5-12-2007

Whoo hoo, we did it!! Today was the Tour de Goodwill.
http://www.goodwillnla.org/tourdegoodwill/
Map of the 25 mile ride

This picture was taken in 2004 when Terry first bought the bike. I had been bikeless ever since the brain tumor surgeries made riding a 2 wheel bike impossible.


This ride is what I've spent so many hours training for all spring. This was my second time riding the tour and Terry's 3rd. I couldn't ride last year cause I had a rash so Steffi rode instead. Steffi has a cold this year and decided to stay home. Nick doesn't want to ride that far so he stayed home too. Terry woke me up around 6:30am and I ate a bowl of frosted mini wheats and blueberries. Then it was kiss the kids and off to the college (LSUS).

Our bikes were already in the van since we had to get my tires filled last night. Scooter's bike shop filled my tires with goo so they'll never go flat.

LSUS is the starting point. This is the parking lot, all the images here were taken Sunday, the day after the ride.


At the college I was pleased with the turnout, at least 500 riders. We met up with Crystal who among others is riding in Iowa with Terry in July for RAGBRAI as part of the USAF cycling team. Read about Terry Gamble - Barksdale team leader.

We set up near the back of the pack. My idea was I'd be less discouraged with fewer people passing us at the beginning of the ride. Believe it or not but it takes very little to discourage me. My goal was to come in last or be pleasantly surprised if someone else came in last instead.

It's really a beautiful campus. This is the road where we lined up.


After some speeches and the National Anthem we were off on a right hand turn onto Kings Highway.


Let's just say it was a gorgeous, warm, sunny, windless morning. I felt really good!! After about 2 miles Terry offered me Gatorade and asked if I was doing ok. I was doing good, really good. In fact later he told me I was doing 14-15 miles per hour which is outstanding for me. He didn't tell me how good I was doing then, cause then I would have slowed down. He just kept asking are you ok and offering me Gatorade.

We pass the tree where last week I got a flat and had to wait out in the heat for Terry to pick me up in the van. Such a nice tree to rest under.


Getting past the college and apartments and sewer treatment plant. Can you smell Louisiana from here?


We made a left turn onto Highway 1 and unbelievably there is no wind.
The cops blocked the four lanes of highway traffic here. A lot of trucks patiently waited. The truckers are more polite than the cars.


Follow the arrows, ours is orange.


This is usually the hardest stretch of road for me due to the wind. My 3 wheel bike interested some other riders and they ride over and ask about it. This is hard though cause I can't hear the questions and it frustrates me.

As you can see it's flat here on the outskirts of town.


Here are some quick facts about Louisiana.

Louisiana Louisiana was admitted into the United States on April 30, 1812 and was the 18th state in the Constitution. The Louisiana state flower is the Magnolia and the Louisiana state bird is the Eastern Brown Pelican. The state of Louisiana is made up of 64 Parishes with Baton Rouge as the Capital City. The largest cities in Louisiana are New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport, LaFayette and Lake Charles. The highest point in the state of Louisiana is Driskill Mtn at 535 feet and the lowest point is New Orleans at 8 feet below sea level. The estimated Population in 2004 was 4,515,770 up 1% from the year 2000.

The first landmark is a radio tower. We will turn right soon.


The 4 mile mark is the 2nd turn. We turn right onto Leonard Road. And head past the fire station. We usually start the ride from here so we can go up the hills at the beginning of the ride and get them out of the way. Hills are tough for me but Terry has taught me how to shift through the gears. Thanks to the guys for letting us park there on occasion.


And a house for sale that we can't afford but I want really baaaaad.


And we go up 2 small hills. It's gorgeous in this area and in the spring the honeysuckle blooms so heavenly.



Terry pushes me up the hills to Ellerbee Road Baptist church.


The film crew is still around filming Mad Money with Katie Holmes.


Another cop holds back traffic for us as we turn left onto Ellerbee Road.


