind vest and my pockets in back are packed with all the essentials that I might need - cell phone, lip stuff, asthma inhaler, etc.


Here I am at the starting point - this is where you "hurry up and wait."


The first 30 miles were great - not really a problem.

Then after lunch the wind picked up and we had a REALLY strong headwind for the last 30 miles. I have to tell you I HATE, hate, HATE the wind!

Here I am making progress slowly, but surely. I had to down shift to a lower gear just to keep going in that miserable wind!!


Now, this picture is a story! Notice the three women behind me. They are drafting on me. This means that I am blocking the wind and making it a little easier for them to ride. When you ride on a team, you usually take turns being in the front so that one person is not doing all the work and everyone benefits. Even if you are NOT on a team, it is courteous to take turns. That being said - these chubby chicks come up behind me and start drafting on me (in the crappy, crappy headwind) for about 6 miles. This is hard work people! So finally I start straying off to one side hoping that they will get the hint. Not a chance! Then I say "Hey, do one of you want to take the front? " and the one closest to me goes "No, we're good!" all cheery like. So help me - - - if I get off this bike. . . .



Here I am on the home stretch - look, I can actually get my arm up to wave to Mark as he takes my picture!


At the finish line they give sparkling cider to all cyclists and the Big Bad Wolf is there to greet you and congratulate you on a job well done.


Whew - 64 miles! I feel good, but man am I glad Mark is driving us home!