This is my third year riding in the weeklong Tour De Wyoming bike ride. When I first rode in the tour I was sixteen and rode on a tandem, or two person bike, with my dad. Every mile we rode felt like part of a death march. We had to fight just to keep the behemoth of a bike, which we nicknamed the condom, moving up hill.
Last year my dad, brother and I all had our own bikes. My dad was a bike racer in college and my brother has tons of energy. They were naturally significantly faster than me and I felt left in the dust. The hardest day last year was climbing over the mountain from Ten Sleep to Buffalo. It was steep, hot and buggy and I finished the ride about a minute behind my dad and brother. My goal was to get through the ride without needing to sag a ride in a car. I was slower than snot but I made it.
This summer my goal was to keep up with my dad and brother. There were a couple times where they got a head of me but for the most part I kept them in sight. Going up mountain passes I have an unfair advantage because of my third gear. We call the granny gear, or call granny Irma, because no one under fifty has one has three gears.
Going up Teton Pass in to Jackson my brother challenged me not to use Irma. It was on, there was no way I could back down from a personal challenge and my brother knew it. The pass has an average ten percent grade, which can feel steep in a car let alone in a bike. People were walking their bikes and I had to fight to pass them. I thought of getting off my bike and walking, it would have been faster not to mention easier on my thighs, but decided that if I got off I would never be able to get back on. As I rounded the final bend I could hear cheering. I knew that if I could just keep my feet moving I would make it.
I’m not sure what was harder, riding to the top of the pass or passing calculus III. Both felt like an impossible journey that would never end but my pride would not let me go half way. I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it and smile after words.
About 100 feet from the end an amazing biker woman, or fellow biker chick, rode up to me and we shared words of inspiration and finished together. Climbing to the top of mountains and after a 100 mile day reminded me that although college can seem near impossible, frustrating, and undervalued there always is a great sense of accomplishment at the end. During mile 80 it feels like the end will never come but I am here to say keep on pedaling, studying, follow your heart and stay true to who you are and you will make it to that breath taking view.
