Castle Shima

Keep the sand out of your weapons. Keep those actions clear. I'll see you on the beach.
-- Capt. Miller from Saving Private Ryan

::: Tower View :::
Son of a Beach
Every year I participate in the MS150, which is the main fundraiser for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Bicyclists from around the area will ride either 150 miles or 150 km (120 miles) during the course of two days in order raise money to fight MS.

Since the route goes along the ocean following the beach line, the view is actually quite good. It makes up for the series of bridges that have to be climbed in order to get to the finish line on both days.

The downside is that for our region, its not 150 miles, but rather 164 miles. Bastards.

Granted, this year's MS150 would be exceptional since its the first time that Team Blue (formerly the KBT team) would be corporately sponsored and we would have money to spend on things such as a support vehicle, a corporate recovery tent, and of all things, food.


So with apologies to Peter King...

The Ten Things I Think I Know About The MS150, 2007 edition
1) Whose idea was it to have us ride during a damn monsoon? Day 1 consisted of 20mph winds and that was the easy day. Day 2 had 30mph winds and we had to finish the last 25 miles going straight into it.

2) Ever been to the beach during high winds? Its like being sandblasted; the damn stuff cuts into everything, including you. Paint has actually been taken off my bicycle. On the good side, it works great for removing that extra skin.

3) There was no shortage of fluids this year. It would have been preferred to drink the water as opposed to wearing it as the rain continously poured down on us. Add the wind and the rain actually hurt.

4) Another Team Blue rider decided he wanted a challenge so he wrecked his bike on a wet bridge grate. This was just so he could convert his very expensive bike to a single speed and suffer thru the last 15 miles of Day 1.

5) All season, after putting in almost 1,500 miles and not a single major injury, what happens? My knee begins to ache after the first 40 miles on Day 1. After 50 miles, I had a limp. After 60, every pedal stroke actually hurt. I ended up dropping from an average of 20mph to 15mph and consuming nearly a bottle of Advil. Day 2 was more annoying when my average speed dropped to 10mph because of the damn winds.

6) I wasnt the only victim to injury. In separate incident, a fellow Team Blue rider was injured when his razor jumped up out of his shaving kit bag and bit him on the finger.

7) The biggest battle on day 1: Watching a Team Blue rider attempt to circumvent the fence that blocked his way to lunch. Unfortunately the Fence won the match 2 - 0 and Big G was forced to walk the long way around to get his turkey wrap.

8) At the end of Day 1, we had real burgers for the second lunch. At the end of Day 2, we had more burgers. Guess what I had for lunch yesterday and today?

9) For dinner, a few of us skipped the typical sponsored spaghetti dinner and went to the local Japanese steak house. We had a Spainaird chef cook our Japanese dinner over the teppanyaki grill while salsa music played in the background. All this while another chef, Japanese in heritage, screeched thru a very bad Engrish version of Happy Birthday to another patron. Diversity indeed.

10) Mental note to self: Next year, at the end of the day 2, even after battling high winds, be sure to pick up my finish line medal before flopping down on the ground, grabbing the knee in pain, and whimpering like a little girl. There is nothing like having to limp over to the elderly woman in a wheelchair who is stricken with MS as she hands you your medal. You come to the realization that what you went thru is nothing compared to what she has gone thru.

With that being said, its time to start winter training.
**********

************************************************
When did I lose my sense of purpose?
Can I regain what's lost inside?
Why do I feel like I deserve this?
Why does my pain look like my pride?
************************************************