DIRTBAG

YES, 80 MILES ON DIRT ROADS, OR MOSTLY DIRT ROADS. I PLANNED TO HAVE A SOCIAL RIDE, AND IT WORKED OUT PERFECTLY. I HOOKED UP WITH RYAN OFF THE START, THEN MATT, AND THEN SHELIA, BRIAN, MIKE AND ANGIE CAME UP. SO WE HAD A NICE LITTLE SUPPORTIVE GROUP, ALL 7 OF US FOR MOST OF THE RIDE. SHELIA HAD THE FIRST FLAT OUTSIDE OF CLEARWATER, AND MIKE FIXED IT FOR HER. I HAD THE NEXT FLAT AND RYAN AND MIKE FIXED IT, WITH RYAN USING HIS BIG FRAME PUMP. NICE! I LOVE PEOPLE WHO CHANGE MY FLATS FOR ME! WE MADE FREQUENT STOPS FOR FOOD,

PEE, AND JOKES. AT THE GAS STATION, BRIAN HAD A FULL LUNCH OF HOT SOUP, NUTS,

CHIPS, YOU NAME IT. I THINK WE WERE THERE OF MORE THAN HALF AN HOUR. THEN

CAME THE OFFICIAL STOP WITH WONDERFUL MONSTER COOKIES. (I HAD THREE, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.) AT ABOUT 60 MILES

MATT DROPPED OFF--HE WAS RIDING A FIXED SINGLE SPEED! WHEW. THEN SHEILA HAD TWO MORE FLATS IN A ROW. GREAT! MORE REST AND CANDY BARS! WE PUTTED ALONG TO THE FINISH--OVER 7 HOURS AND A GREAT TIME! AT THE FINISH ALMOST EVERYBODY WAS GONE! BEN SAID JIM BELL FINISHED IN A LITTLE OVER 4 HOURS, 3 HOURS AHEAD OF US. GOOD JOB, JIM. THANKS TO BEN ET. AL. FOR PUTTING ON A FUN EVENT. I HAD NEVER SEEN OR RIDEN MOST OF THE DIRT.