Silverman 2010 - 11/05-09

Every other year I head to Henderson, NV for the Silverman Triathlon. In years past I have done the Full Distance course. This year I decided, based on the amount of training I was able to do, it was best to do the Half Distance course.

I flew out of Jacksonville, FL to Las Vegas. It took a couple of hours to retrieve my luggage and rent a car. After that it was off to the bike shop to pick up the bike I was renting for the race. The bike was a Cannondale Cadd9 and it was Petty blue. They put my pedals on the bike and adjusted it a bit. I test rode it and it felt good, I was excited.

Now that I had the bike it was time to check in at the Silverman Expo. It was still early so the Registration tent wasn't crowded at all. I picked up my packet and walked around the Expo a bit to enjoy the free samples and look at the different vendors. The Pre-Race Pasta Dinner was early that evening so I decided to utilize the daylight to get my camp set up at Lake Mead.

I found a great spot just up from where I camped several years ago. It was beautiful! I set up my tent, inflated my air mattress and unrolled my sleeping bag. Everything was set for my return after dinner.

The dinner was great. Lots of food! We also got to enjoy Ironman Champion Dave Scott and then meet the athletes representing CAF (Challenged Athletes Foundation). These athletes had been injured during military service. They were very inspirational, I looked forward to meeting them out on the course. I looked around the Banquet Hall for Travis and Arron but didn't spot them so I headed to my tent.

I climbed in my tent around 9pm and slept till 4am. I slept and felt great! I cleaned up and headed to the Starbucks in Boulder City. They opened at 4:30am hallelujah! I got all of my reading and podcasting done and then headed to the Expo for the Pancake Breakfast. Shortly after arriving I received a text from Travis, he and Arron were by the kids Jumpy Jump. We found each other and got in the long Breakfast line. We had good time to catch up before we got our food. After Breakfast was the Pre-Race Meeting.

Race Director Frank Lowrey led the meeting. He provided race and course information and took time to answer questions. There was also time for the USAT Official to remind us of all the important rules we needed to obey. If we failed to obey any of them we would be penalized. After the meeting Dave Scott returned to talk about the course and answer any triathlon related questions. We ducked out just before the meeting concluded.

The rest of the day was spent on packing transition bags, tweaking the bike then riding some of the hills around Lake Las Vegas. It helped me get a better feel for the bike. I rode the mile and a half climb out of Lake Las Vegas then rode out into the desert a bit. I love that portion of the bike course. I snapped a few pictures before riding past Lake Las Vegas to tackle the Bike Trail and the Three Sisters. This is a challenging section of the bike course that comes later in the ride for the Full and Half Distance athletes. I climbed Two of the Three Sisters and decided that all was good with the bike and my legs.

After returning to the car I grabbed my transition bags and headed to T1 to check my bike and bags in. After this was done I took a look at the swim course, it looked a bit long for both the 1.2 and 2.4. Others seemed to feel the same way about what they saw. We knew that we would all have to swim the same course so no worries. With the course being so narrow I was a bit concerned that 800 plus Half Distance triathletes would be fighting for space at the start. This concern made me think long and hard about where I wanted to start.

After picking up some dinner I returned to my tent to settle in. Generally the night before is a bit of a restless night. This night I was tired but was unable to fall asleep due to noisy neighbors. I finally did after midnight! 4:30am came early. I cleaned up and headed to Starbucks to read. After that I drove to Lake Las Vegas to go through body marking and take care of last minute details before the Full Distance race started at 7pm.

I met up with Arron and Rhonda as well as Travis and Kippy. We chatted a bit and spent some time in prayer and taking pictures. We all were a bit nervous about what was to come.

7am arrived and the Full Distance triathletes began their swim. We weren't starting till 8:30am so there was more than enough time to hydrate, stretch, pray.... Finally 8:15am arrived and they encouraged us to get into the water and work our way toward the start line. I lowered myself in the water, it was cold! I swam toward the start line and the side where I could stand up (I didn't want to tread water for 10 minutes). Final last minute instructions were given then the race started.

Just as I thought, the first half mile was full body contact swimming. It slowed me up a bit but it wasn't too bad. I checked my time at the turn, I was at 21 minutes. I was on target for the 45 minute swim I predicted. Shortly after the turn to head back in I was kicked in the goggle and it dislodged from my face long enough for water to pour in. I raised up for a moment to empty out my goggle and reposition it. Some time lost but not bad. I kept raising up to spot the buoys, it was difficult on the way back in due to the way they were positioned for the out and back swim. I lost a bit more time but stayed calm. Then with about 200 meters left I began to cramp in my hamstring. I popped my head out of the water and took deep breaths. I also stretched my leg, feet and ankle. I was so close. I swam the last 200 upper body only, ended up climbing out of the water at 49 minutes. As soon as I climbed out both Quads cramped. This was interesting, I never had cramped in my Quads before. I sat for a moment then was helped up. More deep breathing.

I got up and ran to the changing tent. Along the way there were wetsuit strippers who helped us get out of our wetsuits quickly. In the changing tent I focused on nutrition first (GU, Gatorade...) then changing. I finished and ran to my bike. Leaving the transition area we had a carpeted switchback we had to push our bike up. Once up top we could mount our bikes and begin a grueling 56 mile ride.

