- SAP Managed Tags:
5 AM, Livermore, CA
I woke up early to be at the C4V event by 5 AM, Oct 6 to set up the SAP booth. My volunteer slot was from 5 AM. Diane Nguyen, our volunteer coordinator arrived soon after and we had the tables and flags set up pretty soon. Other volunteers arrived as we got ready. Plenty of coffee and bananas were consumed. 5:30 was start of registration for the first riders and my work was done. The registration volunteers took over.
8:30 AM, Livermore, CA
OK, so I had registered for the 30 Mile ride the day before. Just like that. No prior experience. No training. Maybe it was because I'd got my new bike five days before. Maybe because I was riding to work these days. And I was just getting used to that single speed bike. Yes, single speed! And just one brake. The on-site bike technician took a look at it. "Ride slow, and be careful!" he advised. He also suggested I start an hour early because, well... you never know! I ate a small breakfast I had packed.
9:15 AM, Livermore, CA
I watched the 9 AM riders for the 50 mile event take off. When they were all gone, I started, too. The first part was relatively flat, so not too hard. But I did stop after an hour for water and a bite from my cliff bar. Then came some slopes up Patterson pass road. I got off and pushed my bike. "Are you OK?" asked a lady coming in the opposite direction. I was fine. Just a bit slow.
11:15 AM, Rest Stop
The veterans' families in the area provide water and refreshments at a rest stop along the route. I used the portable restroom, ate a doughnut and filled up my water bottle. About 20 minutes. Then I was off again. More pushing the bike up (and down,) slopes. But we got to flat roads soon after.
12:30 PM, Livermore, CA
I made it back! Diane and other volunteers were ringing cow bells for each rider as they came in!
That was it! My family joined me soon after and we spent some time enjoying the food and music provided at the event!
I woke up early to be at the C4V event by 5 AM, Oct 6 to set up the SAP booth. My volunteer slot was from 5 AM. Diane Nguyen, our volunteer coordinator arrived soon after and we had the tables and flags set up pretty soon. Other volunteers arrived as we got ready. Plenty of coffee and bananas were consumed. 5:30 was start of registration for the first riders and my work was done. The registration volunteers took over.
8:30 AM, Livermore, CA
OK, so I had registered for the 30 Mile ride the day before. Just like that. No prior experience. No training. Maybe it was because I'd got my new bike five days before. Maybe because I was riding to work these days. And I was just getting used to that single speed bike. Yes, single speed! And just one brake. The on-site bike technician took a look at it. "Ride slow, and be careful!" he advised. He also suggested I start an hour early because, well... you never know! I ate a small breakfast I had packed.
9:15 AM, Livermore, CA
I watched the 9 AM riders for the 50 mile event take off. When they were all gone, I started, too. The first part was relatively flat, so not too hard. But I did stop after an hour for water and a bite from my cliff bar. Then came some slopes up Patterson pass road. I got off and pushed my bike. "Are you OK?" asked a lady coming in the opposite direction. I was fine. Just a bit slow.
11:15 AM, Rest Stop
The veterans' families in the area provide water and refreshments at a rest stop along the route. I used the portable restroom, ate a doughnut and filled up my water bottle. About 20 minutes. Then I was off again. More pushing the bike up (and down,) slopes. But we got to flat roads soon after.
12:30 PM, Livermore, CA
I made it back! Diane and other volunteers were ringing cow bells for each rider as they came in!
That was it! My family joined me soon after and we spent some time enjoying the food and music provided at the event!
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