Dream Adventure 2015: Part 3 of 3

  

*Unveiling my custom riding kit for the first time in this picture (haters start hating now).

The Dream Bike:

My specific bike criteria narrowed my search for me, but there were numerous dealerships in Idaho, Montana, and Washington which carried the potential bikes I wanted.  I visited most of these shops, I had bargaining power in the fact that I knew mostly what I wanted, and I could find that bike in a variety of places.  

 

What it came down to for me were two things that I always consider when purchasing:

1. I had to like the sales person and the shop. They had to treat me respectfully and I had to have a good gut feeling about the person helping me.

2. I would negotiate and get the best price.

 

I met probably and dozen sales people at various dealerships and some I didn't care.  For example, one of the shops said, "We can't let you ride the bike before you buy it, but you can watch our sales person ride it."  That was one of the most ridiculous things I have ever heard. "Thanks, but no thanks." 

 

Some of the shops really stood out, and I am impressed by the sales and tech staffs of some of them, including Boise, Missoula, and Moses lake who were very helpful and patient.  Ultimately I purchased from Dan at the Kawasaki dealership in Moses Lake, WA and I could not be more impressed by their dealership or Dan as a person. I spent a ton of time with him on the phone and he was incredibly helpful.  Every time I was in the shop they treated me like I was the coolest kid in school and that makes a person feel good. I am impressed by them, beyond words. 

 

*Dan from Moses Lake Kawasaki. I am so impressed by him. He is a genuinely nice person and he worked magic to get my dream bike (which was practically impossible) at the best price in the NW.

 

*Also impressed by my friend, Trennon, who was very patient and helpful in showing me bikes.

 

 

*Trennon, such a nice guy.

The Bikes:

 My "Kawaski" and "Kawi Green" criteria narrowed my search to a handful of bikes, all of which were awesome machines.

 

*Kawasaki Ninja 650R. 

 

*2014 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Non-ABS. 

*2015 Ninja 300 SE.

*2014 Ninja ZX-6R ABS white with green accents (looks pretty incredible with my kit).

 

But, there was one bike that stood above everything, and I knew it was meant to be. 

 

And the winner is... 

Just look at the beauty of the green and white together...

 

*2015 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R ABS 30th anniversary edition (if awesome and incredible had a child, this bike would be it).

 



 *My destiny decided for me; brand new 2015 Ninja ZX-6R 30th anniversary edition, hands down.

 

All the bikes were awesome. The 650R was nice, but it's a v-twin and it wasn't right enough for me.  The Ninja 300 was a good bike, but it wasn't mind blowing to ride because the engine displacement is too small. The 2014 ZX-6R in green didn't have anti-lock brakes and had too much black. The white version was sick, but it had 3,000 miles on it. I didn't want a white Ninja, even if it looked amazing with my kit, because it didn't "feel" right in my gut without more green, and I didn't want some other man to have twisted the throttle on my dream bike. Not gonna' happen. Plus, nothing compared to the special edition white and slime green.

 

The first time I saw the my 2015 ZX-6R in person it was love at first sight, it made me melt. It was special edition slime green and white, my two favorite colors, and it was the 30th anniversary edition of the Kawasaki Ninja which coincided perfectly with my 30th birthday this year. I knew 100 percent that my destiny was speaking to me.

 

My dream color scheme that matched the kit I visualized, designed, and customized without seeing the bike in real life?!?!?

The 30th anniversary edition of the Ninja for my 30th birthday?!?!?

 

I wish all decisions were this easy.  The bike was hard to get given the special edition, ultimately Dan came through for me and some how managed to get one, but it took a lot of work and time. My first ride on it was indescribable, I was able to negotiate an incredible price for it, and it worked out perfectly. I am so happy! 

 

*Dan and I un-crating and working on it. They just let me come into the shop and work on it and help them...that is awesome.

 

*Final inspection. When I received the bike it had exactly 1 mile on it.

 

*The day I loaded it up was a gorgeous sunny day, one of the most memorable days of my life.

*I felt like such a badass with a Ninja and a truck! lol

 

*Yeeeeaaaaahhh boooooyyyy!!!!

This bike is the most incredible machine I have ever seen.  The acceleration, handling, and braking cannot even be described in words, you need to feel it. I have so much respect for this bike because it is in a word, "insane."  It is a fuel injected, six speed,  4-cylinder 636cc engine with over 100 horse power. It weighs about 450 pounds and will do 0 to 60 mph in 3 seconds.... that is staggering. 