The climb out of Lake Las Vegas was consistent. After that the ride along Lake Mead was up and down with very fast sections. I rode well and passed quite a few. Just before the turnaround there was a slight upgrade that seemed to steal all of my speed. After the turnaround it was much of the same till we got to the right hand turn that sent us out into the desert. I love this section of the course though it is challenging. I wasn't quite sure where the turnaround was and I did not have a bike computer so I just had to relax and stay as consistent as possible. The rest of the ride was good. I rode the Three Sisters well and then did better than expected on the false flat on the desert trail. Once we got into town I was a bit confused because the course was a bit different than two years ago. I couldn't wait to get up on Horizon Ridge, I really enjoy how fast this section of the course is and how beautiful the view of downtown Las Vegas is. I got to the bike finish and felt good. I dismounted and headed to the changing tent. I grabbed a bit more nutrition and put on my running shoes. Now was the part of the race that I had to survive.

As expected the run was challenging, slow and consistent for me.  My knees were ok but the lack of run training due to knee pain was evident.  Everyone on the course was amazing.  One spectator jumped in alongside of me going up a long grade and encouraged me all the way, it was awesome.  I had several opportunities along the way to give praise to the Lord.  I crossed the finish line feeling ok.  After a some fluids I tried to eat, no good.  Eating would have to take place a bit later. 

Since I couldn't eat I retrieved my bike and and gear and caught the shuttle to my car.  I loaded everything in my car and returned to the race finish to see how the guys were doing, grab some food and a post race massage.  I accomplished all that I set out to do.  The food was great, the massage fantastic and I was updated on the guys.  Arron encountered some difficulties so he pulled out of the race.  Travis was making consistent headway and would be coming in several hours before the cutoff.  I visited with Arron, Rhonda and Kippy while we waited on Travis.  It was so awesome to see Travis coming down the shoot, he looked great.  We congratulated him and got a finish line video shot and waited for him to get some nutrition in his body.

After all the bikes and gear was collected we headed to the hotel for a great night of rest.  I crashed with Travis and Kippy, what a blessing!  The next morning I retrieved my tent and headed into Vegas so I could lodge close to the airport.  That night I got to visit The Verve, a church for those who don't like church.  It was awesome.  What a great way to finish this journey.  I look forward to a 2012 return if the Lord wills.

Day 17 - Point Mugu State Park - Woodland Hills, CA

This was it, the final day. We packed up camp and headed to Malibu to find a Starbucks. We had run out of matches so we were going to enjoy some breakfast and coffee at Starbucks. As we entered Malibu the terrain changed from flat to rolling. It was on one of the climbs that we found a Starbucks inside a store. We once again charged up our phones, caught up on some
e-mail and enjoyed some yogurt and iced coffee.

Today was only going to be about 42 miles so we didn't rush through our internet time. While at Starbucks several asked about our ride. When they found out we were finishing up in Woodland Hills they wanted to make sure we were not going to take Malibu Canyon Road to get there (it's a dangerous road for cyclists). Ben wasn't sure which road we would be taking but I think after their comments he was hoping it wouldn't be Malibu Canyon Road. I assured him that we were taking Topanga Canyon Road and not Malibu Canyon Road.

After finishing up we set out for Topanga Canyon Road. The northern part of Malibu continued to roll and provide some beautiful scenery. We did ride by Pepperdine University, very cool looking. It is set up on a hill. After awhile the rolling hills ceased and it became flat again. Malibu is very long, it seemed to take forever to get to Topanga Canyon Road. We even stopped once to check our maps program to make sure we were on the right track.

Finally, Topanga Canyon Road was just ahead. I stopped to take a picture of the sign because this was going to be our final climb and our longest climb. We started up the road, not too bad at first. Then after coming around a bend we saw the climb. For the next 2 miles we would grind our way up TCR. After conquering the steep section we were blessed with a section that was level or had a slight upgrade. This was great! Due to some road construction we had to stop, nice break. When our lane of traffic was waved on we continued on the level section that led to a section that provided a final slight upgrade to the top of Topanga Canyon. It was really warm by this time so I took a couple of shade breaks along the way. So good! The shade and iced coffee cooled me off.

It was so great to finally see the top of the Canyon. We pulled over and took a picture then set off down the Canyon to Woodland Hills. As we got toward the bottom of the Canyon we found a Starbucks. There we refilled on ice coffee, took care of e-mail and called Bren to let her know we were only 3 miles away from the house. After talking with Joe a bit we headed to the house. Jim and Bren came outside to greet us then opened the garage so we could pull our bikes in.

After chatting with them about the ride and catching up on some of their riding experiences we got showered and enjoyed a great dinner. By 9pm I was ready to call it a night. Tomorrow we will be breaking our bikes down, packing them up and shipping them back to FL. We will also have a chance to get laundry done before heading home on Saturday.

The final mileage for the ride was 1,137 miles. We lost 167 miles due to weather and sickness. I hope to have a mileage make up day sometime after returning home.

Day 16 - Refugio State Beach - Point Mugu State Park

Today was the day we officially were back in the city. After leaving the Beach we were in Goleta after a short bit. We found a McDonalds for breakfast, to charge up our phones and catch up on some e-mail.

After breakfast we rode into Santa Barbara and went to the Pier. This is the end of the Adventure Cycling Map that begins in San Francisco and ends in Santa Barbara. We rode through a neighborhood that led to the water. We found the water and turned toward the Pier. Once on the Pier we went out to take some photos. Once the photos were taken it was time to begin our journey through Santa Barbara. We didn't have a map for this section of the ride so we asked a cyclist for route info. He pointed us in the right direction and the signage for the Pacific Coast Trail was good.

We made it to Ventura and began to hunt for a cannister for the stove. We checked a couple of stores before locating one at High 5 Sports. It was in Ventura that we met Eileen who was interested in our ride. We chatted and she took some pictures. She shared with us about her upcoming climbing trip to Utah. Sounded cool.

Thanks to our maps programs we navigated our way out of Ventura, through Oxnard and back to the Pacific Coast Highway. By this time we were only about 10 miles from Point Mugu State Park. It was great to leave the city and ride through the fields once again. This led us back to the ocean! It was great to see the ocean again after so much city.

