We Survived!!

Ben and I survived another DALMAC this past Labor Day weekend. It went as well as I had hoped that it would being 11 weeks pregnant. The one thing that I didn't think would be a factor was how tired I got and how quickly. I was expecting some exhaustion at the end of the day, but not in the middle of our rides...

Day 1-We leave for Lansing at 5:30 get there around 8 and are on the road pedaling towards Midland at 8:45. It was a good day until about mile 65 when Dad decided to crash again. The roads this year were not marked well at all and when you are going 24 miles an hour you don't have much time to make certain turns. It was an accident really and a learning experience for everyone involved. I was not with all of the speedy guys at this point as I had already reached my limit a few miles before. I was however deterimined to finish the day, no matter how long it took. As I came up to the corner where the crash had occured it ran through my mind taht Dad had probably crashed again, and lo and behold, I was correct. Dad did not finish Day 1 but rode the Sag in. This night I was not smart and didn't go to bed until after 9.

Day 2 gets off to a good start, but I can already tell in the first 20 miles that it isn't going to be a good day. Ben, Dad and I start a little earlier than the rest of our group, who catch up to us by mile 25. At mile 50 I am done, pretty much falling asleep at our lunch stop. Dad and I decide to Sag in the last 20 miles.

Day 3- after going to bed at 7:00 the previous night Ben and I again decide to start early this morning goes much smoother. I feel rested when we start and am able to make it without to much trouble. Ben rides with me all day. :-) I love that he sticks with me going 16ish miles an hour when he can easily be doing 21. We make it into Gaylord at 12:15 after riding 70 miles and eat a delicious lunch at our favorite ice cream shop there. ( We ate real food and went back for ice cream after dinner.) I go to bed at 7:30.

Day 4 is the last day. We are ending in Mackinac City today and hope to be there by 1:30. There is a century option today (100 miles) or you can just finish the ride with 70. Dad and I decide to just finish 70 which was a very good idea, because the last 25 miles take forever, I was so tired mentally and physically by this point but once again I was determined to finish the day. Ben his brother Marcus and the other 2 riders who were along with us take the century option and split off from our ride around 20 miles. Thanks to the sad marking they go an extra 10 miles and come in with 110 for the day.

This is what you look like after 110 miles. :-)
Sadly this is the only picture I got on the trip, I went to get the camera out several times but never actually got to it.