If you were to try to find a sports car that would accelerate 0 to 60 in 3 seconds you would need a Bugatti, Lamborghini, or some other car that would easily go for $250,000+.  The engine it self maxes at 18,000 rpm which means the engine turns over 300 times per second at its max...nuts. The top speed of the bike is just under 200 miles per hour (not that I need or will ever see that speed). It is equipped with dual disc anti lock brakes, traction control, and gets about 50 mile per gallon fuel economy.

You can see why this bike commands respect and why people get themselves into trouble with them.  If you knock the mirrors and lights off it is a Moto GP race bike.  I don't have a death wish, and I don't ride it dangerously or at excessive speed.  With my experience on bicycles I have a tremendous amount of awareness for traffic patterns, balance, and riding in general.  I am not scared of this bike and it feels effortless to ride, like I said it is life changing.  But, I have a healthy dose of respect for it and I am careful.

It is so insane that I have yet to even give it more than half throttle twist because there is no need for it, even in first gear it'll do 80 miles an hour. The pleasure I derive from it is the cornering and cruising, not the speed. You can put this thing in a corner, lean it over, and it sticks like glue. It is incredible to ride. Oh, and talk about a passing gear, forget about it, this thing can get up and go better than anything I've ever ridden. It is so smooth and so stable, combine that with its quick acceleration and power and you can effortlessly put this bike anywhere you need it to go in traffic or passing.   

 

The motorcycles used in the TV show were Kawasaki KZ1000 which were 4-cylinder, 88 horse power bikes, weighed about 600 pounds, and in their day were among the fasts production bikes made maxing at nearly 130 mph. They hardly compare to the bike I purchased 30 years later, though.

 

*Still one of the coolest things ever.  

 

Since buying my motorcycle a few people  think I am stupid for getting it and think I will crash or whatever. Those people don't know me, they don't get it. You either love life on two wheels or you don't.  The people who know me should have no doubt that I know what I am doing and that my good decisions show a track record of doing the right thing. I knew this was the right thing for me and that I can handle the responsibility of a motorcycle. I know what is right for me, the vast majority of my friends supported me, but I still wanted to convince my parent's because I don't want them to worry.

 

I honestly expected my mom to cry when she found out.  I kept my dream adventure a secret until I rode my bike to their house and walked in the house in my full kit. My parents were great, they weren't sad at all. They knew it was me when they heard a bike coming up the hill, and my mom was impressed with the bike.  My parents know I do what is right and they weren't worried at all. It is probably similar to what my mom does with her horses.  It was a big relief.

 



 

I 've done a lot of things to prepare and be safe. I don't break the rules of the road, I took the safety course and class, and I don't usually talk money about my things, but my motorcycle safety gear is about $2,000 of the best safety equipment you can buy.  Besides being aesthetically pleasing, it is equipped with head to toe body armor, and zips up to interconnect in a Moto GP worthy leather race suit. 

 

The safety gear weighs about 20 pounds and is worth its weight in gold. I have seen people on youtube hit the pavement at 70 miles and hour and come up without a scratch because the suit and gear are that important. In my opinion, $2,000 was the best money I ever spent. Lastly, my coordination, bike handling skills from racing, and my general self awareness and intuition for things happening around me reinforce that this is right. I have respect and I am careful, but I am not scared at all.

 

  

I waited until winter to write this post because it needed time to set in. I made it all through the spring, summer, and fall without any problems. I cruised around town and I went on trips.  I have been immersed in the motorcycle world and it is great.  It started with the motorcycle class and continues every time I ride.  I was surprised because motorcycle riders are a big family and I was accepted right into it.  I am a pretty boy, triathlete, and I am accepted right in for no other reason than motorcycle people stick together. It doesn't matter how old or what you ride, everyone is just really cool and cordial. It is nice to be part of. 

 

People always want to talk about bikes and I am always getting compliments from people about my bike and kit. People are always looking at my bike when it's parked outside and ask me questions about it. They tell me stories about their bike. I always wave at other riders and even the most rugged of biker gangs usually wave back.  Everyone loves bikes, and you're appreciated just for the fact that you ride.  Kids wave and stare, and I always try to wave back at them because when I was that age people who rode motorcycles were heroes in a kid's eyes. 

 

I laugh because at stop lights I've had even the most thug life bros give me a thumbs up or roll down their window to say something. It's a tremendous amount of street-cred that I have no idea why a pretty boy like me would have. It's really awesome actually because I get the change to meet and talk to people I wouldn't usually have the opportunity to.  I think if everyone rode a motorcycle this world would be a better place.   

