Bike

• 1h 39m 55s
• 12.82 miles
• 7.70 Mi/hr

Have I said I love my Fat Bottom Girl lately! What a ride!

I am by no means proficient as a mountain bike rider and to be honest I am starting late enough in life that I probably won't be much at all. But I love rushing through the woods, dodging trees, rocks, and roots as fast as I can (which is pretty slow right now).

I'm getting better at the hair pin turns and not worrying about the pinch points between trees. Even after Zack's episode right in front of me.

We were tooling along when we reached one of those pinch points. Zack wasn't paying attention and slammed his left handlebar into the tree. This applied the front brake - HARD. Zack was launched between the two trees just like the perfectly kicked field goal! He landed rolled up (like he always does) popped to his feet and yelled back to me, "Did you see that!" I would have been crumpled up in a ball in pain. Kids!

Bike

• 7h 55m 22s
• 127.75 miles
• 16.12 Mi/hr

The sport of randonneuring involves a lot of self-motivation. Even if you are riding a group brevet you can find yourself alone for large segments of time. Riding a 200K permanent solo is a very long time alone.
Being that this was my first 200K I really didn’t know what to expect. On top of that I had worked 55 plus hours in 5 days and was still tired when I woke up at 6 am. Therefore I figured I would sleep a little longer, take advantage of the later sunset, and start out rest.
Once I got up at 7:30 I made some homemade pancakes that were to die for. I figured I might as well start fueling the motor early.
I broke one of my normal rules by not having packed everything the night before so there wouldn’t be a rush. Consequently I came very close to leaving with out my wallet (therefore no money). I did leave without my back up cue sheet and my flat kit. More on that later.
The first control was at the SA in 252 in Brooklyn Center. I bought two king sized Snickers and Salted Nut Rolls for fuel – and then walked out of the store without my receipt (which I need for my control card). Fortunately I went right back in and he could print me out one.
I was shooting for a 9 am start and it was 9:30 by the time I rolled out. The first segment was Brooklyn Center to St. Francis. 25.74 miles, 1:35:45 moving time.
Shortly after I started up West River Road I got to thinking – did I throw my flat kit in. Of course not. Well I rolled around in my mind do I go without it or should I stop at a bike shop and buy one. I decided that since there would be large segments in the middle of nowhere I really needed to find one. So not only was I watching the cue sheet closely but I was scanning the road for a bike shop.
I kept the pace down between 15 and 16 since I knew it would be a long day. I remembered how much I suffered on Jesse James last year and this had about 20 more miles. It helped to not have Turnquist with .
The trek over the Coon Rapids Dam was cool. The water rushing under you and the spry being caught in the wind and blowing back over you. Lots of power in that river.
In Andover I finally found a bike shop and bought a couple of CO2 cartridges and a head. When I told the owner what I was doing he thought it was the best $20 investment I could make. I tend to agree.
It was fun cruising through the park at Lake George. That is where I did my first triathlon – Minneman in 2007. Hard to believe it has been 5 years.
When I rolled into the control at St. Francis I found out that I had left my trunk unzipped. Fortunately nothing came out but I was getting concerned that my head just wasn’t in the game. Losing a cue sheet (since I forgot the back) or my wallet would bring it all to a crashing stop. I had to get it together!
So I went in, bought some Chex Mix and a Pepsi and proceeded to leave without my receipt again! Now I am getting really pissed at myself. This is not my normal way of operating. Of course I went back in and got the receipt but I now told myself to calm down and just do the ride. I averaged 16.13 on this segment.
Next up – Princeton. 22.73 miles, 1:17:09. This was a very fun section. I was pretty warmed up and in my groove. There was plenty of country and farm fields. Lots of calves out in the fields. I was cruising and feeling good. As I came up on one field I had a family of sand hill cranes cross the road in front of me. I have only seen that bird one other time in my life.
So far I had been doing well with the cue sheet. I would watch the mileage and the turns and they all lined up pretty good. I missed the turn to the frontage road into the SA so I hopped the curb and rode the hill down to the road. I like to think it was Lance off roading in the Tour 
I averaged 17.67 on this segment.
Next up was Isanti. 1:24:18 and 23.27 miles. It was in this segment I slowly started to suffer. Here we turned into the wind a little (not that there was much) and I would get that burning in the quads going up hills. Also this was a little hillier than the first two sections.
Lots of trees, farms and great scenery. Also made me really happy I stop to buy the flat kit. This was the middle of no-where.
As I rolled through town I rolled by the Rendezvous Coffee shop. That rang a bell with me. Then I remembered that is where my friend Hans meets for Bible study! No why did I not tell him I was coming through. I might have had a little company along the way.
I averaged 16.56 mph on this section.
Next was a little short jump to North Branch. 11.84 miles, 41.26.
I now was taking my shoes off at the control shops to let my feet relax and then re-strapping them on. Looser and looser.
It took me longer to get back up to speed leaving the control at Isanti. I was now over 75 miles and it was officially my longest ride of the season. I still had over 50 miles to go!
This section was really easy to navigate as it was mainly on one road. Not much exciting on this section. Just lots of spinning. I averaged 17.14 mph.
The next section was the last – North Branch to Brooklyn Center. Over 40 miles. 2:42:54. Here is where the suffering began.
I made my first wrong turn shortly after leaving the control. I caught it within a block and doubled back. Close call.
There was a long section (North Branch to Wyoming) on a trail. This was really nice as I could just get in my groove and spin. It funny to look over at 35W and think of all the times I had gone up and down that road without realizing this trail was there.
Once I got back on the road I could feel my feet starting to cramp up. The burning on the balls of my feet was nasty. But I had in my mind I could finish by 6:30 and I was on a mission. And that is when the wheels came off the train.
I stopped shortly before I crossed 35W to pull the shoes off and stretch my feet. I was so hoping that this would get me back to the car. I could still rev it up to 17 mph but I knew the tank was starting to run empty.
At mile 116 I made the worst decision of the whole ride. I needed to make a left had turn onto Lexington. There was a left hand turn lane and the arrow was green. I got out of the saddle and sprinted. What was I thinking! As I went through the intersection my right quad started to cramp and I would fight that on every up hill the rest of the way.
Now I was fighting pain and fatigue. Not a good combo. I stopped one more time to massage my feet. This would be the last time I promised.
I missed my turn into the Mississippi River Region Park Trail. Honestly I don’t think the trail was very well marked. I eventually found a trail that took me out onto an island in the river. I doubled back to another trail and once again missed a turn and ended up under the bridge of 694 crossing the river. I was so close but I had to get across the river!
I was ready to go onto 694 (on the shoulder and highly illegal) when I found the trail that led to the pedestrian crossing on the 694 bridge. At this point I knew the game was over. I was block from the SA and my car. Not without one my exciting moment. In a traffic circle this idiot decided not to give me the right of way even though I was in the circle before him. To bad. I sprinted for the last time (with a quad cramp) to ace him around the circle. I’m a fighter to the end.
127.76 miles, 16.17 mph ave, 7:53:59. And now I am a randonneur!