Team Final Final does 101 and survives!!

It was a great ride on a perfect day with super company. Although we all trained differently, it worked. Combined 303 miles and almost 24 hours of riding time and only one flat at about mile 8, no mechanical issues. (note to Trish, I can suggest a gift for Tom...a seat bag and some tools, like those necessary to change a flat tire.) There was a lot more climbing than I expected and those uphills are tough on an old fat guy. The total ascent was about 5000 feet. The only mishap on the ride was when Jamo and I lost Tom in San Clemente...we found him at Camp Pendleton. The 8 miles on I-5 weren't bad, just really noisy. The Torrey Pines climb (at mile 80) was as bad as expected but we did it...some much quicker than others. One of us who spent the past 6 years building his legs just pounded the hills...It was like Tom had pistons for legs that just reved up on any incline. We rolled into the finish shortly before 4:00 to Laura cheering us on (with an ice chest full of beer, Subway sandwiches and snacks). We arrived in the nick of time since we had to be on the train at 4:15. No time to change or clean up...oh well we thought we smelled good....and Laura gave us all hugs. The train ride back was crazy fun....an Amtrak with 800 celebrating cyclists...Beads being handed out, beach balls flying, limbo in the aisles and oh yea mas cerveza. Coach Jenn was waiting for us as we detrained. We all felt remarkably good...mas cerveza??? The bikes arrived without incident and Jamo's was picked up by the Smithsonian for a display....We cleaned up and went for a great dinner. This morning we were all moving well without major difficulties... We stopped by for a visit with Maddy on the way home. We are already planning the next one, Who wants to join us... I am attching the link to the pictures, way too many pictures but I was too lazy to separate them out. Enjoy!

Mike, aka OFG (Old Fat Guy)

Amtrak Century 2009