I don’t even know where to begin. WE DID IT! I say “WE” because I felt like this was such a team effort. A team of about 1,300 cyclists and volunteers all made the Edible Pedal 100 a success. And what a success it was! I couldn’t believe how many people in jerseys and spandex were clicking around in the parking lot at Bowers Mansion at 6am. I took that moment to breathe and think about what we were about to embark on. I knew it was going to hurt a little and I knew my mind and body might get exhausted but I also knew that the journey would be worth it. Kerry, the Executive Director of the EP100 found out I was riding alone and she put her foot down – she literally wouldn’t let me leave by myself. I started freaking out because I only know how to ride alone. But Kerry rounded up this giant group from Great Basin Bicycles and told me to ride with Rich Staley and the rest of the matching jerseys. Next thing I know I’m being wisked away on this ride right up again fast bikes and smiling faces. OK I like the smiling faces, but how in the world am I supposed to ride alongside other bikes when I’ve never done it. Leave it to Rich to hug me while riding to literally pop my bubble! He said I had personal space issues. I guess I do on a bike, but shouldn’t we all?! Then he told me to ride right behind his back tire and each time I would get too close and feel like I was going to be sucked in, he yelled “perfect!” He must be crazy! Each time I thought I was near death, he would smile. This was going to be a long ride…
Then I got to talking to a few cyclists around us. They all said this thing Rich called “drafting” could save 20-30% of your energy. I guess since I’ll be riding 100 miles, I should save as much energy as I can. So I gave in and sped my way right behind Rich. I felt that “pull” but that was also a lot easier on my legs. Eventually I got over the fear. Silly fear can be such a buzz kill.
By the time I almost grasped the “drafting” concept we had already gotten through a huge chunk of the ride. We were getting to the near-halfway point at Rest Stop #3. I was riding in a long line of matching jerseys and didn’t even know it. A huge group was riding behind Rich and I. It’s official – I’m one of THOSE cyclists!
I brought a ton of food (see pics below) thinking I needed some snacks in case my allergy issues posed a problem at the rest stops. But nope, everything that was offered was so healthy. Strawberries galore, apples, oranges, even PB and oat balls (mmmm!) These local students went all out to to keep us energized and our tummies happy 😉 Thank you to each and every one of them for cheering us along. You made the entire ride so precious and memorable.
After our third potty break, water bottle fill-up, and fruit grub – it was time…
Kingsbury time.
You could see that giant mountain clearly and yes, it looked frightening and painful. But I knew it could be done. We sped right to it (at one point flying at 27 mph) then the climb seemed to just smack you in the face. All of sudden, you’re forced to go into your easiest gear and just pedal, pedal, pedal even though it seems like you’re not really going anywhere. The only thing I would look at was the concrete in front of me and Rich would occasionally remind me to drink water. He would so kindly hand me my water because there was no way I had the balance to go straight uphill, pull water out of my bottle holder, drink it and not topple off the edge of the mountain. I had the foresight to bring my phone and only use it during the Kingsbury climb (to save battery juice). So we jammed to Pitbull on Pandora and I know I was getting Koo Koo climbing because I didn’t have a problem singing each Rihanna and Shakira song out loud. Every winding turn hurt my quads but I also knew I could keep going. Then I noticed the view below… waaaay below. That’s when I realized why we do this. WOW Douglas County sure is pretty from about 6000 feet up. Breathtaking, in fact. Then I saw the white tent at about 7000′ – that beautiful, glorious, life-saving white tent. We made it to the rest stop. I got off my bike with wobbly legs and a huge cheesy grin – the hardest part was over!!
That didn’t mean the climbing was over, we still had Spooner Summit. Ok that one sucked. I think I was just so drained from Kingsbury that everything hurt way too much. My back, my neck, and especially my rear end. Rich (the man of many skills) cracked my back at that rest stop and the rest was CAKE. We flew downhill all the way to Carson City. That was my absolute favorite part of the ride. We took up an entire lane of Hwy 50 because we choose to live. Cars were nowhere near us that way and I didn’t hit my brakes once! We just flew past the forest and into the valley. AMAZING!
I had a great huge rush of spunk at the bottom of that hill so I just took off from the group and powered through the heavy afternoon winds with a jolt of joy all the way to the finish. We all left Bowers Mansion at 636am and I arrived at 420pm. I can’t believe I was on a bike for nearly 10 hours (minus 5 rest stops.) I also can’t believe i just completed a century ride. Sounds pretty cool, doesn’t it?
The after-party at Bowers was mouth-watering with the locally-grown food that tasted like we were fine dining. I was feeling a high that you can only get from completing a truly grueling and physically challenging task. That rush is worth chasing! So… what’s next??
Oh ya, I better rest up and recover fast because the Triple Tahoe (3 marathons in 3 days at 33 years old) is coming up in 2 weeks. Here comes another rush!
Registration is open! 
