Saturday - The 2009 Tour De Cure ride is finally here! Just as before any other race/group event I was a bit nervous at first, mostly because it is my first time biking and I didn't know what to expect. I am definitely a novice rider and I certainly didn't want to stand out because of that.
First (108mi) wave started at 7am, second (65mi) at 8am, and finally mine (27mi) at 9am. Already, by 9am temperatures were warmer that ideal, about 70-75, and it was only going to get warmer and warmer. I was seriously disappointed by the low number of riders. I have seen other race events at the Hillsboro Stadium, and I KNOW what it could be like... Usually, we park in the overflow Intel parking lot, and we are surrounded by the crowds of people making their way to the start line. This time, we had plenty of parking to choose from and were the only family crossing the street by the stadium.
There were about (or at the most) 50 riders in my group, and right before the start we were told that some one vandalize some of the route sign overnight (the ones that tell us where to turn) and race organizers are doing their best with getting those back in place! Who would do that?!! Oh, I know, the school is out... Terrible!
It was nice to see people of "different biking ability" riding along. I no longer was afraid to be left behind, there WERE people slower than me! I believe I ended up at about the middle of the pack. Other that a police officer at the light over I-26, about a mile into our ride, we didn't have any roads closed specifically for us. Not only we had to share the road with cars and farm equipment, we had some stretches of the road without a bike lane or even enough space on the shoulder to use as a lane. All a challenge to me, I got to get out biking more often!
(JUST finished!) We all made a quick rest stop at mile 13, with many snacks and drinks to choose from, Hawaiian music and the restrooms, then moved on. I felt like I could go so much longer! Just knowing that I was half way there and not yet dying form the exhaustion really helped.
(Kids were hot and miserable, waiting for my return)By the time I finished temperatures reached 90 degrees! We decided not to stay at the stadium and headed back home instead. There wasn't much to do here and it is much cooled in our (even though not air conditioned) house!
(Jon is getting a ride back to our truck)
After we all got back, I cleaned up, fed the kids, then Tim and I went out for a special treat. Quiet lunch at Syun sushi restaurant (only a couple of miles down the road). As expected, food was excellent! We even brought back a Spider Roll sushi for Larissa and Banana Tempura with red bean paste dessert for Gabe. One hit, one miss... hee hee.
(My lunch box)
(Self portrait)
On Sunday I took on yet another project. I decided that boys' room could use a seat/chest in the window cell space. I got a used one of about the right size on the Craigslist.org for $40, got my sanding "Mouse" out, just to find out that something happened to it during our move and it is not working! Sigh!! Off I go to Home Depot to get a new Mouse. While there I got an orbiting sander and some pads as well. Good buy, my sand job went really fast with this new tool.
(you can see where I started my sanding already)
All I have to do now is fine detail sanding by the handles, small ledges and brackets, then the staining will begin. Unfortunately, it is SO HOT, that I put that project on hold, since I am working outdoors...I did, however, finish Gabe's coffee mug and Jon's hedgehog:
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