 

This was a dream adventure a year in process, and I so happy with the way it turned out. It is so enjoyable to ride a motorcycle. I don't like to put miles on my vehicles, but I love to ride and having this bike gets me out. It's great for buzzing around town or getting out in the beauty of the sun and summer and I don't care about the miles at all, it was meant to be ridden.  It took 25 years to realize this dream and to say I got a dream that is my oldest memory in the way I did is incredibly satisfying.

 

Thanks for reading.   

 

 

 

Dream Adventure 2015: Part 2 of 3

 

No turning back now:

In January I started watching youtube and talking to my motorcycle people who I encountered. I watched hours of youtube about bikes, people riding bikes, people getting pulled over, people crashing, people having fun, and people talking about different bikes and sizes.

 

After learning about bikes for a month and watching youtube I knew what kind of bike I wanted and my criteria made my search fairly simple.  

1. I knew that I wanted a Kawasaki Ninja because Kawasaki is the brand used in CHiPs that I have loved since 4 years old, and the Ninja is insane.

2. It had to have slime green (coincidentally it is often referred to as "Kawasaki green") on it.

 

If the bike did not have both of those then I wasn't interested, and that is exactly what I told every sales person when I spoke to them.  "If it isn't a Kawasaki and it doesn't have green on it, then I don't want it."   

Kitting Up:

Since you have to take a motorcycle endorsement test to ride a motorcycle I knew that March would be as soon as I could get an endorsement given the winter weather and class offerings.  So in February I took the plunge and started slowly purchasing the equipment.  Anyone who knows me would know I have a keen eye for style and this carried right over to my motorcycle kits. I researched and ordered, tried on, returned, and tweaked things until I had exactly what I wanted. I had things that fit me, made me feel good, and things that made me happy to wear them. The hard work was worth it because every time I put on my motorcycle stuff I feel good about being me, I feel like a super hero.  

 

My goal was to make things unique, so over the course of a month and half I put together kits and coordinated equipment to construct an original looking, one-of-a-kind outfit that brought me a tremendous amount of satisfaction.  I didn't yet have a motorcycle, but because I was specific in what I would be getting, I knew what my kit should look like when I visualized it.  I have a tremendous gift for style, kits, decorating, projects, and this type of stuff. I had such a great time planning and working on this aspect of the adventure.

 

*I purchased this helmet and put on a blacked-out visor, notice no green.
 

*Bought these glove, somewhat lame, no green, nothing special.

 

*I went to work using my creativity and talents to make the items "mine" and something I would appreciate and be happy to wear.

  

*Full transformation of my helmet and gloves...tell me that this isn't legit, I dare you.

 

*My boots, very cool, but missing the Brodacious element.

 

*I painted my toe sliders on the boots to match my gloves, my helmet, and my jacket.

 

*In process of adding slime green to the knee sliders on my pants.

*Finished, green accents on my pants which now match my kit.

After all the hard work my kit was super hero worthy and it got me through the winter until my endorsement class. 

  

The class:

In March I went to the motorcycle vendor show at the fair grounds and immersed myself in the motorcycle world and signed up for the class. The class is about 20 hours of class room and actual riding.  At the end of instruction you take both a written and riding test. If you pass both you have an "endorsement" to legally ride a motorcycle.

 

I studied the booklet prior to the class so I was on top of my game when I came to the class room portion.  I visualized riding a motorcycle before I even rode. At the beginning of class, each of the 12 participants had to introduce themselves and give a brief statement of why they were at the class and what experience they had.  When it was my turn, I introduced myself and said, "I come from competitive bicycle racing.  I love bikes and I have ridden thousands of miles on things with two wheels, but I don't have a lot of experience on things with motors.  I am here because for my 30th birthday I am getting a motorcycle."  That about summed up my skill set.

 

Mentally I had practiced and created muscle memory of how to shift, use a clutch, and brake before I even got into the class. For example, when riding a bicycle you shift with your hands (on a motorcycle you use your left foot moving it up and down). On a bicycle your front brake is at your left hand and your rear brake is at your right (on a motorcycle your left hand is your clutch, right hand is your front brake, and your right foot is your rear brake), so you can see that things are different between a bike and motorcycle.

 

With my visualizations and skills it took literally 5 minutes on a motorcycle before it was second nature. It took 5 minutes for my life to change forever and to have one of the greatest feelings in the world.  Even after racing bikes for years, I can say that there is absolutely nothing like that of riding a motorcycle. It is life changing. 