We take our first quick break here, and I am tired. Terry has probably asked me 17 times if I am doing ok and yes, I'm ok and I'm just tired and we're not last. I can usually make it up those hills but all that fast riding at the beginning wore me out. I knew I was going faster than normal but I really didn't want to be last after all. On our break we eat the free energy bars the Goodwill gave us and drink more Gatorade.

Sometimes we make a left turn on this road, but today we go straight. There's a really big downhill on that road, but sigh, today we won't see it.


We have one last hill to climb and I am too tired for it so Terry pushes me up and from here I know there are no more hills, and so we ride on. I don't ask to be pushed, Terry just seems to know it.


The real reason why I can't make it up this hill is because I am interested in all the blue glass and I want to gape and plot how to acquire the collection.


This is a great downhill. Our top speed of 21mph for the day was down this hill. Whee!!!!


The hills are behind us and the view changes to flatness with trees in the distance. Sometimes the wind picks up here again but today we had no problem.



Oh and there's a big lump of dirt called Wallace Lake off on the right side. It has a dam and we rode to there once. It's pretty cool to see this big levee in the middle of all that flat land. And some neat little buildings.




You know, I thought there was water in there, but we climbed up the hill and SHOCK. There is no water on the other side. Here you see the hill and the view from the top. The purple weed made me sneeze!!



The dam itself and the spillway. Remember we took these pictures the day after the bike ride, it wasn't part of the ride. If it didn't stink it'd be a beautiful place to sit and count snakes. A sheriff came out while we were poking around. Good thing we were on the public side of the fence by then.


Riding along we see more of Wallace Lake and a serene tree.



Around the 11 mile mark I am finished riding and say so, but Terry says to go to the stop sign, then we'll take a break. The stop sign is just ahead.


Terry's very good about encouraging me. We ride to the stop sign which is exactly 12.5 miles, the halfway point and turn left onto my favorite part of the ride - Gayle's Redbluff Road.


Favorite because usually the wind is pushing us and the view is pretty but the road is only a few miles long so it is a very quick ride.

Bikes Share the Road!!


It's incredibly flat out here. This is looking on both sides of the road.


Along the way we'll glimpse the water tower, a huge landmark signifying the end is in sight, well only about 10 more miles. See the water tower, that tiny blue thing????


Oh boy, next stop - free food!!


Before we hit the rest stop we eat some free carb goo that Goodwill provided in our sponsor packets and drink more Gatorade. And splash some water down my back. I'm so glad we decided to drink Gatorade instead of only water. The last time we rode in a very strong wind I became very dehydrated and it took me almost a week to recover. Gatorade then might have helped cause I sweated way too much.

The snack break was provided by Goodwill. I ate a quarter of an orange, a slice of pickle and a big salty pretzel dipped in peanut butter and drank a glass of cold water. I am just so happy to see a chair!! I don't know what anyone is saying to me, I just want to sit in the chair and let Terry bring me snacks.


At the next stop sign we bump into highway1.

Back onto highway1 - I am feeling energized and ready to get this ride finished. Terry pushes me for speed racing and this is great fun. I want him to speed push me all the way to Canada and back. What he does to push me is he rides on my left side, puts his hand on the back of my bike seat and pedals like crazy, pushing my bike. My job is to steer both of us and hang on. It's very hard but so much fun, I feel like screaming and laughing and closing my eyes and screaming. We go really fast, faster than I can pedal. Enjoy the ride!!

Here's the water tower I mentioned earlier!!


We pass the radio tower agan and finally turn right onto Kings Highway and head for LSUS. 2 more miles and we're finished.


Now I'm tired again and start asking are we there yet? And yes we are there!!


Terry gives me an attagirl handshake and I am thanking him for all his help. Hamburgers are calling our name. We head to the refreshment tents and sit. Sitting is almost as wonderful as finishing the ride! Terry lets me sit some more while he collects some lunch for us. You know I won't eat hamburger buns so he gets me a bunless burger with cheese on it, a salad of lettuce, tomato and onions, a pickle, a bag of chips and a cookie. WOW.

I'm spent, I'm happy. Next week we plan to add a mile to the route. Next year if we're still living here we plan to try the 50 mile route. One needs lofty dreams.