Last year as a family we did the Hastings Kool-Aid Days Ride, well, this year we decided to try the Blair Bike Club's Rollin' to the River Ride. It was windy blowing strong out of the South so we parked a pick-up in Tekamah so the kids could ride with the wind and not have to ride back into it. It was a good idea, and we all had a great time despite the fact that today was the first triple digit day of 2009, it was hot and windy, but we all did good and had a blast! Above is the scenic toll bridge at Decatur as seen from the lunch stop.
We were up at 3:30 and had the kids up at 4am, after a big yawn our youngest checks his bike over before starting.
The bell (part of an old bike frame) is rung to signal the start. The ride began in Blair and went north on Hwy 75 to a lunch at the river in Decatur with an optional century loop going through Uehling, then up to Lyons and to Decatur then back to Blair. Click here for the map.
I rode with a fellow Lincoln cyclist again on this ride. I was feeling strong since I didn't hear his familiar "Vvvrrrrroooommmm" sound he usually made as he'd fly by me, but was humbled at the end when he bested my mileage by a long shot.
I finally found a rod and reel that is proportional to most of my fish stories. Ha! I love it!
At Decatur they had a great lunch set out for the cyclists giving everyone a chance to eat and visit on the banks of the Missouri.
The Team Reckless rig from Iowa was parked at the lunch stop.
After leaving the lunch and heading into the wind back South we were quickly passed by this lady in pink, she had a sweet bike and was really fast. We stopped again a a SAG stop called the 'Church Stop' set up at a country church along Hwy 77, I ran into my brother-in-law there. The wife and kids drove from Tekamah to Decatur for lunch and met up with him there. Another mile South of the church stop we found that pink cyclist on the side of the road with a flat. We helped her get going and continued on till we were about 1/2 way back to Tekamah. At that point I turned back with the wind and left the pink cyclist and my riding buddy to continue to fight their way South at 10 to 11 mph. I cruised North again to meet up with the family in Decatur and loaded my bike in the pick-up and we drove back toward Blair. Just on the North side of Herman we picked him up and gave him a lift the last few miles into Blair.
It was a great day to be Rollin' to the River (especially with the wind!) my hats off to the Blair Bike Club for an outstanding ride with 20, 36, 56, 68 & 100 miles options, great food, a scenic route and awesome souvenir t-shirts.
Today's miles = 52.06
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