 

I passed the written test with a 96 percent missing only one question. The skills part of the course was actually a ton of fun learning to ride and preparing for the riding test. I had a blast riding with my classmates, giving them high fives, and cruising around the obstacle learning.  You should not be surprised that my provided bike was a Kawasaki...destiny. I could have ridden that bike in a circle or weaved it through cones for hours. I was sad when the  class ended.

  

*Riding the course, I am on the right, behind the pole.

*Circling around getting ready to run over wood blocks to simulate road debris.

*Cornering and cone weaving was soooo fun.  

*Slow speed U-turn, by far the hardest thing to do on a motorcycle.

Our instructors and riders in our class were absolutely awesome, the class was amazing, and I had so much fun. We took numerous smoke breaks and often times our riding instructor had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth while he explained the course. It makes me laugh every time I think about it. The people in class were such good people to be around, and the smoking was hilarious. I come from bike racing where fit people don't smoke and take everything seriously, motorcycle people are much more toned down and relaxed.

 

I would recommend this class to anyone, even if you don't want to buy a motorcycle, the fact that you can have this much fun riding in a controlled environment with great people for $100 is the deal of the century.  The skills test was actually quite challenging, especially slow speed U-turns and quick stops, but I managed to score perfectly and when I left I had my motorcycle endorsement, it was time to test ride and shop!

 

Dream Adventure 2015: Part 1 of 3

 

My dream in the making: 

This is my oldest memory and my oldest dream. It was 26 years in the making and in my 30th year it felt like the timing was right, and I went for it.  I can remember way back when I was 4. I was so lucky because I spent a lot of time with my grandma at her house. I will never forget those times, she has long since passed and I would trade anything for the chance to go back to those times for a day, to be in her house and to smell those familiar smells of grandma's house, and just  to see her again.

 

I kept her very close in my mind and heart for this adventure.  My favorite part of staying at her house was watching the 70's TV show, CHiPs. If you don't know, or can't remember, it is a fictional show about California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers.  The two main characters are John Baker and Frank Poncharello ("Ponch and John").  For over 25 years I have been fascinated by the police motorcyles and the adventures of this show.

 

 



 

I recently purchased the first three seasons on DVD and have been watching them occasionally with my mom.  Even though I saw these episodes about 20 years (or more) ago, I can still remember the episodes and it takes me about 5 minutes for the memory of the episode to come back. I still remember playing with toy motorcycles that my grandma bought me and watching the show at her house. Life was so simple back then. 

 

 

I spent many days riding my bike around the neighborhood, wearing a toy six-shooter on my hip, and pretending I was on patrol.  I wore shirts with sewn-on badges, I wore my grandma's boots because they were similar to motorcycle boots used in the show, and my grandma even called me John Baker for a while. A funny side-note: for my birthday a real life motorcycle cop came to my house...and I hid behind the couch terrified. lol

 

*When I was 4 years I patrolled with my white sunglasses and a white helmet.

 

*...and I still wear a white helmet and white glasses.

 

*This is me on patrol keeping everyone safe. You're welcome.

 

*The cast of the show then.

*A fairly recent picture of the cast now...the change scares me.

 

 

For over 25 years I wanted a motorcycle, and for 25 years I talked myself out of it saying, "You don't need a motorcycle."  They are dangerous, you'll crash it." Your mom will worry."  "Just don't get one."  "You're not a motorcycle person." "You're not in a bike gang, people will laugh at you."

 

In 2013 I had athlete of year, in 2014 I had the natural bodybuilding championships, and in January 2015 I was thinking of what I wanted to do. The switch flipped, it was crystal clear what I wanted. I wanted a motorcycle. That little voice that talked me out of a motorcycle for so long was no longer there and the time was right. 

 

My journey had begun. 

 

State Games Weekend

There were a lot of great things from this year's event. These are things I am very happy to have been a part of, they make me very happy and proud to be a positive influence in other's lives.

 

 

Last year my friend, Patti, told me she wanted to branch out from the swim events and try the Saturday night bike race.  I helped her get a plan of attack and spoke to her numerous times over the year about it to keep her encouraged.  I am very happy for her that she got her goal (and another age division medal), and did great at a very hard bike race.  After I finished my race I rode the course again to keep her company.  She talked, laughed, and sang songs while I rode behind her and smiled knowing she got her dream at the bike race and at the swim meet.

