Fifty Plus (50+) - Off to the MS150...

Well, tomorrow I'm off to Columbia, Mo. for the MS150. Hurricane Gustav remnants swept thru today, we're supposed to have partly cloudy skys, low 80's both days. First day has a 4 mph headwind predicted for the entire ride (and it's an out and back loop!). Will be the first real test of the new Surly LHT- been getting it dialed in, and me dialed in to it over the last three weeks- put about 500 miles on it, and it feels really good.

Plan to do the 75 mile routes both days, and if feeling froggy at the end of each/either day, ride another 12.5 out and back to make it an even 100 (but based on past experience on these routes, I'll be done at 75).

Wish me luck, and if any of you are riding- watch for the black and white jerseys with the bull.

DP

Good luck.

Have a great ride and we'll be expecting a ride report with pictures:)

Have fun!

Dellphinus,
A great big THANK YOU from the home of an MS patient. :cheers:

The Gustav remnants have now passed through the Chicago area, so you should have drier weather. Hope your weather is as enjoyable as what we had for the Illinois MS150 in June.

Good luck, and thanks for riding for the cause!

Al

Well, the rides were great. We were actually a little cold both days. Mornings were foggy, roads clear, spirits high. The first day course was the easier of the two- LOTs of rollers, but nothing really hard. Sunday was a chore- short and steep, long and gradual, never ending hills. Rode with my team on Saturday and pacelined it, let them ride ahead on Sunday- they're all CF "gotta go fast" types- I'm a " I gotta finish, I don't care when" type.
but... set new personal bests- Day 1- 76 miles at 17.7 mph, Day 2- 78 miles at 15.4 mph.

Tried something new- 30 minute massage immediately after each ride. IF YOU EVER GET A CHANCE TO DO THIS, DO IT. Had no muscle pains or cramps at all both days after the massage. Monday morning, quads were a little sore, but nothing like I've had on previous MS150 rides.

A few pics from the ride. In pic order, not cronological order: breakfast day 1, cars coming into the area day one, riders walking down the hill to the start in the fog on day 1, the team (me on right), lunch day 1, finish line day 1, lunch day 2, some guy having a rough day at the next to the last stop on day 2 (20 miles to go), the last stop on day two on the Katy Trail (2 pics), the finsh line day 2. Sorry for the order, haven;t figured out how to re-arrange them and insert captions yet.

[edit] almost forgot- not one rest stop had pie. Brownies, fruit, cookies, ice cream, popcorn, candy, but no pie.

Delphinius,

Good on you!
Best of luck,

Jeff, still fat