why yes, we are hardcore (the main event)

let me just cut to the chase and say that sallee and i rocked the little red riding hood. period. all 102 miles of it. we rocked it and we rocked it hard. and we rocked it hard even though i think it is safe to say that the elements conspired against us in a big way. for starters, the course went up to preston, idaho this year, and preston is not what you might call flat. there were lots more hills than last year's course. but, seeing as we are harcore these days, more hills were no problem for us. then there was the issue of the rain, but that didn't slow us down either. the real obstacle was the wind, which we were riding directly into for more than half of the course. but, even with all that, we finished in the same amount of time it took us last year in perfect weather, which i see as a major improvement on our part. plus, we only finished half an hour behind sallee's super-hardcore boss, who rides two centuries a month and usually finishes them in six hours or less. what's what you say? we're hardcore? why yes, yes we are.

and, most importantly, the ride was about one thousand times more fun this year. we knew what we were doing and we were better prepared. never once during the ride did we doubt that we would finish. and never once during the ride did it occur to me to kill anyone, including myself. i cannot say the same for last year. and, while last year i got off my bike and swore i would never do it again, sallee and i are already gearing up for our third annual century next summer. in the meantime, here's a recap of our second go-around.

we arrived in wellsville on friday evening, just in time for some carboloading.



and, delicious baked potatoes aside, we both got a little emotional when we pulled up to the park where the ride starts and finishes. there is something really tender about watching husbands and children and friends and family gathering around and supporting women who are about to do something amazing and wonderful and hard. it just brings a tear to your eye.

the next morning everyone was back at the park, bright and early, pumping up tires and pulling on leg warmers, getting ready to go.



in all the preparation mayhem, we managed to run into sallee's friend, emily, who had decided just that morning to do the ride. it was a sweet twist of fate, and we had a great time riding with her, all day long.

ten or twenty miles in and sallee is still all smiles. wanna know why?



because this year's course had twice as many bathroom and snack stops! though we still find the name "honey bucket" a slightly ironic choice for porta-potties.





and, before you know it, we're in idaho! there is something really awesome about being able to say, "i rode my bike to idaho last weekend." and you better believe i am working it into the conversation as often as i can.



lunch came around at mile 60 or so, and emdawg and keri (and hundreds of other bicycles and their riders) were waiting for us there. (jen and georgia came up to cheer us on as well, but they went running and got stuck in a rainstorm in the canyon, the same rainstorm that hit us a few miles after the lunch stop.)



we were showered with praise and food and every time someone pulled up after us em would say (hopfully not so loud that they could hear), "nice work, but not as fast as frances and sallee!" since we were bringing up the rear for most of the ride last year, it was nice to be in the middle of the pack this time around. it was also nice to sit down and eat delicious sandwiches for a few minutes.





millie enjoyed taking a rest as well.



but soon it was time to suit up and hit the road again. (those nifty leg warmers totally saved me in the cold weather. and aren't our biking skirts just darling?)







leaving lunch we got hit with some rain, and the wind was basically awful. but, we still managed to keep up with the pack and passed the time singing john denver songs and sending and receiving amusing text messages. (travis sent one around 10:45 a.m. that read, "so, are you done yet?" just for the record, the ride started at 8 a.m. and we did not find him very funny. but he was much more supportive the rest of the day.) i slowed down for a few miles around mile 80, as i seem to do every year, but our secret weapon got me through. we call it "liquid cocaine," but it's really just orange-flavored high fructose corn syrup, and it does wonders. the only real problem of the whole day came around mile 92 or so, when sallee forgot to unclip at a stop light, fell over and let out a loud curse word in front of some police officers.

officer (not moving, i might add): you ok?
sallee: i'm fine. and sorry about the swear.
me: can we get arrested for that? (because if any city has some weird public profanity law on the books, it's logan)
officer: i didn't hear nothing.

and off we went, to the finish line!







where there were hugs and congratulations from our very own cheering squad. it was probably one of the nicest things anyone has ever done for me, coming up to cheer us on like that, and it made all the difference to have those girls waiting for us at the end.





and, in a perfect end to an inspiring and wonderful day, standing there as we crossed the finish line was alice, who started the little red riding hood 21 years ago, and who has ridden in it every year since.



she and a friend got the idea after the friend had a fight with her husband and wanted to go away for the weekend, somewhere where he couldn't find her. she and alice loaded up their bikes and rode all around cache valley, and ended the weekend with the idea that all women needed a chance to get away and do something difficult and rewarding for themselves. i haven't always felt this way, but right now i couldn't agree more. i was so glad to give alice a big ol' hug and tell her that her little ride has changed my life. it might sound silly but i don't care, because it's true. a whole new me started growing when i started that ride a year ago, and it was a different me that crossed the finish line this time around. though, i still cried like a baby when we were done. i guess some things always stay the same.