Motivated

Let me start out by saying that all efforts on sticking to my diet this past weekend were out the door the minute we left our house on Friday morning :o( I won't be going to WW today but I did just weigh myselft at home and for the first time since I started I've lost nothing and gained 2.2 lbs...YIKES! Today is detox day :o) It's just me and the 100 calorie snacks, fruit and veggies today. I think the only thing to do in the town of Solvang is eat, drink wine and eat more. I did eat but did not drink because oh, drinking and driving while behind 4000 cyclist would not be good. We did though indulge in the good food and pastries there.

So we headed out of here around 8am on Friday, we decided that leaving at 6 was way to early and would get us into Solvang way too early so we left a little later. Luckily we hit no traffic. We stopped to get Starbuck's on our way we were. We made it to Solvang in 5 hours with only 2 stops to tink and one to have lunch. Phil was already there so we joined him in the room. We were roomies all weekend. Out hotel room was about 5 minutes from Solvang so we decided to head in to see what was going on. I had read that the expo didn't start til 6 but we thought that was weird since are so used to the marathon expos being all day throughout several days. We went into town and sure enough the expo wasn't til later from 6-10pm. Oh well, we stopped by a nearby bike shop to see what they had and then headed back to the hotel. Phil had to gone a short test ride at 3pm so he got ready for that and Rocky and I went across the streed to get me a toothbruch, me forgot mine and hit an atm machine. We did our little errands and then made it back to the hotel room. Dinner wasn't til 5:30 so we just hung out for a while and not too long after we had sat down to relax we hear....Ppppssssshhhhhhh. What the heck was that? Rocky's tire had blown up all on it's own just sitting up agains the dresser :o( It's the second tire he has lost in a week without even using the bike. We checked it out and found the problem, the tire has some holes in it and the tubes keep going in the little hole and then eventually pops. Although he's never had a problem before it seems like there should be tape inside there to avoid that. We had some time before the pasta party so we took both tires over to the bike shop in Solvang and picked up some tire tape. The guy told Rocky that that was exactly the problem. Bought the tape then headed back to the room. It was time for dinner so we went to the Pasta Party. This is probably the smallest TNT pasta party I've been too but everyone was super pumped up. The only teams doing this ride were SF, LA, Silicon Valley and for some random reason Texas. We ate but didn't stay for all the talks because Rocky had to go pick up his race packet (the team got theirs at the hotel we were staying at) so back to Solvang we went. We sure didn't miss where packet pick up was, there was a LOOOONNN Line that was down the street and literally around the corner. Rocky hoped out to stand in line while I parked. The line moved quick and Rocky got his packet and then we walked around the very small expo which was outside and very dark :o( couldn't see much so we headed back. Rocky and Phil got all their stuff ready which included Rocky having to tape both his tires, replace the tubes and put the tires back on. We were in bed and lights out at 9pm.

4:45 alarm went off although and the boys got ready. Phil's group was taking off at 6:00am and Rocky's about 10 minutes later. I saw them off and then went back to bed :o)

Monica chowing down on McDonald's

Team Estrogen, Monica's riding group, they adopted Rocky for the day

I didn't fall back asleep but at least I got to lay down for a bit. I got up a little later and got ready and then headed back into Solvang to meet my parents. They were running a little late so I ened up going into a bakery for some breakfast and coffee. I walked around to check out the town and went back to the Expo to see what they had, now that it was light out and I could actually see. I picked up a nice jersey for myself and one for Rocky. By this time it was almost 11 and when I was back out walking around I saw my parents had arrived. We parked thier car and then hoped into mine and off we went to try to make it to mile 60 where the boys would be stopping for SAG #3 It was about a 30 minute drive. We made it :o) and got to see Rocky and his group for a few minutes before they took off. We also waited to see Phil :o) and they both looked great despite Phil having some back issuses.

