Happy Birthday Grampa Dusty! This past weekend produced enough photos to need its own post! Why? Well this weekend was the annual MS150 Tour de Farms in DeKalb, IL. It is a two day bike event that raises money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Hundreds of volunteers work at rest stops or traffic areas or patroling the routes offering support to riders. Over 2500 people rode in the event. For Kevin and I to participate, the girls got to stay with Gramma and Grampa for the WHOLE WEEKEND! So of course I have pictures.

A weekend with Gramma and Grampa is super busy! One must spend some time hot tubbing….

And getting in some quiet time reading with Gizmo….

And baking birthday cake and singing for Grampa!

While they were having fun, Kevin and I were working hard but having fun (mostly). Our weekend was a comedy of errors (but not everything made us laugh!!). We arrived Friday evening to get settled and up early. The hotel was full of riders.

The goal for Saturday was for me to do the 50 mile route and Kevin was going to do the 100 mile route. The original 7AM start time was moved to 8AM due to thunderstorms. I dropped a water bottle and had a glitch with my bike computer at mile 4. Retrieved my bottle and got the computer fixed at the first rest area (mile 14) while a baby calf visited us. Aside from a really cool looking gust front that we thought was going to dump rain, it was not too bad and didn’t get as hot as predicted. I finished my 50 miles in 4 hrs, 45 min (that includes 4 rest stops). Kevin only made it to 59 miles, when his pedal crank fell off and could not be fixed on the road. The SAG truck (support and gear) brought him back to the finish line where he greeted me when I crossed.

The goal for Sunday was to get an early start. I was to bike the 50 mile route and Kevin wanted to do the 75 mile route. The mechanics had tried to fix his bike, but the crank tried to fall off again 2 miles into the ride. He went back to the start, and the plan was to meet me at the first rest stop (10 miles). He would take the bike I was riding, and I would be done for the day. That first rest stop was staffed by the Purple People. They are a special group of volunteers:

Kevin chatted with the mechanic there, who was able to get his bike fixed enough to ride! So Kevin joined me on the 50 mile route. There is his bike on the rack getting fixed.

Sunday was a bright, sunny, WINDY day. Very windy. And pretty warm (near 90). Here is a picture of me struggling against the wind up the many hills we tackled. The bike I am riding is a trail bike – not a special lightweight, thin tire one like Kevin’s. We call it The Albatross, because it drags you down (it is heavy and has high friction with its wider tires).

Rest stop 2 was at the top of a brutal hill, with the 14mph and gusty winds blowing almost in our faces.

Rest stop 3 was at a school – lunch! And more Porta Potties. At least this one had hand washing stations.

We both finished the 50 mile route, but due to the wind (and being tired!) it took 6 hours, 30 minutes to pull it off (including 4 rest stops). The last 15 miles were mostly with the wind to our backs. That was a cool thing – we were pedaling at the same speed as the wind, so there was absolutely no wind noise (unlike the morning spent pedaling those same 15 miles into the wind…..uphill…a lot). We were tired, but felt good. Between the two of us, we raised about $1000 (and CDW will match $350 of that for Kevin). We are all set to do it again next year! Kayla thinks she might like to do a shorter route when she turns 14. That would be neat!