 

*Patti broke a 15-year old Senior Olympic swim record the week before this meet. Don't mind my chlorine-styled hair.

 

*Patti and I with Chris Cook, the organizer of the night race. He is a mountain of a man with one of the kindest hearts ever.

 

*Notice her kit matches her helmet and her bike? Who do you think taught her that. :)  

 

Another great achievement that makes me very happy to share in was Cheryl winning first place in the annual photo contest.  The Davis Family has always treated me like royalty when I visit. I am always inspired by their selfless generosity and support.  Kevin Jr. was friends with my little sister and over the years I have weaseled my way into the Davis Family.  My family always speaks very highly of the Davis Family and I am thankful for them beyond words.

 

*Kevin Sr. and I at opening ceremonies with Olympic gold medalist (high jump), and one of the greatest track and field athletes in history, Dick Fosbury.

 

*These guys are stunt pogo-stick exhibitionists who performed at opening ceremonies.  They carried me around so I didn't waste any energy.

 

*The back flip dismount is legit 



For a few years now Cheryl has been the unofficial photographer of the games by going to as many events as she could and providing the games, and me, with hundreds of pictures. Her pictures have appeared in most of the promotional materials and sport booklets. Her pictures of me have appeared in the newspaper, magazines, and on the news.  She tried very hard, and I pressed her forward just a little, to win the annual photo contest.  No one deserves to win the photo contest more than her and I am glad she won.

 

*Cheryl and I after the 2015 triathlon

 

*Kevin Sr. and Cheryl with me at the 2014 race

 

Cheryl winning the photo contest after numerous years of awesome pictures was one of the highlights of my summer adventures, so happy for her.  Her award is below. 



 

*Cheryl was voted first place for her picture from the soaked run.

 

*She also won second place for her photo of me at the night bike race.

*John Lamb won bronze for this picture.

 

Equally as awesome is Sean Davis's new found inspiritation to compete next year in the bike race and triathlon.  I had a lot of fun hanging out with Sean, I find him to be one of the most talkative and hilarious dudes I have ever met.  By the time I left the games he was motivated with a plan of attack to get his dream.  I always appreciate helping people who are motivated and committed.  He's been working out 2x per day and I know he will do great.  

 

*Montana Grizzly Bear at Scheels. I just now realized how terrible my outfit is.

*The most amazing basement athlete's lounge. 70inch TV for watching the Tour and for stretching. When I wasn't racing this is where I went. 

 

*My pre opening ceremonies plan 

I do a lot of events at the games.  In between my 11 swimming events I also work in two bike races and the triathlon plus all my travel and warm ups.  I have never mastered all the events in one weekend because the volume and intensity are so high.  Even in 2013 when I won athlete of the year and 15 gold medals I was ragged and torn up by the end. When I won the triathlon at the end of the games I did so sick as a dog and digging for everything I had. The games are hard. They are fun in a way, but they are also very mentally and physically fatiguing. 

There was a point halfway through my swim events and after the two Saturday bike races that I was scared because I had never felt so tired and expended this early in the games.  It is scary to push yourself to that edge and feel things you have never felt before and know that not only do you have more events to do, but you have to wind it up even tighter, dig even deeper, and come out even more tired.  It was a good challenge, but it is scary at times.  But, that's how I have made a name for myself here, by doing this every year when no one else wants to. I like that in a sick and twisted way.

Someone asked me this year, Don't you get tired?  "Yes, extremely, but I don't quit when I am tired, I quit when I am done."

When I was done I had won my division in all my swimming events, got 2nd overall in the road race, won the night bike race, and finished 2nd place in the men's race at the triathlon to add another 14 medals to my trophy room. 

The triathlon is one of the last events and even though I finished 2nd in the men's race I left wanting more.  I came out behind the swim lead, worked my way up on the bike, but struggled to wind up my power.  Late in the run the eventual men's winner, a strong racer from Wyoming, caught and passed me. I held off the charging chase pack by a few seconds. Not a bad showing by any means given my effort in the bike races, but I left feeling motivated to do better in the future.

*Jeez Bryan, don't show any urgency or anything. #non-chalant

*My face is telling in this picture, tired.

 

*Don't be jealous of my pink-clad V-taper torso. Time to make my tired legs hurt for another 16 miles.

*Great picture from Cheryl; digging into the corner

*I might be tired, but I don't quit when I'm tired, I quit when I'm done.

