La Vernia Wild West Hammerfest 2014

In Triathlon, I have heard that you should train your weakness. Mine is the bike. I have a beautiful bike. She needs a better motor. I admit, I’m afraid of riding on the roads … cars will always win in an accident. I don’t have great bike handling skills. Because I’m intimidated on the roads, I don’t ride as often as I should.

When I was in 8^th grade, I did a ride across Kansas … 50-80 miles per day for about a week. It was hot. And don’t be fooled, Southeast Kansas is NOT FLAT!!! on a bicycle. And in the heat, the tar on the road gets sticky. After that, it was years before I got on a bike again.  A few years ago, I did a few Olympic distance triathlons … those 2 races were the ONLY times I have ridden 20-miles (or more) since the bike across Kansas.  A few months ago, I was feeling brave and did a 20-mile ride with Shakira on the road. It was actually fun. But, that’s it.

I keep saying that I need to get out on the road. When I heard about La Vernia Wild West Hammerfest, I had the perfect excuse.  This small community hosts an annual ride of multiple distances 34, 53, 65 miles and a 10-mile family ride. The ride supports the La Vernia Veterans Memorial Project … great reason to support an event.  I chose 34-miles. They have a military/veteran rate, so I signed up on-line. The temperature dropped on Friday and we were blessed with rain.  There was threat of rain for the ride, so the Musician worried about me …he knows my fear of bikes and lack of skill. Friday night, the Musician aired up my tires and loaded Vaderette on the car. Saturday morning, I took the shopping tag off my bike shorts (yes, never been worn) and grabbed a rain jacket. Headed to the park and picked up my packet. I didn’t know how to wear the bib. I pinned it to the front of my bike jersey and zipped up my rain jacket. Seems most people pinned it to the back of their jersey.

I met Shakira and her friend Christina and we decided to ride together. This was Christina’s first long-ride, too. Said “hello” to some other friends who were going out at different rates and paces. And Let, who was on crutches and couldn’t ride, but proved to be a great cheerleader. We went to the start line, said a prayer, said the national anthem. The 65-milers left, then the 53-milers. Then us. We stayed toward the back, but it was still tough getting going. I’m not the only person who is unsteady with bike mounting and handling. We pedaled leisurely and found a comfortable pace and got out of a crowd. Each section of the route was completely different.

Start to Rest-Stop #1. The weather was comfortable. The cold front was great. Temperatures were comfortable. Slightly windy. Shakira’s toes got cold, but my mountain bike shoes provided good protection. The road had some really rough and bumpy areas. The hills were gentle rollers. If this were a race, it would be described as flat … not “rolling hills” that race organizers euphemistacly call steep climbs. Sometimes they were tough when the wind was against us. I had so much fun. This was great. I didn’t feel the pressure of a race. We got to the rest stop and I had an orange wedge and was thinking I could go like this all day. Christina didn’t want to stop for fear she might not get back on the bike.

Rest-Stop to Rest-Stop. Shakira and I re-mounted and turned the corner to be met with a wall of hard wind. I swear the wind was enough to stop the bike. Same rolling hills for the next 13 miles, but with wind that was rough. Cross-winds that made me clutch the handle bars and pray that Vaderette wouldn’t fall over. Head-winds that required grinding in low gears to keep going downhill. Sudden gusts that almost brought me to dead halt. Is it my imagination or did the wind pick up when there were uphill climbs? We caught up to Christina. At one point, I was leading the threesome and Shakira told me to go on ahead. I was ready to be done. My girlie parts started to talk to me … and then yell at me … I wasn’t having as much fun anymore. I spent some time in my own head and kind of liked my conversations, though. I was good company. I was relieved to find Rest-Stop #2. I hung out and waited a few minutes for my partners. Ate some Gu chomps. I should note that I had set out nutrition for myself the night before and left it sitting on the kitchen counter. After chomps, I felt better. I guess I needed calories.  Christina decided not to stop. I think her words were “let’s just get this finished.”

Rest-Stop #2 to Finish: We got started again and turned a corner. The road got really smooth. The wind died down, or at least felt better. My girlie bits stopped talking … I think because they gave up telling me I was not being nice to them. I decided I liked being in my own zone and went off on my own to the finish. At 30-miles, there was a marker on the ground for the 34-milers to turn and the others to keep going straight. I shouted (OK ... screamed with joy) at the volunteers because I was happy to be heading home. I got barn happy. At the finish, I waited a few minutes to see Christina and Shakira come through. They had to head home quickly. I headed to lunch with friends who had ridden 34-miles, much faster than me, though. I wasn’t concerned about my pace because this was a ride, not training, not racing … just getting to like my bike again … sort of.

This was a great ride for the 439 riders who signed up. I never felt unsafe on the roads. The support and volunteers were really incredible. The countryside was absolutely beautiful. We were lucky to avoid rain, but the temperature was grand. The community was really supportive with lots of police support at intersections. The car traffic never felt scary. I will do it again. But, I was tired and would enjoy the rest of the day on a couch.