|
          |
 |
|
 |
 |
 |
|
Sunday, June 8, 2008
2008 Picture Gallery - Syscon Double-Century (Almost) We started out on Saturday with four-and-a-half riders. From left to right - Chad, Matt, Tim, Larry, and Joe (our half rider). Joe said his ankle was broken and he was still in recovery, but it looks fine in this picture to me.  Our first stop was for breakfast in Oswego, IL. Here Chad looks relaxed a comfortable. Hmmm, that might change in the next 60 or 70 miles. South of Oswego, we have a water break. Here is Chad who trained with us last year but did not get to do the ride and Tim who is new to biking. Below is Larry (with a few ominous clouds in the background.)   Pete was our SAG van driver. He was fabulous - staying ahead of us and providing us with fresh water and food. At the end of the ride, he greeted us with cold beer at the hotel.  This is the rest stop in Morris, IL - about 68 miles into the ride. Joe is mugging for the camera and looks nice and fresh because he hasn't ridden a single mile yet! (Remember - he is the one recovering from a "broken" ankle.)  Loading up on water for the last 40 miles of the trip. There was cloud cover, but the temperature was in the low 90's. It was hot and we had to drink continuously.  This is on a great little bridge on Old Stage Road between Morris and Seneca. This is one of the best stretches of road on the trip. It is a small two-lane road that winds along side the Illinois river, although there are only glimpses of the river here and there. Matt had a little trouble with some dog poop stuck in his shoe cleats. Here he is just west of the bridge trying to clean them out. We still all tried to ride upwind of him for the rest of the day A half-mile further west from the bridge we came upon a car accident that had just occurred. A Chevy Impala had somehow flipped over into the roadside ditch. Although the emergency response had not yet arrived, another motorist had extracted the young woman who was driving and she looked OK. I suspect she will slow down in the future. It was Matt's claim that if he hadn't had to stop to clean his cleats, the driver would have taken a few of us with her.  We have arrived in Utica!  Joe - who rode the fewest miles of the day - was the first to make himself comfortable at the Willow Inn... (Not a pretty site.)  Ironically, Joe, who rode only 37 miles on this day, and Pete who rode only the van on this day, were the first to head to town for dinner.  Duffy's Tavern - best darn Prime Rib in the state. At least, that is what it tastes like after 100 miles of riding. They also have an impressive collection of beers to wash it down with. Joe seems to know somebody everywhere! We walked into Duffy's and the table next to us was one of Joe's old tennis buddies We were in quite the mood - boisterous and hungry when we came in to eat. The server was gracious and joined in the fun.  Here we are heading out for Day 2 - sore butts and all. The conditions were fabulous for the first 65 miles of the ride home. The wind at our back, the sun was out, and open road. Unfortunately, we were hit with very severe weather just outside of Oswego and had to get rescued by Larry's wife, Cathy.  Following the ride on Sunday night, Joe and his wife Sheila graciously offered to host a reception for the riders and all the Daybreak people at their house. Here, Joe is telling Matt how difficult it was to ride for 37 miles on a broken ankle...  Tim, a new rider with us this year, is a runner and clearly in great shape. However he discovered a few muscle groups used in biking that are not used in running.  The end of the day - Matt and his wife Pam head home with many more stories to tell from this years ride. Labels: bike ride, double century, picture, syscon
posted by Web Master
at
3:30 PM
|
||||
|
|
|||
 |
|||
|
|||
|
|
