Tour de Cure

I rode the Tour de Cure century in Cedar Rapids on Saturday. About two dozen of us left at 6 AM from Prairie High School, near the airport. (Hundreds left later on shorter routes.) Trees were bent sideways it was so windy, which made the rain like needles. I quickly fell into my rightful place in the group, dead last, falling backward, and marveling that the first 10 miles felt like 50. By the 25 mile rest stop the weather had relented however and bit by bit turned into 100 degree plus temps. The course was a big rectangle going west past Belle Plaine, then north 12 miles or so, and then back east and finally south to the beginning point. Gorgeous countryside, lots of big hills, two 25 mile stretches with nothing close to a town. Adding an additional 2 water bottle holder last week (giving me 4 bottles) went from what seemed to be water overkill to godsend in a very short time. I settled into a comfy pace and passed a number of the early “leaders” splayed out at the later rest stops. So when it was all done I got some tortoise and the hare satisfaction and represented Fairfield pretty well. But mega kudos of course to the real heroes of the weekend – the doublecentury gang.

Bob