We spotted the brown state park sign that told us we were close to being home for the day. We found the park and a place to camp on the beach. After dinner and the noise of a party going on 2 sites down I drifted off to sleep knowing that this journey was about to come to a close.

I believe it was the prayers of the people today that directed us through the cities successfully. Tomorrow we will ride through Malibu to Topanga Canyon Road. TCR will then take us up over the mountain and down to Woodland Hills, CA. There we will meet up with cycling friends Jim and Bren Wagoner.

Day 15: San Luis Obispo - Refugio State Beach

The rain was to pass through and be gone by morning, it did and was. The streets were wet but that was fine. Today was going to be a long ride to Refugio State Beach near Goleta.

We hit Starbucks on the way out of town then we proceded to Pismo Beach. There were some ups and downs as usual but the ride to the coast was nice. We passed through Pismo and Grover Beach before arriving in Oceano. After riding through Oceano for a bit we had to check our map to make sure we were still on track. We were, just in a scenic round about way.

After a ride through more fields we turned toward Guadelupe. Along the way the smell of cedar trees was strong and sweet. Before Guadelupe there was a descent that took us past more strawberry fields, sweet smell there as well!

We took a break in Guadelupe and found an old time market that sold coconut water, good stuff. After shedding some extra clothing we turned our sights toward Lompoc. This stretch would take us over our next climb. It was a good climb and the descent down to Lompoc was fast. We stopped at McDonalds for lunch then prepared ourselves for the next climb to come before we turned south on 101 to go to Refugio.

The ride through the country past Orcutt was nice. The final climb of the day was like so many others in CA, not too bad. After the climb it was fast down to 101 then to Refugio. The sun was heading down as we set up camp and prepared some dinner. The cannister for my stove went empty so I made a fire in the grill to heat up my soup. It was so hot and so good.

After dinner Simeon, our neighbor, came out and offered us some strawberries, they were awesome. We had a good chat then I washed my dishes and settled in for the night. The crashing of the ocean waves lulled me to sleep.

Tomorrow the plan is to ride through Santa Barbara, Ventura and Oxnard before camping out at Point Mugu State Park.

As always, your prayers are appreciated and effective.

Day 14: San Simeon Village - San Luis Obispo

The forcast was for rain today. I poked my head out at 6:20 and no rain, only gray. After coffee, packing up and taking care of calls we set out. Shortly after setting out it began to spit rain. The first 20 miles to Cayucos included a few hills but for the most part it was a very nice ride. We even had a scenic bypass that was nice. In Cayucos we stopped to warm up with some coffee. After taking care of a few more calls we set out for Morro Bay and San Luis Obispo.

The through Morro Bay led us into the State Park, very nice. After exiting the Park we headed into hilly farm country. Once we made it to Las Osos Rd. the terrain leveled out a bit but the traffic picked up. Foothills Blvd. led us into town. There we got some lunch and found a Starbucks. Since we had knocked out 40 miles by lunch we had time to catch up on e-mail and blogging.

As we were doing this the heavens opened up and the promised steady rain was now here. We checked the hour by hour for Oceano and it was going to rain till 6am. After that, sunshine the rest of the week. With that info in hand we decided to find a dry place for the night and add today's final 15 on to tomorrow's ride to Refugio State Beach.

As always, thanks for taking the time to pray for and encourage us!

Day 13: Big Sur - San Simeon Village

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park was a beautiful place to wake up. We ate breakfast, packed up, charged up our phones and set out. The ride started as many have, uphill. I quit looking at riding time after 40 minutes of climbing. When we quit climbing the fog was so thick we could only hear the ocean below.

The first 40 miles included many challenging climbs and the only stop was Lucia which consisted of one store that overcharged for everything. It was hear that we knew we would stretch 3 days into 4. PTL that we had an extra day in the schedule. I tried to track down the Reserve America number via home, mom and directory assistance, no luck. I even spent 4 quarters in the payphone and got nowhere.

With no luck in Lucia it was time to head to Ragged Point. After the climbs, descents, rough road, road construction, and amazing sights we reached Ragged Point. We took a well deserved pie (blackberry & apple) and coffee break.

The gray weather stayed with us all the way to San Simeon Village. The ride down from Ragged Point was good despite the gray. There were ups and downs but the big, grinding climbs were behind us. Before San Simeon we stopped at the beach to check out the seals, they were everywhere and all over each other, I guess personal space is not an issue.

We finished the ride to the Village and found a Mini Mart. Across the street was a lodge, we decided to check in and get warm after riding in the gray, moist and cool weather.

After a salad and some tv the lights went out at 10. The plan is to be up by 6:15 and on the road by 7:30 so we can get to Oceano early.

Soon!

Day 12: Santa Cruz - Big Sur

Whenever we are near a larger city we are diverted off US 1 onto the scenic route. Today we rode through lots and lots of strawberry fields. Sometimes we were on good road and other times we wondered if we were still on route. We were. We finally got back on 1 and made our way to Seaside, CA.

Before Seaside we stopped to use the restroom. We had seen Sweet Cherries Ahead signs so Ben took a moment to score us some cherries, amazing!

Before Seaside we had to get back off 1 onto a road that led us to a bike trail. We met local cyclists Brick and Robert. My front brake had been dragging, they helped me with that problem PTL. We rode the ups and downs of the trail to the Chilis in Seaside where we met Darren and Sydni Murphy for lunch, it was awesome as were they.

After a Starbucks stop we got back on the bike trail to make our way through Monterrey and on to Big Sur. We knew there would be some climbs but we didn't realize they would be so steep on our way out of Monterrey. After finding the right road that would lead us to a trail we connected with the road that would put us back on 1. It always feels good to get back one 1 because it feels like the most direct route to where we are going.

