by The JDRF ride was back in person, raising money to fight Type 1 Diabetes. The past two years (See JDRF My Ride 2020 and JDRF 100 for 100) were left up to me.
With those make-your-own-rides of the last year, I planned to ride my single speed bike. “One Gear fighting Type One.”
But first I had to make sure I could make it up that first big hill on the route. I took the bike out on Friday afternoon when I arrived in Saratoga and pedaled out to the route. The Locust Grove climb was long enough and steep enough that it would be a challenge. I had a some doubt that I could make it.
I got up the climb and erased my doubts. It hurt. But I made it and committed to the one fixed gear.
A quick change, and I was off to the Friday night pre-ride celebration. We had to get a team photo.
Or at least most of the team.
The off to bed for an early start. Just a touch of a chill at dawn.
It was enough of a chill that I started off with my Team Kinetic Karma vest over my JDRF jersey. I pulled off the vest at the first rest stop. It had become a perfect day for a bike ride.
Mile 23 has become a special stretch of the ride. There are 99 miles to celebrate all that we’ve done towards a cure for Type 1 diabetes, but there’s one mile to remember those we’ve lost. That mile is mile 23. We ride in silence for that mile.
“I wish you could have been there for the sun & the rain & the long hard hills. For the sound of a thousand conversations scattered along the road. For the people laughing & crying & remembering at the end. But, mainly, I wish you could have been there.”
Mile 23 significance comes from Jesse Bauer, a young man who was fighting Type 1 and lost that fight on February 3. 2-3.
The ride takes a beautiful route up the Hudson River Valley for 50 miles, then turns around and comes back. If you want to ride less than 100 miles, you just turn around sooner.
I discovered at the “50” mile turn around that the mileage was only 49.8. That would leave me short of the 100 when I crossed the finish line. Unacceptable. When I pull out of the turn-around rest stop, I went left and added on the additional 0.2 miles before heading back to the finish line. Yes. it worked. I ended up with 100.1 miles crossing the finish line.
Was I wishing I some gears on the bike? Oh yeah. The last few rises (They were too small to be called hills) really got to me. I struggled getting up them and it took longer to recover and get back up to speed.
I ended up losing my three riding companions in those last 20 miles. I sent Teresa, Dylan and Ted off to go ahead without me. I had enough juice to get to the finish but they had more.
If Type 1 Diabetes has affected your life or the life of somewhere you care about, please donate to support the fight with JDRF: http://www2.jdrf.org/goto/soultrain Or if my wacky decision to ride 100 miles with one gear, also feel free to donate.
