Homestretch

I guess my TNT season is over. There is one more group ride, a 45 miler on Saturday, which I will miss because of a funeral. I will ride alone that afternoon. I will also ride this afternoon and Sunday afternoon and then put my bike on a semi-truck to be delivered in Tucson next week. I am already dreading that moment. Not having the bike in the garage will be a little like not having the dog in the house for the night….something just ain’t right…

Let's take a moment to review. It's been fifteen weeks of riding and over 1500 miles.

My favorite cycling food:
Peanut butter and graham cracker sandwiches. Sweet, crunchy and full of the power needed to pedal on.

Least favorite food:
Berries and Cream Power Bar. Yuck.


Favorite article of cycling clothing:
My headband. I bought it on a whim at REI in Portland (mine’s blue, matches the bike). It keeps sweat out of my face, which is great. But I love it because when I put in on I feel like I am about to walk on the set of a music video for Olivia Newton John. “Let’s get physical, physical…”



Favorite Wichita Area ride:
Thunder Road. Yes it’s fun to say, but also to ride. Great road, great trees, some good hills, little traffic.


Biggest surprise of the season:
The power of the team. I’m kind of an independent girl but I would not want to be doing this alone. (And along with that the power of my personal team to raise $4,000. That’s humbling.)



Scariest moment:
Chin meets pavement. I did wonder if I was going to get up from that crash with all my teeth.

Favorite moment:
This is yet to come, I suspect it will be the finish line. In the last two weeks we’ve practiced a move called “take the road” so we can cross the line four cyclists abreast. I’m smiling just thinking about it.

Biggest gratitude:
The opportunity to recognize as an adult a loss I suffered as a child. The bike riding has been fun but what means more to me is connecting with my family around the death of my aunt in a way I couldn't at five years old.

This is a page out of the guest book at my aunt Pat's funeral. I don't remember that day at all. I vaguely remember being horrified at the funeral home when we went for family viewing to look at her body.


I don't remember much of anything about my aunt at all. I know she loved chocolate chip cookies and breakfast at Denny's. I know she taught school and lived alone. I know she loved me and in my five year old way, I loved her too.

I can see that it was important for me to sign my own name at her funeral. My brother did too but his eight year old handwriting is much better than my kindgergarten script.

So on the 17th I will ride remembering Patricia Jane and her life that ended too soon. I will remember her life that ended in great pain, physical as well as emotional. It was impossible for my grandparents to know how to watch their oldest child die.

I will remember her because even though she is 25 years gone, I know she has a place in our family. She has effected who I am, who my parents are, how I interact with the world. I intend to honor that for at least 109 miles.