The ride down to Carmel was fast with lots of traffic. After that we had alot of ups and downs all the way to Big Sur. The beauty of this section is second to none. From Carmel there were big yellow numbers painted on the shoulder every mile so we were able to count our way down to Big Sur, it was good. When I saw the 10K paint my guess that they ran a marathon along that route was confirmed.

Just before Big Sur the ride went from coastal to forest, very cool and beautiful. Before reaching the State Park we stopped at the grocery for some dinner supplies. When we got to the Park the Ranger said we could cancel our full site and stay for cheap in the hiker/biker section, we liked that. The hiker/biker section was secluded and awesome. Redwoods!

We showered, ate Ramen spaghetti with beans and then hit the Park store before it closed at 9. After this we headed to our tents for a good night's rest. Tomorrow we will continue our way down the coast toward Morrow Bay. Thanks to those of you praying, it works big time!

Day 11: San Francisco to Santa Cruz

The night in the Hostel was good. Great roommates and a comfortable bed. I woke at 6am and retrieved my bike and equipment at 6:30am. By 7am I had it all together. After breakfast we set out through the streets of San Francisco in search of the Golden Gate Bridge. We finally found it in the thick of the clouds.

The day was overcast and there was a mist in the air. Nonetheless it was an exhilarating experience to bike the bridge. On the return trip I asked another cyclist the best way to The Great Highway, the start of our route down the coast. We had to go up the hill...something we would do alot of over the next 3 hours. Around SF, Daily City and Pacifica it was very hilly.

After Pacifica the hills were very fair. Uphill but not forever or too steep. Good downhill with a great view of the ocean.

The CA coast has such a diverse landscape. Ragged cliffs, sandy beaches, fields of fruit, cows and lighthouses. It was awesome!

It was nice to be going through cities that had stores, McDonalds,
Starbucks...civilization!

Before Davenport I heard a loud blast, I knew Ben had had a blowout. It damaged the tire a bit so he had to move it to the front and run a lower pressure in it in hopes of making it to the bike shop in Santa Cruz before 6pm. Shortly after resuming our ride I heard the noise of metal falling to the road, the bolt that held Ben's seat together broke. What next we thought? Especially with the need to get to the bike shop. My prayer was for continued tailwinds and gentle terrain.

The prayer was answered and we pulled into Another Bike Shop at 5:45! The guys at the shop were great. Both Ben and I bought a new tire and I also purchased some sport/energy jelly beans. They are good and they work. Looking forward to snacking in them this next week. Ben had to go to a hardware store for a new bolt, he found one.

After all that we went to Safeway to purchase dinner, some supplies and an iced coffee at Starbucks (at 3:30 this afternoon the overcast turned to blue skies and sunshine). After Safeway we went to do laundry. Since it was going on 8:30pm I decided that we should get a room across from the laundromat. We finished up laundry just before 10 then we changed out our tires.

Tomorrow we will ride to Seaside, CA to have lunch with Darren & Sydni Murphy, Sydni is Celeste's cousin. After lunch we will ride to Big Sur, it will be amazing. We have a campsite reserved at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

For everyone praying for us, thanks and keep it up.

Day 10: Sightseeing in San Fran

No rush today since it was our rest/sightseeing day in San Francisco. We packed up,ate breakfast and pedaled to the Baylink Ferry. We caught the 8:45 Ferry and 1 hour later we were pulling into Port. It was cool to cruise by the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

We got off the Ferry and thanks to Google maps we pedaled right to our Hostel. What a differance it was riding in SF versus Highway 50 in NV. The traffic was crazy yet controled. They are very use to cyclists and we saw alot of them.

Once we checked in and settled in room 104 we walked the 2.5 miles to Fishermans Wharf. We had a great time seeing all that was there and experiencing the culture. We also experience some clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl, lobster bisque and fish and chips. To top it off we bought a couple of truffles for dessert.

Since the walk to the Wharf was so up and down we decided to catch a cable car back. It was awesome! On the way to the Hostel we found a barbershop for Ben. He got his desired haircut and was very pleased.

We returned to the Hostel to take care of e-mail and blogging then went to dinner at a Vietnamiese restaurant, it was amazing! One of our roommates, Stanley, went with us. He is a recent Grad School Graduate from UCLA and a very nice guy.

After dinner was truffle time! Now it's time to go to bed, tomorrow begins the push down the CA coast. We will be camping in the Santa Cruz area.

We covet your prayers!

Day 9: Folsom - Vallejo

What would today bring re: Ben's stomach ailment? Slept till 6am then decided to check with him, he gave the thumbs up so today we ride!

Jerry was going to ride with us some so that was exciting. We ate breakfast, loaded up, took photos and said goodbye to Peggy. Jerry led us down the road to the American River Bike Trail, what a great ride and change of scenery. Jerry road about 23 miles with us then returned home. We continued on to the end of the Trail then into Old Sacramento, very cool. Since Ben hadn't eaten in awhile we stopped at a Subway so he could do soup and salad.

Our goal was to make the 5:30 Ferry in Vallejo, with 78 miles left it would be tight unless it was a super fast ride all the way. We left Old Sacramento and crossed the river to West Sacramento so we were in traffic and stop lights. After leaving West Sac (that's what the locals call it) we got on the Yolo Trail that led us to Davis, CA. It was nice to leave the busyness of Sacramento behind.

The Trail was parallel to 80 but to our north it was green fields. After awhile we got away from 80 so traffic noise disappeared. By this time we were approaching Davis, the home of UC Davis. It was cool to ride through a college town and around the college, very nice.

