200miles in 2 days

Kay, Kale & me- Rodney calls us the stay @ home mom's...lol

Me, Kay & Justin gettin ready

Me, Kay, Kale, Justin, Marcus, Jonesy and Michelle--Rodney is takin the pic

Last Friday night i would have said it was impossible. the forecast was for severe weather going in the direction we were going to head. we were making our annual trip anniston to atlanta on the chief ladiga and silver comet trails. we met at the cracker barrel in leeds to eat (and i really thought, to go back home). but, being the crazy riders we are, we decided it didn't look that bad (and it was fine in alabama, but they were predicting severe weather still in atlanta in the afternoon). we started in anniston about 11:15am (temps in the upper 60s/low 70s) and only had about 10min. of sprinkles all the way to about 10miles out and then just mist. it was pretty uneventful except for all the mud/water. it was a long day of dodging spray from the guys in front (always try to pull when it's wet!). we stopped for lunch in rockmart and then finished up as it was getting dark in atl. we did have to find a hose behind the hotel bc we and our bikes were so nasty!!! we had some pizza, beer/wine and lots of water and hung out for a bit before all passing out (from exhaustion of course!).

We decided there was no reason to hurry out the next day as we were all tired and the front had brought cold weather with it, we were now looking at starting in temps of mid 40s! many of us were glad for the dry roads, but would have gone back to dodging spray instead of freezing to death (amazing how a change in one day can leave you so intolerant). day 2 really proved that i am not made for long flat rides, but my riding buddy kay was in her element. she just loved looking back at me and telling me to come on....kind of what happens when we're hoofing uphills at home. she motored along with no problem and i struggled to keep up. an excellent lesson in how it sucks to ride off the back! i couldn't have been happier to make it to cedartown (about 60miles out of atl) where we stopped for lunch. we were all more than ready to make it back to our cars and their heaters! so, kale, kay, jim, justin, jonesy, marcus, michelle, rodney and i all came back, no worse for the wear.

maybe next year we can have the sense to not go when the weather has such potential to be cold or when it's blazingly hot!(last year it was 101 on the way home).

as i write this, all that seems a long time ago and an easy ride. 2 days to ride 200miles and it much easier with a big group of friends. i'm focused now on this weekends attempt at 200miles in one day with just me and kay (none of our other riding friends going with us....one even called us crazy "witches";)