|
'Big Mike' New Course MS-100 bike ride
*** The MS-100 2002 tour is new. A whole new course. Now it begins and finish in Ramsey, NJ. Now here is the load down with the stuff that happened during the MS-100 mile bike tour on September 21 & 22, 2002.
Sept. 21st ...... The weather was nice. A bit humid out though. Suppose to be warm out during the afternoon is what I heard on the Weather Channel. My mother and I left about 6:15am for Ramsey. Reached Ramsey by about 6:55am. Saw old friends from past bike tours. Including my friend that is the clown man. He was funny. He wears a clown wig that is attached to his bike helmet. A plastic nose on his nose and a clown outfit and a clown horn. Some bikers started a bit late. A lot of bikers that was in back started to leave the station. The ribbon cutting ceremony started late. Suppose to start like 8:15am. It was a smooth start though. I did take pictures and did video tape. I left the start line at 8:20am. No problem reaching the first rest stop. Which was 9:24am. The sweat band I put on at the startline. Well, I took it off at the first rest stop. It made me feel much hotter and a sweaty head. Reached the second rest stop like 10:25am. Not as sweaty as before. But am swaety all over my body now. Lunch is the third rest stop. Now to let you know on this. From the start line to the third rest stop (lunch). Reached lunched at 11:20am and left lunch at 12:10pm. It was the old part of the course. After lunch, it will be all new for the rest of the tour. (Looked at my map at home. Rode on what I call the Rockaway Mountian) Rode on Green Pond Road for a good 11 miles. Even saw a sign to my most favorite place in NJ. Reached the 4th and final rest stop at 1:22pm. Almost got lost after going under the highway bridge. Becuase a couple of bikers and I did not see the sign or painted marker. Wind up at a 5 way intersection. Backed a half mile and then back to bridge and we did find a marker. Reached the Parsippany Hilton by 2:55pm. My top speed for the day was after the second rest stop of 36 MPH. That was before the hairpin right turn. The toughest climb was before the second rest stop. Saw bikers walk up the tough hills. Anyway, I had to wait for my room. A few MS bikers had problems getting a room. It was a first for me. While waiting, my friend Scott from the Belleville Fire Department came by to visit for awhile. THat was sooo cool of him to hang with me for an hour. When I did get the room, I cleaned up, then went into the hot tub, the pool, call my mother and a few friends, had dinner, raffle and watched the comedy show for the MS bike tour only. The comedian was Gary DeLena that was seen on HBO, MTV, VH-1 and Comedy Central. He was funny and a great person. Played my bike number in the NJ lottery. Which was #324. Then bed afterwards. Say like 10:30pm. Nighty-night!!! (zzzzzzzzzzzz) Sept. 22nd ...... Wake up time!!! Woke around 6:05am. Room mate was already up. Dressed up and packed up by 6:45am. The Hilton does not have the Weather Channel on there cable system. The first time ever not to see the Weather Channel. That stinks!!! I always check the weather in the morning!! To know what to expect for the rest of the day. Anyway, stretch out, breakfast, call my mother, put my baggage in a room with other bags. The weather at the time was sun and clouds. Still a bit humid out. Left the Hilton at 8:10am. Awhile into the morning, I was already sweaty. Reached the first rest stop of the day near Boonton at 8:47am. Thought friends from the Boonton Elks was gonna show up. Stayed till 9:10am. The hills are beginning to be more hilly. Reached the second rest stop at 9:51am. Now the hills are getting deeper. Like a moderate climb. Sweaty and warm for the rest of the day. Reached the third rest stop that is lunch by 10:53am. It took a bit to reach lunch. Because of the long, long driveway if you like to call it at the Salvation Army Complex. Then left 11:55am. Still playing in the hills. After the fourth rest stop. Which I have reached 12:53pm. I called my friends that live in Wayne to meet at the fifth rest stop. After leaving the fourth rest stop. Something happened along the way. Almost swallowed a bee while climbing a hill. I did spit it out and it landed on my shirt. Hit it and landed on my right leg and finally hit it off for good. Then another problem came up. I was so swaety. Well, my hands was slippery to hold onto the handlebar. I was flying downhill after the bee situation. Nearly lost the bike from the bumps. Could not grip the brakes. Because my hands was slippery from the sweat. Did regain near the bottom of the long downhill. Reached the fifth and final rest stop in Wayne by 2:01pm. My friends came by to see me for 45 minutes. Then left for the finish line in Ramsey. Took my time to reach there. Reached the finish line like 3:55pm. It was more flat then hills after the fifth rest stop. My mother and I reached the finish line area at the same time. Weird!! The finish line had a live band, BBQ, massage and costume characters. Well, a good amount of the food was gone and the band was leaving 30 to 45 minutes after reaching the finish line. Okay....some food was gone. Like the donuts and I think the macaronni. I think!! Then my mother and I went home. Because she was tired. Lay back and watch tv for awhile at home and slowly fell asleep. THE END!!! ***Now to tell you how much I raised for Multiple Sclerosis. The total collected was $594.00. * Anyone wishing to join the bike tour or become a volunteer in the Greater North Jersey Chapter, give a call at (201) 967-8687 or you could go to www.ms100.org. |
|
