CAUTION BIKE RACE

Human beings are often gluttons for punishment.  They observe

painful, tortuous and punishing experiences such as child birth, labor 

and delivery; or running a marathon, and want to try it themselves.

And then, when the memories dim, they tell themselves, 

"That wasn't so bad.  Let's do it again."  And they bring along

friends and family for fun and support.

Last year our oldest son, Bobert, rode in the LOTOJA bike race.

Participants cycle 206 miles through three states--

Utah, Wyoming and Idaho--in one day.  Bobert's wife,

Greasy Lightning, was his support crew and met him

at the feeding stops with food and provisions.  We joined her

at the finish line to cheer our hero in.  After the race, Greasy

Lightning proclaimed, "I can do that, " and set out to complete

her goal with Bobert as her cycling partner.

Guess who they talked into being their support crew.

So there we all were in the dark of last Saturday morning in Logan, Utah.

The bikers left in stages, Greasy Lightning ahead of Bobert.

Bobert is an accomplished rider and he soon caught up with his wife.

DH and I traveled with the other support vehicles on a different

route to reduce traffic congestion.

We took the long, long scenic route while the riders made 

their way mostly along main highways.

DH drove, and I rode shotgun.  Long periods of sitting make

my feet swell, so up they go on the dash.

At designated places we waited to refill their water bottles and 

provided high energy food and supplies.

There were over a thousand bicyclists of all abilities and ages.

The course took them over three mountain passes.

The highest topped out at over seven thousand, five hundred feet.

Support cars drove the same route as the riders as they ground their way up 

Salt River Pass. I called it, "The Hill from Hell."

There were plenty of emergency services available in case 

of injuries and medical problems.  We saw and heard about

several accidents, but I don't think anybody died.

Our two bikers journeyed on for miles and miles and

hours and hours, and still had smiles for the camera,

That's Greasy Lightning in the lime green with flowers.

Bobert is leading this pack.

It was late in the afternoon when we met them at the last feeding

stop in Alpine, Wyoming.  The fast and powerful riders had

already finished by this time.

Though Bobert is a strong rider,he stayed with Greasy Lightning to cheer her on.

Even other riders had to smile at his clowning around to rally spirit.

The racers had to deal with several miles of construction along the

Snake River in Wyoming.

Plus more hills as the road gradually gained altitude 

toward the end of the course.

Finally the valley opened up...

...as we arrived in Jackson, Wyoming.

We were quickly running out of daylight and approaching

the cutoff time for the end of the race.

DH and I arrived at the end, parked and hurried

to the finish line with hopes that our team would make it in before dark.

After twelve hours of biking they rode in with time to spare.  Woohoo!!!

Two hundred and six miles, three states, one day.

Greasy Lightning said she was totally excited she finished and that once was enough.