RM160 SAG HAG

My friend at Road Bike Action Magazine; http://www.roadbikeaction.com/ puts on a annual ride called the RM160 and since I'm definitely not riding 160+ miles on my bicycle, I got to be the SAG HAG. Der- was smiling.

The crew, including one awesome woman, started from Thousand Oaks at o'dark thirty on Saturday morning. I soon learned that this isn't your ordinary club ride... pace was up there right from the start and didn't let up the entire ride. Der-was smiling.

It was a beautiful route through Filmore, Ojai and Santa Barbara and the group continued to smile and have fun the entire trip. Myself and cowboy Bruce drove along behind snapping photos, handing out bottles and gel paks and I wondered if I'll ever grow up and be able to ride like these folks. Der- was smiling.

Lunch in Santa Barbara was wonderfully sunny, so the crew had a nice picnic at the park before continuing on. Remarkably, the day was uneventful with only a few mechanical issues and most vehicles seemed to yield to the group. Der- was smiling.

As late afternoon approached I wondered if they would make it back before darkness, especially since the dreaded climb (dreaded only by me) was the last climb of the day...at this point the guys realized it might be more than 160 miles...Der- was still smiling.

I gave one rider a ride back to his car, grabbed an espresso, and drove back to the coast to see who was left. On the way I ran into a rider I hadn't seen since the start??--he was crazed with hunger and thirst, so I filled his water and hoped he wasn't going to chew off my arm if I gave him a ride. No ride for him--he was going to finish and he DID!

Back at the last pit stop on Lewis road, my friend was spinning to warm the legs before the climb. One by one the guys rolled in desperate for Red Bull and whatever caffinated, sugar loaded, carb, energy burst they could get. Der- was still smiling.

The climb up Portero was/is brutal, but the remaining 6 or 7 guys all made it up--Der- smiled the entire way up.

At the end of the day, the guys were worn out, needed showers and real food. RM treated everyone to dinner at BJs, which was great to recap the ride, but most of them looked like they were 2 seconds from being face down in the pillow. Der- wasn't there but I know he was smiling.

All in all a great experience to watch; not gonna rush out and do that, but maybe someday:)

rl