“Just Keep Pedaling: The BP MS150 2012”

The MS 150 Start

Hey TV Land,

I am officially in St. Maarten. Adjusting to island life is interesting, if that makes any sense. However, that’s another post. I am going to write about my experience in the MS 150. I know I was going to write about my other rides but I think the MS 150 deserves to be highlight because it was the reason why I was doing all of those training rides. So here we go!

It was 5:24 AM when I finally got out of bed on Saturday. I was suppose to get up at 5:15 but that snooze button was so tempting. By the time I got up, breakfast, and packed my bike and supplies, it was 6:00. The night before, Ms. Priscilla (my MS 150 mentor) and I agreed to meet up at the hotel that she was staying at and ride to the starting line on Dairy Ashford in front of Tulles Stadium. Well I didnt get to the hotel until 6:15 but everything was okay. We rode to the starting line and at 6:45 we were off.

Number 637!!

At the beginning of the ride, the riders were all together and passing each other. However as we were riding down Clay Rd., a woman got a flat and stop in the middle of the road which caused a crash. The first rest stop was at an elementary school off of Fry and 529. After that rest stop, the distance between riders grew and there were times were I was the only rider for 3 miles. It didn’t bother me and it was nice to enjoy the ride at my own pace. As I got closer to La Grange, the wind speed picked up considerably. According to the weather forecast, winds varied 11 to 15 mph and was NNE. Needless to say, riding on Saturday was hell. Even the seasoned/experienced riders thought that Saturday was brutal.

Along the route there was a lunch stop that was approximately, 40 miles from the start. My mom, who volunteered for the ride, was at the lunch stop and helped pass out lunch. By the time I got to the lunch stop, it was 2pm and the majority of the riders had passed through. While I was eating lunch, I told my mom that I was starting to get a headache and the cloudless sky wasn’t making it any better. However I wanted to ride so after taking to tylenol and taking a 30 min nap, I left for the New Ulm/ Industry area. I made for the first 10 mi after the lunch stop but soon my headache turned into a migrane and I rode the rest of the way to La Grange in a SAG vehicle.

Throughout my entire ride, I rode twice in the SAG vans and the rides happened to be with the same couple. SAG #35 were a charming couple and were pleasant to chat with. The woman told me that her mom had MS and explained some of the signs/symptoms of the disease. She also told me that her mom was driving SAG #11, which I had a run in with earlier that day. The mom was a sweet lady who gave me some water and powerade while I was walking my bike up a hill. Its amazing to hear first-hand accounts of how MS impacts indiviudal’s  lives.

After arriving in La Grange, I got a bite to eat at the BP tent and cooled off. By the time we left for the hotel in Bastrop, it was 7pm and it was still light outside. Once we arrived at the hotel, I went straight to the hot tub to soak my legs. Oh my gosh, the soak felt too good. Even though my legs were sore in the morning, it wasnt as bad as it could have been.

The next morning, my mom and I rode to the Bastrop rest stop instead of driving back to La Grange. The hills after La Grange were brutal and Ms Priscilla suggested that I start from Bastrop instead of La Grange. It helped because there was only 2 rest stop between Bastrop and Austin. Riding on Sunday was perfect! Even though there was a headwind, the wind was only 0 to 5 mph! Riding into Austin was tough because the hills were steep! Going down the hills were fun but riding up them was hard. I’m not going to lie, I had to get off and walk up the hills. However as I approached the final strech of the ride, I was determined to finish on my bike. My legs burned and cramped but as a crossed the line, I started to cry! I got this HUGE sense of accomplishment of completing the ride! I rode approximately 90 miles which is great for a beginner...or at least I think so.

I FINISHED!!!

My overall expereice of the ride was good! I have had friends ask would I do the ride again. My answer is yes and I would do more training to prepare for the next time. For those who are interested in the BP MS 150, I would suggest to volunteer first to get a sense of how everything works and join some training rides. Dont be nervous about not being an expereinced rider. The BP MS 150 is one of the largest and safest riding events in the US. Its a very fulfilling and rewarding experience.

I hope yall enjoyed my accounts and look out for my St. Maarten post on Tuesday!!

Deuces Yo!