Rocky and Monica at SAG #3

Phil arriving at SAG #3

Then we were off to mile 74 where SAG #4 would be. We headed back to the freeway and followed the directions given to us to go to the SAG stops but when we arrived at our next location we saw nothing :o( we saw the riders coming but not stop. I think they missed giving us a turn or something I dunno. We never saw Rocky and Phil, bummer. I wasn't carrying anything in my car for Phil but I did have a few things for Rocky so I was really hoping he didn't need any of it. I more felt back because I told them we'd be there and we weren't :o(

Somehow because of the wrong turn we ended up on the course and although the streets weren't closed it was not my intention to drive back the next 30 miles next to the riders. But we did and OMG was that stressful. The course basically takes them back in the hills on two lane roads and some aren't really 2 lane roads they are just a road with no street markings and super tiny. So here we were in our car, bikes on the right and on coming cars on the left. Made for a not so fun drive back although we did get to see the countryside, lots of wineries, cows and all the riders. Just not our riders :o(

We eventualy hit mile 96 and SAG #5 and the last one for them. It was in the middle of no where and we were a good 2 hours ahead of Rocky and Phil so we only took a potty break there and headed back to the finish. We made it back safely and did not take out a rider while doing it.

We had a little lunch at the BBQ they had for the ride and then just spent the rest of the afternoon walking, sitting and waiting for them to return. I finally got a text message from Rocky that they were a mile away :o) YAY! at 4:00pm Rocky rolled in, 9 1/2 hours after they had left...WOW. He said Phil's group was about another hour behind :o( Rocky was exhausted, my parents and I were exhausted so we ended up heading back to the hotel :o( we didn't see Phil finish but we knew he was still back there and was doing good. The great thing about the cycle team is that you are not left behind. The group you ride with stays together. I think that is very cool. Not like running where you are on your own which sucks especially during those last tough miles.

Rocky coming into the finish line, with a smile :o)

Anyway, we made it back to the room and Rocky showered up. My parents were pooped and my dad wasn't feeling great so they headed back home. Rocky and I went to a Western Style Family Restaurant and had dinner. Rocky wanted ribs and ribs he got.

Okay, so we shared this but I only had 1 cause our food came with,

stew, black beans, salsa, salad, potatoes, garlic bread and rice.....YIKES!

They sure know how to eat in them parts of town

The team was having their victory party and although we could hav joined them later or the dancing we didn't. We were exhausted so we just went back to the room to relax.

Sunday we got up fairly early, packed up and checked out of the room. We went back into Solvang for a yummy breakfast and shopping.

There isn't much to do there so we parted ways (Phil drove his own car) and we headed out about 11am. We took our time coming home. We stopped in Pismo and walked around and had lunch :o) my favorite. When we got to Gilroy we stopped at the outlets and picked up some more cycling gear at the Pearl Izumo outlet. I needed new knickers and found some there. We finally made it home last night at about 6pm.

I am really proud of everyone who rode this weekend. They all did an amazing job and have motivated me to get my butt in gear and get training. We don't start the summer season til the end of May but I am ready to go and can't wait.

It did not however motivate me to do a century although you never know I might if I can find a nice flat course :o) The thought of being out there for 10 hours on my butt pedaling away up hill just doesn't excite me. These guys did it though and kicked some cycling butt. The people who were on the cycling team and have done marathons before all agreed that although it's a long distance and you are out there for so long that this was much easier than doing a marathon. I admit that while my parents and I were at the finish line we did not see the casualties that we see at a finish line after a marathon. It's very interesting. They didn't even have to do ice baths, everyone was a little sore but walking just fine that night and the next day.

Spectating was not bad although you've got 100 miles to cover instead of 26 so driving time is much longer and so is waiting time. It was nice that the roads were open to so we could go to the SAG stops but it's gotta be nerve wracking for the riders to have cars next to them on a two lane road :o( I was pretty bummed that we only saw everyone once but at least we did see them.

CONGRATULATIONS ROCKY, PHIL & MONICA!