What an awesome ride! This was my first cycling event and I got to do it with one of my oldest besties! Steph did Spudman with me and just recently bought her own bike and decided to celebrate her 33rd birthday by riding 70 miles with me! It was an all women's ride and since it was witch themed, I of course dressed up. How can you pass that up? :) I decorated my car windows for Steph for her birthday and it was fun getting honked at all the way to Brigham City! ("honk for the birthday witch" on the back window) We picked up packets and I decided to buy the biking jersey, which is my first. I finally won't look like a runner on a bike :) They had THE best t-shirts for the race EVER! I love it! Long, women's cut, cute but simple print, soft, I could go on and on, but I think I'm going to live in that shirt from now on. I need just like 5 different colors now :) Since this was just a ride and an un-timed event they just gave us numbers, and I wanted 153 so I had to sing for my number. The guy was more red than I was! It was just fun from the beginning! We stayed with Steph's family in Tremonton and we got up nice and early, but realized we both forgot essentials and had to stop by Wal-Mart and got out late, so we got to the park a little later than expected, but still with enough time. Who leaves their water bottles at home on a 70 mile bike ride?!? ME! We had time to get a few pics before hand, and I even decorated Steph's bike for her birthday ride! :) Helga was looking as beautiful as we were!
 Then I caught up with the gaggle of TTT girls that were at the ride (thanks to me! :) I saw the post on another friends page and shared the "first 100 women FREE" entries with them). We got a few good pics at the start line! They had music, an announcer, fun decorations, and a pair of emerald green bike shoes! SO awesome! Just a fun environment full of strong, beautiful women!
 Then as we waited for the start they said the witches were flying over head! The RD had hired a helicopter to come fly overhead and take pics! How stinkin' awesome!! So, as the helicopter was hoovering overhead they had us take off! I didn't even hear "go" everyone just started riding. It was crazy, but Steph and I took off on our adventure (the pic of me in my TTT cape on the bike waiting for the helicopter). 
Then as we were riding the helicopter stayed hoovering over the course and taking pictures of everyone for maybe 20-30 minutes! It was SO awesome! The weather was near perfect (a little chilly at the start, but not too cold) and then we actually rode past a house that was abandoned and they had someone taking pics and they'd put a witch on the porch! So, we were flying by the witch house! Seriously FUN race! Steph and I just chatted along and we had some other ladies around us that we'd chat with and it was just FUN! Then, the first aid station at mile 19ish. Jars of PB with spoons...since when were you allowed to just eat a spoonful of PB?!? YUM! I decided to dip my rice krispy treat IN the PB on the spoon :) They had red vines, granola bars, tootsie pops, fruit snacks...oh my YUM! And you can eat when you ride so it was a buffet fest for sure! The second leg was the scary one. If you look at the Elevation chart, it looks like a witch's hat! _____^____ flat, PEAK, flat. Well, that peak was coming up! I don't have pics of ME on the hill, but we turned a corner and then could see the hill/mountain...holy schizz!! The closer we got the better it looked, but still... it was going to be quiet time while we worked up that hill!! They say it is a Cat 2 climb (if that means anything to anyone) and about a 7-10% grade for 3 miles....fun times. Here are some pics of others on the hill (I haven't seen one of me): on the first one, if you look in the middle of the screen (down in the valley) you can see the main road going across; that is the road we approached the hill on....and this is almost the top, almost.  This one is AT the top (well the photographer is) and you can see the road again in the valley below. This was a wicked hill!! BUT, I never stopped and climbed the whole way! Booo-yah! 
When I got to the top, I didn't want to stop...I wanted to enjoy the downhill! Besides, Steph had kicked my trash on the hill and had gone down as well, so I was all for just enjoying the backside of the mountain!! From there we went past ATK and felt like we were out in the middle of no-where for quite some time. Long, open, lonely roads. I'm glad I had Steph to keep chatting with...now that quiet time was over :) At mile 45ish we got to the 2nd aid station and they had the wonderful same picnic there, but I mostly drank gatorade and water. I'd dropped the water bottle somewhere along the way that I'd bought at walmart (it was just a little small for my cage) so I was ready for some liquid. My little bottle that stayed put had to be rationed :) By the time we got back on the road my butt was done. My legs were fine, but the fact I hadn't been on my road bike since the Utah Half IM was painfully obvious. Steph and I just kept pushing and chatting along, despite the invisible wind! It felt like there was a decent headwind, but flags weren't blowing, the weeds on the side of the road were still...it was crazy! We kept plugging along and passed 5-7 riders on our final stretch home. When you could finally see Logan canyon in the distance it was a welcome sight! (The ride started/ended in Brigham City). It seemed really far away, but the garmin said 10 miles...we can do this. We got back in civilization, crossed the freeway, turned South and knew it was close! After winding through some neighborhoods we made a turn and BAM! There was the finish!!! My Garmin said 67.3 miles and I started it late on the ride, so maybe closer to 67.5ish, but we were done! Steph felt a little cheated for not hitting 70, but when I offered to take a spin around the block she declined :) They had a great finish line, but not a ton of people were there. I guess after 70 miles you get a little spread out :) We finished in 4:15 - that is ride time, not including buffet stops. So, about 16mph average for the ride, which isn't too shabby! I certainly didn't feel like I was slacking on the ride. They had a huge selection of candy bars, nuts, trail mix, dried fruit, chips and more. We were certainly fed well. Steph's family had come up to see her as well as the folks we stayed in Tremonton with. It was SO nice to just relax and visit and watch my other TTTers come in! Everyone did a great job and had an amazing day. The first team to come in (as individuals) did it in 3:30 (again, ride time - not stop time), so I felt like we actually did a pretty good job for a couple first timers! Most of the peeps I knew there came in after us. That Witches Hat really took it out of your legs in the middle of the ride. We then drove together back to SL and I dropped Steph off at her house in time to clean up and get ready for a night of birthday fun. I really had one of the best times ever on this ride! Even though I had to set my alarms on my phone and make calls to get kids up and where they needed to be all morning/afternoon. I would certainly do it again! Anyone who would like to tag along next year if you sign up before midnight tonight it is only $45!! :) Almost better than a marathon...same amount of time exercising and chatting/eating, but my legs don't need nearly the recovery! My butt on the other hand.... :)
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