I woke up feeling better today. I was absolutely depleted after the ride yesterday, so I applied some of my Hormone Replacement Therapy medication (HRT) last evening and then again this morning to help pep me up a bit. I had many conversations on the trip about HRT, and that there really is a condition called Andropause. usually it is a natural result of the body simply producing less hormone as you age, but for me its a bit different. Without the medication, my body actually has less testosterone than any
average female. It is a small price to pay for the gift I have received.
We met for a group photo in front of the fountain before rolling out. I rode with group 3 and the 3 Mikes. The trip was a pretty calm one. There was more headwind than I preferred but we made decent time down to coast. I was able to meet some new folks and lend a hand when needed. Brian Sorokin pinched his rear tube and I jumped in to help. I grabbed the wheel while they were trying to find the tire irons. I wrenched the tire off with my hands and pulled the tube out and could not find any puncture point. We joked about how dirty his bike was and it inspired me to do another fundraiser ($20 bike clean and tune). Col. Mike found the snakebit from the pinch and we threw another tube in. We went to pump it up and the stem was too short. I gave him one of mine and we were rolling again. We chattted about fundraising and he offered to contact someone to help with the finishing on the BBQ Island. I now have the tile labor included with the BBQ island! Awesome, Thanks!
The group continued to fracture as we made out
way down the coast. Brian and I rode on the back for a while and played sheepdog, trying to help bring the struggling riders back to the
group. There were quite a few guys struggling in the last few miles. Not many people have done back to back centuries, so the amount of rest, hydration, and nutrition was an experiment. I would venture to say a lot of lessons were learned on highway 101.
I practiced what I preached and cleanded my rig as soon as I got home. I enjoyed an nice cool shower and some couch time and football with the lady. Great weekend!
Thanks to all the CAF staff, ride guides, and support folks for all of their efforts. It was well planned and executed perfectly. And thanks to all of the riders, fundraisers and new friends, too! It is such a pleasure to surround myself with such great people as you each weekend.
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