Day 5; Santa Maria to Lompoc

Day 4. Wait a minute. Is it day 4 or day 5.  I think it is day 5.  Wow, the days are kinda blending in on each other.  Yes, it is day 5. Santa Maria to Lompoc. (Why do I look pregnant in the picture above??)

I forgot to mention something from last night. Day 4, in the food line, after a rough day in the saddle, Tony came up to me, he rides with Team San Diego. We had not talked much prior, but he asked how I was doing.  I told him everything.  The flats, the emotions, missing Jose, thinking of Ricardo.  It was chilly.  He grabbed hold of me and held me in his arms.  For anyone wondering, no, there was nothing sexual or a come on about it.  He just knew that I needed a good solid hug.  So he did.  Tony has been partnered forever and understood, I think, what it was like.  What I was going through.  This is his fourth ride I think.  So as we waited for food, he just held me close, in a loving hug, and reminded me to feel the emotions and experience ALC fully.  This is the love bubble I speak so fondly of.  When you need a hug or shoulder, there is one readily available.

Day 5. Started out great!  I needed a good cry day yesterday and a good night’s sleep!  Today was a bright and cheery morning.  I like this camp because you can see the entire camp.  So far, camp has been dispersed.  This one was compact.  All the tents lined up neatly in a row.

Camp. All the tents in nice rows.  Everyone in red for red dress day!

Today is red dress day.  2200 riders all dressed in their best red dresses cruising down the California countryside!  I looked fantastic!  So did everyone else.  Though some guys were wearing next to nothing.  One, too cold for that. Two, how does your ass not hurt when you are in a Speedo and not a padded short.  To not wear a red dress, you would have been in the minority.  It was very cool to see motocrew (motorcycle team that stands at corners guiding us) in red dresses and then some!  Super fun to see them get into the spirit!

Lots of cars honked at us as they passed, showing their support.  It was also neat to see the line of red as you cruise down the long stretches of road.  Your inspi”red” signs read.  Lots of support out on the street and from passing cars today.

Romi and I are having a blast.  Her knee is really bothering her, but we push on and make it.  SOOOOO, the hills today sucked!!  Why did they not tell us that red dress day hills were going to be far worse than Quadbuster or the Evil Twins??  And to do it in a dress??!!  Yeah, hard hill day, but Romi and I killed it!  Because we are awesome like that!

Romi and I fierce in our red dresses!!!!

A sea of red dresses at rest stop 1.

Romi, Darth and peanut butter and jelly grahm cracker sandwiches at RS1! Those were so tasty!

Lori Jean and a very creative outfit.

Yes, those are high heel biking shoes with clips!

I found some mexicans on a mission

I met and talked with Lori Jean today.  She was super nice.  I really enjoy her and hearing her speak.  So motivating.  She said I was her hero.  I told her she in return was mine!  She was with us every day, standing in the rain or heat, to cheer us on and provide the most amazing support.  And to hear her talk every night, super cool.  I am glad to have had the opportunity to meet and talk with her, albeit briefly.

This day, we biked through and Air Force Base and government penitentiary.  I wonder what they thought as we passed through……??

Lori Jean and I :)

Some members of Team San Diego!

More rest stop shenanigans!

Me, in a red dress, in the middle of nowhere California

Rest stop 4!

I got my free massage today!  Super nice.  The girl worked me over something fierce.  She was not shy about getting in my business and massaging my legs thoroughly.  And to be honest.  I did not care.  At this point, your legs are in so much pain and hurt, to have someone attack your legs in a good way, rotating your legs in every imaginable position, and positioning me in some very awkward and revealing positions, you would think I would care.  Nope!  I just laid back and took it because it felt soo good!  And, the masseuses do this for free, on their time.  Again, part of the larger ALC family.  Give because you can. Do something bigger than you.

Hung out with David some.  Just talked and enjoyed the California scenery as we walked the perimeter of camp.  Shared stories and laughs.  What was weird about today, I was emotionless of anything sad or crying moments.  I was happy and in the best mood.  But compared to yesterday’s breakdowns and tears, today was none of that.  No Zen either.  Just a really good mood, all day long, so happy and blissful with what I was doing and where I was.  Had to have been the best day on the ride just to be in pure bliss for every waking second. Maybe I am just too tired to have the other spectrum of emotions.  I am tired and sore, but I am an athlete!!  This is sooo awesome.  I am an athlete.  I never have felt this way before, but I need to say it again, I am an athlete.  (The Olympics are on in today’s real date 7/31/12. I wonder if this is how they feel at the end of an event??)  I am so proud of myself and what I have done/am doing.  I am an athlete and I rock!!  We all rock!!  Go us. Go ALC Family!!

David, Raquel and I

I saw some fights today.  People’s emotions are running high.  I choose to stay at peace.  You can get so caught up in the emotions that it takes you the other way.  I chose to not go that route.  Mind over matter.  I am here to save lives, and this high I am on can’t be destructed with the bickering over misaligned tents or loud talkers when you’re trying to sleep.

At dinner we watch all the media coverage from local stations form the past few days.  Really cool to see how much attention and media this gets.  I hope it encourages those watching to investigate more what ALC is and how they can help.

Dinner, inappropriately arranged.

I decide I will do this ride next year.  I will ride all 545 miles.  I will know my bike better and be a better bike tech to Blanch.  I will save lives.

Best moment of today.  I went to the portapotty and lifted my dress to pee, standing like a man stands.  I look down at my jersey and it was the jersey from last year’s San Diego Team (David let me borrow it).  On the Jersey was David’s saying, “Nobody said saving lives was going to be easy”.  I started to tear up just slightly from that saying.  I am beat, sore, tired, in a red dress in a portapotty.  I then see a name of a friend living with HIV (the jersey had names of those living with or whom have passed from this disease).  I started crying.  So here I am, in a porta potty, lifting my dress, crying at the itty bitty urinal inside.  Then it gets better.  I have to apply Butt Butter (a chamois gel that prevents rubbing and chaffing).  So here I am, in a red dress, crying at the urinal, lifting my dress, and applying butt butter to my butt.  IT WAS HYSTERICAL!!!!  I walked out of the urinal crying from laughing.  David told me to get with it J

Time for bed.  Tomorrow I see Jose.  I am curious how I will react.  I love that man a lot.  Through this ride, I have thought a lot of him, and know that I love him. Will I cry?  Will I smile and just be sooo overwhelmingly happy.  Will I pass out in his arms from being so sore and tired?

PS Butt butter is amazing!

Till next time
Keep peddling