Tour de Pepper: Be a Pepper Too!

Last week I revealed that I had recently got myself a shiny blue bike and signed up for my very first bike rally--Tour de Pepper--a 34 mile ride out in Dublin, Texas.  Mr K, Mama C, and myself would be tackling this new experience together and we were fortunate enough to be guided by That Pink Girl.  Dublin is about two hours southwest of here and the alarm clock rang at a ridiculously early hour on Saturday morning.  We had packed up the bikes and our gear the night before (note: cycling requires WAY more gear than running) and headed towards the designated meet up place with Mama C and TPG.

As dawn broke we found ourselves surrounded by beautiful countryside, there really is nothing like a small town Texas at sunrise on a summer morning.  We arrived at Dublin High School and began to assemble our bikes, pin bibs on our backs (a change of pace), apply copious amounts of sunscreen, and pose for picture (you should not be surprised!).  I was pleased and surprised to hear that thanks to generous sponsor support, 100% of our entry fee went to the race charity (Kids Across Cultures). After a beautiful rendition of the Star Spangled Banner, performed on trumpet by the school's band director, we were off and rolling.  I was pretty nervous in the beginning as I didn't want to be the clumsy rider that crashed into someone else, blocked traffic, or caused any incident.  It took me a little bit to settle in and feel comfortable and I could see the rest of our little party up ahead of me.

Wait...bibs go on the back? Weird!

I learned pretty quickly that the downhills scared me a bit and I would get passed by other riders, but I would make up time on the climbs and leapfrog the people who passed me.  Mama C flew by me on one downhill shouting "Gravity assssiiiisstttttt!" as she passed.  Just as I was starting to settle in a bit we came to the first rest stop.  It was a sugar lover's paradise with Dublin Dr Pepper (the GOOD stuff with real sugar), bags of homemade cookies, and fruit.  We posed for more pictures and talked about our experiences thus far.  Mr K is a riding machine and quickly disappeared from sight once we were on our way again.  I had a great time talking and riding with TPG and Mama C.  It was clear that we were not in any big hurry, just enjoying being on a bike in the countryside.

Mmm....real Dr Pepper

The second rest stop came just before mile 20 and we found Mr K waiting for us there.  More Dr Pepper and cookies were consumed while we chatted a bit.  I was feeling really good, legs felt like I was working but nothing that I couldn't handle.  We decided to stay together on the next leg and set off for the next leg of our journey.  Mama C and TPG were on the lookout for cows and we stopped for pictures when we finally found some.  Again, taking a fairly leisurely pace--enjoying the scenery and the company.

Rest stop #2....more Dr Pepper.....

One more rest stop around mile 28 and we thought that we were home free!  Mr K and Mama C were riding in front of us when TPG noticed something amiss with her front tire.  We hollered for our pack leaders to stop, but they were engrossed in conversation and did not hear our shouts.  TPG was making steady progress with her tire when an assist by the SAG wagon resulted in a lost nut...alas no more front tire for TPG.  I was saddened to see my buddy load her bike and get into the SAG wagon and head back to her car.  I was off to face the last 6 miles on my own.  And wouldn't you know it, as soon as I turned and started pedaling I found my self face-to-face with 3 friendly donkeys.  Me....the one person in the riding party who did not have a phone/camera...darn the luck!  I said hello to the donkeys, who were looking at me quite curiously, and turned my face towards Dublin.  The road was pretty lonely by this point, but I did take pleasure in passing several small groups on my way into town....can't keep that competitor in me quiet for long!  However, my triumph did not last for long as the 70 mile riders joined rejoined the course for the last mile or so....and those guys looked STRONG!  They didn't keep me from giving myself a little cheer as I closed in on the finish....this was a new accomplishment!

Finish Line!

 After downing another Dublin Dr Pepper and meeting up with Mr K and Mama C we made the mile ride back to this high school where we found TPG.  I had a blast and found out that bike rallies are something that I really enjoy.  I also learned that my approach to cycling is completely opposite from my philosophy on running.  Riding my bike is about having FUN--I paid little attention to the clock or even my speed during this ride.  I lingered at rest stations, talked with friends, and posed for pictures....all things that I would NEVER do while running a race.  Running is all about going faster and father---lots of goals and lots of focus.  I think that this balance is going to be really good for me and I'm looking forward to more adventures on wheels.

Mama C, That Pink Girl, Mr K, and Me

Thanks to Mama C for the pictures that bring this story to life.  And thanks to That Pink Girl for taking a pack of new cyclists out for an adventure!