So the two big success of the games this year were the two bike races.  In the morning I raced the 25 mile road race. Later that night I raced the time trial.  The road race was a blast, but it was super hard. Right from the start a guy broke from the pack. He gave me a really bad feeling and I mentioned it to a few in the peloton but they convinced me he was just stretching out and wouldn't get too far.  So we let him go.

*Montana State kit and the Orange Crush!



 Bike racing is fun, riding in the peloton of riders is awesome, but you have to be heads up or it leads to big wipe outs.  Our group stuck at around 8 riders. It complicated things slightly to have a hard wind from the side which forced our peloton to ride diagonal into the wind in an echelon slanting back from the middle of the road to the shoulder.

We all took turns pulling on the front and then resting at the back. Anyone who knows me knows I can be a fierce competitor, but they also know that I have a very kind heart towards people.  Our peloton had a few riders that didn't have the power of the rest of us, but I did my best to help them stay in the group and enjoy their time. I helped them by directing them where to ride, "move left, move right, drop back," and helped them stay out of trouble and not disrupt the group. 

*Early action at the very start of the race

A couple times when these riders where on the front in the wind I could tell it was hard for them and our group's speed would swamp down. More than once I said, "Nice pull, go to the back and tuck into the draft, you're doing a good job."  Taking their pull for them is horrible for my energy, but my heart would not let me just drop them when I could help and encourage them.

At about the 10-mile mark thing go a little tougher. Honestly I didn't want to leave the peloton because riding in a group of 8 is so much easier than fighting the wind alone. I always have to keep the other 13 events I have to complete in mind.  The hills started and the strong rider in our group busted apart the peloton. I suffered and struggled to regain his wheel.

*One word, "wind."

When I caught back on I looked back and the peloton was blown apart and now it was Chris and I chasing towards the front.  From this point on it was full throttle and some of the hardest bike riding I have done.  We made the turn around about 90 seconds back from break away leader.

I told Chris, "Let's get him. Trade 10-second efforts with me and we will chase him down."  We rode hard, and the leader rode hard. I committed to this effort and I knew my triathlon was going to pay for it, but I kept riding hard.  We chased and chased trading efforts, and on the final hill I knew the break was going to survive. We took it down to about 20 seconds but couldn't get the last bit of time back. We never should have let him go, just like my gut warned me at the start.

Once I knew the break was gone it went from Chris and I being allies to fighting it out for the silver medal.  I stayed right in Chris's slipstream up the climb. "Be patient, wait, wait, wait..." I kept telling myself.  With 200 meters to go we both geared down in anticipation of the sprint. Our speed increased, but time slowed down and things moved slowly. "Wait, wait, wait..."  With 100 meters to go we stood on our pedals in low gears.  I pulled up along side and for 50 meters we rode next to each other at full power. At 25 meters I dropped it to my lowest gear and eased ahead crossing the line for the silver medal.

That was one of the hardest bike race efforts, but also most fun I have had. I had such a good time with those guys, but I knew that hard effort was just like a slow acting bomb in my legs. It was fun, though. I couldn't stick around long because I had to go to swimming. No rest for the wicked.

Saturday night was the time trial bike race. This is a hard event. Unlike the road race, you don't ride in packs, you ride it all alone as fast as you possibly can, and it is painful. The race is simple, you ride as hard and fast as you can the entire race. I only left the aero tuck once, and that was at the turn around, the rest was hard riding tucking out of the wind.

*Rural Montana 

*Aero tuck; more pics from Cheryl!

 

I have never won this event. It is hard every year and there are many tough riders. I have finished 9th, 7th, 5th, 3rd, 2nd, and this year I am happy to say that I finally won.  That is a special gold medal and is very satisfying to finally win after moving up from 9th.  It was also very special to share that with Patti who got her dream.  All great things.

 



*Zooming to the finish 

 

*A perfect picture of pain!

 

*I told you Chris Cook was a very gentle and kind person; here he is encouraging the kids.

*So cute, the kids rode approximately 1 mile for their "race." #princess bikes!

 

Overall I am happy with all my events, the bike races in particular. My swimming and triathlon can always get better, but were obviously still successful.  I would never complain about such success and time with my friends and the Davis Family. I am so thankful for all of them and I had a nice (and challenging) weekend. They always treat me like royalty at the games and I appreciate all the compliments and support people always show me.

*Patti, so adorable, so happy for you.

 

Than you to Cheryl for all her home cooked meals. Thank you to Hammer Nutrition for the generous support and amazing fuels that get me through events like this.

I am tired, but now I am done....Done.