We continued on a Trail away from Davis out into an area that was beautiful. Not only was it filled with flowers, nut trees and fruit trees but it was also the route for one of the Stages of the Tour of California bike race that is coming up this weekend and next week. Because of that we saw lots of cyclists training.

We were making good time (13.1 mph) but as we headed to Fairfield the wind and hills kicked in a bit. Before Fairfield and later that day the ride was much like riding in the East Tennessee countryside. Green, hills and cows. I love to greet the cows with a ring of my bell, I think they like it.

Once we arrived in Fairfield we knew we had to get something cold to drink and we knew that we would not make the last Ferry without trying to kill ourselves. Therefore we took advantage of Frappachino Happy Hour at the Starbucks inside Safeway. I got a venti dark cherry mocha frappachino for $2.15, what a deal! I also enjoyed some cold and juicy Ruby Red grapefruit.

After our break we set off at a relaxed pace toward Vallejo. We passed by Winters and Rockville before entering Concordia. In Concordia I had my first flat tire. I changed it quick and we set off on our last two 10 mile segments. Lopes Road rolled up and down along the Interstate until we got to Lake Harmon Road. We took a quick break at a store before climbing the hills of Lake Harmon Road. It was challenging but pretty, especially Lake Harmon. We finally got to Columbus Parkway, this would lead us to where we would be staying for the night.

112 miles after Folsom we were at our resting place. We chose it because it was only 2.8 miles from the Baylink Ferry Terminal. We checked in, cleaned up, found some pizza, caught up on blogging then called it a night.

Tomorrow we will catch the Ferry to San Francisco and enjoy a day of seeing the sights. After that we start down the CA coast to LA.

Blessings!

Day 8: Reno, NV - Folsom, CALIFORNIA

After the interesting events of yesterday I was curious what today would bring. The day began at 7am. I grabbed a shower then went to check to see if the bus would be going to Sacramento. It was! The Pass was clear. I went and told Ben we needed to get our stuff together and head to the Station for the 9:30 bus.

We got everything together and got to the station by 8 so we could purchase our bike boxes and have plenty of time to break our bikes down and packed up. It took some time but we got bikes, trailer and gear in 3 boxes.

Now that we were ready we got word that our bus was delayed an hour. It actually was two hours but that gave me time to catch up on e-mail. Finally we boarded the bus and headed to Sacramento, CA. We drove through some beautiful snow covered mountains.

After a short stop before Sacramento we arrived at the Station and retrieved our boxes and bag. Ben was dealing with a stomach issue so Jerry and Peggy came to get us. They live in Folsom, CA which is about 30 miles from Sacramento. Our original plan was to ride to their house but Ben was not up to it.

We loaded everthing in and on their car and began the journey to their house. It was great to see them again. I met Peggy and Jerry in Alley Springs, MO during my 2008 ride. We chatted for about 20 minutes then continued our rides west and east. As I was planning this ride it worked out to stop in Folsom so Jerry and Peggy invited us to stay the night with them.

It was a great afternoon and night of chatting, eating and reassembling our bikes and my trailer. About 10 it was time to get to bed, 6am was going to come early.

We are looking forward to riding again tomorrow. The plan is to get to Vallejo, CA to catch the 5:30 Ferry to San Francisco.

Day 7: Fallon - Carson Plains, NV "SNOW" !!!

After a great nights sleep I woke up at 5am and got a warm shower. Shelby fixed us a great breakfast then Michael loaded us up and took us to Highway 50. We got some coffee at the store then began to pedal toward Silver Springs, NV. The first hour of riding was good then Michael's observation that the wind seemed to be picking up earlier this day became reality.

It was after a bathroom break at a manmade desert lake the we began riding into a strong wind. We finally made it down to Silver Springs and took a store break. I had a good signal so I cleaned up some email (it's been rare to have a good signal). After the break we began pedaling into the wind. We were only averaging 3-4 miles an hour when pedaling and 2.5 when pushing.

Outside of Dayton was the Carson Plains Market. We stopped to get a break from the grind of pedaling into the wind. Earlier when We were pushing I had prayed that one of God's people would stop and ask us if we needed a ride. That never happened but
after being in the store a bit and asking about bus info out of Carson City the store manager asked "do you need a ride?". She said 50 mile an hour winds and a rain/snow storm were called for. Since her specific question was an answer to prayer I said yes. Leann needed to wait for some else to come in so that gave me time to track down a cheap room in Reno, NV.

After that we ate a PB&J sandwich and loaded everything up. By that time Leann was readyto go. As we headed toward Carson City it began to rain. As we turned north toward Reno it began to snow hard. It was Ben's first time seeing snow so he was like a kid in a candy shop. It lightened up a bit as we arrived in Reno and at our hotel. We got checked in, unpacked, said goodbye to Leann and then moved in.

We cleaned up, checked with Grayhound re: a bus to Sacramento and asked what the procedure was for transporting bicycles. I was told our bikes would need to be broken down and boxed up. Fortunately Grayhound sells bike boxes. Everything was coming together.

I returned to pass on the info to Ben. After doing so we got some dinner then walked over to Starbucks to enjoy a dark cherry mocha and the use of their wifi. We stayed till they closed at 9. I was able to catch up on alot of my blog so it was a profitable trip to Starbucks. We returned to the hotel so we could consolidate our gear for the bus ride then get to bed.

It was a wild, crazy day but once again God provided. We are looking forward to what God is going to do in the day and days to come.

Peace!

Day 6: Austin - Fallon, NV

The plan was to get an early start so we set out just after 6am. We began with a great descent out of Austin. After that the ride was beautiful and the pace was good. We made it to Cold Springs in good time. We stopped there to use the restroom, lunch would be at Middlegate. On the way to Middlegate we stopped to take pictures at the ShoeTree, it's cool and unique. We then pushed on to Middlegate, NV.

