Views from the Rear (SAG Wagon) by Neal Picken

24/01/10 15:38

Ryan and Ian rolled into my house around 6:00 pm on Friday and we put feed bag on. Linda had prepared a huge spaghetti dinner and we carbo packed for Saturday. I had to drive all day and so I wanted to make sure I didn’t bonk. Trent was to be there but we found out that he had cracked or broken several ribs while mtn biking. Saturday morning was rainy and drizzely but we got a reprive for the start of the ride at noon. It had been one of those foggy, chilly mornings that burnt off and when we left the square in Bentonville it was around 46 degrees. We did see the temp rise to around 55.

We started with 26 riders. When we got to Gravette about 14 returned to Bentonville and the rest pedaled on to SW City, MO. Edwin Acosta and 2 others were at the start but had their own SAG and the last I saw of them was on the way to Gravette. Tony Childs went to SW City with us but decided to return from there. I saw him and Charlotte at the Pizza Party that night so I know that he was back and didn’t look much worse for the wear.

Hwy 72 from Bentonville to Gravette had been chatted with some crushed stone during the winter storm and the tiny chards were still on the shoulder playing havoc with our tires. I think we had at least 6 flats on the way out, and the group that returned claim 11 more. There was a shortage of tubes and air and caused a great delay on the return. Fortunately for the lead group the road cleared up and we had only 3 more flats. Also we had the SAG Van and it had the riders spare wheels. With the wheels in the van we had only short delays for the group.

Steve and I both forgot to bring our maps so we were kinda flying blind. Hey, all’s well that ends well. As it turned out we didn’t take any wrong turns. The lead group put in about 87 miles. A couple did a Century.

The delays for flats, food, water and pee stops slowed our average considerably and thus we shortened the ride about 10 miles. It was a cloudy over cast and the sun set was quick but we made it back during daylight. Well some of us did. Ryan and Ian decided that they wanted to complete the Century and so they when they were returning to my house from the square they ended up on the way to the Airport. They called and I SAGGED them. It was getting dark and the crazies were heading for the bars. We showered and dressed for the Pizza Party and did some serious damage to the Pizza Pies. It was rumored that Ryan downed 11 slices. He said that he had to feed his 10 foot tapeworm.

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