Castle Shima

Enough of this Sunday stroll.
-- Muzzin from American Flyers

Once again, the MS Ride was upon us. Team Blue joined the fray with another 2,000 cyclists for this great charity event. So once again, the action report must be scribed.

1. What happened to the rain?! Many riders were sunburned just from the first day. Even I look brown now.

2. Congrats to all the new riders that made it with us this year. Now you truly understand the things that only a cyclist can understand: the preparation, the frustations, the exhaustion, and the pain. And that is just to get up in the morning.

3. What recession? If there were less people this year, I couldnt tell. Hundreds of people trying got leave thru an exit the size of a garage still means its freaking crowded.

4. Thanks must go out to the tent team. They were the first group that Team Blue saw when we came in at the end and they made us feel right at home. Well that and they had to use a spatula to get my lazy arse up.

5. Thanks must also go out the rest stop crew. Not only did you help out Team Blue, but you helped out every rider in the event. If it was feasible, I would have gotten them to put those molasses cookies into an IV for me.



6. There were other teams that obviously didnt know what "On Your Left" means. We might have forgiven the father from the Boy Scouts' who was pinned between the Scouts on his right and the two pace lines passing on his left except for the fact he was too busy stretching and acting like the Running Man.

7. Granted, cars can still be a problem, especially those mini-vans that decide to turn into a drive-way right in front of a 20 man paceline.

8. The live band decided to play "Crash Into Me" by The Dave Matthews Band. It seems abit ironic considering some the accidents a riders had.

9. Sign of a hard-core cyclist: After a crash, the first thing a rider asks "Is my bike ok?"

10. The battle still rages on. MS is still out there and the fight continues. Enjoy the time off because we will be riding again soon.