We stopped at the only complex in town that was a mini mart, restaurant.... I bought a dusty can of ham and bean soup and a diet A&W. I got out my stove and heated up the soup, awesome! I also got to chat with my cousin Kevin, he is keeping a close eye on our ride. After a quick lunch we resumed our push to Fallon. We saw that we only had 47 miles to go so we felt good about that. It was later that things would get ugly before turning back great.

It was on the last climb that the winds began to gust up to 40 miles an hour. The ride up and down were crazy! As I got to the bottom at The entrance to the Sand Mountain Recreation Area I met Brett who was pulling a B.O.B. Trailer and riding to D.C. We had a great chat, exchanged info and took pictures.

We decided it was time to push into the wind toward Fallon. We set out across the salt flat and the wind was do strong we pulled off the side of the road, laid our bikes down and just sat down. Ben sought shelter by my turned up trailer. We sat for a bit then returned to the SMRA entrance and sought shelter behind large rocks and a big bush. We debated about staying there or pushing on. Celeste wad giving us weather info which was a big help. We finally decided to push on even if it took us 6hours to ride the final 26 miles.

We set back off across the salt flat and survived the wind. I looked to the other side of the flat and saw land so I was hoping the would cut the wind. It helped some but what helped more was the turn in the road. The wind came off our shoulder and our pace picked up PTL! As we were making good time a vehicle passed us and honked and waved. They then turned around and came back and stopped ahead of us. As we approached the vehicle a guy(Michael) asked us if we were about dead yet. At first I didn't recognize who it was then I saw Shelby and Hayden and realized this was the family we met in the Cafe at Austin. Michael asked us if we needed a place to stay and a warm meal, we said yes! He was ready to load us up there but said it was cool if we pedaled into Fallon and then gave him a call.

We rode the final 12 miles into Fallon and stopped at Safeway, I knew there was a Starbucks inside. We called Michael, ordered Starbucks and bought some coffee cake and M&M's to go along with my dark cherry mocha. Michael arrived and shopped for a few items before we loaded up and headed to the house.

The night with them was great. Wonderful dinner, shower and sharing. Michael helped us map out our next say, the plan was to ride 90 to South Lake Tahoe. Shelby made sure we had anything else we needed.

It was a great night with a great family. It was also a specific answer to Celeste's prayer that someone would come along and offer us a ride. Michael, Shelby and Hayden did that and more! Once again God provided!

Day 5: Hickison Petroglyphs, to Austin, NV

After a great night's sleep it was time to tackle Bob Scott and Austin Summits. We had a minor climb over Hickison Summit before heading to Bob Scott. After each Summit is generally a nice descent. I say generally because sometimes a strong headwind makes you work just to get down the hill. This was the case today. The climbs were tough and the descents were tough due to the headwinds. It took us almost 4 hours to ride the 25 miles to Austin, NV.

The hard riding worked up an appetite in me. We stopped in the Cafe and I had a steak sandwich, salad, water, coffee, root beer and a chocolate shake with pineapple. During lunch we met a sweet family with a really cute baby. I asked about stores in town and Shelby let me know the 2 service stations were it. By this time we realized getting to our destination that afternoon would be impossible due to the winds. We decided to get a room, do laundry and take care of any other matters.

Celeste found us a room at the Pony Canyon Motel. One of the service stations was next door and the laundromat was across the street. We settled in, took care of laundry, purchased some good service station items and returned to the Cafe for chili, salad and veggies.

Since it was Mothers Day weekend the Nascar race was on. Since we are in the Pacific time zone it came on at 4:30pm. It was fun to watch it before and after dinner. After the race it was time to get some rest, the plan was to make up mileage by pushing 112 miles to Fallon, NV. We would need perfect weather to accomplish this. We knew the terrain was favorable.

Day 4: Illipah Reservoir to Hickison Petroglyphs, NV

After a chilly start to the ride the warmer socks and gloves paid dividends right away. Of course climbing over Summits helps to raise the body temperature. Today we climbed over 3 Summits on our way to Hickison Petroglyphs Recreation Area.After the 3rd Summit we rode down to Eureka, NV. Celeste had something waiting for me at the Best Western so I stopped in to pick it up, it was my orange and blue Disciple's Cross, I had left it hanging on a door at home. The lady at the counter informed us that there was free food across the street at the Fire Station, they were hosting an open house for the FFA.We enjoyed a hamburger, chips and soda. We also enjoyed meeting folks and sharing about our ride. After eating we picked up a few supplies, filled our water bottles and set off for our campsite. No major climbs except for the one leaving town. It was scenic once again but the wind was a factor. We rode late into the day and toward the end of the ride my handlebars loosened a bit and began to turn down. Since it was late and we were close we kept riding till half way up the dirt road leading to where we would camp. From that point we pushed, felt good.We found a great site, set up camp, ate dinner and got settled in for the night. The temperature was great so I slept well. We're looking forward to a challenging Day 5.


STATS - Mileage Today: 89, Pace: 9, Riding Time: 9:48
Total GTD.A cumulative miles: 340

Day 3: Majors Place to Illipah Reservoir, NV

We knew it was going to be cold when we woke up, it was 23 degrees worth of cold! After packing up and filling our Starbucks mugs with hot coffee we immediately started a 4 1/2 mile climb that had a 6 percent grade. I just had to biig on my back gear and small on my front gear and spin my way up. It's during a climb like this where you think about every single thing I have packed on my bike and in my B.O.B. bag. I decided that what I had I needed.

