Coach Brad and Cheri had taken Monday through Friday last week to do a 255 mile ride in Oregon and didn’t know how they would be feeling for another ride on Saturday, so Sunday morning it was.

Saturday evening, we got the email just reminding us that we would meet at Camels Back Park at 7:00 am. Then, it said, we’ll ride about 50 miles with “a few good climbs”. My first thought was, “Mommy!” Then I thought, “Hmmmm, could be the dump loop, Bogus Basin Road, or Hill Top.” I got to thinking that the Dump Loop is about 25 miles, Bogus is a 16 mile climb, and Hill Top to the end of the pavement before Arrow Rock Dam is about 50 miles… but that’s “only” two climbs…I couldn’t make “two” into “a few”.

When we met on Sunday, I told Brad that I was thinking the ride might be one of the three. He let me know that we weren’t going to be doing anything that I hadn’t done before and then started pedaling…in the direction of the dump loop (sigh). So I began mentally preparing myself to conquer the two hills that conquered me last time we did this loop. One of Brad and Cheri’s friends, who is an insanely strong cyclist, was with us for this ride and was following me up the 2 mile climb past the dump. I didn’t hear a thing behind me except for the occasional shifting of gears. I got to the top and was gasping for breath and dripping sweat. I turned around and Daniel was just sitting on his bike, cool as a cucumber. Not breathing hard, not sweating, just sitting there as if a car had just dropped him off. After catching my breath, we headed down that hill into Hidden Springs. Then, after stopping to use the facilities at the Merc, we headed on around the loop.

When we arrived at the bottom of the first hill, my heart was already pounding hard with anticipation that THIS is the first hill that made me walk. I was hoping that I could make it, and did pretty well until the last little section. I made it past the point where I started walking the first time, but just about stopped and walked again, when Brad turned around and headed back down the steepest part of the hill to encourage me and keep me going. I started zig zagging across the road in the hope that would help, and it did. I finally made it to the top-without walking-and stopped. Once I caught my breath, I asked a couple of questions. How do I shift to a harder gear once I’m heading up the hill? Brad told me what he does, and then deferred to Daniel, who reminded me that pedaling is all about balance.

We got started again and headed up the next hill (the second one that conquered me last time). As we started up the hill, Daniel rode right next to me. He gave me a couple of tips about posture and then said something like slow, smooth, even pedal strokes, all the way around. I started that, forgetting about the first tips that he told me, and next thing I knew, I was at the top of that hill. This is the one that when going down, I made it up to 45 mph last time. (This time, it was 40.) As we headed up that third hill that took us to Bogus Basin Road, I kept in mind what Daniel had said and realized I was just cruising up the hill. Well, if 6 mph can be considered “cruising”, that is. I felt like there wasn’t any effort to make it up this hill and got to the top and felt great! At the top, Brad asked me if I knew what we would be doing next. He said I had mentioned three things, and we had only done one before, so all that was left was Hill Top. I thought, Ok, I’m going to do this. It may hurt, but I’m going to do it.

When we made it to Lucky Peak, we all started up the hill and, for the first time, no one stopped at the dam. I was bringing up the rear, and I was thinking that because I was feeling all right, I’d keep going. So, pedal I did. Somewhere along the way, it felt like I hit a wall of heat. The last time I had looked at my thermometer, it was 74°. This time, it was 92°. Pretty soon, I passed Cheri who was taking a break at a turn out. The next turn out, I took a break. Once that break was over, I went the rest of the way to the top without stopping. Every once-in-awhile, I would pray and say, God, can I please have a little tiny tailwind? Each time, I asked, I got one. I was hurting, so when we got to the top, we sat there outside of the restaurant in the shade for a few minutes until the pain subsided. Then, from that point, it was all-downhill. Of course, the tiny tailwind turned into a gusty headwind as we turned around, and it felt like it nearly stopped us as we were going downhill at different times.

The rest of the way, we just took it easy and finally made it back to the cars.

When I got back, I checked my text messages. I received one from a friend and it said, “Able to climb ginormous hills with tremendous strength…it’s SUPER Hulie!!...” This text made me laugh at first, but then I broke down, partly due to being tired and hungry, but mostly because I was humbled by her words. Part way through the ride, I was thinking, “What the h--- am I doing this for!?!?!?” It wasn’t too many pedal strokes after that, when I started remembering why I am doing this:

· I am doing this because my friend’s mom lost her battle with Leukemia.

· I am doing this because my friend’s 12-year-old son lost his battle with Leukemia.

· I am doing this because my friend is battling Leukemia.

· I am doing this because my family and other friends have both WON AND LOST the battle with different types of cancers.

· I am doing this because of all the people that I’ve met since I started training who have Leukemia, Lymphoma, or Melanoma.

· I am doing this so that maybe, just maybe, I can make a difference and help to find a cure so that these people who are currently battling cancers, will have hope for a cancer free life.

Will you join me in finding a cure? You can donate by clicking the “donate here” link at the upper right of this page.

Thank you!

53 miles, 4 hours 30 minutes. 12.2 mph Average Speed. 40.9 mph Max Speed Total Miles on my bike: 426.5.