The kids and I got on the road early and within minutes got calls from Alicia and Brian saying that they were calling all the riders in because of thunderstorms headed towards DeKalb. Alicia and those with her stayed put. Brian and those with him pushed on as the sky was simply cloudy and tried to get to the next rest stop. The kids and I too pushed forward. If Brian was continuing, we wanted to be there for him.
We got to the Convocation Center at NIU as the sky grew darker and the winds picked up. I got the bags and the kids and the stroller to the Convo center just minutes before the storms came...and they came and they came and the came. The kids watched anxiously out the window and I tried not to act nervous about the riders, my riders...my best friends and my husband out in this. But it was hard not to be scared. There were people everywhere. Riders who had come in before the storm hit and riders coming towards us as we watched out the windows, yelling to open the doors as they got closer on thier bikes. THis was no ordinary thunderstorm...
...it was intense. The wind gusts ( I now have learned) were up to 60mph. Everything was blowing and being knocked over, including these baracades. The rain was coming down in buckets and blowing sideways and it was hard to see anything. The volunteers were holding the doors closed in such force because the winds kept throwing them open, their arms were shaking and they could only do it for a few minutes before having to pass off to another volunteer because it was so difficult.Thank GOD for cell phones and the riders who carry them with them. Everyone at the Convo was on the phone trying to locate their teammates, check in with their captain, etc. I did the same. Brian called first. He was crouched down behind a fence in someone's yard trying to shelter himself from the storms. He could see a Schnucks grocery store ahead but didn't know if he'd make it. He was alone and could see no other riders. He told the story of seeing two riders being blown over just before he decided to stop and it was scary. Alicia and Molly stayed at the rest stop like they were supposed to so they got picked up in a van. Cathy and Natalie had been with Brian but he got ahead of them. They found shelter in someone's garage. Brian ended up deciding he needed to get out of the storm, no matter what, and rode to the nearest open business. A Goodwill. They took him in- gave him baggies for his cell phone and Ipod and watched the storms with him. Our team was safe. Brian was safe. My heart could keep beating.
The winds diminished and the rains steadied to a pour, not buckets. Brian called again to tell me he was going to get to the Convo-only two miles away. When we first saw him, he was just outside our window and the kids started yelling " Daddy"!! I turned around to see my love with a big smile on his face tapping the window as he walked by to get to the door. My thoat tightened and I just wanted him near me, INSIDE.After a few hugs and kisses, the kids were back to their jolly selves, now trying to point out each farm animal on Brian's specially designed Team Lakeview YMCA jersey.
Inside was where we needed to be and we headed into the arena. Hundreds of bikes were parked along the outside track and we waited and waited for our other friends to get there and to hear the verdict for the rest of the day. Brian, and many other riders, wanted to keep riding once it was safe.
We used the time to run laps around the track and kiss and snuggle and take pictures.
Our racingHOME shirts were a HUGE hit. Everyone loved them and we got lots of compliments. The MS photographers took lots of pics of us all with them too! Daddy and his biggest fans!
I know these two are the posterchildren for Brian's blog, but I think they are cute enough to promote just about anything!
While we waiting, the kids discovered Daddy had extra padding on his bottom. Amara kept touching it and saying "pillow"
Damn, he looks good in skin tight jerseys!
With nothing else to do and the weather still crappy, we headed to grab lunch and start drinking the free 312 beer provided by Goose Island. Our friends from the team had all arrived and we settled in.
Molly, Natalie, Cathy, and Alicia were 4 of our great friends that took Mira's challenge to ride. Our friend Rachel would ride tomorrow.
That's our group in the foreground. We, of course, picked the spot next to the beer garden.
The Director of the Ride terminated the race for the day- on the threat of bad weather still coming. The sky was blue and instead of going home, we decided to hang out at the tent and follow our original plan of just experiencing the BIKE MS Tent village and all the other riders.a
Inside was where we needed to be and we headed into the arena. Hundreds of bikes were parked along the outside track and we waited and waited for our other friends to get there and to hear the verdict for the rest of the day. Brian, and many other riders, wanted to keep riding once it was safe.
We used the time to run laps around the track and kiss and snuggle and take pictures.
Our racingHOME shirts were a HUGE hit. Everyone loved them and we got lots of compliments. The MS photographers took lots of pics of us all with them too! Daddy and his biggest fans!
I know these two are the posterchildren for Brian's blog, but I think they are cute enough to promote just about anything!
While we waiting, the kids discovered Daddy had extra padding on his bottom. Amara kept touching it and saying "pillow"
Damn, he looks good in skin tight jerseys!
With nothing else to do and the weather still crappy, we headed to grab lunch and start drinking the free 312 beer provided by Goose Island. Our friends from the team had all arrived and we settled in.
Molly, Natalie, Cathy, and Alicia were 4 of our great friends that took Mira's challenge to ride. Our friend Rachel would ride tomorrow.
That's our group in the foreground. We, of course, picked the spot next to the beer garden.
The Director of the Ride terminated the race for the day- on the threat of bad weather still coming. The sky was blue and instead of going home, we decided to hang out at the tent and follow our original plan of just experiencing the BIKE MS Tent village and all the other riders.The kiddie pool was a huge hit and kept the kiddos content!
The bandanas and free stuff were loved by the kids too!
While the adults put their feet in the pool, the kids played their own games of bags and ladder horseshoes. The tent across their way had their own massage therapist giving each person a massage. Mara was enthrawled. She laid down right on the wooden bags and tried to imitate.
After an hour or so when the sky got cloudy, we headed to the Murrays. It was sprinkling by the time we got their but both kids wanted in the pool so I took them. Alaric loved it and begged to stay in. Amara on the other hand went down the fast slide WITH me but we both went under and she panicked ( I did alittle too as I didn't know it would be so fast and push us so far under). She fussed and got out with Bri.
It never rained more than a sprinkle and the riders could have continued but it was OK that it didn't. Brian was SAFE and healthy and had not been injured during the storms or on the ride. He got 35 miles or so in, got to experience the ride and it's bells and whistles, AND we had a great time with friends- not bad for Day ONE!!!
The bandanas and free stuff were loved by the kids too!
While the adults put their feet in the pool, the kids played their own games of bags and ladder horseshoes. The tent across their way had their own massage therapist giving each person a massage. Mara was enthrawled. She laid down right on the wooden bags and tried to imitate.
After an hour or so when the sky got cloudy, we headed to the Murrays. It was sprinkling by the time we got their but both kids wanted in the pool so I took them. Alaric loved it and begged to stay in. Amara on the other hand went down the fast slide WITH me but we both went under and she panicked ( I did alittle too as I didn't know it would be so fast and push us so far under). She fussed and got out with Bri.
It never rained more than a sprinkle and the riders could have continued but it was OK that it didn't. Brian was SAFE and healthy and had not been injured during the storms or on the ride. He got 35 miles or so in, got to experience the ride and it's bells and whistles, AND we had a great time with friends- not bad for Day ONE!!!***
crappy footage of the winds during the storms and the tent being blown, etc.
crappy footage of the winds during the storms and the tent being blown, etc.
2 comments:
Nice recap. Love the photos too!
Hey Brian you tease I almost saw a nipple in that open chest picture. :) LOL!!
Post a Comment