The ride down was fast and super freezing. At the bottom we met Lee from New Zealand. He was cycling to Denver. He shared with us his experience from San Francisco till our meeting. He warned of the headwinds to come. We wished him well and headed to Ely for McDonalds and warmer socks and gloves.

After lunch and purchasing warmer socks and gloves we headed to Illipah Resevoir to camp. We knew with the climbs ahead of us and the wind there was no way possible to make it to Eureka as planned. The rest of the ride was beautiful and challenging. Finally at 6pm we arrived at Illipah. We had a mile and half ride on a dirt road to our campsite, it was awesome. We set our tents up out of the wind and enjoyed a nice rice dinner. We worked quick because night and a low of 20 degrees was coming.

This was a tough night! Not much sleep, couldn't get comfortable. At 2am I got up to make some hot chocolate, the propane would barely burn. While up I noticed our water bottles were frozen.

I got them and put them in my sleeping bag. Over the next 3 hours they thawed out. At 5:30 am when it was getting light I saw the ice crystles inside my tent, not much motivation for getting out of my warm sleeping bag (thanks Kevin!).

I finally got up and boiled up some water for oatmeal. I had to warm the propane tank with my hands so it would burn, I'm not a fan of these super cold temps! After packing up it was time to start Day 4.

STATS - Mileage Today: 66, Pace: 8.3
Riding Time: 7:55

Total GTD.A cumulative miles: 251

Day 2: Panaca to Majors Place, NV

We are beginning to see a theme with our ride. God provides exactly what we need when we need it to make it through the day.

After packing up camp early we went back to the store for a few items. Then we set off for a long ride through the very barren desert of NV. The first 10 miles we were climbing. Along the way we had to shed cold weather gear. Due to the intensity of the sun we had to stop in the beautiful, historic, western town of Pinoche. That is where I discovered the Big Cherry candy bar, awesome! Ben bought some sunscreen but the girl at the store thought he needed more so she ran home to get him some more potent stuff.

Good thing because the next 75 miles were direct sun. We made good progress due to terrains and wind. Then, that all changed as the road turned toward Majors Station.

We now rode into the wind and uphill. The last 10 miles were rough. When we finally reached Highway 50 and turned left to Majors Place the wind was so strong we got off and pushed the last quarter mile. By this time it began to spit rain, it look as though a storm was coming. We went in Majors Place and met Ken. We first sat on the couch to rest, we were beat! Then we asked about camping and a shower. Camping free, shower $5. Ken informed us they had good cheeseburgers and fries, we said bring them on. He also mentioned they had a couple of rooms. With a storm moving in and the temperature dropping in the 20's we said we were interested. One room had two beds, we took it. We also took some hot coffee with us to the room. After a hot shower we crashed.

If it were not for the middle 75 where we made good progress we would have struggled to get in before dark and the storm, God is good!

STATS - Mileage Today: 95, Pace: 11.1, Riding Time: 8.33

Total GTD.A cumulative miles: 185

2010 - DAY 1: Cedar City, UT - Panaca, NV

What a difference to wake up to cold temperatures! It didn't matter though, Day 1 was finally here.We packed up camp then enjoyed some oatmeal before setting off for Starbucks (we wouldn't see another one for a week) and Wal Mart. After a dark cherry mocha and purchasing supplies we began to pedal toward Panaca, NV.

The first part of the ride was smooth then we hit our first climb, what a shock to a flatlander's system. It was warm so we went through the fluids. After a couple of hours it was time to break out the trail mix bars. After the climb was the descent, that was good. The only store along the way was around 35 miles. We enjoyed a beef hotdog and diet soda.After this flat section we climbed up to Panaca Summit. Very challenging! If it wasn't for a fast 10 mile downhill to Panaca the day would have been much longer. We stopped at the only store in Panaca to refuel.

After that we pedaled the final mile to Cathedral Gorge State Park. Beautiful! We met an awesome couple who cycles and wanted to know about our journey. After sharing with them we set up camp. Our neighbors made us coffee/tea and boiled water for our noodles. They were awesome!After a nice shower we crawled into our tents for a good nights rest.

It was a challenging but good first day.

STATS - Mileage Today: 90, Pace: 9.2, Riding Time: 9.41

Our day of preparation didn't begin as we planned due to Ben's late arrival last night. Instead of beginning in Cedar City it began in Mesquite, NV. We arrived there after midnight last night. We enjoyed our free breakfast then began the journey to Zion National Park. It was awesome...again!

After Zion it was on to Cedar City to get ready for GTD Day 1.

We picked up supplies at Sports Authority, the Bike Route and Sunshine Health Food Store. After that we checked in at the KOA and reassembled our bikes. After that I had to return the rental car to the airport. The Cedar City Airport is so small that the only person there was one lady working in an office. I called a shuttle to return me to the KOA.

After putting the bikes together we set up camp and then biked up the road to enjoy the Chinese Buffet. It was uphill and windy. After dinner their was a community concert in the park. Very cool to see the community come out to relax and enjoy some good music. Now we are organizing, charging phones and getting ready to settle in. We anticipate waking up around 5:30am for breakfast and to break down camp. After that we will bike to Starbucks and Wal Mart before heading off to Panaca.

It's beautiful out here. Getting a bit chilly tonight (around 40). We are excited and nervous about tomorrow's ride. It will be around 85 miles to Cathedral Gorge State Park in Panaca, NV.

GTD 2010 Itinerary

One week from tomorrow (4/27/10) Ben Anderson and I will begin pedaling in Cedar City, UT. We are excited! Below you will find our proposed itinerary for the trip.

