The Weekend

Ahhh, the weekend. . . it really began on Thursday, June 3, 1999. My buddy Todd called to see if I would take a ride to LA to pick up "3 Days In Spring" his new CD. It was an interruption into my packing, but what the hey! I was up until midnight or so finishing the packing...

...Friday, June 4, 1999...9:45 am...Ontario airport where Palm Springs and Inland Empire cyclists got together and flew to Oakland...meeting up with Orange County...after a two hour delay (something about the Captain's chair wasn't quite right) some humor provided by Lillian and other Tri-County passangers and we were wisked away to Reno...the bus ride to the lake was entertaining...I wondered if our driver ever did stand up...Jennifer, 24, a single mom of a 17 month old sat next to me...she's packed a lot of life into her years...a truly fascinating young woman...SNOW!! Good grief its June, it snowed Wednesday...EMBASSY SUITES...very nicely appointed - waterwheels and all...good view from some windows...we got settled in (met cool people from Florida, where their hills are bridges, and Northern California) and went to get pizza (met cool people from Wisconsin)...after gorging in the name of carbo loading we waddled back to the hotel...and to bed...It snowed again...above 7500 feet...

...Saturday, June 5, 1999...8:00 am...the bikes arrived at about 4 am...this was our time to pick them up and take them to our rooms...breakfast followed...the usual stuff - cold cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit, but wow, the hash browns and eggs were incredible!...I'm a breakfast boy so I feasted very well...

We found a church to go to - Heavenly Valley SDA church...quaint...I participated in the morning discussion... Idolatry ...as I understand - it seemed to boil down to this: Misrepresenting God's character in the way we (those professing to follow God) act = idolatry ...Barbara sang special music...Lillian joined us and Jeanie, from Utah (whom we met on the bus up to the lake - and who trained with the team from Indiana)...

Registration at Harvey's...#776 - yep, that's my number - the one to watch tomorrow...Barbara's sister, bro-in-law, and niece came to visit for lunch and lunch came late..."7 minutes" the waitress said..., but was ooohhhh so good 30 minutes later...took the bikes out for a spin...everthing works...God, it feels good to spin the legs! Somewhere along the way the lock to the room shorted out... Embassy Suites was good at fixing it. They gave us trail mix for the inconvienence [note: it was devoured June 12 on a day hike to the summit of San Gorgonio] Pasta party at 6:15 pm..I love it!! EAT EAT EAT EAT - pep talk - EAT EAT...group picture time and head back for the hotel...Prep time...layout the clothes - food - drink - and food for post ride consumption...HOT TUB ... slow down and relax...ahhhhh...bed time ... 10:30pm

...Sunday, June 6, 1999...4:20 am...finally decide to get up...I keep telling myself its JUST ANOTHER RIDE! But to no avail...put the coffee on...shower...drink coffee...cold breakfast stuff is ready at 4:45...meet more cool people from Northern Cal, St Louis and New York)...6 am forget waiting for the ELEVATOR...took the stairs down six flights bike in hand... 6:10 step outside - YIKES - ITS COLD!! 6:15 GO................meet cool people all day long from Michigan, Massachusetts, Texas, LA (yes there really ARE cool people from LA)...

...3:30 pm finish line...pasta, doughnuts, chips...an easy cool down ride back to the hotel...eat...shower..eat....nap...mom calls - she's somewhere in Texas or Tennessee or something - taking time to drive to Boston with Dad...I'm sleeping - she talks to Barbara instead...oh well...6:30pm Victory party!!! WATER WATER CHEESE WATER PASTA WATER... I can't believe how much I'm drinking...EAT EAT Dancing WATER. hot tub..meet more cool people from Northern Cal and Alabama...sleep...

...Monday, June 7, 1999 8 am...pack the bike...breakfast..a HOT one...WOO HOO!...get T-Shirt...catch bus...meet cool people from - of all places - Orange County...Barbara sings for airfare...catch plane...get home...eat like a pig at the Old Spaghetti Factory...take in "Notting Hill"...sleep well...