Bikes, Blues & Bayous 2015

Our family at the start.

The weather was cool, the crowd was huge, and my daughter was excited to be riding with her dad. I could not have been happier myself. The BBB drew almost 889 participants which included not only my daughter and me but my wife also. Too bad our son, Forrest, had to work that day. With five official distances: 2, 11, 20, 46, and 62 miles, there was a ride for anyone who was interested in some exercise and a social experience on a bicycle. That last aspect, a social experience on a bicycle, was what I sought on this first day of August 2015.

The number and variety of cyclists was amazing.

I signed up for 62 miles and registered my daughter for the 46, and my wife for 20, but I decided I would ride whatever distance Andrea did. She only had a working bicycle for a couple of weeks before the event and rode once, I think, so I was dubious about her ability to complete 46 miles. Certainly I doubted she would enjoy it much if she did ride that far. 

Come what may, we started in two groups. The metric century folks started first at 7:00 am and then the rest of us in one big group left Front Street, went south down Howard one block before riding over to Fulton Street on Market Street where we turned north, crossed the Yazoo River Bridge, and headed towards Money Road via Grand Blvd.

The number and variety of cyclists was amazing, and while my daughter and I pedaled gently we were passed by so many riders that looking over my shoulder for my wife seemed an imprudent thing. We were out on Money Road all the way to the Robert Johnson church before I could look around and see Penny in the background, visible because she wore the bright orange event T-shirt. I told Andrea I was circling back to check on her mom.

I found Penny spinning at a nice cadence and obviously enjoying herself. The cool air and the low humidity along with the harvest ready corn in the fields and the sound of distant crop duster made me think this was October instead of August. Everywhere I looked, everybody seemed happy.

I rode with Penny a while and then went back up to Andrea. This gave me a chance to ride a little harder. When I got back to Baby Girl, she was already complaining about pain in her hinder parts. We were not yet half way of half way of half way. At this point, I knew 46 was out of the question but I dare not say anything to Andrea. She is just like me in that she always wants to overreach. 

I went back and forth a couple of more times before Andrea and I made it into the rest stop in Money at the old Ben Roy Service. The place was hopping like Greasy Street on a Saturday night. I saw and briefly chatted with Carol Moore and her husband and then Penny rode in and joined Andrea and me at chowing down on all the goodies laid out for us. There were sandwiches of various kinds, cookies, trail mix, and fruit.

The Money rest stop was clearing out about the time we left.

I also ran into David Pentecost at the rest stop. We grew up together on Harding Street. I asked him if he remembered the time Dad took all the neighborhood kids on a bike ride up the same road and on to McIntyre Lake. He remembered and we chatted some about the old days and how we swam in the lake and then rode home. That was nice.

While at the stop, Andrea relented that it might be in her best interest to turn around, so when we left, we left as a trio, she, her Mom, and me. 

We had an enjoyable ride back to town. A couple of time some of the faster 46-ers came by in pace lines. I jumped a few wheels and rode them a bit before turning back to check on the girls. After we got back into town and just before crossing the Yazoo River bridge, I saw Mark Blackwood, my swimming mate from DSU and physician who delivered our grandson, Zane. We rode in together, and then I went back and rode in with Andrea. After I got off the bike, I had a text from my sister which meant I had to leave right away. I wish I could have stayed and continued to visit with Mark, enjoy the music, and sample some of the food, but a text from my sister always means something is amiss.

All in all, it was a nice day and a good experience to share with my wife and daughter. Maybe they can be more fit next year. Whatever. This one is all about fun, and I had plenty of that. I hope Baby Girl did too despite the sore hinder parts.