May 4 - Cedar City to Panaca, NV
May 5 - Panaca to Majors Place, NV
May 6 - Majors Place to Eureka, NV
May 7 - Eureka to Austin, NV
May 8 - Austin to Sand Mtn. Rec. Area (near Salt Wells, NV)
May 9 - SNRA to Dayton, NV
May 10 - Dayton to Kirkwood or Hams Station, CA
May 11 -Kirkwood or Hams Station to Folsom, CA
May 12 - Folsom to San Francisco, CA
May 13 - Rest Day in SF
May 14 - SF to Santa Cruz, CA
May 15 - Santa Cruz to Big Sur, CA
May 16 - Big Sur to Morro Bay, CA
May 17 - Morro Bay to Goleta, CA
May 18 - Goleta to Malibu, CA
May 19 - Malibu to Woodland Hills, CA

If we happen to be any where near you along the way let me know, it would be great to see you.

This final week is going to be a week of going over our gear and supply list and checking it twice if not three times. We fly out Sunday to Las Vegas. We will rent a car and drive to Cedar City. Along the way we will take in the beautiful sights of Zion National Park. I had the amazing opportunity to ride through Zion on my 2008 GTD ride.

Once in Cedar City we will set up camp at a KOA. The staff at the Cedar City KOA has been super. Monday morning we will reassemble our bikes and give them a test ride. After that we will enjoy Starbucks for the last time in a week then pick up any last minute supplies at Wal Mart. The rest of the day will be spent organizing and packing our gear. Tuesday morning we will break down camp, pack up and start pedaling to Panaca, NV. We will be camping out at the beautiful Cathedral Gorge State Park. I can't wait to send some pictures!

That's it for now. bob g.

They're Gone!

On Thursday I packed up my B.O.B. Trailer and sent it off to the KOA in Cedar City, UT. Yesterday Ben and I picked up our broken down and boxed up bikes from Chain Reaction and sent them off to the KOA as well. This intensified the realization that we are very close to heading out west to begin our Go the Distance...Again! fundraising bike ride for the Christian Campus House.

We will actually begin riding Tuesday morning May 4. From Cedar City we will head west to Panaca, NV then on to Eureka, NV, Carson City, NV, Folsom, CA, San Francisco, CA and down the Pacific Coast Highway to Malibu, CA. After Malibu we climb up and over the Santa Monica Mountains to Woodland Hills, CA. There we will meet up and stay with long distance cyclists Jim and Bren Wagoner.

It's going to be an amazing journey. We will be able to get in the Word, pedal and pray alot as we cover the 1300 miles. Ben will be uploading some ride footage along the way, I will let you know where to find it. I will be posting pictures and updates on my blog so check back from time to time to see what we've seen and read about our experiences.

God bless! bob g.

42 Days

It is so hard to believe that it is only 42 days till Ben Anderson and I pedal away from the KOA in Cedar City, UT to begin our "Go the Distance Again" ride to Woodland Hills, CA.

So much to do before then. At CCH we are working hard to finish out the semester strong. Ben is working hard to finish out his undergraduate career here at UF strong. We will fly west the day after Ben's graduation.

Before catching the flight there are training miles to be pedaled, supplies to be gathered, packing to be done and trip logistics to be checked on.

Since we will be crossing Nevada on Highway 50 (The Loneliest Road in America) we will have alot of time to pray. Starting May 1, if you have something you would like Ben and I to lift up in prayer while we ride send it to gatorgailey@juno.com.

Until then please be in prayer for us as we finish out what needs to be done here and prepare for what we will be doing out there.

To God be the glory! bob g.

5K & 50

Yesterday my brother David and I ran the Daytona 5K and then hopped on our bikes for a 50 mile ride.

We both had a great 5K considering the amount of run training we have been doing. David took off faster than I did, I told him I would ease into the race. At 1 1/2 miles I came up on him and we ran together for the next 1/2 mile. I pushed the pace the last mile just to get a feel for where I am in comparison to where I need to be. Good race for both. No knee problems PTL!

After the post race snacks and conversations we went back to my friends house and got ready for the ride. We rode out to Daytona Beach then up to Ormond where David introduced me to a new coffee at Starbucks. While there we met Victor and his wife, very cool cyclists. They clued us in re: "The Loop" so after a bit more conversation we set off to ride "The Loop" before returning to Duane's house. Just as we were leaving Starbucks the rain began. We had jackets so that helped alot. Since David was riding his road bike I was following him all the way. I was on my hybrid. The rain picked up as we rode. When we hit A1A south we got the wind along with the rain.

The Van was parked at Tomoka Christian Church so we rode there, broke our bikes down and loaded them up in the van. While loading up we got to visit with Pastor Joe Putting, it was great to see him and share a bit. When we got back to Duane's we got a nice hot shower! After that we packed everything up in our vehicles and headed to South Daytona Christian Church for their Mission Potluck Dinner. It was great to see our friends at SDCC. They had me share for a moment about UF CCH and about Christianville in Haiti. They are a great group of mission minded folks.

It was an action packed weekend that was a blast. My other brother Donald came over to the track to sell firewood. It was kind of slow on Friday night but business picked up on Saturday. It was great to see him as well.

2010

2010 has gotten off to a great start. Morning quiet time has been fruitful, consistent daily miles on the bike has been good and meeting with students now that classes are back in session has been fun.

What hasn't been fun is the frigid weather we are experiencing. It takes awhile to get enough clothes on so that I stay warm as I ride. It also altered our Welcome Back plans as outside activities have moved inside.

I look forward to an exciting week that will be capped off with Girl's Night Out and ManChurch fellowship activities this Saturday. On Sunday our Guatemala Mission Team will meet then DQ and Beth Roberts from Christian Riders Ministry will share with us as we resume Sunday Night Live. Family Groups (gender based small groups) resume next week. It's going to be an amazing semester of growth making Christ known on our campus.

Pray without ceasing! bob g.